Bad Karma Read Online Free

through a telescope? She surmised he hadn’t accompanied his brothers to the bar after all.
    ~*~
 
    The next morning, Zach smacked the alarm off at five. He took a deep breath and sank back onto the pillow. He closed his lids and sighed, then shot out of bed, tossing his boxers into a hamper before stepping into the shower.
    The needle prick of the water brought him fully awake.
    He had to forgo his usual shave in favor of pulling on a tee and some shorts and running out the door into the pre-dawn darkness. When he made it to his car, he looked at the house next door for a moment, wondering if the Danforth girls had enjoyed their first night in their new home.
    Skyler was her name. He said it aloud, liking the way it felt in his mouth.
    Zach drove to the marina and climbed onto the Fair Weather , the boat owned by Chloe Solis, his former crush.
    He still experienced a warm feeling stirring his gut when he saw her... except for the cold fear that quickly followed any remaining feelings of lust he held for her. The fear was inspired by her husband, Rafael, the sheriff. A thoroughly nice guy. He only had one blind spot. He had absolutely no sense of humor when it came to his lifelong love, Chloe.
    After Rafael had resolved the recent series of murders, which had resulted in assorted body parts washing up on shore, he’d gotten down to the serious business of marrying Chloe and claiming her three year old daughter, Lacy. Chloe and Lacy Palmer had become Chloe and Lacy Solis and now, Chloe was pregnant with the next little Solis.
    Zach took a deep breath, inhaling the cool and salty air from the Gulf. From the start, loving Chloe had been a no-win situation for him, but he hadn’t been able to keep from falling over the edge. Now he was trying to find his footing again.
    He parked the Jeep close to the Bait Camp and sprinted down the adjoining wooden pier to where the Fair Weather berthed.
    “ That you, Zach?” Mack called out from the cabin.
    “ Yeah, Mack. I’m here to do dolphin duty.”
    “ Just in time. I’m heading out right now.”
    For the next few hours, he helped Mack with the nets and hauling in the catch. While Mack headed the shrimp, Zach leaned over the side and observed his pod of dolphins, the group he had tagged earlier in the year and whose family dynamics he was recording. His research study called for him to gather data concerning their changes and communications over the next five years.
    Mack dropped him at the marina before heading to the shrimp wholesalers, waving goodbye as he chugged up the Intracoastal Waterway to sell his catch.
    Zach climbed back into his vehicle and drove back to his house. He saw the silver Audi pulled up close to the house next door.
    He dropped his keys in his pocket and tried to decide if he was up for another rejection. Why not? I haven’t reached my quota for the day.
    He mounted the stairs and rang the bell. He waved when Skyler peeked out through the curtain covering the sliding glass door. He thought for a moment she'd looked frightened. Maybe he’d startled her.
    She opened the door and stared up at him, the clear blue eyes questioning his presence.
    “ Hello, Skyler. I just thought I’d check and see how you’re doing. Do you need anything?”
    Her expression warmed as she gazed up into his eyes. “We’re fine. It’s nice of you to ask.”
    He couldn’t tear his attention away from her full lips as they turned up into a smile. Her voice sounded deep and smoky. A very sexy quality.
    He gave himself a mental shake. “I’m sensing that you’ll say no if I ask you out to dinner again, so I’ll ask you to come over to my house for dinner tonight. You and your sister.” He smiled at her. “Don’t say no.”
    Skyler laughed. She glanced back over her shoulder. “I guess we can do that.”
    “ Sky, can you help me?” Cassie called out from the interior of the house.
    Sky looked back at Zach and then called back, “I’ll be right there.”
    Cassie let