Page 35 of Guarded Hearts

They fell into silence for a few long heartbeats.

“I have an idea.”

Before she could get out the words to ask what that idea was, Carson shoved to his feet in a graceful sweep. The move was a cross between a street fighter and a predator, silent and stealthy.

When he took a huge step over the coffee table and landed in front of her, hand extended, she threw back her head with a surprised laugh.

“Come with me.”

Chapter Nine

Carson was pissed off at himself for so many reasons when it came to Layne. For all the time that lapsed between them when they could have been together. For the miscommunication, misunderstanding.

But his current grievance—overlooking his empty gas tank and needing to fill up the minute he rolled into Willowbrook—was a rookie mistake he wouldnotmake again.

From a security standpoint, the situation was far from ideal. Standing at the gas pump, while Layne sat in the passenger seat, he kept a sniper’s eye on his surroundings.

When a small SUV pulled up to the pump beside him, he narrowed a glare at the driver even as he assessed the threat they posed.

Through the window glass, the woman’s face lit up in a smile.

“Fuck,”he grated out. Could their luck get any worse?

A woman with streaky blonde hair jumped out of her car and threw him a wave. “Hey, Carson! Wow. I haven’t seen you in ages!”

His own smile—the one he did not feel like giving anybody—stretched tight. His lips felt like rubber bands about to snap. “Hi, Marilyn.”

In a very blatant study of his physique, she looked him over. Then she darted to the side and peered into the cab of his truck.

Hell. Maybe he should shoot her as a threat. One of his brothers would help him ditch the body. Or at the very least he could send her on a long vacation. To another country.

Her already-wide smile grew clown-sized, accentuated by her pink lipstick. “Oh my god! Is thatLayne Londonin your truck? You two again? Iknewyou’d reconnect. You look so good together!”

Since the age of fifteen, Carson had been comfortable in his skin. But right this second, he couldn’t feel more awkward.

Deciding he had filled his gas tank enough to get by—or at least drive across the Wyoming border—he replaced the nozzle on the pump.

“Take care, Marilyn.” Without a backward glance, he jumped into the truck and gunned it out of the parking lot.

Across the console, Layne blinked at him. “Was that…”

“Marilyn. Yeah.”

“Well, that’s a blast from the past. What did she say to you?”

He swung his stare to hers. “You don’t really want to know.”

“Carson Malone.” Her tone came with a warning note that he recalled from the old days when she demanded something from him.

And he wasalwayshelpless to deny her, no matter what it was.

“She said we look good together.”

Her jaw dropped, her hazel eyes wide. “Oh. Well then.” She twisted her face toward the passenger window and they rode in silence the rest of the way to their destination.

The date he’d arranged on the fly hadn’t come without a steep price. He had to get Willow to make the arrangements, and his little sister could hold down a second job as an extortionist. What he had to promise in exchange for her making a few phone calls was highway robbery. And from her own brother too.

When he pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant that was Layne’s old favorite, she let out a gasp. “Carson!What are we doing here? Wait—the parking lot’s empty. The restaurant is closed.”

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