CHAPTER FOURTEEN: LEARNING TO LOVE

Adam walked through the dark hall back to the West Wing feeling unsure. He couldn't tell whether Belle was upset with him - or was she upset with the Beast? His senses were dulled when he was in his human form, but her body language didn't indicate that she was angry with the Beast. As a matter of fact, she had seemed flushed a few times when he had asked her about him. Was she embarrassed or was she aroused?

He hoped it was the latter, because he certainly felt the same way. While he hoped to get her used to the idea of himself as a Prince, he first needed her to love him as the Beast. It was the only way to lift the curse and set everything right.

And why had she kissed him? It had been wonderful to feel her soft lips against his, but he was certain he had been making progress with her and the Beast. He was afraid his entire plan would derail and that she'd prefer his human form despite his efforts to give her a shove in the Beast's direction.

He strode through the corridor, his bare feet padding along the carpeted floor as he went. Finally reaching the door to his bedroom, he entered and sauntered toward the bed. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he sighed and dropped his face into his hands. Was he making progress with her? She was so difficult to read. And yet, each passing moment made his heart grow fonder of her.

It was more than just her beauty - though she was exquisite. It was her character. Her strength and her kindness. The way she loved to read and the gentle way she cared for him when he was injured. Everything about her set him aflame.

His thoughts were interrupted by a muffled sound on the balcony and he immediately went to investigate. He caught sight of movement behind the heavy drawn curtain and he pulled it aside. His eyes went wide when Lumiere and Cogsworth stumbled from behind the thick fabric, falling at his feet.

"Master!" Cogsworth quickly righted himself and helped Lumiere to his - feet? - before turning to bow before the prince.

Adam's heart dropped to his toes. He had never shown his servants this side to him. He half expected the sinking feeling in his chest to be replaced by rage - being the usual reaction from the Beast - but instead his heart palpitated and he stumbled back, struggling to find the words to explain.

"Please do not be angry, Sir," Lumiere chimed in, hopping a little closer and giving the prince a genuine smile, "we are quite thrilled to discover this new flaw in the curse. You can tell Belle the truth now! Why wait any longer?"

This time Adam did get angry. He shot a glare at Lumiere and rose to his full height. "You know nothing of what you speak! This is no flaw, but rather, another cruel unkindness. I cannot speak of the curse to anyone other than those involved. I have tried. And this," he gestured toward himself before contuining, "is the cruelest part of all. I become human when the Beast slumbers, but I cannot leave the castle walls. I could never show anyone who I am and even if I could, my words would fail me if I tried to explain the curse."

Lumiere and Cogsworth exchanged concerned looks before turning back to face him.

"Master, can you not woo the girl this way? If she falls in love with you, and you with her, we could be free of this wretched existence." Lumiere pushed past Cogsworth as he spoke and gave the prince a hopeful look.

Adam groaned and turned away from them, marching toward the bed before flipping around and thrusting his arms down by his sides. "Don't you see? She can't fall in love with me this way. She needs to love the Beast. It's the only way to end this madness. All I can do in this form is offer her comfort. Be a friend to her when she feels that she has none. Don't you think I've wanted to show her affections while in my human form? I simply cannot go too far. It would confuse her and we could lose everything if she fell for Adam the Prince, rather than the Beast."

"A cruel trick, indeed," Cogsworth murmured, mostly to himself. Adam scoffed and dropped onto his bed in defeat. He couldn't get Belle off his mind and now he had to deal with his servants knowing this secret about him. It was something he had tried to keep hidden from them, knowing they would be upset that he could still be in his human form when they were forced to live out their days as household objects. He was surprised, though, because neither Cogsworth nor Lumiere seemed upset in that fashion. In fact, they both seemed more concerned with the fact that he could not use this version of himself to his advantage.

He glanced at the enchanted rose where it rested in the center of his balcony. He could see from the edge of his bed that four more petals had fallen. He was running out of time fast.

"Well, if it is the Beast she must love, then it is the Beast she will have. It is no matter, Master. Let us help you with the girl. We can help you show her how much she means to you," said Lumiere.

"How?" Adam asked, feeling hopeless still. His mind kept going back to their heated encounter in the library, and he quickly tamped down his desire. She had responded so openly to his touch. She hadn't rejected him when he was certain she would be disgusted by his touch. The Beast's touch. But she wasn't, and she hadn't. Could there be a way?

"You must appeal to her, Master. What a lady wants is romance. Show her that you can give her that. Make her feel special."

Adam considered Lumiere's words. It wasn't an impractical suggestion. He could, after all, show her romance. She had bloomed at his touch, perhaps he could make her heart bloom in a similar fashion? It was certainly worth a try.

