Good Karma

by Donya Lynne

  It wasn’t a question, but she felt compelled to answer, anyway. “Yes.” The word barely escaped her throat on a breath. Her fingers curled against his shirt, and she gulped as her eyes blinked heavily.

  His lips danced to the other side of her neck, and his arm around her waist pulled her closer. “You’re a woman searching,” he said softly. “You’re a woman trying to find out who she is and where she fits in the world. You yearn for more, hunger for a man to make you feel things you’ve never felt, but you’re afraid because that’s not how you were raised, is it?”

  He was right. In just a few hours, he really had learned a lot about her.

  “You were raised to be a good girl, weren’t you?”

  Once again, all she could do was nod and cling to him for fear of floating away if she let go.

  “That’s what I find so attractive about you. It’s why I can’t seem to stop touching you, misbehaving around you. You are a good girl. You just want to be a little bad.” He lifted his face and looked her square in the eyes. His lips were almost touching hers.

  In the distance, the music changed to something more down-tempo.

  “That’s why you didn’t tell me you knew Sonya Saturday night. Because you enjoyed the intrigue, the mystery. You enjoyed keeping me to yourself and letting me think you were someone you weren’t. You liked being a little bad. You liked that no one knew you and that for one night you could pretend to be someone else…to indulge your fantasy to be something you aren’t.” His lips brushed hers so lightly that she wondered if she only imagined it. “But what if I told you that I think you pretended to be who you really are? You just don’t know how to be that person in a reality that’s been created for you by someone else.” Again, his lips whispered over hers, and her eyelids fluttered as she forced herself to inhale. “And your taste for a little bad was why you wore that dress, wasn’t it?” His index finger slowly skimmed under her jaw and chin, leaving behind a trail of tiny starbursts. “It surprised you how sexy you felt in that dress. You enjoyed the way all those men looked at you even though you didn’t want to. But you did enjoy it, didn’t you?”

  She could do nothing but stare into his mesmerizing eyes and pant.

  “And you enjoyed when I looked at you, too. You liked my eyes on you, appraising you. You didn’t want to like it so much, but you did.” He paused, and his gaze circled her face before meeting hers again. “You wanted the fantasy that I was ready to offer. That’s why you don’t think my actions were inappropriate. But it terrified you when you had it in your grasp. I see that now.” His eyes narrowed. “Something held you back, and I know you had your reasons, but something scared you away. I don’t know what that was, but I know it’s there.” His gaze searched hers as if looking for a chink in her defenses to expose the truth she didn’t want him to see.

  Everything he said resonated so truthfully inside her there was no way she could deny it. She had a feeling there was nothing he couldn’t learn about her if he wanted to.

  “You want excitement and passion and pleasure,” he said without preamble. “And I can give them to you.”

  No doubt he could. If how she felt this very moment, pressed submissively against his body and captured by his voice, was any indication, achieving pleasure, excitement, and passion wouldn’t be a problem with Mark. But they were in her world now, not his. This was Indianapolis, not Chicago. There were expectations here. She had responsibilities. Recklessness and wild abandon were for her fantasies.

  “I…I don’t know,” she said weakly, reality interfering once more with the fantasy of the two of them exploring the many definitions of pleasure and passion with one another.

  A wry grin played over his mouth. “You can be my—how did you put it? ‘Little project,’ I think is the term you used.” He tilted his head to one side. “Would you like that?”

  Yes, she would. Very much. She just wasn’t sure she could pull it off. Being with him when they worked together would definitely be “a little bad,” and the idea thrilled her. But it also scared her.

  “What about work?” she said.

  “We’re both adults. No one at your office needs to know. As long as we’re careful.”

  “What if they find out?”

  “Then we’ll deal with it.”

  She bit her lip, wanting to say yes while the practical voice in her head shouted no. “I don’t know,” she said again.

  He pulled back. Not entirely, but enough that instant disappointment rushed in to the places where anticipation had been just a moment ago. “I know it’s risky. Yes, I could get slapped on the wrist and lectured about the merits of not dating the employees of the companies I work with. And there’s a slim—very slim—possibility my boss would pull me off the assignment if he found out.” He shrugged one shoulder dismissively. “But that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  “Why? Why risk your job?”

  “I wouldn’t be risking my job, just a little chastisement.” He studied her for a moment. “I met you before I knew we’d be working together. I like you. And I think you like me. Am I correct?”

  Her face was perpetually warm. “Yes, but so what? You could get in trouble.”

  “It would be worth it.”

  “Worth getting in trouble? Why? Just because we like each other?” What was she doing? The devil on her shoulder hopped up and down, yelling at her to shut up already, while the angel nodded chastely and expressed how proud it was of her. If she was being honest, she was kind of on the devil’s side, so, yeah, perhaps stopping her protests and looking for a way a relationship with him could work might be a good thing.

  Mark reverently caressed her face. “You’re a rarity, Karma. You obviously affect me.” His arm tightened around her waist once more, and he took a deep, shaky breath. “I can’t stop touching you. I can’t stop looking at you.” A gentle puff of air burst from his nose, making it sound as if he was just as baffled at his reaction to her as she was. “I rarely feel this way about a woman.” He sounded like he was talking more to himself than to her. “You excite me. I want to be inside your secrets. I want to share the same breath with you and swallow my name when you whisper it as I’m giving you more pleasure than you’ve ever known.”

