Page 181 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

With an arched eyebrow, Kai examines a piece of paper and smiles.

“We actually met at a cancer fundraiser last September,” he says.

“You looked handsome in your tuxedo.” I pulled out a photo of the fake event.

“Oh, wow... not as much as you,” Kai exclaims as he flips over another photo.

“Let me see!”

He hands me the photo, and my smile fades. It was taken on Arietta’s birthday almost a year ago now. The background has been altered, but I remember the dress I wore. She had insisted on choosing it for me. Eric was off on a fishing trip. Looking at myself in that royal blue evening gown, I can see how much of a mess I was then.

Fuck you, Eric.

But Kai’s hand on my arm brings me back to the present, reassuring me with his touch.

“It’s all over now. I’ve got you,” he says, rubbing my arm gently.

“We’re both orphans. How convenient,” I added bitterly.

“We met last year. We met again a few times at social events and—”

“I ran into you in a hotel lobby in February. You couldn’t resist inviting me for a drink.” I smile, thinking I would’ve never said yes to such a man in my regular life.

“We’ve been traveling in the United States for two weeks now. Vic really went all out; it seemed like he had been planning this for a while. There are receipts from hotels, restaurants...” Kai laughs as he pulls out the evidence.

We fall into a comfortable silence, but there is undeniable electricity between us. However, we don’t have time for this, do we?

“Thank you, love. For everything. I could never have—” Kai starts to say before I cut him off.

“Don’t thank me yet. Save your declarations for when we’re on the boat,” I tease with a playful grin.

His gaze grows heavy, his pupils dilate, and his breathing quickens.

Do I cut the moment, or do I wait?

No need to wait. Kai moves over me, his gaze hooked in the depths of what I am. Instinctively, I stride back. I’m afraid he’ll see how much I’m in love with him.

He presses his lips onto mine, and his hands slip on my ass. He crushes me into the mattress, invading my mouth, and time stops. My legs wrap around his waist, and Kai eagerly responds, moving against me in a sensual rhythm. I moan, giving in to the pleasure filling my body.

My hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer. Our bodies grind together, sparking intense sensations within me, and he groans in response.

It’s intimate. Every touch from this man sets me ablaze, driving me into absolute madness. His tongue explores my mouth and caresses my tongue, and I can’t breathe. One kiss, and I’m just a puddle of monstrous desire.

But soon, I break away, realizing we have a long way to go.

Kai’s eyes are full of wild lust, his lips swollen, and his cheeks flushed. My breath catches at the sight of him; there’s no trace of arrogance, only raw hunger burning within him.

He looks back at me with equal intensity before taking a deep breath. “We... we still have a lot to do,” he manages.

“I know.”

I’m a hair’s breadth away from tearing off his clothes.

Who knows when I’ll have another chance to feel his body pressed against mine?

My hand slides down and rests on his crotch, feeling his hardness through the fabric of his shorts, making me even more turned on.

“Marianne…” Kai begs, trying to regain control of himself.

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