Twisted Arrangement 4 (23 page)

Carla’s eyes narrowed, like she could read his mind, and he amended his earlier assumption. She’d most likely punch him. “You think because you do me a little favor, I’m just going to swoon in your arms, whimper ‘my savior’ and tell you my whole life story?”

Her breasts were heaving with her agitated breaths, and Todd concentrated very hard on keeping his gaze on her face. It wasn’t a hardship. Flushed and narrow-eyed, her long lashes spiky in the orange street light, another woman would have looked sallow or shrewish. Carla looked magnificent.

“Carla –” He didn’t know what he was going to say, but it didn’t matter anyway, because she cut him off again. Her voice was soft, but the words were firm.

“Goodnight, Todd Ness. Have a nice life.” She turned away from him and headed in the direction Eric had disappeared, fading into the darkness.

Todd took a step to follow her, and then forced himself to stop. What was he doing? Whoever this woman was, she was obviously trouble. He got into enough on his own without borrowing hers. And she made it very clear she didn’t want him to, anyway. ‘Have a nice life’ she’d said.

“You too,” he called after her. He’d thought she was too far away to hear, but sound carried pretty good in the hushed lot. He saw her pause, though she didn’t turn back around. Her head dropped, her proud, straight shoulders slumping a little. Todd heard the soft sound of her rueful chuckle, saw the slight shake of her head.

And then she was gone.