The Spark of a Kiss Read online

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  About the Author

  Message from the Author

  The Spark of a Kiss

  Park City Firefighter Romance: Station 2

  Sarah Gay

  Literary Evolution

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  About the Author

  Message from the Author

  Dedication

  For Stephanie Waite. Loving mother. Wife. Daughter. Sister. Attorney. Friend. Stephanie has been through more heartache than a mother should ever have to bear. Where some would wither and blame others, she radiates goodness as she lifts her eyes to heaven for comfort and purpose. She is an inspiration and light to those around her. To my dear friend, since our days together in college, although distance divides us, you will always have my admiration and love.

  Introduction

  Dear Reader:

  I sat for ‘just a few moments’ to read ‘The Spark of a Kiss’ and found myself lost for the rest of the afternoon. No laundry done, no dinner made, no work accomplished…but—dramatic sigh—what a great story!

  It was worth it!

  Sarah Gay is not just an amazing person, but she is an outstanding writer! You will love Dax and Julia’s story. It unfolds like a warm, smooth chocolate truffle. And you won’t be able to stop reading!

  So snuggle up, sink into your favorite chair…and enjoy this book! I did! You won’t regret it!

  Taylor Hart

  Author of Movie Star Romances

  1

  A nervous hush settled over the courtroom as Julia’s witness took the stand and raised her right hand, affirming her honesty to the court. Julia stood from her hard, wooden chair. For all the hours that people sat in those blasted chairs, you’d think that someone would think to cushion them. Her bottom, no matter how much it hurt, was not what she needed to focus on. This was her last witness. It was Julia’s moment to shine. If she didn’t, future generations would be impacted.

  The stuffy courtroom air lodged in Julia’s throat, threatening to prevent her from speaking. She took a drink of water from her glass. With ten, caramel lacquered wooden benches on either side of the center aisle, the courtroom could hold up to a hundred observers. Julia referred to them as spectators. Her half of the room, the defendant’s side, only held a handful of spectators. The plaintiff’s half of the room, on the other hand, threatened to spill across the aisle. It was one strike for the defense. Julia had to nail this.

  Julia turned from the spectators to the front of the courtroom. Judge Waite’s bench rested a considerable height above the rest of the courtroom; a means of intimidation and power. The judge’s countenance echoed her bench, rigid and stern, but her clear eyes smiled at the young businesswoman as she sat in the witness chair with a nervous exhale. Judge Waite demanded complete respect in her courtroom. She was a well-respected woman entering the golden age of her life—tough on the outside but soft on the inside, having shown more mercy than Julia herself would have granted repeat offenders.

  As Public Defender, Julia was on. She cleared her throat before quickly moistening her lips. Cherry lip balm coated the inside of her mouth with a sticky film as she rubbed a sweaty palm down her pencil skirt to stave away the mounting nerves. She began, “Ms. Gray, how long have you known the defendant, Ms. Cortez?” Julia motioned to her client behind the desk. Her surroundings made Ms. Cortez, Maria, resemble a child at a formal dinner table, but it played in her favor. Maria’s small frame—coupled with her dark, lonely eyes, demonstrated a vulnerability and innocence beneficial in a cut-throat courtroom.

  Ms. Gray straightened her back as she raised her eyes to the jury. Julia’s blood pressure spiked for a few seconds, until Ms. Gray ultimately diverted her gaze back to Julia. She had warned Ms. Gray not to make eye contact with the jury, but it proved all too tempting. The jury was, after all, the pardoner or the executioner.

  “About a year,” Ms. Gray responded nervously. “We met at a social at church a few days after I moved into my apartment.”

  Several jurors leaned forward and opened their torsos, offering their approval and trust in Ms. Gray. Through thousands of hours spent in court, Julia had learned to decipher body language. She clasped her hands together and said a silent prayer. She had become accustomed to losing court cases. Jurors almost always sided with the prosecutors. To take a case to trial, a judge had already deemed there to be enough evidence to move forward, and with evidence comes conviction.

  It seldom bothered Julia to lose. The reality was most of her clients were guilty. But this case was different. Maria didn’t belong in prison; she was innocent. Those were the scariest cases to defend.

  Julia tapped her thigh with her thumb. Luckily, the podium hid her nervous twitch from the courtroom. “And was Ms. Cortez pregnant at the time?”

  “Yes.” Slow tears tumbled down Ms. Gray’s cheeks as her eyes locked with Maria’s.

  Julia grinned inside. Excellent witness. “And was she excited about the pregnancy?”

  Carl stood. “Objection, your honor.” A public prosecutor, Carl thrived on the kill. “Calls for speculation.” He nodded at Julia, as if tipping his hat to her. The nerve.

  “Sustained,” the judge offered quickly.

  Julia dismissively waved a hand in the air. “I withdraw my question, your honor.” She turned her attention back to her witness. “Ms. Gray, over the course of the past year, what type of contact have you had with Mr. Jones, the father of the baby?”

