Read Online Karma by the Sea by Traci Hall - Free Book Online

are there any other boyfriends? Husbands in your past?”
    “Nope. No time.” She took a drink of water that had sat so long the ice melted. “No interest.”
    “You’re supposed to tell the truth, K.”
    She squirmed and got off of his lap to sit in her own chair again. She missed his warmth immediately, but if they were still playing twenty questions, she needed to be able to breathe without thinking of sex. Of him.
    “It is the truth. After Paolo, I went into self-protect mode.” She hadn’t let herself feel much of anything. “A few dates, but nothing that went anywhere. I interned at a prestigious law firm where the youngest partner wanted to screw me. I said no.”
    “So, what happened with him?”
    “I didn’t get the job I was promised.” Her belly rolled, but she took another sip of water, preferring to look at Joe and his brilliant eyes. They changed all of the time. A girl would never get bored looking into those eyes.
    “You couldn’t tell somebody?”
    “Nothing would change. It’s the good ol’ boy system.”
    He ruffled his hair, something he did when nervous she was beginning to realize. “What did you do?”
    “I went to work for myself, that’s what.” She sat with pride. Even broke as hell, it was better than being drooled on and treated like the coffee girl. Now she had judges listening to her with respect. She was earning a reputation, but it would take time.
    “You obviously love it.”
    “I thought I would,” she said, surprised by the words.
    Joe sat back and folded his arms across his chest, as if he realized she’d just said something new.
    K took a moment to examine the words, and what they meant. Did she want to change directions? “I want financial security. I thought I wanted that glamorous life for myself. But honestly, I’m finding that the wealthy just fight about different things. Things that don’t matter so much, say, to a kid on the street.”
    “I met plenty of those,” Joe said. “They get to you.”
    “Well.” She pushed her hair behind her ear, not wanting to go further with the conversation. It was too personal. Too close to home. “How about we get out of here?” She stood and leaned across the table to give Joe a direct kiss on the mouth, his lips firm beneath hers. “You, and me.”
     
    *****
     
    Joe couldn’t believe his damn luck. The hottest woman he’d ever met just propositioned him. And he had to say no.
    Should he make a concession in his effort toward self-care? His hard-on said fuck it, just do it and enjoy the moment. His mind, and all the time in therapy, said slow your roll, buster. This one is different.
    She kissed him again, pressing deeper and he, as a gentleman, had to return the kiss. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching for her and dragging her across the table by the shoulders to make sure she understood he was turned on. Really turned on.
    He released her and she wobbled unsteadily on her feet, her eyes dazed.
    “Are you drunk?” he asked.
    “No.” She gave him a bemused glance and quickly gathered her purse and phone.
    “Me either.”
    “Good,” she said with a wink as she eyed his chest. “We can pick up a bottle of wine on the way to Rita’s, if you want.”
    “I can’t.” This sucked .
    “What?”
    “Get wine.”
    “Okay…” she said, her words trailing off as she narrowed her eyes.
    “Or have sex with you.”
    Her cheeks flamed and he put his hand out to touch her—of course, she pulled away.
    “I want to,” he said, looking down at his straining shorts, “but I can’t.”
    “I don’t understand,” she whispered.
    “Doctor’s orders.”
    “No sex is part of your behavior management program? That doesn’t sound healthy,” she said with disbelief. “You’re a man, with needs.”
    “Don’t I know it? The thing is, K, I really like you. That’s the problem. If I didn’t like you so much, then we could just have sex and it would be fine.”
    “You aren’t making any