by Jill Gates
"We'll stop and get something on the way, then."
"Where are we going?"
"I told you I'd make it up to you," Sophia replied, "How does a night in Napa Valley sound?"
"That's a long drive," Vanessa said, "And most of the nice places are expensive, take forever to make a reservation...wait a second! You were planning this?"
"Possibly. Though, the room I booked has two beds..." Sophia trailed off, her cheeks heating up. "Okay, you don't have to do anything. I can drop you off at your place, call the FBI or police and get you protective services." Pausing, the brunette focused on driving for a moment, the freeway opening up on I-280. The mountains were sunny in the background, the road less busy than normal. Vanessa could almost believe they were on a date, rather than running from...whatever those thugs wanted. "I told you when I won last night. I wanted to see you again."
"Can we stop at my place for a change?"
Blushing, Sophia refused to look at her, "I took the liberty of ordering an extra dress for tonight. Pajamas, a toothbrush..."
"You bastard," Vanessa shouted. "After lying to me over email for a month. A MONTH! You expect me to ride off into the evening with you, in a hot sports car, to a romantic bed and breakfast." Vanessa slugged the brunette in the arm with her right fist, turning as she did. Sophia said nothing, only frowned slightly. "Is it a designer dress?"
"Yes," Sophia said, smirking. "I thought you might like red, or black, so I got both."
"Matching shoes?"
"Yes," Sophia said, "I have a nice everything that will go well with the outfit, however," she paused, "Remember, I can't give you anything. Well, nothing material. After we setup the lottery, then..."
"What lottery?"
"Oh, common CIA trick. We get you a winning lottery ticket, you pay taxes, everything is legit on paper and there's a nice electronic trail for the money that can't be linked to us. So yes, I am in fact paying for your help." The brunette focused on the road for a moment longer, going around a curve in 280 and passing a BMW. "Regardless, I want to spend time with you. I hope that's not too much to ask."
"I see," Vanessa said, thoughtful. "Do you know of any nice places for lunch in the city? I won't be able to last till dinner."
"Sure, I know of a great Asian fusion place. Near the water off Embarcadero," Sophia said.
The blonde nodded and relaxed, her only regret in that moment forgetting her sunglasses in the car. A nice lunch, then a relaxing ride in an amazing sports car into Napa Valley to spend the evening with wine, dinner and a romantic bed and breakfast. With a woman, which she still could not quite get over. Watching Sophia drive the car, she admired the woman's cool composure, her no nonsense attitude and taste. However, Vanessa was hoping when she met James, it'd be for a lot more than his fashion sense or flair for the romantic that she was admiring. Confused, she spent the rest of the ride to the restaurant in silence, simply enjoying the view and occasionally, watching Sophia drive.
Less than twenty minutes later, they were in San Francisco, parking in front of Slanted Door, an Asian fusion restaurant with a fantastic view of the Bay Bridge. After Sophia parked the car, Vanessa followed her out and was half tempted to grab the woman's hand, or arm. The brunette walked briskly across the wide, cement sidewalk, so Vanessa was content to follow. Again, she marveled at the shape of the woman's backside, and was curious about her workout routine. Was it pilates? I think my ass is that round, but I'm not sure, she thought. If it had something to do with being in the CIA, Vanessa was tempted to abort her medical career just to look so sexy.
The large, cement building was situated on a bend in the Embarcadero, which was square facing the bay. Inside was the restaurant and more, seated between the many famous piers with various entertainment, food and more offerings. Slanted Door was an Asian fusion restaurant, which when Vanessa entered, seemed exactly the kind of place she'd love to go for a lunch date. Frowning, she looked over at Sophia, who calmly waited for the host to arrive, her hair immaculate and her poise nonchalant. For a moment, she considered the brunette's pink top, wondering what kind of bra she had underneath. Half cup, she decided, otherwise, it would show against the fabric.
"Table for two?" The host arrived, a young, black haired woman, probably less than twenty. Sophia nodded, and they followed, the woman leading them to a booth with an excellent view of the Bay Bridge. "Is this okay?"
"Yes," Vanessa said, nodding and smiling. "Can you get us a few glasses of water and a bread basket? My stomach is a bit upset."
