Hart, Hanna - Beau and the Beast [Mantime Stories 2] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

Mantime Stories 2

Beau and the Beast

Devon Devereux, a rich, handsome, and powerful man, had it all,

including arrogance. One day, the fates cursed him to live as a

beast with the stipulation he must find his true love in a year, or

he will be cursed to stay this way forever. Devon hides in his

home away from the world, until one day, he catches Charlie

Murdoch trying to steal from him. As his punishment, he tells the

man he must send one of his sons to his ranch to work off the

debt.

Beau Murdoch arrives at the ranch furious about the accusations

against his father and ready to confront Devon. Upon seeing him,

he’s shocked to realize this is the man he’s been dreaming about

for months, tormenting him with seductive kisses, then leaving

him begging for more. Beau decides to stay, work off the debt,

and see what might happen between them.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fairy Tales/Myths,
Western/Cowboys
Length: 25,447 words

BEAU AND THE BEAST

Mantime Stories 2

Hanna Hart

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

BEAU AND THE BEAST
Copyright © 2012 by Hanna Hart
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-839-5

First E-book Publication: July 2012

Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
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express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of Beau and the Beast by Hanna Hart
from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also,
thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

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This is Hanna Hart’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect
Ms. Hart’s right to earn a living from her work.

Amanda Hilton, Publisher

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www.BookStrand.com

BEAU AND THE BEAST

Mantime Stories 2

HANNA HART

Chapter 1

The twanging beats of the country music vibrated out the club

door and into the crowded Dallas city streets. The line to get into the
popular night spot went down the block and trailed around the corner.
Devon’s  black  limousine  pulled up to the front entrance, and he
laughed to himself. While  looking out the tinted windows of the
backseat, he witnessed the throngs of  people  desperately wanting to
be noticed and allowed in.  You’re such losers, waiting in line to get
into this place. Can’t you see they don’t want you in there?

Only the rich and elite would be granted access to the club,

Southern Nights. Anyone who was anyone tried to get their name on
the guest list, but not everyone scored a pass. Devon knew he would,
as he always did. His family name, Devereux, gave him privileges
most people couldn’t even fathom. He adjusted his black Stetson
while waiting for the driver to walk around the vehicle and open the
door for his grand entrance.

When the limo door opened, he stepped out to a bevy of screams

and excitement. He wore his black cowboy boots, dark, boot-cut
jeans, and a black dress shirt, which he didn’t tuck into his waistband.
Some people trapped in the line whispered to each other about him
while others called out his name, seemingly vying for his attention.

Beau and the Beast

He heard various conversations, but decided not to pay any attention
to them. They were below his station in life, and therefore unworthy
of his consideration or care.

Paparazzi ran from all directions and started to snap pictures of

Devon. He made sure to plaster on a fake smile for them, even though
he disliked them as much as the people waiting in line. He walked up
to the doorman, the master of the entrance, and said, “Good evening.
How’s the club tonight?”

He watched the man’s face light up, as if royalty had

acknowledged his presence. “The club is busy tonight, Mr. Devereux,
as always. Go right on in.” He opened the door, and Devon walked in
without a backward glance.

He meandered to his usual table, sat down, and begun surveying

the crowd. The waiter showed up a minute later with a drink and set
the beverage down on a napkin before Devon.

“Good evening, Mr. Devereux. This scotch on the rocks is

courtesy of the gentleman at the bar, sitting on the end.”

He looked at the man the waiter pointed to and watched him raise

his glass to Devon. Without reaction, he tore his gaze away and said,
“Thanks.” He picked up the drink and nursed the scotch, not
bothering to give the buyer another glance.

Something seemed off tonight. Devon couldn’t figure it out, but

all evening he felt as if something bad was going to happen. Never
putting much stock into weird feelings, he brushed off the niggling
sensation for the fourth time in the evening and sat back in his plush
chair, enjoying the country music flowing through the club.

A few minutes later, Devon watched the couples dancing in

unison, mesmerized by their lack of individuality. I shouldn’t have
come tonight. I’m not in the mood to be around people. He drained
the rest of his drink and slammed the glass down on the table, causing
one of the ice cubes to jump out of the tumbler and spill onto the
floor. Picking up his hat, he went to stand up, but found himself
blocked by a man. He looked up into the stranger’s face and found

Hanna Hart

himself seething that this jackass would have the nerve to enter his
personal space.

“So, you’re too good to say thank you when someone buys you a

drink?”

Oh, fuck, I don’t want to deal with this. “I came here tonight to

relax. I’m not looking for anything, so I suggest you back the hell
off.”

“All I’m asking for is a simple thank you, something a person of

manners might call common courtesy.”

“And I’m telling you to get out of my face.” Devon looked the

man up and down and noticed how shabby his attire appeared, from
his dirty cowboy hat to his scuffed boots. “How the hell did you get in
here? You don’t look like the type of patron allowed into an exclusive
place like this.”

“The doorman let me in.”
“I think I’ll arrange to have the doorman fired. We can’t be having

common people like you coming in here trying to rub elbows with
elite patrons, such as myself.”

A security staff member walked up to the two men, interrupting

their heated conversation. “Is there a problem, Mr. Devereux?”

“Yes. I believe the doorman let this low-class varmint into this

place. I suggest you remove him from my sight immediately.”

“Right away, Mr. Devereux, consider him gone.” The security

guard grabbed the man’s wrist and quickly twisted his arm behind his
back. “Are you going to leave quietly through the back or do you
want me to take you out the front in a grand display?”

“I’m leaving, don’t worry.” The man didn’t seem to fight the hold

the guard had on him. “You’ll hear from me again, Devon.” With
those parting words, the man was escorted to the back of the club
discreetly, and out of Devon’s sight.

My God, no wonder I don’t associate with people under my class.

They aren’t worth knowing. Devon stood up and walked toward the
front of the club, the rowdy patron already a distant thought.

Beau and the Beast

* * * *

Devon woke up at three o’clock in the morning to an intense

feeling of scrutiny. He sat up in bed in his darkened room, believing a
fading dream had caused his uneasy reaction. Reaching for the switch
on his lamp, he turned on the dim light and rubbed his eyes. When he
removed his hands, he jumped while his heart started to beat faster. In
a corner of the room, the unkempt man from the bar sat on his chaise
lounge, except this time his appearance was clean and meticulous.
With his white shirt pressed, his jeans clean, and his cowboy boots
spotless, he almost looked as if he belonged in the club.

“Hello, Devon. I told you I’d see you again.”
“What the fuck? How did you get in here?”
“I don’t think you need to worry about those minor details right

now. What should concern you more is why I’m here.”

Devon reached out to touch his intercom button on his bedside

table, but when he tried to place his hand on the button, the intercom
had moved. He looked up, and the man stood before him with the
device in his hand. “I’d suggest you listen closely to what I’m going
to tell you.”

Unbelievable, I must be half-asleep still for him to get across the

room so fast. I’ll listen to him while I wake up more, and then I’ll deal
with him myself. He pretended to concede, crossed his strong arms
across his chest, and said, “I’m listening.”

“I’ve been watching you for sometime, Devon, and what I see is a

horrible, nasty, and narcissistic man who doesn’t seem to care about
anyone, especially the less fortunate. Can you argue with my
findings?”

“Yes, I can. I donate to charity on a regular basis,” Devon said

with indignation dripping from his voice.

“Can you honestly tell me you donate money for the joy of giving,

or is it because of the tax benefit?”

Hanna Hart

Flustered, Devon went to stand up and force the man out of his

house, but he found his body pushed back down on the bed by
invisible forces, the man’s hands still holding on to the intercom. “I
don’t know what you’re doing to me, but you’re messing with the
wrong person.”

“I think it’s time I cleared things up. I’m Aylwin, your fairy

godfather. I’ve been pressured by my superiors to find some
redeeming qualities in you, but I’m at a loss to find any. You’re mean
and cruel to almost everyone because they’ve been born without
money. The ones who do have money you despise equally for having
the audacity to be on the same social footing as you. You don’t know
how to love anyone but yourself. For these reasons, I’ve been told I
must deal with you harshly.”

“Is this a joke? You’re my fairy godfather? I can’t believe I’m

listening to this crap.” Devon tried to get off the bed to leave, but
those invisible forces were now pinning him down on the bed.

“You have a serious lesson to learn. Your arrogance and self-

entitlement are your downfall, so I’m going to see if I can change
your attitude in one year. If not, you’re doomed.”

“What are you talking about?”
“I’m casting a spell on you. The hideous creature dwelling on

your inside shall now show on the outside. You will remain a beast
until someone can see the inner beauty of you and love you for who
you are. If you don’t find true love in one year, you will remain the
beast you have become.” The man loomed above Devon, straddled his
hips, and placed both hands on the left side of his face. He struggled
to get away from his hands, but they remained unmovable.

Warmth flooded through the left side of his face, with the

sensation becoming a little uncomfortable. Fury flowed through him
as he grabbed the arms of the intruder to push them away, but still the
hands remained as if they were fastened to his face. The heat grew
until he writhed in pain from the man’s touch. His anger was now
forgotten and replaced by unbearable agony. He closed his eyes,

Beau and the Beast

gripped Alywin’s arms tighter, and screamed in anguish while tears
rolled down his cheeks.

Suddenly, Aylwin removed his hands from his face and sat

stoically on top of Devon. The suffering continued, but lessened a bit.

“What the fuck did you just do to me?”
“I told you, I’m making you into a beast. Sleep now, for you have

a surprising day ahead of you.”

Aylwin waved his hands in the air, and Devon drifted off to sleep,

grateful to not have to feel the burning pain coursing through his face
anymore.

* * * *

The morning sunlight drifted through the break in the curtains,

causing a beam of light to stream across Devon’s bed. He opened his
eyes slowly, blinking a few times to adjust to the semibrightness in
his bedroom. Devon reached his arms above his head and stretched,
feeling the refreshing pull on his muscles.

As he slowly woke up, memories of a strange dream danced in his

mind. Did I actually dream I had a fairy godfather? I really need to
stop eating before I go to bed. He shook his head, as if to clear the
dream from his mind. When he got out of bed, wearing only a pair of
cotton boxers, he headed to his adjoining bathroom, took out his
toothbrush, and put some toothpaste on the bristles. When he looked
in the mirror, his toothbrush went crashing down into the sink. He
looked away from his reflection, hoping the face he had seen before
him had been an illusion.

Chancing a second peek, he turned back to the mirror and stared at

what he perceived to be a monster. He still had a thick head of short
dark hair, his body remained unmarred, and his large frame, strong
and muscular. However, half of his handsome face appeared to have
been ravaged by fire. His skin looked horrific, mottled, and scarred,
and Devon could barely recognize his own face. The only unchanged

Hanna Hart

parts of the damaged side of his face were his bright blue eyes,
windows to his tainted soul.

I’m still dreaming. This isn’t reality. He kept repeating the mantra

over and over,  trying to convince himself to wake up. After few
minutes, he lifted his hand and chanced a touch on his left cheek. The
skin  was  raised in waves of scars, without pores or whiskers, unlike
the other side of his face. He looked liked a monster. Rage built up
inside of him,  and he punched the mirror, smashing the glass and
embedding shards into his fist.

He stormed into his bedroom and began smashing the dresser

mirror with his other fist. He couldn’t bear to see his reflection
anymore. What’s happening to me?

His butler came knocking at his door. “Sir, are you all right in

there?”

“Leave me alone,” he bellowed back. He ran to his dresser and

swept his arm across the top, knocking the various items onto the
floor. Walking across his room, he opened his armoire next and pulled
the contents out, throwing them in every direction. Acting as the
spoiled child, he continued his tirade throughout the rest of his room,
damaging or destroying everything in his path.

Out of sheer exhaustion, he collapsed to his knees on the floor, the

carpet cushioning his fall. With his head bent low, his breath coming
in deep rasps, and blood trickling down his fingers on to the floor, he
whispered, “Why me?”

“I already told you why,” Aylwin said while sitting in the chaise

lounge again.

“You did this to me,” Devon accused, standing up slowly. With

renewed anger, he marched toward Aylwin with determined strides.
As he reached for him, Aylwin waved his hand, and Devon went
flying through the air, landing on his back on the bed, pinned down
again by unseen hands.

“Devon, you really need to learn to control your temper. Your fits

are very unbecoming.” He stood up and walked over to the bed,

Beau and the Beast

kneeling beside Devon. “I think you’re going to have to work on your
attitude.”

“Why did you do this to me?” Devon demanded with an

impertinent tone.

“I told you last night you had a lesson to learn. Your days of

acting like the nasty, spoiled brat are over. I’ve arranged with my
superiors to give you one year to change. In that time frame you will
remain as you are, but you must find someone to love you for who
you are, not what you are. When he admits his feelings to you before
the year is up, the spell will be broken, and you will go back to
looking like yourself. Also, you can’t pay someone to love you. This
has to be genuine love from the heart, freely given to you.”

“Then you have cursed me forever. Who will ever find love in a

beast like me?”

“There you go again, thinking way too little of your fellow man.

Not everyone looks at the outer package. Some people are actually
worth getting to know, because they have so much of themselves to
offer. It’s time you realized some people are amazing for who they
are. Looks are fleeting. It’s what’s behind the beauty that makes love
grow and keeps the flame alive.”

“I don’t believe you,” Devon spat out, his anger toward Aylwin

evident.

“I know you don’t, but you better find a way to believe it if you

want to break this spell.” Aylwin reached into his pocket and pulled
out a simple pocket watch. He pressed the button on the top and the
cover opened. He showed the watch to Devon. “This pocket watch is
a countdown of your life for the next year. It tells you the time, but it
also shows you the date and how many days you have left to change
your life. You’ve already wasted some of the day with your temper
tantrum. If you ever need a reminder of how serious my words are,
gaze at this watch, and you’ll know I mean business. You have one
more choice, too. If at the end of the year you’ve found no one to love

Hanna Hart

you, you can either choose to live as a beast or die. Now, pull yourself
together, get cleaned up, and deal with the mess you made.”

“Out of all the people you could have chosen, why me?” a slightly

calmer Devon asked.

“For some reason, I see an ounce of good in you, and damaging

your looks seemed to be the only way I could try to make you see the
mistakes of your ways. My superiors wanted me to be tougher on you,
but I thought you might deserve a year to shape up.”

“What if I told you I see the mistakes of my ways, and I’ll be

good to everyone from now on?”

“I wouldn’t believe you. I can detect lies, and what I’m hearing

from you is a huge wad of garbage. Don’t even think about trying to
fool me. I’ll be watching you.”

Aylwin stood up and disappeared before him. The forces holding

Devon down had released him, yet he still lay on his bed. His anger
had now turned to desolation.

Who is ever going to love a beast like me?

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 2

Eleven months later…

“Beau, can you pass me my shaving kit, sitting right beside you

on the dresser?” Charlie Murdoch asked his son, pointing at the item’s
location.

He easily found the bag and brought it over to his father, who

packed the kit and then zipped up his suitcase. “You must be so
excited going on this business trip. You haven’t been away in a long
time.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends in Dallas, as well

as bringing myself out of retirement to help Jason sell his tractors at
the convention.”

The day had come for his dad to leave, and he couldn’t help but

notice the happiness bubbling forth from him. “You’re going to do
great at the show. You should go every year if you enjoy it so much.”

