Stormbound
By Gun Brooke
Part 14
"Oh, goodness," Tiffany exhaled and regarded Izzy with huge eyes. "What was that?"
"Only one way to find out." Izzy hoisted the rifle, already on her feet. "Stay behind me."
"For sure."
Izzy felt Tiffany hold onto her belt and smiled despite her rush of adrenaline. Suddenly she was taken back in time several months. Mortars exploded around her, and people cried out in fear and agony. She could smell the burning flesh, and acid smoke as she made her way among the trees.
"Oh, look," Tiffany gushed, tugging at Izzy's belt. "Isn't he beautiful?"
Blinking, Izzy stared numbly at the majestic male deer who had raised his head regally, watching them as if they were his loyal subjects.
"He sure is." Izzy did her best to get her breathing under control. She scanned the area around them to make sure it was the deer that had disturbed them and not anything more sinister. Nothing seemed amiss, and yet her skin crawled and she felt the soup do unpleasant twirls in her stomach.
"Izzy, what's wrong?" Tiffany took her by the arm and shook her gently. "You're pale and sweating. What's the matter?"
"Flashbacks," Izzy muttered, hoping Tiffany would understand how impossible it was for her to talk about this. Every time she thought of the horrific scenes she'd witnessed, it was enough to send bile up through her throat.
"Oh, Izzy." Tiffany didn't prod for details. Instead she climbed up on a boulder and hugged her. "It must be so hard." Her unconditional acceptance of Izzy's past, a past she had mixed feelings about, made her relax. Izzy was proud of her military career, and she missed parts of it terribly. Then there were these moments, when fear, pain, and resentment regarding her injuries nearly got the best of her. She tried to focus on the fact that there were countless young men and women who had much worse injuries, and then there were those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They'd be thrilled if all they had were a few scars.
"I'm okay." Izzy allowed Tiffany to hold her for a little bit longer, and only because it felt so good. The softness of Tiffany's breasts underneath the Gore-Tex jacket made her shiver and she wanted to push her hands underneath Tiffany's clothes and revel in the abundance. "Let's go back to the tent. We need to put out the fire."
"Oh, do we have to? I was enjoying feeling warm, finally." Tiffany looked disappointed.
"All right, we can sit by the fire a little bit longer." There was no way, Izzy could refuse Tiffany.
"Oh, goodie!" Tiffany jumped off the boulder and took Izzy's hand. "It's just so romantic, in the middle of this whole mess, to sit with you by the fire."
"Romantic, huh?" Izzy shouldered the rifle and squeezed the small hand in hers. Tiffany beamed up at her as she lengthened her stride. Izzy stopped by the tent to retrieve a blanket and the disposable cell phone. She wrapped they blanket around both of them as they sat back down on the log by the fire. "I'm going to give Martha a call. People might be coming to Farlow's Creek and ask questions. I want them to be prepared."
"But they wouldn't know that I'm Tiffany Ashton." Tiffany frowned. "The towns people know me as Beth."
"Ah, sweetie-girl," Izzy said and caressed Tiffany's back under the blanket. "Trust me, your face is unforgettable. If anyone shows a picture of you in Farlow's Creek, they're going to recognize you."
"Really?" Tiffany shook her head in dismay. "I shouldn't have come into town with you. What if I've endangered everybody?"
"Hardly. They can, however, inadvertently endanger you, unless we're proactive." Izzy wiggled the small cell phone between her fingers. She dialed Martha's number from memory, knowing that her friend would be able to get the word out to the people who needed to be told. Martha answered after two signals went through. "Martha, it's Izzy."
"Izzy? What's wrong?" Martha sounded as sharp and alert as always.
"Listen, Martha, I need to ask you a favor."
"Anything." The resolution in Martha's voice was reassuring.
"You may have picked up on the fact that my friend Beth might be…well, not who she said she was?"
"She's your girlfriend." The calm statement took Izzy aback.
"Uhm. Well. Sort of. I guess." Thinking fast, Izzy tried to focus on what mattered. "The thing is that Beth, whose name is really Tiffany, is in trouble. Some low lives are out to get her. They want to extort her father's estate from her and if that doesn't work they are willing to resort to violence."
"She lost her father?" It was clear that Martha considered this to be the most vital information. "Tiffany, you said?"
"Yes. The thing is, I only realized last night that there was a way for these bastards to track her to my house, possibly Farlow's Creek. I thought we'd covered her tracks, but that's not the case."
