The Road to Glory (18 page)

Leigh gently nipped at tender, swollen flesh, feeling RJ’s fingers slide tentatively over the back of her head and into her hair. She didn’t mind that in the least, admitting privately that she would have done the same thing. Only much sooner. The sound of RJ begging her not to stop and whimpering for her to take her ‘faster’ and ‘harder’ nearly sent her over the edge herself. But it was the quaking in RJ’s thighs and the long languid moan as she finally succumbed to her lips and tongue that sent the trucker over as well.

Leigh closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against RJ’s damp, musky, inner thigh as she dug her fingers into RJ’s hips, her own release causing her to shake from the inside out.
Damn.
That’s never happened before. Not from just …
Unwilling to leave this haven too soon, she continued to gently kiss RJ intimately for a few moments as their bodies relaxed and their heartbeats began to approach normal. Then she crawled up to her lover’s side, a little shaken by the intensity of the exchange.

RJ was quick to pull the sheet across them and take Leigh into her arms. The sun was just peeking through the curtains, but she couldn’t think of a single reason to move from this very spot. "I need to hold you, Leigh," she gasped, first kissing the top of Leigh’s head, then her forehead, and finally capturing her lips.

"You’re amazing woman." RJ gently touched Leigh’s cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. She could see fear and affection warring against each other, and she gently kissed Leigh on the cheek. When she pulled away she was greeted with a tentative but genuine smile. "That was incredible." RJ sucked in another deep breath and let it out slowly as Leigh settled against her. She could feel the smaller woman’s heartbeat against her chest and allowed her eyelids to flutter closed at the sweet sensation. "As soon as I summon the strength to move," she mumbled, "you’re all mine, Leigh Matthews."

A soft laugh that tickled the damp skin of her throat was her only answer.

L
EIGH LET HER FOOT off the brake and turned right at the stoplight. She was driving her Jeep, having dropped off her rig at a body shop on the outskirts of Seattle. From there a taxi took them to the storage unit where she kept her beloved first automobile and a few odds and ends that she’d saved from her and her dad’s house before he died.

They’d spent all yesterday on the road from Jackson and stayed the night just a few miles outside the city. Leigh was having a wonderful time and by the nearly permanent smile affixed on RJ’s face, she was fairly certain her undeniably sweet companion felt the same way.

She parked the Jeep as close to the mall entrance as she could. As usual, it was just far enough away to be annoying, but just close enough so that she really couldn’t bitch. At least not too much.

RJ considered her pants, which had been torn at the calf. "Two pair of trousers. It’s hard to believe that I ruined two pairs in less than a day."

Leigh bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. It really wasn’t funny, and she did feel somewhat responsible for RJ ripping her second pair. If they hadn’t been roughhousing in the motel room before they left this morning, RJ wouldn’t have gotten them caught on the metal bed frame. "You’re just lucky, I guess."

RJ lifted a brow and shook her finger in Leigh’s direction. "It’s all your fault, you evil little minx. If you hadn’t been teasing me so, this never would have happened."

Leigh raised her own eyebrow in response. "You’re lucky I let you get dressed at all," she said flatly, eyes twinkling. "This morning … and the morning before ..." She sighed, letting the words trail off. RJ didn’t need to be reminded of the special time that they’d spent holed up in their motel rooms simply indulging in each other.

"Were incredible," RJ murmured as she looked out at the huge building, her bright green eyes widening just a bit. She leaned forward in her seat, trying not to think about the belt strapping her in. "What’s this, then?"

Leigh looked at RJ as though she was an alien. "What do you think it is? It’s a mall, of course." She shut off the ignition.

RJ realized she was letting her lack of knowledge about the outside world show entirely too much. She was just so comfortable with Leigh that it was easy to forget she was supposed to know these things and that she had to pretend. "Right." She thought frantically. "We just don’t have anything this," she waved her hands aimlessly, "large in Glory." RJ cleared her throat, her gaze sliding sideways as she watched Leigh from the corner of her eye.

Leigh fumbled with the handle of the Jeep door, needing to give it a firm push before it would open. RJ exited her side, stretching her legs as they both stepped out into the cool spring air.

RJ breathed a sigh of relief as the fresh breeze blew gently across her skin, waking up her nerve endings. While her time with Leigh had so far exceeded her fondest hopes, she wasn’t one to be cooped up for long periods of time, and she was looking forward to putting stakes here in Seattle for a few days.