“We’ll see how this year goes first before I commit to future

conventions. Well, I guess I’m all packed and ready to go. Would you
grab my bags and load them into the car for me, Beau?”

“Of course I will.” Beau picked up the two cases and noticed one

felt rather empty. “Dad, why are you bringing an empty suitcase with
you?”

“You remember when I used to go on business trips in the past,

and I always brought you and your brothers back gifts? Well, I intend
to bring you all back something, and I thought an extra case would
make things easier to tote around.”

Hanna Hart

“You don’t have to bring us back anything, Dad. We’re all adults

now, and I know money is tight,” Beau said, putting the empty
suitcase back on the ground.

“Speak for yourself, Beau,” his older brother Tyler responded as

he entered his father’s bedroom, followed by his oldest brother Tom.

“We’ve already given Dad a shopping list for us while he’s in

Dallas,” Tom chimed in. “If you don’t want anything, that’s your
problem.”

“I don’t need anything,” Beau said as he picked up the empty

suitcase again and left the room.

Their father had retired from farm equipment sales three years

ago, planning to  spend his time with his loving wife of forty years.
Unexpectedly, their mother had died two years later, causing their
father to slip into a deep depression for months. During this time,
Beau worked as a ranch hand for a neighbor  while his brothers
worked  in town. They’d all decided to prolong moving out so they
could tend to their father’s small acreage and be there for him to help
him stave away the loneliness.  When Charlie’s old employer called
him up and asked him to come  to this convention, Beau encouraged
him to go right from the start. His father seemed to need time away
from his heartache and sad memories, and the convention appeared to
be the perfect distraction, putting a long-forgotten smile back on
Charlie’s face.

Beau walked outside with the baggage and opened the trunk. He

placed the suitcases inside and shook his head while closing the lid.
His father walked out of the house with Tom and Tyler following
behind.

Charlie entered the car and rolled down the window. “Now, if you

boys need anything, I’m a phone call away.” He lifted a cell phone his
sons had bought him for Christmas.

“Dad, I think we’ll be fine. Have a great trip,” Tyler said while

patting his father’s shoulder.

“Yes, enjoy yourself,” Tom replied, giving his dad a casual wave.

Beau and the Beast

Beau turned to his dad and placed his hand on his father’s

forearm, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. “We’ll miss you, Dad. Have
fun while you’re out there.”

Charlie started his vehicle and drove away down the long,

winding driveway. Beau was happy for his father, but something in
the back of his mind bothered him. He had a strange feeling about his
dad’s trip, but he mentally brushed it off and headed back into the
house.

* * * *

When the convention was done and the last of his old friends had

left the hotel restaurant to go back to their homes, Charlie decided the
time had come for him to drive home a night earlier than he’d
planned. He had spent four wonderful days selling equipment and
making business deals. I’ve still got the touch. While walking to his
car, he whistled merrily. He had a five-hour drive ahead of him, but
he didn’t mind. This trip had given him a renewed vigor and desire to
go back to work, even if he only worked part-time.

When he returned, he’d arrange to meet with his old employer and

ask him about hiring him back. After his sales at the convention, he
suspected he’d be back in the swing of things by the end of the week.

Charlie left Dallas around seven o’clock at night, expecting to be

home shortly after midnight. About twenty minutes into his journey, a
bright-orange barricade blocked any further traveling down the
highway for some unknown reason. Following the detour signs, he
turned onto a gravel road. I wonder how much extra time this jaunt is
going to take. As he drove down the road, there seemed to be an
expansive mansion looming ahead. He noticed the beauty of the home
in the rays of the setting sun and wondered who lived in such a huge
estate.

Suddenly, Charlie heard a loud bang and the car veered violently

toward the shoulder of the road. At the last second, he regained

Hanna Hart

control of the vehicle, barely missing a drainage ditch. Bringing the
car to a full stop in front of the mansion, his heart raced, and he
gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckled hold. He took a few
deep breaths to calm himself, peeled his hands off the wheel, put the
car in park, and shut the engine off.

Once he felt his heart rate drop back down to normal, he stepped

out of the car to survey the damage. He marched around the vehicle
and noticed that  under the  rust encrusted wheel well, the front
passenger tire was  flat.  You couldn’t have blown when  I drove to
Dallas in the daylight?  No, you have to wait until the sun’s close to
setting to do this to me. He  shook his fist at the car and kicked the
damaged tire in anger.

“I guess I better start changing the damn tire while there’s still

some light out,” Charlie grumbled as he stomped to his trunk.

“Excuse me,” a voice cried out from a short distance away.
Charlie turned and glanced toward the source of the voice. He saw

a man, about thirty years old, with a small build and short blond hair,
coming toward him and waving. He waved back, hoping the man
might be able to help him change the tire to his spare.

The man walked up to Charlie and stroked his arm for a brief

moment with a look of concern in his eyes. “Are you all right? I saw
the whole thing happen, and I can only imagine what a nerve-racking
incident getting a flat must have been for you.”

“Oh, I’m all right. The whole thing took me by surprise, mind

you. Who wouldn’t be taken aback by a blown tire?”

“I’m Aylwin, by the way, and I would help you change the tire,

but with the sun so close to setting, I think we better get you inside for
the night and change the tire in the morning.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Charlie. I don’t want to be any bother to

you and your household. I should really take care of the problem and
be on my way.” Though he was tempted by the offer, Charlie decided
he didn’t want to impose.

Beau and the Beast

“You’re talking utter nonsense. The master of this home insists

you spend the night, and we’ll have someone fix your car in the
morning,” Aylwin urged.

“I think you talked me into staying. Thank you for the

hospitality.” Charlie liked Aylwin immediately. He smiled at his new
acquaintance, opened his trunk, and pulled out one of his suitcases
with his personal belongings.

Aylwin took the bag from his hand and said, “You’re very

welcome. Now follow me.”

Charlie ambled behind Aylwin, interested in seeing what the

inside of the sprawling home would look like. Once they stepped
through the door and walked past the white marble foyer, Charlie
continued to follow behind his host, staring in awe at the old-world
southern charm mixed with the modern opulence of this amazing
home.

Aylwin stopped in front of a set of maple double doors, put the

suitcase on the floor and turned the lever handles. “This will be your
room for the night, sir.” He motioned for Charlie to enter. Once inside
the room, Aylwin placed his suitcase on the hardwood floor beside
the four-poster bed.

“Are you sure I should be in here? This room seems like it’s

meant for someone of great importance.”

“Then the room is perfect for you, Charlie. Breakfast will be at

nine o’clock, and then we’ll take care of your vehicle. If you choose
to roam around the house tomorrow morning, please do. However,
there’s one room which is off-limits. It’s the only room on the main
floor of the house which has the door closed at all times. The master
of the house is very particular about not having his things touched.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t touch anything. I can’t thank you enough

for everything you’re doing for me.”

“It’s my pleasure. Now, why don’t you turn in and get a good

night’s sleep.”

“I will. Good night, Alwyn.”

Hanna Hart

“Good night, Charlie.”
After his host left, Charlie walked around the room looking at the

craftsmanship and beauty of the antique dresser, armoire, and bedside
table. The regal, king-size bed appeared massive, with an intricately-
carved headboard depicting a scene of royalty sitting on their thrones
and throngs of people placing gifts before them, while others knelt in
reverence. I can’t believe how detailed this scene is. What an artist!

He crawled partway onto the bed to get a closer look and found

the linens plush and luxurious  beneath his knees, beckoning him to
fall into their  warm embrace. A sudden feeling of weariness came
over  him, and he decided pull himself away from the beauty of the
headboard to get ready for bed. He found his pajamas in his suitcase,
changed  into them, and crawled underneath  the  inviting duvet-
covered comforter.  I feel like a king.  He laid his head down on the
down-filled  pillows, pulled the blankets up to under his chin, and
proceeded to drift off to sleep as if a magic spell had been cast over
him.

Morning broke through the windows, bringing bursts of sunshine

into Charlie’s bedroom. He slowly opened his eyes and stretched
languorously. I had the best sleep in years. He felt refreshed, awake,
and ready to start the day. As much as he enjoyed the extravagant
accommodations, he couldn’t help but look forward to seeing his sons
today and telling them about what happened to him last night. Looks
like this trip was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. I haven’t felt
this good in a long time.

Charlie hopped out of bed and headed toward the private

bathroom attached to the bedroom. This bathroom is twice the size of
my bedroom.

One thing he found odd as he looked around the room was the

absence of a mirror. He shrugged and entered the shower. Once he
solved the mystery of how to turn on the modern water taps without
scalding himself, he proceeded to have a long, hot shower. When he
finished, he noticed neither the washroom nor the bedroom contained

Beau and the Beast

a mirror. He shrugged off the missing items and headed back to his
bedroom.

Within half an hour, he’d packed, dressed, and made his bed. With

his bag in tow, he made his way down the curved, marbled stairs to
the main floor. He placed his suitcase in the foyer and looked at his
watch. It’s only seven thirty. I still have to wait a half hour for
breakfast.

Since he had time to kill, Charlie decided to take Aylwin up on his

offer and wander around the house, knowing he’d never have an
opportunity again to see how the other half lived. I’ll bet there are at
least twenty rooms on the main floor. He began to look around to see
if his estimations were correct.

Flabbergasted, he wandered aimlessly for twenty minutes, peeking

into rooms  and seeing the lavish furnishing, tapestries, and colorful
artwork.  However,  he continued to notice not one mirror existed  in
any area of the house he’d seen so far. What an odd thing not to have
in your home. Shaking his head, he  strolled down a long corridor
dotted by rooms on either side, but for some reason, the chamber  at
the end of the hall seemed to pull at him to enter. He walked past all
the open doorways, barely giving them a glance with his peripheral
vision. His gaze remained fixed on the door straight ahead. When he
reached  the entrance, he stopped, remembering Aylwin had  warned
him not to enter the room with the closed door.

However, upon closer inspection, he noticed the door had been

closed but not shut all the way. He warred with himself about entering
the room, but the unbearable curiosity to see what lay on the other
side of the door ripped through his being and won over obedience. I’ll
take a little peek. No one will know.

Taking a quick look behind him, he felt satisfied that he remained

alone. He placed his hand on the knob and swung the door open.
Turning on a light switch, he noticed two walls of the room were
lined with bookshelves from floor to ceiling. On the opposite side of
the room, a marble mantle framed an empty fireplace with a thick area

Hanna Hart

rug strategically placed in front. Straight ahead, an ornate grandfather
clock stood against the center of the middle wall, bordered by
windows with their shades pulled down. In the center of the room sat
an expansive and intricately carved desk. Even with the unlit
fireplace, the warmth of the study enveloped Charlie, urging him
further into the chamber.

With the sparkle of an object catching his eye, Charlie headed

toward something on the desk.  He  strolled across the vast room and
stood before the item. A simple,  silver  pocket watch seemed to float
inside a glass container. Mesmerized by the illusion, he couldn’t help
but reach out and tap the glass. The watch swayed back and forth, but
quickly centered itself. I’m guessing there must be a string holding it
up, or maybe magnets.  With  Aylwin’s  words of warning a distant
thought, he picked up the glass case and looked for anything to
support his theory. He found nothing.

Charlie peered over his shoulder to make sure he remained alone,

and then proceeded to take the lid off the glass container. He reached
inside and touched the pocket watch, pulling it out and holding it in
his hand. Placing the glass on the desk, he examined the object itself.
This pocket watch is nothing special for it to be stored in such a
unique way. Maybe the container is the magical item.

Taking off his wristwatch, he placed his band gently in the glass,

but the piece sunk right to the bottom with a loud clank. Too bad
Beau didn’t want anything from my trip like the other boys. I would
love to buy this magical illusion for him. He’d be as mesmerized as I
am. About to dump his watch out on the desk, he had an idea. Maybe
my watch isn’t floating because I don’t have the lid on it. He set the
glass container back where he originally found it and placed the lid on
top. His watch remained on the bottom of the container, not floating
or moving in any way.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind Charlie, and the lights

were turned off, leaving him in the dim sunlight of the shaded room.
A large, menacing figure filled the doorway and made his way over to

Beau and the Beast

Charlie in determined strides. “How dare you.” The fury is his tone
teetered on the edge of boiling over. “You have the audacity to come
into my home, take advantage of my hospitality, and now you dare to
steal from me?”

Charlie noticed his host shook with apparent rage, while he

quaked with fright. The man commanded instant attention, yet
something didn’t seem right about him. “No, I swear, I wasn’t
stealing from you. I saw this illusion on the desk, and I had to look
closer at the container.” He prayed the man would believe him as he
feared the repercussions if he didn’t.

“If you weren’t planning on taking this, then why is my pocket

watch in your hand, and your cheap wristwatch in my glass case? I’m
no fool, so don’t play me like one.”

“No, please, sir, you have to believe me. I’m very grateful for

what you did for me last night. I would never insult you by stealing
from you. I’ll be on my way. I didn’t mean to cause any harm.” He
slowly placed the item in question on the desk and backed up a couple
steps.

“You don’t seem to understand the severity of the situation. You

have attempted to steal from me, and I have zero tolerance for
thieves.” He grabbed Charlie’s forearm and held on tight.

“Please, I promise I didn’t try to steal your watch. I’ll do anything

you ask to get you to believe me.”

The man paused, his massive size dwarfing Charlie’s five-foot-

eight-inch height. “Well, since I don’t care to involve the authorities,
maybe we can work out a deal. This pocket watch is priceless to me,
but I will set a price, and you will work your debt off as one of my
ranch hands.”

“But, sir, I’m sixty-five years old. I think my days of working as a

ranch hand are well behind me. Is there another way to repay this
debt?”

“Do you have any sons?”
“Yes, I have three, but why do you ask?”

Hanna Hart

“I want one of your sons to come here and repay your debt for

you.”

“What? No, I can’t have one of them work for a mistake I made.”
“So you admit, after all, you tried to steal the pocket watch?”
“No, that’s not what I meant, but if a debt needs to be repaid, I

will be willing to accept my fate.”

“Well, then, your fate has now become one of your sons’ burdens.

I will allow you to return home, and in three days, if one of your sons
is not here, I will come looking for you, Charlie Murdoch.” He
stepped closer to Charlie, his grip tightening on his arm, almost
hurting him.

“Oh my God,” Charlie cried out as the man stepped into a beam of

light, sneaking past the side of the shade blocking one of the
windows. His hair looked dark and shaggy, covering part of his face.
One side of his face appeared handsome, yet unkempt, while the other
side was grotesquely disfigured and monstrous.

“Do we have an agreement? You do not want me to come after

you, I promise you that,” he said, his tone sounding more frightening
by the minute.

“Yes, we have an agreement.” The man released him, and Charlie

stumbled back, relieved to be at a distance from the beast.

“Your tire has been fixed on your vehicle, and some food has been

wrapped up and left on your front seat for your trip, as I’m sure you
have no desire to stay in this house any longer than I want you here.”
He reached into the glass container, pulled out Charlie’s wristwatch,
and tossed the band at him. “You have three days. Now get out.”

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 3

Devon stared after the old man as he rushed from the study.

Fuming, he turned back to his desk, picked up the pocket watch,
placed the item back into the glass container, and put the lid on top.
Breathing a sigh of relief that the magical object wasn’t taken, he
walked to the other side of his desk and sank into his leather chair. He
stared at the floating watch until he noticed a movement coming from
the corner of the room. “Aylwin, what games are you playing now?”
He didn’t bother to look at his fairy godfather until Aylwin sat down
on the edge of his desk.

