Rumple found himself spending most of his day in Belle's presence. When she was cleaning the Great Hall, he was in there spinning. When she was in the kitchen, he was in there checking on supplies. When she was in the library reading, he was looking for a book that he had misplaced. Belle noticed but didn't say anything. She just smiled to herself. She liked it when he was close by.

"Would you like me to help you?" Rumple was crouched down looking at the books on one of the lower shelves in the library when Belle came up behind him. He jerked and hit his head on a protruding shelf. "Ouch!" He yelped and then muttered some other choice words under his breath.

"I'm so sorry." Belle was upset. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It was my fault, Belle. I knew the shelf was there." He didn't want her to fret.

"Come here. Let me look at you head. I hope you don't have a bump."

She helped him up and made him sit back on a chair. She then leaned over him and parted his hair to see if he had been hurt. His head was throbbing a bit but he barely noticed. Belle's breasts were level with his eyes and her fingers were caressing his scalp. He felt dizzy, but he thought it could be due to the rapid rush of blood from his head to his cock. Why did she arouse him so easily?

"You poor thing. Let me get some ice for your head. I want you to lie back on the settee. Do you feel dizzy?" She moved back slightly to look him in the eye. "Do you think you can make your way over to it if I help you?"

"Yes, Belle." His voice was weak.

She helped him over and made him lie back. She removed his boots and then noticed the bulge in his trousers. "These pants are just too tight for you. I don't know why you insist on wearing them. Let's get them off. I'll get a blanket that you can use to cover yourself." She found the blanket that she often used to snuggle in when she was reading. She untied the laces on his trousers and pulled them down and off. His cock was erect and he felt embarrassed. She covered him with the blanket, sat down next to him and kissed him on the cheek. He whimpered in spite of his best efforts not to do so. She caressed his cheek with her hand.

"I'll go get the ice. You just lie here until I get back."

He managed to hold in his next whimper until she left the room. He felt more aroused than ever. He pulled the blanket up and he could smell her scent on it. That didn't help matters.

He lay there trying everything in his power to stifle his arousal. Nothing worked.

Belle returned with the ice wrapped in a small towel. She sat at his side again and held it to his head. "Does that feel better?"

"Yes."

"Are you warm enough?" She ran the fingers of her free hand through his hair and caressed his cheek again. He leaned into her touch. She continued to caress him and he made little sounds of approval that once again made her think of a cat purring.

"I think you should lie quietly for the rest of the day." She took his hand in hers.

"You're right, Belle. I really should rest." Apart from the fact that he was uncomfortably aroused, he felt extremely content. He craved her touch in a way that he couldn't understand. She was petting and pampering him and he couldn't get enough of it.

"Good, I'm glad you agree." Belle smiled at him. "I'm going to bring our dinner up here so that you don't have to walk downstairs to eat."

"Thank you, Belle." He smiled at her.

She arranged the blanket around him. "Now let me go get our dinner. You'll probably feel better after you eat."

He watched her leave the room. He shut his eyes and thought about the upcoming evening. Maybe she would let him lie down with his head on her lap again and she'd run her fingers through his hair. He felt himself get harder as he thought about the last time he'd put his head on her lap. He had to think of something else. He was going to have to relieve himself soon if he couldn't get his desire under control.

After a short while Belle returned with their meal. She propped him up with a couple of pillows and pulled a small table over for them to use. She was like a little mother hen taking care of him and he had to admit that he really liked it.

They ate in silence for a while. Belle finally spoke. "Do you think you can make it across to my bedroom? You can sleep in my bed tonight. I don't want you to climb the stairs to your room."

Rumple's heart stopped beating for a second. "Where will you sleep?"

"There's room for both of us. You need to rest and I want to stay with you. It's the best solution."

"As you wish." Who was he to argue with her? The thought of sleeping in the same bed as her aroused him more, but it also satisfied this new need in him to be close to her. He felt a wave of contentment pass over him.

They finished their dinner and Belle cleaned up. When she returned, she helped him across the hall to her room. He had wrapped the blanket around himself. Belle settled him on the chair by her bed.

"I brought one of your nightshirts so that you can be more comfortable. Do you want me to help you get dressed?"

"I think you'll have to." He looked sheepish. Belle removed his shirt and then took the blanket off of him. His cock was fully erect, a fact he couldn't hide from her.

"I'm sorry." He felt the need to say it.

"Oh, Rumple." She tried to sound stern but didn't succeed. She helped him get into his nightshirt and then she helped him get into her bed. She sat next to him and stroked his cheek. 'How do you feel?"

"Much better. Thank you."

