Me? Jealous? Hahahahahahaha! Yes.
-Author Unknown
Karma lightly rapped her knuckles on Lisa’s office door.
Lisa looked up from her computer and burst into a smile. “Hey, girl! What are you doing here?”
“Mark and I are viewing a house today. I’m meeting him here, but I’m a little early.” She checked her watch, catching a glimpse of her engagement ring as she did.
It had been almost a month since they’d returned from Saint Lucia. Paradise. Where every day had seemed like a dream. Now they were back in the real world, and tropical beaches and day cruises on luxury yachts where she pretended to be a kidnap victim were a million miles away.
Mark had fallen behind from taking a week off for their vacation and had spent most of the last four weeks playing catch-up. Between that and her starting her new job, they hadn’t seen much of each other except in passing, so she was beyond ready for them to move in together. At least then she would see him more than a couple nights a week.
To make things even tougher, she was preparing for what she’d been warned was a labor-intensive online editing course that would last a year. But after she completed it, she would possess all the skills and knowledge necessary for her first promotion. Until then, she would work under a senior editor.
Lisa waved her into her office. “Come in. Grab a seat and talk to me. How’s the house hunting going?”
She sat in the gray-and-burgundy armchair across from Lisa and set her purse on the floor beside her. “Really good. I think the house we’re viewing tonight is the one. We’ve already seen it once, but there’s one other on our short list. But I really like this one. It’s my favorite.”
“Does your dad know you’re moving in together, yet?”
Just the reminder of her dad was enough to make Karma bristle. “He still doesn’t even know we’re engaged.”
“You haven’t told him? What about your mom?”
“No. I’ve been busy. Mark’s been busy. Plus, this isn’t something either of us wants to say over the phone or in an e-mail, and since my dad doesn’t want Mark in his house, and I don’t want to share the news without him, we’re at a stalemate.”
“Sooner or later you need to tell him, even if you have to force the issue or compromise on the how. I mean, Karma, he kind of has to walk you down the aisle and give you away. So, the sooner you tell him, the better.”
“Mark and I haven’t even set a date, yet.”
“What’s the holdup?”
“Like I said, we’ve been busy.”
“Too busy to take five minutes and pick a date?” Lisa’s e-mail chimed. She briefly glanced at her monitor before dismissing whatever message she’d received and turned back to Karma. “Seriously, Karma. If you want a June wedding, you might have already missed the window.” She cocked her head. “I thought you were excited about this.”
“I am.”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
Karma shrugged. “Mark suggested we wait until after things calm down. We’re both crazy busy right now, Leese. I start classes next week, I just got my first editing assignment, we’re buying a house, we’ve got to pack, change all our mailing information, move, buy furniture. There’s a lot to do.”
“Okay, but don’t wait too long. There’s a lot of planning that goes into a wedding, and you want to get moving.”
“You’re right. There is a lot of planning, which is why we’re waiting until things settle down.” She relaxed into the chair, smiling to herself. “God, Lisa. Is this really happening?”
“What? That you’re buying a house with Mr. Hotness? Or that you’re marrying the guy?”
She laughed. “No . . . just . . . well, yeah. All of it.” She sat forward and scooted to the edge of the chair, suddenly anxious. “I mean, Lisa, he has money. More money than I ever thought the man I’d marry would have.”
Lisa’s eyebrows scrunched over her nose as she angled her head curiously. “And this is a problem how?”
Karma rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. He’s rich, Lisa.” She’d already revealed to Lisa what Mark had told her about the state of his finances. “And this house is huge. I’m not used to living that way.”
“And what way is that? Comfortably?”
She exhaled gruffly. “No, silly. Like I’ll need a team of maids just to keep the place clean.”
“Well, I think Mark can afford it.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point? What’s wrong with marrying a guy who has money?”
“What if I don’t fit into his world?”
Lisa frowned as if she’d never heard anything so ridiculous. “Trust me. You fit.”
Karma sighed. “I don’t know. This is all so strange and new and . . . I feel like I’m in a whirlwind.”
“Which you will come out of once you settle down and get used to things. Just relax, Karma. Count your blessings. You’re one of the lucky ones.”
“How so?”
