”Hmm?” She ducked her head a little, nervously clenching and unclenching her fists.

”I love you.”

Dar blinked, then looked up as they came even with the two women. Shari who? ”You needed to speak with me?” she asked amiably, feeling the dread fall away, nudged aside by the living, breathing acknowledgement that Shari had been wrong, all those years ago. Her eyes met her old lover’s, and she gave her a small nod of acknowledgement. ”Hello, Shari.”

”Dar,” the woman answered, in a low, musical voice. Her eyes flicked to Kerry’s face, then an eyebrow rose.

”Sorry.” Dar felt a smile edging her lips. ”This is my associate, Kerrison Stuart. Kerry, this is Shari Englewood. ”


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”Pleased to meet you,” Kerry responded politely, extending a hand, and returning the firm grip with one of her own.

An awkward silence fell. ”Would you two please excuse us,” Shari finally said. ”I’d like to speak with Ms. Roberts in private.”

Dr. Simmonds ducked away immediately, seemingly glad to get out of the situation, but Kerry paused for a long moment, gazing at the chestnut haired woman steadily before she took the duffle from Dar and gave her boss a quick grin. ”See you at the car.”

Dar half turned her face, and winked at her. ”Won’t be long.” She watched Kerry stride off towards the vehicle, ducking her head against the still falling rain. Then she turned back and folded her arms over her chest.And waited. The cool gray eyes studied her, and she returned the look without flinching, keeping her expression noncommittal. Shari hadn’t changed much, save that she’d gotten a bit heavier, and her face had taken on a colder, more predatory expression. She was, Dar acknowledged, still very attractive, and the look of those familiar eyes brought up old and painful memories she tried to shove back down.

”You haven’t changed much,” Shari finally said. ”You still running around doing their dirty work?”

Dar refused to take offense. ”Sure,” she drawled. ”Only now they pay me more to do it, and I’ve got an office in the penthouse.” It gave her quite a bit of satisfaction to say that, and a tiny smirk caught the edge of her lip as the jibe registered. ”And incidentally, if the chemical team finds no trace of your dangerous substance, you’ll find the bill for this sitting on your desk.”

”Oh, they’ll find it,” she responded. ”I wouldn’t have bothered making that up. I was just so happy to hear it was going to screw you up, that I had to come see for myself.” Her eyes wandered over Dar’s body. ”But you pulled the fucking rabbit out of your ass again, didn’t you?” She snorted. ”That sucks, Dar. I should have come over last night, when Anne told me you were tearing your hair out.”

”Sorry to disappoint you,” Dar replied. ”Now, unless you actually have something to say, I have a Jacuzzi and a nice warm bed waiting.”

She let a frank grin shape her lips, watching the minute reaction in Shari’s pale eyes.

A tiny shake of her head followed. ”I’d forgotten how different you look when you smile,” the other woman mused. ”You going to be in town long, Dar?”

Uh oh. ”Just until tonight, then I’m heading up into the mountains for a few days,” she replied, cautiously. ”Why?”

A shrug. ”Thought maybe we could just sit down and talk for a few minutes.” She paused. ”You seeing anyone?”

Dar could hardly believe what she was hearing, and she felt a cool anger start to brew. ”Yes,” she answered quietly. ”Despite your prediction.”


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A soft snort. ”I’d love to meet her?” she wrinkled her nose in question.

Dar caught her balance. ”You just did,” she answered mildly.

”Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to be going.” She gave Shari a nod, then turned and started back towards the car.

”I hope she knows what she’s getting into,” Shari yelled after her.

Dar stopped, and turned. ”You were right about something.” She gazed at her through the icy drizzle. ”I had no idea what love was.” She watched in savage satisfaction as the comment was understood, then she turned her back and walked off.


Chapter

Sixteen

KERRY WAS GLAD it was light out. She was tired, and she knew her reflexes were suffering, but the traffic was very light. ”Right turn up there?” She asked softly, her eyes flicking to her companion.

Dar nodded.

Kerry was worried. Dar had been withdrawn since she’d gotten back into the car, allowing her head to rest against the glass of the window, her reflection bleakly evident to Kerry’s watching eyes. A little hesitantly, she reached over and folded her hand over Dar’s, encouraged when the long fingers tightened over hers immediately.

”You okay?”

”Yeah,” Dar sighed. ”Just tired.” She turned her head and studied Kerry’s profile. ”I think I need a nap.”

