Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

14. Sugar Rush

Chapter 14

Sugar Rush

T he fairground lights flicker against the night sky. Kai’s dark eyes never leave mine. Each step we take feels charged, like the world holds its breath, watching.

We weave through the crowd, the laughter and music a stark contrast to the pull between us.

The cotton candy stand comes into view, a splash of pink and blue amidst the twilight hues. I point toward it with a playful grin. Kai raises an eyebrow but obliges, steering us through the sea of people.

We reach the stand, and the vendor hands over a fluffy cloud of spun sugar. Kai watches me with a mix of amusement and something mysterious as I bite, the sweetness melting on my tongue.

“Have you ever tried it?” I ask.

“No,” he says, a rare softness breaking through his usual stoic demeanor.

I take an exaggerated gasp. “Unacceptable!” I tear off a piece, holding it up to his lips. “Try it.”

As soon as his lips close on my fingers, his eyes fixed on mine, I know I made a mistake. Because the motion of his lips puts a spell on me, and I imagine them closing on my own or wrapped around my clit instead. Or my nipples. Or anywhere on me, truly.

My sight is locked on that sinful tongue swirling on my index.

Pure madness.

Kai whispers Japanese words I don’t understand, but they make my insides liquify.

He sets the cotton candy down on a picnic table and reaches for my hands, guiding them to cup his face. Then, his palms trace a path down my arms and wrap around my shoulders before settling at my waist.

I struggle to keep my composure. My body betrays me as heat pools in too many places at once.

We stand, connected in the middle of fairground chaos, our bubble of connection and desire growing thicker by the second. His opened hands press into the small of my back, pulling me closer until our breaths mingle.

Everything but him blurs.

At the same moment, my fingers run onto the back of his head, and his lips brush against my upper lip. Just a gentle nudge, a test.

It’s not enough.

I respond by gripping his hair and pulling him closer. The tension we’ve been building explodes into a fevered urgency. Kai’s hold tightens as he deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring mine with an eagerness that leaves me reeling.

He tastes like spun sugar and forbidden desires all rolled into one depraved, intoxicating flavor.

“You taste even better than I imagined,” he breathes, pulling back to rest his forehead against mine.

Our breaths mix, fragrant and ragged. Until we kiss again. With each touch, a soft sigh escapes his lips in a blissful tune that heals my soul.

But a sudden burst of fireworks fractures the sky, showering us in brilliant colors. The crowd cheers.

My hands slip from his hair to his chest, his wild heartbeat thudding against my palms.

Another loud bang from the fireworks above startles us. Kai’s eyes flick to the side, scanning the crowd with a sharpness that shifts the atmosphere. For a moment, his expression hardens, the shadows of his past creeping in.

“False alert,” he scoffs.

I turn in his arms to have a better view of the fireworks, and despite my ruined dress, my matty wet hair, and the sludge in my sandals, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

Kai’s mood switches with the sparkle of the flares. He snakes his arms around me and watches the bursts.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

He peeks down at me, his expression relaxed for a short moment. “Very.”

I bite my lip, feeling that damned pull again. The fireworks reflect in Kai’s eyes, capturing their flickering colors. His arms tighten their grip, grounding me against the night’s mayhem. We stand like that until the pyrotechnics are over.

“Ready to go home?”

I just nod.

We exit the public area and head toward my car, holding hands. Once inside, Kai turns to face me and smiles. “That was fun...”

“It was,” I reply. It was incredible.

Kai chuckles deeply, his eyes twinkling as he studies me. The sensation drives a jolt straight to my core, but it’s not arousal. It’s softer. More wholesome.

My smile dies with his side-eye at the back seat.

That’s hot.

I glare at the two teddy bears sitting in the very place I want to be in right now. But I would need a few tequila shots to have enough courage to live out the scenario playing in my mind.

Kai’s tongue darts out to wet his lips, and my traitor mouth lets out a freaking needy whine. My thighs clench visibly. His eyes snap back to me, and for a second, I swear I can see his nostrils flare.

His stubble isn’t long enough to cover his lips but would certainly rasp against the softer skin of my inner thighs.

I want it.

He releases a ragged breath. “Cutie, goddamn it…” he grunts. “Let’s go.”

My heart drums a chaotic rhythm. “But...”

I don’t want to!

The world outside the car fades away. It’s just us, tangled in an invisible web of desire and defiance.

Kai’s lips parted slightly as if he was already tasting me. His eyes flicker to where my breasts strain against the confines of my dress, and a low growl rumbles within him.

