Kerry kept her eyes closed and went almost limp, just absorbing the feel and scent of her lover. “We’re leaving in the morning.

We’re going back to the hotel, getting Mom and Dad, going to the airport, and getting on the first plane larger than a crop duster headed south.”

Dar smiled faintly. “You got it.”

“And I’m never coming back here again,” Kerry whispered.

“Ever.”

Dar just hugged her closer.

“Ker?”

“Mm?”

“You want to take that dress off?”

“No. Do you?”

Dar studied the figure curled up in her arms, her face buried into Dar’s nightshirt. “Well,” she smoothed Kerry’s hair a bit,

“normally I’d jump at the chance, but I’m kinda handicapped on that side.”

Kerry slowly lifted her head, her eyebrows scrunching together as she blinked in the dim light. “Oh, damn. I’m sorry.”

She peered at Dar’s chest. “Why didn’t you say something? I must have been killing you.”

“Nah.” Dar shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt when you press there.” She patted the front of her shoulder. “Only when I lift my arm up.”

“Mmph.” Kerry raked her hair back out of her eyes, rolled onto her side, and gazed down at her now rumpled clothing with a look of sleepy displeasure. “Yeah, I guess I’d better. Damn thing’s uncomfortable as heck anyway.” She squirmed off the bed and stood up, then unzipped the back of her dress and pulled it over her head.

Dar merely sat back, enjoying the view. Kerry had a gorgeous back, a cute little V shape that sloped cleanly down from her compact, but smoothly muscular shoulders, then flared lightly through her slim hips and powerful, lean legs. She had a faint golden tan, and the low lamplight caused shadows to form across her skin as the muscles moved visibly under it.

She could see tension there, too, though. “Aspirin’s in the 156 Melissa Good right front pocket of my bag, if you want.”

Kerry paused in the act of pulling on her Tweety T-shirt. “Did you take your drugs?”

Dar nodded. “Oh yeah.”

Kerry finished pulling down the soft cotton fabric, then fished the bottle of aspirin out of Dar’s bag, along with her bottle of water. “Did I ever mention how much I love how prepared you always are?” She swallowed a few tablets and took a sip of the water. “How did everything work out with the lines in Chicago?”

Dar grimaced. “Maybe we should change planes there tomorrow instead of Detroit, so I can go and kick that bastard’s ass in person.”

Kerry smiled as she trudged back to the bed and climbed back into it. “No, sweetie. You’re going back to Miami with me, and right to Dr. Steve’s.” She laid a finger on Dar’s nose. “He’s going to spank you.”

Pale blue eyes mildly regarded her. “All right, but you’re coming with me. While he’s taking pictures of my insides, he can run some tests on yours.”

Kerry took a breath, obviously caught by surprise. “I don’t think I…”

Dar lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

Kerry sighed, dropping her gaze, then she returned the smile.

“Okay.” She crawled over Dar’s body and nudged her to the left.

“Move over. I don’t want to take chances.” She waited for Dar to comply, then snuggled against her lover’s right side and put her head on her shoulder.

Dar gently massaged the tight muscles in Kerry’s back. A warm puff of air penetrated the fabric on her chest, and she glanced down to see a somber, bleak expression on Kerry’s face.

“Hey.”

Kerry blinked, and a few tears rolled down her cheek to soak Dar’s shirt. “I’m so tired,” she breathed. “My soul hurts, Dar.

Those people trampled all over it.”

At a loss for words, Dar relied on touch instead. She pulled Kerry closer and cuddled with her, wincing as she brought her other arm over to stroke Kerry’s face with light fingertips, catching the tears that continued to fall and brushing them aside.

“Don’t let them get to you, Ker,” she finally said, very softly.

“They’re just assholes.”

Kerry drew in a shaky breath and sniffled. “I know. I just feel like I spent the day as an archery target.” She spread one hand out flat against Dar’s stomach and absorbed the warmth of her skin as it moved with Dar’s breathing. “I feel as bruised as you look.”

“Well,” Dar tenderly kissed her on the head, “we’re both Thicker Than Water 157

gonna head south to heal, then.” Kerry relaxed against her as the tension eased from her body. “You know I felt like taking out a fire hose and spraying that room tonight, doncha?”

Kerry remained very quiet for a moment, then she gave up a surprising giggle.

“Yeah,” Dar went on, her voice a low drawl, “I would have loved to just blast those suckers right down and watch them slip and slide and crack their asses on that parquet floor.”

That image elicited another giggle. Kerry sniffled, rested her chin on Dar’s chest, and gazed up at her through tear filled eyes.

“Can I tell you something?”

“Sure.” Dar gently wiped her face.

“I love you.”

Dar hugged her again. “I love you, too.”

Kerry exhaled and put her head back down. “You know what the worst thing was?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Kyle?”

Kerry nodded against her shoulder. “Yeah.”

“The rest of them are just ignorant bastards. Him, I’d like to put a rifle bullet through.” Dar’s temper rose a little, and her nostrils flared.

Kerry slid her hand under Dar’s shirt and stroked her thigh.

The muscles were tense, and she rubbed her thumb in a tiny circle over them as she considered Dar’s words. Seeing Kyle had been a definitely unpleasant shock. It had brought back a lot of bad memories she’d consciously pushed out of her consideration after she’d broken most ties with her family and thrown herself into her new life with Dar.

It had been easier that way. After all, she had in truth left that part of her past behind her, and the reassuring solidity of her relationship with Dar, along with her ever expanding new job, had filled her wants and needs quite nicely, thank you.

It hit her suddenly. Kerry went very still and almost stopped breathing.

He was gone. Her father was gone.

