Last First Kiss

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “That’s a strange question. What brought that up?”

  “The condoms in your glove compartment.”

  “A woman in Cheyenne. She worked as receptionist at the hotel where I stayed when I first moved there. She was older, had lots of prior experience, so I thought she was a safe bet to teach me the ropes.”

  “Was it okay?”

  “Nope, nothing about it was any good.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He stroked her head again.

  “Do you believe you can ever start over again?” asked Sophie.

  “Yeah, I think anyone can.”

  Chapter Five

  Wade hated to see Sophie look so sad. Her eyes were red where she’d cried, and she hadn’t smiled for the last hour, which wasn’t like her at all. He’d brought her a burger and fries, but she’d left them largely untouched. He knew she was nervous about her grandmother’s arraignment hearing. They sat in the front row waiting for Emily’s case to be called. Richard Martin had told them he’d contacted his attorney friend, and he was on his way to Greenville as they spoke.

  When Emily’s name and number were called, Sophie gripped his hand so hard he was sure she’d bruised it. Soph, with her tiny hands. Who would have thought she had such a cast-iron grip? He looked down seeing her delicate fingers and unblemished skin. He knew it was an inappropriate time to be doing this, but he tickled her palm with his index and middle fingers. She glanced at him, and he smiled before winking. Sophie smiled, and his heart skipped a beat. He’d found a way to make her smile again. She gripped his hand some more, which made him think of something even more inappropriate.

  Wade wondered what her hand would feel like running over his body. Over his chest, down his belly, downwards, and then being wrapped around his cock.

  He coughed, not because he had anything irritating in his throat. He wanted to remind himself of what had happened in the clothing store when his mind had drifted into the erotic zone.

  Yeah, you won’t learn your lesson, will you?

  He flipped her hand over and slipped his own inside and held it there as the bailiff read the charges against Emily.

  Should he be holding Sophie’s hand like this? After all, this was the sort of gesture lovers did, not people who were just friends. He thought of Cathy. He’d promised her there was nothing going on between him and Sophie, but was that true? She said she’d trusted him. Could she?

  Their fingers slipped through one another’s, and now their palms were pressed up snug against one another. It felt good, right, and how it should have always been.

  “Emily Richardson, how do you plead?” asked the judge.

  “Not guilty,” said Emily in her usual strong voice.

  “I will set the preliminary hearing date for one week from today beginning at 9 a.m.”

  Richard stood.

  “Your honor I’d like to request that my client be released on bail until that time.”

  “Your client is charged with first degree murder,” said the judge making notes on the pad in front of him without glancing up once.

  Sophie rested her head on Wade’s shoulder. He heard her draw in her breath. It was his turn to squeeze her hand.

  “I know. However, your honor, this is a seventy-two-year-old woman, and a well-respected member of the Greenville community. She was born in this town as were her parents and grandparents. She has never been in any sort of trouble with the law. Not even a parking or speeding ticket.”

  The judge didn’t answer straight away but merely slipped off his half-moon glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Very well. I will set bail at $250,000, and your client is to relinquish her passport to the court. She will be required to wear an ankle monitor at all times, and no traveling outside of Wyoming.”

  Wade knew the judge wasn’t being unreasonable on any of his terms. This was, as he’d said, a first degree murder charge. However, would they be able to raise the money?

  Emily was escorted out of the courtroom but not before turning to Sophie and winking at her.

  Richard crept over to them before another case was called.

  “Let’s get out of here and discuss raising the bail money, shall we?” he said.

  Wade let Sophie go ahead of them, and then the three of them sat on a bench near the entrance of the courthouse.

  “Do you think your grandmother has that sort of money in the savings?” asked Richard.

  “I doubt it, but I’m sure she could use Mountainview as collateral if I go to the bank. They know her, and she’d hardly be a risk. She’s not likely to run away, so their money’s safe,” said Sophie.

  “You want me to go with you?” asked Wade.

  “No, you have other things to do. I can go there right now and get things started.”

  Sophie stood, and then Wade did the same.

  “I’ll be in my office. It’s over on Main Street, Walker Building suite 431. Come and let me know if you got the money.”

  Sophie nodded before Wade kissed her…this time on the cheek.

  He watched as she went out of the door and made her way down the street to the bank.

  ****

  Sophie had never asked for this sort of money before or any money for such a bizarre necessity as bailing out Grans.

  Her hands shook when Chris Hardy, the bank president, walked into the office his receptionist had shown her into.

  “Sophie, so nice to see you. I think the last time we saw one another was at your high school graduation. Your grandmother threw quite the party at Mountainview.”

  “Yes, she’s well known for her celebrations.”

  “She was very proud of you…still is. She told me you have your own business now.”

  “Yes, interior design.”

  “So you come home for a loan from your favorite bank?”

  Sophie shook her head. “I only wish it was something as simple as that. You probably heard about Grans being arrested.”

  “I did, but surely it’s a joke going around town.”

  “Nope, afraid this one’s for real. The judge has set her bail at $250,000, and that’s why I’m here.”

  “Of course, anything I can do to help you know I will.”

