Red Sky at Morning

Chapter

Seven

“UGH.” KERRY DROPPED into her chair and leaned back, releasing a huge sigh and closing her eyes briefly. Very briefly, since her intercom buzzed a second later. “Yes?”

“Ms. Kerry, my mother says to tell you that they have closed the roads that are going to the Keys.” Mayte’s voice held a hint of anxiety.

“She is worried about Ms. Roberts.”

Oh, crap, Kerry cursed to herself. “She said she was trying to get out of there early, Mayte. I’ll call her. I hope she’s almost back here by now.” She reached for her phone and almost dropped it as it rang at the same moment. “Gah—whoops. Hello?”

“Hi.” Dar’s voice sounded resigned. “Guess where I’m stuck.”

Kerry winced in pure reflex. “I just heard about the roads. That totally sucks large rocks, Dar.”

“I know,” Dar said. “I took care of getting you a ride home, though.”

Jesus. I forgot I needed one. Kerry mentally slapped herself. “Honey, you didn’t have to do that. I’m sure I could beg a ride from someone here.” It was, however, a typically Dar thing for her to do, given her partner’s meticulous attention to details. “But thank you.”

“Well,” Dar chuckled softly, “don’t thank me just yet. It’s my dad who’s coming to get you.”

Eeerup. Kerry winced. “Ah. Did you think my life was lacking some excitement today or something?” she replied. “Maybe he’ll let me drive.

You think?”

“You can ask. He generally caves in to whatever you want,” Dar answered. “Just like I do,” she added, with a verbal twinkle in her tone.

“Hey, I think I’m making some progress with the chief. I tried to do what you’d have done.”

Still distracted by the prospect of being picked up by Andrew, Kerry almost didn’t respond. “Uh...oh, did you? What did you do?”

“Took her to lunch.”

Kerry smiled. “Good girl.”

“Then I told her if she didn’t behave, I’d have to really get nasty.”

“Oh.” Kerry covered her eyes and laughed silently. “Gotta work on that part, huh?”

Red Sky At Morning 115

“Eh.” Dar sighed. “Maybe it won’t be so bad down here. A couple of the guys I grew up with just tracked me down. They wanna take me out to the local bar and trade no-shit stories for a while. They found me a bed just in case the roads don’t open back up.”

“You have your kit, right? I know I repacked it after the trip to the Keys.” Kerry drummed her fingers on her desk. “Don’t take a chance, okay? If the weather’s bad, just stick around down there. I’d kinda be worried if I knew you were driving up Card Sound at night.” She paused. “I’ll miss you, though. I was looking forward to a hug tonight.”

A few beats of silence followed, then Dar cleared her throat. “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise. Okay?”

“Okay,” Kerry agreed. “Call me later and let me know what’s up. I think I’m done with all my meetings today; now I just have a mailbox to wade through.” She glanced at her monitor. “Dar, how did you deal with all this crap everyone sends?”

“Simple. Take everything that isn’t immediate operations and reply with ‘Could you please clarify why you’re asking me this?’” Dar told her. “I guarantee ninety percent of them won’t come back.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Kerry grinned and examined the ceiling over her head. “Thanks, boss. I’ll do that.”

“Any time,” Dar said. “Talk to you later.”

Kerry closed the phone and put it down, indulging in a few moments of daydreaming as she folded her hands over her stomach and swiveled her chair a little. “What a character,” she finally murmured with a helpless chuckle. Her intercom buzzed again, and she regarded it balefully for a moment before she answered. “Yes?”

“Ms. Kerry?”

“I just talked to Dar, Mayte. I’ll call your mom. She’s okay, she’s just stuck down at the base for now,” Kerry responded.

“Sí, gracias, but there is a phone call for you, from the car place.”

Car place? Kerry’s brow furrowed, then cleared. “Oh. Right. I’ll take it. Thanks, Mayte.” She released the intercom and hit the phone line.

“Kerry Stuart speaking.”

“Ms. Stuart? This is Laura Margoles from Beach Lexus. You sent in a vehicle request using the Internet this morning?”

“That’s right,” Kerry confirmed.

“Great.” The woman’s voice was cheerful and friendly. “We had what you wanted right in stock. I’ve got your paperwork done; when would you like to pick up the car?”

“Really? Just like that?” Kerry was surprised. “Leather and everything?”

“Absolutely!” Laura stated. “They’re detailing the car now, in fact.

Shining it up and making sure everything’s in perfect condition for you.”

116 Melissa Good Kerry turned in her chair and reviewed the rain lashing at her window. “They’re washing the car? Have you looked outside?”

“Has to be nice and clean before we turn it over.” Laura’s enthusiasm didn’t miss a beat. “Would you like to stop by after work?

We’re open until seven.”

“All right.” Kerry grinned, finding herself anticipating the new acquisition. “See you before then.”

“Excellent! Looking forward to it, Ms. Stuart. Have a great day!”

Laura warbled happily.

“Sure. You, too.” Kerry hung up, bemused. She regarded her quiet office for a moment, then idly spun herself around in her chair a few times. “Vroom vroom.”

