Page 9 of Falling for the Beast

He listened to her lightly humming to herself. She probably didn’t realize she was even doing it, and it made him smile. She had a happy disposition. He liked that.

She brought a light into his home. A light that hadn’t been in his life for quite a while. He scowled. Why was he thinking such things? It was stupid.

He inhaled again. Her hair smelled of pear and clementine, with a touch of honey. Her skin had a fresh, soap scent. He suddenly realized why he could smell her so acutely. She’d spent the night in his recliner.

Growling, he got up and went up to his room. Lying on his bed wasn’t as comfortable because of his injuries, but he couldn’t sit around and smell her all day.

He dozed off for a while, but another smell woke him in the early afternoon. He got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen. Aribelle stood at the counter spreading mayonnaise on some bread. She glanced at him and smiled. “Thought you might like a sandwich.”

He leaned against the counter, not saying anything. Why was she being so nice? It’s not like he deserved it. His stomach growled.

She glanced at him through the corner of her eye. “Hungry?”

He tried to suppress a smile but couldn’t, and she grinned at him. She finished putting the sliced ham and cheese on the bread, then handed it to him on a plate. “Enjoy.”

He was enjoying. That was the problem. He took the sandwich and went into the dining room, scowling at himself. He was in trouble.

Aribelle thought she’d seen a smile on his face, but he quickly turned back into a grump, eating his sandwich in silence and running away from her the first chance he got. He hid out in his room the rest of the day. She sighed. This job wasn’t supposed to be fun. It was simply a way to pay the rent and save up for school. Who cared if her boss ignored her? It was better than yelling at her constantly.

She finished her work and left without seeing him again. When she got home, Gavin was hanging around the parking lot. She decided to park on the street to avoid him. Her apartment was cold when she entered, and she turned up the heat.

The next morning, when Thaddeus let her in, she reviewed him for more injuries but didn’t see anything. She was relieved. Maybe things were going to settle down.

“Where would you like me to start today?” she asked.

“The music room,” he said, motioning down the hallway. He plopped down on the couch and closed his eyes.

She went down the hall and found a lovely room with a baby grand piano that looked to be as old as the other furniture in the house, but the wood was polished and she could see her reflection in it. Two ancient couches and a matching chair sat against the wall so the person playing could have an audience.

The piano sat on a rug, but the hardwood flooring around the piano needed sweeping. Dust bunnies flew as she used the broom. After the floor, she dusted the lamps and the end tables. Then she started on the adjoining room, which was an empty ballroom.

It may have been empty, but the room was stunning. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling. The stained-glass windows let in a beautiful soft light, and the flooring had an ornate wooden inlay pattern that she loved. She swept the floor and dusted the crystal sconces on the wall. When she was done, she didn’t see Thaddeus on his recliner and figured he must be upstairs in his bedroom.

Not wanting to disturb him, she entered the library with the duster and started cleaning the shelves. It soon became apparent that the duster wouldn’t do the job, and she ended up taking the books off and wiping the shelves down with a damp cloth. She hadn’t gotten half way before Thaddeus walked in and folded his arms, a scowl on his face.

Before he could say anything she blurted, “I know, you didn’t tell me to clean in here. It’s just…I hate to see the books sit in so much dust.”

The glare softened. “It’s okay.” He glanced around the room. “You’re right. It was dusty in here.” He walked over to a shelf and pulled out a book, a look of reverence on his face she hadn’t seen before.

“You like to read?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t yell at her for prying.

He slipped the book back in its place. “I used to.”

She continued to slowly wipe the shelf, amazed that he was talking to her. “Not anymore?”

A sadness filled his eyes, and he shook his head, turning toward the window.

The action made her feel like he was shutting her out again. She felt the urge to say something to bring him back. “I love to read. Paranormal, mostly. I love a good vampire or ghost story, although sometimes I read fantasy.” She was babbling, but she didn’t care.

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

“I used to curl up on my couch and read an entire book without getting up to eat. My father would tease me that I’d waste away if he let me go to the library too often.”

Thaddeus regarded her for a moment before sitting in the chair. “This used to be my sanctuary.”

“From what?” she asked quietly.

He shrugged, not answering. That was all she was going to get.

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