"So, what is the risk that they'll find her here? Great? Small?"
"Pretty great, actually." Izzy glanced down at Tiffany, trying to keep her tone light to not scare her unnecessarily. "Can you let Aunt Annie know, and the other shopkeepers and postal workers."
"Say no more." Izzy had to smile at the confidence in Martha's voice. "I'm on it. Anything else I need to know?"
"Yes." Izzy quickly grew serious. "These people are bad news, Martha. I'm not kidding. I'm not sure just how far they're prepared to go, but there's a lot of money at stake and you know as well as I do what that can do to people."
"Yeah. Their morals go out the window." Martha made a contemptuous sound. "And to think they'd go after a nice girl like Be—I mean Tiffany. Poor kid. She must be terrified."
"Tiffany's a tough chick." Izzy pulled Tiffany closer with her free arm and quickly pressed her lips against the blond curls. "She can hold her own."
"And she has you."
"Yes." Izzy's heart made a somersault in her chest. "She does." Boy, does she ever.
"We'll hold down the fort here. Is there a number I can reach you at?"
"I have to turn the phone off to save battery power, but I'll call in twice a day to check on things, okay?"
"Sounds good. Are you in a safe place?"
"Very safe."
"I think I can guess. No power, huh?" Martha laughed. "If I'm right, that's plenty safe."
"Talk to you tomorrow, Martha. Say hi to Pete and Aunt Annie for us." Izzy hung up and felt Tiffany huddle even closer. It was almost completely dark around them now, only the fire made it possible to see the outline of the tent and the jeep. Above them, a multitude of stars lit up the night sky. "Not many clouds around. It's going to be a cold night," Izzy said quietly.
"Oh. Will we be all right?" Tiffany sounded worried.
"Those are winter sleeping bags. They'll keep us warm even if it gets way below freezing. I don't think it'll get that cold, but we'll be just fine as long as we keep everything dry." Izzy kissed Tiffany's temple. "Besides, how could we not stay warm, when I go all hot and bothered from just looking at you?"
"Izzy!" Tiffany gasped and turned in her arms, facing her. "You sure know how to woo a girl." She lifted her face up to be kissed and Izzy could not have resisted her any more than she could have stopped breathing for an hour.
They kissed, slow and soft, without the previous urgency, but still it sent Izzy's heart soaring. Tiffany felt so right, so good, in her arms. She fit so perfectly against Izzy, despite their difference in height, and she knew that once Tiffany's situation had been resolved, she'd leave and take Izzy's heart with her. I love her. Izzy didn't flinch or gasp at the revelation. It was like she'd known from day one that Tiffany would be the one. She'd carried this young woman to safety, and as she was busy doing all the saving, Tiffany had firmly rescued her right back. Completely disregarding what Izzy knew was hideous scars, Tiffany had seen beneath the mere shell of her, not bothered in the least by the ugliness of her wounds. Empathetic, yes, even sympathetic, but without pity, had Tiffany shown Izzy that she was still attractive, still worth caring about. But am I worth loving?
"Why don't we turn out the fire and go to bed?" Izzy suggested, not about to examine that train of thought right now.
"Can we brush our teeth?" Tiffany asked. "I just can't imagine going to bed and snuggle with you and not brush my teeth. It's a thing."
"It's a very good thing." Izzy smiled. "Let's go down to the lake and do that, that way we save on our fresh water. We can take care of the fire when we get back."
After brushing their teeth, washing up a bit, and another quite giggly trip to the woods with the shovel, they returned to the fire. Izzy used water and sand to extinguish the flames and made sure the fire was completely out before they walked back to the tent. Inside, Tiffany quickly pulled her jeans and jacket off and hurried into the joined sleeping bags. Izzy followed suit and was rewarded as Tiffany immediately wrapped her arms around her and tangled their legs.
"I've waited hours for this," Tiffany said, burying her face into Izzy's neck. Her nose was cool, but her lips hot as she kissed a trail along Izzy's jaw line. "I know I shouldn't say this, but I'm so glad we're here. Regardless of the reason. I hope you don't think I sound completely crazy."
"Not at all. I've been feeling a little guilty for actually enjoying myself today." Izzy caressed Tiffany through her sweatshirt. "Glad I wasn't the only one."
"Oh, goodness, yes." Tiffany pushed her hands up inside Izzy's shirt. "Mm. I like your breasts. They're so cute and sexy."
