Good Karma (25 page)

That was going to change. If he had his way
and enough time, she would get very familiar with toys in the
bedroom. She was about to experience a lot of firsts, and Mark
wanted to be there to experience every single one. Screw that. He
wanted to
give
them to her.

He rinsed off his toothbrush, shut off the
bathroom light, and situated himself against the full, firm pillows
propped against the bed’s headboard as he snagged the remote from
the nightstand and turned on the flat screen across the room,
trying to ignore the ache between his legs.

Karma’s reaction to the vibrator was exactly
why he had given it to her in the first place. She needed to get
more familiar with her body and lose her inhibition about taking
pleasure for herself.

He liked the thought that he would be her
first. Not her
first
first, but he would be the first to
give her an orgasm she didn’t have to give herself. And he
would
give her an orgasm. No doubt about it. That little
angel was going to fall apart under his touch if it was the last
thing he did.

He took his phone off the nightstand and
typed out a text.
You’re not trying out your new toy, are
you?

A minute later, she sent him a reply.
What
if I am?

Oh, she wanted to play, huh?
Then you’re
breaking the rules and I’ll have to punish you.

Punish me?

Yes. Punish you.

It took a few minutes to get a reply.
Are
you being serious?

He laughed. She was adorably gullible. How
could he not play with her just a little?
I’m very
serious.

It took her a while to reply, as if she were
trying to decipher just how serious he was.
I’m not playing.
Just reading. I turned on the vibrator, but that’s all. I
swear.

He could almost see her in a tizzy. In time,
she would learn when he was joking and when he was serious, and
that he would never punish her. Not like that. If he ever played
those kinds of games, that’s all they would be. Games.

LOL. I’m only kidding. I wouldn’t punish
you.

You’re mean.

He chuckled.
And you’re adorable.

You’re forgiven.

She could be so cute.
Thank you. But I
seriously do want you to refrain from using your new toy for the
time being. Methods, Miss Mason. I have methods.

Yes, yes. Methods. Why do I get the impression your
methods are going to be the death of me?

He grinned.
If they work, they WILL be the
death of you, my adorable protégé. The death of the old you and the
birth of someone new.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for
anything philosophical right now. I’m too busy reading about my
clitoris, the little engine that could.

Mark’s eyes shot wide
. Excuse me? Come
again?

I can’t “come again.” You won’t allow me to come at
all right now, Mr. Strong.

Oh now, who was this little vixen texting
him, because she surely wasn’t sweet, innocent Karma.
I never
said you couldn’t come, just that you can’t use your favorite new
toy. But more importantly, who are you? And what did you do with
sweet, innocent Miss Mason?

LOL. She’s right here and if you could see
her face, you’d see she’s very embarrassed.

And why would she be embarrassed?

Because she’s not used to saying such
things.

Well, we’ll just have to work that out of
her, won’t we? I like her potty mouth.
A woman who looked
innocent yet engaged in dirty talk was so sexy.

You would.

I’m hurt.

No you’re not.

Yes I am. I’m a very sensitive guy.

Sensitive my ass, Mr. Strong.

He threw his head back and laughed. So
feisty.
Fine. Call my bluff. But I want you to tell me more
about your reading material. Would you care to elaborate on what
you’re reading this evening?

Not at the moment.

Do I have to go back to your apartment? If I
do, I might have to rethink that whole punishment thing.

Ugh. You are relentless. Stinker. >:(

Who would have thought texting could be this
much fun. Yes, I am. :)

Fine. I’m reading one of the books you got
me. The papaya book. Second chapter: Her Clitoris: The Little
Engine That Could. I’m assuming you know what I’m talking about
since you told me you’ve read this book.

Yes. I did. And yes, I do.
He had read
parts of that book several times, in fact. That book had left the
women he had dated very satisfied…and occasionally speechless. It
was a book every man should read and study.

So, you understand just how important the
little engine is, right?
she texted.

