Her hand stilled when he accidentally pressed too hard, earning a sharp intake of breath from Kiri.
“I’m sorry,” he rumbled lowly. “I didn’t mean—”
Kiri leaned forward and cupped his face, her hand dwarfing his head as she stroked his cheek with her thumb. She shook her head quickly. “No… you did nothing wrong,” she murmured. “Even with my injury, you are so good with your hands that you kneaded my pain away—”
“But I hurt you,” he corrected, searching her caring gaze. “You wouldn’t have hissed if I didn’t.”
“You hit a tender spot, but it wasn’t pain,” she explained soothingly. “It was a sharp and sudden jolt that came as swiftly as it left.”
Monte pinched his lips and frowned. “I don’t want to hurt you… so please tell me if I ever do.”
Kiri’s piercing hazel eyes bore into his own, with a sincerity that reached straight into Monte’s heart, instantly soothing any anxious beats.
She gave him a nod, her lips curving into a soft smile that lit up her face. “You have my word, Monte.” Her thumb traced soothing circles on his cheek. “And promise to do the same, please tell me if I ever hurt you.”
He snorted softly at the thought, a wisp of amusement curling his lips. His large hand covered Kiri’s where it rested on his cheek, dwarfing hers. “You? Hurt me?” He couldn’t fathom it. She was a human, and he was a Minotaur, built like a fortress with walls of solid muscle and impenetrable hide. “Little bird, you couldn’t hurt me even if you tried.”
“Little bird?” She tilted her head and pinched her lips. “What kind of nickname is that?”
“You are tiny and beautiful, like some rare bird, lost and injured here on Monster Island,” he explained. “Golden hair, soft skin the color of clouds in the early morning… you even have golden speckles mixed with emerald-green eyes. Compared to me, you’re some… angel in human form.”
“Angel?” She bolted upright, her eyes widening with excitement, sparkling like gems in the sunlight. A grin spread across her face as she let out a squeal of excitement. “Are they real?”
“I can’t say.” He huffed, hating to have to disappoint her. “I’ve never seen one on this forsaken island if they are.”
“Oh.” She sighed and leaned back in her seat, instantly deflated. “If you’re going to call me Little Bird. What should I call you?”
“I don’t need a nickname.”
“No, that is where you’re wrong!” She let out a hearty laugh as she playfully shoved him, unable to move him. “If you’re not going to pick one out, then I will pick one out for you, since you gave me one.”
“Try me,” he teased, wanting to play along with her game. “You’re right. It’s only fair.”
She tapped her chin and gave him a mischievous look. “Monte the Mountain.”
“Mountain!?” His nostrils flared as he emitted a thunderous snort, his tail swishing violently behind him. His narrowed eyes and furrowed brow revealed his confusion. “Why mountain?”
“Maybe one day I will tell you,” she teased with a chuckle, and then she sighed and looked down at her freshly medicated ankle. “I suppose I need to get dressed now,” she remarked, touching the edge of her nightgown. “So we can go on about the day. I assume you have a lot of things to do.”
“It would be best,” he said in a carefully neutral tone, even though he thought she looked gorgeous in her rose gold pajamas. He didn’t think she could appear any less beautiful no matter what she wore. “You should wear something you would be comfortable in, especially since we will be exploring my land. But… would you need help getting dressed?”
She laughed softly at his concern and shook her head. “I think I can manage,” Kiri said with a hint of her usual humor returning to color her cheeks pink. “But I promise to call out if I need help.”
As he finished wrapping up her ankle and making sure it was secure, Monte thought how his world had dramatically shifted with Kiri’s entrance. There was something about this female human that he couldn’t quite put into words. Whatever it was, he knew his life would never be the same after she slid her way in. She was a whirlwind—challenging him and testing his patience in ways he hadn’t experienced before.
“All right then.” Monte brushed an errant blonde hair off her face gently before turning to leave the bathroom. “I’ll just be a shout away. Let me know when you’re done.”
He left her in the bathroom with the medication and first aid supplies, shutting the door quietly behind him with a soft click.
Monte leaned against the wall, running his large fingers through his dark hair and exhaling deeply. He had never anticipated that any female, much less someone as seemingly delicate and vulnerable as Kiri, could stir such feelings within him.
He had always been content in his solitude, reveling in the peace and quiet that Monster Island allowed him. Yet now, with Kiri’s vivacious spirit illuminating his isolated world, he questioned if he’d been mistaking loneliness for peace all along.
His thoughts were a whirl as he placed the materials on the center table and cleaned up breakfast, wanting to straighten up the cabin while she had her privacy.
He knew that she was resourceful, and the guest bathroom was set up so that everything she would need to clean herself would be where they belonged. He just hoped she didn’t injure herself with her limited independence.
The sun had risen higher in the sky by the time he heard Kiri’s call. He dropped the drying rag onto the counter and rushed down the hallway—for some reason, his worries about her filled him with a sense of urgency, which made him quicken his thundering pace.
