“Go ahead, I’ll take a quick shower.”
Finn wanted to join Iris but answered her mother’s call instead. If she didn’t answer now, her mother would inevitably worry and keep calling until she answered.
“Hi, Mama.”
“Hello, Taylor. I just wanted to check in with you girls and see how the trip was going.”
“It’s going well. We just stopped for the night in Amarillo.”
“Well, I hope you’re sharing a room. It’s not safe for young women to travel alone in this day and age.” She could hear the TV in the background. Her mother was addicted to CNN and the Weather Channel. It sounded as if she was watching the Weather Channel at the moment.
“It’s supposed to be hot tomorrow, chance of isolated thunderstorms in central Texas.”
Bingo, the Weather Channel.
“We didn’t have any thunderstorms today. And tomorrow we’ll be in New Mexico.” She’d ignored her mother’s comment about sharing a room. She was fairly sure her mother hadn’t meant share in the Biblical sense of the word.
“How are you and Iris getting along?”
“Fine…good.” Or maybe she had no idea what her mother meant. She wasn’t sure exactly how to answer.
“I like her. I think she’d be good for you.”
Was her mother actually suggesting that Finn should date Iris? Finn started to sweat and her mother was four states away.
“I like her too.” Finn’s throat was dry, making her sound unsure. She cleared her throat. “I like Iris. A lot.”
“You know, it would be good if you found someone who was your equal, so that they could support you as much as you support them…I mean, emotionally support, you know…I just worry that you’re always getting mixed up with people that, well, that aren’t going to be a real partner for you.”
Finn’s heart was thumping in her chest. She and her mother never, as in never, talked about Finn’s social life or who she was dating. She’d have sworn her mother didn’t have a clue of what she was up to, but she could see now that’d she’d been wrong.
“It means a lot to hear you say that.” She didn’t want to leave her mother’s comment hanging out there. She’d clearly taken a chance by saying something to Finn about Iris.
“I just want you to be happy.” She was silent for a few seconds. “That’s what every parent wants for their child.” She heard her father’s voice in the background but couldn’t make out what he’d said. “And once I get you settled I can start focusing on Trey.”
“Thank you, Mama.” Finn smiled. Trey would not be happy about that. But hey, that’s the price of doing your laundry at home.
It was emotional for Finn to hear her mother talk so openly about Iris. They’d come a long way since Finn was in high school and had first come out to her parents. That was one of the toughest conversations she’d ever had to initiate. At first, her parents had given her the silent treatment, probably unsure of how to respond. But gradually, they’d come around. These days, things were almost normal. And now her mom was comfortable enough with her gayness to give her dating advice.
She heard the shower cut off.
“Well, Mama, I should hang up. We’re going to go get some dinner.” She hoped they were eating in, but that was more information than she was willing to share.
“All right then. You tell Iris we said hello and tell her to come back and visit soon.”
Finn clicked off at the same moment that Iris appeared, wrapped in a large bath towel.
“I feel so much better.” Iris hadn’t washed her hair. She’d pulled it up into a knot. She released it and let it tumble to her shoulders.
So. Fucking. Sexy.
“My turn.” Finn kicked off her shoes. “Mom said to tell you hello.”
“That’s sweet.”
“She wanted to make sure we’re getting along.” Finn slipped past.
“Oh, I’d say we’re getting along very well.” Iris grinned. “Would you agree?”
“Absolutely,” Finn yelled from the bathroom.
She waited for the water to get hot and stepped into the spray. Finn was anxious to freshen up and rejoin Iris, for dinner, or whatever, so she didn’t linger. She tugged on a T-shirt and slipped her jeans on again. She had the button fly almost all the way closed when she stepped out of the bathroom. She stopped dead in her tracks, her toes digging into the carpet to keep her from toppling.
The lights were off, except for the glow from the bathroom seeping into the room. But there was plenty of light to see Iris, naked, reclined. Iris had tossed the covers back and she was lounging on crisp white sheets, which were pale and otherworldly in the low light.
