Good Karma (42 page)

She pointed an angry finger in the same
direction. “
THAT
happens to be the best man I’ve ever gone
out with, Dad!”

“You can do better.” He spun toward their
food, giving her his back.

“Where? Where, Dad? I’ve tried to ‘do better’
and it’s gotten me nowhere. Every guy I’ve gone out with—and there
haven’t been that many, I might add—has turned out to be a major
loser. Would you like to hear how awful they were?” She had used an
online dating service last summer, which had been horrific. She
began ticking off the list of dating nightmares scrolling through
her mind from those two awful months. “Okay, let’s see, there was
the guy who ‘channeled the moon’s energy’ to try and look down my
blouse, a guy who defined taking me to a car dealership as a date,
a guy who invoiced me for my half of dinner when I didn’t put out.
Shall I continue, Dad? Because that’s just some of what I’ve had to
put up with from men.” She didn’t want to mention Richard or Brian.
“There are a lot of serious assholes out there, and I think I’ve
met them all, but Mark isn’t one of them. He isn’t like that. He’s
a gentleman. He’s nice. He treats me well. And he’s made me feel as
if I’m actually desirable for the first time in my life. Yes, Dad.
Desirable
.” She slapped her palm in the center of her chest.
“
ME
! Mark thinks I’m perfect. And for once, I’m starting to
believe it. All my life I’ve felt lost and inferior and imperfect,
like I didn’t know who I was. But now, because of Mark, I don’t
feel that way, anymore. He’s given me my confidence. He’s helped me
find my voice. So, fine. He and I work together. So what? I’m
seeing Solar’s consultant. But you know what? I’m glad. I refuse to
regret it, no matter what happens.” She didn’t realize she had
tears in her eyes until she came up for air.

Her dad stood across the kitchen from her,
staring. “I didn’t know it was so bad for you, honey.”

She swiped her palms across her cheeks to
wipe away the tears. “Well, it has been. But it’s not anymore. And
it’s because of
that man
who just walked out the door.” She
pointed toward the living room.

Her dad sighed. “I know it seems that way
now, honey, but he’s not good for you.”

“How can you say that? You don’t even know
him.”

“I know that he works with you, and that’s
not right, Karma. He’s taken advantage of his situation to get
close to you.”

“He didn’t take advantage of the situation,
Dad. I met him before I even knew he was going to be working at
Solar. I met him in Chicago when I went to that benefit with
Daniel.”

Her dad frowned and turned away. “I don’t
care.” He continued unpacking food. “Once he found out the two of
you would be working together, he should have ended it. It’s not
right.” He stopped and leaned his arms on the counter, keeping his
head down. “And you lied about it.” His accusing glare skewered her
heart. “On Memorial Day, you lied and told everybody you weren’t
seeing him.”

He had nailed her.

“I’m sorry, Dad. But I couldn’t let him get
in trouble.”

“
Him
?” Dad pushed against the counter
and gritted his teeth. “What about
you
, Karma? Aren’t you
worried about yourself?”

“Sure I am.” She huffed and crossed her arms.
“That’s why I lied. To protect both of us.” It was a lame
excuse.

Her dad exhaled heavily. “Karma, what do you
think is going to happen here?” His heated gaze pierced hers again.
“Do you think this
boy
is going to stay with you? Do
you?”

Karma couldn’t find her voice to respond. She
let her gaze drop to the floor.

“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen,” her
dad said, his voice calmer. “That boy is going to have his fun with
you and you with him, and along the way, you’re going to fall in
love—hell, you probably already have. Then, when his job here is
done, he’s going to pack up, go back to Chicago, and leave you
here. Alone and broken-hearted. Is that what you want? To be used
like that?”

“Dad…” Karma’s voice sounded small. Her dad
had no idea how right he was about so many things.

“Is it? Because I thought I did a better job
raising you than that.”

“You did, Dad.” Karma willed herself not to
cry. “Mark isn’t
using
me. It’s not like that with him. I
know what I’m doing.”

