answered, somewhat hesitantly. ”I just sent you that email, I didn’t know if you were picking up or...”

”I didn’t until this morning,” Dar replied. ”Alastair was here last night.”

Longer pause. ”Oh.” Mariana thought about that. ”So, you’re back with us, I take it?” she asked hopefully. ”I kind of assumed from his note.”

”Looks like it,” Dar responded. ”I had a few conditions, and he met them, so...” She shrugged, then smiled at Kerry as she handed her a cup.

”I just called Mark. He’s calling his staff, and I’ll see if I can get the rest of operations back in.” She sipped her coffee contentedly. ”I’m going to have them put their time in as worked.”

Mari hesitated. ”Okay,” she murmured. ”What about the whole situation with Fabricini. I inferred from Alastair that you’re handling it?” she asked, cautiously.

”Yep,” Dar informed her. “I told him I’d take care of it.”

”Okay,” Mariana said again. ”So, you’re coming in? I thought Kerry told me the doctor sent you home to rest?” she gingerly asked. ”I mean, Dar, this can wait a day or two. I really don’t want to see you hurt yourself.”

Dar smiled wryly. ”It’s okay. I promised Kerry I’d make it a half day, and take her out sailing for dinner,” she told her. ”And I don’t break promises like that.” She ran a hand through Kerry’s disheveled hair and scratched the back of her neck gently, causing the smaller woman to close her eyes and hum blissfully.

A soft sigh. ”All right. I guess I’ll see you in a little while...and, Dar?””Mm?” Dar took a swallow of coffee.

”I’m sorry.”

”For what?” Dar asked quietly.

”You were right. We did all stand back and let you get hit,” Mari replied, just as quietly. ”I don’t feel very good about that.”

Dar let her eyes flick to Kerry’s face, as Kerry regarded her, the sun coming in the window dusting her face with golden light. ”It’s all right,” she finally answered, lifting her hand to gently stroke the soft skin. ”It wouldn’t have mattered before. I wouldn’t have cared, but I Hurricane Watch

165

think I’ve been just a little off balance lately, and you had no way of knowing that,” she told Mariana. ”You assumed I’d just react like I always did before.”

”Mm,” Mari murmured. ”Well, it’s not going to happen again,” she vowed. ”I’ve set up meetings with both José and Eleanor today, and we’re going to have some straight talk here.”

Kerry turned her head, and kissed the palm brushing her cheek.

”I’m going to go take a shower,” she mouthed, rubbing Dar’s belly.

Dar smiled and nodded. ”All right, let me finish making my calls, Mari, and I’ll see you in a little while.” She paused. ”How’s Duks?”

”Grumpy,” Mari chucked ruefully. ”I woke him up and told him you were coming back, and now he has to get out of his bathing suit and actually come to work.” She paused. ”That was quite a tribute to you, by the way,” she added. ”It’s the first day he called in sick in five years.” She sighed. ”All right. Let’s get this place back to normal. Drive safely, my friend.”

”I’m not driving, but I’ll pass that on,” Dar told her dryly. ”See you, Mari. Listen, we’ll have dinner, talk things out, all right?”

”All right.” Mariana sounded relieved. ”See you, Dar.”

Dar put the phone down and wandered over to the sliding glass door, pushing it back and moving out onto the stone balcony, letting the early morning sun warm her skin after the cool of the air conditioning inside. The sea was at low tide and very green to her eyes, and she leaned on the railing, gazing out as the breeze blew her hair back.

She had, she realized, mixed feelings about going back to work.

Part of her was glad, needing the excitement and the challenge. There was another part, though, a guilty, hidden part that had been secretly hoping the resignation would stick, hoping that she and Kerry could then take a few weeks off and just...

Dar’s eyes found the horizon. She’d found herself wanting very much to take time out of life and spend it getting to know her lover better, taking her places Dar liked, maybe even out skiing, down to Key West, all the things they didn’t have time to do now.

She sighed, and nibbled her lip. Well, one thing, if Alastair knew about them, and they decided to take off the same week, it would be all right. In fact, she decided, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. She straightened and went back inside. Pick a week, and take off. To hell with the company. She exhaled and headed for her own shower.

Hearing the sound of water running as she entered her bedroom and spotting the naked, patiently waiting figure leaning against the door, arms crossed, darkened green eyes watching her with seductive intent.

Oh yeah. Dar sucked in a breath as a sensual jolt hit her right in the groin. To hell with the company. ”Well, well, what do we have here?”

she inquired, moving closer and sweeping across the lithe body in front of her. Kerry’s appearance had changed quite a bit since she’d met her 166

Melissa Good

three months prior.