  “Dinner, a couple of times, but I stopped getting together with them when he was around. I couldn’t stand how he belittled her in front of other people. He was down-right abusive.”

  “Objection, your honor.” Carl stood, asking that the objectionable comment be stricken from the record.

  Judge Waite agreed, striking the last part of the testimony that was highly prejudicial, but the jury had heard it.

  Julia paused before the next question. “And did you assist with any of the plans or preparations for the baby?”

  “Yes. I threw Maria a baby shower.” With every word, Ms. Gray’s voice grew increasingly more chipper. “She couldn’t stop talking about having this last chance at having a child, because she and her boyfriend were both in their late thirties. She cleaned houses to buy all the baby supplies, like the baby’s car seat, stroller, crib, formula.” She waved her hand. “The list goes on.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Gray.” Short and sweet. Julia had given the jurors what they needed without exhausting them into doubt. “Thank you.”

  “Cross?” Judge Waite addressed the prosecution.

  Julia clenched her fists as Carl grasped the podium with a clank of his wedding ring, announcing his presence. The baby’s fate, and whether Maria would be convicted of child abandonment and attempted murder, would be determined shortly after his cross-examination.

  Maria had been preparing dinner, chopping onions, when her boyfriend had stumbled into the apartment with a half-dressed young woman c
elebrating her eighteenth birthday. How did Maria know it was the girl’s eighteenth birthday? The girl’s birthday cake was baking in Maria’s oven when the two had banged through the door, literally, passionately tearing at each other’s clothing. Overcome with anger, Maria had chased them out of her apartment, knife in hand, shouting that he would never hurt her again. The baby slept through the entire ordeal in her crib, but Maria had left the baby alone in the apartment and chased after the stupid man with a knife in her hand.

  Julia reviewed in her mind the objections she could counter with: speculative, hearsay. She needed to be ready the moment Carl faltered.

  “Ms. Gray, so you say you didn’t like the way Mr. Jones treated Ms. Cortez. Have you…” He paused. “…ever…” Another pause. “… personally witnessed him abuse her?”

  Ms. Gray wrinkled her lips as she raised her eyes to the ceiling and then back to Carl. “Physically or emotionally?”

  Carl lowered his head with a sigh. “Physically.”

  “No, but I can give you many examples of emotional abuse.”

  Julia caught the steely eyes of the jury staring down the prosecution. Ire splashed across their faces. That was a good sign, but you never knew how a jury would side. That was a lie. She did know. They almost always sided with the prosecution, but she had a sliver of hope due to that one ill-thought-out question, and the confidence with which Ms. Gray had answered it.

  As Julia forced her mind back to review the instances where she could shout out her objections, she reached over, took Maria’s shaking hand in hers, and gave it a little squeeze. The prosecution finished the cross examination with a few additional questions before Julia nodded to the judge, “The defense rests.”

  After the closing remarks, the jury was excused with instructions. Julia was shocked when they returned a mere two hours later. It was one of the speediest deliberations in Julia’s career. She glanced back at Maria’s family, their faces lost in worry as the jurors filtered back into the room and took their seats. She took in a deep breath and held it. Maria’s family appeared to be doing the same. The jury foreman stood to deliver their verdict.

  Not guilty.

  Maria fell into Julia’s arms, weeping. No jail time and Maria would keep her baby.

  Julia left Maria in the hands of her sister and bounced out of the courtroom with renewed hope for humanity. She would treat herself to a box of dark chocolate truffles and a long, hot bath. She said a prayer of gratitude as she stepped out of the courtroom and into the open hall.

  Heavy heel clicks pounded against the hard floor moments before Julia’s shoulder brushed against a tall blonde. “Pardon me,” Julia offered, but the woman merely scowled and strode on. One guess, the blonde had sided with the prosecution.

  “Julia, wait!” Carl approached quickly from behind.

  She turned, a triumphant smile splitting her face.

  “Great job today,” he said with a shake of his head, conceding her win.

  Julia loved how, at the end of a court battle, she found friends in her counterparts again. “Thanks.”

  “Why don’t you come to dinner tonight with me and Chastity and a few of our friends. We have reservations at the Grand.”

  She shook her head as her pumps continued to tap across the slick floor to the elevator. “That’s sweet of you Carl, but I’m going to head home and relax.”

  “On New Year’s Eve?” His eyes cried their sympathy.

  “My choice.” She folded her arms as they entered the elevator. “Men are too much trouble.” She shook a finger at him. Man, were they too much trouble. Chase had been major trouble. She hadn’t planned on having a boyfriend during law school, but at six-foot-four, muscular and blonde, she couldn’t resist. He appeared out of nowhere and stayed dutifully at her side, to the point where he became so possessive that, by the end of the first year, he was her only friend. He had been a fabulous support to her, especially when she was sick, but she alienated everyone else in her life while they were dating, and after the nasty split, she had to rebuild those severed relationships.

