Pleasure in His Kiss

by Pamela Yaye

  “You’re a bad boy trapped in a judge’s body,” Karma teased. “And you love getting down and dirty, just like me.”

  Morrison shook off his concerns, cleared every doubt from his mind as his girlfriend stroked his chest through his short-sleeve denim shirt. With Karma, he never knew what to expect, and it was damn hot. One day, it was a quickie in the shower, the next it was sex in an elevator. It didn’t matter where they hooked up; the sex was always outstanding. More exhilarating than a roller coaster ride, and Morrison was addicted. So desperate for her, he couldn’t resist sliding his hands under her dress and stroking her bottom.

  “That’s what makes us so good together,” she continued. “Our ability to live in the moment, regardless of where we are, is what makes our lovemaking magical. And hot.”

  Morrison dropped his mouth to hers. “I want to bend you over the kitchen table, hike up your dress and bury myself deep inside you.”

  Smirking, she batted her long, thick eyelashes. “What’s stopping you?”

  “I’m weak for you, Karma. You’re all I think about, all I want, the only one for me...” He broke off speaking, couldn’t believe the words that had come out of his mouth. Morrison heard the longing in his voice, the vulnerability, and wanted to slap himself for acting desperate. He was, but he didn’t want Karma to know he’d fallen hard for her. Wanted to wait until they’d been dating for a six months before he confessed his true feelings. Didn’t want to scare her off by dropping the L bomb too soon.

  “Please tell me you remembered to buy the tickets this morning,” Karma said, undoing the buttons on his shirt, pressing her lips against his neck. “I promised Reagan I’d get her tickets for the Bruno Mars concert next month, but I was swamped at the salon.”

  “How could I forget? Reagan texted me a hundred times, and so did you!”

  Karma wore an apologetic smile. “Sorry, babe, I wasn’t trying to be a nag.”

  “I know. Good news. I got four front-row seats, so we can chaperone Reagan’s date.”

  “You give new meaning to the term doting uncle,” she quipped with a laugh.

  “I’m just glad I got the tickets. You were right. Reagan’s worked really hard this term, the whole year actually, and she deserves a night out on the town.”

  “Exactly!” Karma kissed his lips. “I love when you quote me. It’s such a turn-on—”

  A chime echoed throughout the house, and Karma trailed off speaking.

  “If we’re lucky, they’ll get tired of waiting and go away,” she said with a sly wink.

  No such luck. The doorbell rang again and again, so many times Morrison lost count, and Karma groaned in frustration. “Damn, those Girl Guides! They have the worst timing ever.”

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, affectionately patting her hips. “Wait here. Don’t move.”

  “Hurry back, or I’m starting without you!”

  Chuckling, Morrison buttoned his shirt and fixed his crooked belt as he marched through the main floor. Sunshine poured through the skylights, and the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the estate provided striking views of the expansive grounds. A blend of modern and rustic accents, with an open-concept living space, Morrison loved that he could cook, drink wine, research legal cases and watch ESPN on his big-screen TV all at the same time.

  In the foyer Morrison heard someone banging on the front door, and peered through the peephole to see who his visitor was. His mood soured faster than a cup of milk left out in the sun. What is Toya doing here? Doesn’t she have someone else to bother? Somewhere else to be? In the year she’d been dating his kid brother, he couldn’t recall her ever coming to his house alone, so Morrison knew there was a problem. With Toya there always was. She enjoyed drama, got off on arguing and debating with people about hot-button issues, and Morrison didn’t want her at his house—not when he was about to sex Karma on his kitchen counter.

  Morrison gripped the door handle, turned it and greeted his future sister-in-law with a warm smile, even though he’d rather get a colonoscopy on live TV than have a conversation with the petulant blonde. She was there to discuss Roderick going to rehab, no doubt, but Morrison played dumb, pretended he didn’t know why she was standing on his welcome mat.