KERRY HAD SENT Mayte home earlier with María, and by the time she finished up her inbox, a quiet had settled over the building. She clicked on the last message to send it, then sat back and cupped her hands around her tea mug, sucking down the strawberry scented liquid as she watched her mail program transfer all her finished mail to storage folders.

A relaxed strain of music was coming from her PC speakers, which were tuned to an Internet radio station that mostly played New Age Celtic. She flexed her bare feet under her desk and sighed, glad the long day was over.

A soft knock sounded. “C’mon in.” Kerry looked up, a smile already crossing her face as the door opened and Andrew Roberts’s familiar head poked inside. “Hey, Dad.” She got up and trotted across the carpeted floor as Andrew entered. Her father-in-law was wearing a dark-blue rain jacket with its hood up, and he pushed the hood back and unzipped the jacket as she threw her arms around him in an unhesitating hug. “Ooh...it’s good to see you.”

Unseen by Kerry, a smile crossed the ex Navy SEAL’s scarred face as Andrew returned the embrace. “Well there, kumquat. It’s good t’see you, too.”

Topping Dar’s slightly over six-foot height by almost five inches, Andrew towered over Kerry by almost a foot, and his large, broad-shouldered and still-muscular body had the same solid feel. She loosened her grasp and gazed up at him, catching the grin before he could discard it. Eyes the same shade as her lover’s twinkled back at her, set in a face that, despite its very masculine ruggedness, still brought Dar to mind in its planed cheekbones and angular shape.

“Thanks for coming to rescue me.”

Andrew snorted softly. “Since Dar saw fit to go and abandon you, I figured it’d be a good idea.”

“She didn’t abandon me.” Kerry gave him a friendly poke. “She’s stuck down on that base. I don’t envy her; but on the bright side, it gives Red Sky At Morning 117

me a chance to spend some time with one of my favorite people.”

“You are just a sweet-talking young lady,” Dar’s father drawled.

“C’mon, ’fore we have to paddle on out of this here office.”

Kerry released him and went back to her desk to retrieve her shoes.

“I have to make a stop before home, if that’s okay.” She shut down her PC as Andrew wandered around her office peering at the décor curiously. “My new car’s ready.”

“That so?” Andrew asked curiously. “Dar told me you got yourself into a pickle last night and banged up that little bitty thing of yours.”

“Some crazy person driving down the wrong side of the road on the causeway, thanks.” Kerry zipped up her briefcase and shouldered it.

“Did Dar tell you she got herself and that brute of an SUV of hers between the nutcase and me?” She fastened her jacket and turned her desk lamp off.

“No, she did not.” Andrew tried hard to hide a dazzlingly proud smile, and failed completely.

“Figures.” Kerry took him by the arm and led him out of the office.

“C’mon, we’ll get my new buggy, then I’ll treat you to dinner. How’s that?”

Andrew allowed himself to be escorted to the elevator, shrugging his hood up into place as Kerry hit the button to call it. “I do believe I can do any of that there treating that’s required, young lady,” he replied, following her into the elevator.

“We’ll see about that,” Kerry teased as the doors closed.

Interested eyes watched the empty space for a few seconds, then footsteps retreated back down the hallway, disappearing behind the solid sound of a wooden door closing.

THE BAR WAS old, and mostly wood, and featured an honest-to-goodness jukebox that was currently droning out something from the country western side of the record catalog. Dar tipped back in her chair and took a sip of her beer, gazing across the table’s surface at the five men gathered around it.

Damn, it’s been a long time. Dar let her eyes linger on her old friends.

They were all the same age, more or less, as she was, and some things hadn’t changed much. Mike and Ricardo still looked like GI Joe dolls, complete with buzz cuts and bodybuilder physiques. Duds and John were still inseparable, two lanky, spare men with straight blond-brown hair and Southern drawls.

And Chuckie, of course. Dar let a faint smile cross her face. Chuckie had actually gotten better looking over the years. He’d left the gawkiness of his late teens behind and grown into a six-foot-plus body with nice, broad shoulders and an athletic waistline. Tucked into his Navy captain’s uniform, he cut a very impressive figure and Dar had no problem cheerfully acknowledging that to herself.

118 Melissa Good

“So, now what is it you’re doing, Dar?” Chuckie turned and leaned on his chair arm, gazing into her eyes with his twinkling gray ones. “I hear you’re turning the base upside down.”

“Making trouble, like usual,” Dar replied, with a chuckle. “The Pentagon hired me to go tell the Navy how to do its job better.”

“Ooh.” The five men chorused a groan. “No shit?” Chuckie laughed. “They didn’t, did they?”

“They did.” Dar lifted her beer and took a sip. “Mother of ironies, huh?”

“Son of a bitch.” Mike rocked back and forth on uneven chair legs.

“The brass on base must be ready to have a heart attack.” He poked a finger at Dar. “I still remember the day you redone the base telecom and sent all them private notes of the CO’s to the staff fax machine.”

