She knew every inch of Kerry’s body—all its planes, all its quirky irregularities. She loved the softness of her skin, and the slowly building strength she had felt grow under it to cover the sturdy bones that had seemed so very close to the surface when they’d first met.

“You know what I was voted most likely to?” Kerry whispered. “In high school?”

Dar almost lost the question when Kerry’s lips descended on hers and their bodies pressed tighter against one another. “Bet it wasn’t that,” she rumbled softly, as they paused to breathe. “Run for president?” She took in a breath filled with Kerry’s scent and reveled in it.

Kerry chuckled, shaking her head slightly as she deferred answering for another kiss. She felt Dar’s hand slip under her shirt, warm against her skin as fingers traced slow circles across her ribcage. “Nothing.”

“Eh?” Dar eased Kerry’s shirt up and gently cupped her breast.

“Nothing,” Kerry repeated and inhaled sharply as her body reacted to Dar’s touch. “Said I’d never leave home.” She kissed Dar. “Never go anywhere.” Her voice broke slightly on the last word. “Never—”

“Never experience this?” Dar ducked her head and nibbled Kerry’s nipple, then cupped her hand around Kerry’s neck and passionately returned the kiss.

A soft groan trickled through Kerry’s throat, dusting her own lips with warm breath. “Mm…yeah.” Kerry lifted her head, her eyes half closed, nose-to-nose with Dar. She looked into the passion-darkened blue orbs beneath her. “I never thought I would either.”

“Feel this?” Dar teasingly slid her hand down Kerry’s body.

Kerry’s expression unexpectedly gentled. She kissed the spot right above Dar’s heart. “No, this. To be loved for myself.” She kissed the spot again, then shifted back up as Dar lifted her hand and laid it on Kerry’s cheek.

“Neither did I.” Dar raised her head and they kissed again.

Kerry’s arms relaxed as she eased forward and slipped one bare Thicker Than Water 203

thigh between Dar’s. “I think we both lucked out.”

Kerry hugged her, sparing a moment of passion for one of joy.

Dar hugged her back, finding peace in her choices and accepting them. Then Kerry slipped her hand down and under the waistband of Dar’s cotton shorts, and all nobler thoughts evaporated.

She grabbed the front of Kerry’s shirt between her teeth and yanked, letting out a growl as Kerry ducked out of the fabric and got under Dar’s half shirt, finding a tastier target beneath it.

“Hell with leather.” Dar gasped. “Let’s just go in our god damned socks.”

“Hehehe.”

IT WAS DARK and not quite dawn when Dar woke up. The condo was quiet, and she could hear the soft patter of rain against the window not far over her head.

It was Monday. Now that the weekend was over, she had to face the reality of the week, and the private knowledge that today might, in fact, be her last one at ILS. She’d already decided not to tell anyone; in fact, she hadn’t even talked about it with Kerry.

She would just go up to Houston on Tuesday, and then the announcement would come out and that would be that.

So today she would spend cleaning up loose ends, taking solace from the knowledge that at least she was leaving the company in a good position, though losing the Navy contract would be a definite blow. It would work out, though, she was sure. The company could take the hit.

Dar’s thoughts drifted a bit, coming around to her still sleeping partner. She could see dark circles under Kerry’s eyes and that led to her one real worry about the whole deal. She could leave, and it would hurt her, but she was afraid it would hurt Kerry worse, to have to take over everything now, after what she’d just been through.

Or maybe…Dar exhaled. Maybe Kerry would just chuck it all too. Maybe she should, rather than risk a health Dar was beginning to suspect was more at risk than she was willing to admit.

Troubled, she stared at the ceiling, in the rare position of being out of control of her own destiny and not liking the feeling at all. Instead of being soothing, now the incessant patter of the rain made her edgy, half of her wanting the day to start and half of her dreading it.

Her entire body started when the cell went off near her head.

She jerked to one side and reached for it, hissing at the sharp pain in her shoulder. “Shit.”

Kerry woke, her head moving and her eyes blinking dazedly.


204 Melissa Good

“Huh?”

“Phone.” Dar grabbed it and opened it, rattled and off-balance. “What?” Her heart was thundering, adrenaline pumping through her from the ominously early call. Trouble?

“Uh…Dar?”

Alastair. Dar’s throat went dry. “Oh. Sorry.” She glanced at the clock. “Good morning.”

“Ah, yes, well, thanks.” Alastair cleared his throat. “Listen, sorry to call you so early.”

Dar felt her heart settle into her guts. “It’s earlier where you are.” She was aware of Kerry’s eyes on her in the dimness, and of the light touch now on her belly, wordless comfort as Kerry seemed to sense her distress. “What’s up?”

“Well, I guess you military types are all early risers. I just heard from Washington,” Alastair said.

Dar didn’t say anything, but she felt her heart rate speed up even more.

“Fact of the matter is, Dar, I didn’t think the general was going to buy into us.”

“Yeah, well…” Dar heard the husky note in her voice.

“But he did,” Alastair said. “I thought he’d ask for ten acres of corroboration, but you know what, Dar? He said your word was good enough.”

Dar was a little surprised to feel the sting of tears in her eyes.

“Did he really?”

“Yes, lady, he did,” Alastair replied. “Never heard a man sound so relieved, I’ll tell you that. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. And, by the way, he wants to make the announcement to the press at the base down there. You’ll be available?”

It was all too sudden. “Uh…yeah. I guess. When?”

“Friday.”

It was still too much. “You’ll be there?”

“Sure, I can be. Dar, are you all right?”

Dar felt more confused than all right. Everything had unexpectedly turned over again, and she needed time to sort it all out.

