Terrors of the High Seas

Chapter

Nine

LESSON ONE. KERRY regarded her reflection in the mirror with critical eyes. Heroism hurts. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head at the truly spectacular purple, green and red mark right across her stomach. “Glad I never went for the bikini look,”

she remarked after a moment, chuckling and scrubbing her hands through her hair before she smoothed it down into some semblance of order. Breathing too deeply was painful and her back was stiff, but she suspected she’d survive—with a couple of painkillers and a dose of relaxing on the deck.

It was sunny and breezy outside, and a good night’s sleep had restored most of her good humor. She brushed her teeth and slipped into an emerald green, one-piece swimsuit. “There.” She took a cautious breath, then released it. “That sure looks better.”

Her eyes flicked over her body, now so used to her heavier, more muscular form that it was hard really to remember what she used to look like before she met Dar.

She gave herself a nod of approval, then emerged into the boat’s main cabin. Dar was curled up on the couch—a tray of coffee, biscuits, and cut up fruit next to her on the table, and a magazine folded in her hand. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Howdy.” Dar laid the magazine down and shifted, nudging the tray toward her partner.

Kerry took a croissant, neatly split it, applied butter and jam to its surfaces, and retired to the couch herself, snuggling up in back of Dar and draping herself over her partner’s lower body. “Mm.”

She nibbled her breakfast. “Whatcha reading?”

Dar held up the Unix systems administration periodical.

“Nerd.” Kerry chortled softly, shaking her head. “Feeling better this morning?”

Dar stifled a yawn. “Yeah, a little sleepy, though,” she said, reaching over to tug a bit of Kerry’s hair. “What about you?”

“Well,” Kerry swallowed a mouthful, “it hurts, I won’t deny that.” She licked a flake from her lips. “But in kind of a weird way, it feels good, because I know it was for a good cause.”

“Huh.” Dar flexed her hand absently, a faint smile crossing her Terrors of the High Seas 83

lips. “I never thought of it like that, but yeah. I remember the morning after you got carjacked, when I couldn’t even close my fist.” She gazed at her fingers.

Kerry obligingly captured Dar’s hand and pulled it closer, kissing it. “You were amazing.”

“Ahem.” Dar cleared her throat. She put down her magazine and pulled the tray closer, dumped cream and sugar into a cup, then topped it with a little coffee. “I’ll be glad to get to St. Johns.”

She took a sip. “The place we’re going to has great food, and better views.”

“Ooh.” Kerry accepted the subject change gracefully, giving Dar a fondly knowing look.

“And I really want to get a line on those bastards.”

Kerry grinned. “Thought there was an ulterior motive there.”

She neatly took the cup from Dar’s fingers, took a sip, and then put it back. “But that’s okay, because I want to know more about them too.” She rested her chin on Dar’s hip, grinning happily.

“You’re in a good mood,” Dar observed.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Kerry agreed. “Storm and terror-filled nights do that to me, I guess.” She paused, her brow creasing.

“Once they’re behind me.”

“Uh huh.” Dar regarded her drolly. “I’ll have to remember that.”

“Of course,” Kerry drew a fingertip slowly down Dar’s thigh,

“hedonistic nights full of love and snuggling put me in an even better mood.” She batted her blonde lashes at her partner. “Make sure you put that down, too.”

Dar chuckled. “I knew that already,” she drawled, running her fingers through Kerry’s hair and watching green eyes close in pleasure. “Shall we get this tub ready to go?”

Kerry wriggled closer, squeezing in behind Dar until they were wrapped around each other. She rested her chin on Dar’s shoulder and blew lightly into her ear. “How about we just take it easy for a while?” she whispered, watching the pale blue eyes inches from her blink and close slightly. “You in a rush?”

Dar eased over onto her back, then turned toward Kerry and slid her body up against her partner’s. She pulled Kerry closer and kissed her gently, letting one hand slide down to rest at her waist.

“No rush,” she answered, rubbing noses with Kerry playfully. “But I just want to remind you that all the windows are open, and the gangway’s down.”

“Eerrwwooough.” Kerry growled deep in her throat. “What a dilemma.” She gave an exaggerated sigh. “Indulge my libido, or retain my upright Midwestern reputation.” Outside, the deck creaked and Kerry’s eyes widened as she started.

Dar snickered. “You can take the girl out of the corn…”

84 Melissa Good

“I’ll corn you.” Kerry leaned forward and kissed her passionately, feeling Dar’s body react as she pulled Kerry into a tight hug. Her ribs protested gently but she ignored them, preferring to concentrate on the jolt of sensual reaction that rapidly warmed her. Her hands eagerly explored Dar’s body, her fingers sliding up under Dar’s tank top to trace her breasts. The soft surface pressed up against her as Dar inhaled, and she found herself short of breath, as well, as she felt Dar’s touch high up on the inside of her thigh.

Oh, to hell with my reputation. Kerry felt her swimsuit straps slide off her shoulders as she pulled Dar’s shirt up, feeling the heat as their skin met and her weight pressed down against Dar’s body.

“Hey!” A voice outside erupted suddenly. “Anyone home?”

Kerry found herself nose to nose with a lethally frustrated Dar, whose darkened blue eyes and definite snarl perfectly captured how Kerry herself was feeling. “Arggghh.” She released the groan softly as she let her head drop to rest against Dar’s collarbone.