Her world reversed and turned upside down as an unseen weight came off her. She was aware of Dar’s snug hold, but she floated in limbo for a long moment as she adjusted to a new reality.

He was gone.

Kerry closed her eyes, and all the tension drained out of her, leaving her limp as a dishrag draped comfortably over Dar’s tall frame. Sleep gently overtook her, refusing to erase the smile that now shaped her lips.


Chapter

Ten

THE STUDY WAS full of frazzled looking frustrated men and women. Kyle entered, closed the door, stripped off his coat, and tossed it over the tall back of the chair near the desk. “Anything?”

he asked the two men behind the large, square desk.

“No, sir.” The younger of the two looked up. “Sir, is there any point to this anymore?”

Kyle gave him a withering look. “Of course there’s a point.

The governor’s going to make his announcement tomorrow, and if we don’t find a way to clean up little Mrs. Stuart’s family act, we’ve got a lot of money that’s going to pull out like gang-busters.” He picked up a folder and studied it. “I’ve already gotten calls warning me.”

“Well, sir, unless you can talk to Mrs. Stuart, I’m not sure we’ve got anything here.” The man sighed and dropped his pen-cil. “I’ve checked financial, legal, tax records, DMV, credit…I’ve never seen people so clean in my life.”

“Oh, c’mon.” Kyle put the folder down. “You can’t tell me a bitch like that doesn’t have some skeletons. I don’t buy it.”

“He’s right, sir,” said the older man, a gruff, bear-like figure with a thick, grizzled beard and shrewd eyes. “Here’s the file recap.” He handed it to Kyle. “High school valedictorian, graduated mcl from Miami, worked for ILS for sixteen years, never late on her taxes, no tickets, no police record except for—”

“Except?” Kyle glanced at him. “I knew there was something.

What is it?”

The aide shook his head. “An incident several years back involving some fight at a bar. Some kids got attacked.”

Kyle looked delighted. “By her?”

“No,” the man replied. “She defended them. Put two of the assailants in the hospital, despite the fact they were armed with shotguns. The cops gave her a glowing commendation.”

Kyle frowned. “That’s not the answer I wanted.”

The younger man shrugged. “Never even paid her electric bill Thicker Than Water 159

late, sir. There’s just nothing there.” He shuffled some papers.

“And forget the parents. The mother’s Eastern money we don’t want to mess with, and the father’s got a military honor sheet longer than my leg.”

“Mmm.” Kyle’s face went still, only his eyes darting back and forth over the documents. “Real hero, huh?”

“Yes, sir.” The man nodded. “He was MIA for seven years.

Went in after a bunch of guys that had gotten captured and let himself get captured so they could get free.” He glanced down.

“Medal of Honor for that one, sir.”

Kyle snorted. The rest of the staff watched him uneasily.

“Well, if they won’t oblige us by handing us a scandal, I suppose we’ll have to manufacture one.”

The door opened. They all looked up to see Cynthia Stuart standing in the doorway, primly erect, her hands folded before her. She took a step inside and looked at all of them.

“Ah, Mrs. Stuart.” Kyle put on a charming smile. “We were just discussing transition plans.”

Cynthia closed the door and walked forward, scanning all their faces before she reached her late husband’s desk and stopped by it. “Please don’t waste your time. I’ve come here to inform you that you are all, as of this moment, fired.” She paused and took a pleased breath. “Please leave, or I’ll have security escort you out.”

For a moment there was nothing but shocked silence. “That would be now. At once.”

Stunned, they picked themselves up and edged out of the room. They jostled each other at the door and waited to clear it before uttering vicious whispers.

Only Kyle remained, staring at Cynthia with hooded eyes.

“I’m sure you don’t—”

“Most especially, I certainly do mean you as well, Mr. Evans,”

Cynthia said sharply. “It’s simply a pity that all I can do is fire you.”

Even Kyle was caught off guard by the icy tone. “You don’t know what you’re doing. I’ve got some information that could be very, very damaging—”

“I most certainly do.” She enunciated the words very carefully. “Roger is no longer here to protect you, and you will leave this house immediately, or I’ll have security drag you out of it and toss you over the wall.” Her voice rose. “You will not stay in my home one more second or visit even one more second’s abuse on my children. Out! ”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed as he circled the desk. “Think you can just order me around like that, lady? Better think again.”


160 Melissa Good He was stopped in his tracks, the back of his collar and belt held firmly and yanked, jerking him back several paces. A low, Southern-tinged drawl crawled over his shoulder.

“Ah do believe this lady asked you to leave.”

“Let me go.” Kyle struggled. He was jerked further back, where he collided with a large body.

“G’head.” Andrew lowered his voice. “Fight me, you bastard,

’cause I’m looking for one real small excuse to rip off yer arm and beat you with it.” The voice dropped further. “’Cause I can.”

Kyle stopped struggling, turned his head, and met Andrew’s pale blue eyes.

“And ah will,” Andrew rumbled. “Now, you figger my kid kicked yer ass round ’bout a year ago, and she’s a damn sight nicer than I am.”

For a moment, it could have gone either way, then Kyle glanced away. “If you put it that way, fine. I’ll be out of here as soon as I gather my gear. The information I have will certainly screw you over, too, you fucking sailor.”

Andrew swung him around and shoved him towards the door, adding a boot to the butt to hurry his progress. Kyle stumbled forward but caught himself on the chair, and, after grabbing his jacket, left the room without a single backward glance.

“Well.” Cynthia exhaled. “Thank you, Commander Roberts.”

She glanced at the door. “I’m afraid he might try to turn this to his advantage, however. He has quite a legal mind.”