“Oooh Monte, yes, right there!” She moaned.
As he pumped his hand back and forth with urgency, the pressure of the impending release was ever present, as he pictured Kiri writhing in her bed. Her legs spread just for him as her fingers brought her own pleasure.
Each burst of Kiri’s amplified cries of ecstasy served to expand Monte’s own, driving him to mimic her heights. He quickened his strokes, matching her pace, his chest heaving with desire. Their synchronicity grew ever more powerful; their panting breaths and sighs blending together with only a wooden wall separating them both.
His balls drew tight, as the tension boiled over. With a strangled groan, Monte spent himself onto long grass, hips jerking erratically as ecstasy crashed over him in waves, painting the ground with his seed.
Kiri fell silent then, her own completion found. Monte remained leaning against the cabin wall panting, his softening member still pulsing with aftershocks. Shame and satisfaction warred within him, but he could not bring himself to regret this stolen moment.
Monte stumbled toward the bathroom, his body trembling from what he’d done. He fumbled with the shower knob, his large fingers clumsy in his haste.
Steam billowed out as the water cascaded over his broad, fur-covered shoulders. Monte braced his muscular arms against the tile wall and let the heat soak into his aching body. But it did nothing to quench the fire Kiri had ignited deep in his core.
He couldn’t deny the truth any longer—he wanted her, needed her, more than he’d ever needed anyone.
Monte closed his eyes and groaned; the blood rushing to his manhood swelled and throbbed insistently, once more.
“What is this magic?” he growled. “How is she making my body react the way it does with just a mere thought of her?”
He was a beast, a monster, yet one coy smile from her pretty mouth turned him into a lovesick fool. For so long he’d locked away any notion of companionship, accepting his life of solitude. Now, a relentless ache blossomed in his chest, a desperate yearning to hold her, cherish her, make her his.
Monte grabbed the soap and lathered his heaving chest, trying to focus on the mundane task of washing up, ignoring his hardstav, begging for another release. But his treacherous mind kept drifting to forbidden fantasies—pinning Kiri against these tiles, water cascading over both their bodies, her fingers threading through his fur, touching him in ways no one else ever had.
Him claiming her thoroughly, eliciting those addictive whimpers...
The idea was maddening, and he knew he couldn’t afford to lose himself to such fantasies. Not yet. Not when everything between them was still so fragile, so undefined.
“Damn,” Monte muttered to himself, running a hand through his wet mane. “This is going to be difficult.”
Ten
Kiri
The scent of sawdust and wood stain permeated the air in Monte’s woodworking barn, mingling with his rich earthy musk. Kiri stood amidst a sea of handcrafted furniture and intricate wooden sculptures, her eyes alight with excitement as she tried to determine what would be the hottest items to sell.
Now that she was able to move around, with the aid of the walking stick Monte had crafted her, she was able to appreciate the items around the barn more.
Shelves lined the walls, filled with his exquisite creations—intricately carved figurines, polished serving bowls, sturdy furniture pieces. She dragged a hand along them all—to feel their textures and take in their impressive staining.
“This is going to be amazing,” she said, practically bouncing on her toes. “You have so much potential here! You’ll have customers from everywhere appreciating your craftsmanship and clamoring to get their hands on a genuine Monte original.”
Monte tilted his massive, horned head, his dark eyes studying her with a mix of skepticism. “I don’t know, Kiri. I’ve always just sold locally to the monsters around here. Theinternet seems so... impersonal. I still don’t think humans would be interested in my things.”
She smiled reassuringly, placing a hand on his muscular, fur-covered forearm. The sharp points of his horns glinted in the sunlight beaming through the window, casting shadows on his thick fur.
His presence alone commanded attention—making her want to cling onto him like those harlequin romance book covers and feel his arms around her once more, his hands working their magic on her again.
She swallowed hard, as brief images of what she’d done last night to get off flashed before her.
“I understand why you’re worried, believe me when I tell you that having nerves is normal.” She let out a gentle laugh, the corners of her lips lifting. Her hands trembled slightly as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “Trust me. I know it seems daunting, but after a few live launches, you will start to get the hang of it. I won’t let you struggle and will be by your side. With my tech skills and your craftsmanship, we’ll make an unbeatable team, and you’ll sell out in no time… Each and every time.”
Monte’s deep brown eyes softened for a moment, glancing at the meticulously crafted items around him. His shoulders relaxed slightly under her touch, flexing his rough, callused hands as he considered her words. “I trust you… I’m just afraid I won’t be able to do it without you.”
Once I’m gone.
He didn’t think he would be able to continue once she left—and truthfully, with how he was treating her, she didn’t know if she wanted to go.
It would be easy to just remain here, away from the memories, away from the harsh busy city life. Life in thesemountains seemed to move slower… allowing her to relax and reflect on what she wanted with her life.
