Rea had only begun to stir the hot vegetable soup when he felt Karma's eyes boring into him. She had awakened frightened, but he knew this not because of his gift. He could feel the bond they shared. Their connection was so incredibly powerful he couldn't free himself from the tie. He didn't know why he felt this way about her, but he did. He couldn't shake her hold. He loved her against his will.
"No gun, Karma," he announced as he turned with the green bowl in his hand.
He let her eyes drink him in as he studied her much as if he'd never seen her before. She seemed different to him. She looked vulnerable and sturdy, all at the same time.
"I was wondering which way my luck was running," she whispered as she ran her hand over her bandaged arm and pushed the blanket down. He got a healthy view of her exposed breasts. Karma didn't seem to mind being naked in front of him. Her stomach flexed as she took a deep breath. Her hand ran over her bandaged thigh.
Rea could see that she was assessing her physical condition. Was she coming up with an escape plan? Her eyes scanned the room. He would strangle her if she tried to shoot out the lamp and leave again. First, she wasn't well enough to travel. Second, they were going to talk.
He kept an eye on her as he took his chair next to the bed. She was so beautiful. His body didn't care what kind of life she'd led before showing up here. He liked the incline of her head and her sharp, intelligent eyes. He remembered showering with her and washing her body when she first showed up in his room. She was such a mix of supple skin and obstinate will. Everything he thought about her was probably wrong. Karma wasn't even his to have, but it didn't matter. At this point, she might have a boyfriend or a husband. Deep inside of him, those things didn't matter. He wanted to ignore the world outside. Why couldn't it just be the two of them?
Rea scowled at her delicate fingers as they moved over her skin. He banished all the carnal thoughts in his head. The only thing he should be thinking about was who hired her to kill him. The outside world did matter, and it wasn't just the two of them.
He cleared his throat when he realized his mind wandered. He had to stop thinking about Karma in ways he shouldn't. When she looked up at him, a tiny smile played on her lips. Her expression jumbled his thoughts. The way she looked at him told him she knew he was picturing a future with her. He hated the idea that she would know his feelings. Hell, he couldn't like her. He didn't even know her.
"Did you come to kill me?" He had to stay on topic this time. He stirred the hot soup and kept his voice neutral.
"If I had, you'd be dead."
Rea glared at her and tipped back in his chair. She took the soup out of his hand and began eating it casually.
He snatched the bowl out of her hands and stood.
"That's all you've got to say?" Her nonchalant attitude made something inside him snap. How dare she return to him like this? She didn't get to show up here, tie him in knots, and then eat his soup. "I patch you up and take care of you for days, and all you've got to say is you'd kill me if you got the chance? What is it? You didn't get paid enough this time? Damn you, Karma, get out. Just leave."
"I didn't mean…." Karma trailed off. Her incomplete sentence didn't pacify him.
"You think I'm stupid, don't you? I should've tied you to a chair, and instead of closing those cuts, I should've dug my knife into them deeper. At least torturing you would give me straight answers. Maybe that's who you are now. Maybe you only respond to violence. Who the hell are you?"
Karma pushed some of her hair from her shoulders and reached for him. Her fingers brushed his hand. He pulled away before she could wrap those delicate fingers around him and make him forget who they were.
"I hate this. I can't do this with you again. You should've never come back," Rea said the words but instantly regretted them. He did want her to come back. The problem was, he didn't want her back if this was going to be another heartbreak. Was it so bad to want someone who cared about him? Someone who stayed?
In all these years, he'd never been so in over his head as he was with her staring at him right now. Even at the worst times with his dad, he knew where he stood.
"Please, let me talk. Please, give me a chance to explain." Karma reached out for him again. This time, she captured his hand. He looked down at the bruises on her skin.
Karma took the soup from him and pulled him toward the chair next to the mattress.
"You always did like it when I begged." She smiled slightly.
Some of the tension inside of him was released. He stared at the scrapes up her arm and the scars. He would be a fool to listen to her, but he wanted to believe in her. He wanted to have faith in her more than anything. He wanted back what he had when she showed up here and lost her memories. Rea loved when she was in his life and in his bed. He was no longer going to lie to himself about that, even if he wanted to.