Page 39 of Hiss and Make Up
“I’ll figure something out.”
Sierra begged the car to start while she turned the key three times.
“You’re gonna flood the engine.”
“I know how to start my own car.” The engine rumbled to life, so she stuck her tongue out at him.
Marc shook his head, but he laughed.
God, she loved that sound.
Crap.
His phone buzzed inside his laptop bag. She watched him fumble with it from the corner of her eye, while she drove out of the park.
Clumsy and dense, but cute.
Dang it.
“Turn right.”
“No,” she said. “It’s faster if I go left. I can get to the Breaux Bridge highway the back way.”
“No, you’re not taking me home yet.”
“Like hell, I’m not. I’m taking you home, then I’m going to my house to think in peace, where no one thinks they have to keep an eye on me.”
She bit the inside of her mouth, waiting for the argument. But it never came. He was too distracted by whoever he was texting.
“Better idea,” he said. “Take me downtown.”
“Why? I’m not your chauffeur, you know.”
“Don’t you want to find out who sent that email?”
She did. She really did want to know that.
And it would make everything else so much easier. If she could get a name or an address, she could cross-reference that with a list of registered snake permit holders.
“Fine.” She flipped the signal bar to indicate a right turn. “You win. This time.”
He put away his phone and leaned back against the headrest. Silent. Smug. Adorable.
The bastard.
9
The ride downtown was uncomfortably silent. Nothing but the wind through Sierra’s half-opened window to cut the tension between them.
Not that Marc completely understood where that tension came from. His best guess was the whole “Keep an Eye on Sierra” campaign he and Liz had going. He couldn’t exactly blame her for feeling like they were ganging up on her, but this was an issue he wouldn’t back down on. Especially not if she was right and someone did cut his fuel line.
He already regretted their agreement, and he had every intention of severing it as soon as possible. No way would he let her put herself in danger for his family or for some minor league reward money. He had to find a way to ditch Sierra’s help. A tall order considering he couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.
Sierra parallel parked on a quiet side street. When Marc walked around the car, she was still sitting behind the wheel with her window rolled down.
“Aren’t you coming?”
She nodded at the scraggly mutt drooling over her shoulder.
