Part 1 (1/2)

Karma Girl.

Jennifer Estep.

Two weeks later, Sam and I snuggled together, still blissful from our latest round of pa.s.sion. We'd both played hooky from work and spent the afternoon making love in his ma.s.sive bed. I'd never been happier in my entire life. I didn't know what I had done to deserve Sam, but I was d.a.m.n sure going to do everything in my power to keep him. Bad karma, or no karma.

A loud crackle sounded, startling me out of my dreamy reverie.

”What's that?” I whispered, pulling the sheets up to my chin.

”The intercom.” Sam pushed a b.u.t.ton on the wall next to the bed.

”Um, guys?” Henry's voice echoed through the room. ”I really hate to . . . interrupt, but we've got a bit of a situation.”

”What sort of situation?” Sam asked.

”The chief just e-mailed me some information about a new group of ubervillains in town. They've robbed a couple of museums today, and the police are chasing them. With no success of course. We need to stop them before they level the city.”

”We'll be there shortly,” Sam said.

”Roger that. Over and out.”

Sam flicked off the intercom. ”It looks like we'll just have to wait to pick up where we left off later.

Unfortunately, untimely interruptions are part of the job.”

”I understand.” I smiled. ”I guess it's time we went to work.”

I started to rise, but Sam pulled me back down on top of him. ”We still have a few minutes left.” His fingers began their familiar route down my body.

I s.h.i.+vered at the wicked, wanton light in his silvery eyes. ”Then let's make the most of it,” I whispered before lowering my lips to his.

KarmaGirl.

1.

My wedding day.

It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. A time of joy and celebration and new beginnings.

The day every girl dreams of from the time she's old enough to play dress-up in her mother's clothes.

It wasn't that sort of day at all.

I stalked up and down the narrow hotel room. My h.e.l.lish high-heeled shoes poked holes in the thick carpet and rubbed hot blisters on my aching feet. My white tulle dress rustled with every step I took.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

I'd had the feeling for weeks now that something just wasn't quite right between me and my fiance, Matt Mar-ion. He'd been distant lately, distracted. We'd been together over two years now, and I loved Matt with all my heart. But his odd behavior was enough to make the most trusting woman suspicious. I'd asked Matt many times if anything was wrong, if he had cold feet and wanted to postpone the wedding, but he'd a.s.sured me repeatedly that everything was fine.

Matt had been working lots of overtime at his construction job and had all sorts of unexplained bruises and scratches on his body. He'd blamed his frequent absences and injuries on work, but I couldn't quite shake this feeling, this cold sense of dread deep down in my stomach. Doubts whispered in my mind. I'd learned long ago to listen to my inner voice. Following my instincts was the reason I'd become the top investigative reporter at the Beginnings Bugle, the town newspaper.

I wasn't about to ignore my instincts now. I couldn't get married with this doubt hanging over me. I had to ask Matt one more time what was bothering him.

I slipped out of my hotel room and made my way to the elevator. It had been Matt's idea to get married at the Forever Inn, the most romantic hotel in all of Beginnings, Tennessee. Weddings took place on a daily basis at the four-star hotel, and no one batted an eye when I crowded into the elevator in my billowing dress and sparkling diamond tiara.

I rode up to the next floor and walked to Matt's room. It was bad luck-bad karma-for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding, but I had to talk to Matt. My inner voice wouldn't shut up until I did.

I raised my hand to knock. A low, m.u.f.fled moan escaped through the thick wooden door. Was Matt hurt? I frowned and put my key, the one I had in case of an emergency, in the lock. The door opened, and I stepped inside.

”Yes, Yes, YES!!!!” a woman screamed out from deeper in the room.

Oh. That's what that sound was. Someone was having a little afternoon delight. Good for them. I turned to give the enthusiastic couple their privacy when reality hit me.

Why was someone having s.e.x in Matt's room? He should have been in there, getting ready for his wedding, which was only thirty minutes away. His wedding to me.

I froze. A ball of ice formed in the pit of my stomach. I wasn't going to like what I was about to see, I just knew it, but I couldn't stop myself from looking. I tiptoed up to the doorframe, still hidden from view, and peeked into the bedroom.

Karen Crush, my best friend since the fourth grade, was straddling Matt, my oh-so-faithful fiance.

Karen's pale blue bridesmaid's dress bunched around her waist, exposing her lean legs. Matt's pants pooled around his ankles. A lacy thong sat crumpled beside the bed, along with some other pieces of blue and red fabric.

KarmaGirl.

Karen flipped her black curls over her shoulder and threw her head back in pure bliss. The ecstatic look on Matt's face told me he was thoroughly enjoying himself as well. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

My world spun around. I felt as though someone had stabbed me in the chest with a butcher knife.

Twice. Hot tears welled up in my eyes and trickled down my face. My knees shook. My legs threatened to buckle. Now, I knew what had been so wrong. Why Matt had been so distant. This one moment, this horrible sight, made it all so clear. So painfully clear. Love, friends.h.i.+p, humanity in general. My faith in those was now gone. Obliterated by the two people I loved most in the world.

Matt and Karen let out more cries of pleasure, oblivious to me. To my pain.

The sounds shattered my heart into a thousand sharp, jagged pieces. Each one cut me like a razor. I wanted to run out the door, to cry my eyes out, to sob and scream until I was hoa.r.s.e from both. But a flash of bright blue underneath Matt's unb.u.t.toned s.h.i.+rt caught my eye. I squinted through my cascading tears. It looked like . . . spandex.

Spandex?

”Oooh, I love it when you kiss my neck like that.” A giggle escaped from Karen's perfect, heart-shaped lips.

I loved it when Matt kissed my neck like that too. Anger bubbled up in my chest like a volcano about to explode. I swiped away the rest of my hot tears and straightened my spine. I wasn't going to run away.

Not from the two of them. Not until I had some answers.

Karen ran her hands down Matt's broad chest. Her long nails zipped along the fabric like scissors. She ripped his s.h.i.+rt open the rest of the way, revealing a blue spandex suit with a giant red M in the middle of it.

My mouth dropped open.