How Beauty Met the Beast by Jax Garren Read Free Book Online Page B

intentions off the vibe, and who was she to judge what was normal? Her life was anything but. “I still don’t understand what exactly it is that you do or how, say, the environment—which is a great cause—is connected to the national health crisis. Again, a great cause, but...”
    “They are all connected.”
    “How?”
    Hauk hesitated again, looking anywhere but directly at her.
    She narrowed her eyes. “Is this some sort of conspiracy theory? Seven men who run the world, that sort of thing?” Of course. The most interesting person she’d met in years, and he’d dragged her to his commune of conspiracy theorist nuts. Well, at least that wasn’t dangerous. Just paranoid.
    Before she could tease C cofonhim, Hauk’s eyes locked back onto hers with a conviction that sent a chill down her spine. “It isn’t seven men.”
    “What?”
    “Who run the world? It isn’t seven men. It’s—”
    A pack of children squealed and clambered into the ballroom, interrupting Hauk and breaking the moment with their jubilant energy.
    “Tell me later?” she mouthed.
    Hauk shut his mouth and looked away, already changing his mind about the confession. She started to argue, but then her faculty advisor from The University of Texas followed the children into the hall.
    Jolie did a double take. “Dr. Echelson?” Catrina joining a cult that believed in weird conspiracies was one thing, but Dr. Echelson was one of the most celebrated historians in the U.S. and as far from flighty or paranoid as a man could be. “What are you doing here, sir?”
    He looked every bit as startled to see her but, after a glance at Hauk, approached. “I teach humanities to the children. I didn’t realize you were a candidate for Recognition by the Underlight.” He frowned his best professor glare at Hauk. “And as a representative of The Thing, one might think I’d be familiar with all the candidates.”
    He taught elementary kids? Her professor? What kind of education were they getting down here? Far from the prep school propriety bunch Jolie had been a part of growing up, they seemed like a normal pack of raucous children, racing around the winter-bedecked hall as they dodged dirigible mistletoes.
    “There were, uh, extenuating circumstances last night,” Hauk said, looking decidedly uncomfortable. Jolie might even say squirming. Good to know Dr. Echelson’s imposing brain didn’t make just her nervous.
    Some of the professor’s thaw melted into amusement, and he turned to Jolie. “I heard you missed your German exam this morning.”
    “That’s my fault,” Hauk said quickly then turned to Jolie. “You’re a student?”
    “I’m a doctoral candidate at the university. Comparative Literature.”
    “Jolie is focusing on the use of pop culture for propaganda in the twentieth century.” Dr. Echelson smiled. “Come to think of it, she’ll fit right in here.”
    “Think you can smooth over the missed exam?” Hauk asked.
    The professor looked between them again, his thoughts about exactly why she’d missed clearly written on his face. Oddly enough, he seemed to find it amusing she’d missed an exam for a tryst.
    No, that wasn’t it. He was pleased to think she’d had a tryst with Hauk . Pleased enough that he might speak with the German department in her defense. Well, if it helped her get a second shot at that exam, he could think whatever he wanted.
    Heck, she wished she was the kind of person who could get over Hauk’s looks and give him a chance at something not-so-platonic. He seemed interested in her, and his body, from a shape perspective, was pretty damn incredible. God, those ab muscles had just about floored her when he’d stepped out of the shower. But any thoughts of kissing him, of getting up close and personal with those burn scars, made her girlishly squeamish.
    Even if his voice did sound a hell of a lot like Wesley’s. And that kiss and those touches had been incredible.
    She bit her lip, push Cher
    Jolie