Dar blinked a few times, enjoying the friendly touch of Kerry’s fingers, now moving in idle circles against her skin. It relaxed her, she realized, and she found herself stifling a yawn in reaction. “Mmm, stop that. You’re putting me to sleep,” she complained wryly.

“Oh, really?” Kerry mused with a tiny smirk. “Well, well, well…look at you. This is better than a hypnotist with a swinging pocket watch.” She made her circles wider and bit her lip in amusement as the blue eyes dimly visible in the pre-dawn light slid shut. “C’mon, Dar, let it go. Even if you feel fine, you took quite a jolt last night,” Kerry told her reasonably.

“Yeah, it’s not every night I get painted in chocolate,” Dar murmured, the corners of her mouth twitching. “Certainly was a shock to my system all right.”

“That was not what I meant, and you know it.” Kerry chuckled. “Give yourself a break, Dar, we’ve got a long day today. That delegation from Pittsburgh is in at ten,” she coaxed, grinning impishly when there wasn’t an immediate argument. “Besides, I’m really comfortable.” She eased closer, feeling the light pressure of Dar’s hand against her back.

“Arrrggg … Only for a little while,” Dar grumbled, surrendering.

“How about daylight, hmm? That sound good?” Kerry countered, not stopping her petting for a moment.

No answer, and Kerry smiled at the deep, even breathing. She settled back down contentedly and exhaled. So this is what being in love feels like. She looked out the window, at the stars still vivid in the southern sky. I like it, she decided as she closed her eyes.

Last night had been a big surprise. She knew she hadn’t had any intention of bringing up what Colleen referred to as the big “L” word, not last night, not until she had some clue as to how Dar felt, but… But... she’d gotten an inkling, even without any words on the taller woman’s part. It hadn’t taken a telephone psychic to pick up Dar’s nervousness or the intensity of her feelings. Kerry opened her eyes and gazed up at the taller woman’s face. For someone so in control, you sure don’t have a handle on the mushy stuff, do you? She let her lids slide shut again, glad she’d told Dar about her family. Her reaction had been gratifying, to say the least. Kerry let the sleepiness start to take her Tropical Storm 327

back over, closing her eyes more tightly and sucking in a breath full of clean linen and her bedmate. Then she opened them again. Jesus, Kerry, you have a lover. Can you imagine that? Green orbs glanced around the room, then fell on Dar’s face, peacefully asleep. Nice to know you have better taste than the President. She stifled a faint laugh. And if I didn’t have a reason to stay here before, I certainly do now.

She thought a moment about what Dar had said the previous night. Had she really meant what she’d said, about finding things out about her father?

Or was it just bravado talking, Dar’s apparent desire to defuse her worry about what he might do to her, to them? Was Dar just a talker? Kerry suddenly remembered Brady’s phone conversation with Dar during the takeover of Associated and also the night she’d been carjacked, and she had to admit to herself that there was something real and a little dangerous about her new lover. Just like there was something real and dangerous about her father.

Kerry slowly let her held breath out, knowing she’d come to a point where she’d have to put her money on one or the other, and she didn’t truly know what the odds were in the possible directions her life could take. Ah, well. She put her head back down and closed her eyes. I’ll find out soon enough.

THE PHONE BUZZED. “Yeah?” Dar punched the speaker button and kept on typing, her eyes flicking across the spreadsheet intently. “What is it?”

“Dar, security at the desk just called up, someone to see you,” Maria’s voice informed her. “Is…Michelle Graver?”

Oh crap. Dar mentally reviewed her options. Major client, probably in town for a short visit, probably wanted to finally corner her into that dinner.

Oh crap. “Sure, have her escorted up.” She sighed aggrievedly. Just what she needed after a day like today. Two presentation sessions, a half dozen arguments, one really nasty situation solved by mostly sheer cussedness on her part… Damn, I was looking forward to leaving. She keyed a popup message.

I’m in trouble, Michelle’s here.


She clicked Send, then went back to her spreadsheet for a moment.

You could take her to Shorty’s for dinner. Bet she’d look good in ketchup.

Dar chuckled to herself at Kerry’s prompt response. Shorty’s was the local barbeque hangout, off US 1 near Dadeland. It served great ribs, and she actually was partial to their food, but “rustic” as a term didn’t quite do it justice. At least they’d put air conditioning in a few years back and didn’t depend on only screening to keep the bugs out.

