The Road to Glory (22 page)

Ali pushed her chair back and stood. She towered over the trucker and it was clear by the irritated, challenging look on her face that she wasn’t used to being turned down. By anyone. "Beat it, short stuff."

The nerve!
"I’ll beat –"

"Now wait just a minute." RJ stood and wrapped her arms around Leigh’s waist from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. "There’s no need for a problem." She gave Leigh a little kiss on the ear. "I’m not going anywhere, lass. Let it go," she whispered, feeling the blonde’s muscles tighten and her hands ball into fists.

RJ’s senses were on overload. Leigh’s body was pressed tightly against hers, people were squeezing by each other just to move, just to breath, and she could sense the energy in the place increasing and expanding as the alcohol flowed and the women danced. The entire club felt like a powder keg in search of a spark.

Leigh spun around in RJ’s arms, temporarily tuning out the scrawny slut behind her. Her eyes burned two holes into RJ with the precision and intensity of a laser. She’d seen the blonde coming on to RJ across the room but had to wade through the hideous crowd to make it back to their table. Why hadn’t she noticed how impossible this place was before? "I don’t recall asking –" She stopped and let out a shuddering breath. With effort, she rephrased what she was going to say. "I’m handling this, RJ."

The pilot nodded and raised her hands, acknowledging what Leigh was saying. She understood better than anyone the right to be upset and the need to deal with it in your own way. "All right, love, all right. I trust you." She winked, but her voice was serious. "I’m here if you need me."

Love?
"You’d better be." The heat behind Leigh’s words, at least the ones directed at RJ, however, had gone from scalding to merely hot. Ali, however, wasn’t so lucky. Leigh turned around and did her best to look bored. "Are you still here?"

"You asked who the hell I was," Ali reminded Leigh tartly. "And since I have no intention of going anyplace … alone," she emphasized her last word and winked at RJ. "I thought I’d at least stay to tell you."

"Jesus!" Leigh threw her hands in the air. "You’re the type of woman who gives blondes a bad name!" Her eyes flicked upwards and she wrinkled her nose. "Well, tacky bleached blondes, that is."

RJ snorted and reached for her beer. It looked as though Leigh had things well in hand for the moment. She had discovered a lifetime ago that busted lips and bruises hurt a hell of a lot less when you had a few beers in you first. She had a feeling if Ali didn’t back off, and fast, they were going to be nursing a few of each later. Leigh’s voice was calm, but her flushed cheeks and slightly trembling body convinced RJ that she was about to blow like a hand grenade.

Ali looked over Leigh’s head at RJ and licked her full lips provocatively. "Given any more thought to that dance?"

"Yeah," the pilot straightened and pulled Leigh closer to her. "Actually I have. Leigh, would you like to dance with me?"

Leigh reached behind her without looking at, RJ. "In a minute, hon," she murmured distractedly. "Did you just proposition her in front of me?" Leigh asked incredulously. "In case you’re actually mentally handicapped and not just stupid, I should remind you that she’s here with me tonight and that she’s said
several
times that she’s not interested."

Ali was growing weary of the chatterbox between her and the brunette she sought. She had hoped that when RJ saw how determined she was to have her, it would tip the scales in her favor. But she was finally starting to think that RJ might have actually been sincere when she said she wouldn’t dance with her. Though the prospect seemed highly unlikely to Ali.

Ali finally glanced down at Leigh. "It’s not who she’s with now that matters. It’s who she goes home with at the end of the evening."

Leigh’s face went deadly serious. "That person would be me. Now, and for the very last time, please leave us alone."
I won’t ask again
.

RJ wondered as she watched the tall blonde stare at Leigh, why Ali didn’t seem to understand that she wasn’t interested in being with her. Had things changed that much? She remembered briefly their encounter with the waitress at the truck stop. Apparently it wasn’t uncommon to have more than one partner these days.
It wasn’t uncommon in my day either, just a hell of a lot harder.
She put a little space between her and Leigh, crossing her arms and waiting to see what Ali was going to do.

Ali didn’t say a word. Instead, she started to move ...

Leigh began to gladly step aside, breathing a sigh of relief that this little incident was over. She froze, however, when she caught Ali eyeing her RJ like she was a piece of meat and someone had just rung the dinner bell. The light bulb popped on in Leigh’s head and her voice cracked with agitation. "You’re moving past me to get to her?"
I cannot believe this woman! I should have known those leather pants on RJ would send these women into a feeding frenzy.

