Read Online Beauty and the Beast by Deatri King-Bey - Free Book Online

cold eyes at him.
    “What?” he asked.
    “You are such an insensitive asshole.”
    “Yeah. And?”
    She walked out with him close on her heels. Instead of going back through the door that connected to his sleeping quarters, she exited out of the door that led to the main hallway.
    “Oh, so now you’re mad at me for stating the obvious.” He stepped in front of her.
    “Excuse me, but I need time alone to feel sorry for myself.” She stepped around him and continued on her way. I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I’m getting used to my situation. She rounded the corner to the curved stairwell that led to the first floor. Why does everyone expect me to pretend my life hasn’t changed?
    One of the cleaning crew stepped out of the study. Nefertiti stood still, having forgotten Victoria had hired a cleaning crew. She should have taken the back stairwell. Upon seeing Nefertiti, he cocked his head to the side, a dumbfounded look on his face, then rushed back into the study.
    Glad the man hadn’t asked any questions, she quickly continued on her way. Just as she hit the bottom step, three more men, along with the first man, exited the study and stared. Again, Nefertiti froze. Instead of seeing the staring men, she saw the interns the doctors had paraded through her hospital room. The way the students gawked made her feel like the star attraction of a freak show. What hurt most of all happened when they removed the bandages after the reconstructive surgery. Her parents and Victoria had been there for the “unveiling.”
    The sight of three of the four people she loved most in the world trying not to cry had been more than she could bear. She just thanked God Bruce hadn’t seen her. He’d said he wouldn’t mind her scars, but if her own father couldn’t look at her, how could any man?
    “Get the hell out of our home!” Bruce roared. The men and Nefertiti jumped. Janis ran out of her office.
    The men rushed into the study. Nefertiti ran up the stairs to Bruce.
    “Mr. Maxwell,” Janis said calmly, “that’s the cleaning crew your aunt hired.”
    “They weren’t cleaning shit.” He held Nefertiti close. “Fire them!”
    “I’m sorry, Mr. Maxwell, but your aunt hired them. Only she can fire them.” Janis, apparently used to Bruce’s temperament, returned to the study.
    Veil soaked with tears, Nefertiti allowed Bruce to lead her to his room where she lay on his bed. “Thank you, Bruce.”
    He lay beside her. “I’m sorry, baby. I was out of line. You have a right to feel sorry for yourself. Who wouldn’t?” Heavy hand resting on her back, he caressed gently. “I’m just afraid you’ll slip into chronic depression. Believe me, it’s hell. I don’t want that for you.”
      She propped a pillow under her arms. “I guess I am feeling sorry for myself. I can’t live like this. If I can work from here, I’ll take the job. How long do I have?”
    “If things go according to plan, I’ll own the overwhelming majority of the company in one, maybe two weeks. But the resort won’t be ready for a year or two. You have plenty of time to plan things correctly. ” He sighed as he lay beside her. “We have a lot of work to do.”
    He went on about his plans to have a spa and restaurant built directly off the present main building, refurbish the present cabins and build a few more, add a ski lift to attract the winter tourism crowd, train the mill workers to run the resort…
      Oh lawd. The way he talked shop was sexy, too sexy for Nefertiti. And now he was lying beside her, massaging the small of her back. Focus on business, not tasting his lips.
    “If you want to kiss me, I won’t stop you,” he teased.
    Horrified she’d been caught oogling him, she said, “You are a complete pig.”
    “Umm-hmm, but you still want me.” He moved her hip so she’d be fully facing him, then rested his arm on her waist.
    She smiled. “An arrogant pig at that.”
    “I’ll bet you’re smiling under that