  The devil shoved the angel off Karma’s shoulder and flipped it off as heat spiked inside her body.

  “And I want to know what made you run from my room when you clearly wanted to be there.”

  Karma’s pulse raced at the thought.

  “You’re a mystery, and mysteries intrigue me.” Like an artist studying a portrait, he tilted his head to one side then the other. “I can’t let you go when I haven’t had a chance to solve you.”

  Karma’s mouth fell open on a soft gasp that sounded a little like “oh.”

  “That’s why you’re worth the risk, Karma.”

  She closed her mouth and swallowed. “I see.” But she still wasn’t convinced this was a good idea.

  Mark took a labored step back. “Okay, how about this? I’m driving back to Chicago tonight, just for the weekend. While I’m gone, would you at least consider what I’m offering? We can talk again next week…see what you’ve decided. How does that sound? Will you at least think about it?”

  “What if I say no?” After what he had just said and how aroused she was, she wasn’t sure “no” was even part of her vocabulary, anymore.

  “I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll respect your decision and won’t bring it up again.”

  She was thrilled to know he would be disappointed if she declined him, which should have been her first clue as to just how deep she already was.

  “What if I say yes?”

  Hope flickered in his eyes and that one dimple in his right cheek tugged at her heart. “If you say yes, your fantasies will be my fantasies, and I’ll show you how good it feels to be a little bad.”

  With just a look, Mark could make her feel things she had never felt. With just the subtle inflection of his voice, he made her soul sing
, her body warm, and her pulse quicken. She barely knew him, and worse yet, she now worked with him. As Solar’s new consultant, he held the authority to destroy her job if he saw fit, and yet, instead of scaring her, that power excited her more than if she had won a Pulitzer.

  What was happening between her and Mark felt like the arrival of Halley’s Comet. Something that occurred once in a lifetime. Twice for those lucky to have been born at the right time and live long enough. Should she revel in her good fortune that fate had brought Mark into her life twice in only one week? Or should she let Halley’s Comet pass her by?

  Again.

  Chapter 13

  Focus on the positive.

  -Author Unknown

  As morning dew glistened the grass and thin fog hovered over Peterman Lake, Karma’s dad rowed them toward their favorite fishing spot.

  “You’ve been quiet this morning,” her dad said.

  Karma hadn’t said much on the trip down and had spent the past ten minutes staring at the glassy water, watching the ripples from the boat roll over the surface.

  She reached for her fishing pole. “Just tired.”

  Her dad didn’t look convinced. “Tired? A morning person like you?”

  She brushed a wavy strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Long week at work.”

  It wasn’t a total lie. One week with Mark Strong would make any woman tired…from lack of sleep…because how could she sleep when she was fantasizing about such a magnificent man? And then there was last night and his proposal, the main reason for her silence. Her mind was still working over the pros and cons of getting involved with Mark outside the office.

  On one hand was the potential for pleasure unlike anything she’d ever experienced, at the hands of the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on. God, but Mark did such erotic things to her body without even touching it. On the other hand was the danger of being caught, as well as the risk of engaging in taboo behavior. Getting involved with the company’s consultant could be hazardous to her professional health if anyone found out.

  “Don working you hard?”

  She busied herself rummaging through her tackle box, re-familiarizing herself with her old lures. “No, not really.” She tried to keep her voice even. “A consultant came down from Chicago on Monday. He’s got everyone a bit on edge.” Some more than others. “Everyone’s wondering why he’s here and expecting the worst.”

  Dad dropped the red brick they used as an anchor over the side of the boat. Rope was weaved through the holes and knotted around the outside to keep it secure. “Do you think they’re going to lay people off?” He took her fishing rod and plucked a floating lure from her tackle box.

  “I don’t know.” Her dad tied the lure to her line. “I hope not, but it’s possible.” In a way, thinking she was attracted to a man who held the power to lay off her coworkers was a bit morbid. As if she were a traitor. Then she remembered how Mark’s lips had brushed lightly over hers last night and how her body lit up afterward. If being a traitor felt that good, then fine, consider her a turncoat. Let her coworkers fend for themselves.

  “Well, whatever happens, it will all work out.” Just like Lisa, her dad always searched for the silver lining.

  “I guess.” She took back her rod and cast her line.

  After that, no more was said. Her dad was a serious fisherman. He had one rule: No talking. It scared away the fitches, as he called them.

  And that was fine by her. No talking meant more fantasizing.

  With the sun climbing higher into the sky, she wondered what Mark was doing? Was he thinking about her, too? Yeah, sure. If he was thinking about her right now, she was Miss America.

  Chapter 14

  Being there for a friend is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Another one is allowing them to be there for you, too.

  -Doe Zantamata

  Mark stood on the balcony of his Chicago apartment, overlooking Lakeshore Drive and Lake Michigan beyond. His bathrobe hung open, and he wore red flannel pajama bottoms over bare feet. A coffee mug warmed his hand. He had driven home after dinner with Karma last night and gotten in before midnight.