Leigh eyed the building speculatively, considering RJ’s earlier comment. It wasn’t a very large mall. Then again, Glory wasn’t much of a town from what she could gather. Poor RJ. Everything they did seemed to be a new experience for her.
Well, not everything
, she reminded herself with a mental chuckle.
Thank goodness.

"I’m sure we’ll find something for you here, Irish. What’s your pleasure?" Leigh dragged her appreciative gaze down RJ’s body. The long tear in RJ’s pants had come mid-calf and Leigh, with the help of a sharp pair of scissors, had turned the pants into a pair of shorts. Very short shorts. Her smile shifted into a slight leer. "Or ... you could always stay in those for the week. I’m certainly not complaining."

"Umm … somehow I think that if I don’t get me some new trousers, I won’t be seeing much of the outside of our hotel room. Not that
I’m
complaining." RJ chuckled softly. "As a matter of fact, you look like you’re ready to baste me in something and start nibbling right now."

Leigh burst into surprised laughter.
How can someone I barely know understand me so well?
"Okay." She nodded, a self-deprecating look stealing across her face. "You’re right. Some new pants are in order."
Though I reserve the right to baste you in something and nibble it off later.
"I think we can manage that in a reasonable amount of time, too."

Leigh stepped aside as an exhausted man who was carrying an armload of packages shuffled past her. "Ooo … I know you butch types don’t appreciate shopping." She herself didn’t much care for it, unless, that is, she was buying for someone else. With that thought, her face broke into a broad, mischievous smile. "Let me buy you an outfit or two, RJ." It wasn’t really a question. "I just got paid and I know you couldn’t have brought much with you in that tiny duffel bag."
I’m taking you out tonight, gorgeous.
I can tell being in that truck was starting to make you a little twitchy.

"Oh, no." RJ tried not to sound insulted. "I’m in fine shape for money and this week I want you to relax and enjoy yourself," she insisted. "Let me take care of myself and you as well. I want to treat you this week, Leigh."

RJ reached over and took the trucker’s hand in her own, not caring that they were in public. People were bound to be more accepting nowadays than they had been in her time. "I want you to remember our time together as being very special." She tilted her head toward the mall, causing dark, wavy bangs to fall down across her forehead and scatter into her eyes. "You can help me pick out the clothes. I’ve never been any good at that at all. Left to my own devices, I always look like a ragamuffin."

Leigh leaned forward and affectionately smoothed the hair away from RJ’s face, letting her hand linger on RJ’s cheek. "You look beautiful." RJ’s face turned a lovely shade of rose, and Leigh felt a sudden rush of fondness for the lanky woman. It came on so quick and fierce that was actually unsettling. Pulling her hand away slowly, she pushed those thoughts aside for later consideration. Much later.

The blonde woman pursed her lips. "Okay. How ‘bout this? I’ll let you buy me something, but only if I can buy you something in return." She squeezed RJ’s hand. No woman had ever taken her hand in public before and much to her surprise, she thoroughly loved it. She felt comforted and secure with RJ’s strong fingers wrapped around hers. She sighed. The rest of the world could just drop dead. "Deal?"

"Sounds fair." RJ paused and considered the ‘mall’ they were approaching, which she assumed housed the world’s most enormous store. "So what do you think I’d look good in?" She stopped just long enough to make sure she could get the outer door open for Leigh, holding it with one foot as she reached for the second inner door. "I’m sure things have changed a bit since the last time I did any real shopping."
Now that’s an understatement. What’s it been? Fifty, nearly sixty years? And look at these funny clothes! It’s more than a shame that women aren’t wearing dresses anymore. I’ve seen nary a one since Glory!

"RJ, you look fabulous in absolutely nothing." Leigh bumped her hips with brunette. "So I’m sure clothes won’t be a problem." She glanced over at her friend, suddenly realizing that she was serious.
Does she think I’d dress her in a skintight mini-skirt
? Oooo … a miniskirt …

"Leigh?"

Nothing.

"Lass?" A little louder.

"Yeah?" Leigh jerked her head sideways. "Sorry." She shook her head a little as she stopped in front of a large rectangular sign that listed the different stores and showed their locations on a basically useless map. "Let’s go with something similar to what got wrecked. I want you to be happy. And you looked good enough to eat."
Still do
. She groaned inwardly.
God, what is up with me?

