And then what? Dar exhaled. Despite everything, she suspected Kerry still loved her parents, and her family. Doing something to hurt her father would hurt her as well, and as much as Dar wanted to slam the man for what she considered a disgusting persecution of her friend... Would that really serve a purpose? Maybe the information would come in handy to her, though, in her arguments for staying here. And I want to give Kerry all the ammunition for that I can, right? Of course, there was always the possibility it wouldn’t work. That Kerry would allow herself to be persuaded to leave. That’s what you’re afraid of, isn’t it? Dar’s eyes closed as she absently stirred the sauce. You’ve only known her for a month, Dar, the thought of living without her can’t possibly hurt you that much. But it did.

She felt so comfortable with Kerry. Her usual wariness around people seemed to evaporate around the blonde woman, and she found herself basking in the warmth of a true friendship for the first time in a long while.

She hadn’t suspected she missed having that in her life quite as much as she did, and now something was threatening that. She didn’t respond well to threats. They made her want to do crazy things like beg Kerry not to go home.

Or go home with her. Oh yeah. She laughed uneasily to herself. That would win a popularity contest, you just show up at her parents’ house. Let’s see…um… “Hi, the company is instituting a new program in which supervisors must visit all of their employees at least once over the holiday, and I’m starting with Kerry. Do you mind?”

Yeah. She was so involved in her thoughts she didn’t even hear Kerry calling her name until a warm hand touched her back and she jumped. “Wh— Oh, sorry.” She stepped away from the stove and handed Kerry back her spoon.

“Here. I was just…um…”

“A million miles away,” Kerry supplied, gazing at her curiously. “You all right?”

“Yeah. I was just thinking, that’s all.” Dar chuckled. “You finished in there?” She was a little embarrassed to have been caught daydreaming. “I, um, I’ll go take care of that other stuff.”

Kerry gave her a worried little frown, but nodded. “Okay, yeah, take a look at what I wrote. See if you like it.” She patted Dar’s side. “Do you like garlic bread?” Dar nodded. “Silly question. I guess I’ve got some of those breadsticks in the freezer. I’ll put them up, too.”

The taller woman chuckled. “You like doing this, don’t you?”

Kerry shrugged. “I guess, I mean…I don’t think I’d bother for myself. In fact, I know I wouldn’t. I generally just come home from work and grab some 370 Melissa Good carrots or something, but it’s nice to take trouble for someone who appreciates it.”

Dar regarded her seriously. “I do appreciate it,” she replied quietly.

“Very much so.”

That got her a big smile “I know. I noticed your kitchen doesn’t get used much,” she teased gently. “I have nightmares thinking of you there with your Egg McMuffins and chocolate milk.”

Dar laughed in pure reflex. “Nah, you’ve got me all wrong.” She shook her head solemnly. “It’s Croissanwichs or nothing.”

A poke. “You should take better care of yourself.” Kerry mock scowled.

“That’s going to catch up with you one day.”

“Play hard…die young,” Dar half joked.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Kerry replied very seriously. “I’d like to have you around for a long time.” An awkward silence fell, as stunned blue eyes looked at her. “I’m sorry,” Kerry finally muttered. “That’s an incredibly presumptuous thing for me to say.” She turned back to the stove and bent over the pot, only to feel hands grip her shoulders gently.

She went still and didn’t resist as Dar turned her around, and she met the pale blue eyes now gentled as they studied her face. “You know, when you came in here, I was wondering what in the hell I was going to do if you did decide to go home,” she murmured softly. “And I was trying to figure out how someone I’ve known for less than a month could become so important to me.”

“Oh,” Kerry replied.

“So, no, it wasn’t presumptuous. It’s nice that you care,” Dar added shyly. “It feels kind of strange, but I think I like it.”

Kerry let out a relieved sigh. “That’s good.” She reached up and interlaced her fingers with Dar’s. “Because I can’t help feeling that way, and I’d hate to be driving you crazy or anything.”

Dar gave in to the insidious craving and hugged her. “Nah.” She released her and stepped back, then smiled. “Let me go finish.” She turned and left the kitchen.

Kerry sucked on the end of her spoon in thought as she turned back to her sauce, and a small, incredulous smile slowly inched its way across her face. Dar went back to the desk and dropped into the chair, propping her chin onto her hand and peering at the screen. She let her eyes scan over the words three times before any of them penetrated. Then she let her eyelids flutter shut and just took a moment to collect herself, feeling a wealth of conflicting emotion battering at her. Half of her was scared shitless. The other half, which was this strange, new, alien-from-outer-space half, wanted to drop to her knees and pledge lifelong devotion to this poor woman she barely knew. “I’m a little old for this hormonal crap, aren’t I?” she muttered to herself wryly. “I haven’t felt like this since I was twelve and had my first crush.”

She rubbed her eyes, then forced herself to concentrate on the screen, this time actually reading it. “Oh, nice job,” she complimented the absent Kerry.

“Yeah, I like it.” The response was very reasonable and politely worded. “Of course she’s gonna know I didn’t write it.” Dar chuckled softly. “But that’s Tropical Storm 371

okay, the mark of a good manager is knowing where to use their resources, right?” She raised her voice. “Nice work.”

“Thanks,” came floating back, and Dar could all but hear the smile in the word as she hit the Send key and sent the reply on its way. Then she settled down and plowed through the next several issues, trying to ignore the intriguing scents wafting in from the kitchen, only stopping for a moment as thunder rolled overhead. “Hmm.”

Kerry entered, also listening. “Sounds nasty.” She leaned on the back of the chair. “You finished? Dinner’s ready.”

