Karma (17 page)

"That doesn't mean much. Ziggy, I suspect, pretty much
adores everyone he meets."

Mike shrugged. "I've seen you with Katie. You're a
wonderful, loving mom. That kid didn't luck out in the dad department, but man,
you've more than made up for that."

"Oh do you think so? I do worry about that, about
her non-relationship with her father."

"Don't worry," Mike said. "You know what
I've noticed about children? If they have one loving, sane parent – then they
turn out okay. They only need one. Katie is a fantastic kid. She is so
appreciative and mature for her age. She's had a hard time – losing her grandma.
That must have been difficult."

"Oh, yes. My mom looked after Katie a lot when I worked
full time. Then I nursed mom for months while she was dying. I hated that Katie
had to go through that. It was a tough time for both of us."

"It sounds like it. The divorce, a death and moving
out of her childhood home. Even you’re your cat died recently. That kid has
been through a lot. Plus, she must know her dad is an ass."

"Yes." Marcy pressed her lips together. Her
stomach knotted when she considered the ongoing issues Katie had with her
father. She took her hand back from him, clasping her fingers together on her
lap.

"I dunno," Mike said evenly. "Katie has an
unusual depth of character for her age, probably because of the stuff that has
happened in her short life. Raised by a hard working, honest single mom hasn't
been bad for her either, in my opinion. I guess all I'm saying is that your
daughter is a terrific kid. Some of that is certainly on her, but I think she
is a happy, grateful child because she has an amazing, fantastic mom."

"Thank you," Marcy said, once again seriously affected
by his words of praise.

Mike patted her knee and gave her a hot-stopping grin. "It's
just the honest truth."

Martin,
the pool guy paused at the back gate. Marcy couldn’t help but notice how young
and earnest he seemed. A nice boy, doing good honest work. He would go far.

"I'll
be back in four days, will you be here?" he asked.

"Probably,"
Mike said. "Why?"

"Oh,
I just wanted to talk to you about some things. No urgency."

"You
have my number," Mike said. "Call when you're coming and I'll be sure
to be here for you. Wait a minute, come over here and meet Marcy Paget."

Martin
strode over in a brisk youthful stride.

"Martin
Quinn, Marcy Paget. Marcy, Martin." Martin shook her hand. "Nice to
meet you," he said.

"You'll
be seeing Marcy around here a lot, I hope," Mike said. "Come and meet
these two girls." The two girls in question, aware that they were being
introduced, stopped playing and came over to the pool fence.

"This
is Marcy's daughter, Katie, and her friend Samantha." When Martin was
introduced to Katie, his eyes widened with a little shock of surprise. Marcy wondered
why. Did he think he had seen her before?

Before
she could ask, Martin said that he had another pool to do and excused himself. "Thanks,
Mr. Thompson, nice to meet you, Ms. Paget, Katie and Sam." He waved a goodbye
and left.

"He's
a really a nice young man," Mike said. They both wandered back to the
lounges and sat down across from each other. Ziggy trotted over too, circled a
couple times, and then lay down at Mike's feet with a happy huff.

"Marcy, you know that I love you, right?" Mike
said out of the blue.

"How can you know that?"

"I just do," he said. "Love isn't like rocket
science or brain surgery. I don't think it's as complicated as everyone seems
to think it is. There aren't a lot of equations or formulas to get wrong or
right. I trust my heart, honey. It hasn't been wrong so far."

"Love!" Marcy snorted. "I thought Trent
was the most wonderful man in the world. He was handsome, charming, yet utterly
selfish and manipulative. It took years before the blinders left my eyes on
that one. He was using me. I know that now."

She shifted restlessly on the pool lounge. "Hindsight
is 20/20 they say. Trent kept me around because he needed me to support him
through orthodontic school. The second he graduated he took off like a scalded
cat. The moment our six week divorce came though he married a younger, stunning
trophy wife. I feel sorry for the poor thing. I wonder what else he's getting
from her, besides the obvious?"

"I
don’t care about your ex," Mike growled. "Stupid jerk never knew how
lucky he was." Mike leaned over and stroked his dog, sound asleep at his
feet. The happy creature took a deep breath in pleasure, but his eyes stayed
shut.

"It's just that I don’t know what love is," Marcy
said. "Is it an insane chemical reaction? Some pheromone that one physical
body recognizes in another? Love really is blind. Why do you think you love
me?"

Mike smiled, sat up and met her gaze. "I know I love
you, and there are so many reasons that I do. You make me laugh and you've got
a big generous heart. I admit that I was love struck the moment I saw you. I
don’t know why. But my certainty has only grown every day since."

