Kerry’s expression altered into one of mild alarm. “A fit?”

Upset, Dar sat down on the arm of the nearby chair and ran her hand through her hair. “It was like a..a panic attack or...but I’ve never had that before, and I know I’m not...”

Kerry slid between her lover’s knees and let her forearms rest on Dar’s shoulders. “Were you scared?”

Dar nodded unhappily. “I was totally freaking out,” she said.

“Right in the middle of dinner with Bob. He drove me back here, must have thought I was losing my mind.”

“Wow,” Kerry murmured. “That’s really not like you.” She leaned against her partner as she felt Dar’s shoulders tense.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Dar put her hands on Kerry’s hips. “So I called you, but when you didn’t pick up I went to check your flight and saw you were delayed.”

“Did you know why?”

Dar nodded. “I called and bullied the airline into telling me,” she admitted. “I just felt like there was something wrong and frankly it got my mind off my going crazy.”

“You felt like there was something wrong…you mean, with me?”

Dar nodded, then frowned. “That sounds weird. I don’t mean…hell, I don’t know what I mean.”

Kerry took out her cell phone and examined the memory. Her brow creased. “When did it happen?” she asked suddenly. “Do you remember what time? When you got…when you freaked out?”

“Um...after eight, I guess. Quarter after, something like that.” Dar shrugged.

“Quarter after?” Kerry said. “Quarter after eight?”

“Yeah.” Dar nodded. “Why?”

Kerry’s gaze went inward for a long moment. “That’s just the time the plane got into trouble,” she murmured. “And I was scared poopless.” She looked up into Dar’s eyes, searching them. “Did you know?”

Dar frowned. “Kerry, I’m not a psychic,” she protested. “I’m not even a good guesser.”

“No, I know.” Kerry leaned her forehead against her lover’s. “It’s just a very strange coincidence, don’t you think? I mean, there I am, up 42 Melissa Good in an airplane, nearly out of my mind I’m so scared, and thinking about you, and here you are...”

“Urmf,” Dar grunted. “That is weird.” She considered in silence for a bit. “Hell, I’d rather think it was that than I was going nuts, though,”

she admitted. “I thought maybe I was starting to lose it.”

Kerry rubbed her thumb along Dar’s scalp, just behind her ear.

“Have you ever had a panic attack?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so. You’re just not the type.” Kerry managed a chuckle. “Though I know you’ve been a little stressed lately.”

“Mm.” Dar circled Kerry’s waist with both arms and pulled her close.

“Now, I’ll admit to having several panic attacks on that plane. All I could think of was never seeing you again,” Kerry whispered into her ear. “And I wasn’t nearly ready for that.” She put her head down on Dar’s shoulder, a perceptible catch in her voice on the last few words. “I wasn’t near as worried about dying as I was about leaving you.”

“Ah, Ker.” Dar could feel the shaking in her partner’s body, and she sat back, pulling Kerry into her lap. “Easy, babe. I’m here.”

Dar’s nerves had settled now that she had an odd, though infinitely preferable alternative to her recent fears. She dismissed the concern and concentrated on soothing Kerry, rubbing her back with gentle fingers.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmured, feeling the jerks as Kerry started crying. “It’s okay.”

Kerry buried her face against Dar’s shoulder and simply let it all out as Dar rocked them both in a careful rhythm. “Oh my God, that so sucked.” She exhaled. “Ugh.”

“Yeah, I know.” Dar gave her a hug. “Just let it go.”

She finally ended up with a headache but a lot less stress wound up in her body, and she rested against Dar for a while after the tears had dried. “Wow,” she sniffled. “Sorry. I got you wet.”

“No problem.” Dar gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m glad I was here for you. Okay now?” She rubbed the back of Kerry’s neck and felt the tension relax under her fingers as Kerry let her head fall to rest against Dar’s shoulder.

“Yeah, now.” Kerry circled Dar with both arms and hugged her.

“Maybe I’ll get lucky and that storm’ll never stop.”

Dar returned the hug, her eyes studying the outside darkness thoughtfully. “Want me to go instead?” she offered. “I’m sure it’ll just make their damn Thanksgiving having me show up there.”

For a long moment, Kerry didn’t answer. Then she drew in a deep breath and let it out. “No,” she said. “It’s my job, Dar. I’ll take care of it.”