  “What a pleasant surprise,” he lied, noting the peeved expression on her face. Dressed in a striped crop top and see-through leggings, her hair up in a messy ponytail, he guessed Toya was on her way home from spin class, and wished she’d driven past his house instead of dropping by unannounced. “What brings you to my neck of the woods?”

  “Who do you think you are?” Her hazel eyes narrowed and darkened with anger. “How dare you pressure Roderick to go to rehab? He doesn’t need treatment any more than you do, so get a life, and leave my man the hell alone.”

  Morrison spoke through clenched teeth. “Lower your voice. I have company.”

  “I don’t care. I want this situation rectified today, before Roderick does something stupid and ruins our future.” Her tone was shrill, panicked. “Tell him you’ve changed your mind about everything. Tell him he doesn’t need to go to the Securities Exchange and Commission on Thursday or to rehab—”

  “Sooner or later the SEC will uncover what Roderick did. They always do.”

  “Or not. For every guy they catch, ten go unnoticed, and Roderick will be one of the lucky ones.” Toya put a hand on her chest. “I know it in my heart. Roderick’s not going to jail. He did nothing wrong.”

  “It’s obvious you’re in denial, but Roderick is guilty of insider trading and he needs to do the right thing before it’s too late.” Lowering his head, Morrison pinched the bridge of his nose, tried his best to keep it together. He wasn’t in the mood for Toya’s nonsense. Wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of riling him up. “A real man takes responsibilities for his mistakes, Toya. He doesn’t run from them.”

  “Do you hear yourself? You’re talking crazy—”

  “No, what’s crazy is standing by and watching the man you say you love destroy himself with booze. Every day in this country healthy, young men like my brother die of alcohol poisoning and I’m not going to pretend he doesn’t have a problem. Roderick needs help—”

  “No, he doesn’t. He’s fine. Just because Roderick likes to unwind by having a couple drinks at the end of a long workday doesn’t mean he has a problem. He doesn’t. He’s stressed out. That’s all.”

  Morrison cringed. His estate was his sanctuary, his favorite place to relax and unwind, and Karma often joked it had more rooms than the Hyatt Hotel, but Toya was so loud Morrison knew Karma could hear what Toya was saying, and wished the spoiled and pampered princess would get the hell out. Morrison didn’t argue with her, knew if he did, Toya would never leave, and he wanted her gone. Now. Before he lost his temper and said something he’d regret. Something that could ruin his close-knit relationship with his brother.

  “You’re going to fix this today,” Toya announced.

  “If you loved Roderick the way you say you do, you’d want what’s best for him.”

  “You ass!” she cursed. “Of course, I want what’s best for Roderick, but what I don’t want is for us to be laughed at and gossiped about around town. Neither would your parents. What do you think will happen when they find out about your plans?”

  Damn. Roderick still hadn’t talked to their mom and dad? What was he waiting for? They didn’t know about his meeting with the SEC next Thursday? The news was shocking, almost knocked Morrison off his feet. Toya’s words gave him pause, made him realize he’d never considered how his parents would feel about Roderick’s decision. Not because he didn’t care, because he didn’t feel it was his place to tell them. It wasn’t too late to call a family meeting, and once Toya left he’d touch base with his brothers about it. “I don’t mean to be rude, Toya, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  “I’m not going anyw
here until you call Roderick and make this right.”

  As if it was her estate, and her name was on the deed, Toya pushed past him and marched down the hallway and into the kitchen. Stopping abruptly, she glanced from Morrison to Karma, fine lines wrinkling her forehead. “Who are you?”

  Smiling brightly, Karma waved and rose from her seat. “Hi. I’m Karma Sullivan.”

  “Toya Janssen. Are you one of Reagan’s friends from Hampton Academy?”

  “You think I’m a high school student?” Her face lit up. “Morrison, I like her a lot.”

  Yeah, well, you’re the only one. It was an open secret that his mom didn’t like Toya, but for the sake of peace Viola kept her opinions to herself. Toya was living the high life and wanted Roderick to foot the bill, and that didn’t sit well with his fiercely independent mother, and the other hardworking women in the Drake family.