“Do you know what
he’s
doing?”

“Yes, Dad. Okay? I know what this is and what
it isn’t. I know he’s going to go back to Chicago.”

“And you think he’s going to take you with
him. Is that it?”

“Of course not. That’s not going to
happen.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Yes.”

Her dad’s narrowed eyes and clenched jaw said
he wasn’t buying it, but he didn’t push further. “Fine, but I hope
you’re right about knowing what you’re doing, Karma. I don’t want
to see you get hurt by that boy.”
Boy
. Not man. Calling him
a boy was like an exclamation point. It was the judge’s gavel
falling. No matter what happened from here on out, Mark’s fate was
forever sealed in Dad’s eyes.

“He won’t hurt me,” she said. “Now, can we
drop it and eat?” She dug the serving spoon into the lasagna as if
she were digging through rock.

Dad spooned fettuccine onto his plate then
speared it with a fork, turned, and walked out.

Great. Father-daughter night had just been
reduced to an awkward, speechless cesspool.

Chapter 35

Not all of
the puzzle pieces of life seem to fit together at first. But, in
time, you’ll find they do so, perfectly.

-Doe Zantamata

Mark shut the door that led from the garage to the
kitchen and flipped on the light.

Things had almost gotten out of hand tonight.
Again. If not for Karma’s dad, Mark didn’t think he could have
stopped from taking things all the way, which wasn’t how he had
planned their first time. But she had looked so sweet, and he had
missed her more than he thought. Then he’d seen the books on her
dresser, and his mind ran away with him. By the time she started
telling him about the fantasy from the Penthouse book, he had
already been losing his restraint.

He had almost gotten himself under control,
though, but then she scratched her fingernails against his scalp
and kissed the side of his forehead. After that, the animal inside
him had reared up and struck, refusing to be collared. In that
instant, he had wanted her in a way he had never wanted a
woman.

What was it about Karma that excited him
beyond his ability to maintain control? That overrode every shred
of reasoning he possessed? The moment he saw her, logic fled and
passion ruled. In only a month, he had grown unbelievably addicted
to her, and he was in no hurry to give her up.

He pulled off his shirt as he climbed the
stairs to his loft bedroom, where his home office took up half the
spacious room. Maybe it was time to invite her over. She had yet to
visit him at the condo, and maybe on his own turf he could regain
control and not let his mind wander down paths that could never
be.

Tonight, for instance. He had wanted to make
love to her. Not because it was part of some timetable and he felt
she was ready, but because…well…it had felt right. So incredibly
right. With Karma, he didn’t have to hide. She made him feel
secure, which was strange, because he was supposed to be the one
making
her
feel safe. And yet, he couldn’t deny what he
felt. Karma made him forget about the pain of his past, which was
something no other woman had ever done. In her way, she was helping
him as much as he was helping her, which was something he hadn’t
expected.

He stuffed his shirt into his laundry bag and
changed out of his jeans into a pair of sweats. He was still hard.
He had been since the moment he saw her bare, pink-tipped toes.

Kicking back on the bed, he ignored the
reports lying beside him and turned on the news. But his mind
wasn’t focused on the rising price of gasoline, or the shooting
that had taken place on the South Side, or even on the approaching
cold front. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, his thoughts still
on the unbelievable, enigmatic, ever surprising bundle of sweetness
and sizzle named Karma Mason.

What had happened after he left her
apartment. Had she told her father who he was? If so, had he read
her the riot act? Probably so. Any good father wouldn’t want his
daughter in such a relationship.

Mark could have stayed to lend support, but
leaving had been the right thing to do. He didn’t need to meddle in
her family life, especially since he would return to Chicago when
this was all over. Standing beside her in an argument with her dad
would have only created confusion.

More
confusion.

He couldn’t let himself lose sight of how
this would end. No matter how much he liked her or how eager he was
to have her, he had to keep his head about him. This was not the
time to let his emotions take over.

