Page 23 of Rooting for Kiran (The Mate-Cute #1)

THEA

Kiran stares at me with wide eyes, silently confirming my suspicion that Colton accidentally revealed something either he shouldn’t have or that Kiran wasn’t ready to tell me yet.

He hooked ya with that love plant, didn’t he?

That’s what Colton had said—or joked—and that’s what keeps playing in my mind. The only plant I’ve purchased from here, besides Wren’s bouquet items, was…Willy. And what does it mean for Willy to be a love plant?

The fact that Kiran is an alien leaves every single possibility to chance. How am I supposed to know what all these alien plants do? For all I know, there could be medicinal cures in this greenhouse just waiting to be discovered.

“I can explain,” Kiran starts. “Let’s go talk about it over dinner, okay? Please, Thea.”

I shake my head. “I want to know right now. Is Willy some sort of love plant? And what the fuck does that even mean?”

Kiran runs a hand through his hair. “It’s complicated…”

“Did you make me fall in love with you through that fucking plant, Kiran?” Fury rages through me like an angry bull, burning me from the inside out. It’s too hot in here. My hands are sweaty, and my heart is racing.

“Plants from my planet can do all sorts of things, but there’s no plant to make someone fall in love. That would be some sort of magic-type shit. A Talahecksiya is—”

I close the distance between us, staring up into his beautiful face, feeling beyond betrayed. “Spit it out, Kiran. Right fucking now,” I seethe.

He licks his lips before puffing out a short breath of air. “As an alien species, we are known as the Dyv’i. However, there are dozens of subspecies that came over from Dyv’i?dus. I’m obviously one of the ones directly connected to plant life, known as the Cēd’oh. Aliens are destined to find a mate in life, all in their own way.” He pauses far too long before adding what I’ve been dreading to hear. “I’ve had that Talahecksiya since I was an adolescent. I brought it to Earth with me and stationed it in the midst of that display.” His finger points in the direction of the alien section. “And ever since, I’ve anxiously awaited the day it would attract my mate.”

“I’m sorry…” My eyes can’t stop blinking of their own accord, as if they’re in just as much disbelief as I am. “Attract your mate ? What exactly does that mean?”

Kiran fixes his gaze on the floor. “It emits an undetectable, yet specialized scent that can only attract our fated mate. To everyone else, the invisible scent repels them, keeping it on the shelf until the one discovers it.”

“ The one ?” I screech. “Are you saying that I was drawn to Willy because of his scent? And that it inherently means that I’m supposedly the one destined for you?” I’m sure to add air quotes to go along with my tone. Kiran needs to know that I am far from happy about this.

He continues to avoid my eyes.

“Did you love potion me?” I wonder aloud. “Would I have ever been interested in you if it hadn’t been for that stupid plant?”

He deflates in front of me, pain lacing every single one of his features. I probably took that last question a bit too far, but I’m angry. He should’ve told me. This all seems so wrong.

Grabbing my coat from the hook behind the cashier station, I hurriedly push my arms through it, feeling for my keys so I can make a mad dash out of here. I need to get away from him before he clouds my senses.

Kiran stations himself against the front door. “Please, don’t leave like this, Thea. Let me explain more.”

Exasperatedly, I march toward him as I throw my hands in the air. “What is left to explain, Kiran? You set up a decoy to find your mate, and the scent worked on me. I wasn’t even looking for anyone! You lured me in like prey!” I’m jabbing his chest with my finger now. “I was doing just fucking fine on my own! Busy with work, exhausted from work. Work, work, work, work, work. I don’t need anyone, and I definitely don’t need you!”

The end of my rant has Kiran moving aside to grant me access to the door. “It wasn’t a trick, Thea. It was fate. That’s how the plant works. Come talk to me about this, ask me all the questions you want. None of this is a trick. It’s destiny.”

His eyes flash that emerald green I’m used to only seeing in the bedroom now. It draws up another question in me.

“You’ve slept with other humans before, right?”

He nods.

“And do you morph into your alien form for all of us?”

This time, he hesitates and then shakes his head.

I close my eyes, my forehead scrunching.

“Our mates are the only ones who will ever see us in our true form, and it’s always when we’re most intimate.”

No wonder he asked me to keep our experience a secret. He knew it’d reveal the truth before he could gather the courage to do it.

Ripping open the door, I point my finger from me to him. “We are nothing, Kiran. You tricked me. Fuck destiny.”

I slam the door, stomping to my car in the cold, dark night.