“Okay, turkey melt special and fries,” announced the waitress as she arrived at their table. “And a glass of water. Oh, and I brought the bill in case you two are in a hurry. Can I get you anything else?”
Razor took out some cash—more than necessary for the tab and a tip—and pushed it to the edge of the table along with the handwritten check. “That’ll be all.”
With a nod and a cheerful smile, the young woman turned and headed off to continue her work.
Willow didn’t realize just how hungry she was until the aromas of warm, roasted turkey and melted cheese wafted up from her plate. Her stomach growled eagerly, and she glanced sheepishly at Razor.
He gave a low chuckle. “Go ahead and eat.”
She attacked her food with little regard for the fact that he watched her the whole time. She could hardly hold back her pleasured moan at the first taste of crunchy sourdough bread and all the goodness packed between the buttery slices. Even the water was bliss, cold and refreshing as she gulped it down her parched throat.
It took her all of ten minutes to wolf down the sandwich and eat the last French fry. All with Razor watching the entire time. She couldn’t decide if his expression was one of amusement or shock, and she was too satisfied to care.
“Feel better?” he asked, not even trying to hide his smirk.
She shrugged, smiling back at him. “I feel like I could take on the world right now. Or, at a minimum Sister Agathe.”
“Then we should go.”
She nodded. “I want to stop in the ladies’ room first and freshen up, as best I can, that is.”
“All right. Don’t be long. I’ll take care of the waitress, then I’ll wait for you just outside the café.”
They got up from the table, Willow heading to the restrooms in back while Razor strode in the opposite direction where their waitress was busy wiping down an empty table.
Willow paused outside the swinging door to the ladies’ room only long enough to see Razor lean in to the young woman and say something to her while his hand moved surreptitiously to touch her forehead.
Stepping into the restroom, Willow made quick use of the facilities then did her best to smooth down her hair and wash up at the sink. A gargle of cold water and breath mint from a nearly empty tin of them in her purse were the best she could do without a toothbrush.
Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done about the dark circles under her eyes, or the stress and grief she could see plainly written all over her face.
But her eyes told a different story. Steely determination filled the bright green gaze that stared back at her in the mirror. Her face, so like Laurel’s it startled her sometimes.
“I’m not going to let you down,” she promised her twin’s memory. “Whoever hurt you is not going to get away with it. I promise you.”
With that vow singing through her veins, Willow straightened her shoulders and strode out of the ladies’ room with renewed purpose. As he’d indicated, Razor was standing just outside the café entrance waiting for her.
As Willow passed the waitress on her way out to meet him, the young woman gave her a disapproving look. “The restrooms are for paying customers only, miss.”
“Oh.” Willow feigned embarrassment. “I didn’t realize. Sorry about that.”
She kept walking, making a beeline for where Razor stood. He was scowling as she approached him. Willow took a steadying breath. “I hope I didn’t take too long. Let’s get out of here before—”
Her words dried up at the feel of his hands gently cupping her face. His golden eyes seared her. “You were wrong about something.”
“W-what?” She had no idea what he was talking about or what to think. All she knew was the shock, the electric excitement, of his touch and the heat of his piercing gaze. Her entire body was short-circuiting as he held her in his tender grasp.
He moved in closer, until scant inches stood between their bodies. “I’m not here with you now because of my duty to keep you safe. Fuck . . . keeping you safe from me is the best thing I could do for you, Willow.”
Before she knew what to think or what to say or do, Razor bent his head and kissed her.
Their lips met only briefly, but the jolt of awareness that ignited from just that fleeting brush of their mouths against each other nearly melted her where she stood.
Desire swamped her. Her pulse jumped and sped off at a gallop, until all she could hear was the thrumming beat of her heart in her ears.
In her veins.
In every fiber of her being.
