Page 14 of The Twins

We followed him to an empty table at the rear of the restaurant that was beside a spiky plant and a painting of the Bodleian library. I slid onto the curved red-leather bench, and Finn did the same.

“Should she sit in between us?” I asked.

“Might be a bit much.” He shrugged.

“Yeah, you sit next to her, you know her.”

“Sure?”

“Yeah.” I glanced at the door, eager for Rebecca to arrive. I was curious to know if the image I had of her in my mind was right. “You positive she’s coming?”

“Chill out, man. Stressing isn’t cool.” Finn picked up the wine list. “She’ll be here.”

I hoped to hell he was right. “What shall we get? Champagne?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Finn ordered then set the wine menu to one side.

I glanced at the entrance again.

A woman with glossy hair the color of chestnuts and set in big wave-like curls was speaking the maître d’. Her lips were ruby red and her eyes dark. The dress hugging her curves was also bright red with thin shoulder straps, a low-cut neckline, and a thick black belt around her waist.

“That her?” I asked and nudged Finn.

He snapped his attention upward. “Yeah, that’s her.” He chuckled. “Fucking dynamite, right. Everyone, male and female in the restaurant, is watching her. Everyone wants to be her or fuck her.”

He was right. Heads turned as she walked toward us, her generous hips rolling in the most alluring sway I’d ever seen. It wasn’t forced it was simply there, her, and I liked it a lot.

Finn stood and stepped toward her. “Rebecca. Hey, you look amazing.”

“Thank you.” She offered her perfect cheek for him to kiss and then she set her attention on me. “You must be Cillian.”

“Yeah, that’s me.” I also stood. I took her hand in mine, and her attention went to my tattoo. I then kissed her knuckles softly, the peachy, powdery scent of her skin lingering on my lips. “I’m glad you could make it, Rebecca.”

“Wouldn’t have missed it.” She smiled, and it went to her eyes—eyes that were a rich brown and winged with kohl that made them almost feline.

A strange sense of calm came over me. She was gorgeous, yes, but I wasn’t flustered, I just knew that I wanted to know more about this woman. She had layers, beautiful layers on the surface, for sure, but there were more.

“We took the liberty of ordering champagne,” Finn said, sitting again and gesturing for Rebecca to slide to his side on the curved bench as we’d agreed.

“Is that what you would normally drink?” Her right eyebrow lifted slightly, and she directed the question at me.

“I’m a Guinness man,” I said with a shrug, “But when in Rome and all that.”

She laughed softly and set her small silver-gray handbag at her side.

“I’ll second what Finn said.” I let my gaze rest on her face. “You…wow that dress is amazing on you.”

“What were you were expecting?” she asked.

“Finn said you were beautiful, and you are, but…”

“But?”

“But there’s something else.” I bit on my bottom lip and fought to find the right word.

“Go on…”

“Yeah, Cillian, go on.” Finn folded his arms, his eyes flashing with curiosity.