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don’t like each other.” She opened her container of pasta and breathed in the rich scent. ”Mm...”

“I’m not nearly as worried about that as I am about us.” Dar said.

“I’m not that great an actor.”

Kerry set the container down and rested her elbows on her knees.

“Maybe I could be sick tomorrow. Give it a skip. Or you could.” She suggested. “If we’re both not there, it won’t be a problem. Will it?”

”Maybe.” Dar sighed, prodding with a fork at her own dinner, a large pile of angel hair bolognaise. She split the garlic bread in half and gave Kerry her portion. ”Here. That might work, but damn it, the whole thing is just ridiculous and if either of us duck out someone’s gonna say something anyway.”

“Well.” Kerry accepted the fresh bread and tore off a chunk, dipping it in the Alfredo sauce and taking a bite. ”I mean, we are all adults, after all, and professionals, for goodness sake. Surely we can get along for two days.”

“Meh.” Dar chewed a bit of her pasta. “I’m not sure I want to get along with everyone.”

“Dar.”

“Anyway, they send reports on us back to the office. Maybe that’ll put a lid on things.” Dar added. “Like a bunch of kids at camp.”

“I never liked camp.” Kerry remarked. “You mean Alastair gets to hear what we’ve been up to?”

“Yep.” Dar gave Kerry a wry look, as the blonde woman flipped through the channels and settled on the History Channel. ”That should kick start some cooperation. No one wants Alastair to know they acted like a cranky little baby.”

Kerry licked her fingers. ”Do you think he’s really concerned about our office?” she asked. ”You don’t think he’s buying into Steven’s accusations, do you?”

Dar shrugged, as she plowed through a mouthful of her dinner.

”Hard to say.” she answered, after she swallowed. ”How’s your pasta?”

Kerry leaned over and kissed her gently. ”Taste for yourself.” She teased, then offered Dar a forkful.

”Uh uh.” Dar evaded the fork and went for the source, running her tongue over Kerry’s lips before she returned the kiss, putting her almost finished container down on the coffee table and freeing up her hands to stroke Kerry’s face, then travel down her shoulders. ”Oh yeah, I like that.”

”Me too.” Kerry put her own dish down, and turned her attention fully to her companion’s body, which her hands were itching to feel. She loved the silky texture of Dar’s skin, and her fingers slid beneath the cotton t-shirt eagerly as they spent a leisurely few minutes exploring each other.

She nuzzled Dar’s neck and tucked a playful touch under the waistband of her jeans, feeling the muscles contract giving her easy passage. ”Wanna give ‘In Search of Ancient Mysteries’ a miss?” she Hurricane Watch

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inquired softly.

“This qualifies, doesn't it?” Dar replied with a chuckle, as she teased a shirt button loose.

”Who you calling ancient?” Kerry bit down on a tasty earlobe, feeling the laugh travel through Dar’s body. ”Hmm?” She tickled Dar’s belly button, an area she’d discovered was very sensitive. ”C’mon, I hear a nice, warm waterbed whispering my name.” She nipped the soft skin on Dar’s neck, then glanced up. ”Hey!”

Dar reacted, her body shifting as she straightened up. ”What in...oh.” A soft laugh. ”Chino, what do you think you're doing?”

The puppy was busted, tiny paws propped up on the low table, face covered in bolognaise sauce, wide brown eyes fastened on them in a big, canine ”uh oh.” A thin strand of spaghetti drooped from her mouth, and the pink tongue licked at it.

”Bad puppy!” Kerry scolded her sternly, getting a tail wag. ”No, don’t wag your little butt at me. Bad girl!”

The small, creamy ears drooped and she dropped off the table, sitting down and looking up at them through dark eyelashes. The effect was ruined by a satisfied lip lick, however. Both women laughed. ”Oh, it’s not funny.” Dar sighed. ”But I can’t help it; look at that puss.”

”Yeah, she’s got a better pout than you do.” Kerry replied with a faint giggle.

Both dark eyebrows lifted. ”I most certainly do not have a pout,”

Dar stated sternly.

Kerry traced the warm, coral colored lips with a delicate finger.

”Yes you do. When you want something you know is bad for you,” she teased gently. ”Like that cake I made for your birthday.” The lips edged in a sheepish grin. ”See?” She laughed. ”I love that smile.”

”Does that mean I get the cake?” Dar asked ingeniously. She reached down and tickled Chino’s ears, and the puppy stumbled over, putting her paws up on the edge of the couch and licking Kerry’s arm.

”I bet you’d like some too, hmm?”