"Right away, Miss," the host replied, smiling and striding off to the back of the dining area and a door with a glass viewport. She watched the host disappear for a moment, the door swinging closed, before looking around the rest of the place. There was a bar,lined with glasses in the top via some clever cabinetry. Along the wall were booths, and in the middle of the floor, tables. Presumably, the better seats were the booths, especially the ones with the view from both sides of the bay. Vanessa could not help but stare out for a minute after reviewing the inside at the water, the bridge and the occasional passerby or lovers seated on one of the few stone benches.
"What do you think?" Sophia had been watching the blonde, smiling to herself, biding her time before breaking the other woman's concentration. Despite the month worth of email, and single night together, Sophia was very nervous, though she took great pains not to show her feelings.
"Honestly?" Vanessa arched an eyebrow, and gave Sophia a level gaze. "I just needed something to settle my stomach, but this..." she trailed off, not sure what to say. "Thank you."
Nodding, Sophia felt her heart lurch into her throat and she could not say anything in response. So, she waited patiently until the water arrived, along with a bread basket including an olive oil and balsamic combination for dipping. The host dropped off the menus a moment later, and she buried herself in the selection of lunch items, while taking a few bites of bread. She watched as Vanessa ate two pieces, then sighed, and drained her whole glass of water.
Chapter Six
Six
"Listen, Vanessa," Sophia began, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I need your help, but for all that, we can do this anyway you want. Or not at all." Her brown eyes locked onto the blonde's blue spheres and held them, "I'm only driving to Napa if you want me to take you there."
Studying her lunch date for a moment, Vanessa could barely sort through her own feelings. James, on the one hand, she had been practically ready to marry and start making babies with. Reality was, he did not exist, and Sophia, despite their very interesting evening together, was nothing like her preferences at all. Still, the kiss was amazing, and knowing it was really Sophia who wrote those emails, she could not help but be curious.
"Have you ever seen the movie, 'As Good As it Gets,' with that old guy, Jack Nicholson?"
"Yes," Sophia replied, eyes narrowed into slits.
"You're sexy as hell, Sophia," Vanessa said, smiling. "So am I." Breathing deep, she took another sip of water before continuing, "However, I've been frantically trying to find 'the one' since my last relationship ended in tears." Blue eyes grew misty for a second, before she dabbed at her face with the napkin, "The message, as I recall from that movie, was that sometimes, you can either find the partner that's as good as they can be for you, or you can end up alone, forever waiting for the perfect person." Looking down at the menu again, Vanessa finished in a whisper, "I'm sick and tired of waiting for the perfect partner. So far, you're the first, and second, best dates I've had."
At that moment, the waiter arrived, just when Sophia's mouth opened to reply. "Can I interest you ladies in our special today?"
"No thanks," Sophia said. "I'll take the spicy vermicelli salad, and we'll share an order of the glass door spring rolls."
"For you, Miss?"
"The Vietnamese beef soup, and the half dozen oysters, to share."
"Anything to drink?" They both shook their heads, indicating water was fine. He inclined his head and walked
off, the efficient stride youthful and straight.
"Oysters, really?" Sophia asked, arching an eyebrow. She copied the facial move from the blonde so well, Vanessa had to chuckle lightly when she saw it.
"You ordered spring rolls," Vanessa countered, "Did you ask what kind of oil those are fried with?" Seeing Sophia's immediate frown, she felt vindicated. "Besides, oysters are supposed to help with certain things." Winking, Vanessa picked up her glass and took a slow sip, making a point of using her tongue to lick up an ice cube. Sophia watched her, mouth open and eyes wide, as she sucked in the cube and casually started chewing. Small, satisfied sounds escaped her throat as she chewed the ice, which for some reason made Sophia blush furiously.
"So when you mentioned that movie, you mean to say, you'd 'settle' for me?" Sophia's voice held a dangerous tone, and it was Vanessa's turn to blush.
"No!" She said, "Not at all." She gazed into Sophia's eyes for a moment, seeing hope, confusion and attraction writ there. "What I meant is," she paused, dropping her voice. "I always dreamed of prince charming. Not princess charming."