“What are you doing, Strong?” he said
quietly, chastising himself. “You’re blowing it.” He rubbed his
palms over his face.
Get your head on straight and quit thinking
she’s different than the others. She’s not. She’s just another
woman. That’s it. And she, more than all the others, holds the
power to hurt you the most. Don’t let that happen. Do what you said
you’d do and leave it at that. By winter, you’ll be back in
Chicago, and she’ll still be here. That’s the plan. That’s what you
told her. And that’s how it’s going to be.

He decided to forego the reports until
morning, went to the bathroom, hopped in the shower, and gave
himself what his body had wanted for the last hour.

As he came, it was the fantasy of Karma
kissing his temple, scratching her nails against his scalp and
shuddering through her own orgasm that he replayed through his
mind.

So much for his pep talk.

Chapter 36

Passion
makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots
clever.

-Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Sunday afternoon, Mark set aside his work and sent
Karma a text.
How did it go last night after I left?

A couple of minutes later, she replied.
Dad kind of freaked, but so did I.

How so?

Before she could reply, he dialed her
number.

“How did I know you would call?” she
said.

“Because you’re getting to know how I
operate.”

“Ah, that must be it.”

He leaned back in his chair. “So, what
happened?”

She relayed the details of the conversation
with her father while he doodled her face on his notepad. Twice.
When she finished, Mark set down his pen and ran his palm down his
face. “I didn’t mean to cause a problem between you and your
dad.”

“You didn’t, Mark. I love my dad more than
anything, but he’s always been difficult when it comes to men…or
boys, as he calls them. To be honest, I don’t think he would have
liked you even if you weren’t working at Solar. You could have gone
to Harvard or Yale and dined with the Queen of England, and he
still wouldn’t have liked you.”

“Actually, I came close to going to
Harvard.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The
business school in Chicago was more to my liking.”

“Well, even if you’d gone, Dad still wouldn’t
like you. He thinks you’re using me.”

“I
am
using you,” he said
jokingly.

“Shut up.” She laughed.

“Oh wait.
You’re
using
me
.
That’s right. I got confused.”

“Mark.”

He chuckled. “I don’t mind being used.”

“I’m not using you.”

He settled back in his chair, getting serious
again. “I know.”

“We’re two consenting adults enjoying each
other’s company,” she said with finality.

“That we are.” The fact that her dad knew
they worked together posed another problem, though. “Do you think
he’ll tell anyone at Solar about us?” Her dad knew some of her
coworkers and was friends with Don.

“I doubt it, but it’s possible.”

“Karma, if this has become too much for you,
I’ll understand if you want to end it. I don’t want you and your
dad—”

“No,” she said. “I don’t want this to end.
It’s too late now, anyway. He already knows. If he’s going to tell
anyone, he’s going to tell them whether we continue seeing each
other or not. If I’m going to get in trouble, I may as well make it
worthwhile, right?”

He smiled. “Who are you? You’re definitely
not the same woman I met in Chicago.”

She giggled. “Yes, I am. I’m just a new and
improved version of that woman, thanks to you.”

“You’re a lot more ballsy.”

“Is that bad?”

“Absolutely not. I like seeing you sticking
up for what you want.”

“Well, I want you.”

Gratitude and humility sliced down his spine.
Her words briefly rendered him speechless. He liked being wanted by
her…wanted badly enough that she was willing to risk getting in
trouble to keep seeing him. What a strange feeling this knowledge
gave him. He couldn’t promise her forever. He couldn’t love her.
She knew this. He hadn’t given her one good reason to put herself,
her job, her reputation, or her relationship with her father on the
line, but she was willing to jeopardize all those things to be with
him.

He suddenly felt so small. He wasn’t worthy
of such devotion, and yet he was more grateful than words could
express.

“Karma, you risk too much for me.”

“It’s worth it.” The words sounded familiar.
“Remember when you told me that? That night in the parking garage
when I asked why you would risk getting in trouble just so we could
see each other, you told me it was worth it. Now I get it. I
understand now what you meant.”