“That about covers it,” Dar sighed. “Oh boy.” She cleared her throat and swallowed, attempting to collect her composure. She raised her voice. “Be right there.” Then she added in a quiet but heartfelt tone, “You godforsaken son of a bitch.”

Kerry started laughing. “Bookmark this,” she advised her partner. “For later.” With another groan, she reluctantly untangled herself from Dar’s body and stood up, eased her straps back into place, and rubbed her face to clear the flush she knew was coloring it. “Jesus.”

Dar stretched out on the couch and yawned, then curled up like a large, half- naked cat. She picked up her forgotten coffee cup and sipped at it, watching Kerry over the rim with a seductive look.

“You’re not helping.” Kerry ran her hands through her hair. “I take it you want me to go greet our guest.”

“You invited him,” Dar drawled.

“Yeah, what was that all about?” Kerry slapped herself on the side of the head, and continued to do so as she walked towards the cabin door. “Curse my parents for raising me with manners.”

With a chuckle, Dar leaned back against the pillow on the couch and enjoyed Kerry’s sexy little swagger as she ducked through the entrance and went out onto the stern deck. She heard Kerry greet their rescued mariner and she sighed as she rested her head on the soft fabric. “Curse you, Stuart.”

”MORNING.” KERRY LIFTED a hand to wave at the man standing on the dock. Bob was dressed in khaki shorts a little too big for him, and the polo shirt he’d been wearing the night before.

In the daylight, his slightly round, cheerful face and curly hair Terrors of the High Seas 85

presented a picture of a reasonably good-looking man about Kerry’s age. “C’mon aboard.”

Bob took her up on her invitation and crossed the gangplank.

“Thanks. Good morning to you,” he replied, as his eyes took in her swim-suited body. Politely, he glanced away. “Weather cleared up at least, huh?”

Kerry turned and surveyed the clear horizon. “Sure did.” She smiled. “We’re not really ready to get underway yet. Want to come in and grab some coffee?”

“That’d be great. Thanks.” He returned her smile warmly.

“Listen…I…um…” He glanced around, then back at her. “I really want to thank you again, for what you did last night.”

Kerry felt a curious mixture of pleasure and embarrassment. “I was glad to help,” she said. “I’m really happy everything turned out all right.”

“Me, too,” Bob replied easily. “But it wouldn’t have, if it hadn’t been for you.” He courteously held the door for her. “I won’t forget that.”

“Well, you’re very welcome.” Kerry entered the cabin, her eyes automatically tracking until she found Dar’s tall figure behind the galley. “Got some extra coffee there, Dar?”

Dar’s eyes flicked past her and a wry grin appeared. “Sure.”

“Morning,” Bob greeted Dar.

“Hi,” Dar replied. “I’m going to get us ready to take off,” she told Kerry. “I want to run up and talk to Charlie for a minute before we go.”

“Okay.” Kerry traded places with her, reaching for the coffee.

“Tell them I said hi, okay?” She really didn’t have any desire to face the troublesome Bud.

“Uh huh.” Dar patted her back, then slipped past her and headed for the door.

Kerry smiled to herself and shook her head as she got down another cup from the cupboard. “How do you take it?” She looked up, a little surprised to find Bob leaning against the counter.

“Black,” he replied, accepting the cup she offered. “Thanks.”

He took a cautious sip. “So, Kerry, we didn’t get to talk much last night. Where are you from?”

Kerry poured herself a cup and added cream and sugar to it, then eased out of the galley and took a seat at the small table. Bob settled next to her, patiently waiting for her to answer.

“Michigan,” Kerry said. “What about you?”

“Thought I recognized the accent. I’m from Detroit,” he said with a grin. “My family owns some property just outside the city.”

He paused, sipping his coffee. “You go to Michigan University?”

Kerry nodded. “Matter of fact, I did.”

“I went out of state to college,” he related. “Boston.” A 86 Melissa Good thoughtful look crossed his face. “My father’s family is from there.

Old seafaring men, you know.”

“Mm.”

“That’s where I learned to sail,” he added. “When I was a kid, and then again when I got older. It sounded as if you’d sailed a lot.”

He neatly turned the subject back to her. “That one of your hobbies?”

Kerry looked up and found him watching her face with a faint, shy, half smile. “No, not now.” She propped her head on one hand.

“Underwater photography, and keeping up with work.” She came to the vague realization that Bob was showing some definite interest in her, and couldn’t decide if she was amused or embarrassed. “How about helping me get the boat ready? Dar should be back soon.”

“Sure,” he agreed amiably. “You name it, I’m yours.”

Yikes. Kerry slid out from behind the table. She hoped the trip to St. Johns was a short one.

“You know, I think we’ve really got a lot in common,” Bob added.

Not nearly as much as you think. Kerry gave him a brief smile and held the door open. ‘Well, we’ve got some of the same interests,”

she allowed. “But I like brunettes.”

“Huh?”

DAR STUCK HER hands in her pockets as she walked up the sandy path. Bob’s arrival had definitely put a knot in her shorts, and she’d considered violating the common rules of hospitality when she’d almost succumbed to the urge to toss his preppy butt right off the boat.

Ah, Dar, she chuckled wryly at herself. Your background’s showing. He’s not a bad kid. She kicked a pinecone ahead of her and glanced up the empty path. You’ll drop him off in St. Johns, and that’ll be that.

She climbed up the steps to Bud and Charlie’s restaurant, and paused with her hand on the door when she heard loud voices inside.