Nodding, the other woman started enjoying the view of the bridge for a moment, sipping her water. When the food arrived, they both ate in companionable silence, each lost in her own thoughts. Every few minutes, Sophia looked embarrassed, or thoughtful, and studied Vanessa's dainty eating habits. She slurped a few oysters first, then moved onto a spring roll. Unfortunately, the juice from the fried vegetables dripped down her chin, and the spy giggled a bit. For her part, Sophia enjoyed a single oyster, and could barely keep a straight face as Vanessa made a very lewd expression when she did. Coughing, she decided against having more, despite their delicate, sea taste with a hint of salt and lemon.
After the meal, the waiter arrived and politely inquired if they needed dessert or any to go boxes. A fair bit of noodle salad was left, along with half the spring rolls. They declined, and when Vanessa reached for the bill, Sophia shot her a warning glance. "Remember, my treat." She smiled softly, "It has to be."
"Dirty trick," Vanessa muttered, "Tonight, you have some explaining to do."
On their way back to the car, Vanessa heard her phone buzzing, and saw Letty was calling. "Crap," she muttered.
"What's wrong?"
"Letty. I think I scared her, as when those two guys were watching me, I asked to borrow her can of mace."
"Send her a text in reply, tell her everything's fine," Sophia paused, "If you want, tell her your new friend delayed her trip back to Boston and whisked you away for a romantic dinner." She jumped into the driver side of the car and Vanessa followed suit in the passenger side, being careful to set her clutch purse on her lap to grab the phone.
"I have yet to see this dress," Vanessa chided, "Clothes alone don't make a dinner romantic. Mood, music, food, wine..." Vanessa trailed off, picking out her phone. "Let me send Letty that text so she doesn't freak out." She wrote in the screen, Hey Letty, you'll never believe it. The attractive programmer last night surprised me with lunch, and now we're headed to Napa Valley to stay at a bed and breakfast. A minute later, while Sophia brought the car into traffic and sped off to the North, Letty replied.
Thought you said he lived in Boston?
I know. I was shocked when they whisked me away but...hell, if James is going to keep pulling a disappearing act, why should I keep waiting for a fantasy that might never come true?
Fair enough, Chica. Be careful and remember to get some condoms!
Lol. Get your mind out of the gutter. I'll see you at work. Ciao.
Ttyl.
Turning her phone off, Vanessa smiled over at Sophia, who was focused on the road. "Everything okay?" She said, briefly looking over and seeing the blonde put the phone away.
"Almost perfect," Vanessa replied. They shared a grin and Vanessa started fiddling with the radio, searching for some decent tunes. When she found Wild 94.9, the song playing was, "In My Head," by Jason DeRulo. "I see you all over me in my head..." she couldn't help blushing when the lyrics came through, looking askance at Sophia. Settling back in her chair, stomach full, Vanessa soon found herself drifting and before they finished crossing the Bay Bridge, she fell asleep.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," Sophia nudged the sleeping woman, tempted to caress her blonde hair away from her eyes. She pushed Vanessa's shoulder, causing her head to flip to the side. No response, and she decided a different tact. Leaning in, she brushed the long blonde tresses out of the way and gently blew on her ear. "You can't be that tired," she whispered, "We haven't even had any fun yet."
"What?" Vanessa said, voice thick. A moment later, she jerked awake, her shoulder almost bumping into Sophia's face. She looked around, noticed the large, columned two story manor and remembered. "We're here?"
"Yep," Sophia replied, giving her a big smile and then sliding out of the car. "I'll grab the bags."
Bags? Vanessa thought, then remembered the dress and other clothing Sophia said she'd picked up. Feeling giddy, she looked around the wooded landscape, noticing there were two other cars parked nearby, a new Mercedes SUV and a Lexus. Both were clean, recently washed and gleaming in the afternoon sun. Inhaling deeply, she thought the air smelled of clean, fresh nature. Silicon Valley never seemed polluted to her, but the scent of trees and sunshine filled her nose. Layers of stress seemed to melt away as she studied the large manor house and adjacent gardens. An expansive lawn was out front, surrounded by tall, well groomed hedges that gave a sense of privacy and tranquility. The decor and care was evident in the way the grounds were kept.
Two stories, with rich wood paneling and decks, the long, white columns gave the house a sort of eclectic charm. Older than most buildings in San Jose, the house gleamed with freshly burnished wooden decks and carefully placed seating for a dozen occupants. Next door, the manicured gardens had a carefully groomed path down into the backyard and a few fruit trees interspersed among the evergreen and pine. It was nearly as warm as it was in the South, two hours away, and Vanessa tugged her t-shirt, feeling a bit underdressed. In her head, she thought a nice long dress, with a shawl, would be most appropriate for the setting. Not jeans and sneakers.
