In the back of the truck was a portable television, running off the truck’s engine. A grainy picture showed a hapless man in a blue poncho, standing with his microphone in a complete downpour as bits of trees and small animals floated by in the background. A caption at the bottom was labeled Channel 12 News. ”Man, look at that,” one of the workers whistled softly. ”And that damn storm’s heading our way, too.”Dar and Kerry exchanged glances. ”When?” they both asked together.

The worker blinked, surprised, and glanced at them. ”Um, Monday night, Tuesday morning. Why?”

”Thanks, we were just curious.” Kerry smiled at him. ”C’mon, Dar.

I hear a Jacuzzi calling my name.”

”Right,” Dar agreed, shaking her head at the screen as cactus floated by past the reporter. ”I wonder if that’s causing us any problems?”

Kerry tugged her forward. ”I’m sure they’d call if it was,” she assured her lover.

”Right,” Dar murmured again, as they walked away.

THE WARM WATER felt absolutely wonderful, Kerry decided, as she squirmed around to let the jets rush against her ribs. She watched Dar approach bearing a couple of nicely chilled glasses. Not that she noticed the glasses, especially, since her eyes were mostly fully engaged by her hormones due to the fact that her lover was jaunting around the 250

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cabin buck naked.

”Here.” Dar sighed, handing her a glass and seating herself, stretching her long legs out and letting her head rest against the edge of the tub. ”Boy, that feels great.” She paused, expecting an answer, then glanced over when all she got was silence. ”Kerry?”

”Sorry.” Kerry took a sip of the chilled champagne and swallowed it. ”Just thinking.” She wiggled her toes contentedly and exhaled. ”I suppose it could have been worse. We could have gone skiing.”

”Probably would have been me that slammed into a tree then,” Dar remarked. ”How’s your shoulder?” She peered worriedly at the muscled body part in question, examining the bruise that covered Kerry’s arm. ”You sure nothing else hurts?”

”Dar, can I ask you a question?” Kerry peered at her. ”How can a person so oblivious of their own physical well being be so damned solicitous of mine?”

Dar stopped, and drew back in silence. ”Sorry,” she muttered.

”Didn’t realize I was bothering you.”

Kerry studied her, a little bewildered. ”No, it doesn’t bother me. I just didn’t expect that of you.”

Dar gave a little nod, and took a sip of her drink. Truth be told, she hardly knew why she was so damned concerned herself. The woman was obviously all right, so she should just back off and let her be. After all, that’s exactly what she’d want in Kerry’s place, right?

Right. She hated when people fussed over her, and here she was being the biggest fusspot this side of an old fashioned nursery nanny.

No wonder Kerry was annoyed. With an effort, she relaxed, and closed her eyes, trying to recapture the good mood she’d been in at lunch.

She was surprised when a warm body fit itself around hers unexpectedly, and her eyes popped open in startlement, to see two pale green ones peering back at her from a very close distance. ”Uh, hi.”

”Hi,” Kerry answered, with a quietly apologetic look. ”Sorry. I assumed that because you hate people pawing over you that you naturally would just expect everyone else to buck up and pretend gaping head wounds are nothing.”

”No,” Dar acknowledged quietly. ”I don’t expect that at all.”

”Good. Then could you give me a hug, please? I really feel like crap. My legs are killing me, and my entire back feels like an accordion,” Kerry sighed. ”And what kind of good drugs did you bring that might help?”

Dar felt a curious smile crossing her face as she put her glass down and folded her arms around her lover, then lifted her, gently cradling her in the frothy water. ”Let me take some tension off your back, then,”

she replied, as Kerry nestled her head against one of Dar’s shoulders.

”Just put your arms around my...yeah.” She gently stretched Kerry’s body out, working the stiffened muscles with one hand while supporting her with the other. ”I’ve got some Percogesic. It’s a pain Hurricane Watch

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killer and a muscle relaxant. How does that sound.”

”It sounds great,” Kerry mumbled. ”But I feel much better already.

I think you’re one kick ass drug yourself, Dar.” She snuggled closer, absorbing the clean, chlorine tinted warmth of the water, and the even warmer silkiness of the skin she was nestled against.

Dar felt a sincere, thorough sense of relief. ”Well, I doubt it.,” she joked. ”The AMA would never approve me, that’s for sure. Let’s get you out of here and comfortable, okay?”

”Sure,” Kerry agreed amiably. ”Wh— Dar!” She grabbed a tighter hold as she was lifted out of the Jacuzzi. ”Stop that, you’ll hurt you knee!”

”Nah.” Dar stepped carefully out of the tub. ”Grab that towel,” she instructed, then carried Kerry out into the nicely warmed cabin, and set her on the bed. Taking the towel, she knelt. ”Hold still. This won’t hurt.”

”Bu...” Kerry spluttered, then subsided, slowly relaxing as Dar dried her gently.

It was remarkably erotic and she had a hard time keeping her hands still, as the towel brushed against suddenly sensitized skin. She had to force herself not to react, force herself to let Dar take complete control.

To trust completely.

Her breathing slowed, and she let herself become aware of Dar’s close presence, to feel the warmth as her still damp skin brushed by Kerry’s hand. She could hear the soft breaths, and the whispery sounds of Dar’s hair as it slipped over her bare shoulders. She could smell her, that inimitable faintly spicy musk that clung to her lover’s skin, along with the chlorine scent of the water. Her world stilled for a perfect instant.

And then lips touched hers, and the towel’s rough warmth was replaced by knowing fingertips that traced a path across her skin leaving a shiver of anticipation in their wake. She let her eyes slide open, to see Dar’s looking back at her, a teasing grin moving her lips.

