Complete.
Kerry smiled. ”Yes, you have.” She reached up and curled her fingers around Dar’s hand, then turned it a little and kissed the palm.
After all this time. The thought echoed gently.
The doorbell rang.
”I’ll get that,” Dar said, softly.
”I’ll get the pictures,” Kerry answered.
”We’ve got a lot of catching up to enjoy,” Dar said, with a smile.
Her soul mate smiled back. ”Yes, we do.”
DAR SLOWLY LET her eyes open, aware of the early morning hour even in the strange place she found herself.
Well, not really strange, it was, after all, her couch, but strange enough to jog her lightly out of her sleep, as Kerry shifted and burrowed closer to her. It was still dark out, and as such, she couldn’t see anything but vague shadows in the living room, where books of pictures and scattered memories surrounded them.
She hadn’t been able to prevent Kerry from kidnapping the one of her dressed as Tigger, and she just knew that was going to come back and bite her in the butt someday. Oh well, could have been worse. She could have been Pooh.
And that was okay, because she’d snatched not one, but two pictures of Kerry—one of her as a wide eyed, beruffled cherub, and another of her taken off guard, as a teenager with her back against a tree trunk, and a book open on her knees.
In the second, there was
something so gentle, and so wistful in her expression, with her hand spread across the page, and her head resting against the bark, it tugged at Dar’s heartstrings irresistibly
Her soul mate. Dar smiled, and stroked the soft pale hair. The word had delighted Kerry, and it really did fit how she felt towards Kerry, as though they really were part of each other Maybe they were. Dar pulled Kerry a little closer. They certainly fit together, like a well made wooden puzzle, despite their different heights. Kerry was nestled up against her left side, with one arm wrapped around Dar’s stomach and her knees between the taller woman’s. Dar could feel Kerry’s warm breath against her collarbone, and Dar smiled. They were breathing in the same rhythm.
It was a nice feeling.
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325
Loving Kerry was a nice feeling. Dar smiled contentedly, and relaxed, thinking about the weekend. More specifically, early Saturday morning, when they’d go out and greet the sun, and tell each other...
Pale blue eyes popped open in mild alarm. Tell each other what?
Could they use the standard vows?
Uh...no.
Dar's mind started working. What in the hell could they…okay, okay...how about something simple like…I'll love you forever.
She winced. Not that it wasn't true, but…
Hmm…
You are the light of my life? Augh, Dar, you sound like a bad seventies hit parade. You make my life worth living?
Well, that was true too. You came into my world, and turned it upside down? Not so flattering, but…
”Dar?” Kerry’s sleepy voice interrupted her studied musing. She glanced down, where Kerry was still nestled against her.
”Hmm?”
”What are you muttering?”
Dar sighed. ”Sorry. I didn’t realize I was.”
”Mm...so...what was it?” Kerry persisted, curiously.
”Umm...nothing, really.” Dar cleared her throat gently, and snuggled back down. ”G’back to sleep.” She firmly closed her eyes.
”Okay,” Kerry murmured obediently.
Peaceful silence fell.
”Am I really the light of your life?”
Dar made a noise halfway between a groan and a whine.
”I’m not?”
”Of course you are,” Dar spluttered hastily. ”You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
”Oh.” Kerry’s voice seemed disappointed. ”Okay, sorry.”
Dar gazed down at her, unhappily. ”Kerry, you’re all those things, and so much more I can’t even begin to tell you. I was just trying to figure out what I was going to say to you on Saturday morning.”
”Oh.” The inflection was totally different. ”You don’t have to say anything,” Kerry told her softly. ”Just your being there’s enough for me.””Oh,” Dar’s turn to murmur.
”I thought...maybe...I could just...sort of, um...I mean, I have this poem that I wrote. I thought maybe I could have Pastor Robert use that.”Dar exhaled in relief. ”That’d be perfect.” She kissed Kerry’s head gently. ”Thank you.”
Silence fell.
”I turned everything upside down, huh?”
Dar rolled over onto her back, pulling Kerry up on top of her.
”Yep.”
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Melissa Good
”Awk, Dar, c’mon. You’re gonna be squished.” Kerry laughed.
Dar rubbed her back, working the strong muscles with her fingers.
”Nope, I like this feeling.”
”You like not being able to breathe. Dar, you’re demented.” But Kerry’s body slowly relaxed completely against her, melding with her own in boneless completeness.
”Mm...” Dar savored the feeling.
”Goofball.” Kerry nuzzled her neck, nibbling the underside of her jaw. ”I love you.” She felt the muscles of Dar’s face move as she smiled.
”It’s almost time to get up.”
”Uh huh,” Dar agreed lazily. ”How are you feeling?”
Kerry considered the question. ”Like I don’t want to get my lazy butt up and go running, but I don’t have a good excuse not to,” she admitted. ”So, c’mon, tiger, let’s hit the Frosted Flakes and get moving.”
Dar laughed softly, and pinched her on the specified body part.
”I’ll put the coffee up, you let the puppy out?”
It was just the start of another day.
Chapter
Twenty-three
DAR OPENED THE door to her outer office, then she paused, as she spotted the workmen blocking the way further. “What’s going on here?”
Maria was off to one side, supervising. She turned and spotted Dar and circled back around her desk. “Oh, jefa. Look. They are bringing your new name.”
For a second, Dar wondered if they meant she was taking on Kerry’s. She blinked and edged over to where the workmen were busy replacing the plaque on her door, relieved when all it showed was her new title. “Ah.”
It would have been funny if it’d been the other. Dar managed to squeeze past the men and into her office, deciding if it had been, she’d have left it. “Confuse the hell out of everyone. That’s my motto.”
She took her seat and booted up her PC, resting her hands on the desk as the machine chimed softly and started up.
Her intercom buzzed. “Yes?”
“Jefa, Mr. José is here to see you.”
Despite the absolute politeness of Maria’s tone, what she thought of Dar’s visitor was evident. “Thanks, Maria. Send him in.” She glanced at the folder, still in her in box, and sighed. “Can you grab me some coffee? I think I’m gonna need it.”
“Surely.”
Maria closed the connection and she was left in a moment’s peace before the door opened and José entered.
Her erstwhile nemesis in Sales crossed the room and took one of her visitor’s chairs, seating himself in it and hiking one ankle up on the opposite knee.
Dar didn’t truly dislike José. She knew he was if not the best, one of the best salespeople she’d ever met, and his aggressive style had won them more accounts than she had time to count over the years.
They fought like they did mostly because they were both up front, take them as you see them kind of people, and at her core, Dar really did have a level of respect for the man. “Yes?” she drawled, after he got himself comfortable. “If you’re here to bitch at me, take a hike. It’s too early for that.”