"Good. "I'm going to change. I'll be back in a few minutes." She left the room and went into her bathroom. She put on her nightgown. She could see her breasts and nipples through the fabric. She didn't want to add to Rumple's arousal so she covered herself with a robe and then went back out into the bedroom.

Rumple watched her as she walked to the bed and she was happy that she had covered herself. She took the robe off when she reached the bed and immediately got in and under the covers.

Despite her best efforts, Rumple had noticed the outline of her breasts and his body had already reacted to what he had seen.

He whimpered. "Belle."

She turned to face him. She propped herself up on her elbow to look into his eyes. "Are you OK?"

He whimpered again. She realized that his eyes had left hers and were staring at her breasts.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to get too excited." She pushed his hair back from his face.

"I think it's too late." He tried to make a quip and she giggled in response.

"Do you want me to touch you?" She caressed his cheek.

"Please." His voice was a strangled rasp.

"OK. I still don't think it's a good idea, but I can see that you're not going to be able to get any rest if I don't."

She moved her hand down between his legs and ran it up his thigh. He let out a little yelp at her touch.

"Does that feel good, Rumple?" Her voice was like a caress to him.

"Yes."

"Ok. I'm going to be very gentle with you."

She took his cock in her hand and gently stroked him. He raised his body off the bed. "Belle." His voice was desperate. She ran her thumb over the head of his cock and he let out a little cry. She continued to slowly and gently stroke him.

"Belle, please." He began to thrust urgently into her hand. He whimpered and moaned. "I need it faster, Belle. Harder and faster. Please."

She finally took pity on him and gave him what he wanted. She grasped him more firmly and stroked him rapidly, in time with his own thrusts. And then she was suddenly kneeling between his legs and taking him in her mouth. He let out a guttural cry in response and dug his fingers into the sheets. Her warm wet mouth and tongue brought him over the edge. He arched his back one last time and cried out as he came into her mouth.

"Belle." She moved up and snuggled against him and he instinctively put his arm around her. She dared not breathe. He was touching her... he was holding her without even thinking about it.

"Belle. He ran his fingers through her hair.

Belle smiled up at him. "Do you feel better?"

"Yes. Thank you, Belle."

"Good. I hope you can get some rest now." She lifted herself up to look at him and his eyes immediately rested on her breasts. He could see her hardened nipples straining against the flimsy fabric of her nightgown.

Rumple knew she was aroused. He wasn't going to be a coward this time. He was going to touch her. He knew she wanted him to touch her. He reached down and put his hand on her thigh.

Belle whimpered. "You should get some rest." She didn't sound very convincing.

He lifted her nightgown up over her hips and she opened her legs for him. He could have no doubts about what she wanted. He gently ran his hand up her thigh right to her center. She let out a little cry and opened her legs wider for him. His cock responded.

Belle took his hand in hers. She then took two of his fingers and placed them on her most sensitive area and gently moved them against her. She whimpered and moaned. "Touch me, Rumple. I need you to touch me." She let go of his hand and let him find his own way to pleasure her.

At first he was tentative, gently touching and stroking her. Belle gasped at his touch and it emboldened him. She was dripping wet with desire. He increased the pressure a bit and she moaned and cried out and arched her body to meet his touch. Every time she arched, her breasts strained against the fabric of her nightgown. Rumple could not take his eyes off of them.

His every touch seemed to increase her arousal. It didn't take him long to sense exactly how to make her beg him for release. He teased and cajoled her with his fingers and thumb. He stroked and caressed and gently squeezed so that she was crying out in torturous ecstasy as he brought her close to the edge. She opened her legs wider and arched and bucked in her desperate need to find release.

Her hard nipples seemed to be trying to find their own release. Rumple couldn't resist any longer. He took one of her nipples in his mouth through the fabric of her nightgown and hungrily sucked on it. Belle screamed out in response and her whole body convulsed with the waves of pleasure and release that washed over her. He moved his mouth to her other nipple and gently sucked on it as she eased down and collapsed against him.

"Rumple." She sighed his name and once again he instinctively reached out and pulled her closer.

Something had changed. The way she touched him and the way she wanted him to touch her made him feel like a real man for the first time in hundreds of years. He nuzzled her neck. Who was this woman? Nobody wanted to be touched by him. People were repulsed by him. They avoided him at all costs. Even when he was a real man, before he was cursed, his wife had shunned his touch.

His heart started to beat wildly. Belle squeezed his hand. "What is it, Rumple?"

"Nothing, nothing at all…. We should get some sleep."

"Yes." She kissed his cheek. "I think you'll feel much better tomorrow."

Belle snuggled closer and draped her arm over him. He couldn't imagine anything that could make him feel better than he did at this moment.