  Morrison stood beside Karma and put an arm around her waist. He was proud of her, loved showing her off and boasting about her accomplishments. He’d agreed to be her date for the Hamptons Women’s Association banquet, and was convinced Karma would be named Businesswoman of the Year. “Karma’s my girlfriend,” he said, his chest puffed up with pride.

  Toya’s eyes bulged out of her head. “You have a girlfriend?”

  “Yeah, and she’s smart, successful and, as you can see, stunning.”

  “Did you meet at the courthouse? Karma, are you a judge too?”

  “Me? A judge? No, I own the hottest new beauty salon in town, so the next time you need your hair, nails and makeup done come to Beauty by Karma, and I’ll hook you up.”

  Leaving the women to talk, Morrison returned to the stove to prepare the spinach-cranberry salad and parmesan garlic rolls. His mouth watered, and his stomach groaned and growled at the aromas in the air.

  “Morrison, this isn’t over,” Toya said, trailing behind him. “Roderick has enough on his plate without you stressing him out, so let him be.”

  Silently, Morrison counted to ten, told himself not to argue with her, no matter what she said.

  “Haven’t you learned anything from Emmanuelle’s death? You’re going to drive Roderick away, just like you did your sister, and it could result in tragic consequences.”

  His stomach plunged to his feet.

  “Toya, we’ll discuss this another time—”

  “No, we’ll talk now,” she insisted. “Karma needs to know the kind of man she’s dealing with, and I’m just the person to tell her.”

  Her words were filled with such venom, Morrison stared at her in disgust. Felt bad that his brother was marrying a woman with no class. Toya had a pretty face and a trim body, but she had a bad attitude. Still, he didn’t lash out at her. Morrison started to speak, but Karma interrupted him, surprised him by speaking up for herself, and he appreciated her mature response.

  “Toya, that’s not necessary. Morrison is a great guy who treats me exceptionally well, and there’s nothing you can say that will change the way I feel about him.”

  You tell her, baby! Morrison wanted to throw his hands in the air and shout “Booyah!” in Toya’s face, but since he didn’t want to make the situation worse he tamped down his excitement and concentrated on chopping the vegetables on the cutting board.

  “We should do drinks sometime.” Karma opened her handbag, took out a business card and offered it to Toya. “Give me a call. Maybe we can meet up one day next week.”

  “No, thanks. I have enough friends, and I don’t need any more.” Facing Morrison, she folded her arms rigidly across her chest. “Do you have to go to the SEC on Thursday? Can’t you wait until after Roderick and I celebrate our anniversary on June twentieth? It’s a big day for us, and I don’t want to be alone.”

  “I thought Roderick was going to London for a week on business?”

  “Yeah, but he’ll, um, only be gone for a few days.” The expression on her face softened. “Please, Morrison? I have something special planned for Roderick, and it would mean a lot to me if you could postpone the meeting.”

  Putting down the knife, Morrison considered Toya’s request. Maybe he was wrong about her. Maybe she wasn’t an opportunist who only cared about herself. Had he judged her too harshly? Toya was scared about the future, and Morrison didn’t blame her. He was too. Couldn’t stop thinking about the meeting with the SEC. Roderick’s actions could have serious repercussions for his family, and in the back of his mind he was worried about his brother’s choices affecting his Supreme Court aspirations. Filled with sympathy, he nodded his head. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Spinning around on her heels, Toya left without saying another word, mumbling under her breath about her life being over. Morrison wiped his hands on a dishcloth and followed her through the foyer. He wanted to see Toya get inside her Porsche and drive off before he locked the door and returned to the kitchen.

  Reentering the room seconds later, Morrison dropped down on the couch. He needed a moment to gather himself. Karma sat beside him and rubbed his shoulder. She didn’t speak, didn’t have to. Just having her beside him was enough. Thinking about Emmanuelle always made him emotional, but he’d never felt closer to Karma, and wanted to confide in her about his sister. “Emmanuelle got into an argument with my parents one night during dinner about her horrible university grades, and when she disrespected my mom, I lost it. I told her she was a selfish, ungrateful brat who needed to grow up.”