"For all your talk, RJ is still standing here," Ali smiled, showing off two neat rows of pearly whites, "looking at
me
. Step aside,
Tom Cat
."
Oh, yes, I know who you are. I know all the regulars in my playground. Even if they don’t know me. Yet.

Leigh’s eyes widened at the use of her much-despised nickname and her brain officially began to short-circuit.

Uh oh.
The pilot stiffened and put her hands on Leigh’s shoulders. "Come on, lass, let’s go have that dance," she said a little urgently. "By the time we’re done she will have moved on to the next person who’s breathing."

Every muscle in Leigh’s body twitched with anticipation as adrenaline sang through her blood. RJ was right, of course. But it felt utterly wrong to leave any doubt as to who would be taking her home tonight.
She’s mine, bitch! At least for now
, Leigh’s mind begrudgingly admitted.

Ali had moved around the table, effectively doing an end run around Leigh without the trucker being able to stop her. This put her directly in behind RJ, who automatically turned around at Ali’s advance. She leaned forward and whispered something that made RJ blush furiously. "No answer for that I see," Ali said smugly.

Leigh grabbed hold of the table between them and violently shoved it out of her way, knocking over a chair in the process. Then she simply launched herself at Ali, taking RJ down in the process.

Ali screamed and knocked into the woman behind her, who landed on the feet of the next woman over and so on. "Fuck! Watch it!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"You watch it, cow!" was the disembodied shout heard over the loud music.

Then all hell broke loose.

RJ did her best to stop the barrage of hands that were flying around her head. With a loud grunt she managed to get herself turned around and make a grab for Leigh’s fists. This only served to piss her companion off even more, and she heard a loud growl as Leigh jerked her hands away and made another lunge for Ali, catching the screaming woman right in the nose.

Ali tried to scramble out from under RJ, digging her high heels into RJ’s legs in the process and going a long way toward making her deaf from the screams leveled right into her ear. "Wait!" RJ barked. She turned again, facing Ali and knocking away several of her flailing punches. In a quick change of tactics, Ali decided to use RJ as a human shield.

"Jesus," RJ mumbled, wide eyed, as the blows came even closer to her head. "Leigh–" She turned as she said the word, stopping Leigh’s flying fist. With her eye.

"Oh, God!" Leigh stared at RJ in horror and scrambled off her friend.

Ali used the momentary distraction to push her way out from under RJ and vanish among the fighting, yelling, and cursing women.

Sirens sounded in the distance.

Leigh’s hands moved shakily to RJ’s face. She cupped her cheeks gently and began examining RJ’s tightly shut eye. "I am so sorry." Her voice cracked a little as she spoke, all thoughts of Ali forgotten. "I didn’t mean to do that."

A beer mug crashed against the wall behind RJ, sending shards of glass and droplets of brew showering down on them.

Leigh closed her eyes as the warm liquid splashed against her back.

RJ tried to shake her head a little to clear the stars. "Damn, lass! That’s a hell of a right hook you got there. You should be a boxer!" She tried to grin. But it hurt to move her face at all. And she couldn’t keep stop her eye from tearing up.

Leigh’s heart clenched painfully.
She’s crying? Aww, shit.
"Please don’t cry." Tears welled in Leigh’s own eyes as she peppered RJ’s face with soft kisses. "I’m so, so sorry."

"Ahh, come on, darlin’." RJ gave her friend a quick peck on the cheek. "I’m not crying; it’s just watering. I’m tougher than that." She leaned up, feeling decidedly lightheaded. The air was knocked from her lungs, when Leigh crashed into her as they both ducked a flying chair. Instinctively, her arms tightened around Leigh as she tried to protect her from flying furniture and bits of wood. "I think we need to get the hell out of here. It’s like London during the Blitz!"

"But I hit you!" Leigh continued kissing her face. "I swear, I’ll never touch you again."

RJ pushed them to their feet, looking for the exit. She kissed Leigh back soundly, right in the middle of the melee. "Don’t be saying things like that, Leigh Matthews. I intend to take you home right now and let you touch me all you want." She tugged on Leigh’s arm. "C’mon."

*  *  *

"Hold still."