“You’re in love with a man who loves you. A man who’s not just in love with you but crazy in love with you. Who just happens to be a multimillionaire and a brilliant businessman. A man who has professional aspirations and doesn’t just want to live off his inheritance. Who’s got his shit together and sweeps you away on a private jet to a tropical island on a whim. So, let yourself enjoy the moment, girl.”
She sighed and pushed herself back in her chair. “Yeah, okay. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I—”
A knock on the door interrupted Karma, and she turned to see an attractive blonde she didn’t recognize standing in the doorway. The woman appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties, with large, doe-like eyes. She was dressed impeccably in a stylish, magenta suit. Her skirt hit just above the knee, revealing slender, toned calves. She wore beige peep-toe platform pumps.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” The woman glanced toward Karma and smiled apologetically as she took a step back. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Lisa shook her head. “No, that’s okay, Kit. Come on in.”
This was Kit? Jesus! Karma swallowed her shock but turned incredulous eyes on Lisa. Why hadn’t Lisa told her Kit was a walking Victoria’s Secret model?
“Kit, this is Karma Mason, Mark’s fiancée.” Lisa gestured toward her.
“You’re Karma?” Kit practically gushed like a fan meeting her rock idol. “I’ve heard so much about you. Mark goes on and on about how you used to be his assistant.” She giggled, and the sound was like tiny silver wind chimes tinkling in the breeze, charming and perfect. “Sometimes I fear I’ll never live up to your legacy.” She waved her perfectly manicured hand and stepped forward. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”
Mark goes on and on about how you used to be his assistant.
The statement felt like a knife to the gut. Even now, after two months, Karma still missed working with him. Still felt the loss like it was a personal injury.
She forced a smile and stood. “It’s good to finally meet you, too.”
She’d almost forgotten that Lisa had told her about Kit during their conversation before Mark whisked her away. She’d said Mark had been struggling to find a new assistant but that maybe Kit would work out. That had been the last Karma heard about the woman, and now, here she was. Looked like she’d worked out all right.
“So, Kit, what’s up?” Lisa said.
The impressive blonde handed a file over to Lisa. “That candidate Mark just interviewed?”
Lisa snagged the file and opened it. “Yes?”
“It’s a no.”
Lisa groaned. “Damn.” She wrote the word “No” in red ink along the top margin of the applicant’s résumé then closed the manila flap with a smack. “That man is going to be the death of me.” Lisa pointed toward Karma. “You’d better warn him that I’m about to do something that could cause him severe bodily harm.”
Karma held up her hands. “Hey, I just sleep with the guy.”
Okay, where had that stupid remark come from? Marking her territory, perhaps?
Lisa’s eyes narrowed knowingly then she turned back toward Kit. “Thank you, Kit. And could you let Mark know Karma’s in my office?”
“Absolutely.” Kit smiled at her. Her teeth resembled pristine white marble. Bright and perfectly straight. Bleach much? “Nice to meet you, Karma.”
“Same here.” She gave a little wave and watched Kit exit and disappear down the hall.
She hooked her thumb toward the door. “Do you think those are her real teeth?”
“Really, Karma? Could you be any more obvious?”
“What?”
“You’re jealous.”
“I am not.”
“‘I just sleep with the guy’? Really?”
“Well, I do.”
Lisa shook her head, eyes flashing upward. “I can’t believe you’re jealous of her when you’re wearing that iceberg on your finger.” She gestured toward Karma’s engagement ring.
“I’m not jealous.”
“You’re practically green.”
“Fine, whatever. I’m jealous. So what?” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “But you told me she was average-looking.” She pointed out the door. “That is not average, Lisa. That is stunning.”
“Okay, so I misspoke. But in my defense, she looked average when she came in for her interview. How was I supposed to know she’d turn into . . . that?” She flapped her arm toward the empty doorway.
“And you didn’t think you should clue me in?”
“What’s there to clue in? She’s pretty. Who cares? Mark wants you, not his assistant.”
“I was his assistant.”
“And now you’re not, and he still wants you, not Kit, so calm down.”
Karma sighed and backed into her chair, feeling a bit silly for her jealous outburst. “Maybe you’re right. She’s probably really sweet, and here I am freaking out over nothing, right?
“Right.”
Rolling her eyes, she briefly dropped her head into her hand then took a deep breath and looked back up. “Ignore me. I’m just being stupid. Mark and I haven’t spent much time together since getting back from Saint Lucia, and with my classes starting and everything else going on, it’s just going to be that much harder for us to spend time together. I’m just feeling a little fragile right now.”
