Monsters Under Mistletoe

3. Algonite

Chapter 3

Algonite

I quickly take my hands off the trembling body of my employee and take a hasty step back. She looks shaken, like I’ve just assaulted her.

Which I have. God damn it!

Come to think of it, she didn’t even say yes. I assumed she’d say yes—wanted her to say yes. Was desperate for her to say yes.

Perhaps because I’ve been thinking about the sad smiles she always gives me whenever we talk and how I’d like to see her pretty face lit up with a genuine one.

I thought this was my chance. Now Kat is leaving to work for another firm, I thought maybe…

Rubbing my large palm over my short-cropped hair, I smother a groan. Then I beat a hasty retreat from the party, making excuses to everyone who wants to talk to me and hanging my head in the face of the final few catcalls after our mistletoe kiss.

God I’m an idiot. This is a lawsuit in the making and what’s worse is I can’t wipe the horrified look on her face from my mind.

Trust me to let my core burn hot and get carried away.

Once I reach my office, I slump into my enormous custom made faux leather chair with a sigh. Can’t have leather. My rocky skin and hot temperature would destroy the beautiful fabric. But I love it. So this is my consolation.

I switch on my computer, the only light in the dark room. Then I start typing my apology letter. After only a few sentences, I delete everything with a sigh.

This is all wrong. Firstly, from a legal standpoint, it incriminates me. But it's not that which bothers me. If she wants to sue or press charges, I’d not contest.

I hate that I’ve upset her. A letter isn’t going to make that better. But if I go find her and force a conversation on her she doesn’t want, that’s making things worse, isn’t it? Turning an unfortunate mistake into harassment.

With a huff, I stand, pushing the wheeled chair back so hard it slams against the wall.

I wince.

This is why I can’t have nice things. Specifically soft, feminine things like a mate.

I scrub my hand over my face and try to collect myself. I’ve done so well controlling my core and keeping my cool lately. I thought I was doing better. Being active in the human world has been good for me. As a younger troll, I used to shun humans, but they’re really very understanding. And the monster community is wonderful.

Moving to Heartstone has been the best decision I ever made.

I imagined settling here. Finding my kuna, starting a family.

And yeah, I brought a damned jar of dirt from my mother mountain back in Iceland, dreaming of the day I perform the ritual and claim her.

What a fucking idiot I am.

I stalk to my desk, pulling out a drawer and retrieving the heavy jar. It thunks onto the surface of the wooden desk with the resounding thud of disappointment. Failure.

Why did I think I could have that?

I lift it again, swinging around to drop it in the trash, when I freeze. My gaze snaps to the open door of my office. It’s so dark I take a moment to realize what the sound was.

Kat stands in the doorway, her normally pale green skin pale and her face aghast. She snatches her hand back from my door and turns to go.

“Wait! Kat! Wait. Can I talk to you?”

I drop the jar of dirt on my desk, forgotten, charging around the table to run after her like a fucking bull in a china shop.

Thank god she stops instead of running faster.

She turns and looks up at me, still trembling from my inappropriate stolen kiss. I want so desperately to gather her up in my arms and stroke those pretty snakes and reassure her. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to disturb you…”

“No,” I say quickly. “You’re not disturbing me. You could never disturb me. I was just thinking about you.” I wince. That sounds creepy.

I blunder on. “What I mean is, I was thinking about the kiss. Before.” I need to stop.

Her green cheeks flush a rich mossy color and her breath hitches. “You were?”

I wish she’d take off those dark glasses. I’ve only ever imagined what color her eyes are, but I’d love to see them, to properly read her expression.

I clear my throat. “Listen, I’m really, really sorry I didn’t check properly first. I should have waited to make sure you were OK with it. There’s no excuse.”

Her pretty mouth drops open and she blinks. “You’re sorry?”

“You have every right to be angry and upset with me. I should never have done it.”

“Oh.” She hangs her head. Her snakes curl around her, flicking their little tongues against her cheeks as if they’re trying to cheer her up. Is she… is she sad? That I’m sorry?

I’m so confused. “Kat, tell me what’s going on here.”

She won’t look at me. I take a hesitant step closer.

She sucks in a breath. “My snakes!”

“What about them?”

“They didn’t bite you.”

I chuckle. “They know better. Look at this thick skin. You think they’d make a dent? I doubt it.”

A hint of a smile creeps onto her lips. “I just wish you weren’t sorry.” There’s a pause. She seems to be thinking of what to say, or working up the courage. It’s not lost on me how shy she is around everyone in the office. Another reason I should never have forced that kiss on her.

“I liked it,” she whispers.

I almost fall off my feet. “You did? But, you didn’t kiss me back.”

Her face falls again. “I’m sorry. I’m so embarrassed, but I don’t know how. I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

I gape at her. “How is that possible?”

She flushes and I check myself.

“Sorry, it’s just a pretty girl like you. Never kissed anyone?”

“I was always too scared of hurting them.”

Then it dawns on me. The snake hair! The gorgon gaze. “None of those things can hurt me,” I tell her quickly. “I’m made of stone!” I’ve never been happier to be a troll. Why did I doubt that the universe would send me a kuna who was perfect for me?

Slow down, Alg, you’re sprinting like a unicorn down a hill.

“I was really really hoping you’d say that,” she says.

“Yeah? Why?” My heart is pounding so fast I think it might burst from my lava core and through my rocky chest.

She chews her lip. “Because I came to ask if…” She shifts uncomfortably. “I thought maybe you’d let me do it over.”