Heh. Dar snickered. “I remember that, too. Guy was an idiot to be using base mail to send love notes to that girl he picked up in Chicago.”

“Yep. You were a hell raiser, for sure,” Mike chuckled. “Bet you still are.”

“That’s what they say,” Dar demurred. “Only now they pay me for it,” she added.

Chuckie cocked his head curiously. “You’re still working for ILS, right?” He waited for Dar to nod. “So, what kind of money do they pay for what you do?” He noticed Dar’s lifted eyebrow. “Round numbers, I mean. We always figured you’d do all right, because you got more brains than half the earth, but for real, Dar...did you end up kicking ass?”

Dar glanced around the weather-beaten bar and caught the interested looks from her old pals. They’d all done well in the Navy, and all of them, even Mike, had grudgingly admitted to being career sailors. “Well,” she took a swig of beer and rolled the beverage around in her mouth before swallowing. “I’m the chief information officer of the largest IS company in the world. My base is seven figures, if that’s what you’re asking.”

They all looked at each other, then back at her. There was a moment of stunned silence.

“Well.” Chuckie rubbed his jaw. “God damn.”

Dar smiled. “So I guess I’m buying then, huh?” she remarked dryly.

“See? You shoulda dragged me out to someplace nicer.”

“Son of a bitch.” Mike started laughing. “Son of a bitch. You’re actually one of them corporate big shots?”

“’Fraid so,” Dar agreed solemnly. “Got me a big office, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, teakwood desk, the whole nine yards,” she told them. “Everyone running around scared to death of me, you name it.”

“Wow.” Chuckie shook his head. “I can believe the last part, ’cause you can be a scary individual when you wanna be, old buddy, but thinking of you in an ivory tower’s givin’ me a headache.” He slapped Dar’s knee lightly, then poked the spot. “You don’t spend all your time behind that desk though, d’ya? You don’t look much like a cream puff.”

Red Sky At Morning 119

“No more than you do.” Dar let a mildly evil grin touch her lips as she curled a foot around the leg of his chair and jerked hard, nearly sending him sprawling backward. “Spending your time sitting in that nice comfy chair on the bridge.”

“Uh-oh...here we go.” Mike burst into laughter. “I knew it was just a matter of time. The two of you ain’t changed for shit.”

“You—” Chuckie grabbed for the edge of the table to keep from tipping over, but the surface moved, sending the two mugs of beer on it flying. “Yow...sonofa—”

“Hey!” Mike yelped and leaped to his feet, only barely avoiding being soaked. “Cut that out, bilgebrain.” He pointed a finger at Chuckie. “Don’t you start, either. You never have gotten over getting your ass kicked in that obstacle course the night we all graduated.”

Chuckie snorted. “Get out of here. I don’t even remember that.”

“I do,” Dar drawled, with an even more evil grin. “But since I was the one doing the kicking, I guess that’s natural.” Oh, she certainly did remember that night. They’d had a beer or two way too many, and she’d been just at the very top edge of her best physical conditioning, seriously intent on getting herself into BUDS training and only too happy to prove that to any other Navy brat who questioned her. Twenty of them had straggled out of their graduation party, and bets had started flying.

“That was then,” Chuckie reminded her pointedly.

The words came out before she had a chance to think about them.

“C’mon, Chuckie, I could still kick your ass on that course.”

Now he grinned. “Oh yeah? How much you wanna bet?”

Mike groaned. “Oh no...not again. For Pete’s sake, you two! You’re furking adults now!”

“Hundred bucks!” Chuckie leaned forward eagerly. “C’mon.”

She was out of her mind, Dar dimly realized as she watched herself rise to the challenge, almost as though seeing someone else do it. “How about a thousand?” she drawled softly. “C’mon, tough guy. See if you can lift anything but binoculars now.” A tiny voice cleared its throat internally. Hope you know what you’re doing, big shot, or you’re gonna be picking splinters out of your ass for a week. “How about it, Chuckie?”

His eyes glinted and his well-shaped nostrils flared. “You got it.

Let’s go. I got a lot of things I could do with a thousand bucks.”

Dar set her bottle down and stood. “After you?” She held a hand up and pointed to the door. She gave the rest of the group, who were muttering and shaking their heads, a smile. “C’mon, guys. After this, I’ll treat for dinner. How ’bout it?”

“You ain’t gonna be in any condition to treat anyone,” Chuckie warned with a big grin.

“Save your breath.” Dar booted him in the butt before he could move, then booted him again when he tried to evade her. “You’re gonna need it.”

120 Melissa Good

“Hey!” Chuckie slapped at her leg with his uniform hat. “Cut that out, or I’ll...I’ll...”

“What? Tell my daddy?” Dar was enjoying herself thoroughly.

“Last time you did that, I got a banana split out of it.”

“Wench.” Chuckie started laughing. “God damn you, you’re such a wild weasel. Ow!” He slapped at Dar’s boot again, which had just impacted his butt. “I am gonna push your ass so far down in that mud, you’ll have to call a deep-sea diver to go find you.”