“You think I’m playing games?” He had an innocent look on his

face, but Devon saw right through his façade.

“You brought him into this house. You encouraged him to come

into my study. Why would you do this?”

“Honestly, Devon, your hermit behavior has you thinking

scandals and conspiracies. He had a flat tire, and I helped him out. I
told him not to enter your study, but he didn’t listen. You’re the one
who arranged to have one of his sons come here to work off his debt.
Now, how could your arrangement be my fault? I didn’t tell you to
bring his kid here. I’m the innocent one here.”

“I highly doubt your emphatic denial.”
“Think what you want, but time’s ticking by, and you need to start

putting yourself out there. I don’t make the rules, you know,” he said
as he tapped the top of the glass container.

“What’s the point? No one can even look at me without pity or

disgust, so how can I possibly find someone to love me? You’ve
made my punishment too harsh. You shouldn’t have bothered giving

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me a year of trying to find someone. I don’t have anything to hold
onto before my disfiguration is permanent.”

“On the contrary, my dear man, hope is what you have to hold on

to. So get off your pitiful ass and make the best of the time you have
left.”

“And how am I supposed to attract someone looking like the beast

you made me into?”

“You need to be more creative in your thinking. Who knows,

maybe this new work hand might keep you on your toes.” Aylwin
winked.

“I doubt he will. Now, if you don’t mind, leave me alone.”
“All right, I’m going. However, you really need to work on your

attitude.” Aylwin left Devon alone in his study with the only thing he
knew deep down he had left in this world, a dwindling flicker of hope.

* * * *

Early in the morning, Beau tossed and turned in bed, enjoying a

recurring erotic dream. He woke up suddenly with a glistening sheen
of perspiration covering his body and a throbbing erection tenting the
sheets. His heart raced with excitement and his hand worked its way
down his abdomen to his stiff rod. With a firm hold, he gripped the
length and began to pump his hand up and down. He moved the
blankets away, and ran his free hand through his small thatch of dark
curls, and down to his tight balls. He could only imagine what it
would feel like to have his touch replaced by his dream lover’s gentle
probing.

Within a couple minutes, Beau’s body convulsed in orgasmic

relief, and he splashed his seed over his stomach and chest. Once the
moment had passed, he lay in bed, catching his breath, and thinking
about what had just happened. He’d been having the same dream for
months off and on, but it had been coming with more frequency as of
late. The dream always had a muscular, formidable man in it, with the

Beau and the Beast

most handsome face he’d ever seen. The man called to him,
beckoning Beau to come to him. He eagerly ran to the man and
became lost in his embrace. The fantasy man would always kiss him,
sometimes with a sweet tenderness and other times with a passion he
had never known in his twenty-four years. They never did more than
kiss, but one day he wished he could find out what it would be like to
take the intimacy to another level.

With his thoughts focused on his dream man, Beau found himself

longing  for romantic companionship. He  was  an attractive man,
standing at six feet tall with black hair,  green eyes, and a tone and
muscular build. He’d always been attracted to men, but didn’t get the
opportunity to meet them. With his fantasy dissipating in his mind, he
crawled  out of bed, cleaned himself off, and went to have a shower.
Today, he had arranged to take the day off. His dad was coming home
from the conference, and he looked forward to seeing him and hearing
about his trip.

Later on in the afternoon, Beau and his brothers sat on the front

porch and watched their father pull into the driveway. They all
greeted Charlie and helped him with his luggage. Beau noticed a
smile plastered on his dad’s face, but something in his eyes spoke of
sadness. They helped their father unpack his belongs and the two
older brothers received their requested presents of dress cowboy
boots.

“I hope you like them, boys.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Tyler and Tom said in unison.
A short while later, Beau sat in the living room listening to his

father’s excitement over his trip and his sales at the convention. “I’ve
still got the magic touch, my boy,” he said, beaming with pride.

“I’m so happy for you. So, when are you coming out of

retirement?” Beau winked at his dad.

“Ah, son, you know me too well. I’m going to talk to my old

employer tomorrow and see if he’ll hire me back. I really miss the
work.”

Hanna Hart

“I don’t blame you one bit. If being back in sales makes you

happy, then you should start working again.”

“I’m planning on it.”
Beau hated to bring his father down at the moment, but he could

tell something had happened, and he needed to help his father, if he
could. “Dad, something else happened to you while you were gone.
Do you want to talk about it?”

Charlie’s shoulders slumped forward and his palms came up to

rub his eyes. Beau could see the instant tension in his body and almost
regretted asking him about the issue.

His father took a deep breath and said, “It’s a long story, but the

gist of it is that I spent the night in someone’s home because one of
my tires had blown. In the morning, I went exploring in the mansion I
stayed in, and I ended up being accused of theft by the owner. He told
me I had to work off my debt to him as a ranch hand. Well, I told him
I’m too old to do that kind of gruelling work anymore. His solution
had been for me to send one of my sons to work off the debt for me.
He then threatened me. If I didn’t send one of you within three days,
he would come looking for me.”

“Oh, Father, do you really think a rich man like him is going to

waste his time coming after a man like you? He was angry and
misunderstood the situation, as I know you would never steal
anything. Let him come. Then I’ll deal with him.”

“You don’t understand. He’s not like other men. He’s different.”
“Why? Because he has money and figures he can bully people?

Besides, if he thought you stole something, why didn’t he call the
cops on you?”

“Beau, this man is a monster. He looked unkempt and pale, as if

he hadn’t seen the sunshine in a long time. His face appeared
heinously deformed, and his size was enormous. He looked every bit
the beast of his manor.” He noticed his father shaking as if he truly
believed him to be a creature, not a man.

Beau and the Beast

“All right, Dad, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to drive

up to his ranch and meet him in person. Then I’m going to let him
know you didn’t try to steal anything. If he insists you did, I’ll work
there for a week or two to shut him up and get him to leave you alone.
I have some holiday time I can book off from my job, so I’ll take a
couple weeks off and see what this beast and I can work out.”

“Beau, you don’t have to do this. I don’t want any of my boys

going near him or his ranch.”

“Dad, I don’t want you living in fear of him or his retribution. If I

have to pay him a little visit and do some work for him, so be it.
You’ve done so much for me over the years, it’s time I take care of
my father.” Beau reached out his arms and hugged his father with
reassurance and love. “Tomorrow, you can show me on the map
where his ranch is, and I’ll make arrangements to go.”

“You’re a good son, Beau.”
“Thanks, Dad. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this for you.”
Two days later, Beau packed his truck and headed out. Charlie

had showed him where the ranch had been located on the outskirts of
Dallas and had told him the whole story from the floating watch to
replacing  the item in the container  with his own. His father had
conceded  the situation  looked bad, but his intentions were purely
innocent. Beau understood why the owner could have misinterpreted
his actions, but he would be a character witness for his father  and
hopefully put this whole issue to rest.

Beau found himself becoming more agitated the closer he drove to

the mansion. I can’t believe this guy having the nerve to threaten my
father. He’s going to get a piece of my mind. His calm, rational self
seem to fade away as he gave in to the anger swelling inside of him.

He reached the ranch and pulled into the long driveway. The

sprawling mansion on the vast acreage was the most beautiful home
he had ever seen. Shutting off his engine, he jumped out of his truck
and stormed over to the front entrance. He pounded on the knocker,
not bothering to ring the bell.

Hanna Hart

Within a minute, the door opened and a handsome, slight man

with blond hair stood before him. “Good evening, Mr. Murdoch.
We’ve been expecting you. Please come in.” He stepped back and
motioned for Beau to enter.

Beau was surprised that the man knew him, but realized they had

been expecting one of Charlie’s sons within three days. He walked
into the home and refused to be taken in by the grandeur of the house.
Still allowing his anger to lead the way, he asked sharply, “Where is
he?”

“He’s not home at the moment. I’m Aylwin, his personal assistant,

and I can help you out with any questions you might have.”

Beau started to calm down a little, not wanting to take his

frustration out on Aylwin. “No, I don’t have anything I want to ask
you. I need to speak with your boss. Hell, I don’t even know his
name.”

“You can call him Devon. Well, since you have nothing to ask

me, why don’t I get you settled into your room for the night.”

“I want to talk to him about the situation. I’d hoped we could get

this matter cleared up so I could be on my way again.”

“I’m afraid he won’t be home until late in the evening. Please, let

me set you up in a room for the night, and you and Devon can talk
about this situation in the morning. There’s no sense in dealing with
things when you’re tired. You’ve had a long drive here, so why don’t
I get you settled in your room and bring you up something to eat
before bed.”

The more Aylwin spoke with Beau, the more the anger diffused.

He had a soothing quality about him, and as much as Beau tried to
show his displeasure, he couldn’t speak harshly to him anymore. “No,
thank you. I’m not really hungry right now.”

“All right, then would you like a nightcap instead?”
“Thank you, but I guess I’d just like to turn in for the night.”
“Yes, please follow me.” Aylwin led Beau to the second floor and

into a beautiful suite. “This is the same room your father stayed in.

Beau and the Beast

Rest tonight, and in the morning, I’ll let Devon know you’re here to
speak with him. I know he’ll make time for you. Have a good sleep.”

“Thank you, Aylwin. You’ve been very kind.”
“It’s been a pleasure meeting you. Good night, Beau.”
“Good night.”
Beau wandered around his room, surprised he would be staying in

such a luxurious room instead of a bunkhouse with other ranch hands.
This whole situation is weird. Hey, wait a minute. How did Aylwin
know my first name? Nothing made sense. He hoped after a good
night’s sleep, and a long talk with Devon, he could rectify the
misunderstanding and be home by tomorrow night.

* * * *

Devon watched Aylwin saunter into his study with a huge grin on

his face. “What are you smiling at?”

“Nothing in particular. I enjoy smiling,” Aylwin had the look of a

devil about him hidden in an angelic smile.

“If you have something to say, spit it out now,” Devon grumbled

at him.

“Well, what did you think of the young man who came here to see

you about repaying the silly debt?”

“I didn’t get a close look at him.”
“Then I would suggest you do. He is quite handsome and feisty. If

you don’t find interest in him, dare I say, I will.”

“Honestly, Aylwin, do you just hang around with me to torture me

with your incessant babbling?”

“Don’t be so grumpy. I would suggest sneaking into his room

tonight and getting a closer look at him. I placed him in the room with
the secret panel, so you could get in and out undetected. Anyway, I’m
off for now. If you need me, give me a shout.” Aylwin snapped his
fingers and disappeared in a billowy mist.

I hate it when he does that.

Hanna Hart

Devon had tried to get a look at the young man when he first came

inside his home, but he had found it difficult to see him properly from
the crack in his study door. Tonight, I shall heed Aylwin’s advice, for
a change, and check on my visitor.

Two anxious hours later, Devon snuck through the secret passage

doorway into the young man’s room. Thankful that  the full moon
beamed through the open window,  lighting the room, he crept to the
bed and peered at the man’s face. His heart practically leapt from his
chest,  and he felt a movement between his legs.  Oh my God, he’s
beautiful. His full lips begged to be kissed, the cleft in his chin gave
him a handsome,  chiseled  look, and his dark hair added to his sex
appeal. He wished he knew what color his eyes were, so he could
think about him tonight with as many details as possible.

Before he could stop himself, he placed his fingers on the man’s

cheek and stroked the warm flesh gently. I miss the touch of a lover.
He leaned down to breath in the man’s scent. His aroma reminds me
of the outdoors, fresh and woodsy. Devon found pure bliss with this
stolen moment and relished every second of it.

Suddenly, the young man’s hands reached up and touched both of

his cheeks, bringing Devon closer to his face. The man’s mouth
opened slightly and kissed him with a passion Devon had long ago
forgotten.

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 4

The unexpected kiss took Devon by surprise, but instead of

pulling away, he allowed the kiss to linger. The touch of Beau’s lips
sent waves of pleasure washing through his body, while his cock grew
harder. He closed his eyes and found himself getting lost in this
intimate embrace. He longed to throw off the covers and taste every
part of the man as his lips were penetrated by the man’s skillful
tongue.

For a brief moment, Devon forgot who he was, feeling like a

desirable man again. However, reality started to seep into his mind,
ruining the pleasant fantasy. As if a bucket of ice cold water had been
thrown at him, Devon pulled away abruptly, his hand flying to his
damaged cheek. His guest remained asleep, with his eyes still closed,
and his arms now lying by his sides. He’d been dreaming when he
kissed me. How disappointed he would be if he saw the monster
enjoying his lips.

Devon backed away and silently headed out the secret entrance in

the wall. He made his way to his palatial bedroom and began to pace
the floor. I can’t do this. He has to leave. A man like him would never
be attracted to a beast like me. Fuck!

He removed his clothes and climbed into bed. I just need to go to

sleep. I can’t think about this situation anymore. As he lay in bed, his
erection proved too powerful to ignore. He threw the blankets aside
and gripped his rod fiercely. With his head swollen and purple with
need, he began to work his hand up and down his shaft in short, tight
bursts.

Hanna Hart

Consumed by thoughts of the young man, he needed release. He

had to get him out of his mind. His emotions were awakening, and
feelings were something he had turned off long before he had been
transformed into the beast. His emotions scared the hell out of him,
but deep down, rejection scared him even more.

He allowed himself to picture his guest kneeling between his legs,

wrapping his mouth around his head, and swirling his tongue across
the shaft. Sweet mercy. A rush of fire coursed through his body, and
then centered in his loins. His balls tightened and his body gave in to
the undeniable plummet into release. He shot his cum over his firm,
flat abs while his body shivered with delight.

After cleaning himself off, he lay in his plush bed staring at the

ceiling. Dammit. You were supposed to leave my mind once I came.
The young man demanded front and center attention in Devon’s
thoughts. He balled his fists angrily, vowing to keep his distance from
this man, since he realized he called to him not just physically, but
emotionally as well.

* * * *

“No,” Beau cried as he reached out into nothingness. He opened

his eyes and looked around the strange room in the dim moonlight.
Reality came flooding back to him. He’d been dreaming about his
fantasy man again. However, something seemed more tangible with
this encounter. Beau touched his lips and found them wet and slightly
swollen, as if he’d been passionately kissing someone.

The image of this man appeared in his mind. He was breathtaking,

his lips tender, and his touch gentle. If only you really existed. His
lonely heart sighed along with him as he rolled over and tried to go
back to sleep.

Morning came and Beau woke up early, had a refreshing shower,

and donned his clothes. Dad was right about the lack of mirrors. How
strange. The anger had subsided from yesterday, but he wondered for

Beau and the Beast

how long. If this man didn’t believe my father, what’s going to make
him believe me?

Beau left the solace of the bedroom and ventured out into the vast

home. He remembered his way to the staircase and found Aylwin
waiting for him at the bottom.

“Oh my, aren’t you an early riser?”
“I’m used to getting up early every day.” Besides, I have nothing

to keep me in bed.

“The owner of the ranch, Devon Devereux, came home late last

night, so he might not be up as early as us. Why don’t you come into
the dining room, have a bite to eat, and I’m sure he’ll be up by the
time you’re done.”

Nodding, he followed Aylwin. The enticing aroma of bacon and

eggs wafted through the air, pulling him forward with invisible hands.
His stomach growled, and he regretted that  he had refused the
offering of dinner the night before.  Once seated at the elegantly set
table,  Aylwin pampered Beau with various  breakfast items in mass
quantities and then left him to enjoy his food in peace.

