by Melissa Good
She could hear Dar’s heartbeat thundering against her ear, and she gently stroked her as they snuggled into each other’s arms and just rested. It was peaceful. It was familiar, in a way that Kerry really didn’t understand. But she knew that right here, safe in Dar’s arms, she’d found something very special.
Well. Kerry felt a delighted surprise. Yahoo, you didn’t really have a clue.
She took a deep breath of Dar’s scent and exhaled in deep contentment. She glanced up, smiling in reflex at the half smile on the taller woman’s face as she gazed back at her peacefully.
Something was nibbling at the back of her tongue, wanting to be said, and she just couldn’t nudge it forward. It was something she felt when she looked at Dar, something that came from deep within her, a truth of the heart her mind just wasn’t ready to look at yet. Oh well. It would come to her.
“Thanks. That was pretty awesome.”
Dar gazed at her, a small half puzzled, half incredulous smile on her face.
“Likewise,” she murmured . Boy, did she ever have my number. When was the last time that ever happened? Luck? She examined Kerry’s dreamy expression, almost getting lost in it. Whatever… She kissed the blonde woman’s forehead and sighed contentedly.
Guess I did okay, Kerry mused giddily . Wow. It felt wonderful. She glanced up at the angular face and saw interested blue eyes blinking back at her. A warm feeling re-ignited in her guts. “Hey.” She nuzzled a bit of soft, tanned skin. “That bathroom over there has a whirlpool in it. You interested?” One finger idly traced a rib, then moved upward.
Dar chuckled, low and deep in her chest, capturing the roving finger with white teeth and sucking the tip of it. She had a feeling it was going to be long night.
IT’S NOT A dream. Dar heard the faint beep of her pager alarm, and she reached over, pressing the button that would turn the thing off, then she returned her arm to its place around Kerry and let out a tiny sigh. It’s not a dream, not this time.
This time it was real. No strange forest view, or unknown cabin—just herself, and Kerry, and a feeling of quiet pleasure that touched something down inside her soul. It felt so nice to wake up with someone. She’d forgotten what that was like, almost. No. She had forgotten. Deliberately.
It was dark out, and Dar knew she didn’t have a lot of time left before she had to leave and drive home to change before she was expected at the office.
She stifled a yawn and let her eyes drift closed for a few minutes, reveling in the solid, sleeping warmth of her companion, their limbs tangled together as they snuggled together in the middle of Kerry’s bed.
The late-night bath had turned into another long session of intimate exploration, and when they relaxed at last, tired but satisfied, Kerry had simply wrapped herself around Dar’s taller body and turned off the light.
Dar could think of a handful of reasons she should have left, but none of them could override the reason she had stayed. Because Kerry wanted her to.
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So she’d pulled the covers up over them and, surrounded by the clean, sweet scent of the fresh linens, allowed herself to slip into a deep sleep. Which was great, except here she was now, not wanting to budge out of the warm spot she was in and get moving.
Dar sighed, then she opened her eyes and started to straighten her body, hearing a soft murmur of protest from her blonde companion. Kerry took a tighter hold on her. “Hey…” Dar whispered softly in the pink ear near her chin. “Time to get up, kiddo.”
“Uhrm,” Kerry protested incoherently.
Dar rubbed her back gently. “Kerrrrrrryy.”
A sleepy green eye peered up at her. The lashes blinked, then the other eye appeared as Kerry realized where she was. “Oh. Hi, sorry. “ A charming smile gleamed in the faint light coming into the window from the streetlamp outside. “Guess I should let you go, huh?” she said softly.
Dar hugged her, then released her hold. “Take me a while to get across to the island, then back…and I have a meeting with José and Eleanor at nine.”
“Mmm.” Kerry gave her a squeeze, then reluctantly moved away, curling up on sheets suddenly cold against her naked body. “I’m supposed to visit the MTC today. They’re having town halls.”
“Have fun.” Dar reached out and stroked her face gently. “You feeling okay?”
Kerry captured her hand, and nibbled it. “I feel great, thanks. How about you?”