The look in his dark eyes was sincere and intense.
"Marcy," he said. "Love for me was the moment I realized that if
you were happy, I would be happy. Somehow all my joy and happiness is tied to
you and Katie."

These words dazed her.
What? How can that be?

"I want you both to move in with me," Mike
said, leaning eagerly toward her. "I have a huge house and I don’t want to
see you guys living in that crappy condo. Marcy, you're the first thing I think
of in the morning and the last thing I think of at night. I want to marry you."

The blood drained from her face.

Marcy knew that she must look shocked, because Mike
reached for her instantly. The concern in his expression was obvious. Disturbed,
sensing something, Ziggy stood up and wagged his tail, looking back and forth
between them.

Mike moved over to sit on the recliner with her, and put
his arm around her. "Sorry," he said, patting her back. "I guess
I freaked you out bringing up the whole marriage thing. It's too soon, I guess.
I honestly didn’t mean to. It wasn't a very romantic effort either was it?"
He gave a low chuckle. "It just kind of slipped out."

Still
stunned, Marcy just stared at him.

Everything
about Mike was so familiar to her now. The dark eyes and firm lips that curled
with humor, mischief or enthusiasm. The way he loved Katie, and naturally
included her daughter in everything they did. Katie lacked self-esteem after
being abandoned by her father. Could any man help heal her, and get Katie's
confidence back better than Mike?

Marcy
recalled the way Mike made her laugh, and how he walked backwards or gestured
with his hands when he got excited. She inhaled suddenly, recalling the heady
male taste, scent and feel of him when he had given her that amazing kiss.

Mike
was incredibly handsome with his broad shoulders, flat stomach and narrow hips.
He swam laps ever day - the man was all toned muscle. Yet it wasn't his body
that drew her, or that handsome face. Right now Mike was her very best friend. And
while Marcy had toyed with the possibility of jumping into sex, she hadn't once
considered marriage.

She
remembered the first time they had gone to Sunset Park, when they had talked
about finding out that their loved ones had cancer.
"That one black
moment your entire world falls away,"
Mike had said, and she knew that
he understood.

Marcy
had been so glad to share that terrible experience with someone who had lived
through it.

She
recalled that other intimate occasion where he had said,
"I know
exactly what you're talking about. The good dreams hurt most of all."
They
had both suffered a recent loss of important loved ones. Was that why she liked
him? Because of shared pain? If so it was an odd thing to build a relationship
on.

Yet
it wasn't only that. Mike Thompson "got" her, he honestly did. Right
from the start Marcy had felt way too comfortable with him, which never happened
with anyone – except perhaps André – who was so outrageous and unique that he
almost didn't count. Mike just somehow slipped past all her barriers. Or she
let her defenses down with him around.

He
wanted to marry her.

Marcy
still couldn't believe it. She remembered that kiss. How it had warmed her
entire body, right down to her toes, and turned her brain into mush. If someone
had asked her - she wasn't sure that she would have been able to remember her
own name at the time.

Marcy
wanted another kiss from him, just like that one.

Mike
checked his watch, and then shouted out, "Time to get out, girls. I need
to get inside and make dinner. Katie, you can show Sam Mario Cart on the Wii if
you like."

The
girls screeched a happy assent and got out of the pool. Grabbing their towels,
they took off inside the house.

"Are
you okay?" he asked in a seductive low tone that raised goosebumps on her
arms. Marcy had never really noticed how sexy his voice was.

Mike
ran his hand down her back, and rested it on the curve of her hip. He hadn't
touched her naked skin, but her body heated just as if he had. His palm was big
and warm against her.

She
froze, uncertain if she wanted to move further into him, or to pull away. Mike
was an open, talkative, touchy-feely person while she was the exact opposite.
Whatever did he see in her?

The
back yard was quiet now, with the girls inside.

Mike
stood up, captured both of her hands in his, and pulled her to her feet. Their
bodies were so close. Marcy didn’t try to avoid him, or escape this intimacy. The
heat from his fingers seeped into her palms. She smelled Primrose and chlorine
mixed with Mike's unique male scent.

Looking
up at him, Marcy noticed that Mike's dark eyes were close, focused and intent.
She knew that he intended to kiss her again. She was dazed and faint with the
thought of it. The thud of her pulse hammered in her throat.

Mike
pressed his lips against her knuckles, and then put her hands up on top of his
shoulders. They curled instinctively around his neck, stroking through his
silky short hair.

His
arms wrapped around her body, pulling her hard against him. This kiss was less
tentative, more certain and determined. This was a kiss from a man who knew
what he wanted, and fully intended to get it.

