Kerry soaped up her hair, which the mirror had reflected as closer to brown than blonde from the mud. She watched as the dirt rinsed away down the drain and her locks returned to their normal color. "Uck." She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling her body briskly before donning one of the thick, comfortable robes the resort helpfully provided.

Still ruffling her hair dry, Kerry opened the door and walked into their room. Dar was standing near the window talking on her cell phone, clad in nothing but a brief, though fluffy, towel that just barely covered her long torso from armpit to thigh. Her damp hair was slicked back, and it was all Kerry could do to keep from just walking over and removing the towel.

Instead, she merely sidled up to her partner and waited until Dar made eye contact with her. 'You look gorgeous when you're wet,' she mouthed, causing Dar to stop in mid-word and blink.

"Uh..." Dar paused, her train of thought completely derailed.

"Sorry, what was that, Mark?" She reached out and tweaked Kerry's nose. "I got distracted."

"No problem, Dar," Mark said with a stifled yawn. "Anyway, the long run came up with a ton of c.r.a.p. I think you'd better take a look at it."

"What is it?"

There was a long silence before Mark answered. "I think you'd better look at it. Maybe you can make more sense of it than I could."

"Hm." Dar glanced at the sun, which was painting the sky as it began its descent into the water's edge. "All right. Go ahead and bundle it and send it down. I'll pick it up when I get back from dinner."

"Gotcha," Mark said. "Hey, everyone says hi. Maria says to tell you everything's under control."

Dar gave Kerry a pointed look. "Good to hear," she commented. "Thanks, Mark."

"No problem," the MIS chief a.s.sured her. "Take it easy, Dar."

Dar closed her phone, then focused her attention on the robed*99 figure in front of her. "You, Kerrison, are a little troublemaker."

Kerry grinned unrepentantly. "I learned from the best." She poked Dar in the belly. "Did Mark find something?"

"Yeah." Dar nodded. "Apparently he did, but he didn't want to discuss it on the cell."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah." Dar remained cheerful, however. "But I'd rather know what the h.e.l.l I'm dealing with." She leaned on the window and gazed out. "Can I interest you in joining me at the Equator?"

"Is that the restaurant in the old mill?"

Dar nodded. "Seeing as you were so interested in the ruins, I figured maybe you'd enjoy eating in one." She picked up the colorful, cotton island shifts they'd purchased in the market. "And it'll give us an excuse to wear these outside our living room."

Kerry held one of them-in a flame red, green, and bright yellow pattern-up against Dar. "Oh yeah." She grinned impishly.

"I want to see you in this, for sure."

Dar plucked wryly at the garish garment. "Only for you would I do this," she informed her lover. "I hope you realize that."

"I do." Suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, Kerry threw her arms around Dar in an unexpected hug. She squeezed Dar hard, scarcely able to breathe for a moment.

"Hey," Dar murmured, returning the hug despite her confusion.

"Dear Lord," Kerry was surprised to feel the sting of tears, "how did I get so lucky to have found you?"

"Um." Dar was caught flat-footed. "You got hired by a company ILS took over?" she offered hesitantly. "Besides, I thought I was the lucky one."

Kerry shook her head mutely, burying her face against Dar's bare shoulder.

Dar rubbed her back gently through the robe, simply holding Kerry until she felt her relax. "Sweetheart," she murmured, "I'm glad you feel that way."

Kerry sniffled and just squeezed her harder. After a few more minutes, however, she exhaled and tipped her head to one side, glancing up at Dar. "I'm not going crazy."

Dar stroked her hair back and removed the remnants of her tears with the edge of her thumb. "I never thought you were," she said. "We've just been through a h.e.l.l of a lot together this year.

You're ent.i.tled to a few freak-out moments."

They were, it seemed, exactly the right words. Kerry's face relaxed into a broad smile, and she gave Dar an affectionate pat on the side. "Thanks, Dr. Dar."

Dar Roberts, relationship expert and amateur psychologist. Dar felt a mental, slightly hysterical giggle coming on. She kissed Kerry's 100*

damp head instead. "Anytime, sweetheart. I'll always be here for you."