Dar smiled. “Never felt better.” She glanced at the clock. “I better get going. If I stick around here much longer, we’ll both be late.“ She paused, then rolled over, and slipped her hand around the back of Kerry’s neck, kissing her slowly but thoroughly.
They parted reluctantly, and Kerry closed her eyes, nuzzling the hand she still clasped in her own. “Oh sure, now just leave me here,” she teased.
Dar yawned, then rubbed her face. “Believe me, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t,” she responded offhandedly. “But I think someone would notice if both of us didn’t show up for work.”
Kerry snorted softly. “Someone? Jesus…” She fell silent. “We have to be careful, don’t we?”
Dar remained silent, thinking for a bit. “Careful, but not too careful.” She propped her head up on one hand. “I have to admit I’ve never had to…” She thought about their options. “Okay, I think we need to just act normally.”
Kerry nibbled at Dar’s fingertips. “Really?”
Her boss muffled a chuckle. “I don’t think we should hide the fact that we’re friends, I mean. Or that we do the occasional thing after work with each other. If we try to convince everyone we hardly know each other, it’s not gonna work.”
“Probably not,” Kerry acknowledged.
“No matter what, there’s going to be talk.” Dar exhaled. “Does that bother you?”
The green eyes unfocused a little as Kerry considered. “It’s a little intimidating. I know how nasty those people can be. I’m not sure how I’m going to react to that if I get it in the face,” she admitted quietly.
268 Melissa Good
“Mmm.” Dar paused. “Well, I always found it’s best not to deny anything,” she commented. “When people insinuate things, I just smile at them.”
“Smile?” Kerry’s brows knit. Dar demonstrated, producing a sexy, knowing grin. “Oh.” The blonde muffled a laugh.
“Yeah, they’re never really sure what to do with that,” Dar replied with a smirk. “The more you tell people something isn’t happening, the more they think it is. If you just laugh at them, they’re not expecting that.”
“Hmm.” Kerry nodded. “That makes a lot of sense. Is that your trick—all that self-confidence?”
A slow nod of agreement. “If I believe in myself, everyone else tends to,”
she answered. “No one will say anything outright, but they’ll insinuate.” She chewed her lip. “You could also try the old standard of asking them exactly what they mean, that you don’t understand what they’re asking.”
“Okay, I think I can do that,” Kerry replied hesitantly.
Dar studied her with a sense of quiet regret. “Kerry, if it’s going to be too much, we’ll think of something else,” she told the younger woman softly.
“I…I don’t want this to be tough on you.”
Kerry shook her head vigorously. “No. No, it’s all right. It just takes a little getting used to. I’m not really good at hiding things.” She chewed her lip.
“But I’ll be okay. I never thought I’d…” She paused, thinking hard. “Dar, I really like you.”
“Well, I kinda hoped so.” Dar gave her a wistful little smile. “I kinda hoped it wasn’t just that you thought it would be good for your career.” She maintained a half joking air, but there was pain behind the statement.
Kerry heard it and gently touched her cheek. “You didn’t really think that, did you?”
Dar dropped her gaze to the sheets and traced a little design there. She shrugged. “It’s happened before.” she ack
nowledged quietly.
God, if I could find the person who did that, I’d take a cocktail fork and poke them so full of holes… Kerry exhaled. “That’s not what I’m about,” she said. “That’s not…” Dar wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I’d rather you fire me right now than have you think that.” She paused. “In fact, I’m not going to give you the option, I’m resigning.”
Startled blue eyes lifted. “Kerry, wait! That’s not what I…”
“I mean it,” Kerry stated quietly. “I can easily get a job working for Colleen’s bank.” She started to scramble out of bed, visibly upset. “I am not going to have you thinking the only reason I…”
“Kerry…”
“No!” Kerry replied sharply. “Is that really what…Jesus Christ.” She headed for the door, anger in the set of her body.
Dar somehow managed to intercept her, catching her gently by the shoulders and turning her around. “Hey.” Kerry was shaking, and she could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. “Wait a minute.” A pause. “Please.”