His hand loosens around mine. “We need to get out of here before patrollers decide to check up on us.” He points at two police officers strolling the parking.

And because I’m missing multiple connections in my brain, I put on a big, na?ve smile and wave at them with the intensity of a four-year-old waving at Santa Claus. They both wave back with puzzled faces.

A laughing sniff escapes Kai’s nose.

I put the car in drive and exit the parking lot. “Kai?”

“Hmm?” He turns his attention to me, one hand still entangled in mine.

“The second we arrive at my uncle’s…” My cheeks flush with embarrassment. “There will be no real privacy,” I finish, my whole face a bright lobster red.

Kai’s smirk disappears. “Why are you telling me this?”

Kiss me again. Now.

“I just… I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.” My spirit slaps my forehead.

Assertiveness minus a hundred.

Come on, Marianne!

A slow, lopsided smirk wakes on his lips. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

My mouth hangs open, and I blink slowly before I burst out into a fit of nervous laughter.

I don’t want to admit it, but he’s right. Getting a write-up for public indecency isn’t on my vacation list. Neither is inducing trauma on my uncle with indecent noises. Nina would just congratulate me… probably. Too much attention, again.

I wiggle my fingers. “Okay.”

As we drive through the streets, the engine’s hum lulls us into comfortable silence. Occasionally, his thumb draws lazy patterns on my skin.

The night air flows through the open window, carrying the scent of water and far-off pine trees. I steal glances at Kai, illuminated by passing streetlights. His profile’s smoldering with intensity, a brooding edge softened by the warmth of our shared moments.

The cloak covering his true feelings is absent.

As we pull up to my uncle’s house, a naughty thumb caresses my inner thigh.

“Just, huh,” I murmur. “The second we step in, we need to act normal.”

My family has never seen me with someone. Ever.

He sniffs and smirks. “I’ve got this.”

I cut the engine, but neither of us moves. The night is alive around us—crickets chirping, leaves rustling softly in the breeze.

Kai’s hand leaves my thigh reluctantly as he reaches for the door handle and a strange pang of loss zings through my vertebrae.

But before I unbuckle my seatbelt, Kai’s hand cups my jaw. The smolder in his gaze sets the air on fire. “No privacy, huh?” Every movement of his upper body is controlled, like a panther crouching before an attack. “Then, I need one more.” His lips brush against mine, gentle at first but quickly deepening as if he’s holding back an ocean of longing.

I had forgotten the heady thrill of feeling wanted. It’s intimidating.

But I dissolve into him as I grab fistfuls of his hair and angle his face to deepen the kiss. Our tongues clash in a battle for power until I slide mine over the roof of his mouth, eliciting a shiver that rips through his entire body. The car becomes a pressure cooker of pent-up lust and unresolved tension. The gearshift digs into my hip, but I don’t care.

All that matters is us.

His mouth travels down my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin just below my ear. I gasp, my back arching involuntarily. Kai’s hands roam, finding the hem of my dress and skimming up my thighs, making me shiver despite the heat building inside me.

“Kai.” My voice is a strained mix of need and desperation.

He pulls back just an inch. “Marianne,” he whispers my name, a plea and a promise wrapped in one breath. “Go inside,” he says, voice gravelly. “Before I lose control.”

I don’t want that.

My body protests as I slip out of the car, each step a struggle against the magnetic pull between us. Kai follows but stays five steps behind. The porch light shines above.

Or maybe I do.

I fumble with the keys, nerves making my fingers clumsy. Finally, the door swings open, and we step into the fully lit interior.

Shit.

When we stride inside, my uncle greets us with a smile. “Evening, you two lovebirds,” he teases with a wink. “How was the fair?”

“Interesting,” Kai replies. “But we’re not that good with crowds.”

I blush, and Kai clears his throat with a chuckle. But then Nina sees us, dirty and wet. Maybe she sees the untamed gleam in Kai’s stare, too.

“Oh, chickadee! What happened?” she asks, hurrying over with genuine concern etched on her face.

“I fell into the murky swamp, and Kai came to my rescue.”

“Are you cold? Would you like to warm up in the hot tub or take a shower?” Her motherly instincts kick in as she fusses over me, trying to make me comfortable again. “How about you wash the mud off in the shower and meet me in the hot tub for a girl’s drink? I have a bottle of tequila with our name on it. We could let the guys, you know…” She wiggles her hand like she’s trying to swat flies off.

“Sweets, she might just want to spend time with her boy—” my uncle tries.

“Tsk, tsk, Corey! He gets to see her all the time.” She rolls her eyes. “They’re on vacay together,” she mutters to Corey.

