Part 31 (1/2)

Dar snorted. ”Well,” she got up and walked to the door, ”good luck.” Her eyes searched the dimming horizon, streaked with gentle orange light. ”You're gonna need it.”

Bob stood up and peered out the window toward the west. ”I know I can do it,” he said. ”I just need the time to look. If I could only get that b.a.s.t.a.r.d DeSalliers off my back for a few days.” He straightened up and turned. ”Well, anyway, thanks again. I know you didn't mean to rescue me for the second time, but boy, I appreciate it.”

Dar remained staring out at the sunset.

”I'm glad we were in the right place at the right time.” Kerry gracefully picked up the ball. ”Where are you going now? You can't try the wreck again. He'll get you next time.”

Bob sighed. ”Yeah,” he said. ”I don't know. Maybe I can check out the drift shops on the islands. Maybe what I'm looking for has already been picked up, and it's there.”

”Hm.” Kerry made a noncommittal sound.

”Hey, maybe I'll ask those buddies of yours. They're pretty savvy,” Bob suddenly added. ”Bet they've been around...a while, haven't they?”

Kerry frowned. ”Well, I guess. I just met them. They're old friends of Dar's, really. Probably they know where to start looking, though.”

”Yeah,” Bob answered briefly.

”Don't you think DeSalliers has thought of that?” Dar asked from the doorway. ”I bet his little gumshoes are looking right now.”

Bob smiled. ”He would, if he knew what he was looking for.”

He eased past Dar, then turned with a faint, half-crooked smile.

”But he doesn't.” He picked up his gear and stepped off the boat onto the dock. ”Thanks again,” he said to Dar. ”Hope Kerry feels better soon.”

He turned and started walking up the dock, slinging his gear over one shoulder as he carried his tanks in the other.

Dar turned and went back inside the cabin. She found Kerry waiting, one leg slung over the arm of her chair as she finished her juice. ”He'll never find it,” she said. ”Whatever it is.”*185 Kerry wiggled her toes. ”Probably not,” she agreed. ”You think there's anything to his story?”

Dar sat down on the couch and extended a hand out to her.

”C'mere.” She wrapped her arms around Kerry when she complied, pulling her down into her lap and leaning back on the couch. ”I don't know,” she answered. ”Right now, I don't really care.”

Kerry put her arms around Dar's neck and nuzzled her cheek.

”What a mess.” She found Dar's ear invitingly close by, and despite the fact that she still felt like heck, she gently suckled the tasty looking earlobe. Dar's arms tightened around her and she laughed softly.

”Mmm,” Dar hummed. ”Feeling better?”

Kerry gave her a kiss on the cheek. ”How could I not feel better?” Her lashes brushed Dar's skin, tickling it and making the dark-haired woman smile. ”How about you?” she whispered into Dar's ear. ”You sounded kinda torked before.”

Dar hesitated, then sighed. ”Yeah, I'm okay,” she said. ”Just too much going on at once, I guess,” she admitted.

Kerry nuzzled her cheek again. ”I think we're due a vacation from our vacation, Dixiecup.”

”Mm.” Dar thought about the trials of the day, then decided dismissing them and simply immersing herself in Kerry's presence was a much better idea. There was really no point in dwelling on it all anyway. It was over, and in the past. Things had worked out all right. Kerry was okay. She was okay. They knew what was going on. Now they could take off and leave it all behind. They were out of it. Kerry suckled on her earlobe again, blowing gently into her ear. Dar closed her eyes and smiled. Yeah. Everything is all right.

Chapter.

Sixteen.

DAR WOKE TO the soft clang of the buoy sea bell at the edge of the harbor. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and looked around in slight confusion, taking a moment to recognize the dim interior of the boat around her. She and Kerry were lying together on the small couch, limbs entangled. Dar had no idea what time it was or how long they'd been sleeping, and she found herself quite willing to let her eyes close and drift back into peaceful oblivion.

Not that she could have gotten up even if she'd wanted to. Dar observed the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of Kerry's chest up close and personal, since she was pinned under her lover's st.u.r.dy form.

Luckily for her, it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as one might expect, and after she stretched her body out a little, she settled back down and amiably resigned herself to pillow duty. However, after a few quiet minutes, Kerry stirred and made a tiny grumbling sound.

Dar scratched the back of her neck gently. ”Shh...go back to sleep.”

Kerry opened one eye and peeked at her. ”Thirsty,” she muttered with a hoa.r.s.e edge to her voice. ”d.a.m.n pills.”

”I'd get up and get you some water, but, um...” Dar reviewed their tangled bodies.

”But I'm squas.h.i.+ng you.” Kerry got her hands on the couch and pushed herself upward, awkwardly getting to her feet. ”Ooof.” She wavered a minute, then sat down again, putting her hand to her head. ”Whoa.”

Dar immediately sat up. ”Hey.”

”Just a little dizzy,” Kerry muttered. ”I got up too fast,” she added. ”I think.”

”And you also haven't eaten anything since that soup and crackers at lunch,” Dar realized.

”Neither have you.” Kerry got to her feet a little more cautiously, then she held a hand out to Dar. ”C'mon. Let's go raid the fridge together.” She looked around. ”What time is it?”

Dar picked up her cell phone as she stood to join her partner.

”Eleven thirty.” Her eyes lifted to the cabin door. ”Huh. Bud was*187 supposed to send Charlie down when he got home. Guess he got caught up.” She tossed the cell to the table, then reached up to put her hand across Kerry's forehead. ”Ah.”

”No chills,” Kerry acknowledged. ”Now I just feel like a dishrag.”

”Maybe we should call you terrycloth, then, instead of Kerry,”

Dar teased, relieved at feeling no fever in her partner. ”C'mon.”

They walked together to the galley. Kerry slipped inside first and retrieved a water bottle from the fridge, popping it open and sucking several mouthfuls from it. She turned to find Dar rummaging the shelves, and put a hand on her partner's shoulder.

”Nothing exotic, honey. Just some yogurt, if it's there.”

Dar retrieved a container and handed it up. ”How about some toast to go with that.”

Kerry cleared her throat experimentally, feeling an ominous scratchiness. ”I think my bug is migrating,” she informed Dar mournfully. ”Ice cream would work better.”

”Ah.” Dar stood and gave her a sympathetic look. ”How about some soup?”

”Mmph.” Kerry had popped the top on the yogurt and spooned up a mouthful. It was plain and cool, and it made her throat feel better. ”Only if you're having some too,”she replied, b.u.mping Dar lightly with her hip.