“Want to come to my birthday party? It’s this weekend.”

The long period of silence at least gave her time to right her mental balance, while her boss was thoroughly knocked off his.

She glanced down at Kerry, who had nestled back down with her head on Dar’s shoulder and was merely waiting, her fingers tracing an absent pattern on Dar’s belly. The important fact surfaced.

At least Kerry would be all right now.

“Uh, sure, Dar. I’d love to,” Alastair finally said, in a direly bewildered, but reasonably appreciative tone. “Should I bring flowers?”


Thicker Than Water 205

“Nah. A bathing suit.”

“B…Hey, how about I call you back later, huh? After breakfast?”

“Talk to you later, Alastair. And thanks.” Dar closed the phone and put it down, then put her arm around Kerry and hugged her.

“Everything okay?” Kerry asked.

No. Yes. Who the hell knew? “I love you. Everything’s perfect.”

Kerry made a happy sounding grunt and gave her a hug.

The rain eased back into a friendly rumble, and the soft gray light of dawn now became a welcome sight. Life, Dar acknowledged, is a damn, damn funny thing sometimes.

It really was.


Chapter

Twelve

“HEY, KERRY.”

Kerry turned, hearing a somewhat familiar voice. She spotted Lena approaching her, looking painfully uncomfortable in her linen skirt suit and pumps. “Hey.” She went back to stirring the two cups of coffee she’d been preparing. “How’s it going?”

“It’s okay,” Lena said. “I think I’m sort of getting the hang of working here. They haven’t thrown me out yet.”

Kerry stifled a smile. “I’m sure you’re doing fine.” She turned again and leaned on the counter. “How did things work out at home? Any changes?”

Lena was briefly silent. “You mean, did the bitch let me come home? No. She dropped the charges, though. Thanks for having those lawyer people talk to her.”

“At least that’s something.” Kerry gave her a sympathetic look. “And it was no problem for us to do that. I’m glad she took the advice.”

Lena nodded. “Hey, I saw you on television the other night.

Sorry to hear about your father and all that stuff.” She seemed a little uncomfortable. “But I’d be glad as hell if my parents croaked.”

Kerry took her cups, sat down, and patted the table next to her. She waited for Lena to take a seat. “You say that, but it’s not true.”

“Sure it is,” Lena said. “I mean, you ain’t had happen to you what I have.”

Kerry rested her chin on her fist. “Lena, they’re still your family, no matter what they did. There are things my family did to me that I didn’t like or appreciate either, but they’re still my family.”

Lena shrugged. “Mine sucks.”

“Mine does too, sometimes,” Kerry said. “When my father found out I was gay, do you know what he did?”

“Freaked?”


Thicker Than Water 207

“Threw me in a psycho ward.”

Lena’s eyes nearly popped out. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Kerry said with a sad sigh. “He hated my being gay.

None of my family likes it. Well, maybe my brother and sister don’t really mind, but…”

“Wow.” Lena pondered. “So you must be glad he’s outta here, then, yeah?”

Kerry took a breath to answer, the facile lie forming inside her mouth. Then she hesitated. Was she glad? “It’s not that simple. He was my father.”

Lena shrugged again. “Yeah, well, my old man’s an asshole, and if he jumped in front of a truck, I’d clap.” She got up. “Anyway, thanks for the help. It’s been pretty cool bringing home a like, real paycheck.”

Kerry managed a smile and also stood. “Well, glad things are going all right.”

“You going to be at the group thing next week?” Lena asked with a slight hesitation. “They were, like, asking me.”

“I’ll be there.” Kerry picked up the two cups. “I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about this week.”

“For sure.” Lena half grinned, then she disappeared, leaving Kerry to cross the hallway back to her office in silence.

DAR SAT QUIETLY in her office, just taking the time to look around and study the space as if it were new to her. Then she exhaled and focused on her visitor, who had just seated himself across from her desk. “So.”

“So.” Alastair nodded. “All’s well that ends to our advantage, eh?”

Dar lifted a hand and let it drop on the desk. “Something like that. Listen, I’m sorry about what happened with Senator Stuart. I should have talked to you before I did that.”

Alastair soberly nodded again. “Yes, lady, you should have.

I’m the last person who’s dinging you for getting a life, Dar, but y’know, you’re not the only one who’d have had their tail roasted because of that.”

Dar got up, walked to the window, and gazed out at the water. Her shoulder was back in its sling, and she leaned against the warm glass with her good hand, having no real response for what Alastair was saying.

“Now, I’m not saying anything about you taking off for parts north, hear?” Alastair joined her at the window. “Totally understood that, Dar. Totally.”

“Yeah.” Dar exhaled. “But when did I turn into Dudley Do-208 Melissa Good Right, is that what you’re asking?”

“Er…”

Dar turned and leaned her back against the glass, feeling the sun as it soaked through her shirt. “Kerry was right.”

“Eh?” Alastair backed up, and hitched up his trousers to perch on the corner of her desk. “Right about what?”

“I was too close to the Navy contract.” Dar met his eyes. “I should have assigned someone else to do it. It was personal.”

Alastair rubbed his jaw. “Ah.”

“It was too personal.” Dar exhaled. “Getting those bastards meant more to me than protecting the company, and I can’t pretend that didn’t happen.”

Alastair folded his arms over his chest. “So, what am I supposed to do with you? If you recall, we got those contracts in the first place because it was personal to you, lady.”

“I know.”

“We’ve gotten more than one set of those in the recent past,”

Alastair continued. “Including the couple that, if my noggin’s working right, let you finagle keeping on some staff from an obscure little software house we picked up a while back.”