When Beau was satisfied by the minifeast he’d just eaten, Aylwin

came back into the room and said, “Devon is up and in his study. If
you would care to follow me, I’ll take you to see him.”

Nervousness overtook him, and his bravado from the night before

had disappeared. He took a deep breath as he followed Aylwin to the
other side of the mansion. They stopped in front of a closed door, and
Aylwin knocked on it briefly.

“Come in,” the harsh voice spat out from the other side.
Get a grip on yourself. Beau put his hands in his denim pockets to

hide his jittery nerves from this imposing voice behind the door.

Aylwin opened the portal, and motioned Beau forward. “This is

Mr. Devereux. Mr. Devereux, this is Beau Murdoch.”

Beau squinted to adjust his vision to the dimly lit room. Devon

had his back to Beau as he commanded, “That will be all, Aylwin.”

Hanna Hart

Beau stepped forward, while Aylwin left, shutting the door behind

him. Silence filled the room. Does he want me to start talking?

His question was soon answered as Devon began, “So, you’ve

come here to repay your father’s debt, have you?”

“I wanted to talk to you about the situation.” Beau tried to sound

strong and menacing, but his words fell flat and hesitant.

“What’s there to talk about? I caught your father stealing from

me. I didn’t call the cops on him, so I thought the best punishment for
his actions would be to make him work. Since he can’t work, he sent
you. To be honest, he has surprised me by showing me he has some
honor in him by sending you.”

“My father is a very honorable man.” Beau began to find his voice

again. “He’s not a thief, contrary to what you think, but because he
realized the situation looked unfavorable to him, he understood how
you were confused about his actions.”

“Confused? I think not, dear boy. I’m no fool. I didn’t get to

where I am in life from believing everything some poor sap tells me.
People lie. It’s human nature. I accept this aspect of society, and I
think it’s time you do, too.”

Anger started to boil deep in his veins. He pulled his hands from

his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest. “Maybe you need to
stop lumping people into one untrustworthy category and look at the
individual instead. How bitter and cynical you are. You don’t even
give me the respect to look at me when I’m talking to you.”

“You want me to look at you, fine, I’ll look at you,” Devon

ground out as he slowly turned to face Beau.

With his eyes now adjusted to the dim light, Beau’s look of

defiance vanished. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at
Devon in a daze and whispered, “It’s you.”

* * * *

Beau and the Beast

Devon almost thought he could get away without looking at Beau.

He’d hoped to spare himself the heartache of seeing the horror on
Beau’s face. However, once he steadied himself and turned around to
face him, Devon was taken aback by his reaction. Beau seemed to
have a look of recognition and, dare he hope, desire.

For a brief moment, words failed him. He usually stayed in

command of situations, never at a loss for words. This man turned
him inside out. Forcing himself to regain his composure, he cleared
his throat and asked, “What do you mean ‘it’s me’? We’ve never even
met.”

“I…well...I must be mistaken.”
“I should think so. I wouldn’t be caught dead fraternizing with a

man of your, shall we say, dubious heritage.”

“Listen, I don’t want to fight with you.” Beau’s words grew in

strength again. “Is there anyway I can make you believe my father
had no intention of taking your watch?”

“I know what I saw.”
“Well, I guess I will concede and offer my services to you as a

ranch hand. How long do you think I need to work for you to consider
this matter resolved?”

“I think one month should be the bare minimum.”
“One month? I’m taking holiday time from work for a couple

weeks to do this for you. I’ll probably lose my job if I’m gone for
longer than then that.”

“You have to understand, Beau, I don’t care about your other job,

your father, and most of all, you. You’re lucky I’m only holding you
to a month. Now, have we arrived at a deal?”

“For the record, I believe with all my heart my father is innocent,

but to save him from battling your team of lawyers, I’m accepting the
deal, albeit begrudgingly.”

“Duly noted. I’ll call my lead hand, Joel, to come up to the house,

pick you up, and show you what needs to be done. It appears as if
you’re ready to go, so let’s get started.”

Hanna Hart

“I’d prefer to change my clothes.”
“Aren’t you wearing your work clothes?”
Beau looked down and then back at Devon. “No, these are my

regular vestments,” Beau stated with a pompous attitude, angrily
mocking his new employer.

“Hurry up and change. By the time you’re done, Joel will be

here.”

He watched Beau turn and storm out of the room. Every nasty

word that came from his mouth pained him to say, but he wanted
Beau to hate him. He couldn’t bear Beau showing kindness to him
and getting his hopes up. No one will ever love me.

Devon couldn’t help but notice how amazing his emerald-green

eyes were, how his left eyebrow arched when angry, and how firm
and tantalizing his ass appeared when he left the study. This is going
to be a long, arduous month.

He picked up the phone on his desk and called Joel.

* * * *

Devon was reading the newspaper in his living room when he

heard the front door open and close. His heart began to race with
excitement at the prospect of seeing Beau again. He watched as Beau
entered the room with sweat pouring down his forehead and his
clothes full of dust. He’d never seen a sexier man in his life.

Stop it! Get a grip on yourself. He will only hurt you by his

revulsion of you. Devon quickly removed the smile from his lips and
replaced it with a scowl to try to hide his desire for Beau.

“Well, I finished my first day of work.” Beau smiled at him,

melting his heart.

“I hope you didn’t cause too much trouble for my staff.” Devon

tried to sound disinterested. “By the way, you’re filthy and you’re
tracking dirt into my home. I don’t appreciate that.” He glanced back
to his newspaper pretending to read it.

Beau and the Beast

“I’m sorry I’m getting dust on your precious floor. What else do

you want me to do? Remove all of my clothes at the door and walk
into the house naked.”

Hell, yeah! “Don’t be absurd. Maybe you should use the servant’s

entrance at the back.” Devon stole a glance back at Beau. He noticed
his sensual smile had gone. Beau appeared to have the look of
someone about to verbally explode.

“Let’s get something straight, Devon. I’m not your servant. I’m

here to work off a debt my father supposedly incurred. You and I both
know your accusation is bullshit, but I will do whatever it takes to
keep my father out of trouble. We need to focus on getting along over
the next month if we are going to make this situation bearable.” Beau
walked up to Devon and stuck out his hand. “Truce?”

Devon looked Beau up and down, taking him in. He mentally

shook himself and gruffly grasped his hand in his own. Even with
such a simple touch, Beau’s palm felt like magic to Devon, filling him
with awakening passion. “Truce,” he said quickly and released Beau’s
hand as if it were on fire.

Turning back to his newspaper, he waved Beau away with a

dismissive gesture of his hand. His heart ached for Beau as he heard
him stomp away. He wanted to run after him and apologize to him for
his behavior. However, he decided his desire for Beau was clouding
his judgment. You need to get any fanciful ideas out of your head
about that man right now! Devon hoped he had the strength to
continue the harsh façade toward Beau for the rest of the month.

* * * *

Beau stormed up to his room infuriated with Devon. Devon’s

attitude was demeaning and cruel, and his arrogance continued to
grow with each encounter. However, when he touched Devon’s hand,
he felt a jolt of electricity course through his body.

Hanna Hart

He pulled off his T-shirt and threw it across the room in

frustration. He’s the one I’ve been dreaming about for so long, but it
doesn’t make sense. I would never be interested in someone so mean.
So why do I still want him?

Beau peeled off the rest of his clothes and hopped into the shower.

He hoped a good night sleep would clear his mind and give him a new
perspective on Devon. However, he highly doubted it.

* * * *

Two weeks had passed since Beau took on the new position. He

hadn’t seen too much of Devon, only a rare glimpse of him here and
there, which disappointed him. He was convinced that the object of
his desire had been Devon since the dreams still persisted every single
night, growing more passionate, demanding, and sexual. How could I
be attracted to such a jerk? Every time he tried to start a conversation
with him, Devon would make some sort of gruff comment and storm
away. Beau vowed he would corner him soon and find out why he
was dreaming about him.

Every day at sunrise, Beau would arise, have a quick breakfast,

and head out to the barns. Since he’d worked on ranches most of his
life, being a cowboy came naturally to him. Joel had trained him in
the duties he needed to accomplish each day, and they’d become fast
friends. On today’s roster, Beau needed to mend some pasture fences,
feed the cattle, and move a stack of hay bales. He enjoyed the hard
work in the outdoors and loved being around animals. He found his
job rewarding, but still the loneliness persisted.

He rode out to the farthest corner of the pasture with Joel on

horseback. They worked together to mend the broken fence boards in
the baking heat of the afternoon sun. Beau wore his boot-cut jeans, a
plaid shirt with the sleeves ripped off, and his brown cowboy hat.
Sweat dripped down his face, back, and chest. He finished nailing in

Beau and the Beast

the final board and looked at Joel. He appeared to be melting in the
heat, too.

Joel took his hat off and wiped his brow with the back of his

forearm. “Well, I think we’re done here. Do you want to head back to
the barn? I think I’d enjoy working in the shade for a while.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Beau said, eagerly packing up

their tools.

When they arrived at the barn, Beau looked longingly at the rain

barrel full of water. I can’t wait to have an ice-cold beer and a shower
when this day is through.

He pulled his shirt off and dunked the material in the water. He

then held the dripping wet shirt over his chest and squeezed it. The
warm water splashed his body, feeling somewhat refreshing in the
heat. Joel seemed to like Beau’s idea and followed suit.

Beau watched the water bead and trickle down his tight abs,

falling lower beneath the waistband of his jeans. Joel reached out and
removed a strand of hay which had been sticking to Beau’s bare chest.
A few seconds later, he touched Beau’s arm and stroked his hand up
and down.

Joel, an attractive man, had been blatantly flirting with him since

they met, but until he dealt with Devon, he didn’t want to start
anything with his coworker.

“I think we better get back to work,” Beau said as he shrugged off

the man’s touch.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so forward. Are you seeing

someone?”

“No, well, yes. Ah, not really. It’s quite complicated.”
“Why don’t you explain the situation to me? I’m a good listener.”
He appreciated Joel’s friendship and the fact he didn’t get upset

with him for spurning his advances. “I won’t go into too much detail,
but I’m attracted to someone who won’t even talk to me.”

“Personally, I think he’s crazy. Have you tried to force him to talk

to you?”

Hanna Hart

“No, not yet, but the idea is tempting.”
“If you do that, be careful you don’t chase him away.”
“Every time I try to talk to him, he bolts anyway.”
“Well, you’ll just have to corner him somehow so he can’t leave

the room.” Joel nudged his arm and winked.

“Thanks, Joel. You’re very understanding.”
“I try. Now, I think we better get back to work so we can get out

of here at a decent time.”

“Good idea.” They entered the barn, and Beau jumped when he

saw Devon standing there petting his horse. His heart caught in his
throat, and he longed to have more than a three-word conversation
with him. Mesmerized by the gorgeous blue in his eyes, Beau found it
impossible to string two words together. Thankfully, Joel took over
the conversation.

“Hi, Mr. Devereux. It’s wonderful to see you out here. What a

nice surprise. Do you want to take Jupiter out for a ride?”

“Yes, that was my plan, unless of course I’m interrupting your

gossip session.”

Dammit, he heard what we were talking about. I wonder if he

knows I was referring to him. “Beau, would you saddle up Mr.
Devereux’s horse for him?”

“I’ll take care of it right away, and you’ll be ready to go in no

time.”

“Would you do me one small favor first?” Devon asked.
“Yes, of course.”
“Can you put your shirt back on and behave like a civilized man

instead of a beast?”

Devon’s words stung, and he now had his answer. His employer

had absolutely no desire for him whatsoever. Beau decided to try to
let go of the fantasy of Mr. Devereux right then and there and focus
on clearing up the debt and going back home to his father. I’m done.

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 5

Beau tossed and turned in his bed for what seemed like hours,

until he finally drifted off around one o’clock in the morning. Like
every other night, Devon came to him, taunting him with sensual
seduction and treacherous kisses. He abruptly woke up as Devon
pulled away from him in his dream. As usual, his body seemed to be
coated in a fine mist of perspiration, and his aching erection yearned
for release. I can’t take this anymore.

With a flurry of sheets flying off his body, he scrambled out of

bed and headed into the hallway. He stormed to Devon’s bedroom
and pounded on his door. “Open up, Devon. We need to talk.”
Frustration and anger fuelled his outburst.

He heard a grumbling coming from the bedroom, and after a

minute, Devon answered the door with his eyes half-closed while
tying up his robe. “What’s the meaning of this commotion?”

“We need to talk.” Pushing past Devon, he entered his private

bedchamber and started pacing the floor.

Beau paused to watch Devon shut the door and walk over to his

chaise lounge. With a look of annoyance, he wrapped his black satin
robe around himself a bit tighter and sat down. “What, pray tell, do
you wish to discuss at this ungodly hour?”

Beau came into the room in such a flap that he didn’t stop to think

about how he would express himself. Tell him the truth. He took a
deep, calming breath and let the air swirl out of his lungs slowly while
Devon yawned, seemingly unimpressed by his presence. “I don’t
quite know how to say this without sounding like a lunatic, but here
goes. I have been dreaming about you for months. You come to me

Hanna Hart

every single night and haunt my dreams with erotic thoughts. When I
came here and saw you for the first time, I was shocked. I’ve been
trying to talk to you, but you’re a very difficult man to speak with.
You’re so full of anger, and I can’t imagine you being nice to
anyone.”

He had told him the truth. What the dreams meant, he didn’t

know. However, he couldn’t deny the attraction which existed toward
Devon. Beau waited to see how he would react to his admission. He
noticed Devon’s harsh features soften ever so slightly, and his fingers
nervously toyed with the tie on his robe.

Devon sat up straighter and cleared his throat. “This is madness.

Why on earth would you have dreams of a beast like me?” He
touched his mottled skin with a melancholy look in his eyes.

“You’re not a beast, except for your attitude. You really need to

change the way you talk to people.”

“I suggest you leave.”
His words were like a stab in the heart, and Beau turned and

headed to the entrance. He opened it to leave, but something pulled
him back, wanting him to stand his ground. He slammed the door and
stormed back to Devon.

“What now?” He appeared disinterested yet beleaguered.
“I’m not leaving yet.”
“What do I have to do to get you out of my bedroom, so I can go

back to sleep?”

“I want you to kiss me.”
“You must be mad.”
“I must be if I barged into your room in the middle of the night

and demanded a kiss, but that’s my request.”

“What are you hoping to prove?”
“I’m not sure yet, but can you not be difficult for once and just

indulge me?”

“I’m not in the habit of indulging other people’s whims.”

Beau and the Beast

“Then I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, because I’m not leaving

until you do.”

“Oh, all right. Let’s get this over with.”
“More romantic words have never been spoken.”
“I’m not here to give you romance.”
Beau rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You’re right, I made a

big mistake.”  He turned and walked to the door for the second time.
He opened it  partway and felt the knob slip from his hand  and the
entrance slam shut. Devon stood before him, his back against the
door. He wrapped one hand around Beau’s  narrow waist,  and the
other drifted into Beau’s  thick hair. Their eyes locked together, and
Beau felt Devon’s arms urging him forward, closer to his fantasy
man.

Devon’s lips hovered over his until Beau pushed forward and

kissed him. He released every bit of desire and pent up passion he’d
been feeling for Devon long before he knew he existed.