  “Come on.” He bumped his shoulder into hers as the elevator lowered. “We’re not all bad.”

  “Maybe not, but I love my life and I don’t need a man to fill some void. I’m completely self-sufficient and happy.” She gave him a friendly wink as she exited the elevator on the main floor. “Besides, Chastity got one of the last good ones.”

  “That’s kind, Julia, but the courts are tainting you.” He strained his neck to retain eye contact as the elevator doors closed. “I hate to see that. Happy New Year!”

  As Julia reached the heavy glass doors, she stopped and studied the howling wind on the other side of the glass. An angry wind spiraled dusty snow up from the sidewalk, creating a snow globe-like affect. The flittering snowflakes sparkled in the last rays of sunlight which filtered through the ominous clouds. Julia paused to wrap her wool scarf around her neck and zip up her jacket.

  “Let me get that for you.” A familiar voice caused her veins to shiver with a supernatural chill.

  Frozen in place, she raised her eyes to her right. Walter reached out in front of her, pulling the door open as he motioned for her to exit.

  “Walter?” she stuttered out her surprise. She hadn’t seen him in over a year, but she never could get that raspy voice out of her head. “What are you doing here? If I were you, this is the last place I’d ever want to be.”

  “Are you kidding me?” he said with an innocent smile, showing off a set of silver braces. “Anyplace with you is awesome.” He pretended to shiver. “Even out in the bitter cold.”

  Walter would be about twenty-two now. Five or six years younger than Julia. When Julia had been fresh out of law school, working for a year in the private sector as junior associate for a law firm known to take on capital murder cases, the lanky teenager had strolled in through the front doors and asked to meet with the lead council. The room grew dark and cold when he entered that office. He had explained to the law firm that he would likely be arrested for murder, but he was innocent.

  The perps were always innocent. The evidence could be dripping off their hands and they’d still proclaim their innocence.

  The cops don’t have anything on me, he’d bragged to the lead attorney.

  Julia had only been privy to the conversation because she had been asked to sit in on the meeting and take notes. Walter was advised that, if arrested, the only words out of his mouth should be to contact his attorneys.

  A few days later, the firm had sent the youngest, not to mention the most ill-experienced barrister, to deal with his subsequent arrest. Julia then wrote the Motion to Dismiss that was used at his preliminary hearing which argued a lack of evidence. Had the police had sufficient evidence, he would have gone on trial for several recent murders where the victims had all been found wearing a piece of unexplained jewelry. Julia’s firm won and Walter was set free.

  “Do you have a few minutes to catch up?” His pale blue eyes pleaded. “I know a great fondue place up the road.”

  “Walter, I appreciate the offer, but I’ve found it beneficial for my clients, as well as myself, to never socialize outside of work.”

  “Just one meal.” He gave a pained expression, appearing like the lone kid who didn’t get a lollipop. “I never thanked you for helping me out.”

  “No. Please don’t ask me again. I was only doing my job, Walter. We were your retained law firm, and I was given the mandate, as your council, to advise you.” Her Subaru was now only two cars away, but she didn’t want him to know which car was hers, or maybe he already knew. She should have parked in the underground parking like Carl, but there had been a spot right out front and her assistant kept watch on the meter. “You don’t have to thank me.”

  “But I want to.” He held his hand out to her.

  “No. I can’t,” she said pointedly, sticking her hands in her pockets. But he remained at her side. She was left with no other option than to be the authoritative pers
on he most likely loathed. “Not tonight and not any time in the future. Please do not contact me in the future or a restraining order will be placed against you.”

  “Fine.” His eyes narrowed. “The suit should have never invited you to dinner.” A naughty smile played across his lips. “And you’re right, men are too much trouble.”

  Julia’s eyes widened. Fear took control of her chest, making it difficult to breath. How could he have heard her conversation with Carl? Walter turned his back to her and stomped off, leaving deep boot impressions in the fresh snow.

  Icy wind whipped across her face, waking her from her nightmare. She had been so wrapped up in the disturbing conversation with Walter that she hadn’t noticed the increasing snowfall. Fresh powder poured down from the sky as if it were being sifted like sugar through the dark clouds.

  She waited a few minutes after Walter had rounded the street corner before she ran to her midnight blue Outback and jumped in the driver’s seat, cautiously watching the street he had entered. She turned the car on and reached down to remove her heels, allowing the cool air from the foot vent to dry her frosted toes. From now on, she’d park in the underground parking. No wonder there had been a vacant spot out front.

  With a push of her thumb on the steering wheel, Julia activated her phone. “Call Abi.”

  After two rings, Abi answered, “Hey, sis. How’s the trial going?”

  “Great. We won.”

  “Congrats! Come celebrate with us tonight. February will be there.”

  “Ah … I’m beat.” Julia wasn’t interested in watching Abi and her boyfriend, Stone, kiss on each other all night. “I could use a bath and an old movie to help me unwind.”