"You'll help me?" he asked, turning to face his most loyal servants. Lumiere practically beamed and Cogsworth shifted excitedly from foot to foot.

"But of course, Master! It would be our pleasure."

The next day Belle woke with a start. She had spent the entire night dreaming of Adam and her Beast. She had spent hours in their embrace talking about her favorite plays and novels - just enjoying one another's company. She wasn't sure whether they would do such a thing in person but she hoped that they would.

It was curious because in her dreams, Adam and the Beast had been one and the same. At times he would shift into a beastly form and at other times he would be he charming prince.

She wondered...

Shaking the ridiculous thought away, Belle returned her thoughts to her Beast.

She found herself wanting to know everything about him. He made her curious but also frightened and excited her. How could one feel so many things at once toward one individual?

Belle hopped from the bed and into the water closet that extended from the suite. Already, there was a warm bath drawn for her. She smiled, silently thanking Mrs. Potts and the other servants. They were always so attentive to her needs and very good at being invisible. Very good, indeed. She was grateful for every effort they made to give her privacy while still letting her know they cared for her.

She shed her night clothes and let her body sink into the warm bath. Her muscles cried out in bliss as the heat melted the tension from them. She bathed her body and relaxed in the tub for a while before finally getting up to dress.

The wardrobe chose a lovely green dress for her with white patterns stitched around the breast, trailing down to her belly button. She tied her hair back with a matching green ribbon and took in her own reflection. She felt beautiful, but most of all she wanted to be beautiful for him. Her Beast. Would he like her in this color? Her cheeks heated as she realized, once again, that her mind had wandered to that forbidden place where she held her darkest desires.

There came a knock at the door and her attention was drawn to it.

"Who is it?"

"Lumiere, mademoiselle. May I come in?"

Belle skipped over to the door and pulled it open, bending at the same time to greet Lumiere.

"Bonjour," she chimed, giving him a brilliant smile.

"Bonjour, Belle. The Master has arranged for the two of you to have breakfast this morning. Would you join him?"

Her heart skipped in her chest and she felt her face flush scarlet. He was inviting her to breakfast? It seemed like such a practical thing to do. Such a human thing to do. In fact, it made her think of ways that men in her village would court the towngirls. This was contrast to the primal behavior her Beast had shown her. But he had shown her a gentler side of him too.

He had almost shown her something akin to humanity. She furrowed her brows as she gathered her thoughts. There was just something about him that she couldn't quite seem to figure out. Nevertheless, she would join him for breakfast. She wouldn't miss an opportunity to speak with him. There was so much she wanted to know about him.

Smiling down at Lumiere she said, "Of course. I'll be down in just a minute!"

Lumiere bowed respectfully and hopped away. Belle rose to her full height and sucked in a shaky breath. She hoped to inhale some courage along with it because, for whatever reason, a flock of butterflies had fluttered into her chest. She patted down the skirt of her dress and tucked the loose strands of her hair away before walking down the hall to the grand staircase.

She descended and walked through the ballroom and into the dining room. Her eyes broadened when she saw the incredible feast that was spread on the table. The delicious scent of croissants, French toast, biscuits, coffee, and pastries wafted all around her. Her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled audibly. She had arrived before the Beast, and helped herself to a seat and a cup of coffee. Mrs. Potts waddled over to her and gave her a knowing smile before ordering the china to pour some cream and sugar into her cup.

Graciously, she brought the warm liquid to her lips and took a drink. The coffee warmed her from the inside and she hummed in satisfaction. Her eyes closed and a smile graced her lips as she was reminded of home. Her thoughts suddenly wandered back to her Papa and she felt a pang of sadness. She missed him terribly.

"Is the coffee not to your liking?" Her eyes snapped open at the Beast's deep, gravelly voice and she dragged her gaze in the direction from whence it came. "I can have the servants make you something else. Would you prefer tea?"

"Oh, no! The coffee is perfect. Everything is lovely," she said honestly, but her voice held a hint of sadness as thoughts of her father weighed heavily on her mind.

The Beast's furry face scrunched up with concern and he took a seat beside her. "I can sense your unhappiness. What is wrong?"

Shock rippled through her and she felt silly. Of course, he could sense her mood. He was an animal, after all. The same way dogs had a way of knowing when one was sad, her Beast could pick up on her troubled heart.

"I miss my Papa. So much - " her voice caught in her throat as a sob tore its way through her chest. She quickly turned away from him to hide the tears that spilled over the rims of her eyes.

A large hand took her chin and turned her. She came to face the Beast and he cupped her cheek gently. His sapphire eyes were filled with compassion and concern.

"Would it ease your mind if my servants went to check on him? I can make sure that all of his needs are met."