His
mouth slid over hers, his lips soft and inviting.

She
gasped as Mike took her open mouthed, her body close against his. When his tongue
teased inside her, he made a low animal sound that resonated throughout her
body. When her tongue found his, she moaned with the intense pleasure of it.

So
many sensations! Marcy was hyper-aware of all of them. The heat of his firm body
encompassed her, his short beard tickling her skin, the erotic scent of him,
and the taste of wine on his lips. The pound of her heart, her short breaths,
tender breasts and moist arousal.

Everything
resembling rational or coherent thought simply disappeared.

He
eased back and smiled at her. "Oh yeah," he said softly. "I'm
sure that I'm in love. Trust me. I know what love is." He gave her a quick
kiss on the nose. "And I definitely love you."

He
took her hand firmly in his own, and with docile obedience she followed him
inside. It took a few minutes before she remembered.

Shit,
she thought.
I still haven't told him my
secret.

Even though she could clearly hear them, Marcy went in to
check on the girls. They were in the entertainment room laughing and giggling
over Mario Brothers. When she returned to the kitchen, Mike handed her another
glass of wine. He had already made spaghetti sauce earlier in the day and was
heating it up, and boiling the noodles.

"We don’t know that much about each other yet,"
Marcy said, drinking half the glass.

"Ask me anything."

She thought about it. "Okay. Tell me why you and
Barbara went to André."

"Oh, that's an easy one," he said, getting out
the dinner plates, bread plates and cutlery.

Mike explained that he became aware that Barbara wasn't
really enjoying making love – not like he did. The change had begun subtly. She
had been avoiding sex, having a headache or being too tired. She lacked the
passion they had when they first married.

Marcy took the bread plates from the counter, helping him
set the table.

Mike said he decided to read a couple of sex and
relationship books and try some things, but somehow he knew that she had lost
interest. That is when a friend told him about André. André helped Barbara confess
what she had been craving. He then taught Mike how to please her.

"The thing was that Barbara hadn't been honest with
me because of all the usual reasons." He shrugged and began grating
parmesan cheese into a bowl. "You know, embarrassment, guilt, shame. She
had been faking orgasms pretty often, too. As a typical man, I was unobservant.
I had no idea. I don’t think she was an out and out submissive. I just think
she just lost interest. She wanted to try other things and couldn't talk to me
about it."

"Like what?" she asked, while putting a napkin
at each setting.

"She wanted to try blindfolds, bondage, spankings
and anal sex. The anal sex was something I'd never considered, but it was fun
because she wanted it. Honestly? I think we were fine when we were first
married, but then Barbara just got bored or something in bed. Before André I tended
to be pretty vanilla."

"Vanilla?"

"You know. Plain sex, no kink."

He gave Marcy an evil grin, and picked up his big wooden
spoon, suggestively waggling his eyebrows. "Don't get me wrong," he
said, stirring the sauce. "I seriously get off on kink. It's just that I've
never once gotten bored with vanilla."

He took a taste of the sauce, nodded and offered it to Marcy.
She tried it and was impressed. Homemade spaghetti sauce. Good Lord, just how
much garlic was in that?
Yum
.

"It's good," she said.

A slow satisfied smile curled his lips as he continuing
to stir. "Thanks," he said. "I like to cook. Anyway, André gave
me the 'difference between sex and love' talk, because for me they go together."

His easy laugh made his eyes brighten with mischief.
"For me, having sex
is
making love. On the other hand, I learned
how to Dominate and have sex as play. I learned the 'Master' 'Slave' game, and
would you believe it? It turns out that Domination came easily to me." He
arched an eyebrow. "I was naturally good at it."

Marcy snickered. "Nagging bossy creature. Why am I
not surprised?"

Grinning, he ignored her insult. "I'm much more
aware of what is going on with a woman in bed now. André is amazing, but you've
figured that out I know."

"Oh yeah."

"Do you find him sexually attractive?"

Curious, Marcy
stared into his unblinking
brown eyes. "Why? Ar
e you jealous?"

"Maybe."

She leaned against the kitchen counter. "Yes, he is
sexually attractive," she paused and then added, "but not anywhere near
as attractive to me as you are."

The smug happy grin Mike shot her had been well worth it.
Marcy found herself grinning, too. "Don't let it go to your head,"
she advised him.

Marcy began to explain what she realized - that she
longed for intimacy, for that relief that came from being able to be totally
oneself with another. It was being comfortable enough with someone to let them
know exactly who you are.

"So, my confession is this….I always fake
orgasm."