She hadn’t felt that way until she saw Kit, though. But just getting a peek at Mark’s new assistant had reopened a fresh wave of realization that she and Mark no longer worked together. She’d come to identify their working relationship as part of who they were romantically, and coming face-to-face with Kit for the first time roused new insecurity. Mark had moved on. He had found a new assistant. He had replaced her, despite her irrational hope he wouldn’t be able to. She had to accept that phase of their relationship was officially over. She no longer played a professional role in his life. Theirs was purely a personal relationship now, which felt so bizarre given how they’d started.
And damn, Kit was pretty. With lovely legs and attractive feet. Funny how she noticed such things now. She was constantly on the lookout for sexy footwear to satisfy Mark’s foot fetish and tease him.
“Did you see her shoes?”
Lisa sat back and crossed her arms. “Her shoes? Really? You’re going to talk about her shoes now?”
“I told you about Mark’s foot fetish. He’s got to be seriously drooling over her shoes, Lisa.”
“You’re making too much of this.”
Karma sighed and slumped her shoulders. “I know, but . . . I can’t help it.”
“Try.”
“It’s not that easy.”
Lisa sat forward and folded her hands together on her desk, gaze compassionate. “I know it’s not. I know you’ve dealt with some pretty nasty shit in your past, and no matter how hard you try to forget, it’s always going to be there. But you’re in a better place now. And Mark isn’t going to cheat on you. He’s nothing but professional around Kit. Trust me when I tell you you’re the only one that makes his eyes sparkle when he sees you.”
“Yeah, but what about her? Does she know that, or am I going to have to watch her shamelessly ogle him at the next company picnic? Because, let’s face it, Mark is very attractive, and women stare at him everywhere we go. I told you about the boat bitches in Saint Lucia.”
Lisa’s expression morphed into one a mother might give an objectionable child. “Yes, and then you took great pleasure in informing me that Mark dismissed the boat bitches because he knew they made you uncomfortable. So, you see, Mark is very aware of your feelings and makes every attempt to show you that you’re the only one allowed to ogle him. And would you much rather Mark be ugly so that no one looked at him at all?”
Karma lowered her gaze. “No.”
Lisa leaned forward. “I mean, come on, Karma. He’s hot. He’s probably one of the top five percent in good-looking men in the country. There’s nothing he can do about that except try to reassure you he only has eyes for you. But if you keep getting jealous over Kit and boat bitches and every other semi-attractive woman who comes along, pretty soon he’s going to get tired of reassuring you.”
Harsh, but Lisa wasn’t one to sugarcoat the truth, and Karma appreciated her honesty, even if it stung a little.
Lisa’s gaze grew more patient and understanding. “Kit is very professional around Mark. He’s her boss, and she handles herself accordingly. No flirtatious looks or anything. She knows he’s engaged to you, and she respects that.”
“And you know that how?”
“My gut,” Lisa said immediately, eyes sharp. “So stop trying to find warning signs where there aren’t any.”
Karma bowed her head, feeling scorned. Lisa was an exceptional judge of character, so if she said Kit was above-board, she was. “Okay. You’re right. I’m being silly, letting my insecurity get the better of me. I know he loves me and that I shouldn’t worry.”
“That’s the spirit.” Lisa plucked the lid off her crystal candy dish and nudged the bowl toward her. “Now, have some M&M’s. They’ll make you feel better.”
“Mmm, chocolate. You do know how to make a girl feel better.” She fished out a small handful of colored candies and tossed them in her mouth.
“Knock-knock.”
Karma turned as Mark breezed into the office, his black wool coat slung over his forearm. He swept in and kissed her on the cheek. “How long have you been here?”
Seeing the adoration in his eyes made her feel even sillier for letting envy and doubt get the better of her. “About fifteen minutes.”
Lisa stood. “I’m mad at you, Mark.”
Mark fished a sampling of M&M’s from her dish before Lisa could drop the lid back into place. He grinned as if they were in on a private joke. “Why? What did I do?”
Lisa pointed at the file folder. “You turned down another applicant.”
He tossed the candy into his mouth and held up his arms as if innocent. “Then give me someone I can use.”
“I have. About ten someones. And you keep rejecting them.”