”No no no. No chocolate for her.” Kerry rubbed the silky ears. ”I’m glad Colleen agreed to come puppy sit. I’d feel really bad leaving her here with just the island people dropping in once in a while.” She flicked a glance to Dar. ”That is okay, right?”

”Mm hmm,” Dar agreed. ”That works. I was going to see if Clemente could have someone hang out in here, but Colleen's a better choice, even if I do think she’s still a little unsure about me.” She tugged lightly on a lock of Kerry’s hair.

Kerry sighed. ”It's...she just worries about me, that’s all. She thinks it’s great we’re together, but the work thing weirds her out,” She admitted, slowly. ”And it is sort of weird. I feel like I’m two different people sometimes.”

”Mm, yeah, me too.” Dar agreed.

”And I feel so...” Kerry pushed a lock of Dar's hair back. “I get 40

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upset when you get so stressed, like when you were yelling at everyone at the meeting today. My guts hurt me,” she admitted. ”I got so mad at that creep today, I almost slapped him in the lunchroom, and it wasn’t because I felt he was insulting my intelligence. It was just that he was doing something to get at you, and I just couldn’t stand it.”

Dar remained quiet, letting the puppy chew on her fingers while she considered Kerry’s words. ”Sorry,” She finally muttered. ”It’s just the way I do things.”

”I know.” Kerry smiled a little. ”It's just...” She paused. ”Your reputation is based on reality, and I forget that sometimes, because I know you mostly like this.” She put a hand on Dar’s cheek. ”I forget most everyone else sees a different picture.”

Dar exhaled. ”You make me sound very schizophrenic.” She made a wry face. ”And unfortunately, you’re going to have to live with Ms.

Hyde this weekend. I’ll apologize in advance.”

Kerry laughed ruefully. ”Probably better off that way or I’m liable to forget and start hugging you in front of everyone.” She demonstrated, settling more comfortably as Dar returned the hug.

”Mm, that feels so good. ”

”How about we get rid of our plates and keep searching?” Dar rumbled, right into her ear, the warm breath sending a light, pleasant shiver down Kerry’s back. ”I don’t want to think or talk about work any more tonight.”

Kerry murmured agreement as she nipped her way along Dar’s collarbone. She broke off reluctantly and turned to grab the containers, only to find a cream colored puppy with an Alfredo colored nose licking her chops. ”Oh, poo, Dar. She’s going to be sick to her stomach.”

Dar lifted the pasta containers out of Chino’s reach and brought them into the kitchen, putting them in the garbage and dropping the silverware into the dishwasher. Kerry slid up behind her and captured her with a solid grip around her waist. ”Whoa.” The hands slipped up under her shirt and explored her skin, making her knees shiver and almost unlock, and she grabbed the counter momentarily for balance.

Then she turned and met the relentless attack, wrapping her fingers in Kerry’s blonde hair. She ducked her head as the smaller woman pressed up against her, losing herself in the intense passion and letting the complications of her life drop away, fogging her awareness as her heart started pounding.

“I love you,” Kerry said as they stopped to take a breath, “and pretending not to is going to kick my ass.”

“Likewise.” Dar kissed her on the lips, gently nudging her towards the bedroom.

KERRY BECAME AWARE of her surroundings when a sharp crack of thunder rattled the windows. She blinked her eyes open and glanced Hurricane Watch

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at the clock, realizing that though it was close to dawn, the weather was keeping it very dark outside.

Thunder rolled again, accompanied by several flashes of lightning.

She peeked up to see the dim reflection of the clock’s light against half open blue eyes. ”Sounds nasty.”

”Uh huh,” Dar agreed.

”You’re not considering going out and running in this, are you?”

”No,” Dar mumbled as she ran light fingertips across Kerry’s bare ribs. ”You think I’m nuts?”

”Just checking.” Kerry nuzzled the soft breast she was resting on.

”You’ve been very consistent lately.”

Her lover snuggled closer, and made a soft noise deep in her throat.

”Running is a good way to start out the day. It kinda clears my head and gives me a little time to think.” Thunder grumbled overhead.

”However, this is perfect sleeping in weather,” she muttered.

Kerry eyed the rain lashing against the window, along with the almost constant flashes of lightning. ”Yeah, it sure is.” She slid a knee between Dar’s thighs and went belly to belly with her, curling an arm around her back and exhaling contentedly. ”Well, we have an hour or so before we have to get up, then.”

”Mm hmm.” Dar tugged the covers a little closer, and let her eyes slide shut.

The phone rang.