"Really?" He stopped stirring.

"That’s my big secret, and my big failure. I have a
habit of avoiding or even lying in order to be 'safe.' Normal girls enjoy sex,
so why don’t I? Also, when it comes to sex I just feel stupid. I'd been
considering going to bed with you and imagined faking orgasm. I didn’t want to
do that anymore… not with you. I realized that I wanted to be completely honest
with you, Mike. But what if we go to bed together and I can't climax? I didn’t
want to put that pressure on you either, that need to make me orgasm. Maybe I'm
just not built that way."

"Did you ever tell anyone about this problem of
yours?"

"Today I told André."

"Good for you! And now you've told me." Mike
bent over to place a tray of garlic bread into the oven. He stood up straight,
and put the timer on for fifteen minutes. Then he came over and stood beside
her while she sat on a stool at the kitchen counter.

"So what did André say?"

Marcy
could feel a blush of embarrassment steal up her neck and face. "He gave
me some stuff so that I can figure it out. His exact words were:
"You
should have the satisfaction of solving this puzzle."

"Oh,
he thinks that you can figure it out?"

"That's
about it," she said with a half-shrug. Marcy marveled at how easy it was
to talk to Mike about this now that she had begun. Why was that? "He also
told me and I quote:
"If a woman cannot make herself reach a climax,
then why should she expect a man to be able to do so?"

"Ouch."

"It's
just the honest truth. André doesn't pull any punches. You gotta respect him
for that."

"So…er,"
Mike cleared his throat. "You're going to be getting in a lot of practice
until perfect?"

"Yes."
Marcy laughed and hit him playfully on the shoulder. It was like punching a
wall. The man was solid muscle.

Mike grinned. "That's really great. Thanks for
telling me, Marcy. I'm blown away by your trust in me. Tell me you'll marry me.
Let's do a famous Vegas drive-through wedding. We can get Elvis to perform the
ceremony."

She stared at him, lost for words.

When she didn’t reply, he continued talking, "Or if
you want we can have a huge bang-up wedding – go all the way, no expense
spared."

Marcy wasn't aware of responding, but there must have
been something – a shift in her body, a flick of something in her gaze because Mike
jumped on it instantly.

"Oh!" he said, snapping his fingers. A canny light
kindled in his eyes. "That’s right! I bet you didn’t have that the first
time around. From what I know of Trent, he married you on the cheap. He would
have pinched those few coins he spent so tight that they screamed."

He paused, tilted his head and studied her. With a nod he
added in a low yet eager tone, "This time you'll have a great big lavish
wedding, Marcy. We'll invite everyone, we'll buy the best." A cheerful devious
grin was spread right across his face.

Mike raised his hands, much like the conductor of an
orchestra would. "We'll have a huge, ultra lavish, ridiculously expensive,
invite everyone, massive society-page event," he told her excitedly,
waving his arms with a finale of passion, as if his musical piece had reached
its crescendo.

Marcy was still speechless, but the determined man was
getting to her.

What was more, she could see that Mike
knew
that
he was getting to her.

An extravagant wedding to celebrate such a romantic,
important and life changing occasion did sound amazing. That had once been her
dream.
Marcy's first wedding had been held in the
'Little White Chapel.' It had cost less than $150, with $60 of that amount
paying for the marriage license. Even that had taken some convincing on her
part. Trent had wanted to go to the County Clerk's Office and pay only $60.

"C'mon," Mike said when she remained silent. "I
know I freaked you out when I mentioned marriage before. I just thought if I
brought it up from time to time you might get used to the idea."

"I tell you that I'm unable to climax so that makes
you want to marry me?" She laughed.

"I wanted to marry you anyway, but your honesty and
bravery just makes me want to marry you more," Mike said with an endearing
grin.

"You really do nag, you know," she observed
with asperity. "What if I'm never able to climax?"

"You'll
climax. I'm not worried about that. Seriously." He cocked a smug brow and
gave her a sexy wink. "I know exactly how to tie you up and torture you, keeping
you right on the edge of orgasm with my hands, my mouth and a ton of naughty toys.
I could happily do that for hours."

He
raised his eyebrows up and down at her wickedly.

He
leaned closer. "By the time I finish with you, Marcy," he said
huskily, "you'd sob and beg and plead with me to allow you climax."
The dark expression in his narrowed eyes flickered, dominant and dangerous.

Marcy's
pulse elevated, thudding perilously in her throat.

"If
you were a good girl, and had pleased me… I'd even let you," Mike murmured.
His masculine voice was low, and slow and seductive.

Jesus!