“Thought you could duck out on me last night, huh?” A snarl preceded, “Where’s the money?”

“Look, I told you we don’t have the cash.” Charlie’s tone sounded uncharacteristically tense. “You can’t get blood from a damn rock.”

“Yeah?” the strange voice answered. “Well, either you cough up that ten grand, or there’ll be plenty of blood on the floor of this dump, got me?”

“We can work somethin’ out,” Bud interjected. “You gotta give Terrors of the High Seas 87

us time. You know we’re good for it.”

“I don’t know shit.” The stranger laughed. “’Cept I know I’ll be back here day after t’morra, and either you give me what you owe, or I’ll take what I can get out of your skin.”

Heavy footsteps headed toward her, and Dar only just stepped back in time to avoid being smashed in the face as the door slammed open. A tall, burly man in a tank top and jeans that were far too tight shoved past her, giving her a cursory glance as he went by.

Dar stared at his back before she turned and entered the restaurant. Her appearance startled Bud and Charlie, and they broke apart a little, before they recognized her and relaxed. “What’s going on?” she asked without preamble.

“Morning, Dar.” Charlie couldn’t quite summon his usual friendly smile. “Get a good night’s sleep?”

Bud studied the floor.

“Fine,” Dar replied briefly. “What’s going on?” she asked again.

“Not your business,” Bud answered gruffly.

“Bud.” Charlie frowned at his partner’s intentional rudeness.

“Just a little business stuff, Dar. Nothing major.”

Dar put her hands on her hips and gave them both the kind of look she usually reserved for newly hatched sales managers questioning her decisions. “I deal with business ‘stuff’ all the time, and I never get threatened with bodily harm, though most of the people I deal with probably consider it,” she remarked. “Can the crap. What’s Cheapside Guido’s problem?”

“It’s none of your business!” Bud snapped before he turned and thrust his way into the kitchen. The hinged door flapped wildly behind him, then stopped with a sodden thunk.

Charlie sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Damn it.”

Dar waited with moderate patience. “C’mon, Charlie. You really want me to just forget it and leave, I will,” she offered. “But if you need help, I’m listening.”

Charlie glanced toward the kitchen door, then shrugged. “We can handle it,” he finally said. “It’s just the loan we took out to start up this place.” He plucked at the pocket on his shorts. “Taking a little longer to pay back than we’d planned, but we’ll work it out.”

Dar studied her father’s friend. “He wasn’t from Bank of America.”

Charlie snorted softly. “Hell no. Two beat-up Navy scrubs—

you think they’d give us a loan?” he asked. “We just went to the co-op. But anyway…” He determinedly regained his good humor.

“Everything settle down from last night? We chit chatted with Bob for a while. He’s quite a talker.”

“Charlie.” Dar leaned against the wall. She plucked a pencil 88 Melissa Good from Charlie’s pocket and picked up a piece of torn envelope that was sitting on the counter next to them. “Here.” She wrote down a phone number, then handed the envelope and the pencil back to him. “If that shark starts biting your ass, call me.”

Reluctantly, he took the paper. “Dar, I appreciate it, but we can handle this. Bud’d sooner cut off his arm than ask for help.” He hesitated. “’Specially yours.” His face was apologetic.

“Too bad,” Dar told him bluntly. “Tell him to grow up and get over it.”

Charlie winced.

“I have to ask people I can’t stand for things every day.”

“It’s not that he doesn’t like you, Dar,” Charlie protested hastily. “He does. We both do. He just can’t forget stuff in the past with your dad, and…”

“I am not my dad,” Dar broke in, leaning forward. “In case you hadn’t noticed.”

“No, I know that.” Charlie sighed. “I know that, Dar.” He ventured a smile. “Though you did grow up to look a whole lot like him, y’know,” he insisted stubbornly.

Dar sighed inwardly, then gave up the effort, deciding on a different tack. “Yeah, that’s what people tell me,” she admitted.

“Listen, we’re heading out. Anything you guys need out there we can drop off on the way back?”

Now that the conversational topic had changed, Charlie relaxed. “WD40,” he joked, tapping his artificial knee. “Always running out of the damn stuff.” He cleared his throat. “Listen, Dar, you guys were asking about pirates last night.”

“Hm?” Dar crossed her arms.

The big ex-serviceman glanced around. “They ain’t always what they seem,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Dar asked.

“Chuck!” Bud’s voice interrupted. “Fish man’s here!”

Charlie glanced at the kitchen. “Them jerks last night, they ain’t the kinda pirates we know about,” he said quickly. “That’s all I’m saying. Good luck, good trip.” He put a hand on the door, then took a last look at Dar. “Tell your dad I said hey.”

Dar watched him disappear, then released a sigh, letting her glance travel around the inside of the tattered and somewhat threadbare restaurant. With a silent shake of her head, she turned and left the room, emerging back into the sunlight. The island’s emptiness surrounded her, and as she walked back toward the dock, her mind turned over the puzzle pieces that, though scattered, were beginning to nudge at her with their curious nature.

She spotted the loan shark as she walked onto the dock. He was standing next to a small, racy looking runabout with another man, half his size. They were both looking at the Dixieland Yankee, and Terrors of the High Seas 89

they turned to watch Dar as she approached the boat.

“Hey, baby,” the bigger man yelled over. “That your boat?”

Dar paused and looked at him over the top of her sunglasses.

“Yeah,” she replied briefly, as she paused to unloop the bow line.

