Flawed Creatures

Outta Sight -32-

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

An arm around Cara's lower back, she held on tight as they walked inside her home a little after ten o'clock. Having told her husband where she was headed and who she was going to retrieve, she found him seated on the couch reading a newspaper. Folding and tossing it to the side, Theodore stood up and hurried toward them to help. When Evelyn announced her plan to take Cara to the guestroom nearest the bathroom instead of moving to the other side of Cara he picked her up, carrying her toward the stairs while his wife followed.

Cara chuckled and opened her mouth to speak for the first time since Evelyn helped her out the car. "Hi, Theo. I'm your daughter's friend." Though some slurring was attached to her words they were essentially decipherable.

"Hi, Cara." Theodore offered a cordial smile. "Yes, I remember."

Glancing over his shoulder toward Evelyn she chuckled anew. "I used to have sex with your wife."

At that point some men may have tossed her over the railing or at least dropped her right there halfway up the stairs. Theodore Roundtree simply chuckled as well while bobbing his head as his wife placed a palm over her face and shook hers. "Yes, I know. She told me."

Cara beamed. "Outta sight."

"Outta sight that Eve told me or was the sex outta sight?" He good naturedly laughed when Evelyn murmured an 'oh God'.

His blonde cargo grinned. "Both actually."

"Cara, I could not agree more. That's why I married her." A hand smacked his shoulder prompting him to modify. "Oh and I kind of loved her a whole lot too."

Walking ahead of them Evelyn smirked. "So romantic, Theo."

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Cara placed on the bed and wished the sweetest dreams by Theodore, his wife walked him to the door. Having removed her heels downstairs she stood on her tiptoes in order to deposit a kiss on his lips.

"Going to make sure she's all right and get her tucked in then I'll join you in bed." Smiling at him, Evelyn rubbed a hand along his upper arm. "Thank you for your help and allowing her to stay. Know this must seem strange."

Theodore glanced between their abrupt house guest and his wife, a smile curving his mouth. "I've seen stranger." Head lowered he returned her kiss. "Take your time. If she's capable of talking tonight think she could use an ear. I love you."

Arms wrapped around him, Evelyn's cheek pressed to Theodore's chest, the cologne she gave him for Christmas stirring her sense of smell. "Love you too, Teddy Bear."

Evelyn spent a few seconds watching her husband walk down the hall before she returned to the bedroom and shut the door. She was surprised when she turned around spotting Cara sitting up on the bed, her back pressed to the headboard. Their eyes meeting the teenager smiled and she smiled back. Evelyn pointed toward the dresser. "Pajamas in there. Why don't we get you changed?"

"Oh?" Cara's smile turned faintly mischievous. "You wanna get me outta my clothes, Evie?"

Oh God. If life had a warning signal hers would have been furiously beeping in that moment. "Yes, but only to replace them with night wear. Then you go to sleep unless you care to talk to me."

Cara's lower lip protruded as though she were pouting. "Could think of other things I'd rather do to you. 'Member, Evie? You 'member what we used to do without day and night clothes?"

She remembered more than she cared to admit. "Pants or a nightgown?"

"Huh?"

"Which would you prefer to wear to bed?"