“I don’t think you’ll need those jeans.”
Finn jerked the fly, which pulled all the buttons free, and shucked her pants in record time. The T-shirt was next. She threw it onto a nearby chair. She crawled slowly up the bed, feathering kisses up Iris’s legs as she progressed.
Iris could only see the top of Finn’s head and her broad shoulders as she crept up the bed. Finn’s butterfly kisses made her skin tingle. She shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“No.” Iris brushed her fingers through Finn’s hair.
Finn kissed Iris’s stomach before working her way to Iris’s lips. She lingered there for some time, all the while applying pressure with her muscled thigh between Iris’s legs. She was getting so turned on. Ever since she’d come back to the room that morning to find Finn still naked and in bed. She’d literally been turned on all day, and if Finn didn’t make love to her soon, she was afraid she might burst into flames.
Her face felt hot. She licked her lips as Finn left them to move back down her body. Finn used the tip of her tongue to trace every contour as she slid southward. Finn settled between Iris’s legs, she lifted Iris’s ass up, tilting it for a better angle. At first, Finn kissed the sensitive area around her sex. Finn would come so close to her clit, but at the last instant move away to kiss her inner thigh. Finn was driving her crazy.
“Finn, please…” She had a fistful of Finn’s hair.
She exhaled sharply when Finn’s tongue stroked her clit. Skillful and confident, Finn knew exactly what she was doing, and Iris wasn’t sure she’d survive it. She writhed beneath Finn, arching against her mouth, but Finn held on. It was as if she was riding the wave of Iris’s orgasm along with her.
“Oh, yes, I’m coming…” In addition to Finn’s mouth, Finn’s fingers were pumping inside her now. “Finn, fuck me…faster…yes…” She had both hands in Finn’s hair. She felt the need to hang on for fear she might fly apart.
The sensation started slow and then exploded. Her climax undulated through her core. Her legs trembled. Her arms were suddenly weak. She braced her hands against Finn’s shoulders.
Everything was still as she strained against it, every muscle taut before her nervous system took flight, letting go. Was she floating now? Her skin felt raw and soothed at the same time, as if she were lying in the silted shallows of a warm, slow river. She trailed her trembling fingers across Finn’s shoulder as if it were a delicate thing she was trying to tease closer.
Finn captured her hand and kissed her palm. She braced for an instant above Iris, then gently covered Iris’s body with hers.
“You’re so beautiful,” Finn whispered.
She looked up at Finn. She knew tears had gathered, and when she blinked, a heavy drop rolled down her cheek. She draped her arms around Finn and pressed her damp cheek against Finn’s neck.
“Hey, are you crying? Don’t cry. Did I hurt you?” Finn’s words were laden with concern. Iris could hear the worry in her question.
“No, baby, you didn’t hurt me.” She kissed Finn.
The truth was she’d never had such an intense orgasm. She’d never felt like this during sex. In fact, everything before this night felt like sex. But this, being with Finn, this felt like making love. How could she explain it? It was too soon to say those things.
“All I want is to make you feel good.” Finn brushed the back of her fingers across Iris’s cheek.
“Trust me when I say, I feel good…extremely good.” Iris smiled and kissed Finn again.
She wanted to roll Finn onto her back and return the favor, but she needed a moment to regroup. Her body was spent. Her sex throbbed in step with her heart. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She pressed Finn’s head to her shoulder so that she could stroke her hair.
“I want to make you come,” she whispered into Finn’s hair.
Finn shifted and kissed Iris’s neck. She adjusted so that her thigh was between Finn’s legs and Finn was fully on top of her again. She slipped her hand between them and touched Finn. She was wet and swollen, and Iris’s fingers easily slid inside. Finn was braced above her with closed eyes. She moaned softly and began to move on top of Iris, grinding against her hand. She was close. Iris studied Finn’s expression. She drew Finn’s face toward hers so that she could kiss her, deeply, tasting herself on Finn’s tongue.