His grin grew wider.
Yes. I’m very aware
of its importance.

Okay. Good. Just so we have that clear.

He waited a moment before replying.
Just
wait till you see what my tongue can make your little engine do
when my finger pays a visit to your Kegel-enhanced G-spot, Miss
Mason. (Damn, I wish I could see your face right now)

It took longer for her next text to arrive.
If you could, you’d laugh at how red it is. And then there’s
that whole deer-in-the-headlights look I’m working. It’s quite
sexy. I can’t believe you said that, btw.

Oh, believe it, Miss Mason. I said it, and I
mean it. I can’t wait to take you and your little engine to all
sorts of wonderful places.

You keep saying things like that and I’ll
have to break your rule.

Don’t you dare. I want you saving that for
me.

Selfish much?

Damn straight. Your new vibrator doesn’t
get a taste until I do. And once more I wish I could see your
face.
He could text her all night.

MR. STRONG! Stop that!

LOL. You’re so cute when you text angry.

Grrrr.

Mark relented with a sigh.
I’m only
teasing. I plan on taking my time with you. Alas, but Mr. Vibrator
will have you before I do, but don’t think that means he’ll be
better.

Wow. That’s some ego.

Confidence, Miss Mason. It’s confidence.

If that’s what makes you sleep at
night,
she shot back
.

I do sleep rather well. Speaking of which.
It’s late. I should let you get back to your…ahem…reading.

Yes, it is late, and I do have a lot of
reading to do. My teacher loaded me up. Thanks for the chat. Good
night, Mark.

Good night, Karma.
He waited a few
seconds then sent one more message.
Sweet dreams of my tongue on
your little engine.

MARK!

I love when you scream my name.

Grrr. I’m looking for Mr. Vibrator.

Don’t you dare.

Then quit sexing me up.

The air froze.
You’re sexed up?

Are you?

He glanced down at the tent in the sheets.
Maybe. Are you?

Extra long pause.
Maybe.

Hmm. Nice. Very nice. He tapped out his
reply.
Well then…hurry with your reading, Miss Mason. And get
started on your Kegels. And I can see I’ll have to get right on
helping you with your dildo training, won’t I? Because the faster
you work, the sooner we can turn those maybes into something much
more affirmative. And much more hands-on.

He couldn’t wait to touch her in that way the
first time. Feel her body react to his. Would she quiver? Moan?

He loved this part. The thrill of the chase.
The hunt. He lived for it.

Karma’s next message came through.
Well,
if you would stop distracting me, I could read a lot faster, you
know. Not that I really mind all that much. Just sayin’.

LOL. Well, I won’t keep you any longer then.
Good night, Karma. Here’s to little engines and all that goes with
them.

LOL. Good night, Mr. Tease. Have a safe trip
back to Chicago.

Chuckling to himself, he set his phone back
on the nightstand then shut off the light. What a surprising
exchange. If he wasn’t mistaken, Karma might have just started
coming out of her shell.

Chapter 21

If you
change the way you look at things, the things you look at
change.

-Wayne Dyer

On Saturday, Karma went to her parents’ house and
watched the playoff game with her dad then stopped by the store on
the way home to pick up milk. Leaving the dairy section, she
decided that, while she was at it, she might as well check out the
health and beauty department, where she could find such items
as…oh…condoms.

It couldn’t hurt to have some on hand, just
in case. Mark had made it clear that sex was part of the plan. It
would be irresponsible not to be prepared.

At least, that’s what she kept telling
herself as she slinked off and came at health and beauty the back
way, stealth-like, as if that made a difference. For crying out
loud, she was just going after condoms, not meth or bomb-making
materials. Just condoms. Simple, innocent, latex—

She halted as she came out from behind a
shelving unit full of hair care products.

Jolene and her boss, Jake, were huddled
together. He had his arm around her, his hand on her butt. Her
breasts were pressed seductively against his chest, and she was
working the same look on Jake that she had on Mark that day she had
asked him to drinks.