A flood of wetness pooled between Izzy's thighs at Tiffany's words. "Really."
"Really." Scooting down a bit, Tiffany pushed at the shirt and managed to uncover Izzy's right breast. She put her mouth to it, and Izzy moaned out loud as her small, agile tongue began to work it slowly. Tiffany echoed the sound blissfully, her hand mimicking her actions on Izzy's other nipple. "That feel good?" Tiffany murmured against Izzy's skin.
"Yes."
"Good." Tiffany clearly took that as encouragement to escalate her caresses. She pushed her free hand down between them, past the lining of Izzy's cotton panties. This was the first time Tiffany had touched her there since they made love two nights ago, and Izzy knew she was more than ready for it. Slick and swollen, she knew it would be obvious to Tiffany just how much she wanted her, no, craved, her touch. Too far gone to become genuinely embarrassed, there was still a little insecure voice who chastised Izzy for not being able to maintain control.
"Oh, wow...look at this." Tiffany's voice was reverent. "You're so wet for me. Oh, Izzy. You want me."
"Yeah, that's pretty obvious," Izzy managed through clenched teeth as she tried to slow down her body's rampaging libido. "Tiff, please, not so fast. I'm about to lose it...."
"Good. I don't want you to be in control. Give over control to me." Tiffany pushed two fingers inside Izzy and her thumb pressed against the hard ridge that held most of Izzy's scorching hot pleasure.
"Ah!" Izzy arched, pressing a hand on top of Tiffany's, holding it firmly pressed against her. "Yes, yes...take me. Oh, God, I need you. I need you to make me...yours." Her breath was coming in hot gushes now, and she was perspiring all over. So much for staying dry. Izzy nearly laughed at her own erratic thoughts, but then Tiffany added another finger and the sensation of being completely filled made her forget everything else. Suddenly it wasn't enough to have Tiffany giving her pleasure. Izzy needed to reciprocate, and right away.
Tugging wildly at Tiffany's sweatshirt, she freed Tiffany's breasts. Tiffany wore a white sports bra and it went the same way, before Izzy's hands covered her round breasts.
"Ohh." Tiffany moved closer, her hand working Izzy's sex with increasing strength. Pumping, she seemed determined to make Izzy come first, but she was also panting wildly, and Izzy was dying to find out if Tiffany was as affected by their caresses as she was. Sneaking her hand into Tiffany's panties, she was rewarded by a sexy whimper, and the fact that Tiffany was just as wet.
"Go...inside." Tiffany gasped. "Please, please."
"Shh, I will. Just hold on to me." Izzy reassuringly held Tiffany close as she positioned her fingers. "You feel so good. I love...how you feel." Unable to tell Tiffany how she felt about her, and unwilling to burden her with the true depth of her emotions, Izzy tried to convey it in the way she made love to Tiffany. She took her with passion, but also with all the tenderness she could muster. Tiffany became like liquid gold in her arms, and she reciprocated in kind, making beautiful love to Izzy. Soon, Izzy knew she wouldn't be able to hold back anymore. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she felt the orgasm build. Tiffany's scent engulfed her, made the experience so deeply personal, and so heartbreakingly bittersweet.
"Izzy. Izzy!" Tiffany arched and her diminutive body shook in ecstasy. She clung to Izzy, her hand still buried between Izzy's thighs, and listening to Tiffany's whimpers was enough for her to lose what little control she had left. Izzy could hardly breathe as the orgasm hit. It started between her legs, shooting in all directions, and to her amazement, it kept growing in intensity. Izzy's legs trembled and she sobbed Tiffany's name over and over, before a second, slightly less intense orgasm, followed the first. This time Izzy gave in completely. She merely allowed herself to feel, not concerned with anything else. Once the sensations started to dissipate, Izzy slowly withdrew her hand and hugged Tiffany close. Tiffany did the same.
"You were right," Tiffany asked as she gently kissed away the tears on Izzy's cheeks.
"More than alright," Izzy said she tried to catch her breath. Soon exhaustion hit both of them as Tiffany yawned and moved until she had her back pressed against Izzy.
"Huh?" Barely able to speak from sheer fatigue, Izzy made sure the sleeping bags were zipped all the way up.
"I don't think we're going to be cold tonight."
Izzy smiled and kissed Tiffany's hair. "Glad you agree." Izzy waited for Tiffany to say something, but the only thing that was heard in the tent was a soft, cute snoring, which told Izzy that Tiffany was sound asleep.