Page 30 of Mistletoe and Mayhem
“Warned me… about what?”
“I told you after the last time you overdid it, if you tried that shit again, I’d kidnap you. You should have listened.”
Startled, Dorian looked around again. It didn’t look like they were in the fae realm, and he knew his mate didn’t like to return there unless he had to. Besides, there were other beachgoers of all races, and he was pretty sure the fae wouldn’t have open beaches like this one.
Kian snickered, handing him one of the drinks. “Relax. We’re at a resort in the coral realm, where we’ll be staying for the next week.”
Dorian’s mouth dropped open in shock. “A week? But… No, I need to–”
Kian’s eyes narrowed to slits, and he gave Dorian that look that said he wouldn’t back down. His stubborn mate did not play around with his health. If he decided Dorian was overdoing it, he took charge, whether Dorian wanted it or not. Then again, it wasn’t often Dorian fought him. He liked the way Kian took care of him. But…
“I was almost finished,” he muttered, a petulant whine in his tone.
That narrow-eyed expression relaxed, and Kian patted him on the chest affectionately. “I know. And I didn’t just leave it all for you to deal with later. Ozen and Taron are finishing the last of your to-do list for you. A gift for Yule, apparently.”
He made a face that Dorian couldn’t help but chuckle at. Kian wasn’t a fan of celebrating the holidays. He’d been alive too long to care much about such things anymore. Dorian actually agreed with him about that one. He didn’t need a specific time of the year to spoil his friends. And with his mother’s passing, he had no family to celebrate with except for Kian. If his mate didn’t want to do anything special for the holiday, Dorian wasn’t bothered.
Kian took Dorian’s laughter as agreement and spun him around, marching him down a wooden dock to an overwater bungalow a little separated from the rest of them. Dorian was still protesting internally, he had work to do, but he didn’t want to upset his mate either. Perhaps he could call Ozen to demand he return and make him be the bad guy for something like this. It was his company, after all.
He was momentarily distracted when they stepped into the bungalow. It was luxurious, with a large bed scattered with flower petals, a plexiglass floor showing the water beneath them, and a gorgeous view of the ocean out the double doors to the terrace. He could see a peek of the bathroom, which seemed to have an open air shower, and he couldn’t help but picture Kian under the spray, all wet and glistening, miles of porcelain skin just asking for him to touch.
He let out a shuddering breath, trying to rein in his libido. Just a little more work to do. If he could get access to a laptop, he could even do it here. Then he could–
Kian interrupted his train of thought, shoving his phone into Dorian’s face where a video call with Ozen was already waiting. Dorian blinked in surprise at his friend’s stern expression.
“You can’t work on your vacation. I won’t allow it.”
Startled, he jerked his head back. “Wha– How–”
Ozen shook his head. “You think I don’t know you well enough by now? So, no, before you ask, you can’t come back or work remotely. Kian has my full support for this. You’re taking your vacation and that’s final.”
He spluttered, completely taken aback by his friend’s obstinance, but Kian took the phone before he could argue, wiggling his fingers at Ozen before hanging up on him. “You heard him. Now go change. I left you a few things on the bathroom counter. And because I also know you well enough–” he reached into Dorian’s pocket, surprising a gasp out of him, and pulled out his phone and wallet– “I’m keeping these. You can have them back when the vacation is over. For the next week, you’re officially off grid.”
And because his mate was thorough, he whispered a spell, and Dorian’s things were whisked away by magic, and he knew there was no way to get them back without Kian’s say so.
“Was that really necessary?” he croaked, still reeling.
“Yes. Now, go get changed.”
Kian spun him and shoved him toward the bathroom, refusing to let up until Dorian was in the bathroom and the door swung shut behind him. He was still holding the icy drink in one hand, and when he saw his face in the reflection of the mirror, he grimaced. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry. He looked shellshocked, his mouth hanging open, but it was the bags under his eyes and the paleness of his skin that really drove home the point. His friends and his mate could see how worn out he was, because it was written all over his face. He hadn’t slept well, hadn’t been feeding properly, and the only exercise he’d gotten in the past two weeks was the walk to the elevators, since he was too tired to even take the stairs.
Maybe they had a point. He needed a break.
With a resigned sigh, he set the glass down on the counter, giving his attention to the clothes Kian had left for him. Similar to Kian’s own outfit, there was a guayabera with intricate flowers embroidered on the front, board shorts, and–
His stomach flipped. Surely he hadn’t meant this for now. It had to be for later. He couldn’t mean to–
“All of it, Dorian!” Kian shouted from the other room. He’d probably heard Dorian’s strangled squeak of surprise and knew exactly what he’d found.
Excitement and embarrassment warred in his stomach as he slowly stripped off the suit he’d worn to work that morning and pulled the clothes Kian had set out for him on while staring at the plug. Was his mate really expecting him to wear that while they were out? Or were they staying in?
The door opened, and Kian casually strolled in, raising an eyebrow at the still untouched plug on the counter. “I said all of it, Dorian.”
“I-I heard you,” he stammered, a flush burning his cheeks. “Are we staying in tonight, or–”
“Nope. We’re going to lounge on the beach for a while, then we’ve got dinner reservations. Bend over. I’ll help.”
Dorian was starting to think this was a punishment of some kind. Kian didn’t normally include him in his pranks, but he did come up with creative punishments if people disobeyed him.