Grinning, Mark took the lid off the candy bowl and helped himself to more chocolates.
“Hey,” Lisa warned. “Hands off the bowl, fast fingers.”
It was a well-known fact that Lisa guarded her candy dish with an iron fist and only doled out when she saw fit.
Laughing, Mark tossed the M&M’s into his mouth and dusted off his hands. “You’re too stingy with the treats.”
“Whatever. Now, what was wrong with this guy?” She pressed her index finger to the folder on her desk. “I screened him, and he seemed perfect.”
“He couldn’t look me in the eye.”
“He looked me in the eye just fine.”
Mark pointed his finger toward the ceiling as if making a point. “Exactly. He could look you in the eye, but not me. Why is that a problem for a project manager?” Even though he was giving Lisa a hard time, he kept a smile on his face, so Karma knew he wasn’t being as harsh as he made himself sound.
Lisa frowned as if lost.
“Because,” Karma said, drawing two sets of eyes her direction, “he’s got a confidence problem. He’s fine with women, but when faced with an intimidating man, or even with men, in general, he wilts. You need someone who won’t wilt when faced with an upset or overbearing customer, which includes about ninety percent of Solar’s customer base.”
Mark smiled proudly at her then arched his brow at Lisa as he snapped his fingers. “Exactly. That’s why I rejected him.”
That familiar buzz of accomplishment prickled Karma’s skin. Every day working with Mark had felt this way. He’d taught her so much, and she’d been so in tune with him. She’d known what he needed. What he wanted. What he looked for in people. And every proud smile had felt like a reward. Now that they no longer worked together, she had to find another way to reap those rewards and make such a connection with him.
“I knew that.” Lisa sank back into her chair and tossed the file aside. “Fine. I’ll keep looking.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, “the perfect candidate is out there somewhere.”
“Yeah, but he’s taking his sweet time getting his ass in here to put me out of my misery.”
“Why don’t I have Kit screen the applicants with you? She’s pretty tuned in to what I’m looking for. An extra hand could take some of the load off your shoulders.”
Karma briefly met Lisa’s gaze, and despite a pang of loss, she gave a quick, tight nod to let Lisa know she was over her green-eyed meltdown.
“Sounds like a great idea,” Lisa said somewhat cautiously, dropping her gaze briefly then meeting Mark’s again. “I’ll get with her after you leave and work out the logistics.”
“Great. Thanks.” Mark pulled his coat from over his arm and turned toward Karma. “So, are you ready to buy a house, honey?”
She grabbed her purse and stood, liking the way he called her honey, as if the term of endearment were a public stamp to mark her as his. “I thought we were just viewing it.”
“We are, but unless we find something this time around that is an absolute deal killer—which I doubt we will—I think we can make an offer. I know you like this one.”
“Do you like it?”
“I like them both. So it’s your decision.” He took her hand and led her toward the door.
She waved toward Lisa. “I’ll call you later.”
Once in the car and on the way toward West Clover, where the financially unencumbered lived, Mark said, “So, what was that look Lisa gave you back there about?”
“What look?”
“In her office? After I asked her to work with Kit?”
Of course, Mark hadn’t missed that. He was Mr. Observant. Mr. I-Never-Miss-Anything.
“It was nothing.”
He glanced at her then returned his gaze to the road as he took her hand.
“You met her, didn’t you?”
“Yes. She’s . . .” Gorgeous, breathtaking, every man’s fantasy. “Lovely.”
“Yes, but she’s not you.”
Obviously.
“She seems capable, though, for you to put your trust in her. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Of course, but I would still rather have you as my assistant.”
“You would?” She hadn’t meant that to come out as surprised as it sounded. Or as pleased.
“I miss us working together, Karma. You always gave me something to look forward to at the office. Work wasn’t just about work when you were there. It was exciting. You know, every day since you’ve left, when I go for my coffee, I wish when I walk out of my office that I would still find you sitting at your desk.”
Your desk. He still saw it as hers, even though she’d been gone for almost two months. It was good to know he felt that way.
She dipped her head flirtatiously. “You mean, you don’t make Kit get your coffee for you?”
He grinned and gave her hand a squeeze but kept his eyes on the road. “That was only for you.”
“Was I special?”
This time he did take a second to look at her. “You still are. Very special.”
