My Ascetic Husband, a Snake in Disguise

"You okay?" Charles Hatcher caught me swiftly, gently lifting me and nudging my hand off his chest.His inner voice echoed in my head again. "Touched her again! She's like a warm, fluffy cupcake. I want to devour her. Another day craving her, but what if I scare her off? That sleazy coworker of hers is up to no good, asking her to drink. How do I warn her to stay away without sounding like a jealous creep?"My cheeks burned with guilt. I snatched back the divorce agreement, tucking it back into my bag, but my eyes snagged on the faint outline of his abs through his shirt."I'm fine," I mumbled.Charles nodded, tugging his shirt closed.Those words I'd heard came from him, but his mouth hadn't budged. I was baffled, not understanding what was going on.He turned, toweling his damp hair, and disappeared into his study. The spark of courage I'd mustered fizzled like a wet firecracker.I hadn't even done anything, and he was already pulling away. It surely felt like he was repulsed

Charles's thoughts played in my mind. "Other guys better than me? No way! They are hitting on her."He suited up and went to work.I blinked, not knowing where he had got that idea. I wasn't meeting anyone.Nevertheless, I had to swing by the company and stake my claim. I couldn't let the media keep spinning lies about my man.More importantly, I had to confirm if he really liked me, as his thoughts suggested.I grabbed a random file from my desk, muttered something about needing to discuss investments, and headed to the wardrobe to select clothes.My mom called, asking, "Sweetheart, you're going to that gala with Charles, right?""Yeah." I nodded absently, choosing a hip-hugging skirt."Keep it discreet if you're playing around," she teased.I nearly dropped the phone. My reputation was going down in flames."Mom, I'm innocent.""Fine, fine. I'm heading there, too. Catch you later."I rarely visited Charles's office and wondered how he'd react. As my car pulled up to the b

My heart screamed jackpot. I was finally getting to the good stuff.But then, Charles set me down, threw his jacket over his shoulders, and covered up his body."I know you're not into this," he said, his voice tight with restraint. "I won't push you. You can go."The shift hit me like a bucket of cold water, leaving me confused and irritated. I never said I wasn't into it, but in this situation, I couldn't bring myself to beg."You want someone else?" I demanded, crossing my arms.His head snapped up, and his eyes shifted into golden, slit-like pupils. I yelped, stumbling forward and crashing into his chest. Those cold, otherworldly eyes locked onto me, glinting like polished gems.I pressed against his chest, my gaze darting."Ch-Charles?" I stammered, wondering if it was a hallucination.This was some straight-up Beauty-and-the-Beast-level craziness. I could not process it.His face crumpled, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Bianca..."I froze, biting my lip as realization

Tiffany froze, then broke into a giddy grin."You mean I can hit you up anytime? Can I get your number?" she asked. "I could be your assistant, running errands. Just help me with these plot scenes sometimes."Her voice trailed off under my icy stare, her enthusiasm wilting. "Just now and then, please."She was a headache, but I was a softie. Still, there was a problem. If Charles was a shapeshifter, I doubted we could have a hot, non-platonic romance.But then again, letting him go felt off, like throwing away a winning lottery ticket. It was a serious sunk cost. Plus, a shapeshifter had to have some serious game in the bedroom.At the Hatcher Group Headquarters, the gala was a glittering circus of employees and business partners, all schmoozing and sipping overpriced champagne.I walked in, scanning for my mom.Her voice cut through the crowd. "There you are. Why didn't you come with Charles? He's been here for half an hour."Charles was surrounded by a gaggle of brown-nosers,

I shot Aldo a frantic look, eager to get rid of him.Now was the absolute worst time for him to show up."Mrs. Hatcher, something wrong with your eyes? Why are you winking at me?" He strolled up, oblivious, and shoved a box in my face. "You said Mr. Hatcher's a dud in the bedroom, right? Slip into this lingerie, and he'll turn into a wild animal. It's my exclusive design. If that doesn't do the trick, I've got even spicier gear."My hands shook so hard I nearly dropped my purse. It felt like picking out my tombstone for next year.Just then, Charles's voice echoed in my mind. "She said I'm a dud in bed? Guess I'll have to show her how wrong she is. I'm pissed. Tonight, no amount of begging is gonna stop me."Charles's gaze flicked to me, his eyes blazing with a mix of desire and annoyance. My heart thudded like a drum. I was not looking forward to tonight."Have I been neglecting you?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.I shook my head so fast I nearly got whiplash. "No, he's