“Careful, hairball,” Duds rumbled softly. “If’n that deep-sea diver’s her daddy, your ass is gonna be flying over the mess hall by morning.”

They all laughed and jostled out the door into a still-drizzling evening. “How is yer old man doin’, Dar?” Mike asked, lowering his voice a little and getting serious. “Man, I was glad they got him back.”

Dar exhaled. “He’s fine,” she replied. “He and Mom got this fifty-some-foot Bertram, and they’re having a blast on it. They’ve been out to Bermuda twice, and I can’t remember ever seeing him so happy.”

“Wow.” Mike smiled. “That’s way cool.”

“He got a boat?” Duds asked curiously. “Man, that musta been some pension...or did you get that for him?”

Dar smiled and ran a hand through her now damp hair. “What do you think?”

Duds laughed. “Daddy’s girl all the way, that’s for damn sure.

C’mon, let’s get this damn thing over with. I’m hungry!”

“You’re always hungry, mouth on wheels,” Chuckie chided, giving him a backslap in the belly. “That’s why you’re outgrowing your uniform. Lookit that.”

“Cut that out!” Duds nudged him. “Leave my buttons alone, y’pervert.”

“Butthead.”

Dar sucked in a wet breath, overcome with a wash of giddy enjoyment, looking ahead to the dark, mud-spattered challenge in front of her. So it was crazy.

That was all right.

Everyone had to have a crazy night now and then, right?

KERRY LEANED BACK in the seat of the stolid gray pickup truck Andrew was navigating through the flooded streets. She had her seatbelt securely fastened around her body, and her feet were braced solidly against the floor, steadying her as the truck moved.

Andrew wasn’t really a bad driver, she’d decided, just an impatient one; and little things such as sidewalks and divider islands proved little or no impediment to his progress in getting from point A to point B in the quickest possible manner. “Nice truck, Dad.” She patted the fabric seat. “I like it. Dar was telling me about the one she had when she was younger.”

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Forced by convention to stop at a red light, Andrew sat back and folded his arms. “Ceci tried for some days to get me to agree to drive in one of them Beetle cars.”

Kerry raised an eyebrow.

“Well, young lady, that is exactly how I felt about it, too,” the ex-SEAL drawled. “Them are the ugliest things I ever did see; and there was no how, no way I was going to be sitting inside one of them, much less drive it.”

“I couldn’t picture that.” Kerry shook her head. “It would be like you having a moped, or Dar drinking skim milk.”

“She hates that,” Andrew agreed. “Even when she was a tot, Cec used to try and get her to drink it, and she’d toss her bottle ’cross the kitchen.”

“I know.” Kerry closed her eyes as the light changed and Andrew used the opportunity to cross three lanes between four other cars. “I suggested it once.” She paused. “Only because I worry about her cholesterol, and mine; but I got a lecture about cows, and water, and the fact that if she wanted to drink white chlorinated liquid, she’d just add food coloring to the tap.”

Andrew snorted. “She’s particular ’bout a few things. That’s one of

’em,” he admitted. “Got that one from me, I do believe.”

“Gee, what a surprise.” Kerry peeked at him and grinned tolerantly. “Anyway, I got her to stop having chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, so I figure I’m ahead of the game.”

Andrew peered through the raindrops and spotted his target. He aimed the truck toward the entrance and proceeded accordingly. “She’s a healthy kid,” he stated. “Always was. Worst thing she ever did get was them chicken pox. Lord, that was a mess.”

“I heard you got them, too.” Kerry smiled at him, pretending she didn’t see the truck bearing down on them as Andrew crossed the intersection. The pickup darted into the parking lot of the Lexus dealership just in time, though she imagined she could feel the draft of the eighteen-wheeler crossing behind them. They pulled into an empty spot, and she released her safety belt with a sense of relief.

Andrew leaned on his steering wheel and peered out the window, observing the rows of shiny, if rain spattered, new cars. “You getting one of these damn things, too?” His voice was surprised.

“Sort of.” Kerry pointed. “See? That’s the one Dar has.”

“Uh-huh.” Andrew nodded.

“That’s the one I’m getting.” She indicated a row to the left.

“Sonofabiscuit. Ain’t that cute,” her father-in-law chuckled softly.

“All bitty and spunky looking. Figures.”

Kerry gave his arm a poke. “Hey, at least it’s not a Beetle.” She opened the door. “C’mon, this won’t take long, and I’m hungry.” She got out and grabbed for the doorframe as a wave of dizziness passed over her. “Whoa.”

122 Melissa Good Andrew circled the front of the truck and put a hand on her shoulder. “You all right?”

Kerry leaned against the metal frame and took a deep breath, waiting for the world to stop spinning. “Yeah. Like a doof I skipped lunch, and I know better.” Her vision cleared and she shook her head.

“Low blood sugar runs in my family. I usually keep granola bars around but I ran out, and I meant to stop this morning.”

“That ain’t a good thing.” Andrew stuck his head inside the truck and rummaged in a bag behind the seat. “Here.” He handed Kerry a banana. “Forgot I had those damn things.”