They drove in silence for a while, which allowed Karma’s memory to play over their sexy games and all the ways he used to tease her at the office. That first day—when he appeared like a specter only two days after she’d met him in Chicago, all deliciously hot and stealing every woman’s attention just standing in the lobby wearing his crisp, tailored suit—she’d gotten his coffee. After that, doing so became a fun diversion. Something to put her in front of him . . . to see him smile as he took that first sip, his grey-green gaze burning into hers like a challenge.
They didn’t play games like that, anymore, but then, their relationship was different now. Playtime had taken on a new dimension. Instead of using their professional relationship as a means of foreplay and sexual restraint that turned into an inferno in private, they used heated glances across the kitchen while making dinner, or suggestive caresses while watching TV. He asked for sex by standing in the bedroom doorway, shirtless, arms extended overhead, hands propped against the top of the frame, jeans slung low on his hips, The Look firmly in place.
In a way, she wanted some of those playful times back. Not that she didn’t like where they were now, but Playful Mark had been so very fun. He’d made her laugh and see things in herself she hadn’t known existed. And, to be honest, sometimes she got the feeling Mark was still holding something back. She’d thought they’d gotten everything out in the open in Saint Lucia, but occasionally, the shadows fell over his face in such a way to make her think there was more he still hadn’t told her.
“I was wondering,” she said. “Maybe tonight we could talk about the wedding. You know, set a date.”
Mark’s jaw flexed, and a distinct chill rolled off him as his hand tightened around hers. Then he relaxed as if he’d forced himself. “I thought we’d agreed to wait.”
Okay, so that wasn’t the reaction she’d expected. Both physically and verbally.
“I know, but Lisa mentioned today that we might have already waited too long for a June wedding and made me realize just how much planning a wedding is going to take. I know we’re both busy as hell right now, but maybe we should at least set the date so we can get the ball rolling. That way, we’re not rushing around at the last minute trying to pull everything off in a month. Good plan, right?”
He let go of her hand and made a left turn. “We’ve already got so much going on right now. I’d feel better if we waited until after we close on the house to discuss the wedding.”
His voice was tight, his words slightly clipped, almost as if he were angry, even though he clearly wasn’t. Uptight? Irritated? Karma couldn’t put her finger on the emotion stirring just beneath his words, but it was clear he still wasn’t ready to talk specifics about the wedding.
“Okay, we can wait. I just thought I’d suggest it.” She glanced out the window at the palatial estates nestled within thick, protective coves of trees.
West Clover was a beautiful area. Magnificent homes on massive plots tended by professional landscaping crews. Everybody who was anybody in central Indiana lived in West Clover. Players from professional sports teams, government officials, coaches, millionaires. It was a Who’s Who of the rich and famous.
Mark would fit right in.
Her? Not so much.
But she’d better get used to it, because there was a high probability that within the next hour, they’d be making an offer on a house big enough to hold the enter United States Winter Olympics team and still have room to walk around. Okay, so maybe that was a slight exaggeration, but the place was huge. Bigger than any house Karma had ever imagined living in.
As they pulled into the driveway, Karma cringed inwardly at their realtor’s car already parked in front of the four-car garage. Natalie was a shameless flirt. Maybe Karma’s jealousy was unfounded where Kit was concerned, but it was more than justified in Natalie’s case.
The first time Natalie met Karma, she had seemed taken aback that Mark was already in a relationship. That had been a chilly first meeting, and Natalie still showed her disappointment with every icy, red-lipped smile she gave her.
“Welcome back.” Natalie tippy-toed across the ice-patched driveway in her three-inch, peep-toe heels.
Looked like Natalie had gotten the memo about Mark’s foot fetish, too.
Karma mentally chastised herself. She really needed to get over this jealousy routine. It wasn’t becoming. She hated when other women displayed their ugly, green-eyed monsters. It was a sign of insecurity, and she had no reason to be insecure, other than her silly past that had practically bred that nasty personality trait into her genetic makeup for almost two decades. But she was over that now—or, rather, she should have been, thanks to Mark.
So, yeah, the jealous girlfriend act needed to take a hike.
Mark took her hand, and they met Natalie halfway across the driveway.
“Are you two ready to take another look at your first home?” Natalie’s smile seemed more genuine this time around. Maybe she’d moved on to another potential suitor. Or maybe she saw all the places on the left side of the decimal point her commission would include if she closed this sale tonight.