* * * *

When Beau came crashing into Devon’s bedroom, his heart nearly

stopped while taking in his almost-naked form. With every ounce of
self-control he could muster, Devon  tried to push  Beau away from
him by being rude and mean. The fear of losing his heart to Beau, and
not having him return the  same  feelings,  seemed too much to bear.
However, his desire for the man won over his logical side as he
finally gave in  to the kiss Beau demanded. His lips  caused a fire  to
pump through his veins. His body came alive,  and he dared to move
his hips forward slightly, letting down his guard and showing Beau
his need for him.

Beau’s hands roamed Devon’s back, sliding lower and applying

subtle pressure to the firm cheeks of his ass. Devon’s cock stood rigid
against Beau’s equally imposing erection. As their kiss continued to
grow in passion, so did their grinding movements as their shafts slid

Hanna Hart

against each other with slight friction from the thin materials
separating them.

Devon wanted Beau more than he had ever wanted any man in his

life, but for a brief moment, sanity seeped in. He instantly pulled
away from Beau and stormed over to his bed, clutching the post on
his footboard to steady himself and catch his breath.

With his back turned to him, he heard the muffled sound of

Beau’s bare feet shuffle across the thick, white carpet of his bedroom,
stopping behind him. A faint tingle of Beau’s breath flitted against his
neck and trickled down his spine. Strong, callused hands stroked his
arms, as Beau whispered in his ear, “Why did you stop?” He drew
closer and placed gentle kisses on Devon’s earlobe and neck.

Devon closed his eyes and leaned his head back, resting it against

Beau’s cheek. Lost in the magic of his kisses, Devon let his guard
down and told him the truth. “I’m hideous. You don’t want to be seen
with a creature like me.”

Beau straightened up, and with a little force, yanked Devon’s

hands free of the bedpost. He spun him around and stared deep into
Devon’s eyes. “You have to stop this right now. Whether you chose
to acknowledge this or not, you know deep down there is a connection
between us. With my recurring dreams and your telling kiss,
something is trying to match us together. Why fight the pull? Let’s
see where this passion takes us.”

Devon understood what Beau was trying to say, but self-doubt

made him wonder if this might be a trick Beau was playing on him to
get something out of him. However, Beau leaned forward and began
to kiss his damaged face. Horror filled him at first, and his body
tensed, but Beau held him in place and continued to bathe his mottled
skin in kisses. When he finally pulled away, his gaze held pure
seduction. Devon conceded defeat and leaned forward, trapping
Beau’s lips against his.

He plunged his tongue into Beau’s mouth and allowed himself to

feel as if he were the man he used to be. Except this time, he cared

Beau and the Beast

about giving his partner pleasure. Beau let go of Devon’s arms,
skimmed his fingertips across his nipples, and then untied the sash of
his robe. He opened the garment up, and let it fall gracefully to the
floor at their feet.

Beau pulled away from Devon, taking a couple steps back, while

Devon stood before him, naked, exposed, and ready. Beau smiled and
slid his fingers into the waistband of his boxers and guided them
down his legs. He stepped out of them and faced Devon. Lust seemed
to ooze out of every pore in Beau’s body. Devon took him in, from
his tight, firm body and the glistening tip of his cock to his strong,
well-proportioned legs. He was everything Devon found attractive in
a man with a mixture of unexpected emotion. As unsettling as these
new feelings were to him, he pushed these thoughts to the back of his
mind and allowed himself to pretend for one night they were a couple.

“You’re beautiful,” Devon whispered, his inner thoughts seeping

out.

“So are you. You have an amazing body.” Beau sidled up to his

body and kissed him gently on the lips. He then worked his way down
Devon’s body with his lips and tongue, stopping only to suckle and
flick each of Devon’s taut nipples before moving lower.

He held Devon’s hips and guided him to the edge of the bed, and

urged him to sit down by pushing his hips back. Beau spread his legs
apart and placed his body between them. Devon watched Beau,
transfixed on his hands, one encircling the base of his cock and the
other cupping his balls. A wave of energy flowed through his body,
making his skin more sensitive to Beau’s touch.

Beau bent forward and licked the shining drop of pre-cum off

Devon’s head. “You taste delicious.” He lowered his mouth again, but
this time took in his aching shaft deeply.

Devon gasped at the sensual attack and arched his hips forward,

instinctively trying to bury himself deeper in the warm chasm of
Beau’s mouth. Beau’s tongue seemed to come to life and laved the
underside of his cock as he moved back. Oh my God, I’m in heaven.

Hanna Hart

After couple minutes of Devon being at the mercy of Beau’s slow,

methodical seduction, Beau began a strong, steady up-and-down
rhythm on Devon’s rod, bringing him to the brink of sexual madness.
His hands snaked into Beau’s hair, and he held him in place as he
flooded his seed into Beau’s mouth.

Amazing. Breathlessly, he watched Beau pull away and swallow

his offering. “You were wonderful.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but you know we’re not done

yet.”

“Trust me, I know.” Devon patted the bed, indicating for Beau to

sit down beside him. Instead, Beau surprised him by standing up,
crawling to the middle of the bed, lying down. He opened his arms
and motioned Devon to him with his hands.

Grinning, Devon went to his bedside table and fished out a tube of

lubrication. He clambered across the great expanse of the bed and met
up with Beau, climbing eagerly into his waiting arms.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile. You’re very

handsome,” Beau said, stroking Devon’s hair.

Not knowing how to respond to the compliment, Devon kissed

Beau tenderly. He wiggled his way between Beau’s legs and spent
some time licking his tanned nipples. Devon’s spent rod started to
come back to life as he dragged his tight balls against Beau’s. The
sensation caused his skin to form goose bumps, his cock plumping
back up to its former stature.

He had an overwhelming need to taste Beau and slithered his way

down his body. He positioned his mouth in-line with Beau’s erection
and began to lick his shaft from the base all the way to the tip. Beau’s
aroma was intoxicating, sweet and musky. He savored every taste and
breathed Beau’s scent deep into his lungs before wrapping his fist
around the base of Beau’s cock and sliding the aroused flesh into his
hungry mouth. His thickness filled the moist cavern as Devon began
to bob up and down on his cock.

Beau and the Beast

Beau moaned and writhed under his sensual assault, which

encouraged Devon to continue the steady cadence. He released his
grip from the base of Beau’s rod and allowed his fingers to take on a
mind of their own while he continued to taste his sexy cowboy. He
retrieved the tube of lubricant, opened the cap, and squeezed a
generous dollop onto his fingers on his right hand.

With the tube placed beside him, his hand found Beau’s ass. He

coated his opening with the lube and slowly worked one finger inside.
After a minute, he noticed Beau’s muscles relaxing. He began to
thrust his digit in and out, matching the beat of his oral ministrations.
Tension returned to Beau’s body while his legs wrapped around
Devon’s back. He cried out in a final moment of ecstasy, filling
Devon’s mouth with his sweet essence.

Devon removed his finger, sat up on his knees, and swallowed

Beau’s sweet cum. He reached for the lubricant tube again and
squeezed a line down his rigid erection. Throwing the tube down, he
took his hand and stroked his cock, making sure every part of his
shaft had been covered.

Glancing down at Beau, their gazes met, and he raised his

eyebrow, as if asking a question. Beau responded by asking, “How do
you want me?”

“Lift your legs and place you ankles on my shoulders. I want to

see your face.”

Beau obeyed the command, while Devon took the remaining lube

on his hand and added more of the slick cream to his ass to ease his
impending entry. Leaning forward, Devon’s swollen head lined up
with Beau’s opening, and he slowly slid inside. Pure bliss filled his
body as Beau gripped his cock with his pulsing muscles. “Oh God,
Beau, you feel so right.”

Devon began to thrust himself in and out of Beau’s ass, getting

faster and harder. He noticed Beau’s cock springing back to life and
reached down to stroke his hard flesh. Their passion grew to new
heights, with Devon experiencing a sexual high like no other. He held

Hanna Hart

back his release, giving time for Beau to reach his level of desire
again.

Within a couple minutes, Devon spoke behind clenched teeth,

“I’m so close.”

“Me, too,” Beau replied breathlessly.
Beau’s response had been all he needed to hear. Three hard thrusts

later, they both cried out as waves of rapturous pleasure filled the
darkest places in Devon’s soul. He slipped out from Beau and
collapsed on the bed beside him. Beau quickly scooped him up in his
embrace and placed soft kisses on Devon’s wet brow. “You were
incredible. You can’t deny you didn’t feel the connection between us
now.”

Devon loved hearing Beau’s words. They warmed his heart, but at

the same time, scared him to death. He wanted to rain kisses down on
Beau and tell him that he was falling in love with him. He wanted to
make Beau belong to him, but mostly, he wanted Beau to love him.
For some strange reason, Beau seemed to look  passed his hideous
appearance, but for how long? I’d love to believe he could love me for
me, but  I  would only be kidding myself. His  nighttime  fantasies  are
what  brought him to my bedchamber, not me. If he never dreamt  of
me  in the first place, would he still believe we have a connection? I
think not. Somehow, I believe Aylwin has his hand in this. He has
some explaining to do in the morning. “I found the situation
agreeable.”

“I think you found what we did more than agreeable.”
“Don’t read any more into this then there is.” Coldness dripped

from each word Devon spoke. “We had a moment of pleasure, that’s
all. Now, I would suggest you go back to your room and get some
sleep. You fooled around way too much yesterday with Joel, so I’m
going to have to increase your workload to keep you two busy.” With
his insecurities looming, the incident with Joel came back to haunt
him. He saw the way Joel had looked at Beau and touched him. Joel
was handsome, someone Beau wouldn’t be embarrassed to take

Beau and the Beast

places. It pained him to push Beau away, but he needed to. He wanted
to protect Beau because he cared about him too much to have him
saddled with an unlovable monster like him. He also wanted to
protect his own heart.

Devon didn’t have to read Beau’s thoughts to know he had hurt

him deeply. His expression spoke volumes. Beau stared at Devon for
a moment, and then rolled off the bed. Without another glance at
Devon, he yanked on his earlier-discarded boxers and stormed from
the room, slamming the door behind him.

His heart begged him to chase after Beau, and tell him how he

truly felt, but his mind told him to let him go. The heartache would
only get worse the more Beau was enmeshed in his life.

He’d had a beautiful night with Beau. He knew he’d never forget

their encounter, but he would do everything in his power to try.

Hanna Hart

Chapter 6

Beau stormed back to his bedroom full of hurt, anger, and

confusion. Sexually, he’d never been as  bold and demanding  with
anyone as he’d been with Devon. His rashness felt right.  Everything
they experienced together had been beyond pleasurable.  Their
lovemaking had been extraordinary, and no matter how Devon tried to
belittle their time together, he believed deep down he cared for Beau.

In the space of the time he had barged into Devon’s bedroom and

left, he had witnessed Devon’s wall crumble to the ground, but then
erect itself again unexpectedly. Why would he mention Joel? Does he
think something is going on between us? Could he be jealous?

He vowed to not let Devon’s cold reaction hurt him. Instead, Beau

planned to talk to Joel about Devon and see if he could understand
why he rejected him. With images of their sexy encounter swirling in
his mind, Beau tried to settle himself down and get some much
needed sleep for a heavy workload tomorrow.

The morning came much too fast, but Beau started his work day

as he’d done every morning since arriving at the Devereux ranch. He
went downstairs to have an early breakfast and then drove his pickup
truck to the barns to meet Joel for his assigned duties for the day.
However, Joel was mysteriously absent. Beau talked to the other
ranch hands, and they pointed to a roster posted on a clipboard in the
barn.

“Someone must have it in for you, buddy. They gave you double

the workload we all received,” one of the older workers commented,
slapping Beau on the back as a group of the men headed out to start
their day.

Beau and the Beast

Beau walked up to the roster and noticed the incredible amount of

work listed for him to accomplish  today.  You’re punishing me for
what happened last night, aren’t you, Devon? What is this chip you
have on your shoulder disallowing happiness in your life?  He shook
his head  but didn’t back away from the challenging day Devon
planned for him. If that’s the way you want to play, I’m game.

Starting his workload in the barn, Beau cleaned out the barn,

spread fresh hay down, and moved and stacked hay bales. He  then
continued through the list with determination,  knowing  Devon
couldn’t break him. He  mended another section of the fence, fixed
some holes in the roof of the main barn, took several of the horses out
for a run, oiled and cleaned several saddles, and painted some sign
posts. By the time he came back to the barn, everyone had gone home
for the night except Joel. He stood leaning against the door of the barn
as Beau arrived.

“I started to get a little worried when you didn’t come back at

quitting time. I thought I’d wait around for you.”

“Thanks, Joel, but you didn’t have to hang back for me.”
“Yes, I did. I saw the roster with the extra duties Mr. Devereux

assigned for you today, so I wanted to make sure you got home safe.
If you weren’t back in a few more minutes, I planned to go out
looking for you.”

“You still shouldn’t have waited.”
“Well, I had something for you, too.” Joel handed Beau an ice-

cold beer.

“I swear you read my mind.” They twisted off the caps and tipped

their bottles toward each other in cheers. Beau drank the cold ale,
enjoying ever bitter drop of the hops and barley. “I needed that.”

“I thought you might. Let’s go sit down and enjoy our drinks.”

Joel started walking, and Beau followed along behind until they reach
a weathered picnic table beside the barn. They sat down on the
creaking bench seats and drank their beer.

Hanna Hart

“What happened to Devon’s face?” Beau’s sudden question came

out a bit harsher than he meant to sound. “I mean, was he in an
accident or had he been born disfigured?”

“His scars are a mystery. He’s had them for almost a year now, I

think. One day, he was the sexiest man you’d ever seen in your life,
and the next, he turned into the beast you see now. He’s always been
an arrogant asshole, but whatever occurred to bring this damage to his
face, turned him into a quieter asshole. He doesn’t come out here like
he used to, and he doesn’t demean his employees as much anymore.
Honestly, I think there’s a good man under his brash exterior, but it’s
going to take a special person to bring out his warm side.”

“Does he have a significant other?” Beau held his breath waiting

for the answer. Please say no. Please say no.

“When he first changed, Aylwin appeared out of the blue. I

suspect they’re lovers, but I can’t say for sure. Aylwin also has
something on Devon because he’s the only one I know who can put
him in his place and get away with it.”

Beau had noticed the looks the two had shared back and forth in

the short time he’d been at the ranch. However, he’d never thought
they were intimate looks, but now he wasn’t so sure. Oh God, please
don’t let it be true. I have to find out what’s going on.

“Wait a minute, is Mr. Devereux the man you were telling me

about, the one who won’t give you the time of day?”

Beau nodded. “Yes, he is. Except last night something did

happen.”

“Oh my God, Beau, you work fast. How on earth did you get him

to talk to you?”

“I forced him to. I stormed into his room in the middle of the

night.”

“Well, don’t you have brass balls. What happened next?” Joel

asked, taking a sip of his beer.

“I told him to kiss me.”

Beau and the Beast

Joel spit his beer across the table, barely missing Beau. He

coughed and sputtered for a moment before regaining his composure.
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight. You woke up Mr. Devereux in
the middle of the night to demand a kiss.”

“Yes, something along those lines.” Beau decided to keep his

dreams of Devon to himself.

“What did he say?”
“He wanted me to leave him alone at first. We discussed things

for a few minutes, and he remained determined for me to leave. When
I went to leave, he stopped me, and we ended up making love.”