“Want a good man to drive her?”

Dar tossed the line onboard then walked to the stern, released the boat, and leaped onto the back deck. “No thanks.” She dropped the line and dusted off her hands, turned her back on the two of them, and ignored their ribald laughter.

Kerry emerged from the cabin, an almost fierce grin crossing her face as she spotted Dar. “Thought I heard you,” she greeted her lover. “We outta here?”

“Oh yeah.” Dar made her way up to the flying bridge. “Let’s go find some better scenery.” She took her seat and started up the engines, adjusted the throttles, and eased the boat out of the dock.

At low tide, maneuvering in the cramped space was even more difficult, and she had to really concentrate to avoid taking out part of the dock on her way out.

She cleared the last pylon and turned into the channel, feeling the wind pick up as she increased speed and headed out across the green-blue water.

KERRY CAREFULLY PLACED her deck chair on the stern, half turned so she could look up and watch Dar at the controls of the boat. She settled into it as Bob took the seat next to her, and she resigned herself to a trip full of small talk. “So, Bob—you never did get around to saying last night. Were you on vacation?”

Bob leaned on the chair arm. “Vacation? I wish.” He sighed.

“No, it’s…” he glanced around, “kinda stupid, really.”

If he tells me he came out here looking for his one true love, I’ll chuck up on him, Kerry thought, all the while keeping a pleasant expression on her face. “How stupid could it be?” she asked.

He edged a little closer. “Remember what I said about my grandparents?”

“From Boston,” Kerry promptly replied, lest he repeat his tale.

“Yeah.” Bob nodded. “My grandfather was lost at sea.”

Kerry straightened a little. “Oh. I’m really sorry to hear that,”

she said sincerely. “How did it happen?”

“He was the captain of a…um…fishing boat,” Bob admitted.

“Not very glamorous, I know, but he was really successful at it,” he added. “Anyway, he was out here on a trip to the islands and he just never came back.”

Kerry leaned back in her chair and tucked one leg up under her. “Wow.” She shook her head. “That’s really sad. They never found the boat or anything?”

90 Melissa Good Bob gazed at her. “They know where it went down. This guy who was a witness contacted my grandmother and sold her a map—”

“Sold her?”

Bob shrugged. “Yeah, I know, probably a sucker deal. But she gave me the map, and I decided I’d come out here and see what I could find.”

Kerry frowned. “You don’t even know if it’s accurate.”

“No, but it’s something,” Bob said. “Problem is, I came out here and found out that the spot he supposedly went down has been licensed by some salvage outfit.”

One of Kerry’s eyebrows hiked slightly. “Really?” she said. “A salvage outfit, huh?”

“Yeah. I tried to talk to them, but they ran me out of there.”

Bob shook his head. “Real bunch of jerks. Big-money types, you know.” He gave her a wry smile. “The kind that like to let you know it.”

“Uh huh.” Kerry wondered if it was the same pair they’d run into. “Were they sort of young, a thin guy and a bossy woman?”

Surprised, Bob nodded. “Yeah! You know them?”

Kerry got up and paced over to the cooler, opened it, and removed a chilled bottle of iced tea. She was aware of Bob’s eyes on her back—could almost feel the heat between her shoulder blades—

and she briefly wished she’d put her overalls on over her sheer bathing suit. “Not exactly,” she answered his question. “We ran into them back at that island. They were asking about a site Dar and I dove that day.” She returned. “I guess it was part of that area you’re interested in.”

“Really?” Bob murmured. “So you’re a real diver, huh? Got all your own gear?”

Kerry nodded. “Sure.” She opened her tea and took a sip.

“Dar’s a master diver.” She glanced fondly up at her lover, who was leaning back with one bare foot propped up against the console.

“We’ve even got a compressor on board for refills.”

“I always wanted to learn to dive,” Bob said. “You got any pointers for me?” he asked. “Hey, how about a lesson tomorrow?”

Eight-bit card, thirty-two bit bus. Kerry sighed inwardly. “Sorry, we’ve got plans,” she said. “But there are lots of places in St. Johns that have certification courses.”

“Yeah. I’d better get my insurance stuff straightened out tomorrow, anyway.” Bob sighed. “You staying anywhere special on the island?”

“Dar made the reservations.” Kerry smiled. “I can’t remember the name of the place.”

“Oh.”

Kerry spotted a fringe of land on the port side of the boat. She got up and peered around the corner of the cabin. A low, beautiful Terrors of the High Seas 91

island stretched out before her, offering a semicircle of pure white beach backed by lush, green foliage. “Wow.”

Bob came up behind her. “Yeah. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured. “Hey, maybe I’ll stick around a few days. Since I can’t do anything else, might as well catch some rays, right?”

Kerry exhaled silently, rolling her eyes outside of his line of vision.

“Besides, I owe you dinner and a drink,” Bob said. “You gotta at least let me do that, for what you did for me.”

Yikes. Kerry watched the marina approach. “Dar, you want me to call in to the dockmaster?”

“Yep,” Dar responded. “Looks like it’s busy.”

Kerry turned. “Excuse me.” She waited for Bob to back off, then walked to the cabin radio. “St. Johns Marina, St. Johns Marina, this is the Dixieland Yankee. Over.”

“That’s a cute name,” Bob offered. “Does it mean something?”

Kerry eyed him wryly. “She’s the Dixie part and I’m the Yankee,” she explained simply.

