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?”

Mulder blew a bubble. Scully inched up and smacked him on the lips.

“Ooo, I can think of about seven million Internet fans that would kill for that sight.”

The Lone Gunmen darted around as she crossed over and sprinkled a little food in the tank. She leaned against the edge, peering down at them. “It’s business, guys. Nothing personal.” She sighed. “But I can’t help wanting to pull her little red eyebrows out and feed them to her with a plunger.” She half wished Dar had simply turned down the meeting, even though she knew her boss had a responsibility to maintain good relations with their newest account. Does it have to be that kind of relations, though? Kerry felt a little sick every time she thought of Michelle, and her fancy hotel, and her exotic figure.

It was a horrible, helpless feeling, and she briefly considered just putting everything away, and going to sleep. It would be over in the morning. Right?

“Shit, come on, Kerry, get a grip. Dar turned down a dinner with her for a romp in the park with you just a few weeks ago. She couldn’t avoid this. The woman pranced into her office and practically forced her into it,” she told herself. Right?

With a sigh, she went back into the kitchen and put everything away, including the milk and chocolate syrup she’d found herself getting wholly without conscious thought. Then she changed, and sat down on the couch, letting her fingers drift over the fabric and remembering Monday. Was it only three days ago? It felt longer. The clock ticked in the silence, and she could hear the soft hum of the aquarium’s tank motor. The phone’s ringing startled her, and she jumped, then got up and went over to it. “Hello?”

“Kerry, I’m glad I caught you,” her mother’s voice sounded from the 330 Melissa Good receiver. “You’re hardly ever home these days, dear. I’ve been trying you since Tuesday.”

Mmm-hmm. Better see about call forwarding. Kerry winced. “Sorry. I, um…I was working late yesterday, then I went to the gym…and we went out after that.”

“Oh? You joined a gym?” Her mother’s voice sounded wary.

“It’s a special deal through our company,” Kerry told her. “A whole bunch of us did it. I’m taking some aerobics, and wall climbing, and…a little self-defense class.” She laughed faintly. “It’s a lot of fun.”

A moment’s silence. “Well, I’m very surprised you got involved in something like that when you’re leaving, Kerry,” her mother stated disapprovingly. “That’s not like you.”

Kerry took a deep, deep breath. “Mother, let’s be sensible, all right? I can’t just give up this job and come home just because of an accident. It’s silly.” Briefly, she wished Dar was there, needing the taller woman’s comforting presence. “I’m doing great here, it’s such a good opportunity.”

“Don’t be foolish,” her mother snapped. “Your father told you, you’re coming home. And let’s not hear any talk about that, Kerrison, it’s all arranged.”

It was almost as though she could feel warm hands resting on her shoulders, and a close presence behind her as she stood a little straighter. “No, I’m not, and if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, Mother. But I have every intention of staying here,” Kerry told her steadily. “I have friends here, and a great job. I’m not ready to give that up.”

Kerry could feel the frozen silence emanating through the line. “We’ll see what your father has to say about that,” the voice replied angrily. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. Of all the ungrateful things! Living there has given you horrible ideas, and it’s the best reason I can see for bringing you home.”

It hurt. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Mother. I don’t mean any disrespect to you, or to Daddy, but you have to understand that…” The line went dead.

Kerry sighed and hung it up, letting it drop on the table with a dull thud.

“Great. Just freaking, one hundred percent, doesn’t-that-bite-the-big-one, piece of crap, great.” Like her stomach hadn’t hurt enough already. Kerry sat down and cradled her head in her hands.

THE RESTAURANT WAS about three quarters full, and the soft clink of silverware warred with low, buzzing conversation as Dar cocked her head, absorbing the story Michelle was telling her about some problem they’d had with their mainframes. It was sad; Dar had figured out what the problem was ten minutes prior, but she saw no percentage in giving Michelle a freebie, considering her network people had been frustrated over it for a week. “You could contract us to send an analyst out there,” she offered with a frank smile.

Michelle toyed with her fork and peered at her over lashes dusted lightly with a faint golden tinge. “You mean you can’t solve it off the top of your head? Why, Dar, I’m disappointed.”

Dar briefly considered responding with a smart remark about services Tropical Storm 331

and paying for them, then she merely smiled. “Oh, I can’t solve everyone’s problems, but I’m sure one of our engineers could fix you right up.” She took a sip of the champagne Michelle had insisted on, then speared a piece of salmon and glanced outside. The marina the restaurant bordered was full of winking lights, boats traveling in and out and docked. There was a party in full swing on one, with bearded men in denim shorts and women in halter tops trading beers. She fought the urge to loosen her own buttoned collar, and sighed inwardly. “I heard from infrastructure, your circuits are in.”