Full Circle (3 page)

“Scag.” She laughed. “Noooo, you’re not even
the teensiest bit jealous. Not at all.”

Karma gave her a chagrined smile. “Just tell
me what she’s like.”

Lisa grew more serious. “She’s nice.
Professional. Seems put together.”

“How old is she?”

Lisa thought a moment as if trying to
determine her age from her appearance. “Maybe thirty.”

Karma was only twenty-six. This chick was
closer to Mark’s age. That didn’t sit well.

“Is she pretty?”

Lisa smiled patiently. “Kit’s attractive, but
not amazing or breathtaking or anything like that. I mean, she’s
not going to grace any
Sports Illustrated
covers, if that’s
what you’re asking.”

“Funny. Har har.”

Lisa blew out an impatient breath. “You know
what I mean.”

Karma had never been considered amazing or
breathtaking, either. And yet Mark thought she was the most
beautiful woman he’d ever met. What if he ended up deciding his new
assistant was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met instead? It
could happen.

And what kind of name was Kit? That was a
Playboy Bunny’s name if she ever heard one.

“So, is this Kit chick married?”

Lisa tilted her head and raised her eyebrows.
“Honey, you do
not
need to worry about her. The only woman
in Mark’s heart is you. Don’t you know that by now?”

“Well, yes, but . . .” Old
insecurities and that bastard named Paranoia reared inside her
mind.

She had gained so much confidence in the last
twenty months, but sometimes the previous twenty-four years still
haunted her. She’d been bullied ruthlessly as a child and had
carried a mountain of self-doubt and esteem issues into adulthood.
It wasn’t until she met Mark that she began to see herself in a
more positive light. He’d been a major confidence booster, but she
couldn’t expect to be totally cured in less than two years when
she’d lived with those damn naysaying voices for twenty-four.

And she couldn’t expect never to falter and
fall back into those destructive thought patterns at some point,
either. Not that they would completely overtake her, but she wasn’t
so delusional to think her past insecurity would never sweep her
back into its grasp, especially at times of change, when fear and
doubt came in high supply.

Like now.

This was a huge change for her. For them. Her
and Mark. They were no longer secret lovers. He was no longer going
to leave her on some predefined end date. He was no longer her
teacher, and she was no longer his student. And they no longer
worked together.

For the first time in their tumultuous
almost-two-year, on-and-off-and-back-on-again relationship, they
were a bona fide couple. And to hear Mark talk, he wanted to spend
his life with her.

But they’d only just gotten back together.
What if things didn’t work out? What if, now that he was back, he
realized she wasn’t all he expected? What if she discovered the
same about him? He could tire of her, or they could tire of each
other and break up. Couples broke up all the time, even after
professing undying love.

So yeah, everything could still fall apart.
Nothing was secure, and any little thing could destroy the fragile
newness of
them
.

Which was why doubt prickled Karma’s sense of
security. A new woman was entering Mark’s life in a capacity that,
until recently, had been dominated entirely by her from their
inception. A little territorial insecurity was bound to haunt
her.

“I’m just . . .” A troubled,
almost sad sensation stirred inside her chest. She didn’t like this
feeling of being replaced. Of losing this one simple connection.
Even though she possessed Mark in the most important way, it still
felt like loss.

Lisa reached across the table and took her
hand. “Honey, listen to me. You have nothing to worry about. Mark
is head over heels for you. He loves you. He’s all but asked you to
marry him.”

“But he hasn’t.” She waved her free hand as
if dispelling a mist. “And it’s too soon for that, anyway.”

“The hell it is. It’s been almost two years
since you met each other. You spent four incredible months
together. Four months that burned themselves on Mark’s brain and
heart so deeply that he tattooed your name on his chest. Four
months that made him realize the two of you were meant to be
together. And now look at you. You
are
together. Right where
you belong.” Her eyes warmed. “Karma, what I’m trying to say is
sometimes you just know. And something tells me Mark just knows
with you.”

Lisa always knew what to say to make her feel
better.

“Thanks, Lisa. I needed that. I just get
so—hey, look at this.” She pointed out the window at a black
Cadillac limousine pulling up to the restaurant. “Fancy bling for a
place like Greek Tony’s, don’t you think?”