  “I was thinking maybe we could offer Mountainview as collateral for a loan in that amount. I’m sure it’s worth more than that.”

  “I know it is, and yes, as Emily has been a customer here all her life and your great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather before that, so I think that’s the least we can do.”

  Sophie took a deep breath. One problem lifted from their shoulders.

  “I’ll get the paperwork started, and Emily will need to sign them. Will that be a problem?”

  “No, I’m sure her attorney will be allowed to take them to her.”

  “Good, and if there’s anything else I or the bank can do to help her you just let me know.”

  ****

  She was cute that was for sure. He could see why his ex had been so jealous when she’d seen him with her at the café. She’d just exited the bank and was looking at her watch. He guessed she’d been to there to try and raise the money to bail out granny from the slammer.

  Yeah, he felt bad that he’d made her old lady a patsy in all of this, but it was so perfect. Her threatening that son of a bitch like she had. A dining room full of people overhearing her. And best of all a kitchen full of knives for him to sneak in and take with her prints all over the handle.

  He took out a cigarette and let it hang in his mouth as he watched her some more. His ex had been angry that he’d chosen granny as the scapegoat. Not that she was an advocate for seniors but that it had brought this beauty back into town and Wade Linley’s life. He wanted to assure her that she had nothing to worry about. If she kept him happy in the bedroom like she had during their years together, this cowboy wouldn’t be straying. However, he’d spied on Ms. Richardson and Linley when they’d gotten into his SUV together. He’d seen them hugging, him h
olding her like he had. If he was any judge Linley was head over heels in love, and his ex, well, she was going to be disappointed to say the least.

  ****

  Once Sophie had handed all the papers over to Richard to take to her grandmother, she decided she’d buy both her and Wade lemonade from their favorite café from childhood and take it to him. He been so wonderful about picking her up from the airport and not leaving her side during Grans’s arraignment that she wanted to do something, even though it was a small token, to say thank you. She made her way to the office building that housed his new business and saw that suite 431 was on the second floor. She headed up the short flight of stairs with a drink in each hand. The door was slightly ajar, so she waltzed in but then suddenly stopped in her tracks.

  There in front of her was Wade sitting shirtless with Cathy standing behind him, giving him a neck and shoulder massage.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were busy,” she said just about ready to turn and leave.

  “No problem, come in,” said Wade.

  Now what am I going to do? I just want to go and forget what I’ve seen.

  “I’m a trained masseur as well as a hairdresser, and poor Wade had some tight knots in his shoulders,” said Cathy. “Probably all the worrying about your grandmother.”

  Sophie really didn’t want to hang around but at the same time didn’t want it to appear like Cathy’s presence was upsetting her, but for some strange reason it was bothering her big time.

  She sat down and put both drinks on the table, not able to take her eyes off Cathy’s hands as they passed over Wade’s beautiful shoulders.

  His chest was magnificent, too. Every muscle was well defined like he worked out. And she couldn’t remember him having that much hair chest when he was younger. A thick trail of it even went down the middle of his belly and disappeared under the silver belt buckle with a large W imprinted in its center. He had to be one of the best looking men she’d ever set eyes upon.

  Sophie felt more uneasy by the minute as Cathy’s hands glistened with oil and passed around the front of his body and then over Wade’s nipples. She wanted to be the one doing that to him. Not as a massage but as a prelude to them making love.

  Wade looked at her as if he could read what she was thinking. They sat looking at one another, saying nothing, but yet saying everything like they had when they were children and teenagers and always knew when the other was happy or sad.

  Did he know she wanted him all over again? Her womb pulled; her pussy beat to a steady rhythm, and yes, even her panties were getting damp.

  “I think that’s enough, or you’ll spoil me,” said Wade.

  Does he really know how this is bothering me? Is that the reason he’s asked her to stop?

  Cathy ran her hands over his shoulders one last time and then kissed his neck while looking at Sophie. Cathy wiped her hands on a tissue as she spoke.

  “I need to get to the babysitter to pick up Max, and then we’re heading to the library. He wants to get a new book for you to read to him before he goes to bed tonight.”

  Wade looked at Sophie again before he spoke.

  “As long as it’s not War and Peace,” said Wade.

  “Nope, I’ll make sure it’s a short one so he can go to sleep, and we can have some time by ourselves.”

  She looked at Sophie again, and this time Sophie looked away. The kiss on the neck might have been a sign of affection for her boyfriend, but after that remark, Sophie knew Cathy was baiting her.

  “I’ll see you around 6 p.m., and don’t be late because dinner will be waiting. Nice seeing you again, Sophie.”

  “Same here.”

  Sophie watched as she put her bottle of massage oil into her bag, picked it up and headed out of the office with an air to her step.

  “I bought you one of your favorite lemonades.” Sophie slid it across the desk to him, hoping he was planning to put his shirt back on. Some of the oil still glistened on his chest hair, and a drop clung to the muscle near his collarbone. Sophie had the strangest urge to lick it away but kept her butt firmly planted on the chair just in case she carried through with her wish.

  Wade leaned across and took the lemonade and sipped on it.

