The Beast And His Belle

Chapter 4

The moving truck pulled up to a large iron gated entrance. Once they made their way down the long driveway, it revealed a large mansion of a house. Mixed with dark shades of modern siding, stone, and rustic wood, it looked richly sophisticated and darkly masculine. Fitting for the beastly creature who lived behind the walls. With it being midday, Jackson was at the office and it gave Belle time to freely explore the grounds and the house.

The movers left her boxes at the door and with no instruction, she decided to leave them there until Jackson got home to bring her to her quarters. She walked through the halls of stone facade walls and caught a glimpse of the floor to ceiling large windows. The house seemed modern with the black-trimmed windows and doors, with rooms painted a rich color, but a dark tone and every window she noticed was tucked behind dark thick curtains; masking out the natural light and making the dark atmosphere even darker. She drew the curtains in every room she entered, flooding the house with a bright light that seemed to be lacking for some time now. She grew a sweat trying to open the two-story curtains in the great room and once she did, she noticed a greenhouse out back in the gardens.

Taking a break, Belle ventured outside to get a better look. On the back patio, there was a pool with a large fountain flowing in the center. She expected nothing less from the Masons but carried on to her destination towards the greenhouse. Once she got there, she found it completely overgrown, looking forgotten. She pushed her way through overgrown vines through the door to find the house filled with what were once roses. Now all wilted and lost in their beauty it made her sad knowing how this place was probably once incredibly beautiful. She grabbed a watering can that was off to the side and filled it. Spending quite some time giving each of them much needed care and love. When the sun was beginning to set, she left the greenhouse with the goal to spend her days out there; reading and tending to the flowers, hoping they would one day blossom again with enchantment.

She found her way back to the house and noticed she hadn't ventured down the other end of the hall yet. It was just as dark in color as the rest of the house but seemed much more ominous now that the natural light of the sun had gone down. In her attempt, Belle continued down the hall, opening every curtain in sight.
"What the hell are you doing down here?" she jumped around in fright at the first voice she heard in hours.
"God! You scared me to death!" she expressed holding her thumping heart.
"No one is allowed down this side of the house!" Jackson ignored her fear and grabbed her arm leading her back down the hall into the great room.
"What the fuck did you do to this place?" He released her, looking around the room before grabbing the curtains and forcing them shut again.
"I was just looking around...why are all the curtains closed?"
"Because I want them closed! Don't busy yourself messing up my house!"
"I'm forced to live here now and you made me quit my job! You expect me not to touch anything in this house?"
"Exactly!" he spouts, continuing to close every curtain.
"So what am I supposed to do here all day?" Belle folds her arms over her chest in irritation.
"I don't care what you do! I have people who come in and do the cleaning and Flora does the food shopping and cooking. She comes everyday around four and has dinner ready by seven. All I want you to do is join me every night at seven."
"Fine!" she rolled her eyes agreeing. "Where's my room so I can unpack my things?" Continuing with her voice of irritation and folded arm stance, Jackson smirked and crept closer to her.
"Why do you assume you get your own room?"
"Don't toy with me, Jackson. We're under contract and nothing else. I want my own room!"
"Fine!" he said with a snarl getting so close she felt the warmth of his breath radiate on her face. "I won't argue with you now. Only because I'll be gone the rest of the week for business meetings you can have your own room. But when I get back, we'll discuss the things I want."

He led her down the hall, helping her carry the boxes to her quarters and let her choose which room she wanted.
"So you're gone for the rest of the week?" she asked.
"Yes, I came home to pack and I'm leaving for Belgium in an hour. I won't be back until the morning of the wedding." He turned back to her with a smirk.
"Do I get a goodbye kiss from my bride?"
"I'm not your bride, yet." She shut him down but he pulled her into his chest.
"Yet being the keyword! Don't you want it to look believable at the wedding so no one suspects anything?"
"Fine," she huffed and quickly leaned in pecking his lips with hers. His eyes never closed and when she looked back up at him he perked his eyebrows in amusement.
"You can do better than that. Be a good little bride and give me a kiss."
She huffed again and added an eyeroll before she leaned in again, slowly rising to her tippy toes as her lids closed and lips met his again. He cupped her cheeks and took control, deepening the kiss as he nudged his tongue against the crease of her mouth. She couldn't deny the warmth of his body made her skin tingle and she very much liked the scent of his cologne. Without even thinking she opened allowing him access and she tasted his tongue as it danced in her mouth. Instantly she felt the surge flood through her veins. She felt her nipples perk beneath her bra as pleasure coursed its way through her stomach, down her legs, and pooling between her legs. She forced her moan to stay in the depth of her chest so he wouldn't know the impact he had her.

She broke free of his lips needing a gulp of air. Not wanting to look at him for the sensations he caused within her, she turned her head to the side but he didn't let release her just yet. She inevitably met his gentle gaze as he grazes her lips with his thumb, peering into her eyes with an unreadable expression.
"Now that's something I could get used to coming home to every night." He finally dropped his hand from her face and his expression changed back to his cocky side with a smirk.
"Don't miss me too much while I'm gone."
She couldn't stand his arrogance and it made her feel just as low as all the other women he's been with. He takes what he wants and they serve no more purpose to him.
"Don't worry. I won't." she said in a stern voice backing away from him. She hoped if she said it, she would would feel it too. It would overpower the emotions he had just instilled inside her.
But she couldn't help but wonder, would she find herself missing him? Wanting more of that kiss he just left her with?