Page 209 of Beast and Remedy
The room remains silent, my heart hammering as Beau and I draw toward the center of the ballroom.
Every muscle is on alert, and I keep my head down, beads of sweat already accumulating along the nape of my neck. As much as I want to run and hide, Beau’s unwavering, strong presence calms me, steadies me. It crawls up from his touch, drifting up and across my body.
We pause and twist to each other, taking our positions to cue the musicians. Slowly, I peel my eyes off from the floor, finding Beau’s, and cannot stop the longing in my chest. Tears threaten to form, and I blink quickly.
Beau doesn’t miss a beat as he pulls me close when the ballad begins. “You are enchanting.” His sweet voice is tender and graceful, but it does nothing to help the pain clamping around my heart.
My lip quivers, and I want to look away, but I can’t. “B, I—”
He eases me into a dip, stealing my words as his dimples appear. “You are radiant.” His eyes never leave mine as he raises me, heat simmering in his stare. “You are bewitching.”
I swallow as he lifts me.
He holds me close as my feet leave the floor, spinning me once. Twice. Three times.
“You areeverythingto me, Rosebud,” he chokes out in a whisper as he lowers me.
Words are too complicated—too difficult to say.
I squeeze his hand twice, the only thing I’m capable of doing as my heart shatters from his anguish. I stay plastered to him, the smallest amount of acceptable contact I can show to the world that this man is mine and mine alone.
The music soars. Everything heightens as we build momentum.
We remain silent, simply existing in this moment and remaining close. The longer we hold one another, the more my heart and soul feel at peace with reuniting with my missing half.
Beau’s golden eyes never stray, and neither do mine.
A tear escapes, and I blink, trying to maintain my composure as we sway to the melody.
“Don’t cry, my love,” Beau whispers.
I sniff. “It’s hard not to.”
Beau’s features turn remorseful. “I didn’t mean to upset—”
“You didn’t upset me.”
A softness returns to him, his voice dipping with tenderness and love. “Then why do you cry, Rosebud?”
I blurt, “Because I thought you would never wish to speak to me again after last night. I don’t want to let go of you after the song ends. I want to declare to everyone and show the love we have with one kiss, maybe two as we dance. I want you to hold me close in public and around our peers.”
Beau spins me and draws me into his embrace.
“And I want to say I’m yours and only yours—and tell you every piece of you fits perfectly with me.” The crescendo drowns out my shaky breath. “But my obligations creep forward along the surface of my mind as a reminder that our love is hopeless.”
The best parts of me die with that acknowledgment as the music reaches its concluding notes, stirring up more pain and heartbreak.
I grip Beau tighter as our time together reaches its end.
I don’t want to let him go. Ineverwanted to.
Beau dips me for the final time, his lips hovering so close to mine as the last harmonized chord echoes and bounces off the walls of the ballroom.
I breathe, “It may be hopeless, but I’m yours and always will be.”
His eyes line with tears, matching my own, as guests explode in applause. Beau takes his time helping me upright and keeps his hands locked on my hips, sending pulses.
I know he doesn’t want to let me go. I know it with every fiber of my being.