“Dixieland Yankee, this is St. Johns. G’wan.”

Bob cocked his head, producing a puzzled smile. “Oh. You guys related?”

Kerry sighed and leaned against the cabin door. “St. Johns, we have a reservation for a berth. Please advise.” She gave Bob a kindly smile. “You might want to sit down. Sounds like a busy dock.”

“Okay.” Bob wandered over and took a seat, leaving Kerry to finish her radio work.

“Gotcha, Dixieland Yankee. Tenth row, third berth. You’ve got 54 feet, yeah?”

“That’s a roger,” Kerry replied. “Thanks.” She put down the radio mic and walked to the ladder, climbing up it as fast as dignity allowed and joining Dar at the console. “Row ten, slot three.” She sat down and rested her elbows on her knees. “Dar…”

“How’s your little worshipper doing?” Dar drawled, giving her a wicked smile. “He invited you to dinner yet?”

Kerry sighed. “Dinner, drinks, diving, you name it,” she muttered. “Why do guys always do that?”

Dar eyed her. “’Cause you’re charming and adorable?”

“Pffffttt.” Kerry stuck out her tongue. “But you know something? He had a run-in with those 24 karat sleezoids we met on the island, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He’s looking for the wreck of his grandfather’s fishing boat. Supposedly it went down in that area they blocked off.”

Dar frowned. “Busy spot of ocean.”

“Mm.”

92 Melissa Good They looked at each other. Kerry scratched her jaw. “Um. He really did ask me to dinner, to thank me for saving his life.” She studied Dar’s face. “Would you mind if I went?”

Dar’s expression went still for a moment, only the tiny muscles on the sides of her eyes twitching. A silence fell between them as Dar glanced at the oncoming marina and adjusted their course. She watched the console for a moment, then returned her eyes to Kerry’s face. She spoke very softly. “Yes, I would mind.”

Kerry felt a mixture of surprise and pleasure. Surprise, because she’d expected Dar to profess a disinterest in preventing her from going, and pleasure because of the gut-level honesty of the actual reaction she’d gotten. “Good.” She exhaled. “Because I would, if it were me.”

Dar grinned briefly. “Jealousy’s an interesting sensation,” she commented, before she returned her careful attention to their approach.

“Mm,” Kerry agreed, watching the island grow larger. “Ain’t that the truth.”

KERRY NUDGED OPEN the door to their room and peered inside. “Whoa.” She chuckled as she entered and tossed her overnight bag down on the king size bed. “Definitely more colorful than your average Marriott.”

Dar closed the door. She eyed the peach walls, strongly patterned carpet, and rich fabrics on the windows and bed with a half grin. “I like it,” she decided. “Wouldn’t want it in my bedroom, but it’s nice for a change.” She put her own bag down and reviewed the rest of the room. It had a high, peaked ceiling, with a fan and a dual vent to remove the hot air from the room. The windows were large and featured a gorgeous view of the half circle bay, and the atmosphere was light and airy.

Kerry went to the window and looked out. “Nice.” She turned and leaned on the sill, watching Dar take off her sunglasses and toss them on the table. Much to Kerry’s relief, when they’d docked Bob had scampered off to take care of his business, and she was looking forward to exploring the resort’s interesting offerings.

She’d spotted kayaks, among other things, and seen mention in the lobby of a rum-tasting demonstration.

Dar lifted the bottle of complimentary rum from the sideboard and held it up. “Very nice.” There was also bottled water. “Use this,” she cautioned Kerry. “I’ve had mixed results drinking from the tap.”

“Ah. Thanks,” Kerry said. “Not having phones was a surprise, though.”

“Mm.” Dar examined the discrete data port. “Internet access Terrors of the High Seas 93

but no phones. Incredible.”

Kerry went to the locked, distressed leather briefcase Dar had put down on the chair. “I guess we’ve gotta bite the bullet, huh?”

They’d agreed not to unlock the case, which held their cell phones and pagers, unless a full-blown crisis was at hand.

“Yeap.” Dar tossed her the keys to the briefcase. “Probably better off using ours anyway.” She watched Kerry unlock the catch and open the case, stick her hand inside, and withdraw one of their two phones. “I know there’s phones outside in the lobby, but…”

“Yeah.” Kerry tossed the phone to Dar, then she wandered back over to the windows, discovering a patio outside. “Hey.” She opened the door and went out onto the stone edifice, alternately splashed with sunlight and the shade from nearby banana trees. It was quiet and peaceful, and the view of the water was quite spectacular. “Breakfast out here tomorrow, I think,” Kerry mused, as a breeze off the water puffed her hair back out of her eyes.

With a satisfied grunt, she turned and went back inside their pleasant room, where she found Dar sprawled across the king size canopy bed with the phone to her ear. The sight was so attractive, Kerry decided to join her, and she crawled over to where Dar was lying, flipped over onto her back, and settled there as she watched the fan circle lazily overhead.

“That’s right, Mark. Just run it for me.” Dar inched her hand over and tugged a bit of Kerry’s hair. “I don’t have the registration number.”

Mark’s voice trickled from the cell phone’s speaker. “Right, boss. How’s the vacation going?”

“Aside from nearly being heaved to by pirates, and Kerry saving a drowning man in a storm, it’s been pretty peaceful,” Dar replied blandly. “How’s it been there?”

A long silence ensued. “Did you actually fucking say pirates?”

Mark asked. “Holy shit, Dar!”