"As I seem to recall, you did just that. More than once!" RJ held her tongue for a split second before bursting into laughter at the sight of Leigh’s gaping mouth.
Oops. Weren’t expecting that, I see.
But to her credit, she had at least tried not to laugh outright at her friend. "So yeah. Let’s go with something similar."

This time it was Leigh’s turn to blush. "And here I thought
I
was incorrigible."

RJ leaned toward the smaller woman to whisper in her ear, "You know damn good and well that I’m not one for holding back when it comes to what I’m thinking." Her voice went very serious. "Life’s far too short for that, Leigh." She kissed a spot alongside Leigh’s ear and made a conscious effort to lighten her tone. "And you’re just so damned cute when you blush like that."

Leigh pulled away and stuck out her tongue at RJ, but didn’t let go of her hand. "Just for that, we get to pick out your clothes first." She pointed to a store that the map showed was in the middle of the mall and on the second floor. "This is where I want to start. They have a lot of great unisex clothes in colors I can actually stand." She appraised RJ with mock-seriousness. "You really don’t look like a lime green, chartreuse, or tangerine sort of girl to me."

"That’s good," RJ allowed hesitantly.
I think.

"I just can’t stand that horrible 70s retro-shit." Leigh gave an involuntary shiver as they made their way toward the escalators.

RJ’s eyebrows drew tightly together as Leigh expertly guided them around the people, plants and strollers. "Have you been here before?"

"Nope."

"How can that be? You walk around like you know exactly where you’re going. And I know that pitiful excuse for a map isn’t the reason."

Leigh shrugged. "Isn’t one mall pretty much like the other? Food court on the lower level, escalators and elevators in the middle, bathrooms at the ends?"

"If you say so."
There is more than one of these places?

They passed store after store until RJ exclaimed in disbelief, "All these stores are in this one building!"

"I should hope so," Leigh said, fully believing RJ was teasing her. "I’m not moving the Jeep unless I have to."

RJ looked a little dazed.
Who could have imagined that? Wait until I tell Mavis.
She’ll collapse on the spot!
"I’d lose my mother in this place, never to see her again!"

Leigh laughed. "She wouldn’t be the first person to succumb to mall madness, lemme tell you."

RJ followed her companion to the steps but hesitated when she saw that they were moving. She paused for just a second, having only ridden on one once when she was a child. A few seconds later, when she looked up, she found herself watching Leigh growing smaller and smaller.

Leigh turned her head to open her mouth and say something to RJ when she noticed she was gone. She looked down past several people and spied RJ at the bottom of the steps, looking up at her in confusion. Leigh lifted her hands in question and silently mouthed, "What happened?"

"Right." RJ mumbled, waving at Leigh.
Get a grip, woman. Or Leigh’s gonna think you’ve gone ‘round the bend.
She took the steps two at a time, politely making her way past the people between her and Leigh. She caught up with the trucker just as Leigh reached the second floor. "You know how sometimes you just get a little dizzy from looking at stairs?" RJ said offhandedly, shrugging and smiling, hoping Leigh wouldn’t ask for more of an explanation.

"Not really," Leigh said slowly. Her eyes filled with concern and she carefully examined RJ’s face. "You’re not going to be sick again, are you?"

"No!"
Sweet Jesus, I’m a pilot and now she thinks I’m going to puke on the escalators? Okay, I was the one who brought up being dizzy. But still!
she whined. "Well, I umm … never mind." She glanced around her, her eyes drawn to the bright lights and all the stores and kiosks. RJ realized she had far more important things to worry about than looking bad on a moving stairway. "So where are you taking me? Someplace that fits with your naughty disposition, I’m betting."

Leigh let out a relieved breath. RJ seemed fine. As weird as she usually seemed … but at least not about to barf. "Actually, I’m not." She stopped dead in her tracks and wrinkled her nose as she sniffed the air. "Yes!" Leigh suddenly veered to the left, pulling RJ right along with her as she trotted over to a pretzel stand and pulled a ten dollar bill from her jeans pocket. "Can I tempt you with one of these?" A batch of fresh pretzels had just been pulled from the oven and the heavenly smell had Leigh’s eyes rolling back in their sockets.