"Not really, no." Kerry shook her head. "Though I generally prefer tea at night." She leaned against Dar unobtrusively. "Why don't we agree to behave like professionals for the next few days? I'm sure we can all handle that."

"Mm." Michelle glanced at Dar.

"You didn't get any special treatment," Dar said. "This is how I always act when people get in my face. Have your people stay out of my face, and we'll have a grand old time." She pinned Michelle with a cool gaze. "Your staff has been messing with us since I got here. You made me spend half the night in that damn hall because of your little tricks, and your managers keep harassing my staff. What makes you think any of that makes you or your company even the least bit appealing for someone like me to work for?"

Michelle, surprisingly, didn't counter her accusations. Instead, she ducked her head to one side. "Granted. Like I said, bad choices. I take responsibility for that."

Dar relaxed a little. "All right then," she conceded. "We should have no problems anymore in that case. Stay out of my face and don't antagonize me and I guarantee tomorrow will be a hell of a lot more pleasant than today was. Deal?"

"I think we can manage that."

"I think you can manage that," Kerry spoke up. "I think if you really want to get this to happen, send your Rottweiler home."

Michelle sighed. "You're not making it any easier with all this overprotective bullshit, Kerry."

"Tough." Kerry didn't bother to protest the comment. "Did I come over to your booth during your presentation and heckle you?"

Michelle lifted a hand, then let it fall. "We're big girls. We can take it."

"Why should you have to?" Dar asked. "Why not act like professionals like the rest of us?"

Michelle considered that, and then she nodded. "I won't promise you won't be challenged," she said. "But I will do my best to keep it civil."

Kerry exhaled almost soundlessly.

"Civil works," Dar said. "Keep it professional and we should be fine."

"Good." Their visitor put her hands on the chair arms and pushed herself to her feet. "Then I won't take up more of your time. It's late, and it's been a long day." Her eyes fell on the jar, sitting patiently on the table and she blinked, reading the label, then glanced at them, one eyebrow lifting.

Kerry smiled kindly at her. "See you tomorrow." She waggled her fingers.

Michelle walked across the room and let herself out, pulling the door after her with a definite, crisp snick.

Dar drummed her fingers on Kerry's shoulder, then tilted her head back and let out a long chuckle. "Oh, ain't this a tangled web."

"They're going to be assholes tomorrow," Kerry predicted. "You're going to have to lock me in the equipment cabinet or I swear, Dar, I'm going to end up going postal on them."

"Wild thing." Dar ruffled her hair affectionately. "I love that."

"Yeah, well...those two black widows can kiss my butt." Kerry snagged the jar and wrapped her hands in Dar's shirt, tugging her upward. "C'mon, Dixiecup. Hedonism beckons."

Outside the window, the fireworks peaked in silent glory, speckling the room with twinkling lights. They were, however, lost on the occupants.

KERRY GREETED THE emerging sun bathing the balcony with a yawn. The warmth felt good right now after the chill of the hotel room, but she knew it wouldn't be long before it went from soothing to annoying and decided to enjoy it while she could.

So much had happened the day before, she spent a few minutes reviewing it all. Then she looked up as the sliding door opened and Dar emerged onto the balcony.

She took the seat next to Kerry and cradled her coffee cup in her hands, sleepy eyes regarding the view amiably. "Kerrison?"

"Yes?"

"I have chocolate in many places God did not intend," Dar announced. "And you, my salacious little mudpuppy, are going to scrub it off me this morning in that there shower." She toasted Kerry with the coffee. "In fact, I think I still have your name scrawled across my leg."

"No, you don't." Kerry licked her lips. "Trust me."

Dar chuckled, stretching her legs out into the sunshine and tensing her thigh muscles. "Tell you what. How about we get out there before all the munchkins and go in the pool for a while, before we get into our monkey suits? Show doesn't start till ten."

Kerry sucked in a lungful of pine scented, though warm, air. "Yeah. I like that idea." She decided. "Let's do it. Then we can grab a fast breakfast down at that little snack bar thing."

They got up, passing together through the glass door and bumping each other playfully as they maneuvered to the bathroom to grab their swimsuits.

Several minutes later, they had towels in hand and were headed out the door. This early, the hotel was quiet, and they could hear workers beginning to set up in the restaurants as they slipped out the back door and headed for the pool.

It was huge. But they had it pretty much to themselves, save a few tentative sunbathers gathering down at one end and timidly spreading towels out on the comfortable looking lounge chairs. Dar tossed her towel on a vacant one on the far side of the pool and dove in without a second's hesitation.

Kerry took a moment to fold her towel and put it down next to Dar's. She straightened and went to the edge of the pool and dove in.

The water was warmer than she expected, but still refreshing. She surfaced and swam to where Dar was somersaulting lazily in place, enjoying the clear liquid for a change after swimming mostly in seawater for the last few months.

Dar had on her silver gray suit. It had a functional tank neckline, but high cut sides that showed off her long legs. She flipped over onto her stomach and started to swim down the length of the pool, her powerful arms pulling her through the water with apparently effortless ease.

Kerry took off after her, working a little harder to keep up as they swam side by side all the way to the other end of the irregularly shaped pool. Arriving at the wall, they turned, then leaned back and gazed across the water, blinking chlorine out of their eyes.

"Race you?" Kerry grinned.

Dar looked at her knowingly. "How many minutes head start do I have to give you?"