Kerry peeled the fruit and took a bite, a little disturbed by the shaking of her hands. “Maybe I was just overstressed today,” she joked faintly, aware of Andrew’s concerned expression. “I had some really confrontational meetings, and I was a little worried about Dar driving down there in this weather.” She swallowed a few mouthfuls and was relieved when the shakiness faded.

“I do believe we might need to be worrying about you,” Andrew stated. “You’re white as Caesar’s ghost, Kerry. Sit down here.”

“No, it’s okay,” Kerry reassured him. “I feel a lot better, honestly.”

She finished her banana and neatly folded the skin, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Dad.”

Andrew blushed, faintly visible in the lamplight bathing them.

“That was a lotta fuss for a little old banana,” he muttered. “You sure you don’t want something else? Maybe an orange, or whatever the hell else Ceci stuck in the back of this here truck?”

Kerry smiled. “Does Dar know how lucky she is?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t think she does.” Kerry pushed away from the truck and straightened her sleeves, then tossed the banana peel into a nearby garbage can. “Let’s go get my new wheels.” She slid her hand around Andrew’s arm and walked with him toward the showroom, where she could see dim forms of hopeful salesmen lurking in wait.

The door opened as they reached it, and she stepped inside the cool, well-lit showroom to be greeted by a very nice-looking young man in a neatly fitted suit and tie. “Hi.” Kerry smiled at him. “I’ve got an appointment. I’m supposed to pick up a car?”

The sound of staccato heels made their heads turn to see a woman with dark, frosted hair walking toward them, a warm smile on her face.

“Ms. Stuart?”

“That’s right,” Kerry replied.

“Excellent. If you’d step over here to my desk and sign these papers, I’ll have your car brought ’round.” She glanced at Andrew.

“Can I get your husband some coffee?”

Kerry thought her father-in-law’s grizzled eyebrows were going to pop right off his head and stick in the drop ceiling. “Sure,” she agreed cheerfully. “C’mon, honey, sit down here.”

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“Excuse me,” Andrew barked. “This here young lady is not mah wife.” He pinned the saleswoman with a fierce glare. “What do ah look like to you, some kinda candy-assed cradle robber?”

The woman’s jaw dropped, and she looked from Kerry to Andrew in bewilderment. “I’m very sorry sir,” she stammered. “I know I shouldn’t assume...I just thought...well, excuse me. I’m very sorry.” She put the papers down. “Ma’am, if you could just sign these?”

“Sure.” Kerry sat down and slid the stack over, picking up a pen.

The saleswoman scurried quickly away.

Andrew snorted and sat down next to her. “Mah God.”

Kerry giggled. “You’re really funny.”

“That was most certainly not funny, young lady.”

She turned her head. “How old are you?” Kerry watched the blue eyes blink a few times. “Well?”

Andrew sat up straighter. “Ah am forty-eight years old.” He paused. “Why?”

Kerry leaned closer to him. “’Cause I’m almost thirty,” she whispered. “It’s not that far-fetched, Dad.” She went back to signing her papers, getting through half of them before she heard Andrew sigh.

“You’re right, kumquat,” he said. “Mah kid has not one clue as to how lucky she is.”

Kerry felt her face ease into a smile as she finished, putting the pen down and glancing up as the saleswoman came back. “All done.”

“Here you go.” The woman handed her a set of keys and pointed to where the shadowy form of her new car was just pulling up outside the door. “And again, I’m really sorry, sir.”

Andrew sighed and stood. “That’s all right.”

They walked to the door and pushed it open. “You going to kick the tires for me, Dad?” Kerry teased. “Dar wanted me to get a—what are those called? A Hummer.”

Andrew snorted. “Fer what?” He circled the new car curiously.

“Damn things steer like a Greyhound bus, and you can’t park them for nothin’.” He opened a door and peeked inside. “Leather, would you look at that? Mah kid is definitely rubbing off on you.”

Kerry opened the driver side door and sniffed appreciatively. “Oh yes,” she chortled. “C’mon, let’s take it for a test ride. There’s a good restaurant right down the block.”

Andrew slid into the passenger seat, which he adjusted to make room for his long legs. “Ain’t one of them raw fish stores, is it?”

“Um...”

A dark brow cocked. “Tell you what, I’ll go eat them raw fishies if you let me drive on the way back.”

“Oh boy.”

124 Melissa Good

“SONOFABITCH!”

Dar heard the gasping croak behind her as she reached the last wooden wall and lunged forward, crouching down and releasing her body upward to stretch out and grab the top rail, pulling upward before she could crash against the hard surface. Her boots scraped, then caught a purchase, and she powered up and over the top, releasing her hold and letting herself fall down toward a murky, mud-covered surface.

Behind her, she could hear Chuckie grunt as he hit the top of the wall, but then her boots were hitting the ground and she almost sprawled forward, barely catching her balance before she hopped forward and starting running toward the ropes.