The blonde stilled and just looked at her. “That’s not what I thought about you. If it was, I never would have gone this far again.” It was a stark, blunt statement. “Believe me.” She felt the tension relax in Kerry’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to quit. I finally found someone I can Tropical Storm 269
trust, who can take some of this job off my shoulders. If I lose that now, I…”
Dar sighed. “It won’t be good.”
Kerry blew out a breath and put out a tentative hand, stroking the soft skin on the taller woman’s belly. “This complicates everything.” She fell silent for a long moment while Dar merely waited. “I’d rather lose my job than…”
she paused awkwardly, “…than lose you.” Kerry focused her gaze on Dar’s collarbone. “Jesus, you must think that sounds so damn naïve.”
Dar gently put her arms around her and pulled her close. “No,” Her voice was very quiet. “Not at all.” It was, she knew, a big risk. But Dar had always followed her instincts, and her instincts were telling her Kerry could be trusted, despite what had happened before, despite the odds against it. “We’ll work things out. It’ll be okay, Kerry. I promise. It’ll be okay.”
Kerry let her forehead fall forward to rest against Dar’s shoulder. She really didn’t want to leave the company. She really didn’t want to leave Dar, sensing that the executive truly wanted her to stay. “Okay.” She looked up in the dim light, seeing Dar’s features barely outlined as lines of gold and silver, and the splash of crystal that were her eyes. “I’ll try.”
She tilted her head as Dar bent her neck and kissed her, welcoming the soft brush of her lips and the tingle as their bodies moved together. It was so incredible. She’d never expected it to feel like this, not the deep and wild hunger that robbed her of breath and dignity and made her want to rub up against Dar like a cat in heat. The taller woman’s hands slowly moved down her sides and around her back, and she uttered a soft moan against Dar’s lips.
Echoed by its twin, as the dark-haired woman stepped back a little, and stroked the side of her face.
Dar sighed regretfully. “We keep this up, and I’m not gonna make it into work.”
Kerry patted her arm and gave her a wry look. “Uh, yeah. I think I could use a shower myself.” She grimaced. “A cold shower,” she muttered as an afterthought.
Dar chuckled and gave her a light kiss on the top of her head. “Go on, I’ll let myself out. See you in the office?”
“You bet.” Kerry nodded. “I’ll bring pastelitos.” She grinned at the way Dar’s eyes lit up, then the executive winked and padded out of the room, the light from the street lamp sliding in shadows over her naked form. Kerry turned the shower on and let it run. Even over the sound of the water, she heard Dar slip her clothes on, then the soft click as the front door closed.
“Whoa.” Kerry leaned against the washbasin and gazed soberly at her reflection. Surely it was the same person who had looked back at her the previous morning—the same almost babyish, slightly rounded face, the same green eyes. Then why did she feel so different?
Well, okay, so it was the first time she’d ever made love to a woman. And if she had to pick a first, Dar certainly was a good one. She was experienced, but gentle, passionate yet playful. So it was a great experience. Then why are my knees shaking? Why does it feel like butterflies are clustered inside my stomach?
She thought of Dar and felt a fierce blast of emotion grab her, making her lean forward in surprise. What in the hell is going on with me?
“C’mon, Kerrison, get your act together and take a shower. You’ve got 270 Melissa Good work to do.” She sighed, trudging toward the gently steaming water, shocked to find herself seriously considering not getting in it to avoid washing away Dar’s lingering scent. “Good grief.” She sighed and forced herself forward. “I think I’m losing my mind.”
Chapter
Twenty-two
DAR LEANED BACK in her seat and closed her eyes as the warm sunlight poured in her window. She was showered and dressed, and on the ferry heading over to the mainland, only a few minutes later than she usually was. Not bad. “Morning, Maria.”
“Buenos días, Dar,” her secretary’s voice answered. “I have a note here from Mr. Draefus. Is there a report you were supposed to send to him last night?”
