“They aren’t all like these dragons,” he warned.
“Really?” She rolled her eyes and stepped around him. He turned, tugged against his will by her delicate scent and her determined strength.
“Yes, really.”
“I’m aware, Bjorn. But life is for living, and that was one experience I’m glad I took risks for.” She held out her flowers for his dragon to munch on. She didn’t look at him as she took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and squaring off. “As is today.”
He couldn’t argue with that. “I brought lunch.” Warmth spread through his chest as she turned around and gave him a surprised look. “I thought we could sit for a while. You could tell me how you fly so close to the mountain without clipping a wing.”
She laughed and gestured to her dragon. “That’s all him. I just let him go where he wants.”
“Surely there’s more to it than that. Self-talk or…”
Her eyes were dancing as she moved closer. “Don’t you trust yourself, Brother Bjorn?”
Not on any level. “I told you—”
“I know. Just use your name. But the way you’re looking at me, I feel like a reminder that you are also a monk is probably in order.”
So he wasn’t doing a good job of hiding how captivating he found her. “Apologies.”
“No, don’t be sorry.” She gave him a wicked smile that made his muscles burn. “I like it. Part of the whole risky experience thing.”
“Are you an adrenaline junkie?”
They were close now, just a foot apart, and Bjorn’s right hand swung out. He caught himself at the last second, just before he grabbed her hip. But as he returned his now-clenched fist to his side, she moved closer still. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt tugged around by the chemistry between them.
Her eyes were deep brown, not flashing black as he’d thought before, and she had the palest dusting of freckles over the bridge of her nose. Her eyelashes were dark brown, an odd contrast to her blonde hair, but he liked it. They framed her knowing gaze just right.
“I don’t do things just for the thrill of it, if that’s what you mean.” As she talked, the tip of her tongue darted out, swiping nervously at her lower lip. Pink, wet skin would be his undoing.
He stared at her mouth. “What about your…friend? That you kissed?”
She laughed and blinked up at him. “Is there a question in there?”
“What…” He stumbled over the question and fell silent. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and didn’t know how to frame the right question.
Britt’s face softened and her eyes kept a lock on his as she tilted her head to the side. “She is married. And a fragile, needy soul. Her husband gave us his blessing to keep each other occupied while we were here. And I kissed her because it felt good, not because it was an illicit thrill. I didn’t even know you were watching.”
“I wasn’t watching.”
She searched his face with those too-clever eyes. “No, I bet you didn’t. You looked away immediately.” Any relief he felt at that acknowledgment faded fast as she kept talking. “But you’ve thought about it since?”
He couldn’t deny her that truth. He nodded.
“And now you want to know what and why and how and when and who I kiss, and if it’s reckless?” She spoke each word softly, but they weren’t served gently. A warning that she didn’t want to be judged for her actions.
That wouldn’t be a problem. All of Bjorn’s judgement was pointed at himself.
He couldn’t tell her that the only thought he’d had was wondering what her mouth tasted like and if she mewled like that for men. If she would for him.
And maybe no one else, ever again.
“We should eat lunch and then get back,” he said, his words sagging with the reluctance he didn’t want to feel. He shouldn’t seek out private moments with this woman. Two lines from Scripture, the Book of James, rang through his head. Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Avoiding temptation had been his guiding light for years. And in one day, he’d lost sight of that clear path.
Nothing was clear any longer.
***
Britt could see the conflict warring inside Bjorn. He was close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his brawny body. He’d almost touched her side, and the way he was looking at her mouth made her wet and desperate.
She took a step back. She wouldn’t be his undoing, not unless he asked her first.