Climbing ropes—one of the toughest things for anyone, especially a woman, to do. Dar wiped her palms on her thighs just before she reached them, then took a breath, ruefully acknowledging that she certainly wasn’t a teenager anymore before she leaped and caught the rope, feeling the wet, scratchy hemp bite into her hands. Her legs responded in old memory, curling around the rope beneath her and tightening, supporting her weight as she reached up for a second handhold.

Well. Dar felt the spatters of rain hit her and heard the clank of the rope next to her as Chuckie tried to catch up. It wasn’t as hard as she had feared. She powered up the rope and released one hand to slap the bell on top, then slid neatly down, wincing a little as the rough hemp stung her hands. She hit the ground and ducked around the edge of the climbing pit, bolting across the uneven ground and leaping over the water that separated the obstacles from the last, long hundred yards every tired, sore recruit had to run over at top speed. Dar heard Chuckie finally hit the bell and slither down after her, but she knew she was home free.

Running was something she was very used to, something her body, stressed by this unusual tasking long forgotten, was accustomed to doing on a daily basis. She tucked her fingers into a half fist, leaned forward into a powerful, even stride, and just ran.

“Shit,” she heard Chuckie groan behind her, and it made her laugh; and the hoots of the other men suddenly rolled around her as they spotted her clearing the end of the pits and heading toward the finish.

She tucked her head down and bolted, feeling a crazy surge of energy as the wind brushed her hair back and the rain stung her face.

The trees that marked the end flashed by, and she slowed, bouncing to a halt and into the welcoming arms of the four waiting sailors, who caught her and slapped her back, laughing and razzing Chuckie, who finally made it past with a curse.

Dar could feel her heart pounding from the exertion, and it certainly hadn’t been nearly as good a performance as the last time she’d done it, but... She chuckled as she watched Chuckie lean over, holding his belly, his face a visible crimson even in the low light. “Gotta Red Sky At Morning 125

lay off the damn beer, Chuck.” She put her hands on her hips, glad beyond measure she’d kept up the sessions in the gym, and the running, and the martial arts, if for no other reason than to be able to stand here on this mud-covered patch of ground with a bunch of her old friends and look better than they did.

Erf. Dar winced. That was damned egotistical, wasn’t it?

“Hot damn, Dar.” Mike clapped a long arm over her shoulders.

“You are still one hot mother, y’know that? How about marrying me?”

Dar laughed. “I thought you had a girlfriend?” She poked him. “Or at least that’s what you were bragging about in that bar.”

“Well, I didn’t hear you say you was married,” he joked back. “So I figured I got a chance.”

It was a strange feeling. Dar took a breath and released it. She’d been straightforward and out regarding her sexuality for so long, she’d forgotten what it felt like to be around people who had no idea, and to whom it would matter.

To whom it would matter to her if they knew. Dar felt her euphoric mood evaporate, and she took a mental step back and tried to figure out what to do. Her nature disliked unneeded lies, but a part of her was enjoying this unexpected reacceptance into an old world and resisted the estrangement she knew would be caused by acknowledging her lifestyle.

“Asshole. You ain’t got no chance,” Duds snorted. “Dar’s got way better taste than you.”

Dar managed a smile, then she walked over to where Chuckie was still recovering. “Hey.” She bumped him lightly. “You all right?”

Her old boyfriend straightened, then blew out a breath. “Other than having my goddamned ego dragged over a bed of nails and my bank account emptied? I’m great.” His lips twisted. “Will you take a check?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Dar shook her head slightly. “It was worth the kick just to see if I could still do it.”

“Wench.” Chuckie’s face relaxed a little as he realized Dar was serious. “Just for that, you’re gonna take us out to the steakhouse.” He pointed toward the parking lot. “Now that I proved ship captains do spend too much time sitting on their butts, let’s go.”

The four others strolled ahead, leaving Chuckie and Dar to walk together toward the parked cars. “Wench.” The Naval officer gave her a look. “I’m gonna have to explain to half the base tomorrow why I got Band-Aids all over my hands from that damn course.” He held up his hands, visibly scuffed and scraped in the streetlamp light.

“Me, too,” Dar admitted, holding up her own hands in evidence. “I don’t get much in the way of calluses pounding a keyboard.”

“Ah.” Chuckie sighed. “We’re getting too old for this.”

Dar chuckled. “Yeah.” She flexed her hands, wincing a little.

They were both quiet for a few strides. “Ass kicking or not, it’s 126 Melissa Good good to see you, Dar,” Chuckie finally said softly. “Got some good memories of us.”

“So do I,” Dar replied. “Your letters to me in college used to crack me up.” She reflected on those long past times. “I’m sorry we lost touch.”

Chuckie shrugged one shoulder. “We knew we would. That was two real different worlds we were going off into.” He glanced at Dar. “I knew I didn’t end up doing too bad; always wondered where you ended up. Might have figured you to be some top brass somewhere.”

“I used to wonder if I’d made the right choice.” Dar inhaled, and looked around. “Now I know I did, but...” She shook her head.

“Definitely had second thoughts.” She raised her voice. “Hey, head over to the third row. I’ll drive.”

“Don’t trust Mike?” Chuckie laughed. “He’s not half as bad a driver as your daddy ever was.”

