Page 30 of Beauty Sleep

“What makes you say that?”

“I’m supposed to be going into my last year of college.” I sigh. “Assuming I pass summer classes. And then I don’t know what I’ll do. No grad school wants a psych major who was too busy jerking off to learn anything.”

Prince hums under his breath. “You started getting these uncontrollable urges, and it began impacting your life?”

“Yes—” I break off, because something’s gnawing at the back of my mind. “Wait, no. It was the night after I failed my first test, when I woke up and discovered… well, all of this.”

I can’t believe I forgot that. For months, I’ve been telling myself that it’s the other way around… beating myself up for being such a loser.

Prince hums and nods. “But waking up in the middle of the night can’t be helpful, either.”

I nod slowly, my cheeks burning. “Yeah. No matter how sleep-deprived I am, no matter how bad I’m doing at classes… I haven’t been able to stop myself. Until now. These last two nights.”

“What’s changed?” I snort, but before I can be sassy, Prince gently flicks my shoulder. “Besides me.”

I dunno. It’s easier to follow someone else’s rules than my own?I shrug. “I had something to look forward to?”

Prince doesn’t say anything. He just runs his hand gently from my shoulder down my arm until he’s stroking the back of my hand.

“Which I haven’t had in… a long time now.” I frown into the darkness. “I come from the kind of family where nobody expected me to achieve much. I was just supposed to look pretty, follow the path, go to the right school… graduate with a degree, any degree. The only reason I’m majoring in psychology is because my friends are. But none of it is forme.”

Prince still says nothing, but my chest aches.

“I’m just… an empty vessel for everyone else to pour their desires into. Like Sleeping Beauty.”

I can’t believe I said it out loud. But at the same time, I can. I feel so damn safe with my Prince Charming… and it’s not just because I don’t have to see his face when I’m talking. It’s about who he is.

“But you’re not,” Prince says softly. He gently pulls his hand out from between my palms, tangling his fingers in my hair to rub slow circles against my scalp.

I snort. “But I am. Look at me.”

“I amlooking at you,” Prince reminds me softly. “And listening. Sometimes you don’t quite know how, but you’ve already shown and told me who you are. And that’s the one thing Sleeping Beauty doesn’t do.”

A second ago, I was all ready for a fight. Now I’m just frowning into the darkness, my lips slowly parting.

“Huh?” I finally manage.

Prince chuckles softly. “Why does it appeal to you so much, having me stumble upon you? Why is it hotter for you to pretend to be asleep?”

My cheeks burn. I’ve never thought that much about it. At least, not without judging myself. “Um… it just is?”

Prince huffs softly. “Try again.”

I grimace, squirming with embarrassment, but he just waits patiently until I finally manage to say it out loud. “I never have to say what I want. I don’t even have toknowwhat I want. I can just be…”

“An empty vessel,” he echoes my words from just a minute ago, and then he kisses the back of my neck. “A toy for princes and beasts to play with.”

My breath catches in my throat, and my eyes fly open as I stare ahead of me into the darkness.

Fuck. He’s right.

I groan, rolling over until I’m face-down in the pillows. “Is that a bad thing?”

“That you want to be helpless?” I nod, and Prince presses his lips softly against the back of my neck. “No, sweetheart. Admitting what you want makes you a stronger man… and a very good boy.”

A good boy? Holy shit. Maybe Prince Charming could be everything I’ve ever wanted, all at once: a brave prince, a wicked beast…anda wise Daddy.

“I’m not sayingnotto let yourself be an empty vessel,” he purrs, warm and sultry again. “I, for one, enjoy it.”

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