Page 2 of Rooting for Kiran (The Mate-Cute #1)
THEA
“Why are we even doing this, Wren? It’s the stupidest holiday ever,” I whine.
Wren wrestles another bouquet of mixed flowers into her arms and spins toward me. “Just because we don’t have partners doesn’t mean making Valentine’s into Galentine’s is stupid. Who doesn’t love getting flowers?”
I roll my eyes. “Me… They die eventually, so why even get them? It’s a waste of money.”
“You’re incorrigible. Not all good things last forever. Some are just meant for a moment. Now, lose the ’tude and grab some flowers, damn it.”
Without answering, I wander away toward the opposite end of the greenhouse, where the ugliest flowers seem to be. I spot some strange-looking plants in the alien section. Perfect.
Bending closer to one, I scan the label, trying my best to sound out the name. “Tal-a-heck-siya? Talahecksiya?” The plant is green and bumpy, and has one phallic-shaped arm drooping off the lower table it sits atop, extending almost all the way to the floor. Yep. This is the one.
“Can I help you?” a deep voice asks from behind me.
I jump, dropping the plant’s penis arm, and spin around. The impact of the arm against the ledge of the table must have been too much, because the green phallus is now lying on the ground between my legs. Who knew it was that fragile?
My eyes widen down at the plant castration I’ve involuntarily performed. “Shit. I’ll pay for that.”
An angry throat clearing jolts my attention up, and what I find nearly knocks my knees out from under me.
One of the aliens. A gorgeous one at that. He has smooth, sage-green skin, a straight, yellow-green crew cut with faded sides, tree trunk-sized arms, and emerald-green eyes. He stands at least seven-feet tall. Easy. Holy shit .
“It’s highly suggested that customers only touch the items they actually plan on purchasing.”
I move my right foot over to the other side of the penile plant member to meet my left, then squat down to pick up the object and hold it out to him. “I didn’t mean to break it. You just startled me.”
He tilts his head as he takes the piece, his ginormous, veiny hand softly brushing against mine. “But again, if you hadn’t been touching it, this wouldn’t have happened. Either look or pick up. No touching.”
I hold up my hands in mock surrender. “I got it, okay? I’m sorry. How much do I owe?”
With a sigh, he moves beside me, staring down at the injured plant before lowering to his knees one at a time until he is eye-level with the pot.
The alien places the separated piece directly against where it broke off, and the moment they touch, the tips of his fingers glow a bright, highlighter yellow. Ever so slowly, the pieces fuse back together. When he’s done, it looks like nothing even happened.
“What the fuck? If you can do that, why does it matter that I broke it in the first place?”
Gracefully, he gets back to his feet and looks at me with crossed, rippled arms as his face morphs with agitation. “Just because I can fix something doesn’t mean it should be treated carelessly. The process is hard on the plant. There’s a big possibility this one may not live as long as what’s normally expected now.”
Warmth spreads through my chest, because there’s something about a big, beefy man—even an alien man—caring for greenery and talking about such fragile things with the utmost care that is extremely endearing.
And… Wait… Am I getting turned on? Yep. Mhm. I sure am.
Great . If he’s so in tune with plants, is there a possibility he can tell I’m horny for him?
The thought immediately leaves my mind as something crashes into my back, and I’m sent hurtling right into the hunk’s chest with astonishing force. His arms wrap around me, holding me against him, and a loud laugh booms behind me.
Fucking Wren.