“No. I figure I’m the only one who’s likely to have room for all of us,” she said dryly. “Unless you ended up getting a Suburban. Did you?”

“Hell no,” Chuckie snorted.

“That’s what I thought.” Dar angled her steps toward the Lexus.

“C’mon, I figure it’s going to take my shock absorbers to handle you herd of steers anyway.”

“Ooh...” Her old friend laughed. “I think you hang out with us just so you can feel petite, in that case.” He bumped Dar’s shoulder with his own. “Hey,” his voice dropped a little, “you going with someone right now, Dar?”

The approach came around a blind corner and surprised her.

“Yeah,” she managed to answer, on an uneven breath. “Yeah, I am.

Why?”

He shrugged. “Just asking,” Chuckie said. “I’m between ships, if you catch my drift, and I thought if you were too, maybe we could hook up, for old time’s sake.”

Dar realized she had about ten seconds before they caught up with the four others waiting. She lifted a hand and unlocked her doors. “Not a chance.” She softened the words with a smile. “I’m very taken...and very happy about it.”

“Ah well.” Chuckie returned the smile. “Just the way my luck’s been running. What’ve we got here?” He turned his attention to the car.

“Good Lord, do you mean to tell me you drive a damn Lexus?”

“Yep.” Dar opened the driver’s side door and watched them pile in.

“Hey, one of you guys has to get in the far back. You can’t all fit in there.”

“Heh,” Mike chuckled. “Wanna bet? You forget what service we’re in, Dardar.” The back seat was filled to the brim with squished sailors.

“More room in here than in a Polaris. Get driving.”

Dar rolled her eyes, but slid behind the wheel and started the Red Sky At Morning 127

engine. “Why do I get the feeling I’m gonna regret this?” She felt the car rock as the men in back started singing and moving back and forth.

“C’mon, Dar, sing with us. I know you can,” Duds chortled. “What do you do with some drunken sailors...”

Dar sighed as she pulled out of the parking slot, but joined in anyway, filled with a very mixed set of emotions. It had been a day far too full of conflict, and she found herself sure of only one single thing.

Five sailors and fifteen beers equaled the tonal quality of six dozen sets of dogs’ toenails on a chalkboard.

Jesus. Dar hoped she survived the short drive to the steakhouse.

KERRY YAWNED AS she collected her steaming mug of hot chocolate and wandered back into the living room. Chino butted the back of her knees and almost made her trip, the animal very glad to see at least one half of her family after the long day. “Hey, cut that out,”

Kerry chided the dog. “You aren’t the one who’s going to have to clean this tile if I spill chocolate all over it.”

“Gruff.” Chino pounced on her hippo and brought it over, crouching down and shaking it, begging for some play time.

“Okay, let me put this down,” Kerry laughed, setting aside her cup and grabbing the toy. “Go get it...g’wan.” She tossed the stuffed animal to the other side of the apartment and watched Chino scramble after it, her toenails sliding on the hard surface.

“Bring it here.” Kerry sat down on the couch and tugged the toy free of Chino’s very white teeth, throwing it over past the dining room table as the retriever acted true to her breed and fetched it. “Good girl.”

She played with the dog for a while, taking a moment in between tosses to turn on the television and stretch her body out along the couch with a sense of relief.

It had been a very long day, with a surprisingly nice ending. Kerry smiled, remembering the hour spent patiently coaxing Andrew into sharing her sushi in the little sushi dive on the beach she and Dar loved to go to.

Mental note, Kerry, she reminded herself. Don’t take SEALs to sushi bars unless you want to know things about the fish you’re eating that would make the plots for excellent sci-fi movies. He’d finally settled on the cooked variety of sashimi and some stir-fry chicken, leaving Kerry to her more adventurous raw tidbits. They’d shared some sake, though, and she’d enjoyed the evening very much, listening to stories of Dar’s harum-scarum youth and hearing the note of unconscious pride in Andrew’s voice even when recounting the goriest details.

Kerry leaned back against the leather surface, tensing and relaxing her muscles as she idly watched Steve Irwin cavort across the screen, hugging a crocodile to him and enthusing over its toothy good looks.

128 Melissa Good

“What a whack job,” she commented. “Did you know he has his own toy set now, Chino? Should I get you one? You want to chew Steve’s head off?”

“Gruff.” Chino tossed the slightly soggy hippo up to land on Kerry’s side.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Kerry tossed the toy again, then slid down and put her head on the couch arm, allowing her eyes to close briefly as she considered the tasks she had left to do that evening. A wash was due, and she had those reports to go over, and there was that project Dar had left her.

Kerry let one eye open and regard the room, then she closed it again. Or she could just take a nap here on the couch, which was nice and warm and comfortable. Maybe she could compromise, she reasoned, snoozing until Dar called, which would definitely wake her up.

Yeah. That was a good idea. She reached over and picked up her cell phone, which was on the coffee table, and brought it closer, resting her hand on it as she allowed the sleepy feeling to take over and relax her, easing away the last of the lingering headache that had aggravated her all day long.

