He may be a Beast…Known as Beast in his village for both his hulking size and multitude of scars, Benton long ago resigned himself to a life without love and was content with his solitary existence. That is until Nissa entered his life....but she is no Beauty.Plain and plain-spoken, Nissa came to the village three years ago looking for a fresh start and a quiet life. She had both until the day her friend Benton disappears and a new man arrives at the village – handsome, charming, and intent on courting her.A fairy godmother gives Benton his greatest wish. Now that he is a beauty and not a beast, Benton intends to make Nissa fall in love with him. However, scars don’t have to be visible to exist. Will Nissa’s past destroy any chance of their Happily Ever After?*****EXCERPT:Before Tara could respond the door opened. As the visitor came into view the group of women let out a loud, lingering sigh as one.All the blondness was blocking Nissa’s view, so she tucked her legs under her on the stool and craned her neck to see above the fray.Nice.No doubt, this was the man Tara and the other bimbettes lusted after. He was striking, handsome in a way that almost bordered feminine beauty but never crossed the line into effeminate.His hair was a shade lighter than black and his eyes were a deep blue, the color of a clear twilight sky. His face was sharp planes and angles, but full lips softened the square cut of his jaw and begged for kisses to be bestowed upon them.His height was average and his body fell under the heading slender but not skinny, with nice musculature. He held himself tall and straight, a noble bearing that meant he either had money or was comfortable around those who did.Tara spoke up. “Do you think he’s a young lord, or maybe in the performing arts? He’s beautiful enough.”As long as they were making up stories with no facts to support them, Nissa’s guess was he was one of those vague, unformed men, the ones who coasted by on their charm and looks and let everyone around them – especially lonely married women with too much time and too much money – keep them in style.He looked around the tavern. If he wasn’t a stranger, she’d almost say the intensity he displayed meant he was looking for something specific.“Who’s he looking for?” Marie asked, mirroring Nissa’s thoughts. “Probably here for some dalliance.”Tara did not look pleased at that possibility, and the others looked similarly pinched of face. The man sat, so far by himself.After five minutes of nothing happening, Marie turned to Nissa. “You are the waitress now, right? Last I heard from you and my husband, I’m not allowed to pick up a glass unless it’s mine.”“Oh.” Yes, that made sense. This was a tavern, so he could be expected to believe food and drink were forthcoming. “I’d rather not go.”The band of women was so caught up in their whispering they didn’t hear the exchange. Marie leaned closer. “And why?”“People that attractive make me nervous. I always feel they’re judging me when they look at me. I’d rather not deal with it.”“As long as he gives you a good tip, who cares? Now get over there before my husband decides he’s better off without either of us.” Nissa hopped down from the stool and, after giving a sigh meant for Marie’s ears alone, walked over to his table. “Good afternoon, sir. What can I get you?”The man’s eyes met hers and something strange happened. He did not look away with the instinctive grimace most attractive people displayed when looking at those less blessed in the looks department. Instead his eyes focused on her with an intensity that froze breath in her lungs, and his lips curved upwards into a small but devastating grin. “I would like a pint to start, and whatever food is warm and ready to be served will be fine.”