Kiri’s heart swelled with admiration. This gentle giant, with his fierce appearance and tender heart, poured so much love into his work. Each piece was a testament to his compassion, his desire to create something beautiful and meaningful for others.
As Monte continued to display his projects, Kiri found herself drawn to a delicate figurine perched on a nearby shelf. It depicted a female Minotaur cradling a baby in her arms, the details so lifelike she half-expected them to move.
“May I?” she asked softly, gesturing to the figurine.
Monte nodded, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features. “I carved that in memory of my mother. She... she passed away when I was young.”
Kiri’s breath hitched as she carefully lifted the figurine, cradling it in her palms as if it were a precious treasure. The love and grief etched into every curve and line brought tears to her eyes.
“Monte,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “It’s perfect. She would be so proud of you.”
As Kiri looked up at Monte, she saw the glimmer of unshed tears in his dark eyes. In that moment, she understood the depths of his loneliness, the scars that he, too, carried within.
Without thinking, Kiri set the figurine down and reached for Monte’s hand, lacing her fingers through his. His palm dwarfed hers, his fur soft and warm against her skin.
“Thank you for sharing this with me,” she said softly, tracing soothing circles over his knuckles with her thumb. “Your heart… it’s as beautiful as your craft.”
“Coming from you, that means a lot.” Monte swallowed hard, his gaze meeting hers with a warmth that made her heart flutter. “Kiri, I…”
He paused, seemingly uncertain, the words appearing to get stuck in his throat. She watched him struggle, the normally fluent and confident Monte reduced to an uncertain mess. A pang of affection surged in her heart at seeing this vulnerable side of him.
“Monte...” she whispered, reaching her other hand up to stroke the side of his face. Her thumb traced along one of his rough scars, the mark standing out stark against his warm skin. His eyes closed partially, a low rumble echoing from his chest.
It was now or never.
Before he could utter another word, Kiri wrapped a hand around his neck and bridged the gap between them, tenderly pressing her lips to his. His lips were warm and inviting, stirring up a whirlpool of emotions within her.
A light sigh escaped from Monte’s parted lips as he reciprocated, his arm tightening around her, pressing her body closer to his. She took in the rough fur beneath her fingers, the powerful pulse of his heart playing a wild rhythm beneath his chest.
“You deserve happiness, Monte,” she murmured against his mouth. She could feel him tense at her words, his doubt and hesitation tangible. “I want to give you that if you’ll let me.”
Monte jerked away as if stung, his dark eyes wide with surprise. “You don’t know what you’re offering, Kiri.” His voice was raw with emotion, rasping roughly in the quiet air of the workshop, but she could still see the hope glinting in his eyes.
“Oh, I believe I do,” she retorted with a playful smirk and reached up to gently brush a curling lock of hair away from his face. “And I’m willing to take that risk.”
The minotaur let out a low growl, the sound reverberating through his chest. “Don’t make promises you won’t keep,” he warned, his eyes locked onto hers, searching for sincerity. His look was heated, full of unspoken desires and fears.
Kiri held his gaze without flinching. “And who says I won’t?”
“Only time will tell, Kiri,” Monte answered quietly as he carried her across the barn to a tall counter cluttered with tools and wood shavings. He set her down gently amidst the chaos, his fingers lingering for a fraction of a second longer than necessary on her waist. “What’s your favorite kind of wood?”
Kiri blinked, taken aback by the shift in conversation. “Mahogany or walnut, I guess,” she replied, her cheeks flushing under his gaze. “But any wood would do if it’s stained or lacquered.”
“Unfortunately, those trees don’t grow on Monster Island,” Monte explained, his brow furrowed in thought. “But there is a similar hardwood unique to our land called Moonstar.”
With a determined gleam in his eyes, Monte strode to the back of the barn and picked up a shimmering black dense stick, carefully carrying it over to her. Kiri’s hazel eyes widened at the sight of the unusual wood, its surface adorned with silver stripes and rainbow glitter.
“Wow,” she breathed, reaching out to trace her fingers along the shimmering lines. “This is amazing.”
“Stay put,” he instructed, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Where else would I go?” Kiri teased, her lips curving into a smirk .
Monte grunted and shook his head, wafting his long hair about as he walked way, his tail swaying lazily behind him.
As Monte moved around the barn, Kiri was captivated by his every move. It was like watching a master artist in his domain, each precise stroke and careful cut transforming raw materials into works of art.
Never before had she witnessed someone crafting something in front of her. She’d always been given the final product to promote.