Kerry glanced at her. ”Me too,” she confessed. ”My hand’s aching from this cold. How’s your knee?”

Dar waggled her free hand and grimaced.

Kerry waited a beat, then took a breath. ”That woman still bothering you?”

The jaw muscles along Dar’s face clenched, then relaxed. ”It...she just brought up some old, bad memories, that’s all.”

”Mm. ” Kerry waited, but nothing else came. ”Anything you want to share?”

Dar thought about that a long time, as rows of damp, gray shadowed trees went past them. ”I...” She stopped, then cleared her throat. ”I never...I’ve never really talked about any of that with anyone before. Maybe a pair of friendly ears would help.”

The corners of Kerry’s mouth crinkled up, as she guided the car carefully across the slick road and up a long driveway, where a sign announced the presence of the hotel where they were staying. ”I think that could be arranged.” She pulled the car up under the valet parking overhang, and put it in park. ”C’mon.”

Dar willingly followed her up the stairs, shouldering her overnight bag and giving the valet a brief smile as Kerry turned the keys over to him. They approached the desk, and Dar gave her name quietly to the desk clerk. “We were supposed to check in last night, but...”

”Yes, Ms. Roberts. Your office called and told us.” The woman smiled at her. ”We held the room. It’s no problem, and um...” she Hurricane Watch

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chuckled a little, ”I think you have a little surprise waiting up there.”

Dar and Kerry exchanged wary glances. ”A surprise?” Dar asked.

”What kind of surprise?”

The woman smiled cheerfully at her. ”Now, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, but don’t worry. It’s nothing bad.” She handed over the room keys. ”Here you go. We have room service available twenty four hours, and you’re on the concierge floor, so you can just ask as you get off the elevator if you need anything.”

Dar sighed. ”Thanks.” She took the key and gave Kerry hers, then followed the smaller woman as they went to the elevator. ”I hate surprises,” she groused.

Kerry patted her belly tolerantly. ”C’mon, Dar. It’s probably a fruit basket,” she scolded her boss. ”Would you relax? All the hotels do that for VIP’s nowadays.”

”Mmph.” Dar leaned back against the elevator wall and tried to stifle a yawn. ”Yeah, I guess.” She waited for the doors to open then pushed off the back wall and trudged through them, giving the wide eyed concierge a nod before moving past his desk.

Their room was on a corner, and Dar pushed the keycard in, then pulled it out, turning the handle when the light flashed. She shoved the door open.

The scent of chocolate hit them and stopped them both in their tracks. ”Whoa,” Dar got out, as she flipped the lights on.

It was a large room, with a wide window and one big, comfortable looking bed. A door to one side led to a bathroom, and one on the other side to a tiled Jacuzzi. In front of them was a round table, which was currently covered with a huge, completely stuffed, overflowing basket of assorted things of the species chocolate. Dar found herself staring at it with a stupid grin. ”Oo.”

Kerry peeked past her. ”Thought you didn’t like surprises?” she commented, giving her boss a slap on the behind as she moved past her to put her bag down.

”Tell you what, anytime you want to surprise me with fifty pounds of chocolate, you go right ahead,” Dar responded, plucking the card from the ornate holder and examining it. ”It’s from Alastair.”

”Gee.” Kerry grinned. ”What a surprise.” She came over and peeked at the card. ”That’s really sweet of him.”

”Well.” Dar poked into the basket’s contents. ”Considering we just saved his gray flannel butt, it’s not unprecedented.” She glanced at Kerry. ”There were twelve major accounts on the line if we hadn’t gotten that stuff working this morning.”

Kerry stopped dead, and stared at her. ”Why didn’t you tell me that?” she asked, stung.

Dar glanced at the table top, and fiddled with the card. ”No sense in both of us being worried sick, I guess. I don’t know. I should have.”

She gave Kerry a contrite look. ”Not that you could have done more 212

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than you were doing.” She paused awkwardly. ”I’m sorry.”

Kerry gave her a vexed look. ”No, but it would explain why you were so damned tense.” She started to go on, then saw the almost imperceptible flinch in Dar’s face. Not now, Kerry. Her mind warned her. Not now. She’s tired, you’re tired, and she apologized for not saying anything. Just drop it. ”Jesus, Dar, tell me next time, huh? So I can chew my nails along with you?” She gave her boss a lopsided grin.