Sticking out her tongue, Kerry kicked off and started swimming as hard and as fast as she could, knowing perfectly well it was a lost cause. She liked swimming, but she'd come late to the sport, since they hadn't had a pool in Michigan and the idea of her going to a public pool would never have been countenanced.

After moving to Florida, and certainly after moving in with Dar, she'd gotten a lot more experience, but she was still working to acquire the skills, whereas her partner... "Dar!" Kerry felt hands pluck impudently at her suit. She stuck her face in the water and opened her eyes, spotting Dar almost right under her, swimming under the surface as fast as she could swim on top of it.

As she watched, slowing her strokes, Dar flipped over and coasted beneath her, releasing a lungful of bubbles that rumbled against Kerry's skin and surfaced around her. Then Dar stroked upward and emerged just in front of her, treading water in circles around Kerry.

"Show off." Kerry splashed her.

"Yeah, sometimes," she agreed, relaxing onto her back and heading off with neat strokes and powerful flutter kicks.

Kerry eased into a breaststroke and followed, starting to grin as she saw Dar angle toward the tall slide. She surged after her, catching up as Dar pushed herself up out of the water and onto the concrete, then turned to offer her a hand up.

"Thank you, ma'am." Kerry latched onto the back of Dar's suit and followed her up the steps to the top of the slide. "I think this is supposed to be for the kids."

"And?" Dar launched herself down the slippery surface. "C'mon, you punk!"

Kerry settled on the slide and shoved herself forward, enjoying the spray of water as she whirled downwards toward the pool. "Better get out of my way, slowpoke!" she yelled in warning, tucking her arms against her sides as she sped up. "Yahhhhhhh!!!"

She dropped out of the slide and plunged into the pool, relaxing her legs as she anticipated hitting the bottom.

Halfway there, she was abruptly intercepted as strong arms wrapped around her and yanked her to a halt. Dar had pushed off the bottom already and they surged back toward the surface, breaking through it into the warm air with a twin yell.

"Me a punk?" Kerry swept an armful of water toward her partner, dousing her thoroughly. "You're a punk, you little..."

"Little?" Dar picked her up and leaned sideways, taking them both underwater. They wrestled around until Kerry managed to wriggle free, then broke out into the open air again. "Rat!" She dove at Dar and grappled with her again, but made the mistake of getting too close and growled as she felt Dar's arms tighten around her with irresistible force.

"Rat, huh?" Dar's low voice tickled her ear.

Kerry tried a wriggle, and then relaxed, realizing she was good and caught. She turned her head to regard her companion, giving her a kiss on her wet nose. "Okay. You're not a rat," she said. "You're a HAMSTER!" She twisted suddenly and got a leg wrapped around Dar's, pulling them both off balance and back under the water.

They finally came back up near the edge of the pool, laughing like kids. Dar ducked backwards and straightened, slicking her hair back as she leaned against the concrete. "Whoo."

Kerry rapidly shook her head, scattering water everywhere before she joined her partner. "That was fun." She glanced around, noting that the pool deck was becoming a little more populated, and several solitary bodies had joined them in the water.

"Yeah, it was," Dar agreed, her eyes drifting across the deck. "Ah. Look who's headed this way."

Kerry actually growled. "If their names start with M or S, this pool's gonna run red I swear it."

Dar snorted, but shook her head. "No. It's our friend Peter, Peter, Cruise Ship eater." She assumed a cool expression as Quest arrived at poolside, hunkering down next to her in his crisp, gray suit. "Morning."

"Good morning, ladies," Quest answered. "Ms. Stuart, did you think about what we discussed yesterday? I have to leave right after the conference today so I don't think we'll get a chance to meet again."

"Gosh, that's a pity," Kerry replied mildly. "Mr. Quest, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Peter rested his arms on his knees.

"How did you know where to find us?" Kerry reached casually out and took hold of the hem of his pants. "I'm pretty sure we didn't leave a note at the desk."

He hesitated. "Um..."

Dar leaned closer, giving him an icy look. "Answer the lady."

"Or?" Quest rallied, with commendable bravado.

"Or we're going to pull you in the pool and possibly drown you," Kerry smiled kindly at him. "Neither Dar nor I like snoops or weasels."

Quest glanced down at the strong fingers clamped around his pant leg. "No big mystery," he replied. "I paid the bellboys to keep an eye on you." A smirk appeared. "They didn't seem to think it was a tough task."

"Ah, I see," Kerry murmured. "Well, Mr. Quest, aside from the fact that I don't like sneaks, and you have really bad taste in tailors, I really don't think you need a company of our caliber in your little contest."

Quest blinked, obviously not hearing what he'd fully expected to. "But..."

"But?" Kerry replied, releasing his pants.

"You said you could make decisions."

"Um...I just did." The green eyes twinkled a little. "I could repeat it if you want me to. I said..."

"I heard you." Quest frowned. "But damn it, I thought..."

Dar put her hands on the concrete and pressed herself up out of the water. She stood up and glared down at Quest. "You thought Kerry would go against me."

He looked up. "She's ambitious." He shrugged. "Moving up that ladder ain't a piece of cake, even in your company." He stood up and brushed his hands off. "My sources told me it was something she was interested in." His eyes dropped to a slightly boggled Kerry. "My sources said you better watch your back, Roberts."

Kerry put a hand over her mouth, muffling a laugh.

Dar rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Did your sources bother to mention to you that Kerry and I are married?" She paused, watching his face go slack. "To each other?" she clarified, pointing to Kerry and then to herself.