“Lead the way.” Mark gestured for Natalie to go ahead then pulled Karma’s forearm around his, linking them more intimately.
Just as she’d done the first time they viewed the house, Karma sucked in her breath as they crossed the threshold into the entryway. She loved the relatively open floorplan. Oak hardwood spread toward an angular staircase hugging the left wall. An extra-wide hall opened into an enormous kitchen with high, A-line ceilings and a row of windows overlooking the deck and wooded backyard. The kitchen, living, and dining rooms all shared the same space to create one giant, inviting area.
Mark inspected the kitchen cabinets as she stood aside and let him drool. The kitchen in his temporary apartment was barely an eighth of the size of this one. For a man who loved to cook, such a tiny kitchen had to be frustrating. Just imagine the culinary damage he could do in this eighth wonder of the world.
“I have a feeling this will be your room,” she said, running her hand over the polished, dark-grey-and-white granite countertop as she eased up beside him.
He grinned and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Oh, I don’t know. I think I might allow you in here once in a while.”
“Only once in a while?” She followed him around the counter into the dining area, with its cozy stone fireplace, and then through the side hall leading back to the front of the house, past the side door, the laundry room, and a spare bathroom, before entering what Karma had termed her library. It was a smaller, round room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on one side and a small custom window on the other to let in natural light. There was enough room for a modest table so she could use it as a meeting or research room.
An arched doorway led them into what Karma had decided would become her office.
Natalie had the good sense to hover several feet behind them. She seemed to understand that a good realtor let the client sell the house to themselves.
“And this is your room,” Mark said, crossing toward the large picture window overlooking the front yard.
There was enough space for two comfortable club chairs and an end table between them. A wall of bookshelves took up the wall opposite the window, behind where Karma envisioned her desk.
“And you’ll be welcome in it any time you like,” she said sweetly. Maybe a little extra sweetly because of Natalie poised in the background.
“Why, thank you.” He winked and took her hand.
After touring the full basement, with its bar, half kitchen, theater, spare bedroom, and exercise room, they ended their tour upstairs in the master bedroom.
“Natalie, could you give us a moment, please?” Mark said from the French doors that opened onto a private balcony.
“Of course.” Natalie backed out of the room and gave Karma an awkward smile. “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.”
After she was gone, Mark wrapped his arms around Karma’s waist and pulled her against him. “What do you think? Is this home?”
In his arms was home.
She couldn’t contain her smile, pressing her palms against his chest. “I love it.”
“So do I.” He stepped back and took her hand, leading her away from the doors. “I see our bed there.” He pointed toward the right then gestured to the left. “And I want to get a Tantra chair that would go nicely right there.”
“A Tantra chair? What’s that?”
His wicked grin bespoke that whatever a Tantra chair was, it was not a normal piece of furniture. “It’s sort of like a chaise lounge but made to help couples find lots of fun and interesting positions for sex. Think of it as an ergonomic sex chair.” He led her toward the door. “I’ll show you pictures later. But you’ll love it. Especially since you’re so limber from all that yoga.” His eyebrows popped mischievously.
Where did he find these things? “Have you used a Tantra chair before?”
The shadow that occasionally appeared and made her think he still hadn’t told her everything about his past crossed his face. “Yes, I’ve used one.”
“When?” Was it with Carol? Nina? One of his other temporary flings?
He kept his eyes on the floor as they headed toward the stairs. “Nina had one.”
Nina again. She’d taken up a lot of time in Mark’s post-Carol personal development.
“And you liked it?”
“Yes, it’s one of the things Nina introduced me to that I did end up liking.”
They began descending to the main floor.
“What else did she introduce you to that you liked?”
His eyebrows ticked inward. With every step, his body grew more tense. “Maybe now isn’t the best time to discuss this.”
“So, there’s more about this we need to discuss?”
A guilty shroud fell over him.
She’d been right. There was more. The fact that Mark hadn’t told her when they were on vacation irritated her, because that had been the whole point of the discussion they’d had the night they made their lists.
“Please, let’s not talk about this now. Let’s wait until we get home.” His brow was pinched in the middle, his expression grim.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s still something you haven’t told me?” she said quietly as they reached the foot of the stairs and stopped. “Something important.”