Dar gave her a gentle pat on the side. “Well, bad as it was, at least you ended up here. Wanna watch the meeting and critique me again?”

“Sure.” But Kerry showed no signs of wanting to move out of Dar’s Red Sky At Morning 43

arms, and they nestled quietly together with just the sound of the ticking wall clock behind them, as the rain continued to beat on the window outside.

KERRY LEANED BACK against the wall, letting the fragrant steam fill her lungs. One thing about the Marriott, she acknowledged; they always had nice hot showers. She let the pounding spray thrum along her back, easing the headache she still had even after a good night’s sleep.

In Dar’s presence.

Kerry exhaled. She’d called the airport and found that the airways were open again. A flight was available for her at noon. She’d booked it, but with a reluctant heart and a sense of trepidation she tried hard to hide from her lover.

You’re not a baby, stop acting like one, she told herself sternly, picking up Dar’s tube of body wash and squeezing some into her hand.

A blast of cool air made her pause, then smile as Dar joined her in the shower. The clouds of steam parted and writhed around the tall, tanned form, and instead of putting the gel on herself, Kerry applied it to her showermate. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Dar amiably reciprocated, scrubbing the back of Kerry’s shoulders. “Weather’s cleared.”

Kerry swallowed. “I know.” She drew in a breath. “I...um...booked a noon flight out to Chicago,” she said. “Hope I have better luck than I did last night.”

Hands cupped her face and she had to look up to meet pale blue eyes peering down at her through the mist, and she felt as though Dar could see right through her, to the fear she was holding inside, and it made her feel a little ashamed of herself.

For heaven’s sake, Kerrison. It’s just a damn airplane, her conscience chided her. You’ve been on dozens of them and that was the first time anything had ever happened, so what the hell’s the problem with you?

Damn nightmares. Kerry exhaled, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat.

“You don’t sound thrilled,” Dar commented.

“I’m not,” Kerry admitted softly. She hesitated a long moment, and hated herself for the weakness. “Dar, can I ask you a favor? As my boss?”

Dar looked down at herself, then at Kerry. She smiled.

“I’m serious.”

“Sure,” Dar answered.

“You know I never ask you to butt in.”

“You never do.”

Kerry studied the angular profile watching her, knowing the words would be a disappointment. “I’m asking,” she said. “Can you fix it so I 44 Melissa Good don’t have to go out there?”

Dar considered the request very seriously. The situation needed resolution and they were out of time for temporary patches. Alastair even knew about it, and she’d committed to resolving the problem in front of him, and Bob. What was it she’d said, that her people expected to have to travel? She looked down into Kerry’s eyes and saw the shame there, and the awareness of what she was asking.

And lurking in the shadows, a lingering fear. “Yes, I can fix it,” Dar replied easily. “Just leave it to me.” She took Kerry’s hands and squeezed them. “You’ll come home on my flight tonight.”

Kerry leaned against her, almost dizzy with relief and more than a touch of guilt. “I’m sorry.”

Dar simply embraced her. “Don’t worry about it.” And in a strange sort of way, she felt glad that Kerry could come to her, knowing what she was asking, and still ask it, knowing that Dar would take care of it for her and not think the less of her for asking. “I’ll work it out.”

“I know it sounds stupid,” Kerry muttered. “I feel stupid even asking but I just…my guts are in knots from what happened last night and I need to chill out from that.”

It was a curious crossing of their professional and personal lives, and Dar recognized that. They’d both worked hard to keep those two parts separate, and she knew this was the first time Kerry had knowingly crossed that line with her.

Scary, but gratifying, as they took an unexpected fork in the road they were traveling together. “No problem, hon.” Dar leaned over and kissed her. “Now, where were we?” She turned the shower up a little.

“C’mere.”

Still feeling a little ashamed, Kerry set her troubles aside in the meantime as she fit her body to Dar’s under the driving spray, taking solace in her partner’s familiar touch. “At least we’ll get our Thanksgiving.”

“Mm.” Dar nibbled the edge of her ear. “I can already taste those taters.”

“Dar!”

“Yum.”


Chapter

Three

THE HOTEL’S RESTAURANT was busy when Dar threaded her way through the business crowd to a table near the rear windows.

Already seated, Alastair spotted her and waved, and she lifted a hand and waved back. “Morning.” She gave Bob a brisk nod. “Thanks for the lift last night.”

Bob returned the nod. “You look a lot more chipper this morning.