“You didn’t really think we could just have an ordinary vacation, did you?” Dar asked with an amused smirk. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Huh?” Mark spluttered. “Oh, here? It’s been dead,” he told her. “Honest.”

Dar waited silently. To pass the time, she blew gently in Kerry’s ear and watched her torso shiver as she held back a laugh.

“Well, just the usual shit, you know, boss,” Mark finally admitted. “Nothin’ you guys need to worry about.”

Kerry turned her head at that and her green eyes widened.

“Mark?” She raised her voice. “You just made me really nervous.”

“Um…”

Dar covered her eyes. “Mark, just spill it,” she sighed.

“Honest, guys, just more of the usual,” Mark insisted. “We’ve 94 Melissa Good got some international lines down, and one of the northwest data centers crashed. I had to overnight them a bunch of stuff.”

Kerry eyed her partner. ‘Doesn’t sound that bad,’ she mouthed.

Dar shrugged. “Did the new DC nodes come in?”

“Yep.” Mark sounded relieved. “Hey, listen, I’m glad you called for one thing—we got an early drop date for the new back-up IPC.”

Kerry pumped her fist in the air. “Whoohoo.”

“Incredible,” Dar agreed. “I thought we’d be waiting until February.”

“Well, boss—nothing came back on those guys,” Mark said.

“Not on the first run. You want me to keep going?”

Dar frowned. “Nothing?”

“Nothing on that name, no—or the two other names you gave me,” Mark said. “But that’s just a DMV and Marine reg. I’ll do a deep run on ’em. You want me to give you a call back?”

“Yeah,” Dar said. “We’re going to…” She paused. “What are we going to do now, Ker?”

Kerry lifted both hands in the air and produced an engaging grin.

“We’re gonna do something probably involving water and/or food,” Dar said into the phone. “I’ll keep the phone on. Let me know if you find anything, okay?”

“Will do, boss,” Mark said. “You guys have a great time, huh?

No more freaking pirates!”

“Do our best,” Kerry called out. “Thanks, Mark. Tell everyone we said hi.”

Dar disconnected the call and set the phone on the covers. Now that she’d set her query in motion, she felt satisfied to let it take whatever time it did, and in the meanwhile concentrate on resuming her vacation. “Want to just hike out and explore the place for a while?” she asked. “We’re in the middle of the national park here.”

Kerry nodded. “I like that idea,” she said. “It’s so pretty.

Reminds me a little of that hammock down by Old Cutler we went to that one time.” She sat up. “Okay, on with the hiking boots, then.” She patted Dar’s leg. “Let’s go find us some pretty lizards.”

LIZARDS, THEY FOUND in plenty, along with other assorted wildlife. Dar gingerly examined a vivid, bright green snake curled on a branch, taking care to keep her hands far away from it. “Did you see this?” she asked Kerry, who was busy taking a picture of some gorgeous flowers.

“See what?” Kerry trotted over and peered. “Oh!” She quickly brought up her camera and focused. “Hey, aren’t you going to grab Terrors of the High Seas 95

its tail and tell me what a beauty it is?”

Dar glanced down. “Does wearing khaki shorts and hiking boots require me to channel Steve Irwin?” she asked.

Kerry snickered. “Yes.”

“Tell you what tail I’m gonna grab.” Dar waited for her to snap the picture, then acted, grabbing onto Kerry’s tail and making her hop forward with a startled squawk. “Isn’t she a beauty?” Dar mimicked. “Lookit the bottom on that one!”

“Wench.” Kerry reached behind her and tickled Dar’s ribs, then continued down the path. They were surrounded by lush greenery, and a rich, organic smell filled her lungs as the wind stirred the branches. The jungle around them thinned ahead and revealed a mossy, stone-covered building. “Look, Dar.” Kerry motioned toward it. “Is that one of the sugar mills?”

“Must be.” Dar led the way toward the structure. It was just a pile of old stone now, a mixture of coral foundation and crudely made brick. They climbed onto it and looked around. Dar imagined she could still smell the tang of raw sugar cane, something she’d last tasted as a young child. “You ever chew sugar cane?” she asked Kerry.

“Me?” Kerry was kneeling next to a piece of machinery long overgrown with ivy. “You’re kidding, right?” She looked over her shoulder at Dar. “One, I don’t think it grows in Michigan, and two, my mother would have cut the hands off anyone giving it to me.”

She paused. “Have you?”

“Sure.” Dar grinned. “The best is to get a nice piece, chew it a little, then dunk it in your lemonade.”

Kerry’s gaze went inward for a moment as she worked out the potential tastes; then she wiggled her eyebrows and licked her lips.

“Mm.” She got up and snapped a picture of the bit of machinery.

“That does sound really good.”

Dar wandered over to a row of old wooden basins nailed onto the walls with rusted iron spikes. The mill had made sugar for sale, and for the rum and molasses that had been the impetus for the island’s colonization. Slaves had worked there under increasingly brutal conditions until they’d eventually risen up and conquered their masters, driving the plantation owners out and leaving the island to peacefully stagnate until modern times and modern tourism.

“Must have been brutal working here,” Dar mused, touching grooves worn in the wooden sinks from countless wrists resting on them as they washed the cane.

“Mm,” Kerry agreed, imagining the sweltering summer heat.

“Maybe we should bring the staff over here when they start complaining about the vending machine selection.”