Finn was riding her hard now, her body tensed. Finn increased the pressure, the friction, between them. Finn’s mouth was open, but she was holding her breath.
“Ahhhh…” It was more of a sound than a word.
Finn’s body was rigid, rock hard, and then her muscles released. Finn’s biceps tensed, trembled for an instant, and then she lowered herself. Iris relished the weight of Finn on top of her. She was anchored and safe. She held Finn and kissed her damp forehead.
“God, Finn, you are so sexy.”
She felt Finn’s lips curl into a smile against her shoulder.
Chapter Twenty-five
As they left Amarillo, there was one place Finn had to visit. She’d seen photos and she’d heard about it for years. For those who loved cars, it was a must see.
Cadillac Ranch was visible from the highway. And even though it was located on private land they were able to drive to it by using the frontage road. Finn pulled over and they walked through an unlocked gate so that Finn could get a closer look at the row of vintage Cadillacs buried nose first into the ground.
The cars, which had long since lost their original color, were vividly spray-painted with graffiti. Finn wrapped one arm around Iris and took a selfie with the artistic auto installation in the background.
A few others had stopped to investigate the odd, planted autos. Finn felt exposed. She wondered for a moment if it was obvious to anyone who saw them that they’d spent the previous night having amazing sex. No one gave them a second glance. It was probably all in her head.
She had to fight the impulse to shout that Iris was the most amazing woman she’d ever met. She wanted the world to know her joy. Instead of shouting, she simply smiled and took Iris’s hand as they strolled back to the parked roadster.
After a few minutes, they were back on the road, heading west on old Route 66.
The previous night had been filled with the fierce necessity of sharp desire. Her skin still tingled from the fresh memory of Iris next to her and beneath her.
Finn’s thoughts drifted and a sense memory cascaded through her chest—the taste of Iris, the smell of her skin, the intensity of emotion. Overcome by the need to be together, they’d skipped dinner altogether and stayed in bed. Around midnight, Finn ventured out to raid the snack machine down the hall. They’d taken time for a huge breakfast before leaving Amarillo, which more than made up for the previous night’s missed meal.
For all that there was to remember about Texas, Finn would forever only connect the Lone Star State with one thing: Iris.
Three days ago, maybe only two days ago, Finn had wondered if the entire trip would turn out to be a huge mistake. Now she never wanted it to end. She was in a magical bubble with Iris and she’d be happy to stay there indefinitely. But Destination Reality was just ahead on the horizon. Los Angeles was less than two days by car from their current location, maybe three if they wanted to actually enjoy the drive. Finn had considered ways to slow the journey, to make it last. She was afraid when Iris returned to LA and her friends and her glamorous life that things between them would change. They had to change, right? At some point Finn would go back to Georgia and Iris would stay in California.
It would take them six and a half hours to reach Gallup, New Mexico. Finn was cautious about driving too much farther. The last leg of the journey would be the hottest for the roadster. Not only did she want the drive to last so she’d have more time with Iris, but she wanted Scarlett to survive the journey. Also, without air conditioning the heat was as exhausting for the passengers as it was for the car.
As they traveled west, Finn was hyper aware of even the tiniest contact between them. Iris rested her palm on Finn’s thigh and heat radiated from her touch. The entire day was like a lovely, fevered dream.
Shortly after leaving Amarillo, Finn had to abandon the vintage roadways for I-40. She could see the dirt path of Route 66 to the south, and she knew they would cross the old alignment again as they continued west.
Gallup was situated in the northwest corner of New Mexico, near the Four Corners region, and was bisected by the original route of Highway 66. The town offered a diverse collection of galleries and shops. All of which were a blend of Native American and Southwest Hispanic arts and crafts. But that wasn’t what captured Finn’s attention. The landscape had begun to transition. There were red mesas to the north and east. The mountains and painted deserts of Arizona lay ahead of them to the west.