  The sounds of Chris Botti and Sting drifted from inside the apartment, playing a slow jazz number that fit his pensive mood.

  He sipped his coffee and smiled.

  Karma. What an intriguing name. What goes around comes around. Isn’t that what karma meant, generally speaking? What you give is what you get. What you put out you receive. Fate. Kismet. One’s lot in life. Destiny. How had she been given such an interesting name? And was her name a sign that destiny had brought them together?

  He grinned dubiously at the thought. He wasn’t one to believe in fate, destiny, and all that. Especially not after what had happened with Carol. If fate existed as some kind of cosmic guiding system, why would it lead a person into a situation that inflicted that kind of pain?

  He brushed the uncomfortable memories of his past aside before they could sour his mood. He would rather think about Karma.

  She was such a delightful woman. He loved her hair. Longish but not too long, wavy, auburn—almost brown. And her eyes. Karma had luminous, hypnotic eyes, which popped against her flawless, pale skin. She was clearly a woman who didn’t believe in tanning. Not even a spray tan.

  In a way, she reminded him of Emma Stone from the nose up, but she had a pouty, heart-shaped mouth that was more like Scarlett Johansson’s. A kissable mouth. Very kissable.

  And she was so full of promise…shy and insecure, but willing to learn. He hadn’t expected her to unbutton her blouse yesterday, but she had, which proved she wanted the excitement and the daring. Of course, she had rebuttoned it before dinner—a travesty he later corrected—but just the fact she had been willing to loosen her collar and show more skin at his suggestion in the first place indicated there was hope. Oh, the things he could teach her. He would lift her confidence, show her how to touch him, how to kiss him, as well as how to be touched and kissed in return. But most importantly, he would show her how to be the woman she wanted to be.

  He imagined her clothes discarded on the floor in his bedroom, a very naked and gorgeous Karma lying supine on his bed as he massaged her incredible feet. With her expanse of pale skin against his darker complexion, wouldn’t they look striking against one another?

  He sighed, and body parts south of his waistline perked up, especially when he imagined her in only that very sexy pair of black heels he’d helped her pick out last night. Wow. Just wow. The image robbed him of breath. He inhaled sharply to keep the oxygen flowing.

  Oh yes, the things he could teach her. But first she had to tell him yes. She seemed to be leaning in that direction, but there was always a chance she would tell him no when he returned to Indianapolis.

  Sure, he could simply let her go, find someone else to date, or simply be single for a while. But he didn’t want to let Karma go. For one, he didn’t like not getting something he wanted. Second of all, Karma fascinated him. And third, something about Karma screamed that she needed him. He could free her.

  Maybe it was a macho thing, but something about showing Karma the ways of pleasure he suspected she had only ever imagined brought out his inner caveman. He wanted to beat his chest and drag her back to his cave. Show all the other cavemen he was better than they were and could deliver in ways they couldn’t.

  Karma had become the project within the project…the prize in the Cracker Jack box he wanted to keep digging for…the rose whose petals he wanted to see unfold to reveal her as-yet-unseen depths.

  Before his thoughts swept him further away, his phone rang.

  Ducking inside, he smiled at his caller ID. “Hey, buddy. You ready to get your ass kicked?” He hadn’t talked to Rob since the benefit last weekend.

  Rob laughed. “You wish, old man. I’ve been practicing this week.”

  All the practice in the world wouldn’t help Rob, even though he had been lucky a few times when Mark was having an off day.
But today Mark was primed to release some pent-up energy. His game always excelled when he was keyed up, and Karma had him keyed up! As in, so far up that he would need a cinder block tied to his ankle to bring him back down.

  “Old man, my ass. I’m younger than you are.” Mark tossed his robe on the bed before snagging a T-shirt and a pair of shorts from the dresser.

  “Only by a few months.”

  “So what? I’m still younger. And you’ll be eating your words, pal. You don’t know what you’re in for. I might have a record-scoring day.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s got you so worked up?”

  As his best friend since junior high, Rob knew Mark well enough to know that if he was already gloating about a record day, something major had happened.

  “Oh nothing.” Mark sneered, dropped his change of clothes on the bathroom counter, and turned on the shower. He was going to need another one after a few games, but he didn’t feel fully awake until he washed off the sleep and grime from the day before.

  The line grew quiet. Then Rob started chuckling. “Oh shit. Don’t tell me you met someone down there.”

  Mark laughed. “You know me too well, asshole.” He didn’t have to tell Rob right now that he’d actually met Karma at the benefit. He could announce that newsflash later.

  “Jesus, Mark. Barely out of one relationship and into another. Hopefully you’ve told her up-front not to get her hopes up about anything serious.”

  “We’re not dating. Not yet, anyway.” Mark stripped out of his pajama bottoms.

  “What? Are you telling me she can actually resist your charm?”

  Mark checked the water’s temperature. “Something like that. Look, I’ll tell you about her later. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  “Okay. Get ready to get your ass kicked.”

  “Fuck you. Not a chance.” Mark disconnected and hopped in the shower.