Lisa followed her gaze then straightened when
she saw the limo. She checked her watch in such a way it seemed
she’d known the limo was coming and had lost track of the time.

Karma frowned at her. Was this part of her
and Mark’s scheming?

The driver exited the vehicle and strode
purposefully toward the entrance. Once inside, he stopped and
scanned the dining room. When his eyes met hers, he smiled and
approached.

Lisa cleared her throat and leaned back in
her chair as if to give the man room.

He stopped beside their table. “Miss Karma
Mason?”

She looked from the driver to Lisa, who had
her lips pressed together as if forcing herself to look
innocent.

She glanced back up at the driver. “Yes.”

“Would you mind coming with me, please?” He
held out his hand as if to help her from her chair.

Everyone in the dining room was staring at
them.

She turned her gaze back to Lisa, who bit her
bottom lip harder to keep from smiling and bobbed her head toward
the driver’s outstretched hand as if to remind Karma it was there.
“Go on, Karma. Go with him.”

“What did you and Mark do?”

Lisa giggled then turned an invisible key
over her lips.

Karma reluctantly met the driver’s eyes
“Where are we going?”

The man’s smile could have melted butter.
“I’ve been instructed not to say.”

“By whom?” But she could guess. This had
Mark’s MO stamped all over it.

His gaze sparkled with intrigue. “I’m not
allowed to say that, either.”

“Uh-huh, I see.” She arched one eyebrow at
Lisa. “You were in on this, weren’t you?”

Her cheeks turned rosy as she guiltily—but
playfully—bowed her head. “Maybe.”

“Ma’am?” The driver nodded toward his
outstretched hand. “I apologize, but I have to insist we not delay.
We’re on a bit of a timetable.”

With a resigned sigh, she placed her palm in
his but narrowed her eyes on Lisa. “I’ll get you back for keeping
this from me.”

Lisa laughed. “You’re going to love it. I
promise.”

“I’m still going to get you back. Just wait.”
She began to pick up her briefcase, but the driver easily plucked
it from her hand.

Okay, fine. He could carry it for her.

He took a step back as she slipped on her
coat.

“Wait. What about my car?” She couldn’t just
leave her car there.

Lisa giggled and pulled her spare car key
from her purse. What the hell? How had Lisa gotten her spare key?
Oh wait. Mark. He must have stolen it from her purse the last time
he’d spent the night. Sneaky bastard.

“Daniel’s waiting for me to call him so he
can come and meet me,” Lisa said. “He’s going to drive your car
back to your apartment. Then I’ll take him home.”

So, Daniel was involved in this plot, too?
Just how many of her friends had Mark enlisted to pull this
off?

“How long have you and Mark been planning
this?”

“About two weeks.”

Karma gasped and smacked Lisa’s arm. “I can’t
believe you kept this from me for two weeks!” She straightened and
raised her chin. “I’m revoking your best friend status.” She
snagged her purse, slung the strap over her shoulder, and stepped
beside the driver.

Lisa laughed.

Sucking her tongue between her teeth, Karma
nodded toward her car’s spare key in Lisa’s hand. “Tell Daniel he’d
better not scratch the paint.”

“Just make sure you text me and tell me all
about . . .” Lisa trailed off as if she didn’t want
to give away too much of Mark’s plans. “Just text me.”

“We’ll see.” With that, and with Lisa’s
giggles teasing her, she turned and followed the driver out the
door to the limousine.

He opened the rear door for her, and she
peered inside.

And there he was. The man she was madly,
deeply, and irrevocably in love with.

Mark Strong. The captain of her heart.

Lounging on plush, cream-colored leather, he
wore a black knit sweater, black slacks, and a sexy-as-hell smile
under bedroom eyes. Just . . . God.

In the dictionary, beside the word luscious,
there had to be a picture of Mark wearing this outfit and that
expression. There just had to be. With dark hair, dark eyes, strong
jaw, straight nose, and angular lips that did such naughty, wicked
things to her anatomy, he was the epitome of sex appeal.