"Ouch!"

"God, RJ, if you don’t hold still, I can’t look at it!"

RJ continued to jerk away from Leigh’s fingers. Her touch wasn’t as gentle as it had been before the fight in the bar. The taller woman could tell Leigh was angry, though she couldn’t tell if it was at her. "You don’t need to look at it. It’s just my eye!"

"I know that," Leigh ground out, trying her best to be patient. Especially since she was the one who hit RJ. That thought froze her hands mid-motion.

RJ stopped her squirming. "What’s the matter?"

Leigh shook her head quickly and bolted from the room.

RJ blinked. "Why does this keep happening?"

A loud crash sounded from the kitchen, causing RJ to jump at the sound. Then there was another and another.
Oh, Lord. There won’t be a glass left in the house by morning. The lass has to be Irish! Mother has a standing order of replacement glasses every month at
Bedford
’s Hardware store.
She stood to go to Leigh, then abruptly sat back down.
Better those glasses than me
.

A few moments later Leigh barreled back into the living room, holding two tumblers filled generously with ice and an amber-colored liquid. "Well … that was fast," RJ teased gently.

Leigh closed her eyes and held her bruised knuckles against the cold glass, sighing in relief as the dull throb lessened. She drained half her glass, then passed a heavy tumbler to JR. "My emergency ice pack is in my truck," she informed her bluntly. "I’ll have to go out to the store and buy another one."

"I’m fine."

"Your eye is completely swollen shut."

RJ shrugged. "I’m not surprised." She hissed a little as the whiskey slid down her throat, burning a hot trail to her belly. "You have a wicked right hook."

And though Leigh tried to stop it, RJ’s praise caused a small smile to appear. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"From an Irishman, love, that’s a tremendous compliment." RJ picked up Leigh’s hand and gave the back of it a little kiss, the wet, cool skin chilling her lips. "You should be proud of that punch."

"Well, I’m not," Leigh countered harshly. "Not at all." She roughly pulled her hand away. "And I’m mad at you!" The pent-up anger and frustration at RJ that had been banked since leaving the bar came roaring back to life.

"Me?" RJ’s eyes widened. "What did I do!"

"What do you mean, ‘what did I do?’" Leigh poked RJ’s chest just as she stood up, placing them toe to toe. "You grabbed my hands. Not once, but ... well ... more than once!"

"Yeah?" RJ still wasn’t clear on what the problem but was already getting annoyed. "So?"

Leigh nodded her head furiously. "So I’m mad!"

RJ wanted to stick her hands into her pockets, but the leather fit too snugly to make it comfortable. She frowned irritably. "And what was so bad about that, lass? I only wanted to get us out of there without either of us getting hurt."

"Arghh! Are you being all calm and reasonable just to piss me off?"

RJ straightened and rested her fists on her hips. "No! I’m staying calm and reasonable because it’s my nature." The angry undertone of her voice contradicted her words and she knew it, which made her even more agitated. "But if you want me to get mad I can."

Leigh threw back the last of her drink and snorted, "That I’d like to see."

"All right, fine!" RJ’s voice was hard and loud as she nearly let the frustration of the moment begin to overtake her. She tried to step back, grinding her teeth together for what had to be a full minute before she shook an angry finger at Leigh. "Now you’re trying to piss me off! What is it that you want, Leigh Matthews? Do you want me to get mad enough so that I’ll hit you back? Is that what you’re after?" RJ challenged, her words somewhere between a yell and a dull roar. "Because if it is, you’re not gonna get it." She downed nearly the rest of her drink in one quick swallow and threw the glass hard against the wall, shattering it and denting the wallpapered plaster. "There! Are you happy?"

Leigh looked at the large stain on the wall and wordlessly handed RJ her own glass, lifting a pale eyebrow in challenge.

Without thinking, the pilot slammed Leigh’s glass against the wall, throwing it even harder than she’d thrown hers and placing another small dent in the wall. RJ exhaled shakily and sank to the couch, running a hand through her hair. "Are you happy now? Now that I’ve made a mess and an ass of myself?"

"Actually," Leigh dropped down onto the sofa next to RJ, "I do feel a little better, mainly for the ‘ass’ part."

"Well, good," RJ said sighed sarcastically, glancing sideways at her friend. "Are you still mad at me?"