Chapter 4
The next day, Beast awakened Beau early, bearing another tray of food. Beau sat up in bed, feeling much better than he had. His sleep had been heavy and dreamless, reparative. He smiled. “You, sir, are going to spoil me.”
Beast set the tray of food—oatmeal with blueberries and maple syrup, a pot of tea, a sectioned grapefruit—on the bedside table. “The pleasure is mine. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to care for.”
Beau could not see behind Beast’s mask, but he wondered why he stopped speaking so abruptly, wondered if it was emotion choking him.
“Did you once?”
Beast’s voice emerged, soft, choked…and Beau knew. “Did I what?”
“Have someone to care for?”
“Eat up your breakfast. Take a shower. I was able to find you some clothes and thought maybe you’d like to go
