Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,25

forth in front of the window. She captivated my attention like no one else ever had. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was poised and sharply dressed in a business suit. The skirt fell just above her knees and I was wishing it were shorter.

Her legs went on for miles and I knew I was gawking. The thoughts going through my head certainly weren’t for mixed company, especially when said company was my nosey grandmother.

I could tell she was dealing with something big though. She looked stressed, and maybe even a little upset. I had the odd need to protect her from whatever she was dealing with.

My fox surged as if in full agreement. He was anxious and bracing for a fight. It was the strangest sensation I had ever felt in my life. Leave it to Nonna to notice it.

“She’s very beautiful, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” I said in a far-off voice. “Wait, what?”

She smirked. “The woman.” She nodded to the woman. “I’ve never seen you quite so enamored with a female before. What is it about her?”

I shrugged and tried to act like it was nothing. “Just a beautiful woman. I am male after all.”

“You sly dog. I know you better than that.”

She was eyeing me cautiously. I knew better than to admit I was attracted to a woman.

Sapphire swung by to check on us again and stopped short. She was watching the woman too.

“Excuse me,” she whispered.

I watched her leave the restaurant and run over to the woman. They talked for a minute and our waitress started to cry. My mystery woman wrapped her arms around Sapphire and held her. I had the uncanny feeling that despite whatever the lady was dealing with, she was the one comforting instead of being comforted.

That angered me.

I had an obsessive need to be the one to comfort her. It was insane but I was on the verge of losing it.

I casually excused myself to go to the bathroom in hopes of pulling myself together. The last thing I needed was an interrogation over my out of control emotions.

I washed my hands and splashed cold water on my face

“Pull it together, Tarron. You’re on a mission, not a hunt for a mate,” I pep talked myself in the mirror. I froze and my eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. Mate? Why would I even say such a thing? I wasn’t in the market for a mate. That was the last thing in this world I needed.

Pulling my shit together, I walked back to my booth.

“Are you okay?” Nonna asked. I could see the concern in her eyes, and I hated worrying her.

I couldn’t help peeking out the window. Sapphire and the woman were nowhere in sight.

“I’m fine.” I told her.

It was probably for the best. I didn’t need such a ridiculous distraction. I was supposed to be on a mission. I tried to turn my focus to the house. It didn’t appear that anything had change in my absence.

I heard a bell ring once, then twice, with a third time someone yelled out from the kitchen, “Sapphire, table five.”

“I think that’s us,” I said.

“That poor girl ran off upset. Maybe we should go check on her.”

“Nonna, I love you, but you can’t meddle in everyone’s life. Besides, isn’t that what you have me for?”

She got a sly look on her face. “Perhaps she’s still with that gorgeous creature that had you drooling. I’ve never seen you so taken with someone before. At least now I know what your type is.”

I groaned and got up to go and retrieve our food. I could see the order clearly and was positive it was ours.

“Where’s Sapphire?” the man asked.

“I think something came up and she had to leave,” I said.

He cursed under his breath.

“It’s fine, I assured him. Table 5, right?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry man.”

“It’s cool. Looks great.”

There was a commotion behind him, and someone burst through the kitchen door.

“I’ve got it Jimmy. I’m taking over Sapphire’s tables.”

Her voice was melodic, and a shudder went through my body at its sound.

My hands were suspended halfway to the plates. She didn’t seem to notice in her rush and grabbed them and then walked right into me.

Food flew everywhere as it rained down on me in an explosion between us that mirrored how I was feeling inside.

“Shit! I’m so sorry,” she said hastily. “Let me clean this up.”

Before I knew what she was doing, she grabbed a rag, dropped to her knees, and started brushing egg