Oh… She missed me.

Guilt travels up my stomach and settles under my tongue, waiting for me to say what I’ve always said… of course. “Huh… no, thank you. I’m tired and just want a hot shower and go to bed.”

A weighty hush envelops us, a restrictive presence that steals the air from our lungs. My uncle’s jaw drops, his mouth agape in shock.

“Oh… I see,” says Nina so slowly I distinguish every letter.

My blood ices and my ribs stop expanding to breathe.

What did I just say?

Nina’s eyes narrow, suspicion mingling with genuine concern she’s always worn like a second skin. Her gaze flicks to Kai, then back to me.

Nina missed me, but prioritizing myself must start somewhere.

Kai’s hand hovers by my lower back. “It’s been a long day.” His tone seems neutral, but the underlying finality is unmistakable. “We’ll catch up in the morning.”

Kai’s support solidifies my resolve to go to sleep.

My uncle watches us both, curiosity inching into his expression, but he nods. “All right then. Get some rest, kids.”

My aunt’s lips slump. She looks at Corey like she wants him to add something, but my uncle shakes his head with a soft smile and a warm gaze.

“Goodnight, Nina,” I say.

Kai and I move in silence, the creak of stairs amplifying the charged atmosphere behind us. My pulse drums in my ears.

“Goodnight, chickadee,” she replies.

My heart pounds against my ribcage as I recall how we went from playful banter at the fair to this charged silence.

Once inside my room, I shut the door behind us, locking out the world—or so it seems. Kai’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, all that exists is the depth of his gaze—dark, stormy, full of secrets.

He moves closer, his fingers brushing against my cheek softly. “Are you all right?”

I nod, though my mind swirls with uncertainty. “I mean... maybe one drink…”

Kai tilts his head. “Are you tired?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to take a shower and go to bed?”

“Yes.”

“Then, what’s wrong with doing that?”

I search my brain for a reason, but pride has settled where fear used to rule. “Nothing wrong. I’m not used to upsetting Nina.”

His hands find my shoulders, warm and steadying. “You want rest, but you need it even more so,” he murmurs. “There’s nothing wrong in what you said or how you said it.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, leaning into his touch, craving the comfort his presence brings. But the shadow of guilt still lingers.

His hands travel down my arms, and he pulls away. “Go take that shower. I’ll get the prizes from the car.”

“Okay.”

As I step into the bathroom, his words reverberate in my mind.

I don’t know what to do with my dress. No way I’m putting it in the machine. Better to let it dry and then decide.

In the shower I go, hot water cascading over my skin, washing away the remnants of the murky swamp, but it does little to cleanse the guilt of refusing to spend time with Nina. I close my eyes, letting the steam envelop me, hoping for clarity.

When I step out, I wrap a towel around me. The fogged-over mirror offers a temporary escape from my own reflection, and I welcome it. After putting on my PJs, I head back to my bedroom.

Kai is arranging our fair winnings in the bedroom’s corner—the two stuffed bears that grin with a silly charm, memories encapsulated in objects.

“Your turn,” I tell him.

Kai’s eyes flicker with something unreadable before he nods, walking past me with a brush of our arms. The door clicks shut behind him, and I sigh.

I sink onto the edge of the bed, my mind a whirlpool of thoughts. Nina’s face keeps flashing in front of me—her surprise, the edge of disappointment that cut deeper than I care to admit.

The bathroom door opens shortly after, steam billowing out as Kai emerges, a towel slung low on his hips. Droplets trace lines along his chest, down to his navel. A drop stops there, but another one continues its journey downward, following the groove of his muscles like a swirling waterslide.

My thoughts linger on the tantalizing symmetrical dip on either side of his stomach, leading to his most intimate area. I bet his dick is glorious.

And the second he realizes I’m checking him out, the sexiest smirk wakes on his lips, and he wraps his hand around the knot holding the towel.

Is he… Oh, god.

The towel falls to the floor.

It’s time to erase Eric from my body.

“You’re a trickster now?” I tease, squinting my eyes at the fabric covering him. Damn boxers.

He shrugs. “We need sleep.”

Kai walks up to his bed side and wiggles under the covers.

I reach up to touch his face, tracing his jaw line with my fingertips.

His lips find mine, tender and slow, a stark contrast to the urgency from moments ago. My hands roam down his back, devouring every muscle beneath my fingertips. I trace the curve of his spine before gripping his ass possessively, pulling him closer.

But he rolls over and sets his head on his pillow, both arms reaching for my waist.