Kerry felt a quiet resonance as she heard those words. They touched something deep inside her, and she felt her spirit calm in response to them as a smile appeared on her face. "I know you will," she replied. "And I'll always be here for you." Her head lifted and she met Dar's eyes. "Thanks for understanding."

Dar felt like she'd been visited with a miracle, because in a very deep way, she did understand. Or, at least, she understood that Kerry was hurting, and that she had the ability to stop the hurt and heal some of the pain. That was a pretty d.a.m.n nice feeling.

Kerry squared her shoulders and released Dar, holding her briefly by her shoulders before she picked up the shifts again. "Well then, let's get our garish duds on and go have some fun."

Relieved, Dar returned the smile. "All right, let's go." She leaned over and touched the floral basket. "You're not gonna make me wear one of these in my hair, are you?"

Kerry glanced at the flowers, then at Dar. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes, but she demurred. "No, you get to escape that."

"Uh oh." Dar put her hands on her towel-clad hips. "I'm in trouble."

"Heh...but not too much." Kerry grinned, her spirits restored.

"C'mon. Let's go."

The sun continued to dip lazily to the horizon, painting the sea in gold.

Chapter.

Ten.

THE RESTAURANT WAS charming; the sunset was gorgeous; the food was interesting and very tasty; and she was sitting across from what was definitely the best looking woman in the place.

Kerry lifted her gla.s.s of wine and raised it in Dar's direction, then took a sip of it, savoring the slightly spicy, sweet taste. There is really no more one could ask for, is there? "Great choice."

Dar lifted her own gla.s.s, touched its rim to Kerry's, and smiled.

"Nice place, but it's the company that counts."

Kerry accepted the compliment with a smile, then rested her wrists on the table and looked around. According to the menu, the building had once been a sugar mill overlooking the water. Parts of the structure still remained, and they'd cleverly fashioned the restaurant into it. The food was a mixture of Caribbean and American, and Kerry had just finished a bowl of extremely spicy shrimp gumbo. Dar had elected to try a Caribbean fruit mixture rather than soup, and they'd split a bottle of Chardonnay while they waited for the main course.

Kerry leaned back, enjoying the breeze as it brushed across her bare shoulders. There was a gently fluttering candle on the table, and she could smell the warm scent of the wax as it melted, which added to the atmosphere. A steel drum band was perched on a patio nearby, playing softly, and all around her a mixture of lilting accents wove in and out of the music.

She noticed that the guests were mostly just couples. There were very few families, and those that were there had older children. Most of the couples were traditional, but Kerry spotted at least two other sets of women and three other sets of men seated together, and she felt comfortable in the place. Even with the fact that Dar kept tweaking her toes under the table.

Kerry snuck a glance at her tablemate, who was studying the driftwood salt and pepper shakers, curiously turning them in her fingers. Dar wore her hair loose, and her brightly colored cotton shift clung to her body, very nicely outlining its muscular grace.

The shift was pretty, but G.o.d, Kerry had to admit, it was so not 102*

Dar. It was like putting a racehorse in a tutu.

Dar chose that moment to look up, and their eyes met. Dar's face creased into a grin as she put the shaker down. "Something wrong?"

"Not a d.a.m.n thing." Kerry rested her chin on her fist. "That sunset is indescribable," she added dreamily. "You think it's this nice in Hawaii?"

"Hmm." Dar regarded the spectacle. "I don't know. I've never actually been there except on a layover on the way out to Micronesia. We'll have to go find out," she said. "I want to see a volcano up close."

"You're on," Kerry said. "How about mid-February?"

"Valentine's Day on Maui?" Dar chuckled. "Sure."

Kerry made a mental note to nose around for some reservations when they got home. Their waitress appeared at that moment and set down a tray with wisps of steam rising from it. She watched as a plate was set in front of her, containing a sizzling piece of broiled fish propped up with prawns half the size of their puppy Chino and drizzled with a tangy, citrusy sauce. "Ooh. Thanks."