  “I haven’t had one of these since I’ve been home. Wow, that’s really good. Remember we used to spend all our allowances in that place? Mostly on these and, oh yeah, those lemon meringue pies.”

  “You’ve just made me want a slice of one of those so badly. Don’t tell Grans, but not even her lemon meringue pies are as good as those.”

  “Speaking of Emily, how did you get on at the bank?”

  “The bank president agreed to us putting Mountainview up for collateral. Richard’s taking the paperwork to Grans as we speak, so she should be released very soon.”

  Wade took a deep breath, causing his chest to rise up. Sophie wrapped her hands around the container of lemonade, feeling its cold exterior bite into her skin. It took every ounce of control she had not to slink across the desk and kiss him.

  “I’d need to sit down with her as soon as she gets home, and we can talk about her case. I’d like to start looking for the real killer straight away before the case gets lukewarm.”

  “Wade, you’re going to be careful, right?”

  “You know I have Emily’s best interests in mind.”

  “I didn’t mean that. What if you start digging around and someone tries to hurt you?”

  “Oh, Soph, I’m an ex-cop. I can take care of myself. Hey look, Wade’s a big, tough guy now.”

  With that he curled his arms upward and made fists so his biceps sprang up. If only he hadn’t done that she would have been perfectly okay.

  Sophie stood up, walked over to him and ran her hands over his arms and shoulders, feeling the slightest trace of oil still on them. He looked up at her, and she knew she’d done something terrible.

  “Hey, I’m sorry. Look, I have to go to pick up Grans.”

  With that she ran as fast as she could out of the building and back down Main Street.

  ****

  Wade tried to catch up with Sophie, but he’d forgotten how fast on her feet she could be. She had been since she was a kid. They’d often raced one another to the lake. He being older and, a boy, had always given her a head start. However, when she began beating him by more than a couple of hundred yards, he decided giving her an advantage was plain stupid. Sophie was a born sprinter.

  He managed to catch a glimpse of heading down the street. Her touching him like she had, well, that had thrown him for a loop. He hadn’t expected it, but yes, he’d wanted it more than words could describe. All the time Cathy had been massaging him and Sophie had sat there watching, he’d wished it was Soph’s hands on him. He’d even go so far as imagining it was actually her fingers gliding over his skin.

  Knowing he’d never catch up with her, he walked back over to his desk, picked up his shirt from the back of the chair and put it back on. Sophie and Emily would need a ride back to Mountainview, and once he was done with that he had to go to dinner with Cathy and her son.

  Dinner.

  He probably could handle that, but staying the night and making love with Cathy was going to be tough if not impossible tonight.

  He sat down and ran his hands through his hair.

  Now that Sophie was back in his life nothing was straightforward any more.

  Chapter Six

  Sophie couldn’t look Wade in the eye when he arrived at the police station offering her and her grandmother a ride home to Mountainview.

  “You’re a saint, Wade,” said Grans as he opened the back passenger door of his SUV to her.

  He took her arm and helped her up into the back seat.

  “I feel like Martha Stewart now I have an ankle monitor.”

  “I’m guessing you’re a better cook than she is,” said Wade. “Okay, make sure your legs are inside before I shut the door.”

  Sophie slid in to the passenger seat at the same time
as Wade got into the SUV. They almost bumped heads as they did so.

  “This is just like old times, isn’t it?” said Grans. “The three of us back together. The first thing I’m going to do when I get home is take a nice long bath. I can still smell that jail cell on me. And the blankets, well, someone should tell them they need a good fabric softener. In fact, I might take them some tomorrow.”

  Sophie and Wade glanced at one another, both on the verge of laughter but managed to keep it under control.

  Wade pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the road leading to the edge of town and the shortest route back to the bed and breakfast.

  “Wade, why don’t you stay and eat dinner with me and Sophie tonight?” asked Emily.

  Wade gave a quick glance at Sophie.

  “I’d love to, but I’ve already promised Cathy I’d have a meal with her. I’ll take a rain check if that’s okay.”

  “It’s more than all right. In fact, how about tomorrow night?”

  Wade slyly looked at Sophie again.

  “That would be perfect,” he said.

  “Good, and I’ll make all your favorites.”

  “What about my favorites?” asked Sophie.

  “If I remember you both always liked the same things,” said Emily.

  It was Sophie's turn to glance at Wade. It was true they had liked all the same things. Food, movies and music.

  “Is Cathy a good cook?” asked Emily.

  Sophie couldn’t stand to listen to her name mentioned again. Shit, was this Karma paying her back big time? Wade had probably hated the name Travis for years. For all she knew he still might have an aversion to it.

  “Emily, I tell you if I ever found a woman who can cook as well as you, she’d get a ring on her finger tomorrow.”

  Sophie hoped Cathy was the worst cook in the world.

  Emily slid forward and perched in the space between the two front seats before she spoke again.

  “Maybe you should send her to my place for some cooking lessons. Well, that is, if that’s the only thing that’s stopping you from proposing,” said Emily.

  Sophie turned the radio on, and it blasted throughout the SUV.