For about five minutes she considered picking up a piece of jewelry for her mother, but quickly dismissed the idea. Turquoise wasn’t really her mom’s style.
They decided on the Route 66 Railway Café for dinner. Vintage diners were the theme for this trip, and this place was a classic. Red vinyl bench seats accented the booths along the wall. There were a few tables with chair seating. The decor was vintage Route 66 memorabilia, and nothing on the menu was low cal.
It was early for dinner, so the crowd was thin. A waitress waved them to one of the booths and Finn waited for Iris to be seated before she slid into the other seat. The vinyl was cool against her back. Today’s drive had been a hot one, literally and figuratively. Despite the heat, Finn was in the mood for comfort food, something heavy. Sex always made her hungry. She opted for chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. Whatever vegetable content had existed in the beans had long been cooked out of them. They were soft and savory, having been simmered in a pot with chunks of ham.
“Even the vegetables aren’t vegetarian.” Iris examined the small side dish of green beans.
“My favorite kind of vegetables.” Finn smiled. “How’s that grilled chicken sandwich?”
“Not fried.” It was one of the few things on the menu not battered.
“You’re missing out. Wanna bite?” Finn cut a generous piece of chicken fried steak and held it out to Iris.
Iris shook her head and focused on her sandwich.
“I can’t keep eating everything in sight or I’m going to be in real trouble when I get back to work.” Iris took a few sips of water.
“Do you really have to watch what you eat that closely? I mean, you have an amazing body.” Now that Finn had gotten the opportunity to study it intimately, she could speak with some authority on the subject.
“Thank you. You’re sweet to say that.”
“I’m not being sweet, I’m being honest.” Finn set her fork down and tried to convey the sincerity she felt. “You, Iris Fleming, are beautiful.”
Iris smiled and shook her head. “Eat…and stop saying things like that. You’re going to make me blush.”
* * *
By the time they reached the Best Western, Finn was beat. Two nights in a row of not much sleep and then days of driving had taken their toll. The heavy meal at the diner put her over the edge, and all she wanted was to cuddle up with Iris and go to sleep. That’s assuming sleep was possible to attain while cuddled up next to Iris’s intoxicating body.
After
quick showers they crawled into bed. It was barely twilight, but Finn didn’t think she could keep her eyes open for one more minute. The thick drapes blocked what was left of the vanishing daylight, casting the room in darkness. Sleep would come quickly.
Finn was lying on her back when Iris snuggled against her shoulder. She adjusted, slipping her arm under Iris’s neck and around her shoulders. The now familiar scent of her vanilla lotion deliciously invaded Finn’s air space. She was sure she’d drift off to slumber land smiling.
“This is nice.” Iris draped her arm across Finn’s stomach.
“Yeah, it is.” Finn exhaled and rested her cheek against the top of Iris’s head.
“Good night.” The words were barely audible. As if Iris was already talking in her sleep.
“Good night.”
Her limbs felt heavy and carried a deep vibration as if her body was still in motion, as if they were still driving. She relaxed into the warmth of Iris against her. She figured her arm beneath Iris’s head would go to sleep, she could already feel the pins and needles, but Iris was asleep and Finn didn’t want to disturb her. She thought of ways to reposition without waking Iris, but in the end, she was otherwise so comfortable that she simply drifted off.
* * *
Finn heard a siren in the distance. She reached for her phone on the bedside table and squinted at the time. It was three thirty. She was hot and thirsty. Iris was sound asleep and Finn attempted her best stealth move to roll away to sit at the edge of the bed. The fog of sleep took a moment to clear.
She groped around on the dresser in the dark for the bottle of water they’d brought in from the car. Finally, she had to use the light from her phone to locate it. She took several long gulps before she felt quenched.
For a minute, Finn wondered if the siren sound had only been in her head. She took a few deep breaths and tried to gauge her level of stress. For some reason, it felt higher than it should be coming out of sleep. Maybe she’d had a bad dream and simply couldn’t remember it.
Chasing Sunset Page 17