Kerry looked over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes.
Dar smiled and shook her head.
"Dar, don't worry about it." Kerry said. "We'll just work it out."
Chino woke up and flipped over, sneezing. She got up and went to Kerry's side, standing up on her hind legs and giving Kerry a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, sweetie." Kerry took hold of her muzzle and kissed her on the head. "I love getting kissies from you almost as much as I love getting kissies from your mommy Dar."
A moment later, she found herself encircled by Dar's arms. Teeth closed gently on her earlobe. She could feel the intensity of the emotion behind the squeeze that nearly stopped her breathing.
"Damn, I love you." Dar whispered.
Kerry reached up and cupped her partner's face, pulling her forward a little and kissing her on the lips. She then pressed her cheek against Dar's and exhaled, a low sound of contentment sounding deep in her throat. "Damn, I love you."
"Know what I think?" Dar reached over and pulled the wireless keyboard out of Kerry's hands, setting it on the desk. "I think work's over. Want to join me and a glass of champagne in the hot tub?"
Kerry abandoned her machine without a second's thought. She swung her legs off the desk and stood up, hooking her fingers inside the waistband of Dar's shorts and following her as she walked out of the office and started down the steps. Chino bustled past them reaching the bottom landing and whirling around in a circle as she waited for them to catch up.
As they reached the dog, however, the phone rang. Dar glanced at the clock on the entertainment center, and her brows lifted. "Who the hell's calling here now?"
"Only one way to find out." Kerry went over to the side table and picked up the cordless phone, keying the answer button and putting it to her ear. "Hello?"
"Hey, sis." Angela, Kerry's sister, replied. "Busy?"
Dar had cocked her head to listen. Now she gave Kerry a pat on the butt and pointed toward her own bedroom, mimicking stripping out of her clothing as she walked past.
"A little. What's up?" Kerry gave her partner thumbs up, and then dropped into the couch. "How are you? How's the munchkin?"
Angie cleared her throat. "Munchkin and I are fine," she said, and then hesitated. "But we're kinda looking for a new place to live."
Kerry blinked. "Huh?"
"Richard found out about Brian." Angie said. "He filed for divorce."
"He's divorcing you?" Kerry sat straight up, her voice rising. "No shit. Really?"
Dar kept one ear on the conversation in the living room as she changed out of her t-shirt and shorts. She was halfway glad Kerry's family had conveniently provided a distraction, to chase the subject they'd both been dancing around, out of the way for a while.
It would be easier, she thought, if she knew what the hell her problem really was. As Kerry had hinted, she'd thought she was past the bullshit. Kerry thought she was past the bullshit. So why was she doing everything in her power to avoid having to deal with the ship project?
Dar glowered at her reflection in the mirror. Stormy blue eyes were reflected back at her, and she scowled, feeling a mixture of frustration and impatience with herself. Could she really just toss the project off on Kerry's shoulders, knowing how important it was, and how much Alastair was counting on her?
On the other hand, could she really justify not trusting Kerry to handle it? Dar sighed. "Fuck." She addressed herself. "I think you need a head enema."
"Yeesh." Kerry interrupted her self-chastisement. "Poor Angie!" She entered the bedroom and halted as Dar turned, her expression altering to one of sultry interest. "Hmm. Maybe I should convince her to try something other than guys for a little while."
Dar put one hand on her hip. "Oh, I'm sure that'd be a popular suggestion. Especially for Brian," she said. "What happened?"
Kerry pulled her t-shirt off. "Angie thought she'd blown him off about Andy's blood tests, but I guess he got suspicious. He had DNA tests done without her knowing."
Dar snorted. "Nice!" She slipped behind Kerry and undid her bra, giving her a scratch between her tanned shoulder blades. "So she's going back home?"
"No." Kerry folded her bra and set it on the counter next to her already folded t-shirt. "Oh, my mother offered, sure, but Angie, she wants to get out on her own."
"With Brian?"
Kerry didn't answer for a moment, and then she turned and faced Dar. "She's not sure."
Dar cocked her head in question.
A shrug. "She said she doesn't want it to be a case of he needs to take care of her now. She wants to do it on her own." Kerry put her hands on Dar's waist, rubbing her thumbs on the soft skin there. "Maybe I started a family trend. In any case, she was asking what the housing prices were like down here."
"Ah."
Kerry eased forward and brushed her lips over the curve of Dar's breast. She felt Dar's fingertips run up and down her back and it encouraged her to move closer, fitting her bare body to Dar's and reveling in the sensual jolt it gave her. "Y'know, water sounded good..."
"There's water in that bed." Dar suggested, kissing her neck.
"Just what I was thinking." Kerry gladly gave up the idea of the hot tub, and started exploring Dar's skin instead. "Mm...maybe I should tell Angie..."
"Shh." Dar bumped her toward the bed. "If we start telling the heteros, they'll all want to be gay." She tumbled with Kerry into the center of the bed, as they both chuckled.
"HEY, COL." Kerry carried her teacup into the break room and set it down. "What's up?" She asked, waiting her turn at the hot water spigot.
"Same old, same old." Her friend replied, with a grin. "Hey, any chance of you making it out to the beach this coming weekend? We've got a 'cue planned."
Kerry dunked her teabag up and down a few times. "Hmm. Let me get back to you on that. Maybe. Hey listen, are there any units open in the complex?"
"Mine?" Colleen asked. "Two, I think. Why?"
Kerry poured a little milk into her tea and put the bottle back in the refrigerator. "Might need one on short notice." She explained. "You going back to your office? I'll fill you in."
Colleen picked up her coffee mug and followed Kerry out into the hallway. She caught up with her friend a few steps down. "So, what's up?"
"My sister," Kerry said. "Following my very bad example. C'mon inside and I'll tell you all about it." She entered her office, toasting the newly arrived Mayte with her cup. "Morning!"
"Morning, Kerry." Mayte smiled at her, as she went to her desk and slid behind it.
Colleen trailed after Kerry as they both entered the inner office, and Kerry shut the door before going to her own desk and taking a seat. "I get this call last night." She said. "My family's hit the Enquirer again."
"Oh no." Colleen sat down across from her. "Now what? Is your nephew an alien?"
"Worse." Kerry sipped her tea. "A bastard and his father found out about it." She watched Colleen's eyes widen in amazement. "Did I forget to tell you my sister had an affair with my ex-boyfriend?"
"Jesu." Colleen covered her face with one hand.
"Hmm. Thought for sure I told you that one. Anyway, Richard found out and he's suing Angie for divorce. She was hinting about places down here so I figured..."
"I get the picture." Colleen held her hand up, palm out. "Let me talk to the landlord and see what he's got open. I know there's a one bedroom, but I'm thinking for her a two would be better, right? How's she going to survive? I thought you told me she's a housewife."
Kerry sighed, leaning back in her chair. "She is. She can do some light office work, though, and she's not stupid. She knows how to use a PC, do some bookkeeping, that sort of thing."
Colleen made a face.
"I know." Kerry acknowledged the grimace. "Honestly, Col, she'd be better off going back to Mom's house, but I'm not really the one to tell her that, you know?"