“No shit!” He gulped the rest of his beer, then removed his hat

and wiped his brow with the back of his arm. Beau noticed he had a
pensive look about him as if he were trying to find truth in the
salacious story. “I’m guessing things didn’t turn out well.”

“Why do you say that?”
“You were given a ton of work to do today. First thing this

morning, I tried to complain to Mr. Devereux about the extra duties,
but he said something about getting his money’s worth from some
debt. Anyway, you’re also looking pretty down, so I suppose your
time together didn’t have a happy ending.”

“I assumed we had an amazing time with each other, but clearly,

Devon thought differently. When he let his guard down, he seemed
open to me emotionally. But no sooner did we finish making love, his
wall went right back up, and he kicked me out.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Would you like my opinion?”
“Yes, I would.”
“I think you’ve broken through a tough barrier. Other than

Aylwin, he doesn’t let anyone get close to him,  but  he obviously let
you in. He must have feelings for you, but something’s making him
keep you at bay. Find out what it  is,  and you’ll be able to crack his
hardened shell.  If you feel he’s worth the trouble, and you see
something in him worth loving, you need to follow your heart.”

Hanna Hart

“Great advice. I’m going for it. I’ll see if I can force him to talk to

me again. I might even talk to Aylwin to find out if he’s Devon’s
lover.”

“Good idea. You have to start somewhere. Why don’t you head

back to the house, have a shower, and see what you can find out.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks for listening to me. I knew you would

understand.”

“Anytime, Beau, I mean it. Now, I’ll put your equipment away

while you go back to the house and start fishing for information.”

“You don’t have to do that, Joel. I’ll clean up.”
“I insist. You’ve done more then your fair share of work today.

Go home and good night.” Joel collected the two empty beer bottles
and then took off toward the barn.

“Good night,” Beau cried out after him and then went to his

pickup truck to head back to the house and find Aylwin.

* * * *

Sitting emotionally lost at his desk in his study, Devon tapped on

the glass cylinder,  watching the pocket watch dance on air while
suspended in  the container. Time was  running out for him, and he
found himself conflicted. He wanted to turn back into what he used to
be, but he knew changing into his former self would be  impossible.
As much as Beau seemed to care for him, he lived  on  a hope that
might not exist. He could see himself easily falling in love with Beau,
something he’d never done before with anyone, but Beau would never
love him back the same way. How could he? This damn  curse will
never go away. I’m doomed.

“Aylwin, get in here now!”
Within a couple seconds, Aylwin materialized before him. “You

bellowed, Your Majesty.”

“Quit with the sarcasm. I’m in no mood to put up with you.”

Beau and the Beast

“Tell me when you’re ever in the mood to put up with humor.”

Aylwin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms on his chest, blatantly
showing his irritation.

Ignoring his question, Devon asked, “I need you to tell me the

truth about something. Don’t lie to me or change the subject, I want
answers.”

“What do you want to know?”
“Beau came to me last night, and we had a little talk. He admitted

he’s been having romantic dreams about a man who looks exactly like
me, except, I’m guessing, without the scars. When he told me about
these nightly fantasies, I couldn’t help but think you had a hand in
this. Did you?”

“I think you’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?”
“Stop right there. You’re turning things around like you always

do. Did you give those dreams to Beau? Have you been planning this
all along?”

“That’s two questions.”
Devon glared at Aylwin, his patience at an all-time low. “Then

answer both of the questions,” he snapped angrily.

“All right, no need to get testy. I may have put the dreams into his

mind, but what he did with those dreams I left up to him. If you’re
wondering if I’m controlling Beau, I’m not. I planted a seed to give
you two a connection, nothing more. Any emotions are straight from
your heart and his.”

“Beau told me he’s been having these dreams for months. Why

did you pick him, and how did you arrange for all this to happen?”

“I don’t want to give away all of my secrets, but I have the gift of

sight. I knew he would be coming to land on your doorstep, and so I
gave him the dreams ahead of time to stir things up a little. Since you
weren’t going out to find love, I thought I’d bring love to your
doorstep. And what a package I brought you. He’s handsome,
masculine, sexy as hell, and one of the sweetest men you’ll ever
know.”

Hanna Hart

“He needs to go.”
“What? Are you insane?” Aylwin uncrossed his arms and lifted

them in the air briefly in apparent exasperation. “Lord knows, you’re
driving me around the bend.”

“Who are you to complain? Look what you did to me!” Devon

pointed at his disfigured side of his face.

“I didn’t do that to you. Well, technically, I did, but my superiors

ordered your transformation. I happened to be following orders. Since
you’re such a stubborn goat, I’m staying here to make sure Beau does
not leave. What are you so afraid of anyway?”

“I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Okay, I want the truth this time. What scares you so much about

Beau that you’re pushing him away?”

Devon sighed and ran his hands through his thick hair in agitation

and then pounded a fist against his desk, making Aylwin jump.
“Dammit, I’m afraid I’ll love him, but he won’t love me back. I’m
already falling for him, and it’s taking every bit of willpower I have to
keep him at bay.”

“You truly are insane. If you can’t see Beau cares for you and

looks past your appearance, than you’re a fool. I hoped you might be
redeemable, but I’m starting to think I might have been wrong.
However, maybe you’ll surprise me and come to your senses. You
still have a couple weeks left before the year is up, and you remain a
beast forever.”

“If everything is so easy, and you have all the answers, then tell

me, what am I supposed to do?”

“Don’t push him away. Let him in and you might be surprised at

what happens. Love is a gamble and people roll the dice  everyday.
Many  lovers  have their hearts ripped out, but many others  find a
happiness they could never have  conceived  of  obtaining. Take the
risk. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“I’ll be one of those people who get their heart ripped out.”

Beau and the Beast

“You could also be one of the lucky ones, too. Now I’ve had

about enough of your negativity for tonight. I hear Beau coming in
now, and I sense he wants to talk to me.”

“Why does he want to talk to you?”
“The conversation will be between him and me, my dear man.”

Before Devon could respond, Aylwin snapped his fingers and
disappeared instantly.

“I hate it when he does that.” Devon flopped back in his chair and

stared at the pocket watch, his constant reminder of how little time he
had left.

* * * *

No sooner had Beau walked through the front door than Aylwin

stood there to greet him. “Good evening, Beau. You look like you put
in a full day’s work on the ranch.”

“I certainly did. I’m glad to see you, Aylwin. I wanted to talk to

you about something.”

“What would you like to talk about?”
Moving closer to Aylwin, Beau whispered, “I want to ask you a

few questions about Devon in private.”

“Why don’t we go to your bedroom? We can talk freely there.”
“Good idea, let’s go.”
Beau led the way, and the two men moved their conversation to

his room. Aylwin sat down on his bed while Beau leaned against the
dresser. He didn’t dare sit down on the cream-colored chaise lounge
for fear of leaving dirt all over the cream-colored upholstery.

“No one can hear us now. What did you want to ask me?”
“I hope I’m not prying, but what is your relationship to Devon?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you his friend or his lover?” Please say friend.
Aylwin burst out laughing. “Trust me, we are only friends. I act as

his personal assistant, but I’m actually not his employee.”

Hanna Hart

“So why are you here all the time? I thought you worked for him.”
“Our situation is complicated, but if you want to know the overall

truth, I’m here to keep watch over him and give him guidance,
nothing more.”

Relief flooded through Beau’s heart. One more hurdle dealt with.

“I’m going to be honest with you. I’m interested in Devon on a
personal level, but I find he keeps pushing me away. Last night, he let
his guard down with me for a short time, but the wall quickly went
back up again. Do you have any advice for getting through his thick
skull?”

“Oh, Beau, I knew I adored you. Yes, please be persistent. Wear

him down. Whatever you did last night to break down the wall, do the
same thing again and again. I do believe you’ll find someone who
cares about you very much. Other than the advice I just gave you, I
can’t say too much more.”

His words of encouragement gave Beau renewed hope he might

be able to get through to Devon after all. “Thank you, Aylwin.
You’ve been most helpful.”

“You’re very welcome. Now, go have a shower and get a good

night’s sleep, or possibly not.” Aylwin winked at him as he left his
bedroom.

Smiling, Beau started to undress, thinking about Aylwin’s advice.

I think I’m going to pay Mr. Devereux another late night visit,
whether he wants to see me or not.

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 7

At midnight, Beau slipped out of his room, fully dressed, and

went to Devon’s bedroom door. He knocked quieter this time, but no
response was forthcoming. He called out, “Devon, I’m coming in.”
Opening the door, he noticed the ceiling light on, but no one around.
Venturing inside the room, he checked Devon’s walk-in closet and
private bathroom, but both remained empty. Where could he be?

Leaving his bedroom, he wandered the hallway to the staircase

and snapped his fingers in realization. He’s probably in his study.
With his heart set on talking to Devon, and maybe seducing him, he
rushed down the stairs and headed to the study. The door to the room
had been left wide open, and the only light illuminating the study
came from the desk lamp. I’ll bet he’ll be back any moment. I might
as well make myself comfortable.

Without another thought, Beau wandered behind his desk and sat

down in Devon’s chair. His eyes had now adjusted to the dim light,
and he noticed the pocket watch floating in the glass container.
Assuming the object happened to be the same one which caused the
misunderstanding between his father and Devon, he pulled the item
closer to look at it himself.

This has to be suspended by magnets, I think. No wonder Dad had

been so fascinated by this thing.

“I see you’re much like your father. Are you going to try to steal

my watch from me, too?” Devon leaned against the doorjamb, his
tone filled with venom.

“I resent your accusations about my father and me. I’m not a thief.

I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not afraid of hard work, no

Hanna Hart

matter how much you throw at me. I’m proud to say I’ve worked my
ass off for everything I have.” Beau pushed the glass container back
to the corner of Devon’s desk and stood up, trying desperately to tamp
his anger down.

“I’ll give you that one. I heard you did everything on the list and

didn’t utter one word of complaint.”

“Complaining is not my style when it comes to a day on the job. I

put my head down and do what needs to be done.”

“Well, I will admit I’m impressed with your work ethic. Now, do

you mind telling me what you’re doing in my private study?”

“I’ve been looking for you.”
“And what do you want from me?”
“I thought we could talk about last night.”
Beau watched as Devon seemed to squirm uncomfortably in the

doorway. “We really have nothing to talk about.”

“Yes, we do. I had an amazing time with you last night, and dare I

say, I think you enjoyed yourself, too. Am I wrong?”

Devon shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “We shared a

mutually agreeable few moments together, but the time is over, and
we’ve moved on.”

“Is it over? Do you want me to move on?”
Devon looked toward the floor and answered, “Yes.”
Right away, Beau sensed Devon was lying to him. “If you truly

feel every thing between us is over, I’ll go away.”

“I do. Now please leave my study,” Devon whispered, his voice

quivering slightly.

Beau walked around the desk slowly, his gaze never once veering

from Devon. He desired him with a burning passion he’d never
experienced with anyone in his life. Whatever bitter wall Devon
erected around himself, Beau’s determination to knock it down and
get through to him stood steadfast. He wanted Devon to trust him and
maybe, in time, love him.

Beau and the Beast

As Beau neared the doorway, Devon stepped into the room,

leaving a wide berth between them. Beau made a move to leave, but
instead of leaving, he slammed the door and locked the deadbolt.

“What are you doing? Get out of here,” Devon protested weakly.
“What if I don’t want to leave?” Beau challenged, taking a

confident step forward.

“Then I’ll leave.” Devon took a step to Beau’s right, and Beau

moved in sync, blocking his way.

“Why are you fighting the connection between us? I feel the draw

to you strong in my soul. I want you, Devon, with everything in me.
So help me, I want you.” Beau reached out his hands and tenderly
captured Devon’s face. “Please, don’t fight this. Let’s see where we
can take this.”

He gazed into Devon’s eyes and his heart ached as he saw the

glimmer of a tear. Aylwin was right. He does seem to have feelings for
me. Taking this as a good sign, Beau leaned forward, hovering over
Devon’s lips.

Devon surprised him by making the first move. He leaned

forward, making contact with Beau’s lips. Their soft kisses grew into
to more demanding ones. Devon opened his mouth first, allowing
Beau to slip his tongue inside and taste him. Devon tasted like citrus,
refreshing and sweet. He savored the connection, the way the slight
friction from their stubble rubbed against each other, the soft moans
coming from Devon, and the way his tongue warred with Beau’s in a
seductive dance for two.

Devon seemed to give in as his arms embraced Beau, pulling him

tighter and pushing his erection against Beau’s. They continued to
kiss for what seemed like hours until Beau couldn’t take it anymore.
He pulled away and whispered, “I want to see you naked.”

Devon complied and started to unbutton his dress shirt, slipped the

material down his arms, and let the expensive fabric fall unnoticed to
the floor. Beau admired the chiselled lines in his body, his taut

Hanna Hart

nipples, and tease of his waistband sitting low on his narrow waist.
He’s remarkable.

His pants came off next, dropping straight down to the floor. He

kicked them aside and removed his socks. The vulnerability mixed
with desire appeared to swirl across Devon’s face. Beau realized he’d
been staring at Devon instead of removing his own attire. He
undressed quickly, throwing his clothes on top of Devon’s. They
stood facing each other, both wearing their boxers only.

Devon made the first move by stepping toward Beau, hooking his

fingertips in the thick elastic waistband of his underwear, and pulling
them down to expose Beau’s bulging shaft. He knelt before him,
placing feathery kisses across his abdomen, then moving lower to the
small thatch of black curls, while gripping Beau’s cock and moving
the throbbing hardness to the side.

His lips continued their descent to Beau’s tight balls. He began to

lick them in long, sensual strokes. Beau’s eyes closed and his head
rolled back as the pure bliss of Devon’s tongue bath ravaged through
his body, making him weak in the knees.

Devon moved his tongue to the base of Beau’s cock and licked his

shaft up to his swollen head. Beau regained his control and looked
down again in time to watch Devon’s mouth engulf his rod, taking all
of his thickness in. Beau started to thrust forward, but Devon grabbed
his hips, holding him in place. Then Devon set the pace with a slow,
steady rhythm. Their gazes met and Beau adored what he saw. Even
with half his face damaged, Beau looked beyond his scars and saw a
man in need of someone to love him. He longed to break through the
tough exterior and be the man Devon wanted and needed.

After a few minutes of Devon’s sweet torture, Beau decided to

take charge. He stepped back and heard the wet slurping sound of
Devon trying to hold on to his cock as it slipped out of his eager
mouth. Motioning Devon to stand, he stood back a step, giving him
room to rise. Beau took his hand and led him to the other side of his

Beau and the Beast

massive desk. He removed Devon’s boxers and urged him to sit in his
office chair.

Obeying Beau’s directive, Devon sat down while his erect shaft

begged for attention. Oh my God, he’s so damn sexy. Without wasting
another moment, Beau knelt between his muscular legs and took
Devon’s rod into his mouth. He felt Devon’s throbbing erection grow
a little more, the slick, velvet skin sliding delightfully against his
tongue. Tonight, he decided not to hold back. He needed to taste
Devon, to make their connection even stronger.

He began to stroke Devon’s balls enticingly with his fingertips,

while he rode Devon’s cock with his mouth. His up-and-down
movements grew faster, and he could sense Devon nearing the point
of letting go. He noticed Devon’s legs tensing, his muscles bulging,
and finally a cry of what sounded like rapture slipped past Devon’s
lips.