  “Those are some harsh words.”

  “I lost my temper, and as soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them, but it was too late. Emmanuelle grabbed her purse, and stormed out of the mansion in a huff.” Morrison swallowed hard. “That was the last time I saw her alive.”

  Moving closer to him, Karma hugged him tight, lovingly held him in her arms.

  “For the life of me, I can’t understand why my sister decided to go for a late-night swim after her best friend dozed off on the patio.” Embarrassed that he couldn’t control his emotions, Morrison stared down at the Persian rug so Karma couldn’t see the tears in his eyes. “Emmanuelle loved the water and was an exceptional swimmer, so I don’t know how she could have drowned. The coroner said she had a deadly mix of alcohol and prescription drugs in her system, and even after all these years none of it makes sense to me.”

  “Morrison, I am so sorry for your loss,” Karma said in a quiet voice.

  Overwhelmed by his emotions, he struggled to speak, couldn’t get the words out. It never got easier talking about his sister’s death, and he choked up every time he said her name. Morrison kept his head down, didn’t want Karma to know he was hurting inside.

  “Losing a loved one is the most helpless feeling in the world, and hard to cope with.”

  “I was in so much pain after Emmanuelle’s death I thought I was going to die.”

  “That must have been a horrible time for you and your family.”

  “My sister’s death brought us closer together, and I learned not to take the people I love for granted anymore,” Morrison confessed. “Taking care of Reagan helped ease the pain, but not a day goes by that I don’t miss Emmanuelle, or think about her. She will always carry a special place in my heart, and I will never forget her.”

  Karma nodded her head in understanding. “My mom and I were close, and my life feels empty without her. That’s why I work nonstop. To fill the void, and distract me from the pain.”

  “You don’t need to work eighty hours a week anymore. You have me.”

  “You’re just as busy as I am,” she countered. “Between work, meetings with your associates in Washington and keeping tabs on Reagan, you hardly have any free time, either.”

  Troubled by her words, Morrison felt the need to defend himself. “I know you think I’m hard on Reagan but at Emmanuelle’s funeral I promised myself I’d do everything in my power to help my niece succeed. And I will.”

  �
�Success comes in many different forms, Morrison. I don’t have an executive job in a fancy downtown office, or a lakefront mansion yet,” she said with supreme confidence. “But I love what I do, and I’m a millionaire. I’m not keeping up with the Joneses. I am the Joneses!”

  Eyes wide, his head snapped up. Morrison shouldn’t have been surprised. Of course Beauty by Karma was doing well financially—Karma was the owner. She had more personality than a game show host and made friends wherever she went. “You’re a millionaire? Wow, baby, that’s great. The next time we go to SushiSamba for lunch you’re picking up the check, so don’t forget your platinum card!”

  Karma giggled. “You wish! Speaking of lunch, where is it? I’m starving, so quit lounging around on the couch and get back to the kitchen.”

  “Typical New Yorker. You’re not happy unless you’re telling someone what to do,” Morrison said with a laugh, helping Karma to her feet.

  “What are you going to do about Toya?” she asked, a curious expression on her face.

  “I’ll reschedule our meeting with investigators at the SEC, but I’m not going to lie to Roderick to make Toya happy. He’s my family, and I won’t turn my back on him. He needs me now more than ever, and I have to help him.”

  “I admire your loyalty and commitment to your brother,” Karma said, squeezing his hands. “Your family is lucky to have you watching over them.”

  “And I’m lucky to call you my girl.”

  Karma kissed his lips, slowly, tenderly, and a delicious sensation flooded his body. In that moment, Morrison realized he couldn’t fight his feelings anymore. He wanted to be the only man in her life, for the rest of her life, and knew in his heart that Karma was the only woman for him. Cupping her face in his hands, he deepened the kiss, feasted on her lips.