“So I smell,” Dar agreed as she straightened. “Yep, I told off six people, canceled three meetings, and sent two scathing replies to people who should have known better.” She sighed. “Not a bad day.”

“Did you really?” Kerry gave her a look.

Dar nodded wryly. “Yes, I did.” She stood up and stretched. “But don’t worry, everyone’s used to it. If I didn’t do that, they’d think something was wrong with me,” she advised the blonde woman. “You want everything out here on the table?”

Kerry hesitated, then grinned. “Well, I’ve got this big platter thing. I thought it might be fun if we just use that and share it. It’s got little legs, we could bring it over to the couch and watch the movie.”

“Hmm.” Dar’s voice dropped to a low, speculative growl. “I think I like that idea.” She smiled abruptly. “I wonder if we can do that Lady and the Tramp thing.”

“The wh…” Puzzled blonde brows knit, then cleared. “Oh…oh, you mean with the spaghetti?” Kerry’s eyes lit up. “Well, sure, we could try it.”

She laughed. “C’mon.” They went into the kitchen together, laughing.

“IT WAS A cop-out,” Dar mumbled, gazing at the screen “Bee, my ass.”

Kerry giggled. “C’mon, they couldn’t have them kiss. The world would end, monsters would explode out of everyone’s chest, the Cigarette Smoking man would quit.” She tilted her head back and accepted a gentle assault on her lips. “Glad we don’t have the same problem.”

“Me too,” Dar agreed with a chuckle as she leaned back against the couch, with Kerry’s body cradled against hers as they watched. “God, I’m stuffed, that was really good.”

Kerry stretched back against her and sighed. “Me too. And thanks, that recipe really worked out.” She glanced up, then laughed and reached up to wipe a bit of sauce off her companion’s face. “Except that spaghetti thing was messy.”

“Mmm. So what was the secret of those meatballs?” Dar inquired. “They were so light, did you put feathers in them?” She gave the smaller woman a squeeze, then rewrapped her arms around Kerry’s middle.

A soft snort. “You won’t believe it, but the secret is milk,” Kerry admitted with a laugh.

“Milk?” Dar protested. “You put milk in meatballs?”

Kerry rested her head back against the soft cushion of Dar’s breast and smiled. “Yep. You mix a splash of milk into the pound of hamburger, then add 372 Melissa Good the Italian breadcrumbs to it to soak it all up,” she stated smugly. “And an egg.” A pause and a glance at Dar. “And, um…a little brown sugar.”

Dar laughed. “Milk, eggs, and brown sugar—sounds about my speed.”

She sighed. “Whatever it was, it was great.” She turned her head as the phone rang, and they exchanged looks.

Kerry turn the sound down and picked up the cordless phone. “Hello?”

Her mother’s voice echoed in her ear. “Hello, Kerry?”

Like who else would be answering, hmm? “Hello, Mother.” She kept her voice somewhere between cordiality and wariness. After all, the woman had hung up on her the last time.

“Dear, I’ve been thinking.”

That’s a first. “Yes, Mother?” She held the phone so Dar could hear, not hard since the taller woman was practically wrapped around her.

“Perhaps I was hasty the other night. I’ve spoken with your father, and while he’s very upset, he says he’s sure you’ll calm down and be able to talk with us about this when you come home.” Her mother’s voice sounded smug.

“I’m sure we can come to an arrangement. We understand you must have gotten attached to your new friends down in that place.”

Attached? Kerry glanced down to the strong arms cradling her. “Well, yes, Mother, you could say that. And I am wrapped up in some really interesting things right now.” Dar snorted in laughter, burying her face into Kerry’s neck for a moment and tickling her. Kerry bit her lip to keep from giggling.

“Certainly, certainly. We’re all grown up here, and we’re so looking forward to seeing you. Brian misses you terribly.”

Really? He hasn’t called once since August. “I’m sure he does, Mother,” she replied.

A momentary silence, then her mother cleared her throat. “You seem distant, dear. Am I interrupting anything?”

Kerry tilted her head back as a nibble touched a nerve. “No, no. Um, I was just watching a movie.” She swallowed, then closed her eyes as Dar’s hands wandered up her belly, exposing her skin to the cool air conditioning.

“Oh. Well, we’re watching War and Peace.” A sigh. “Your father does so love that one.”

“I’m sure he does,” Kerry managed to answer. “ I’m watching the X-files.”

“Kerry, you know what I think of that show,” her mother’s voice was disapproving. “Disgusting. So disrespectful of the government. Why, did you know your father once wrote a letter to that horrible man who puts it on, and he got a note back telling him to go and take some drugs?”

Mental note, Dar decided, send fan mail to Chris Carter.

“Well, Mother…” Kerry let her head go limp against Dar’s chest as the gentle nibbling reached around her throat. “It’s, um…just a TV show.” The roaming fingers traced teasing circles around her breasts, and she let out soft, incoherent sound.

“What was that, dear?” Her mother’s voice nudged her.

“Um…just something I was watching,” Kerry replied, giving her lover a beseeching look. “Nothing you’d want to hear about. Oh yeah, did Kyle get home all right?” She put a twist into her voice. “It was so nice of him to stop by while he was down here.”


Tropical Storm 373

There was an awkward pause. “Was he there, dear? I didn’t…well, I’m sure if he was in the area, of course he stopped in to see you. You know how fond of you he is.” There was a muffled sound. “Roger, did you know Kyle was in Florida? You did? Oh … Well, no… Kerry was just mentioning it.

What?”

Blue and green eyes exchanged conspiratorial looks.

“Oh, goodness, the poor man.” Kerry’s mother came back to the phone.

“Poor Kyle, there was a mix-up at the airport. His reservations got lost somehow, and he had to drive to Tampa in order to catch a flight up here.