Dar chuckled. “Just take lots of pictures,” she advised. “Wow, 96 Melissa Good did you see that?”

Kerry examined the huge wheels curiously. “What is it?”

“Grinding stone,” Dar explained. “They put the cane between that and ground it up to get out the sugar syrup.”

Kerry leaned over and sniffed the stone. “Just smells like mildew now,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that a place like this, as full of misery as it must have been, produced something so many people regard as a treat.”

“Yeah,” Dar agreed. “Speaking of which, want to stop and have our sandwiches?”

After Dar spent a moment making sure they weren’t about to sit on any snakes or scorpions, they picked a spot on the edge of the coral foundation. Kerry opened the pack Dar had been carrying and removed a Thermos bottle and two neatly wrapped packages.

She set down the Thermos and unwrapped the sandwiches, crusty French bread wrapped around spicy shrimp salad.

“Wow.” Kerry handed Dar hers. “This looks great. All this hiking has made me hungry.”

“Mmph.” Dar had already taken a bite. She uncapped the Thermos and poured out a capful of its contents, took a sip, and passed it over to Kerry. “Coconut and passion fruit. Interesting.”

Kerry washed down her mouthful and took another. “Very.”

She kicked her heels against the foundation and looked around, enjoying the food, the view, and the utter freedom of being in an unknown place with the person she loved best in the world.

“They’ve got horseback trails,” Dar commented hopefully.

“Interested?”

Kerry glanced at her knowingly. “Make a deal with you,” she bargained adroitly. “Horseback riding one day, windsailing the next?” She didn’t quite have the enthusiasm for horses that Dar did, but then Dar didn’t quite share her love of wild water sports.

However, compromise was good. It was a learning process, like everything else, and slowly they’d worked out a way to balance their differences. Mostly, Kerry acknowledged wryly. There were still some things they were working on. “Deal?”

“Okay.” Dar wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. She leaned back against the ruined wall and relaxed while Kerry finished up her lunch, the blonde woman resting an elbow on Dar’s knee. “A lot of people come out here and camp in the park.”

Kerry watched an ant the size of a Jeep walk by. “Good for them,” she said. “I admire their courage and fortitude.”

Dar watched the ant, almost jumping when the tiny animal was suddenly attacked by an almost invisible lizard, whose tongue whipped out and tethered the ant before the insect could even twitch an antenna. The lizard sucked the ant in and casually chewed it, rotating an eye to peer up at Dar with benign disinterest.

Terrors of the High Seas 97

“Ah.” Kerry blinked. “Mother Nature in all her gory glory.”

She held a hand out toward the lizard, and it reciprocated by opening its jaws wide, displaying bits of dismembered ant as well as a double ridge of tiny razor teeth. “Yikes,” she exclaimed.

“Makes you feel really insignificant, doesn’t it?”

Dar reached over lazily and, with a quick motion, captured the lizard. It struggled wildly as she brought it back over to her face.

“Listen, buddy,” she growled at it, “don’t threaten my girl or I’ll make lizard burgers out of you, got me?”

Kerry had to laugh at the bug-eyed look on the lizard’s face.

“I don’t care how many rhino-sized ants you suck up, you don’t scare me,” Dar warned, as the lizard stuck its tongue out at her. “So, beat it.” She opened her hand and released the animal. It leaped off her hand and onto her shirt, then scampered up over her shoulder and onto the nearest bit of wall.

Kerry leaned against Dar’s knee and gazed adoringly at her.

Dar smirked and managed a self-deprecating chuckle.

“Hey, Dar?”

“Yeah?” Dar let her head rest against the wall.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a lot of fun?”

Dar considered. “No, no one’s ever said that,” she replied matter-of-factly. “I have been told I’m like being in a phone booth with a dozen porcupines in heat, though.”

Kerry kissed Dar’s knee, then laid her cheek against it. “My question to whoever said that would be, of course, ‘how do you know?’”

“It was Eleanor.”

“Ah. That explains a lot.” Kerry grinned and gave Dar’s leg a squeeze. “Well, you are a lot of fun, and I’m so totally enjoying this vacation.”

Dar grinned back at her wholeheartedly. “Me, too,” she agreed.

“Even with the pirates.” She leaned over and kissed Kerry gently.

“I’m glad you’re having as much fun as I am.”

They rested a few minutes longer in the old cane mill, then resumed their hike. Dar shouldered the pack and cinched down the straps, and they started off up a path that was now getting noticeably steeper. “Hey,” Dar observed, “it’s a hill.”

“Sure you can handle it, Dixiecup?” Kerry teased.

“Wanna find out?” Dar grinned. “Let’s race.” She broke into a jog.

“Pooters.” Kerry sighed. “Someday I’ll learn.” She shook her head and chased after Dar, hoping it wouldn’t be a really, really big hill.

98 Melissa Good

”URGH.” KERRY STEPPED under the pounding shower and scrubbed her body with a piece of natural sponge. She’d finished up their hike sweaty, covered in dirt, and with leaves stuffed down her shirt, courtesy of her lover, and the water felt heavenly as it washed away the grime. Kerry washed a smear of green off her shoulder and thought of how it had gotten there. They’d had so much fun.

After she’d chased Dar up the hill, they’d rolled down the other side, across a short swath of rich green undergrowth, and into a muddy embankment over a small creek. With a thumbful of mud, she’d painted tiger stripes across Dar’s cheekbones, and they’d ended up going headfirst into the creek as they wrestled playfully.