Might as well just take her to McDonalds.

She sent that reply, then glanced up as the door opened to reveal Maria’s round form. “Oh, thought you were her.”

“No, no.” Maria walked over and handed her a file folder. “Is the contract 328 Melissa Good for the new utilities account in New York.”

“Thanks.” Dar smiled at her and took the folder, putting it on her desk and leaning back as she saved the spreadsheet. “Well, that’s done—the first quarter projections for infrastructure growth. We’re going to get slaughtered if we don’t buy up more facilities.” She stretched and cracked her neck, then put her hands behind her head and let out a satisfied sigh.

Maria watched her. “You feel good, no?” she asked, mildly amazed at the visible difference in her boss.

Dar paused, then finally nodded. “Yeah, must be all this extra rest I’m getting,” she deadpanned. “Haven’t had a damn headache in weeks.”

“Tcha, is good.” Maria smiled at her as Dar’s eyes rested on the dolphin sculpture.

“Yeah.” After a moment, Dar looked up again, a mildly bemused expression on her face. “Sure beats swallowing all those damn pills. Gave me a stomach ache.” She lightly rocked back in her chair as she heard the elevator door open. “Here comes trouble, if I’m not mistaken.”

Sharp, staccato heels could be heard on the tile before the security guard opened the door, and Michelle Graver stepped around him and in. She gazed around the office appreciatively and finally ended up letting her eyes rest on Dar, who was still leaning back in her chair, her hands folded in front of her.

“Hello, Dar.”

“Afternoon, Michelle. What brings you to these parts?” Dar inquired civilly. “Please, sit down.” She motioned to one of the padded seats before her desk. “What can I do for you?” The red-haired woman was dressed in a neat silk suit that clung to her frame, leaving little to the imagination—an outfit just a little too exotic to be strictly business and a little too sexy not to have a purpose.

“Well, the state tourism board’s meeting is this week. You know we’re a big part of that,” Michelle said, seating herself gracefully. “I had a few hours free tonight, I though I’d stop by and see if I could claim that raincheck.” Her eyes found Dar’s and a faint, fleeting smile crossed her lips. “If you’re not…busy.”

A faint warning bell sounded in Dar’s head. “I had nothing planned,” she replied cautiously. “Did you have someplace in mind you wanted to try?”

Idly, she toyed with the idea of telling the woman she had previous plans, then rejected the idea, deciding it would just postpone the inevitable. Might as well get the damn woman out of the way.

“Well, this is your end of the pond, Dar. Why don’t you suggest something?” Michelle crossed her legs and leaned against the arm of the chair, a predatory smile on her face. “Surely you know all the nice spots around here.”

The taller woman considered. “Where are you staying?”

The smile widened perceptibly. “The Hyatt, downtown,” she purred.

“Do you like seafood?” Dar asked politely.

“I love it,” Michelle replied.

Pale blue eyes regarded her warily. “All right, Monty’s down in the Grove is a good spot for that. I could pick you up—say at seven?”

She nodded. “That would be perfect. I can fill you in on the Tropical Storm 329

implementation plan, and we can…talk a little.” She stood up, having got what she wanted, and straightened her jacket neatly. “Room 1243.” She let her eyes linger on Dar’s body, then turned, moving across the carpet and pausing at the door. “Till then.” She slipped out, and Dar made a face.

“Is that going to ever be a waste of good crabs. On the other hand, maybe I can get one to bite her.” Dar sighed.

KERRY PUSHED HER door open and ducked inside, putting down the bags of groceries and kicking the wooden panel shut behind her. A glance at the clock told her it was well past ten, and she exhaled, having spent the night doing all the errands she could possibly think of. Or make up, for that matter, anything to keep her mind off where Dar was, and who she was with.

“Jealousy is not a fun emotion,” she informed her fish. “Don’t let anyone fool you, Scully. It sucks.” Trudging into the kitchen, she put the bags down, setting the cold stuff down by the refrigerator. “Not that I’m worried mind you, I know Dar doesn’t like her.”

Scully and Mulder blew bubbles.

“No, really, she doesn’t. She was making the funniest jokes about her on the way out, though I think that was mostly to make me feel better.” She gave the fish a wry look. “I was trying really hard to not come off as a green-eyed monster, but of course that’s really tough for me, given the fact that I already have green eyes. You know what I mean?”