One long finger came up and balanced itself on her nose. ”Don’t go away,” Dar told her softly, as she stood and went to their baggage, coming back with a bottle and a cup of water. She knelt down again and shook out two pills, handing them to Kerry. ”Here.”

Kerry gazed at her, mesmerized. ”Do I need these?” she asked softly. ”It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She reached out and bypassed the pills, resting her hand on Dar’s cheek. ”I just need you.”

Dar put the bottle down without breaking eye contact, and eased down on the bed, stretching her body out next to Kerry’s and laying a hand on her stomach. She felt the muscles contract under her fingers, and watched as the pale green eyes darkened at no more than that light touch. ”All right.” She leaned over and brushed her lips against the soft curve of a breast. ”I can’t guarantee it’s going to be relaxing, though.”


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She moved up, feeling the sudden intake of breath as Kerry felt the teasing pressure. ”You sure you’re up to it?”

Kerry finally let her hands loose, and they greedily reached for Dar’s close presence, tugging her closer as her body growled with desire.

”Guess that answered that,” Dar chuckled low in her throat, and succumbed to the insistent tug, feeling a warmth of connection between them that was pulling her closer, and closer, until she could swear...

That they were simply two halves of a whole.

Of course you are. Her mind whispered at her, as she let go and allowed the passion to take her, hearing a faint, knowing chuckle somewhere deep in the back of her mind.


Chapter

Nineteen

“YOU’RE BEING QUIET.” Kerry commented, glancing over at Dar as they mounted the steps to the lodge. Her hands were tucked firmly in her pockets against the chill air, and her breath escaped as puffy clouds of vapor.

Dar also had her hands hidden, and she sniffled a little against the cold. ”I’m not, generally speaking, a noisy person,” she responded mildly. ”I was just thinking, that’s all.” She reached out and pulled the heavy door open, then inclined her head for Kerry to precede her.

”You always do that,” Kerry commented. ”Open doors.”

”Well, you need to, Kerry or you crash into them and get a lot of splinters in your face,” Dar responded drolly. ”How’s your shoulder doing?”

”It’s a little stiff, but okay,” Kerry replied. ”Actually. ” She blushed a little, and moved closer. ”My butt hurts more.”

The blue eyes twinkled a little. ”You probably bruised your tailbone.” She patted the spot gently. ”I’ll have to get you a pillow for the office for a week or so.”

They went into the dining room, already half full with guests at the scattering of tables. A table near the window was made available and they settled into it, gazing out at the view of the last rays of sunset over the lake. The room was fairly dim, wall sconces made to look like candelabra and torches were the motif, and they spread a warm, reddish glow around rather than a harsh brilliance. A fireplace in the rear crackled merrily, and leant to the rustic atmosphere.

”It smells great in here, ” Kerry commented, as their server arrived, bearing a basket of warm, fresh biscuits and a bowl of sweet butter. ”Is it the wood they’re using in the fire?”

Dar glanced over at it, as she snagged a yeast biscuit and broke it open. ”Um, that might be hickory, so yeah.” A tiny hint of a smile appeared. ”You know, this winter stuff isn’t all bad.” She tugged on her collar. ”Except that this wool’s driving me nuts.”

Kerry laughed. ”Well, you look really nice in that sweater, even if it’s tickling your chin.” The turtleneck, a rich, solid electric blue brought out the color of her eyes like nobody’s business, and framed her angular face wonderfully.

Dar looked pleased at the compliment. ”You look very nice, 254

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yourself,” she returned it, eyeing Kerry’s layered flannel and sweatshirt combination. Kerry’s face had a gentle tinge of color from the wind they’d ridden through, and her pale hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with a few wisps escaping around her pink ears.

Which grew a touch pinker at the words, something Dar found eminently adorable. ”I’m glad our flight’s not until eight tomorrow night—gives us the whole day,” she remarked. ”You’re going to teach me to sail in the morning, right?”

”Teach you? Dar you’ve been on the ocean all your life. What do you mean teach you?” Kerry protested, smiling a thank you at the server as he put a cup of frothy local ale in front of her, and a similar one in front of Dar.

”Mmm. ” Dar took a sip, and raised her brows. ”Not bad, um, I can drive about anything on the water that uses petroleum products, and I even got to sit at the controls of something that uses...” She paused, and waggled her head. ”A more esoteric form of fuel, shall we say, but I’ve never sailed.”

”Really?” Kerry thought about that. ”Esoteric? I don’t—” She remembered what branch of the service Dar’s father had been in. ”Oh, oh, I get it, right.” Pause. ”They didn’t let you drive a submarine, did they?”

Dar held up a finger to her lips. ”Sshhhh. I didn’t even have a driver’s license at the time.”

Kerry covered her eyes. ”Oh, I suddenly feel so, sooo, safe,” she sighed.

”I didn’t hit anything,” Dar objected mildly. ”And I’m a safe driver, you know that.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the entrance of a large family, who took a table not far from them. The father was an older man, gray haired and stocky, dressed in a flannel shirt and corduroys.

He directed the three assorted children to sit down while his wife pulled the waiter aside. The children were all slimly built and meticulously dressed, and the mother had, incongruously, a mink stole around her shoulders.

Dar snorted as she took a sip of her ale, then glanced over and saw the pensive look on Kerry’s face. She reached over and covered Kerry’s hand with her own, chafing the fingers of it lightly. ”Hey.”

Green eyes flicked her way, then held.

”Memories?” Dar guessed.

”Something like that,” Kerry acknowledged softly. ”When we were younger, we used to go to a Christian retreat up in the north lake area.

It was a little like this, except that the focus was bible teaching, and family building.” She let out a faint, bitter laugh. ”Family building, what a joke. It was just one big excuse to get us all together in one place so we could be preached at for a week, and told our faults.”