The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-Seven: Natalle

Natalie’s P.O.V.

The night was awful.

I didn’t get a wink of sleep, and I was positive that Killian didn’t either. Although with him sleeping in the sitting room, I moved from the uncomfortable armchair to the empty bed so I wouldn’t have to sit up all night.

It made me smile when he came back into the room. Even if we were mad at each other, I felt heard. He had listened to me the last time we fought and even if he didn’t want to sleep next to me, he still came back. He didn’t go sleep somewhere else, and he didn’t stay up working all night. While his legs hung over the end of the couch, and he was clearly uncomfortable, the small gesture made me very happy.

The next morning breakfast was brought to our room, and I was stunned when Killian sat down with me at the small two-person table and began to eat in silence. We had never shared breakfast before, and I felt self-conscious as he watched me eat.

“What is your favorite color?” His question after a long night and morning of silence took me by surprise, and I blinked at him from across the table.

Civility. I had asked him for civility, and he had heard me.

I smiled softly as I realized that he was making an effort. He hadn’t stormed out of the room and slammed the door between us. He slept in our room, stayed to have breakfast together, and now was trying to learn more about me.

“Blue,” I looked away as I felt my cheeks warm. His piercing, hazel eyes were burning into my soul, and my tongue felt like it was tied in a knot as he continued to stare at me.

After I left him high and dry last night, I had expected him to be angry at me. But if he was, he didn’t let it show.

seemed more at peace now

I took a sip of my orange juice. His eyes. locked onto mine, and I smiled at him as I swallowed my

said, and I forced my eyes away from him to glance around the room. There wasn’t a single green thing in here, nor did I remember seeing anything in

wasn’t daft enough to think that he favored that color because

surface between us. The physical attraction was undeniable, but it was the walls he had up around him that made it so difficult

smiled down at my plate. There had been no hesitation in his answer. He willingly told me something about himself. Even if it was as small as

as I looked over my shoulder at the heavy wooden barrier. I wished I could send them away, but it wasn’t proper nor was it polite. More than

deserved the way that I had lashed out at her. Now that I knew I had been wrong

1/3

she cracked open the

tightening around his fork as he looked away from me

said trying to hide my disappointment behind a forced

only been

and grabbed the uneaten English muffin half from Killian’s plate. He let out a

he was feeling torn. If I had to

and he seemed to light up when I used his name again. The brief moment of happiness vanished as soon as his little

amount at my words, and as he walked past me toward the door, he stopped by my

I held my breath.

he was a scared animal, and he was trying to approach me on his terms. I didn’t want to make any sudden movements

my shoulder. His fingers flexed before he curled his

touch me this morning. My chest almost ached as I watched him leave. My lips parted as I took in