Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Rapid Escalation

Bolting from Ransom's office once he sat down for lunch hadn't been Kaya's smartest move, but she needed the time to recalibrate her brain. 

What was she thinking? How could she let him kiss her like that? Moreover, how could she like it so much? 

The scene replayed in her head. Over and over and over. 

Kaya's fingertips pressed to her bottom lip. A giggle slipped from her throat. A skip in her step assured her of just how far gone she was. Now that Ransom had kissed her, there was no going back. 

Kaya knew, beyond a doubt, that she truly and totally liked him.

Even Kaya's return to the kitchen couldn't dampen her spirits. Alicia probably sent a snarky comment in Kaya's direction, but Kaya didn't even hear it. She barely heard Alicia complain when Jacob instructed her to go retrieve something out of the freezer. 

Kaya, knowing she couldn't lounge around for no reason, grabbed her bag and headed out. She should make something special for dinner, as well. Not as a reward, but as her thanks for sticking with her even though she kept pulling away. 

And as an apology for asking to leave work early the following day. 

Though she hadn't had the courage to bring it up yet, Kaya would. Because she had a very important meeting to attend. Ransom would have to understand that. 

You should explain it to him, her brain chastised her. 

Truth be told, she probably should. But Kaya wouldn't know where to begin, anyway. What if he thought she was insane? People had thought that, before. Many people. It was one of the reasons that her mother kept such a low profile. 

If only others could see through the façade to the demon behind. Then, perhaps, Kaya could feel safe. 

For now, she would focus on the task at hand. Grocery shopping. 

Though she was a baker, Kaya also knew a thing or two about cooking. One didn't exist without the other. Only... she didn't know how to cook anything fancy. No seafood or steak. Which left her with limited options. 

About the time that she decided on Chicken Parmesan, Kaya's phone trilled. 

She dug through her bag to find it, frowning when she saw Ransom's name on the screen. He never called her. He always sent a text. 

"Hello?" she answered. 

"Lawrence said that you left the building. Where did you go?" 

"The market down the street." Kaya paused, curiosity and trepidation rising within her. "Is something the matter?" 

"Let's go out for dinner. No need to cook." 

It didn't answer her question, but Kaya set down the package of chicken anyway. "What should I do all afternoon, then?" 

"I'll have Tobin find something for you to do." 

"So I should come back now?" 

"Yes." 

No explanation. No further reasoning. Just a simple, one-word answer. 

"Ransom, what's wrong?" 

"Come back. Let's talk." 

Ransom never did anything without a reason. Kaya knew that better than most anyone. For once in her life, she decided to trust him. No matter the reason, no matter what happened, for this one time, Kaya decided to listen to Ransom Lee. 

With a determined step, Kaya abandoned the shopping cart and headed out the door. Down the street. 

Every nerve in her body stood on end, wondering what lurked in the afternoon sunlight around her. 

An orange "don't walk" signal stopped her progress. Kaya bounced on the balls of her feet, anxious to keep going. 

The signal changed, this time to a white walking-man, beckoning her forward. Kaya stepped into the crosswalk. 

An engine revved. 

Tires squealed. 

Someone swiveled Kaya and tugged her backward. Something large and dark blocked her vision. 

A gust of wind as something zoomed past. 

Kaya found herself engulfed in Ransom's warm, solid embrace. 

His chest heaved with exertion, as if he had run a great distance. Ransom didn't release her, but rather lifted a hand to rest it against the back of her head. 

Three words. Only three words did he ask, but they left a world of unanswered questions. 

"Are you okay?"