Page 36 of Isabelle and the Beast

“True.” I turn to face her, and she stretches her arms high, exposing a bit of her midriff. I quickly adjust my focus to her eyes. “Did you sleep here last night?”

OF COURSE she slept here last night. Am I an idiot?

Isabelle must think so, as well. She tilts her head. “Clearly, yes.”

I simply nod. We stare at each other for a moment in silence.

“So, are you going to tell me why you’re here?” she asks.

“Ah. Yes. Of course.”Focus on your purpose, Adam. Stop getting distracted.“The cell service and Internet are back online.”

“Oh, really?” She stands now, and I get the full effect of her pajamas—Lily’s pajamas—pink silk pants that are slightly too short but still accentuate her curves, and a silk top. “I haven’teven plugged my phone in this whole time. I bet my dad has been calling and texting nonstop.”

“I’m sure he’s been calling me, as well. Hopefully he understands that nothing…nefarious happened here.”

She huffs a laugh. “We’ll see.” She starts taking a few steps toward me. “Do you have a spare charger I can use?”

She stops just a step away from me. I’m not sure she realizes how close together we are, that our chests are nearly touching. If I wanted to, I could easily take one more step, hold her in my arms, and kiss her.

What’s wrong with me? I’ve gone years without the need for physical touch, and one night of holding Isabelle has rendered me into a pathetic sap.

Maybe I’m ready for a role in a rom-com, after all.

“Adam?” she asks, jolting me from my thoughts.

“A charger. Yes. I have one. I’ll… I’ll have Lionel bring one right away.” And with that, I turn and exit the room, and not a second too soon.

Because I worry about what Isabelle is doing to me.

Chapter

Eighteen

ISABELLE

What is going on with Adam?

As I walk back to my room from the theater, I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s hot and cold, on one minute and off the next, and when we were standing near each other, I swear he was about to kiss me. And if he had, I would have…

Slapped him?

Pushed him away?

Turned my head away?

…Kissed him back?

I shudder. No. It doesn’t matter that he’s devastatingly handsome. He’s insulted me more than once.

But then again, he rescued me.

“Gah!” I exclaim to myself, stepping into my room.

“Is everything all right?” Brigette’s voice sounds from inside the room, making me jump.

I place a hand on my forehead. “Yes, yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t know you were here already.”

She fluffs the blanket on my unused bed. “I’m sorry I startled you.”

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