She snapped her gaze to his and lifted a hand - resting it over his where he touched her face. "Do you mean it?"

The Beast regarded her for a moment, his eyes darting between hers. His massive thumb dragged along her cheek and swiped away her errant tears. In that moment, she noticed such similarities between the Beast and Prince Adam. She realized now that they shared a similar facial structure. His cheeks were sculpted in a similar fashion and their eyes were the same intense shade of blue. The way his golden brown mane hugged his face reminded her of the way Adam's blonde hair framed his handsome features. He even touched her face the same way Adam had on more than one occasion.

The simple touch conveyed so much affection, her heart began to swell. He couldn't possibly realize how much his offer meant to her. She very nearly wanted to kiss him for it. He spoke after a few moments and brought her mind back to the present.

"If it would please you, Belle, I will do it. I would do just about anything to please you."

A smile graced her fair face and her heart stuttered behind the cage of her ribs. She threw herself into the Beast's embrace and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, thank you, Beast. Thank you! It would mean the world to me if you could do that. To just know that he is well would put my mind at rest."

He curled his arms around her - completely engulfing her in his iron grip - and a laugh rumbled in his chest.

"Very well. Consider it done."

She swore she would burst from happiness. If he said another kind, sweet, wonderful thing she would dissolve into a puddle. She inhaled deeply and smiled when the scent of soap and cologne met her nostrils. Had he bathed and perfumed himself for her sake? The very thought of him doing this to please her made her heart throb. Her eyes rolled shut and she nestled into him, tightening her grip and letting her mind get carried away.

A deep ache formed in her groin and she felt the apex of her thighs grow damp. Her eyes shot wide and her heart raced when she realized she was becoming aroused. As if her desire had been announced, the Beast groaned and she felt something hard begin to push against her belly button. She pulled back slightly and the Beast released his grip on her.

He ran his hand through his mane and looked away from her - a hint of shame in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he gruffed, but she took his face in her hands and turned him toward her.

"Don't be," she said, her nerves rising as she worked up the courage to tell him that she felt the same...desire he did. "We haven't had a chance to talk about...erm..."

"The library?" He finished her thought and she nodded. "Did I upset you? I didn't mean - "

"No!" she very nearly shouted and his eyes widened in surprise. "You didn't upset me. It was..." she sighed and buried her face in her hands. How could she tell him that it had been incredible? That she wanted to feel that again and submit to his touch? She couldn't find the words.

The Beast rested his massive paws over her tiny hands and pulled them away from her face. He lifted her face to his and gave her a broad smile.

"Did you enjoy it, little beauty?"

She flushed and nodded. A deep laugh rumbled in his chest and his eyes filled with warmth, affection.

"I wanted to know," Belle began, her heart beating faster still and her respirations becoming quick and shallow. "I wondered whether we...you..."

"If I would do it again?" He finished her thought again, and again she flushed crimson and nodded - closing her eyes to hide her absolute embarrassment. He cupped her face with his warm palm and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "If it pleases you, Belle, I can do much more. I can bring you to pleasurable heights that you have never known, and it would please me to do so."

She opened her eyes and found his cobalt gaze boring into her. Her breaths were labored and her entire body reacted to his words. She managed a small nod and before she knew what was happening, the Beast had swept her up into his arms and the dining room shrank in her vision as they walked away from it. She nestled into his chest as excitement coursed through her blood at high concentration.

At last! She would have her Beast's touch.

Hey everyone! So sorry for the delay, as I mentioned before I have been just SWAMPED with nursing school stuff, work, and my two year old. But as promised, here is the next chapter to Beast and Belle's story! I hope you enjoy, and I can't wait to bring you more. On a side note, I passed my first nursing exam (yay me!). Even though it pains me to keep my readers waiting, I'm happy to know all the studying has paid off. I just want to thank you all for your continued support. I continue to have new followers and favorites and it really does make my day to know that people out there are enjoying my writing. I would love to see more reviews, you know I love to read them! Also, I would like to introduce you guys to my current project, a series of books I am writing, totally original and I hope to have published! Please please PLEASE follow me on Wattpad, I don't use my pen name Savannah, but decided to just go with my real name (surprise, Savannah Willove is a pen name lol). I would truly appreciate it if my readers could extend their support to my original story called Awaken, which is a paranormal romance of sorts, angels and demons and that sort of thing! It is very steamy and definitely a mature read with SMUT! I took a lot of creative license with religion and hope no one is offended but if you could give it a read, follow my profile and leave me comments there as well I would be eternally grateful! The profile name on Wattpad is ldmiranda220.

I will do my best to bring you the next chapter of this fanfiction in the next two weeks!

As always, happy reading.