Beau’s mouth filled with the warm elixir, the pure essence of

Devon. He tasted a slight sweetness and savored his new lover’s
aroma. He swallowed the offering and stood up before Devon. He
watched him sprawled on the chair, catching his breath and giving
Beau one of his rare smiles. He melted Beau’s heart. He reached
down and took Devon’s hand, guiding him to his feet, pulling him
close, and whispering in his ear, “We’re not done yet.”

Beau stepped to the side and positioned Devon to face his desk.

He pushed himself against Devon’s back and began kissing his neck,
shoulders, running his tongue down the middle of his back all the way
down to the cleft in his cheeks. He opened up his ass and licked his
puckered cavity, making it nice and wet for entry. Devon moaned,
arching his back and lowering his upper body to the top of his desk.

Without waiting a moment longer, Beau stood up, and slid his

cock against the wet crack. He wiggled his rod up and down, making
it slippery before succumbing to the sexual need, begging him for
release. His head found Devon’s opening and pushed its way through
the tight barrier. Devon responded by thrusting back hard, causing

Hanna Hart

Beau’s shaft to disappear completely into Devon’s ass. The image
before his hungry gaze tantalized him, and the feeling of being inside
of Devon was a joy beyond measure.

He began to plunge in and out, but with Devon’s constant urging,

he went faster and harder then he originally planned. He didn’t want
to hurt Devon, but since he seemed to enjoy his pounding, he would
go at whatever pace Devon wanted. The men worked in unison,
thrusting against each other. Their bodies flowed together perfectly.

Beau could feel the surge of pleasure growing and ready to erupt.

He held on as long as he could until he growled in blissful agony.
Collapsing on Devon’s back, he lay on top of him, catching his breath
and cherishing the closeness Devon allowed him.

He eventually stood up, realizing the position Devon lay in might

not be comfortable. He pulled out of him and stood back, waiting for
Devon to stand, but also expecting him to push Beau aside. Instead,
Devon righted himself, then took his hand and led Beau over to the
fireplace. He flipped a switch and the fire roared to life. Devon
grabbed a couple throw pillows from a couch in the corner of the
room and threw them down on a plush area rug in front of the fire.
Lying down, he lifted his arms and motioned Beau into his embrace.
Never had Beau imagine Devon would let his wall down for this long
and he prayed he could keep the wall at bay as he fell for his new
lover.

* * * *

Devon fought hard to push Beau away, but his persistence wore

down his willpower,  and his intense  desire for Beau won over his
logic. The lovemaking session had been  exciting yet tender. Even
with his hard shell, Beau seemed to see right through  him, bringing
out a side to him that he didn’t even know he possessed. From the
first moment he’d seen Beau, he knew he could be easily lost to the
young man. Not only was Beau gorgeous, but he’d been kind, sweet,

Beau and the Beast

and caring. Devon came to the realization he’d fallen in love with
Beau. No point in fighting my feelings anymore. I’m too far lost in
him to let him go now.

Beau lay in his arms, appearing to bask in their intimacy. He

stroked Beau’s back softly, and couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
For the first time in a long, long time, Devon felt truly happy. “You
were wonderful tonight. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“I’m not in the habit of giving up on people, especially ones I care

about.”

His words warmed Devon’s heart as the last piece of ice melted

away, leaving him free to love. He cares about me. What a wonderful
start. He squeezed Beau tight loving every second he lay in his arms.
“You’ve done something to me.”

“I did a lot of things to you.” Beau laughed playfully.
“Yes, you did, but on top of every thing, you’ve made me happy.”
Beau sat up and touched his scarred face. His gaze locked with

Devon’s as if he were searching for the truth in his statement.
“Devon, I’m not going anywhere. I want to get to know you more and
see where we can take this thing growing between us.” He leaned
down and kissed Devon, climbing on top of him with a burgeoning
erection.

“Oh my, you’re insatiable.” Devon could believe how lucky he’d

been to find a man like Beau.

“Only with you.”

* * * *

A few hours later, Devon reached out for Beau in bed, but found

the place where he’d last seen him cold and empty. He opened his
eyes and bolted up, looking around the room. Seeing no sign of Beau,
he started to push the cotton sheets off his body when he noticed a
piece of paper on the pillow Beau had slept on.

Hanna Hart

His heart caught in his throat, with the most negative thoughts

swirling in his mind. He suspected Beau had come to his senses,
realizing he couldn’t be seen with a hideous creature such as Devon.
Steeling himself, he took a deep breath and opened the folded note.

Being with you last night was amazing. You make me feel so alive,

and above all, the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve gone to
work, and I didn’t have the heart to wake you after our late and
intimate night. Hopefully I can spend my night with you again, getting
to know you even better. Beau.

A tear threaten to trickle down his cheek. No one had ever said

anything remotely close to Beau’s words. He knew expressing his
feelings might be too soon, but he couldn’t hold back any more.
Tonight, he would arrange for a romantic dinner for the two of them
and let Beau know the debt was forgiven. After dinner, he would tell
Beau his true feelings, that he loved him with all his heart.

* * * *

“Is everything set up, Aylwin?” Devon asked nervously while

pacing his living room, waiting for Beau to come home any minute.

“For the tenth time, yes, the table is set, the wine is chilled, and

the dinner is ready. Your staff has done an amazing job of making
tonight special.” Aylwin lay on the couch, filing his nails.

“Yes, I do believe I need to thank my staff later for putting this

special dinner together on such short notice.”

“What? I can’t believe I heard Devon Devereux say he wanted to

thank people beneath him. My God, Beau has been a wonderful
influence on you.”

Turning to Aylwin, Devon said, “I’m in such a good mood I’m

going to ignore what you said.”

Beau and the Beast

Devon watched as Aylwin opened his mouth to say something

when the door opened and Beau entered the home. Wings of
butterflies tickled his stomach as he gazed at Beau in his jeans, chaps,
sleeveless shirt, cowboy boots, and hat. Covered in dust, Beau looked
as if he’d put in a hard day’s labor on the ranch. He personified
masculinity and oozed sensuality in every move he made. When he
turned and noticed Devon, he smiled, making his face light up.

I can’t believe he’s mine. I hope. Devon beamed back at Beau, his

heart filling up with love while his body filled with desire. “It’s nice
to see you, Beau.” Devon sauntered toward him, like a beast stalking
his prey.

“Did you get my note I left you this morning?”
“Yes, I did.” Devon patted his shirt pocket above his heart. He’d

been carrying the note around with him all day so he’d have a
personal piece of Beau with him at all times.

“Good, then you know how much I looked forward to seeing you

tonight.”

Devon stepped closer to kiss him, but Beau moved backward.

“I’m really dusty, and I need a shower. I don’t know if you want to
come near me, especially since you’re dressed all in black.”

“What’s a little dust between lovers?” Devon stepped forward

again while Beau stood in place. Leaning over, Devon kissed him
tenderly on the lips. He wanted to take him in his arms and ravish
him, but he would respect Beau’s desire for a shower first. Moving
back, he said, “I have supper waiting for you. I thought you’d be
hungry.”

“I’m starving. I’m going to have a quick shower, and then I’ll be

back down in fifteen minutes.” He kissed Devon on the cheek and ran
up the stairs, leaving a fine powdering of dust behind him as he went.

“I think he might be crazy about you, Devon,” Aylwin said as he

continued to file his nails.

“I believe, for once, you might be right.”

Hanna Hart

Chapter 8

They sat together at the dining room table, enjoying a glass of

white wine at the end of their meal. Beau couldn’t help but fall more
and more under the spell Devon weaved through  him. One day he
would ask Devon to talk about his facial injury, but for now,  the
mystery didn’t matter. The pull he felt from the beginning to Devon
seemed  real and led him  in a positive direction  needing  extensive
exploration. He loved seeing the smile plastered across Devon’s face
and felt a sense of pride knowing, beyond a doubt, he’d been to blame
for Devon’s happiness.

Elation filled his heart as he took Devon’s hand in his. “Thank

you for the beautiful supper.”

“You’re very welcome. Can I get you anything else?”
“No.” Beau patted his full belly with his free hand. “I’m stuffed.”
“Do you want to go into the living room, stretch out on the couch,

and drink our wine?”

“I’d love to.”
The men took their drinks with them to the living room, but just

before Beau sat down, his cell phone rang. He checked the call
display and saw his oldest brother, Tom, on the line.

“I’m sorry, Devon, but I have to answer this. My brother’s

calling.”

Devon nodded, and he picked up the line. “Hi, Tom. What’s going

on?”

“Beau, you have to get home now. Dad’s in the hospital. He’s had

a heart attack and might have to go in for surgery. I think it’s best you

Beau and the Beast

get here as soon as possible. He’s at Blessings General Hospital. Do
you know how to get there?”

“Yes…yes, I do. I’m a few hours away, but I’ll do my best to be

there late tonight.”

“Good, the family needs you.”
“All right, I’ll see you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
He heard the click of Tom hanging up the call, while his mind

worked feverously trying to process what his brother had told him
about his father. He turned to Devon and saw concern riddled across
his face.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Devon stood beside him and

wrapped his arm around Beau’s shoulders.

“My father had a heart attack. I’m sorry, Devon, but I have to go

to him.”

“I’m so sorry to hear about your dad. Did you want me to go with

you?”

“I don’t think accompanying me would be a good idea

considering the way you accused Dad of being a thief.” Beau didn’t
mean to sound so terse, but his emotions were running high.

“I’m not going to get into the issue I have with your father right

now. When will you be back?”

“I’m not sure. Every thing depends on how my father’s doing.”
“I’ll give you a week.”
“What do you mean you’ll give me a week?”
“You can have a week off to deal with your family, and then you

must return to me.”

“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“You do realize you don’t own me. I’m not a piece of cattle or

furniture. I can come and go as I please.”

“You can when you pay off the debt your father owes.”

Hanna Hart

“Dammit, Devon, I thought I knew you. You’re every bit as

coldhearted as I initially assumed you were. I’ll be back when I come
back. I’ll work off the damn debt, and then I never want to see you
again.”

He stormed out of the room to his bedroom. He grabbed his

personal belongings and bolted out of the house without seeing
Devon. Seething with anger and worry, he clambered into his truck,
started the vehicle, and spun his tires briefly before taking off into the
night. A single tear trickled down his cheek as his emotions
threatened to overtake him. He had a long ride to get to the hospital
and knew his mind would wander to the fight he had with Devon
when he should be focusing on his father. With his heart breaking, he
drove off to his destination, hoping to get there in time.

* * * *

Devon sat on the edge of his bed, looking down at the floor, with

his heart in tatters. Why did I act like such an ass? How could I be so
cruel? “Fuck!”

“Aren’t we a potty mouth tonight?” Aylwin’s voice came from the

direction of the chaise lounge.

Without even looking up, Devon whispered, “I’m not in the mood

to listen to your commentary.”

“Well, after what I witnessed tonight, I think you damn well better

start listening to what I have to say.”

Devon looked up and glanced at Aylwin, “All right, go ahead.

Tell me what a jerk I acted like tonight.”

“Calling you a jerk doesn’t even come close to your behavior.

You were mean, stubborn, rude, and a complete ass. His father could
be dying, and you thought of only yourself. I’m ashamed of you.”

“You don’t have to remind me of what I did. I feel terrible

enough.”

Beau and the Beast

“Do you? Do you really? What I saw tonight was Devon

Devereux not getting his way and throwing a fit. Why would you act
in such a horrible way toward Beau?”

“I panicked. I know that’s not a good excuse, but that’s what I did.

I have ten days left of this damn curse, and if Beau doesn’t fall in love
with me, I’m doomed to stay like this. I’d given up hope until Beau
came around. Not only did he bring me hope, he brought me
something close to love as well, something I’d never had or
experienced before. Now I’ve screwed everything up, and not only
am I going to stay this way, but more importantly, because of my own
actions, I’ve lost Beau forever.” Tears fell freely down his cheeks as
he began to cry over his loss at his own hands.

Aylwin sat down beside Devon and wrapped his arm around his

shoulders in a seemingly comforting manner. Lost is his grief, Devon
leaned on Aylwin’s chest, while heart-wrenching sobs wracked his
body.

* * * *

Beau sat by his dad’s bedside in the hospital waiting for him to

wake up. His brothers had gone to get something to eat while Beau
stayed by his side. He held on to his father’s hand, his callused fingers
stroking his dad’s weathered skin. The incessant beating of the heart
monitor filled the silence of the room, causing an almost hypnotic
response as Beau started to drift off.

Suddenly, his dad’s hand moved and gripped his thumb. Startled,

Beau looked at his father and watched his eyelids flutter open. “Dad,
can you hear me?”

He gazed at Beau and smiled. “Beau, my son, you’re back.”
His dad’s voice sounded weak, but he couldn’t help but notice a

subtle tone of happiness. “Yes, Dad, I’m back. As soon as I heard you
were ill, I rushed right over here.”

“I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been so worried.”

Hanna Hart

“I called you and told you I was doing fine.”
“I know, but how did I know the beast didn’t force you say those

things on the phone and then treat you poorly.”

“Honestly, being at the ranch hasn’t been too bad. I’ve made some

wonderful new friends. But enough about me, how are you doing?”

“I feel better, just tired.”
“Tom and Tyler are here, too. Why don’t you go back to sleep,

and we’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Are you going back to him?”
Beau knew his father meant Devon. “Yes, I still owe him a little

bit more of my time. But don’t worry, he’s really been quite kind to
me.” Well, with the exception of ripping out my heart and stomping
on it tonight.

“Are we talking about the same beast?”
“Dad, there’s nothing to worry about. You know how much I love

working outdoors on a ranch, and he’s been quite civil with me. Now,
I want you to rest and not fret about anything.” Beau watched his
father closely as he smiled and then closed his eyes. The tension in his
father’s muscles seemed to melt away as Beau felt him relax while
still holding his hand. I suspect this isn’t the end of this conversation.

* * * *

Days later, his father’s condition had improved tremendously. He

didn’t need surgery after all, and the doctor had informed the family
his father had suffered from hypertension and stress. What he needed
was rest and medication. The boys brought their dad home, and upon
his insistence, they set him up in the living room on his recliner
instead of his bed.

The brothers all pitched in with the household chores and

maintenance while their father recovered more and more every day.
On the ninth day, his two older brothers had gone to town to do some
grocery shopping, leaving Beau alone with his dad.

Beau and the Beast

“Beau, I think we need to talk.”
“Do you need something?” Beau sat down on the couch beside his

dad’s recliner.

“No, I’m fine. You boys have been wonderful, working together

and helping me out. I’m actually feeling better than before.”

“I’m so happy to hear you say that. So, what do you want to talk

about?”

“I think we need to talk about Devon Devereux.”
A wave of hurt washed over him. He’d been trying to keep

thoughts of Devon out of his mind, but every night, the erotic dreams
persisted. Beau missed him terribly. “I don’t think we need to waste
our time talking about him.”

“I think we do, son. I may be old, but I’m not stupid. You’ve been

aching to go back to the ranch all week. I can see the anxiousness in
your eyes and hear it in your tone, yet sadness is surrounding you.
What happened between you two?”

A tough man to fool, his father had easily picked up that

something bothered him, and he seemed to have an inkling of the
cause. “Dad, I fell in love with him. I didn’t mean to, but it
happened.”