Karma quickly ducked back behind the shelf
and peeked out in time to see Jo nip the side of Jake’s neck as he
chuckled nervously and said something Karma couldn’t quite hear,
but which sounded something like, “Jolene, we’re in public.”

“I don’t care,” Jo said. “I’d fuck you right
here if I could. You’ve got me so horny. And it’s your fault for
forgetting to bring them.” She pressed in close and nibbled his
neck, grinning as if she was doing something wicked.

“Jo. Stop.”

She giggled, and Jake squirmed like she had a
hold of his penis.

“At least wait till we get to the car,” he
said.

“Oh, I’m going to ride you so hard tonight,”
Jo said. “Just grab a box. Hurry up.”

Jake snatched a box of condoms off the shelf
and followed Jo toward the registers like a puppy.

Well now. Wasn’t this interesting. Jo and
Jake.

Karma didn’t want to get Jake in trouble, but
this was a major ace in her pocket. Jake was married, and not just
married, but married to the daughter of Solar’s president and CEO,
who was also the founder’s son. Jake was in a position to lose
everything if his affair with Jolene became public knowledge. Why
would he risk it?

It was Jolene, that’s why. Her sway over
men—except for Mark, of course—was almost mystical. She could make
Tim Tebow give it up if she wanted to, and that man had serious
convictions about his virtue.

Karma waited until Jo and Jake paid and
scampered out the exit, off to do God knew what to each other, then
proceeded into the aisle they had just vacated. There were so many
condom options. Ribbed. Extra large. Colored. Plain. And about a
hundred different brands. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Jo
and Jake long enough to focus on selecting one.

How long had their affair been going on? The
two certainly looked comfortable with each other. She filed through
her mental database of all the times she had seen the two together
in the office. The way they looked at each other. The way they
hushed any time anyone was near. The closed-door meetings he had
with her every week.

Holy crap! This had been going on for a
while. How had she never noticed?

Because she was little Miss Naïve, that’s
why. She simply didn’t notice such things. But surely someone had.
Then again, maybe not. Or maybe they had and didn’t care or didn’t
want to get involved.

Abandoning the condoms, Karma made her way to
the checkout and paid for the milk, her mind swimming with the
knowledge that had fallen into her lap. She hoped she would never
have to use it, but it was a nice safety net.

Aside from her eye-opening Saturday night,
Karma spent most of the weekend gobbling up the books Mark had
given her. It was fascinating reading. She had learned more about
her body and his than she had in a whole semester of sex ed, and
with a little self-exploration with her finger, she had discovered
her G-spot. She had even given herself her first G-spot orgasm.
Mark was right. It was stronger than a clitoral orgasm, but she had
a feeling a G-spot orgasm the Mark Strong way would be even better.
A perverse thrill shot through her private places at the
thought.

She had also started her Kegel exercises. In
a way, her yoga training assisted with those, and she was beginning
to understand what Mark had meant by how she would thank him for
introducing her to them. As she did the exercises, she actually got
turned on. Enough so that afterward, she was aroused enough to
masturbate and explore her G-spot again. And just wow. After
Kegels, that little dynamo was especially sensitive and packed an
even bigger punch.

Monday night, after a day that saw Mark go
from one meeting to the next, Karma sat on the couch, watching a
weather update for an approaching storm, waiting for Mark to
arrive. He had texted earlier that he was finishing up his last
meeting and would be over as soon as he grabbed a quick bite and a
shower. He had offered to bring her dinner, but she had already
eaten.

A little before eight o’clock, he announced
himself with a quiet knock.

“Hi, stranger,” he said, all charming smile
and dazzling eyes. He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“Hi.” She blushed and looked away.

After a few days apart, some of her bravado
from Friday’s text session had dissipated.

She closed the door behind him. The man sure
could work a pair of jeans. And royal blue? He looked good in blue.
And red. And black. And…hell, Mark could make 70s polyester plaid
and a Fu Manchu look good.