Oh…

Kai lets out an exhale of relief and wraps his arms around me, pulling my back to his chest until we’re fused together. His hug is so tight I can’t move, but it’s oddly comforting.

“Is that good for you?” he murmurs.

He took me on a date. We should be having sex by now.

An icy, stinging pain makes my lungs stop. “Yes.” I clear my throat. “What’s happening?” I ask before my mind can catch up to my mouth.

“Sleep. And cuddles.” Kai’s fingers trail down my arm, soothing the sudden spike of anxiety.

But why!

Guilt nibbles at my confidence. I don’t understand. I feel like I’ve taken something that doesn’t belong to me. That now is the time for him to collect the fruit of his labor, his patience, his restraint.

“But you—” You deserve sex.

My ribs tighten as shame washes over me, and I can’t speak.

Kai senses my discomfort and wraps himself around me even tighter.

It’s not right.

Needing to see his face, I turned into his embrace. But it only makes the pain expand from my chest to my arms. My breaths are fast and shallow.

Kai’s voice cuts through the fog of my thoughts, gentle yet firm. “Marianne, look at me.” He tilts my chin upward, but I can’t meet his eyes. “You don’t owe me a damn thing.”

I don’t deserve this.

Pressure builds behind my eyes and my vision blurs.

I don’t deserve unbound affection.

A spasm in my stomach has me gagging.

Kai holds me through the upheaval, his hand steady on my back. “Don’t go there, Marianne.”

There’s no such thing as free affection. This is a trick. Kai is trying to trick me.

He brings me closer, pressing our foreheads together. His breaths mix with mine, steady and calming. “Everything is all right. We’re safe. We’re together.”

I force a swallow, trying to keep the nausea at bay. “But I—”

“Shh,” he cuts me off, his thumb brushing away a tear that spills over despite my efforts to hold it back. “Just being here with me, trusting me... that’s more than enough.”

Enough?

He doesn’t understand. He can’t see how wrong this feels.

Self-doubt claws at the inside of my skull in a horrifying screech, relentless and unforgiving. I try to pull away, to escape the closeness that’s suddenly too much, but Kai doesn’t let go.

Instead, he tightens his grip, almost as if he senses my resolve crumbling. His lips brush against my temple in a tender gesture that shatters the last of my defenses. “I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

His words filter through the noise in my head, the relentless self-critique quieting down to a whisper. I stop struggling.

A twitching sensation runs down my spine, and I wiggle myself into him, his leg slinging over mine to lock me in.

It’s hard to believe that he was a stranger just a few days ago, and now, we’re wrapped around each other.

Despite myself, I lean my head into the crook of his neck.

But then, his lips trail up to my neck. “This is all I’ve wanted,” he whispers as his mouth traces hot, wet kisses on my nape, sending fireworks through my body. “Just you.” His forehead falls on my shoulder with a sigh.

Goosebumps wake across my skin. The heat from his body seeps through the thin fabric of my PJs, warming my frozen soul and bringing peace like a blooming winter rose.

I place one hand over his arm, the other reaching up to grab his neck, and I hug him with all that I am. My heart cracks open. Sadness wets my eyes as my body melts against his, and I forget about the emptiness in my soul while he hugs me with the intensity of a man who’s been love-starved.

My fingers tangle in his hair, and I pull him closer, holding him like my lifeline.

It’s the best hug I’ve ever received.

I never want it to end. Which surprises me because I can’t remember a time when I had a man curled up in my personal space and didn’t feel the overwhelming need to push him away.

This serenity is foreign. A glimmer of hope I had long given up on begins to shine through.

I want to feel loved.

But then, something inside me snaps. My body trembles as safety spreads in my every cell like an antidote. Tears start slowly, then turn into a flood, cascading down my face and soaking my pillow. I try to contain my sobs, but they escape in loud, gut-wrenching wails. All the pain, anxiety, and frustration I’ve been holding back for so long is finally being released.

Kai’s grip on me tightens, his lips brushing the back of my neck as he whispers comforting words in my ear. “It’s okay, cutie. You can let your guard down. I’ve got you.”

I take a shaky breath, trying to regain control of my emotions. “I’m s-sorry.” I hiccup, ashamed of myself for breaking down like this.

“Don’t be. I’d rather have you falling apart in my arms than hiding behind a mask that doesn’t fit you.”

The sincerity in his voice brings on another deluge of tears. But for once, it feels cathartic instead of shameful. Kai holds me until my sobs subsided to sniffles. And even then, he doesn’t let go.

I feel safe in his arms. So, so safe.

Is this what I truly need?

A dangerous man whose violence can protect me from my own destructive thoughts.