Kerry chuckled as she took another sip. ”Oh, awful. You turned into a bug eyed giant rabbit and went bouncing all over the place, drooling.” She glanced over, to see wide, round blue eyes staring at her.
”I’m joking.”
She put a hand on Dar’s leg, stroking it gently. ”It was a wonderful dream. It didn’t make much sense, but you were in it, and so was I, and a white horse, and it was summer. and there was a really beautiful grassy meadow.” Kerry exhaled happily. ”And we were laughing, and running through the grass, chasing after the horse.”
Dar smiled. ”Sounds like fun. Did we catch it?”
”Yes.” Kerry lifted their still linked hands and kissed Dar’s fingers.
”And we rode off together, just like we were riding yesterday.”
A faint twinge reminded her. ”How’re the legs?” Dar asked her.
”Still sore?”
Kerry flexed her thighs and considered. ”Just a little, but they’re okay. My shoulder’s okay too,” she added, before she could be asked.
”C’mon, let’s grab a shower, and get dressed. I can’t wait to get out on the water.”
”You got it.” Dar grinned. ”I can pick up a basket of pastries and a thermos. We could have breakfast out there. How about it?”
”I like it.” Kerry released her, and stood, stretching luxuriously, then giving a little yelp of surprise as Dar enfolded her in a bear hug.
”Urp.” She felt herself lifted up off the ground. ”Whoa.”
The grip gently straightened her spine, though, and she threw her arms around Dar’s neck with a soft laugh. She could almost feel the 262
Melissa Good
emotion going through her lover, and she exhaled, as Dar finally released her back to her own feet. ”Boy, that felt great.”
Dar rubbed her back and gently kissed her head. ”Yes, it did.” She playfully scooped a handful of sunlight, letting it sparkle off her ring and send tiny flashes darting around the room. ”C’mon, let’s go.”
THE SUN POURED down on ruffled blue waters, unobstructed by a single cloud, and warm enough to offset the chill of the wind that coasted over the lake. Kerry expertly turned the small boat and filled the sails, sending them over the waves, and causing a cold spray to dust their skin.
Dar was seated in the bow, her long body sprawled over a padded seat, and her face turned into the breeze as they plowed through the waves. ”This is great, ”she sighed.
Kerry smiled, as she moved the tiller, and checked the tension on the sail. ”It sure is,” she agreed, her body dredging up old memories of many hours spent out on Lake Michigan in boats not much larger than this one. ”The best day of my young life was the day I got qualified in a sunfish, and I didn’t have to have anyone with me when I went out.”
Dar reached out and touched the canvas sail, as she watched Kerry’s smooth, and precise motions. ”You’re good at this,” she commented, enjoying the sight of her lover’s wind whipped figure.
”And you look really cute doing it too.”
”Oh sure. I probably look like an afghan hound with his head out the window of a car going down US 1.” Kerry laughed. ”Glad the sun’s pretty strong, though, or it’d be really cold out here.” She tied down the sail, then balanced herself and pulled off her heavy sweatshirt, leaving herself only her collared rugby top over her jeans. ”Whoo, that’s better.”
Dar followed suit, taking off her tan sweater and tucking it under the seat, and pushing the sleeves up on the bright red shirt she was wearing underneath. ”You ready for some breakfast?” she inquired.
”You bet. I’m starving,” Kerry informed her, as she edged the boat towards one of the small islands that dotted the lake’s wide surface. ”I figure we can shelter on the lee of that land there, until we’re ready to go back.” She studied the wind. ”I’ll have to tack back, but that’s okay.
We’ve got all the time in the world. Right?”
The words brought a smile to Dar’s face. ”Right.” She edged closer to where Kerry was sitting, and broke a freshly baked blueberry muffin in half, offering a portion to Kerry. ”Here, take a nibble of this.”
”Mmm. ” Kerry captured it in her teeth and chewed. ”Oo, you have more of those?”
”I have more of those,” Dar informed her. ”And I have those ones with all the nuts in them you liked, and I have cornbread.”
Kerry stopped chewing. ”Cornbread? I don’t get it.”
Hurricane Watch
263
”Northerner,” Dar snorted softly. ”Here.” She took out a miniature loaf of the corn bread, and spread some soft, sweet butter on it. Then she drizzled a touch of honey over that, and broke off a piece, putting it in Kerry’s open and waiting mouth. ”Try that.”
Kerry closed her mouth and chewed. ”Mmm.” It was a rougher texture than the almost cake like muffin, and the butter and honey made a nice counterpoint to the earthy taste of the corn. ”Oh, I like it. Now I know why the South lost the Civil War; they were too busy cooking.”
Dar laughed in pure reflex. ”I don’t think that’s why, but we definitely go in for comfort foods in the South.” She moved down the padded seat while Kerry skillfully moved around one of the small islands, blocking the wind. She took down the sail and tossed over the small anchor, then squirmed over to where Dar was, leaning against her as they rocked gently in the waves.
She let her eyes roam the skies overhead, watching a hawk circle lazily. Dar reclined next to her, breaking off mouthfuls of her assorted goodies and popping them in Kerry’s mouth as they shared companionably.
”Jesus, this has been such a long week,” Kerry commented.
”Uh huh.” Dar fed her another bit of cornbread. ”I’m glad we had a few days up here just to relax.” She paused. ”Well, sort of,” she chuckled. ”Barring a fall from a horse or two.” She brought out a large thermos and uncapped it, releasing an intoxicating scent of chocolate into the air.
Kerry accepted the cup of hot chocolate, and gave Dar a gentle kiss.
”It’s been wonderful despite the horse.” She gazed into the blue eyes.
”We’ll have to come up here again when we can spend more time.”
They were sitting in the bottom of the boat, with their heads resting against the padded back seat, and Dar shifted, slipping an arm behind Kerry and drawing her closer.
Kerry put the cup down, and half turned, sliding her hands over Dar’s shirt and tangling her fingers in the fabric, as she willingly met the lips searching for hers. They tasted each other for a breathless moment, then backed off a little, as Dar reached up and stroked Kerry’s face. ”I wish we didn’t have to go back.”
Kerry studied her face, evaluating the statement. ”You mean that.”
The blue eyes dropped. ”Yes.” Dar exhaled, as she regarded the rippling water. ”I keep trying to dredge up interest in going back into that office on Monday, and I just can’t,” she confessed. ”I don’t know if I can just go back to business as usual.”
Kerry's blonde head cocked to one side. ”Dar, I don’t understand. I thought you’d worked things out with Alastair. Did something else happen?” She put a hand on her lover’s arm in concern.
A soft laugh. ”Sort of.” Dar’s lips twisted into a wry smile. ”We happened,” she stated quietly. ”I don’t think I can put that aside, when I have to be the company bastard anymore.” She glanced up at Kerry 264
Melissa Good
honestly. ”There are things I’ve done that I couldn’t do now, not and look you in the eye at the end of the day.”
Kerry felt a little shocked. She hadn’t expected that, hadn’t even considered it, really. ”Dar, you don’t know that. I mean we’ve hardly had a chance to—”