Unexpected Mates ~ Book One

“Let me show you one more thing,” Kian said, pulling Sylvie past the two-seater tree swing and into a deep thicket. The pointed leaves scratched her bare forearms as she pushed through. Kian placed his hand in front of her to catch the brunt of the sharp plants.

“Are you trying to gouge out my eyes? Ow!”

She plucked a prickle from her hand and crossed her arms in front of her face. “These are deadly!”

“You’ll heal fast. They’re a healing plant.”

Sylvie’s eyebrows rose in disbelief before she laughed so hard her stomach ached.

Kian scoffed and stared back at her with a wide smile. “Come on, Princess! Just because it’s a healing plant doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

She trudged on for a few more seconds and narrowly avoided a slice to her eye before she tumbled out into a clearing. Kian scooped her up, and she gripped his hand in hers as she took in the scene.

A giant rolling paddock of calf-high grass tickled at her legs. She smiled, bending to pull a strand from the ground and brung it to her nose. The scent of fresh grass was nothing like she had ever experienced. Ancient trees with trunks thicker than her office were bordering the field, peering curiously down at her.

“This is insane, Kian. Thank you!” She spun, wrapping her arms around his taut waist and squeezed before turning and running to the centre of the field.

The earth softened beneath her bare feet, and the grass danced around her. She flopped down with a sigh and starfished on her back, staring at the cloudless azure sky. The giant trees swayed in and out of her vision as if waving hello.

The grass crunched and swished as Kian approached with a smile before laying himself beside her. He tucked the long strands of green under his head to see her unobstructed. Sylvie giggled, reaching over to touch his face, the glowing brown skin heating under her caress.

“You really are so perfect,” she whispered as if the words compelled themselves from her mouth.

He swallowed and turned his gaze upward. “I’m really not.” His jaw ticked a few times before she rolled onto her belly and peered down at him, her side flush against his.

“Why do you say that? You’ve been nothing but kind to me since I met you.” Her heart swelled, looking at his beautiful face. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t want to ruin the growing bond between them with intimacy. Too many friendships ended because she misread the situation.

He blinked up at her, brushing her hair behind her ears, letting an easy smile play across his lips. “You look beautiful when you disappear in your mind.” He snickered then. “Or perhaps the lack of questions makes you particularly appealing.”

Sylvie’s mouth dropped open, and she tapped him lightly on the shoulder, making him flinch. She froze. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“No,” he said, averting his gaze for a second before reclaiming her eyes. “I shouldn’t have made a joke at your expense. I love your questions, even if I cannot answer them.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb and let it trail to the corner of her mouth.

Freezing, Sylvie felt a sizzling heat in her core, and she turned her face, letting the finger caress her lower lip. She kissed it softly and closed her eyes at Kian’s intake of breath.

Fuck it.

She pushed herself up and threw her thigh across his lap, straddling him and lowering her lips to his. At first, panic gripped her when he tensed, but his hungry mouth latched on to hers, his hands clasping her hips tightly. She moaned into his mouth, her underwear wettening as his tongue danced with hers.

Kian hardened beneath his clothes, the stiffening rod pressing between Sylvie’s legs. She ran her hands along his arms and down his sides, desperate to touch his body. Her fingers walked along his waistband, aching to trail upwards when Kian clasped her wrists in a tight squeeze and tugged them between their chests. Their lips detached, swollen and wanting, but Sylvie sat up, pulling Kian with her and climbed off with a heavy breath.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise.”

They spoke simultaneously, and Sylvie swallowed, a small smile on her lips and a flush branding her cheeks.

“We should go back,” Kian said, standing and holding his hand to her. She noticed the slight tremor before clasping his wrist and pulling herself up.

As she wandered back through the scratching plants, she couldn’t help but feel eyes on her. She shuddered, wandering back towards the path, casting her eyes towards the treelines but saw nothing unusual. Kian walked slightly in front, his gaze scanning ahead, seemingly unaware of her discomfort.

Another jolt hit her back, and she spun, pebbles flying everywhere as she spotted the violet eyes of Kerensa spying from the giant tree. She perched on a low-lying branch, as thick as her thigh, looking completely otherworldly. Sylvie stared for a moment too long, surprised by the curious furrow on Kerensa’s brow as she inspected the pair.

Before Sylvie could decipher it, she bumped into the Kians’ back, and he scoffed, spinning her to face him. “What is it?”

She thought about telling him about his spying sister but decided against it. “I was just admiring the tree one last time.”

“I could bring you back here tomorrow if you’d like?”

Her face morphed with a beaming smile. “Really? I would love that so much.”

She clasped her hands in front of her and tried not to skip at his side as he escorted her back to his room.

He showed her the ensuite bathroom and found an excuse to leave the room with a genuine, understanding smile. She could’ve kissed him. Instead, she pictured it vividly over and over as she stared at the closed bedroom door.

Finally, listening to her distressed stomach and swollen bladder, Sylvie ran into the ensuite and carefully locked the door. Hoisting her dress up, she did her business while staring dumbfounded at the decor.

More fucking plants, of course, but the skylight above her head, radiated soft, warm sunlight on her face. As she stared upwards, she realised she hadn’t seen a single light switch or electrical fitting for her stay.

No electricity.

Why they wouldn’t utilise electricity intrigued her, but she was envious. No light pollution, mindless scrolling on devices and no more emails! Sylvie didn’t miss her job one bit and found herself wanting to stay. Finishing up, she undressed and climbed into his shower. He didn’t say she could, but his kindness made it seem an available option.

Using every soap his shower rack offered made her smell like a walking meadow, or at least she assumed that was the case as she climbed out and borrowed a fluffy white towel.

“Shit,” she whispered, staring at her dirty clothes. Those wouldn’t do, even if they weren’t that dirty. Then, with one last second of indecision, she peeked her head from the bathroom door. The main room appeared empty, so she drifted towards the magical wardrobe. “Now, how does this thing work?”

Her hand brushed against the strange handle right as the bedroom door flew open, and she recoiled, the fright causing her to lose her grip on her towel for a split second —the exact split second, Kian walked in and looked directly at her.

Sylvie yelped, yanking the towel back to cover herself while Kian spun away, hands across his eyes. She panted, cheeks blooming the same colour as the rose garden, and she buried her face in her hand.

The rushing blood in her ears covered the sound of Kian’s approach, and she jumped as a soft graze trailed her forehead. Her flushed face tilted to peek at him, and his dark eyes regarded her. “If you told me you wanted a shower, I would have brought you some clothes,” he whispered.

Nodding, she wordlessly gestured to the wardrobe, and he smiled. “I’ll get some,” he said. “But not from there.” He left the room for a few minutes as she rocked on her feet and returned with underwear and a flowing nightgown.

“Thank you,” she whispered, taking the items while clutching her towel extra tight over her breasts.

He smirked and shook his head. “You shouldn’t thank me, but since it’s your first day here, I suppose I will overlook it and not consider you indebted to me.”

Sylvie blushed harder and spun, hiding her smile and scrunched shut her eyes. Something about being indebted to him turned her on. There was nothing like getting on your knees and repaying-

“Princess?”

She spun back towards Kian’s mischievous grin. “It will be night soon. Get some rest. I’ll be just across the hall.” With that, he turned and left the room while she dressed and tucked herself into bed, trying to ignore the gnawing hunger in her gut.