The waitress set down a side plate of vegetables. "You're very welcome." She smiled at Kerry, then took Dar's plate from the serving tray and set it in front of her. "Anything else for you ladies?"

Dar inspected her surf and turf-a filet mignon nestled next to a lobster tail. "Nope. Not right now," she said. "Thanks." She picked up her fork and knife, separated the two items around the island of whipped yams, and started to cut the filet into pieces.

"This looks great."

"Smells great, too." Kerry craned her neck to see. "What is that sauce?"

"Pineapple and coconut rum." Dar dipped a square of meat into it and then offered it to Kerry, who neatly took it off the end of her fork.

"Mm," Kerry mumbled approvingly. "I'll try that next time."

She offered a taste of her fish in return, which Dar accepted.

"Tastes like Mandarin oranges," Dar commented. "Nice."

Kerry had taken one bite of her fish when her attention was captured by a couple who was just entering the restaurant. "Yrch."

She caught Dar's eye and indicated the door. Christen and Juan Carlos had just stepped in, and were being greeted by the host.

"There goes the neighborhood." Dar nibbled a bit of her filet.

"Wonder if she paid for that dress by the inch."

Christen was wearing an outfit of gold chain, which barely covered her tanned and very fit body from mid-thigh to chest. The outfit had gaps in the sides, and a jeweled belt hung below her navel. Juan complemented her in a gold silk shirt, a matte black silk*103 jacket, and leather pants.

"Someone forget to tell them they weren't visiting New York?"

Kerry leaned over and murmured, "Last time I saw clothes like that was out on South Beach at that TV chef's opening night."

The newcomers were led to a prime table near the edge of the open air seating. As Christen sat down, she spotted Dar and Kerry across the room. She put a hand on Juan Carlos' arm, then made her way over.

"Yip, yip yippee yahooey." Dar rolled her eyes, then a.s.sumed a cordially neutral expression as the woman neared. "Evening."

"Why, h.e.l.lo! Imagine b.u.mping into you two here," Christen greeted them. "Visiting, or...staying here?"

"We're staying here," Kerry answered smoothly. "Did you just get in?"

"Last night," Christen replied with a smile. "Isn't it great?

What a beautiful spot." She leaned on the bal.u.s.trade next to them, the gold chains in her outfit clinking gently. "I'm glad we b.u.mped into you again; I was afraid we'd lost you when you disappeared from the docks. You didn't get caught out in the weather, did you?"

Dar answered that one. "Just went on a cruise. We got back late."

"Really?" Christen was watching Dar closely. "Listen, some friends of ours ran into trouble out west of that little island. You didn't happen to see them out there, did you?"

Dar's ice blue eyes chilled and shaded. "Friends of yours?" she asked softly. "No. We didn't see anyone in trouble last night."

Recognizing the change in Dar's demeanor, Kerry kept quiet.

"Oh. Well," Christen replied. "I really didn't get the whole story, but they think someone might have run them aground. But that wouldn't have been really friendly, now would it?"

"Depends on what they were doing to make someone want to do that." Dar looked her right in the eye, suddenly projecting an air of surprisingly dark menace all out of character with her gaudy print dress.

They fenced for a moment, then Christen laughed a touch uncomfortably. "Well, who knows? Maybe they were mistaken, or...knowing them, they goofed in the navigation and are just trying to cover it up." She backed off a step. "Anyway, we'll see you around. Maybe we can do lunch?"

"Sure." Dar let the word roll off her tongue, keeping her eyes pinned on the smaller woman. "Anytime."

Christen beat a hasty retreat. Dar kept up her testy glower for a moment, then relaxed, hiking an eyebrow at the attentively watching Kerry. "Well?"

"You get a ten from the American judge." Kerry held up her napkin, peeking behind her to see Christen and Juan in close 104*

consultation, complete with uneasy looks in their general direction.

"You know, Dar, for someone who's dressed like a pa.s.sion fruit sundae, you really can scare the pooters out of people."

Dar snickered, then shook her head. "I shouldn't laugh. That probably wasn't funny." She eyed the two newcomers.