Page 21 of Forbidden King (Magnolia Falls)

A light moan left his lips, and I sucked in a breath. “Is that bothering you?”

“No,” was all he said, his voice gruff. “It feels good.”

“Good, I want to help,” I whispered.

Why was I breathing so heavy? Why was I touching him?

As if we both realized it at the same time, his head shot up, and his hand took the ice from me. “I’ve got it.”

“Okay. Great.” I pushed to my feet and moved to the sink, washing my hands, just because I needed a distraction.

Pull yourself together.

I dropped to sit against the wall again, leaving distance between us. I wanted to know why he had a dandelion tattoo, but it didn’t seem like the right time to ask about it.

“Do you remember the first time you got stung? It must have freaked you out to make you this anxious all these years later.”

“Yeah. It was maybe a year or two after my parents were killed. River and I were playing outside, and I’d climbed a tree and must have run into a hive or something. I don’t fully remember. But I do remember them flying around me and surrounding me, and River yelled for me to jump down and run. I only got stung once, which I guess was lucky. But it was right on the rim of my eyelid.”

“Oh my gosh. That’s terrible,” I said. “What did they do?”

“I don’t remember much aside from my grandmother crying hysterically after they removed the stinger. They rushed me to the hospital because I’d swelled up. I just have this vivid memory of hearing her say over and over that she couldn’t lose me, too.”

I knew that Kingston and River had moved to Magnolia Falls and were raised by their grandparents after their parents died in a car accident.

“And you were okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. They kept me overnight because my tongue and lips swelled, and they just monitored me. I’m probably being a big pussy. I’ve been in bar brawls that left me in much worse condition than this,” he said with a chuckle, lifting the ice pack and shaking his head.

“Hey, don’t do that.” I pushed up on my knees to inspect it.

“Do what?”

“Make less of what you went through. That’s scary for a little kid. And allergies are no joke. I think it’s best to be cautious.”

A wide grin spread across his face, all the anxiety gone now. “Of course, you do.”

I found another clean washcloth and dabbed at the area, drying off the remnants from the melted ice. My eyes scanned up his ripped abdomen before I could stop them, and I cleared my throat and forced my gaze back to his. “It looks like the swelling isn’t getting any worse.”

“Yep. I think I’m going to live.” He reached down and grabbed his tee and pulled it over his head. “I guess I’ve got to go out there and face the music. They’re going to have a field day with me, aren’t they?”

“Just ignore them. They just like to give you a hard time. But I saw the concern on River’s face.” I dropped the washcloth into the wicker hamper.

Kingston pushed to his feet and leaned down and kissed my cheek. “It’s all good. Thanks for putting up with me.”

I nodded, and he pulled the door open.

Everyone turned to look as we walked into the room.

“Do you still have all your parts?” River asked, his voice all tease.

“Yeah, thanks to Saylor, everything is still intact.”

The room erupted in laughter, and everyone started hugging him and making their rounds. The party had come to an end, but they’d all waited to make sure Kingston was okay.

As much as they joked and teased one another, these friendships ran deep. I’d known these guys most of my life, and they were loyal to the core.

“I see medical skills are also one of your many talents,” Jalen said, as he smiled down at me. He really was a beautiful man, aside from the horrific choice of swimwear. I’d been stunned speechless when he’d dropped his shorts and donned the bright red banana hammock. But he was clearly proud of his ripped body, and he liked showing it off.

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