He watched his father, waiting to be admonished for loving a

devil. Instead, his father turned to him and took Beau’s hand in his.
“We sometimes can’t control the desires of our heart. Does he love
you back?”

“I don’t know. I thought he cared about me, but when I told him I

had to leave to be by your side, he changed, demanding I return to
him in seven days to continue working off the debt. I didn’t ask for
him to grant me a pardon when we grew closer together, but he has to
realize, family is important to me.”

“I can’t believe I’m defending him, but you have to understand

things from his point of view. I surmise he lives alone in his big, old
house, surrounded only by his employees. He’s bitter and angry at the
world for the hand he’s been dealt.” His father pointed at the side of

Hanna Hart

his face. “Suddenly, you came along, into his life, and brought him
kindness and the burgeoning flames of love. The situation seems
obvious to me. He’s scared to lose you and reacted the only way he
knew how, with anger. Don’t close yourself off from him because he
dealt with a situation in a terrible way. Go back to him and talk things
over. Tell him what you expect from a relationship and what you
don’t want. I’m sure by now he’s more than willing to listen.”

Beau stared at the floor for a moment, trying to absorb and

process his father’s defending words of Devon. “What if he doesn’t
want to see me again after the way we left things?”

“Then he’s a fool, son, and you don’t waste your time with fools,

no matter how much it hurts.”

“How did you get so wise?”
“Your mother’s wisdom washed off on me.” He chuckled while

patting Beau on the arm.

“Well, I’m not going back until I know you’re better.”
“Beau, I think you should go back. I’m so much better. I think

part of my stress had been caused by worrying about you, and now I
know things are going somewhat well at Devon’s ranch, I don’t have
to worry. However, I still feel bad that you’re doing the time for my
bout of curiosity with the watch.”

“Don’t feel bad at all. If I hadn’t gone there, I never would have

met Devon. I know we have some things to fix, but I really want to try
to work them out, if he’s willing.”

“Well, then I give you my blessing. I hope he realizes what a

wonderful man he’s found in you.”

Beau hugged his father tight. He couldn’t believe his dad had

given him such amazing relationship advice. He vowed to himself to
put the guidance to good use. Pulling away from his dad, he said,
“Would it be all right if I go back tomorrow?”

“Son, I would have kicked you out the door myself if you weren’t

already going.”

Beau and the Beast

* * * *

Asleep in his bed, Devon came to him again in his dreams. This

time, instead of Devon teasing him seductively, Beau watched him in
his study. He sat in his chair behind his desk, appearing gaunt and
dishevelled. He slowly stood up, took a few steps forward and fell to
the ground by the fireplace. Beau screamed his name over and over,
but Devon didn’t seem to notice. Beau walked up to him and knelt
beside him, checking his pulse. He found nothing. The beast had died.
He cried in agony beside Devon’s body, his heart cleaved in two.

Suddenly, Beau sat up awake in bed, his nightmare still fresh in

his mind. Catching his breath, he felt something wasn’t right.

“Beau, you must go to him today.” A familiar voice interrupted

his thoughts, coming from a darkened corner of his room.

He looked toward the sound and saw the outline of a man,

“Aylwin? Is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me. I’m not allowed to interfere like this, but this is a

matter of life or death. You must return to him. If you don’t, then he
will surely die.”

“I don’t understand. What are you doing here?”
“If you love him, come back to him today. I’ve said too much. I

have to go.” Aylwin’s words faded away, as did the outline of the
man.

Beau shook his head, wondering if what he’d heard happened to

be part of his dream. He flicked on the lamp beside his bed and
looked around the room. No one sat in the corner and his door
remained closed. I must have been dreaming. He shut off his light,
and curled back up into his bed. Even though he realized he’d only
been dreaming, the vision of losing Devon haunted his thoughts for
the rest of the night.

The next morning, Beau woke up early and packed his

belongings. Since everyone had already woken up, he made a big
breakfast for the family, hoping to have a little bit of time with them

Hanna Hart

before leaving. However, the whole time, he had a feeling of
anxiousness surrounding him. He needed to go to Devon and make
sure he was all right.

When the breakfast ended, Beau’s family walked him to his truck.

He hugged his brothers and then turned to his dad. “Are you sure you
want me to go?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. Your brothers are here with me, and I know you

have to do this. Go, son, and find your happiness.” His father hugged
him tightly and kissed his cheek.

Putting his bag in the cab of the truck, he hopped into the driver’s

seat and waved at his family. As he took off and headed down the
highway, an overwhelming feeling of dread seeped into his bones. He
pushed down on the gas pedal and prayed he wouldn’t be too late.

Beau and the Beast

Chapter 9

In the late afternoon, Beau pulled up to the familiar mansion,

parked his car, and came running into the house. “Devon!” he called,
but heard no response. He ran to the study and found Aylwin blocking
the door, holding the glass container, with the pocket watch lying on
its side on the bottom.

Tears trickled down Aylwin’s cheeks as he continued to stare at

the watch. “You’re too late. He’s made his choice, and now he’s
gone.”

Beau’s heart caught in his throat, and he hoped he misunderstood

Aylwin. He didn’t understand the implications of the watch not
floating anymore, but he suspected they were dire. “What do you
mean he’s gone? Where is he?”

“He’s in his study on the floor. I believe you’re too late.”
His worst fears imaginable came to life. Panic set in as he pushed

his way past Aylwin and opened the study door. To his horror, the
nightmare he’d faced earlier had come to fruition. Devon lay on the
floor, face down, not moving. He ran to his side and knelt down,
grabbing his wrist and checking for a pulse.

Unsure if he could feel the slight beat of a pulse, he rolled him

over and placed Devon’s head on his lap. He felt his neck for any type
of movement, but found nothing. With guilt and hurt swirling in his
mind, he held on to Devon tighter, his heart broken forever. Through
his tears and gut-wrenching sobs, he kissed Devon’s cheek and
whispered in his ear, “I’m so sorry we had that fight, but I’m even
sorrier I didn’t tell you how I feel. I love you, Devon, and I always

Hanna Hart

will.” He continued to sob, holding onto the body of the only man
he’d ever loved.

Suddenly, he felt a strange warmth coming from Devon. He

leaned back and looked at his friend. The heat grew to the point where
Devon became too hot to touch, and Beau had to regrettably let go of
him and back away. He watched a mist mysteriously appear, hovering
above Devon. It descended onto Devon, and his face began to change.
My eyes are playing tricks on me. He rubbed his eyes and when he
took his hands away, the magical mist still floated around his body.

He reached forward to try to grab Devon, but the mist formed an

impenetrable barrier around his lover. All Beau could do was sit
beside him and watch. At first, Beau thought Devon’s face melted,
but as the seconds ticked by, he realized the damaged skin on his face
had been the only thing disappearing. My God, he’s beautiful!

The mist finally lifted and dissipated into the air as quickly as it

had appeared. When Beau gazed down at Devon, he jumped when his
eyes opened, and he gasped for air. He knelt by his side and cried out,
“Devon, can you hear me?” Holding his cheeks in his hands, Beau
noticed his body temperature had come back to normal.

“You came back,” Devon whispered.
“Of course I came back, I told you I would. Are you all right?”
“I thought you’d left me for good. I lost hope when I hadn’t heard

from you by the ninth day. I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”

“We can talk about things later, but right now, I think you need to

rest.”

“The night we had the fight, I planned on telling you something.”
“What were you going to tell me?”
“I love you.”
Beau leaned over and kissed Devon’s lips tenderly. When he

pulled back, he said, “I love you, too.” He gently let go of Devon’s
cheeks and headed toward the door. He opened it and saw Aylwin
sitting lost in the middle of the floor. “Aylwin, I need you. Devon’s
alive!”

Beau and the Beast

Aylwin looked up at Beau, tears staining his cheeks. “What? He’s

alive?”

“Yes, he is. I need you to help me carry him upstairs to bed.”
Aylwin jumped off the floor and rushed into the room. “Devon,

you’re alive! I’d been so lost in my grief, I didn’t realize they’d come
to help you.”

Beau and Aylwin pulled Devon to his feet, draped his arms over

their shoulders, and led him up the stairs to his room. They put him to
bed, and almost immediately he fell asleep. Beau stared at Devon’s
sleeping form, unable to believe what had just transpired. His beauty
was like no one he’d ever seen before. Turning to Aylwin, he said,
“We need to talk.”

Aylwin nodded, and they left Devon’s room and headed for the

privacy of Beau’s bedroom. Once settled in his room, Beau asked,
“What the hell just happened downstairs?”

“Do you want to hear the long or short answer?”
“So I know what’s going on, I think I deserve the long answer.”
Aylwin told Beau everything. From being Devon’s fairy

godfather, to the curse he’d put on Devon, hoping he’d become a
better man. As unbelievable as the story was, Beau found truth in
Aylwin’s words after what he’d witnessed. “So you believe admitting
my feelings to Devon brought him back to life?”

“I can guarantee they did. I thought time had run out for Devon,

but apparently, the powers in charge were touched by your love. I’m
sure you noticed Devon is gorgeous. However, you fell in love with
him for who he was, looking past his disfiguring scars and loving the
man beneath. You, Beau, are a good man.”

“Aylwin, thanks for everything you’ve done for me and, most of

all, for Devon. I’ll never forget your help to bring us together. I hope
you’re going to remain here at the ranch.”

“Alas, my work is done, so I must move on. However, I will stay

for a few days to make sure Devon’s all right. It’s the least I could
do.”

Hanna Hart

* * * *

Devon opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. He looked around

the room and noticed Beau sleeping beside him on top of the blankets.
I think he said he loved me. His heart soared as he leaned down and
placed a kiss on Beau’s cheek. He watched as his eyes opened and
then a grin instantly formed on his lips.

“You’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“I feel wonderful. I’ve never felt better or been happier in my life.

You came back to me because you love me.” The excitement of
Beau’s earlier confession vibrated through Devon.

“Yes, I did. You almost ripped me apart by dying on me. What

happened?”

“It’s a long story.”
“Aylwin filled me in on almost everything except what went on

with you. I thought you were dead.”

“Well, if you know my secret, than you know I had a choice at the

end of the year. I could either choose to live my life like a hideous
beast, or choose death. Since I thought you never wanted to see me
again, I choose death. My heart couldn’t take living without you. You
must have professed your love for me to bring me back to life.”

“And break the curse.”
“What do you mean, break the curse?”
Beau rolled out of bed and walked to his dresser. He came back

carrying a handheld mirror and handed the object to him.

Devon pushed the item away immediately terror filling his soul. “I

thought I told Aylwin to remove all the mirrors in the house.”

“At my insistence, he’s put them all back.”
“Please, Beau, I don’t want to see what I look like.”
“Trust me, Devon, I want you to see how I’ve been seeing you all

along.” He slowly brought the mirror back up to Devon’s face and
stroked his arm up and down.

Beau and the Beast

Devon kept his eyes closed at first, terrified to see his face again

after a year. Beau’s words finally sunk in and Devon asked, “Did you
mean what you said about the curse being broken?”

“Take a look for yourself.”
Devon took a deep breath and hoped with all his might the curse

had truly been lifted. He opened his eyes and gaze at his undamaged
skin. His face appeared to have gone back to the way it had looked
before his fateful meeting with Aylwin. He screamed and started to
jump up and down on the bed. Finally, he hugged Beau tight,
knocking him down onto the bed. “How can I ever thank you?”

Beau appeared to ponder Devon’s question, then answered, “Two

things come to mind. Number one, love me for who I am, and number
two, believe me when I say my father wasn’t trying to steal your
watch.”

Devon laughed at his simple requests. “I pushed you away for so

long because I loved you exactly the way you were, and still do.
Secondly, if you say your dad didn’t try to take the watch, I believe
you. I have a huge mistrust of people, and you’ve opened my eyes to
see there’s some good in the world. Your father did a damn fine job of
raising you.”

Beau stroked Devon’s cheek as he loomed over him. “Thank you

for believing me.”

“Thank you for seeing something worthy to love in the bitter,

hideous creature I used to be.”

“So where do we go from here?”
“I’m think I’d like to have a shower and have you join me.”
Beau’s eyes lit up and he nodded with apparent enthusiasm. The

men rushed to the washroom, removed their clothes, and entered the
massive, tiled shower. Devon turned on the taps and let the gush of
warm water from the showerhead splash over his body. He turned to
Beau and pulled him under the spray of water, too. They washed each
other’s bodies while their passion grew to new heights.

Hanna Hart

With a handful of suds, Devon pushed Beau against the wet, tiled

wall and began stroking his cock. The soap on his hand made his grip
slippery against Beau’s erection. Beau arched his back and thrust his
rod even deeper into Devon’s hand.

Beau grabbed some body wash and worked the soap into a quick

lather in his hands. Putting the bottle back, he reached down and
began stroking Devon’s sensitive shaft with the same vigor. Devon
leaned forward and kissed Beau with every bit of emotion running
through his core. Beau seemed to respond with passion of his own. He
tightened his grip on Devon’s cock and began to work his hold faster
along the length of his pulsing rod.

The men continued their intimate shower in this manner for a

couple minutes until they both came in a fiery culmination of
simultaneous explosions. The blissful agony died down as the men
continued to hold each other while their breathing returned to normal.
The constant drizzle of the showerhead washed away their essence,
leaving the men clean and refreshed.

A short time later, they left the shower, dried off and climbed

back into Devon’s bed naked. Holding onto Beau, he stroked his back
with a tenderness he’d never wanted to share with anyone else. A
contemplative silence fell over Devon.

“Do you have something on your mind?” Beau asked, tracing his

finger down the distinctive lines in Devon’s abs.

“Yes, I do. I want you to live with me, not because I’m telling you

to, but because I want you in my life and I’m asking you to stay.”

Beau looked at Devon, and he couldn’t help but notice Beau’s

eyes misting over. “Are you sure you want me here with you?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life. Will you

be mine and live with me?”

“I’d love to, but on one condition.”
“You only have to name it.”
“I’d like to continue working on the ranch with Joel and the

crew.”

Beau and the Beast

“If working makes you happy, then you have my blessing. So

you’ll stay?”

“Yes, I’ll stay. I couldn’t imagine living life without you. I almost

lost you once and I couldn’t bear to go through that again.”

The lovers embraced, sealing their vow with a kiss. Devon finally

pulled away and said, “There’s one more thing we need to deal with.”

“What’s that?”
“I think we need to arrange to bring your father back to this ranch,

so I can apologize for my horrible behavior and get to know him.”

“Thank you for thinking of my father. I love you, Devon.”
“I love you, too, Beau,” Devon said while his fingers trailed down

Beau’s cheek. “Thank you for saving me from myself.”

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hanna Hart considers herself a prairie girl, having lived most of

her life in central Canada. An avid reader, Hanna fell in love with
romance novels at the age of sixteen when she bought her first one.
She’s read many genres of romance, but one has stolen her attention
and heart—male/male erotic romance. Upon her first book, she
became hopelessly hooked on reading and writing it.

Hanna has started following her passion of writing male/male

erotic romances and is not looking back. Her favorite type of genre to
write is paranormal, but she is not limited to it. She also writes
ménage, fantasy, contemporary, and Western. From taking a new
twist on the fairy tale classics to reinventing paranormal lore for her
stories, her ideas are boundless.

Also by Hanna Hart

Siren Classic ManLove: Mantime Stories 1:

Red Rider and the Big Bad Werewolf

Available at

BOOKSTRAND.COM

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