Kerry soaped up her hair, which the mirror had reflected as closer to brown than blonde from the mud. She watched as the dirt rinsed away down the drain and her locks returned to their normal color. “Uck.” She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling her body briskly before donning one of the thick, comfortable robes the resort helpfully provided.

Still ruffling her hair dry, Kerry opened the door and walked into their room. Dar was standing near the window talking on her cell phone, clad in nothing but a brief, though fluffy, towel that just barely covered her long torso from armpit to thigh. Her damp hair was slicked back, and it was all Kerry could do to keep from just walking over and removing the towel.

Instead, she merely sidled up to her partner and waited until Dar made eye contact with her. ‘You look gorgeous when you’re wet,’ she mouthed, causing Dar to stop in mid-word and blink.

“Uh…” Dar paused, her train of thought completely derailed.

“Sorry, what was that, Mark?” She reached out and tweaked Kerry’s nose. “I got distracted.”

“No problem, Dar,” Mark said with a stifled yawn. “Anyway, the long run came up with a ton of crap. I think you’d better take a look at it.”

“What is it?”

There was a long silence before Mark answered. “I think you’d better look at it. Maybe you can make more sense of it than I could.”

“Hm.” Dar glanced at the sun, which was painting the sky as it began its descent into the water’s edge. “All right. Go ahead and bundle it and send it down. I’ll pick it up when I get back from dinner.”

“Gotcha,” Mark said. “Hey, everyone says hi. Maria says to tell you everything’s under control.”

Dar gave Kerry a pointed look. “Good to hear,” she commented. “Thanks, Mark.”

“No problem,” the MIS chief assured her. “Take it easy, Dar.”

Dar closed her phone, then focused her attention on the robed Terrors of the High Seas 99

figure in front of her. “You, Kerrison, are a little troublemaker.”

Kerry grinned unrepentantly. “I learned from the best.” She poked Dar in the belly. “Did Mark find something?”

“Yeah.” Dar nodded. “Apparently he did, but he didn’t want to discuss it on the cell.”

“Uh oh.”

“Yeah.” Dar remained cheerful, however. “But I’d rather know what the hell I’m dealing with.” She leaned on the window and gazed out. “Can I interest you in joining me at the Equator?”

“Is that the restaurant in the old mill?”

Dar nodded. “Seeing as you were so interested in the ruins, I figured maybe you’d enjoy eating in one.” She picked up the colorful, cotton island shifts they’d purchased in the market. “And it’ll give us an excuse to wear these outside our living room.”

Kerry held one of them—in a flame red, green, and bright yellow pattern—up against Dar. “Oh yeah.” She grinned impishly.

“I want to see you in this, for sure.”

Dar plucked wryly at the garish garment. “Only for you would I do this,” she informed her lover. “I hope you realize that.”

“I do.” Suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, Kerry threw her arms around Dar in an unexpected hug. She squeezed Dar hard, scarcely able to breathe for a moment.

“Hey,” Dar murmured, returning the hug despite her confusion.

“Dear Lord,” Kerry was surprised to feel the sting of tears,

“how did I get so lucky to have found you?”

“Um.” Dar was caught flat-footed. “You got hired by a company ILS took over?” she offered hesitantly. “Besides, I thought I was the lucky one.”

Kerry shook her head mutely, burying her face against Dar’s bare shoulder.

Dar rubbed her back gently through the robe, simply holding Kerry until she felt her relax. “Sweetheart,” she murmured, “I’m glad you feel that way.”

Kerry sniffled and just squeezed her harder. After a few more minutes, however, she exhaled and tipped her head to one side, glancing up at Dar. “I’m not going crazy.”

Dar stroked her hair back and removed the remnants of her tears with the edge of her thumb. “I never thought you were,” she said. “We’ve just been through a hell of a lot together this year.

You’re entitled to a few freak-out moments.”

They were, it seemed, exactly the right words. Kerry’s face relaxed into a broad smile, and she gave Dar an affectionate pat on the side. “Thanks, Dr. Dar.”

Dar Roberts, relationship expert and amateur psychologist. Dar felt a mental, slightly hysterical giggle coming on. She kissed Kerry’s 100 Melissa Good damp head instead. “Anytime, sweetheart. I’ll always be here for you.”

Kerry felt a quiet resonance as she heard those words. They touched something deep inside her, and she felt her spirit calm in response to them as a smile appeared on her face. “I know you will,” she replied. “And I’ll always be here for you.” Her head lifted and she met Dar’s eyes. “Thanks for understanding.”

Dar felt like she’d been visited with a miracle, because in a very deep way, she did understand. Or, at least, she understood that Kerry was hurting, and that she had the ability to stop the hurt and heal some of the pain. That was a pretty damn nice feeling.

Kerry squared her shoulders and released Dar, holding her briefly by her shoulders before she picked up the shifts again. “Well then, let’s get our garish duds on and go have some fun.”

Relieved, Dar returned the smile. “All right, let’s go.” She leaned over and touched the floral basket. “You’re not gonna make me wear one of these in my hair, are you?”

Kerry glanced at the flowers, then at Dar. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes, but she demurred. “No, you get to escape that.”

“Uh oh.” Dar put her hands on her towel-clad hips. “I’m in trouble.”

“Heh…but not too much.” Kerry grinned, her spirits restored.

“C’mon. Let’s go.”

The sun continued to dip lazily to the horizon, painting the sea in gold.