Her indoor pallor had deepened into a golden tan, and the painful thinness had disappeared. Dar had always found her attractive, but the changes had also brought Kerry a new self-confidence that seemed to glow inside her, rendering her almost mesmerizing to Dar’s appreciative eyes.

”Gotta make sure you don’t slip and fall in the shower, Dar,” Kerry informed her cheerfully, reaching up and unbuttoning the top button on her shirt. ”I just got my boss back. I don’t want to lose her again.” She unbuttoned the second button. ”Do you mind sharing a shower?”

”Heh.” Dar slid both hands down her sides and traced the now barely visible ribs with gentle thumbs. ”Oh, I think I could suffer through that all right.” She ducked her head and kissed her.

”Somehow.”

”Mm.” Kerry unbuttoned the third and fourth buttons, sliding the shirt up and over Dar’s shoulders and letting it fall to the ground. Then she traced a gentle pattern down the tall body and got to the shorts, sliding those down as well. ”I bet you could” She nibbled the soft skin over Dar’s jugular and stepped forward, brushing their bodies together.

”You taste so good,” she murmured.

Dar felt her heart jerk and start pounding. ”Do I?” She moved closer and slipped her arms around Kerry, feeling her shoulder blades move as she reciprocated and the warmth of the contact between them surged. She ducked her head and captured an ear, tracing its curve with the tip of her tongue. ”So do you,” she purred softly, hearing the gentle intake of air as Kerry’s breathing caught.

Slowly they moved into the shower, trading the chill air for warm mist, and the spicy scent of the soap Dar preferred flowed around them.

Dar squeezed a little of the gel onto her hands and began to lather Kerry’s back, moving her fingers over the strong shoulders and down across her hips.

A soft sound escaped Kerry, who had started spreading soap down Dar’s sides. She pushed away a little, allowing the taller woman’s hands to continue their motion up her belly as she let her fingers trail down along Dar’s thighs. ”My pastor always taught me,” she murmured, moving back against Dar’s soapy body. ”That cleanliness is next to godliness.”

”Oh yeah?” Dar inclined her head and nipped the skin on Kerry’s shoulder.

”Mm. I gotta send him a card sometime and let him know how right he was,” Kerry uttered, starting a slow, tantalizing progression right down the center of Dar’s body, with a few east and west detours.

Dar just chuckled.


Chapter

Thirteen

IT WAS A very weird experience. Kerry paced quietly alongside Dar’s crutch assisted steps, carrying her lover’s briefcase along with her own. Usually they split up when they entered the building, but today, no. Today she kept her head up and regarded the people around them, knowing they were without a doubt the center of attention.

”Morning, Ms. Roberts, Ms. Stuart,” the guard greeted them, giving Kerry a wink.

”Morning,” Dar answered, as she moved past him and towards the elevator. Fortunately, everyone else seemed to have gone upstairs already, and they were alone in the elevator. ”So.” Dar eyed her. ”You ready?”

Kerry studied the mirrored doors of the elevator and took a deep breath. ”More or less. I’m going to go to my office and just see what I have on my desk. You going to call a meeting?”

”Of operations?” Dar inquired. ”I’d better, probably around ten or so. You want to send out a note?” Dar eased out the door as they got to their floor, and waited for Kerry to join her. ”That should give me enough time to get a few things settled.” They walked down the corridor and Kerry opened the door for her, waiting for Dar to enter.

Dar paused in the doorway and looked back at her, a gentle smile crossing her face. ”Thanks,” she commented simply, before she turned and continued on into the room.

Maria was there, seated precisely behind her desk, her hands folded on the top of it. She stood when Dar entered and took a breath.

”Buenos Dios, Dar.”

The executive stopped and leaned on her crutches. ”Good morning, Maria. Thanks for coming in.” She gave the secretary a smile. ”Did you have a nice day off?”

Maria beamed back at her. ”Si, si. My daughter took me out on the Sea Escape. I play the arm machines and win fifty dollars,” she stated.

”But I am glad you called me, glad you come back.”

Dar laughed. ”Now, that’s the way to spend your time.” She looked at Kerry. ”We’ve got to try that one weekend.” Her eyes went back to Maria’s, seeing the faint look of startlement. ”I’m glad you agreed to come back. I’d have really hated to have had to replace you, Maria.” She moved into her office, leaving her secretary and her lover looking at 168