But Monte had pulled away, had retreated back and created distance between them—both physically and relationship wise. Kiri sighed, frustration mingling with a hint of shame. She had let her flirtatious side of her get her in trouble, and potentially harmed her newly formed friendship with Monte.
She knew she needed to be more aware of who—and what—she was speaking to. Even amongst other humans, sometimes others didn’t understand what was happening, even after explaining everything to them.
She was flirting with fire and needed to cool off before she got burned.
As Monte lumbered down the hallway, his hooves thudding heavily against the hardwood floor, Kiri called out softly, “Monte, wait...”
He paused as he reached his door with his hand raised, his broad shoulders tensing beneath his sweat-dampened fur, but didn’t turn around. Kiri swallowed hard, her heart racing as she searched for the right words. “Thank you,” she said finally, her voice trembling with emotion. “For everything. I...I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Monte’s head dipped in acknowledgment, his voice gruff as he replied, “You’re welcome.” Then, with a deep breath, he stepped through the doorway and disappeared from view, leaving Kiri alone with her thoughts.
She sank back against the pillows, her mind reeling with the implications of what had just transpired. She had seen the desire in Monte’s eyes, had felt the heat of his gaze as it lingered on her curves, and it had awakened a hunger within her that she had never known before.
But more than that, she had seen the vulnerability beneath his gruff exterior, the loneliness and isolation that he carried with him like a heavy burden. It made her want to reach out, to offer comfort and understanding, to show him that he wasn’t alone.
Kiri sighed, her eyes drifting closed as exhaustion tugged at her consciousness. She knew that the road ahead would be challenging, that there would be obstacles and setbacks to overcome. But for now, she allowed herself to accept Monte’s care, in the knowledge that she had found an unexpected ally on this trip and that she would make it up to him sometime…hopefully once she’d healed.
As she drifted off to sleep, Kiri’s last thought was of Monte, of the way his gentle touch had soothed her aches and pains. And though her future was unknown, she knew one thing for sure: she was going to allow herself to fall…and hope that Monte would catch her. Again.
Five
Monte
Monte’s eyes fluttered open, his heart racing and reacting in ways he hadn’t felt before. The image of Kiri’s gaze roaming over his body lingered in his mind, igniting something within him.
Something he dared not explore.
There was no use denying the pull he felt toward her, but he also knew the danger of pursuing it.
She was a human… Visiting Monster Island on a business trip. And he was a Minotaur, at least twice her size and very… different.
How could she find him attractive when no other female had shown any interest in him?
They weren’t even the same species, and much less, she didn’t live on Monster Island.
Somewhere deep within, a part of him felt foolish for harboring such feelings for Kiri.
But another part—the part that saw how she looked at him with intrigue instead of fear—clung to the possibility of something more.
He snorted. Finding himself foolish for thinking such wandering thoughts.
Love and all its fickle fantasies were not for him. He was not a man but a beast—a reality he was constantly reminded of each time he gazed upon himself in any reflective surface.
But why would she be interested in him? When she had access to the whole world.
Or was it all in his imagination? It had to be… A misunderstanding between species.
And yet, when she asked him what he wanted in companionship, he couldn’t reply… He never wanted someone to coexist with, until he’d met her, and now, he feared where his mind would go… dreaming of fantasies of something more.
In the end, it would all be the same—she would leave, and his heart would ache.
He quickly threw off the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his hooves hitting the floor with a soft thud.
Shaking himself from the deluge of thoughts threatening to consume him, he growled, a deep rumbling in his chest. Grunting, he rose and stretched, towering over his bed, his muscles rippled under his tawny fur.
With a resigned sigh, Monte lumbered out of his room and made his way to the living room, his steps light to try not to startle Kiri awake if she was still sleeping. Well, as light as he could be, unfortunately, his hooves still made a soft click on the stone floor. He cursed himself for his species’ weakness—there was no such thing as stealth for a Minotaur.
He grinned when he found Kiri still asleep on the couch, her blonde hair fanned out across the pillow, her face serene in slumber. He paused for a moment, admiring her beauty in the soft morning light that filtered through the windows.
