Page 40 of Desert Thorns

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His eyes scanned my area for a moment, then he returned to donning his habit, pulling it over his head. There went that beautiful view.

Something brushed my forehead. No, not brushed.Crawled.

Spider!

I screamed. Swatted at my forehead and fled out of the bushes. “Where is it? Where is it?”

Kingsley came sprinting over to me. “Harley! What’s wrong?”

“Spider!” I screeched, flapping my hands and turning in a circle. “On my head. It’s on my head!”

Strong hands caught my upper arms and stopped me. “Easy. Take a breath.”

My heart raced as Kingsley examined my head. Water dripped from his wet hair onto his black habit.

“I don’t see anything.” Still holding onto me, he drew back, his concerned eyes traveling my face. “Are you okay?”

“Is it gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

I nodded. “Then yes.” A shudder seized me. “I hate spiders!”

“I can tell.” A grin ripped across his handsome face. “Nice little dance you did there.”

“That’s not funny!” Laughing, I swatted at his chest. “It could’ve killed me.”

“Now that you mention it . . . I keep hearing stories about spiders swallowing human beings on this island.”

I went for another swat, but he caught my wrist, laughing. When I tried to attack with my other hand, he caught that one, too.

“Not fair.” I pouted, then gave him my sweetest look.

He chuckled. “Doesn’t work on me.”

The bell tolling across the monastery made us both freeze. Kingsley dropped my wrists like he’d been electrocuted.

“You’re not supposed to be back here,” he muttered.

“I know. I didn’t realize how far I wandered from the guesthouse. Then I saw you.”

His green eyes darkened, but not with anger. It was . . . desire.

My breath stalled, and I almost expected him to do something crazy, like last night.Yes, please kiss me.

“It’s time for Vigils.” His voice was so guttural I almost didn’t recognize it.

“Yes. Yes, it is.” I started walking, but when Kingsley didn’t follow, I turned back to him. “What is it?”

His gaze dropped to my lips, then snapped back up. “I’m sorry about last night. I have no idea why I did that. Please forgive me.”

“Yeah, of course. Water under the bridge. I won’t tell anyone, obviously, but are you gonna get into trouble for it?”

He expelled a breath. Ran a hand over his beard. “I don’t know. Haven’t talked to the abbot yet.”