He took her hand and drew her onto the bench
seat beside him. A moment later, the door closed, leaving them
alone.

“What are you doing here?” she said. “I
thought you were flying to South Carolina today.”

At least that’s what he’d told her when they
spent the night together Monday. He’d said he was meeting with a
potential client and wouldn’t be back until the weekend. It was
only Thursday. Apparently, his story had been a ruse to throw her
off.

Mark wrapped his hand around her inner thigh
and tugged her closer. He cupped her face in his other hand as he
leaned toward her. “I lied.”

His face was barely an inch from hers. “I
sort of figured that out,” she whispered.

The way the outer corners of his eyes
crinkled as he grinned tugged at her heart. “I’m kidnapping you
instead.”

“Kidnapping me?”

He pushed her hair away from her neck and
softly pressed his lips against the subtle dip below her ear,
sending shivers down her spine.

“Yes, kidnapping,” he whispered, as the car
pulled away. “You’re my prisoner now.” His warm breath washed over
her skin before he kissed her again, lower. Then again and again,
burning a trail down the side of her neck. As he inched downward,
he nuzzled her flesh and gently pushed her collar down her shoulder
with his lightly scruffy chin while his lips continued feasting on
the tender curve of skin where her neck and shoulder met.

“Where are you taking me?” It was hard to
focus when he was seducing her so exquisitely.

He straightened and smiled. “This wouldn’t be
much of a kidnapping if I told you, would it?”

She glanced around at the limousine’s
luxurious interior. The leather was soft as velvet, and the silver
accents gleamed without a smudge of fingerprints.

“It’s not much of a kidnapping at all, if you
ask me. I’m not blindfolded. My hands aren’t bound. In fact, I feel
completely safe.”

“Mmmm, you do tempt me, don’t you?” His
heated gaze slid down her body then back to her face. “The
blindfold and handcuffs can come later. Does that ease your mind
about the seemingly gentle nature of your kidnapper?”

She nibbled her bottom lip and ran her hand
across his hard abdomen as she leaned into him, eyes lowered. He
could still make her feel so shy. “Something tells me my kidnapper
isn’t as gentle as he lets on. I think he has a darker side. A
much
darker side.” Sex had grown both more intimate and more
debauched since they’d gotten back together. As if now that they
were a legitimate couple, he felt more comfortable showing her a
more abandoned, brazen side to his sexuality while still
worshipping her body like it was his own private temple.

And, God, the sex was good. All he had to do
was give her
The Look
, and she was ready for him. Hot, wet,
and ready. They could be lounging casually on the couch, watching a
movie and sharing a bowl of popcorn, and out of nowhere he would
glance at her, one eyebrow slightly higher than the other, eyes
smoky, eyelids heavy, his head turned a fraction away from her so
he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, with a modest
smirk curling his lips. Instantly, moist warmth flooded her core.
Within minutes, the movie and popcorn were forgotten.

The Look
worked even better when he
was wearing a button-up shirt unbuttoned far enough to reveal some
of the hair on his chest, as she had found out Monday night.

What an evening. It had taken her until
Wednesday afternoon before she could think about what they’d done
to each other without going completely weak kneed and slick between
the legs.

He cupped her cheek and drew her face toward
his shoulder as he dipped his nose into her hair. “Your kidnapper
does
have a darker side.” He spoke softly, his voice low,
which heightened his proclamation and sent shivers down her spine.
“But only because he loves you so much and feels safe enough to
share that side of himself with you.”

She smiled to herself as he confirmed her
suspicions. “I thought so.”

“You did, did you?” She heard the pleased
smile in his voice.

She nodded and lifted her face so she could
look into his dark, grey-green eyes. “Yes.”

He brushed the backs of his fingers down her
cheek. “Rest assured, my beautiful
kidnappee.
There are
things he hasn’t shown you yet.”

“Why not?”

His gaze fell briefly as his mouth tightened.
He took a breath and met her gaze again. “Maybe he doesn’t want to
scare you.”

“He won’t.”

“Maybe he wants to make sure you’re
ready.”

“I am.”

He grinned, but the gesture appeared tense. “Well,
maybe he just wants to save something for later.”