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Dar had thought a moment, then shrugged, and relinquished the electronic device. ”Okay.”
Now, Kerry tugged up her collar as she followed Dar out the front door and down a path which sloped a little downward, her sneakers crunching softly on the cedar chips that lined it. ”Mm.” The air was sweet and rich with the scent of cold and pine, and the wood she was walking on. ”This is great.”
In the semi darkness, the sudden glitter of Dar’s eyes was startling.
”Glad you like it,” she drawled. ”I used to spend semester breaks up here. It’s not an expensive place, but it’s family run. Millie’s husband is ex navy.”
Kerry nodded, looking around. ”It looks like it’s well cared for,”
she commented. ”They seem to know you pretty well.” She glanced up, seeing the quiet smile on Dar’s face. ”When was the last time you were here?”
The smile vanished. ”Christmas, a few years back,” came the quiet answer. ”I’d just broken up with Elana. I guess I needed some time out.”Kerry tucked a hand around her arm as the walked along. ”Well, I hope you’ll have better memories from this visit,” She commented mildly. ”We had a place out off the lake we used to go to in the summers, it was a little like this.” She took a breath, aware of Dar’s intense concentration on her words. ”It was supposed to be a family vacation, but it was usually a circus. I mean, people coming and going, deals, the press, you know.”
”Mm,” Dar agreed, leading her down a fork in the path.
”Sailing was my favorite thing to do, but as we got older, my mother made sure there really wasn’t much time for that. She had parties and whatever, kept us going from summer estate to summer estate, talking to people I didn’t have much in common with, even then.” She sighed. ”And dressing up, that was always a trial. Me and Angie paraded in front of her and usually my aunt, to make sure we looked all right.”
”Doesn’t sound like much fun, ” Dar remarked, as they came up to a small, tree shrouded cabin with a wooden porch. ”Closest I ever came to that was my mother making sure the rips in my jeans weren’t going to get me arrested in some of the more rural counties down there.” She put a hand on Kerry’s back as they mounted the three low stairs, the wood echoing lightly under their steps. ”I always liked this one.” She turned and nodded. ”Nice view.”
Kerry also turned, and gasped a little, faced with a beautiful moonlit lake, reflecting a canopy of brilliant stars. ”Oh my god, yes.”
She let out a delighted laugh. ”It’s wonderful, Dar.” She turned and poked her companion. ”Very romantic. Is this where you always bring special friends?”
Dar gazed at her, a little sadly. ”No, you’re the first.” She turned Hurricane Watch
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and continued across the porch, opening the door and gesturing her inside. ”I always used this as a very private retreat. I never considered bringing anyone else here before.”
”Mm.” Kerry ducked inside without further comment, flipping the light switch found just inside the door. ”Oh.” She blinked in surprise.
”This is really nice.” The cabin was mostly one large room, with a neatly made bed against the far wall under a window, covered in a thick comforter in shades of crimson and navy. There were Indian patterned throw rugs on the floor, and one, a thick sheepskin, resided in front of the small fireplace. A garment press stood against the wall, and a doorway led to a luxurious bathroom, complete with a sunken hot tub surrounded by warmly weathered wood. ”Oh, I think I like this.”
Dar chuckled softly. ”Oh yeah, that comes in handy after a day of horseback riding, especially if you’re not used to it. Trust me.” She put their bags down on the bed, and looked around. Hadn’t changed, she mused, walking over to the window and peering out at the silent, gently murmuring lake.
”Ah...” Kerry was exploring the counter against the back wall. ”I see we have the essentials, coffee, cookies, and hot chocolate. ” She investigated the supplies. ”Cups and, let’s see, tea bags, oh, and little muffins. This is really cute, Dar.”
The dark haired woman tossed a stuffed bag down next to her.
”Well, we can add our little stash here.” She grinned, her good humor restored. ”Never thought we’d fit all that chocolate in there.”
Kerry snorted, and lifted the bag up. ”I can’t believe we brought it all. We’re going to get sick on it.” She sniffed at the bag. ”Mm. On the other hand...” The rich scent was alluring, and she sighed. ”Later.
Dinner first?”
”Sounds good to me,” Dar agreed. ”Those pizzas were tiny.”
”What pizzas, oh, those. Right.” Kerry slipped out of her sweatshirt and pulled a heavier sweater over her head, settling the edge over her jeans. ”Yeah, good thing I didn’t order smalls. We could have used them as drink coasters.”
”Could have used them as that anyway,” Dar complained, changing into a thick sweater of her own, and rubbing her hands. ”It’s cold here, Kerry.”
The blonde woman turned, putting down the brush she’d been pulling through her hair. She walked over, took Dar’s hands into hers and pressed them against her body. ”Aw, my poor little hothouse flower.” She giggled at the blue eyes widened in outrage. ”You Southerners. Talk about thin blooded. We’ll have to get you some mittens.” She gently kissed Dar’s fingers. ”Thank you for inviting me up here, by the way.”
Dar smiled at her, obviously charmed. ”I’m glad you like it.”
”Here, bend down.” Kerry released one hand and recaptured her brush, running it through Dar’s dark locks to bring some order to them.
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The silky strands crackled with the dry air, and clung to the brush, winding themselves around her hands as well. ”Ack, one nice thing about Miami, you don’t get this much.” She patiently untangled herself, meeting the watching blue eyes with a grin as she fluffed the usually disheveled bangs. ”Your hair would look pretty in braids. Want to try them tomorrow?”
Dar blinked at her, obviously surprised at the question. ”Um, sure.” She straightened as Kerry finished. ”If I can do yours.” She gently tucked the blonde hair back into a tail, studying the effect.
Kerry smiled, loving the feel of Dar’s fingers in her hair, as they brushed against her sensitive scalp. ”You’re on,” she agreed happily.
”It’s a vacation, right? We can do whatever we want.”
”Yep.” Dar put an arm over her shoulder, and nudged her towards the door. ”C’mon, they’ve got some really good roast beef.”
”Oh yeah?” Kerry obligingly slipped an arm around her waist.
”With gravy?”
”Uh huh, and killer mashed potatoes,” Dar promised. ”And homemade ice cream for dessert.”
Kerry let out a little moan. ”Uh oh. I’m in trouble,” she lamented.
”I’m a sucker for homemade ice cream.”
”Yeah, me too,” Dar agreed sheepishly. ”But it’s vacation, remember?”
”Mm, good point. How much trouble can we get into in two days, anyway?”
“DAR?” KERRY’S VOICE floated out of the darkness, as they made their way back after dinner. It had gotten colder, and the sky seemed razor sharp, the inky blackness drenched in pinpoints of light so numerous you could hardly see the constellations.
”Yeah?” The taller woman ambled along contentedly, sucking on a mint.”If I explode, is that covered under worker’s comp?” Kerry asked idly. ”God, that was good. That chef is positively dangerous.”
”Don’t explode,” Dar objected. ”Do you have any idea the amount of paperwork I’d have to fill out if I had an employee explode on a business trip? I’d have to spend hours and hours in CAS.” She paused, and moved her mint from one side of her mouth to the other. ”Not to mention having to explain to Mari how I, a responsible corporate officer, allowed such a thing to happen.”