His shoulders wilted as he faced her. A chagrined smile tilted his mouth. “Because, apparently, you’re getting to know me well enough to know when I’m hiding something.”
“Hiding something?” She frowned and took a step back, crossing her arms. “What are you hiding from me? I thought you told me everything in Saint Lucia.”
He scrunched his eyes closed, holding up his hand. “Not exactly hiding. That was a poor choice of words.”
“Then give me some better ones.” If he still felt the need to hide things from her, then they hadn’t made as much progress as she thought.
He glanced toward the kitchen, where Natalie was waiting for them. Then he spoke in hushed tones. “It’s not that big of a deal. Compared to what I’ve already told you, this is nothing. I promise.”
“Then why are you so upset? If it’s not a big deal, then why haven’t you told me?”
He closed the short distance between them, his gaze boring hard into hers. “Because, Karma . . . it’s personal. It’s deeply personal. And it’s damn hard to find the words to tell you what needs to be said. Do you understand? I want you to know, but I’m afraid of the way you’ll look at me after you do.”
On one hand, he felt like a complete stranger. How could he say whatever he was hiding was no big thing but express how much he feared revealing it? On the other hand, she wanted to pull him into her arms and tell him not to be afraid. Never to be scared of telling her his secrets, no matter how personal he thought they were or how he feared she would react. They were a team. One. Together in thick and thin, good and bad. The fact that he was still keeping secrets unnerved her.
“You’re scaring me,” she said quietly.
His frowned deepened as he dropped his gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry.”
She forced a tight smile and took one of his hands in both of hers. “What could be so bad that you’d get this upset about it? I don’t know what to think, and I’m imagining the worst.”
Did he have a terrible disease he hadn’t told her about? Did he have a kid with one of the women he’d gotten involved with? More than one kid?
Oh God, what if he did?
He sighed, his posture broken. “It’s really nothing bad, Karma. Honest, it isn’t. But . . .”
“But what?”
“You might not like it.”
She regarded him impatiently. “Will you stop trying to think for me and let me decide for myself?”
“I’m sorry. It’s a habit.”
“Well, let’s see if we can work on breaking it. Because I’m a lot more understanding than you’re giving me credit for.”
He sighed and closed his eyes for a count of two then opened them again. “I know you are, and I’m trying.”
“And that’s all I’m asking. For you to try.” She searched his face. “So, are you going to tell me what you’ve been hiding?”
“Yes, but not right now. Later. At home where we can talk openly.” He paused then added. “This time, let me do this the way I’m most comfortable.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And what way is that?”
He took a deep breath then tugged her hand to follow him as he started for the kitchen. “With a plan.”
With a plan. That was so Mark. But she would cut him some slack. This time.
They entered the kitchen hand-in-hand, if not a bit more tense than they had been thirty minutes ago.
Natalie sat at the island, scrolling on her smartphone. She immediately tucked it into her purse and stood. “So, what’s your decision?” She looked from Mark to her and back to Mark.
“We want it.”
Natalie’s smile creased the spackled makeup around her eyes. “I’ll start the paperwork tonight.”
“Good. And inform the sellers we are highly motivated and want to move in as soon as possible. Whatever it takes.” He squeezed her hand as if to impress upon her how he felt about living together. That no matter what came of their discussion later, he wanted this. Them. Together. Under one roof. And he wanted it sooner rather than later. No matter the expense.
“Noted.” Natalie ushered them toward the front door. “I think you two will be very happy here. It’s a fabulous home. Competitively priced. And it’s in a great neighborhood. Perfect for kids.”
It was like she was putting her own personal stamp of approval on the sale.
They exited, and Natalie locked up then joined them in the driveway.
“I’ll be in touch tomorrow to let you know what the sellers said,” Natalie said to Mark. “But I have no reason to think this house won’t be yours by the end of the week.”
“Thank you, Natalie.” Mark shook her hand.
Karma did likewise, and then she and Mark departed for Solar so she could get her car and meet him back at her apartment.
Silence engulfed them. But it wasn’t an awkward silence. More like the silence associated with someone who was deep in thought.
Mark was apparently working on his plan.
She stared out the passenger window, letting him toil as her own mind wandered.
She had the ring. And now it looked like she had the house. All she needed was the wedding date.
And to know what else Mark hadn’t told her.