Content To Be Claimed (Beauty And The Beast #1)

Chapter 7

It was raining when Dane drove me to school that morning. I stared out the window, watching the weather in awe. Rain was peaceful; it fell in sheets as we started out, but began to ease off halfway through the journey. The sky was grey, beautifully blanketed, and I decided that this was my favorite sight.

"Weather's changed," Dane commented.

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

Only when he looked at me did I figure out that he'd been warning me. I hid a grateful smile; my brother had been working overtime looking out for me in the last few months. I made a mental note to get him a Best Brother of the Year award.

"See you later," I said and stepped out of the car.

The rain had thinned to a drizzle at this point. I smiled at the feeling it brought as it pelted into my face, my hair, my jacket. Everyone else was hurrying into the hall though, so I figured that it wasn't normal to enjoy the rain. My sneakers squished on the tarmac, then I lost my footing. I instinctively flung out my arms to break my fall, but I was instead caught in a strong grip. Before I could see my rescuer, I was bundled in a coat and held to his side. I barely had time to think as I was hurried into the dry hall.

The coat came off and I blinked at the overhead lights. I turned to see my hero. Warren Strandton was already hanging up his wet coat, his hair plastered to his face as he grinned. My mouth went dry. Warren Strandton wet from the rain was...delectable.

He shook his hair like a wet dog, laughing at the reactions from the few people around him, then pushed it back from his face as he came over to me. "Good morrow, Belle. You seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot with the weather this morning."

His friend Roger cast me a cursory glance as he hung his coat. Funny, he was completely dry. Had Warren stepped into the rain to rescue me?

I managed to mumble, "Thanks. That was close."

"You must be Belle Darling," Roger smiled, greeting me as we headed towards our lockers.

"No, Burton," I corrected, wondering where he'd gotten that from.

"Right," he said smugly, then he suddenly seemed in a hurry. "Gotta go."

"You have not forgotten our appointment, I trust?" Warren asked as we passed his locker.

It didn't seem right to let him know that it was all I could think about all morning. "Nope."

"And the delicacy later?" He pressed as I opened my locker.

Still holding my locker open, I turned to him and tried to keep my tone conversational as I asked, "Are you asking me out to dinner?" I still shied away from the word 'date'.

His eyes were cautious. "If we stay out that long I should like to provide it, yes."

"Oh." I turned back to my locker, trying not to read too much into it. After all, according to his reputation... "Okay, then."

He flashed a dazzling grin, exposing brilliant white teeth. "Excellent. Until then."

He walked back to his locker. Anya arrived as I was about to set off for my first class. "Hi," she chirped. "Seen Amber?"

I shook my head. "Maybe she isn't in yet."

"Well, if you see her before I do, tell her she's choosing the movie tonight."

I frowned. "Tonight?"

"Yeah." She closed her locker and explained, "It's kind of our Thursday thing."

"Why not Friday?"

"We usually do dates then. Last week was an exception for you."

"Hi."