Kerry nibbled at Dar’s fingertips. “Really?”
Her boss muffled a chuckle. “I don’t think we should hide the fact that we’re friends, I mean. Or that we do the occasional thing after work with each other. If we try to convince everyone we hardly know each other, it’s not gonna work.”
“Probably not,” Kerry acknowledged.
“No matter what, there’s going to be talk.” Dar exhaled. “Does that bother you?”
The green eyes unfocused a little as Kerry considered. “It’s a little intimidating. I know how nasty those people can be. I’m not sure how I’m going to react to that if I get it in the face,” she admitted quietly.
268 Melissa Good
“Mmm.” Dar paused. “Well, I always found it’s best not to deny anything,” she commented. “When people insinuate things, I just smile at them.”
“Smile?” Kerry’s brows knit. Dar demonstrated, producing a sexy, knowing grin. “Oh.” The blonde muffled a laugh.
“Yeah, they’re never really sure what to do with that,” Dar replied with a smirk. “The more you tell people something isn’t happening, the more they think it is. If you just laugh at them, they’re not expecting that.”
“Hmm.” Kerry nodded. “That makes a lot of sense. Is that your trick—all that self-confidence?”
A slow nod of agreement. “If I believe in myself, everyone else tends to,”
she answered. “No one will say anything outright, but they’ll insinuate.” She chewed her lip. “You could also try the old standard of asking them exactly what they mean, that you don’t understand what they’re asking.”
“Okay, I think I can do that,” Kerry replied hesitantly.
Dar studied her with a sense of quiet regret. “Kerry, if it’s going to be too much, we’ll think of something else,” she told the younger woman softly.
“I…I don’t want this to be tough on you.”
Kerry shook her head vigorously. “No. No, it’s all right. It just takes a little getting used to. I’m not really good at hiding things.” She chewed her lip.
“But I’ll be okay. I never thought I’d…” She paused, thinking hard. “Dar, I really like you.”
“Well, I kinda hoped so.” Dar gave her a wistful little smile. “I kinda hoped it wasn’t just that you thought it would be good for your career.” She maintained a half joking air, but there was pain behind the statement.
Kerry heard it and gently touched her cheek. “You didn’t really think that, did you?”
Dar dropped her gaze to the sheets and traced a little design there. She shrugged. “It’s happened before.” she acknowledged quietly.
God, if I could find the person who did that, I’d take a cocktail fork and poke them so full of holes… Kerry exhaled. “That’s not what I’m about,” she said. “That’s not…” Dar wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I’d rather you fire me right now than have you think that.” She paused. “In fact, I’m not going to give you the option, I’m resigning.”
Startled blue eyes lifted. “Kerry, wait! That’s not what I…”
“I mean it,” Kerry stated quietly. “I can easily get a job working for Colleen’s bank.” She started to scramble out of bed, visibly upset. “I am not going to have you thinking the only reason I…”
“Kerry…”
“No!” Kerry replied sharply. “Is that really what…Jesus Christ.” She headed for the door, anger in the set of her body.
Dar somehow managed to intercept her, catching her gently by the shoulders and turning her around. “Hey.” Kerry was shaking, and she could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. “Wait a minute.” A pause. “Please.”
The blonde stilled and just looked at her. “That’s not what I thought about you. If it was, I never would have gone this far again.” It was a stark, blunt statement. “Believe me.” She felt the tension relax in Kerry’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to quit. I finally found someone I can Tropical Storm 269
trust, who can take some of this job off my shoulders. If I lose that now, I…”
Dar sighed. “It won’t be good.”
Kerry blew out a breath and put out a tentative hand, stroking the soft skin on the taller woman’s belly. “This complicates everything.” She fell silent for a long moment while Dar merely waited. “I’d rather lose my job than…”
she paused awkwardly, “…than lose you.” Kerry focused her gaze on Dar’s collarbone. “Jesus, you must think that sounds so damn naïve.”
Dar gently put her arms around her and pulled her close. “No,” Her voice was very quiet. “Not at all.” It was, she knew, a big risk. But Dar had always followed her instincts, and her instincts were telling her Kerry could be trusted, despite what had happened before, despite the odds against it. “We’ll work things out. It’ll be okay, Kerry. I promise. It’ll be okay.”
Kerry let her forehead fall forward to rest against Dar’s shoulder. She really didn’t want to leave the company. She really didn’t want to leave Dar, sensing that the executive truly wanted her to stay. “Okay.” She looked up in the dim light, seeing Dar’s features barely outlined as lines of gold and silver, and the splash of crystal that were her eyes. “I’ll try.”
She tilted her head as Dar bent her neck and kissed her, welcoming the soft brush of her lips and the tingle as their bodies moved together. It was so incredible. She’d never expected it to feel like this, not the deep and wild hunger that robbed her of breath and dignity and made her want to rub up against Dar like a cat in heat. The taller woman’s hands slowly moved down her sides and around her back, and she uttered a soft moan against Dar’s lips.
Echoed by its twin, as the dark-haired woman stepped back a little, and stroked the side of her face.
Dar sighed regretfully. “We keep this up, and I’m not gonna make it into work.”
Kerry patted her arm and gave her a wry look. “Uh, yeah. I think I could use a shower myself.” She grimaced. “A cold shower,” she muttered as an afterthought.
Dar chuckled and gave her a light kiss on the top of her head. “Go on, I’ll let myself out. See you in the office?”
“You bet.” Kerry nodded. “I’ll bring pastelitos.” She grinned at the way Dar’s eyes lit up, then the executive winked and padded out of the room, the light from the street lamp sliding in shadows over her naked form. Kerry turned the shower on and let it run. Even over the sound of the water, she heard Dar slip her clothes on, then the soft click as the front door closed.
“Whoa.” Kerry leaned against the washbasin and gazed soberly at her reflection. Surely it was the same person who had looked back at her the previous morning—the same almost babyish, slightly rounded face, the same green eyes. Then why did she feel so different?
Well, okay, so it was the first time she’d ever made love to a woman. And if she had to pick a first, Dar certainly was a good one. She was experienced, but gentle, passionate yet playful. So it was a great experience. Then why are my knees shaking? Why does it feel like butterflies are clustered inside my stomach?
She thought of Dar and felt a fierce blast of emotion grab her, making her lean forward in surprise. What in the hell is going on with me?
“C’mon, Kerrison, get your act together and take a shower. You’ve got 270 Melissa Good work to do.” She sighed, trudging toward the gently steaming water, shocked to find herself seriously considering not getting in it to avoid washing away Dar’s lingering scent. “Good grief.” She sighed and forced herself forward. “I think I’m losing my mind.”