Sophia led the way inside, striding confidently in, carrying two duffle bags, one slung over her shoulder and the other at her side. Feeling a bit guilty, the blonde asked, "Can I carry something?"
"No," she replied, "But thanks for asking." The brunette looked back and gave her a wink, "I wouldn't want you finding any surprises I might have in store."
Not sure what kind of surprise that might be, Vanessa remained quiet as the other woman led the way inside and to a small desk in the middle of the foyer. An older gentleman sat behind the desk, his round face tan and wrinkled. He wore a small goatee and his full head of hair was almost white. Eyes crinkling in a smile when he saw Sophia, he looked at Vanessa and gave her a small nod.
"Miss Smith! How delightful to see you again," the older gentleman had a strong voice, despite his thin, frail frame. "Who is your lovely companion?" Sophia gave a girlish laugh, setting the bag down and extending her hand. He gave it a brief, chaste kiss and his eyes twinkled. "If I was only forty years younger," he said, smiling.
"More like sixty," Sophia quipped, making him chuckle. "This is my cousin, Miss Smith. To avoid confusion, call her Sarah."
"Nice to meet you, Sarah." The older gentleman frowned, his face crestfallen. "The room, Miss, ah, Lisa. It only has the one king sized bed. Unfortunately, we don't have any rooms with two beds..."
"It's okay," Sophia replied, ignoring Vanessa's brief look of outrage. "My cousin doesn't snore, and a king size bed will be fine for us," she grinned, "Besides, we have a lot to catch up on."
Shuffling a few papers on the desk, Vanessa noticed he did not have a computer. Odd, she thought, doesn't everybody use a computer to manage their business? After a moment, the owner she guessed, presented a few forms to Sophia to sign. "Here," he said, gesturing to the top sheet, "Then the other three, just sign on the line where it says 'custome
r' and you'll be all set." He looked over at them and said, "Ah, do you need help with your bags? I can call Carlos."
"No thanks," Sophia replied, "Though, are the horses going to be ready soon? I find after the long trip here, I'm anxious to go for the ride I promised Sarah."
"Yes, the horses are ready," he replied, "The picnic basket is, too." He paused, looking at Vanessa before adding, "I can only guess your cousin can ride as well, Miss Smith?"
"Call me Lisa, please," Sophia replied, "Otherwise, we'll both get confused." Vanessa tried to hide her smile as the older gentleman frowned. He seemed entirely put off by the idea of using a guest's first name.
"I can ride," Vanessa chimed in, to put him at ease. "It's been a few years, but I had a few classes in horseback riding in college." She smiled wide, giving her best impression of innocence, "Lisa will be there every canter of the way, to ensure we're safe; I'll also carry my cell phone."
"Right," he replied, with a mild, harumph. "Well, you can meet the handler, Susan, once you're all set for the ride," he paused and opened a drawer. Withdrawing his hand, he produced two keys and pushed one in the direction of each woman. "Dinner is from six until nine, but you have to order by eight-thirty to ensure the chef has time to prepare. Room's at the top of the stairwell, turn right, last room on the right." He started putting the papers into a stack, and made to get up, "Allow me to escort you."
"No, thank you, we'll find it," Sophia said, reaching out to pat his hand, "Thank you, Mr. Happer, it's always a delight to see you." Turning to Vanessa, she picked up the bags and grabbed a key, "This way," she said, leading them just across the hall to the wooden stairwell. The old cherry oak was so shiny, it gleamed in the afternoon light, and Vanessa could sense the pride and joy taken in keeping the bed and breakfast in such fantastic condition.
On Vanessa's salary, she never got to indulge like this, and could not help but feel a bit of jealousy over Sophia's lifestyle. The stairwell was lined with decorative, realistic portraits of the countryside, green, grassy hills and endless grapevines. Coupled with secluded private tables or picnic clothes, each scene depicting the kind of fantasy escape Vanessa dreamed about. Sighing, she mounted the top of the stairs and looked down the hall, noting the attention to detail in the crown molding, the spotless hallway.