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Her eyes darkened with seduction under the weight of his embrace. Shoving her hips against his groin, Candy ground into him in hopes of just the slightest touch to release the pressure building between her thighs.

Slade’s eyes narrowed in a deep, lustful gaze as she stopped struggling. He stepped closer, pressing her against the door until they were so close they had to share the same air to breathe. Releasing his hand, he kept hers pinned above her with the other. Candy’s eyes flicked to his lips and back to his eyes, licking her lips as Slade watched her body turn from rage to intense want. She teased with her lips to invite him in, and he wanted nothing more than to devour every inch of her.

His hand sliding down to Candy’s waist, thrusting her into his hardened manhood. A moan escaped her as his lips traced down her jawline intently, waiting for a cue to go further. In his mind, he was begging for it. This was the moment he had longed for all these months. A moment to taste her candy lips.

Candy relaxed into him as her lips searched for his. Releasing her hands, expecting her to hit him or pull away. They fell, resting around his neck, to pull him closer.

Silence fell between them both, afraid to move as they stared into each other’s eyes. Running down his cheek, Candy left him feeling like his heart was going to break if she denied him. He had never wanted someone so much as he did the colorful woman before him. Hiding his feelings for so long had been too much to bear.

Slade’s eyes closed as he rested his forehead on hers. “Push me away. Go ahead. Candy, I know you want to. Please, just do it. I can’t take this.”

“I can’t. I don’t want to keep pushing you away. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get you out of my mind.”

He stepped back slightly to give space between them while keeping his gaze fixated on hers. Slade ran his hand to the back of her head, lacing his fingers in her hair. His lips came crashing down on hers. A deep, rugged moan escaped him as Candy’s lips parted, inviting the kiss to deepen.

“I want you, Candy.”

“I... I want... I’m scared. We can’t do this,” she stuttered, pushing away.

Slade’s heart felt like it crashed to the floor, leaving him feeling broken, like the candy pieces from the night they met. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

“No. Slade. I want you, too. Just... not like this. I can’t do this right now. I’m sorry. I thought…” Candy moved closer, touching his lips with her fingertips. “I thought you hated me.”

“I never hated you. I wanted you the moment I first looked into those beautiful eyes when you were in that crazy candy outfit. I hurt you that day we met. Physically. I wanted to fix you.” He lifted her hand, looking at the scar in her palm. “Every day since, we kept hurting each other emotionally. The scars we are causing each other are just as deep as the scar in your hand. Every time we fight, it kills a little part of me. I know you feel it too. I know I can’t be alone in this.”

Candy laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. “I never wanted it to be like this. Why can’t we stop fighting?”

“I think I know the answer to that. Come sit. We need to talk.” He led her to the bed and sat down, letting out a breath. “Candy, I think we’ve had this overwhelming attraction to each other. At least I have for you. We fight it because we are both dealing with a lot since the day we met. I think we take our stress out on each other. We’ve become each other’s lightning rod for all the shit that happens to us. Me with Jenna and the breakup. I worried for a while about losing my job because she is the boss’s daughter. I love wrestling at IWX, and I didn’t know if my job would end once I broke up with her. We were just not good for each other. She knows it too.”

“Jenna is nice, and you’re still friends. I don’t think she would do that to you.”

“Well, it got more complicated because I met you amid the drama. I was afraid of moving on with someone else because it would put more stress on things. I didn’t know if it would upset Jenna, or if she would try to destroy our careers. She moved on and gave me her blessing to do the same. Jenna told me once she knew I liked you. I tried to keep you arguing with me to be close. Even if it was fighting, at least I can still be near you. Crazy, right?”

“I guess you’re right. I was using you to vent my hurt about losing my brother. I have a lot of things back home I’ve been struggling with. If I focused on fighting with you, it was easier than remembering that I was hurting. I knew deep down you were just playing games with me. Tyler, mom, and I always teased each other the same way. In a crazy, stupid way, it felt familiar. Most of the time you were just joking with me, and I made it seem worse than it was. I enjoyed our silly banter and I overreacted.”

Slade snuggled her close into his arms, resting his head against hers. “Candy, I don’t want to be the enemy. I want to be your friend and support you. I know things are hard for you. I want to be there to help you heal. I… I think I’m falling for you. Each day we spend together, the feelings get stronger. I need to know something. Do you think you might want to be with me? Or at least try.”

Candy cuddled into him, taking in his inviting masculine scent of citrus and leather. “I don’t think, I know. We need to stop fighting if we are going to explore this. We have a week left in this challenge. I think we should use it to make up for all the hurtful things we’ve done to each other. I’m not ready for a relationship, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t build on this.”

Slade chuckled. “Things we have done to each other. Like super gluing my hand to my crotch on the bus two weeks ago, while I was asleep?”

She laughed. “Yes. Like you, hanging all my panties up on Davis’s office door with a note that said, welcome to the pussy palace.”

“I forgot about that one. You deserved it after setting up a fart bomb off in my suitcase to go off when I opened it.” He looked at her with a raised brow, waiting for her to admit it.

“I still plead the fifth on that.” She struggled not to laugh. “That was pretty funny. Your clothes smelled like farts for two days.”

“Ha-ha. I couldn’t get the smell to wash out. Everyone thought I needed to see a doctor, and Davis threatened to put me on medical leave. He didn’t believe you did that and thought I was sick.” He started laughing. “You’re an evil woman.”

“One who you just admitted to having feelings for. Just think of the chaos we can do if we join forces.” She grabbed his cheeks, giving his lips a sweet, brief peck. “I guess I should admit that I have crushed on you for years. You’re freaking hot and it annoys the shit out of me. I so wanted to hate you. I’m supposed to hate you; not want to love you.”

He raised in his seat, perking up at the thought. “Love me?”

“Don’t get too excited there, slick. I’m not there yet. We have a lot of making up to do.”

Slade kissed and nuzzled into her neck. “I can get on board with that. Making up can be fun.”

Candy leaned her head back, moving her hair to allow him better access. “Mmm. It really could be.”

“Was that a hint of seduction in your voice? Is my Sprinkles finally going to give me a taste of her sweet candy center?”

“Play your cards right, and I just might. Tonight, will you just hold me? I need you to hold me for real tonight. Not because of the cuffs.” She reached up, rubbing her fingers through the short stubble of his beard that was forming from a few days of missing a shave.

“Sounds like a good place to start.” He smiled, touching his nose to hers, finally feeling he might get what he had been craving. His pink, candy-coated princess.

Candy smiled from ear to ear as his affection warmed her heart. It felt foreign to feel happy, but with Slade, she thought maybe she could. She just hoped it would last when, for her, happiness seldom did.