Oh shit. Dar almost slapped her forehead in dismay. “I have it here, I’m…still reviewing it, Maria.” She unzipped her laptop case and booted the machine. “I had some problems with some of the…uh, he has some…” Her eyes flicked over the report as the ferry made the long, slow turn into the dock. “Yeah, he has some addendums here that don’t make sense. “
“I’ll tell him that you’re not done with it yet,” Maria told her. “Okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll send it over when I get in and dock.” Dar skimmed the rest of the report. “Uh, I have a set of statistics I need copied for my nine o’clock.
They’re in my outbox. Can you take care of that?”
“Surely,” her secretary assured her.
“Okay, thanks. I’ve gotta get off the ferry here,” Dar mumbled, as she shifted gears and started the car forward. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, Maria.”
“Drive carefully, Dar,” Maria said as usual. “There are crazy people out there.”
Uh huh. Dar maneuvered the Lexus off the ferry and out onto the street, turning left onto the causeway, silently berating herself for forgetting Duk’s report. “C’mon, Dar, snap out of it. You’ve got a division to run here.” She shook her head.
The short drive gave her time to focus her thoughts, and by the time she pulled into the parking lot, she’d managed to put her mind to the problems of the day, and set aside the distracting wonder of the night before. Almost.
She ran her fingers through her dark hair as she entered the offices, crossing to the elevators in time to join Duks as he held the door for her.
“Morning, Duks.” She gave him a quick look. “I’ve got some issues with that report. I’ll copy you on them when I get in.”
“Fair enough.” Duks leaned back against the elevator wall. “Be careful in that meeting this morning. I hear José has some tricks up his sleeve. He’s trying to push those government accounts to lower the margin on them.”
Dar snorted softly. “Someday he’ll learn quantity doesn’t do crap for you 272 Melissa Good if you don’t make money on it.” She shifted her laptop. “He didn’t learn from that Olympics fiasco?”
Duks sighed and shook his head. “Not hardly. Hey, listen, Mariana thought she’d get together a few folks for an evening out at Monty’s this Friday. You interested?”
Dar glanced at him, slightly puzzled. Usually Mariana did her own group announcements. “Um, I don’t think I have plans. Sure, tell her to drop me a note when she finalizes.”
“Okay,” Duks agreed amiably. “She thought she’d ask Mark Polenti, Barbara and… Hey, she did mention… You think Kerr
y would be interested?”
Ah. Dar managed to restrict her reaction to a faint shrug. “How would I know? Ask her. She never claimed a seafood allergy or a fear of the ocean, so…”“Will do,” the Finance VP assured her. “Mariana says she’s a nice kid.
After all, she tolerates you, so she’d probably make a fun addition to the group.”
Dar chuckled dryly. “I’m sure she’ll be flattered to be asked.” She held the door open for Duks to go out before her.
“Well, Mariana wanted to be sure…that you wouldn’t mind first. After all, you have to work with her. You might not want to spend off hours with the kid.”
She almost—almost—burst into helpless laughter. “Ah, what’s one night?” she managed to get out, biting off a grin. “Nah, she’s fine. She’s got some good ideas, and speaks her mind. Nice change.”
“Good to hear.” Duks gave her a nod. “See you for lunch?”
Dar gave a half shrug. “Depends on how long-winded José is.” She gave her friend a little wave as she exited the elevator. “I’ll call you when I get out.”
When she reached her suite, she opened the outer door and slipped inside.
“Hello, Maria.”
The short woman glanced up from the phone call she was on and waved, then held out a sheaf of papers in silence. Dar walked over and took them, then continued into her office. She closed the door behind her and moved across the carpet, stopping as she glanced at her desk. Centered on the top of it was a small plate containing several pastries, neatly arranged, along with a covered cup. Dar felt a smile shape her lips as she continued on around the desk and sat down, flipped on her desktop and put down her laptop case. She selected a pastry and bit into it with pleasure. It was still warm, and she enjoyed the taste, along with the sweet coffee in the cup. As soon as her computer finished coming up, she clicked on the corporate instant messaging software she hardly ever used, and keyed in Kerry’s network address.