IT WAS VERY quiet as Dar pulled into her parking spot, sliding in next to a shiny new smaller version of the car she was driving. She got out and closed the door gently, then ran a hand over the dark blue paint of Kerry’s new car. “Nice,” she approved, peering inside before making her way up the small flight of stairs to the door.

It had been a nice dinner, if loud, and they’d made it back to the base just after midnight. She’d let her friends out, then sat there for over ten minutes, wondering why she didn’t just get out herself and go to the bunk they’d assigned her.

Finally, she’d gotten out of the Lexus, and instead of going toward the building, she’d walked back over to the guardhouse and asked them if the roads had opened.

They had.

Dar had walked back to the car, gotten inside, and left, choosing the drive back to Miami in the early hours over staying on the base, hardly knowing why she’d take the long trek when the Navy bed could not be that uncomfortable.

The feeling of relief as she keyed in the lock convinced her it had been a good decision, though; not that she’d really doubted it. She opened the door and slid inside, stopping in surprise as she spotted the lights still on and heard the television’s low mutter.

Chino jumped off the couch and ran over, shaking her head sleepily, clearly startled to see Dar, but glad. Dar rubbed the dog’s ears, but kept her eyes on the dozing form curled up in the corner of the couch.

Red Sky At Morning 129

Quietly, Dar walked over and knelt beside where Kerry was sleeping, allowing herself a long moment to just study her lover. Okay.

She smiled silently. So this is why you came home. Asleep, Kerry’s face held a relaxed innocence that always touched Dar’s heart, and she found herself looking forward to the surprised delight she knew would be there when she woke Kerry up.

“Ker.” Dar stroked Kerry’s cheek gently, and after a second, the pale lashes stirred and lifted, revealing slightly dazed green eyes that fastened on her face, then brightened in welcome as a smile appeared at the same time. “Sorry I didn’t call.”

“No problem,” Kerry replied, her voice slightly husky from sleep.

“I like this mode of contact much better anyway.” Her smile widened. “I guess the road opened, huh?”

Dar nodded. “Yeah. I had dinner with the guys, and when I got back, they said it had; so I decided to come on home instead of staying down there.”

“Good.” Kerry caught Dar’s hand and pressed it against her cheek, then kissed it. “Crudpuppies. I had so much I wanted to do tonight. I fell asleep figuring your call would wake me up.” Her fingers felt something odd, and she turned Dar’s hand over. “Holy crap. What did you do to your hands?”

Dar cleared her throat gently. “Ah...well...” She laughed with a touch of embarrassment. “You’re not going to believe this, but I um...”

Kerry hitched herself up on an elbow and examined Dar’s palm.

The surface was scuffed and bruised, and several long cuts were visible.

“Is that a splinter? What happened?”

“Probably.” Dar sighed. “It involved a bet, some obstacles, and a lot of ego.”

“With your ego coming out on top, right?” Kerry guessed, giving her a tolerant grin, seeing the half-hidden look of smirking triumph cross Dar’s face. “I thought so. Let me go get the tweezers.” She planted a kiss on the base of Dar’s thumb, then stretched out, pulling her T-shirt tight against her body and squeaking a little as Dar took that opportunity to lean over and nibble her in a very sensitive spot.

“Ooh...hold that thought.”

She squirmed up off of the couch and stood, facing Dar as she straightened. “Dar, you do realize you’re covered in mud, right?” Kerry inquired, plucking at her lover’s shirt. “Did you spend the whole night like this?”

Dar looked down. “Uh.” She blinked at the gray stains, which covered her liberally. “Well, we all did. It was raining...and I was wet...I don’t think I—”

“Noticed.” Kerry nodded. “No, I guess you wouldn’t, if the fabric was wet. C’mon.” She inserted her fingers into Dar’s waistband and tugged. “Into the shower with you, my little mudpuppy.”

“You just want me to get naked and wet with you,” Dar observed as 130 Melissa Good she obediently allowed herself to be hauled along. Now that Kerry mentioned it, though, the jeans she was wearing were getting kind of itchy.

“And you have an issue with this?” Kerry stopped and faced her, lifting a brow.

“No.” Dar stepped closer. “It sounds better and better every second.”

Kerry smiled and resumed her tugging.

They left their clothes in one corner of the bathroom and went under the warm water, with Kerry making little tsking noises as she took their scrub sponge and attempted to clean the mud off Dar’s skin.

“Do I dare ask what you were doing?”

Dar had been standing with her eyes closed, thoroughly enjoying the attention. The slightly rough texture of the sponge was leaving a nice tingle behind it, and now she lifted one eyelid to see Kerry looking up at her through wisps of steam and water. “Huh? Oh. We had a bet on between me and Chuck: which one of us could make it through the torture pit first.”

“Ah.” Kerry scrubbed a stubborn spot, keeping her head down and swallowing a jolt of irrational jealousy. “You won, I take it?” she asked.

“It’s going to be interesting meeting him on Friday...unless you’ve changed your mind and would rather I didn’t go.” She forced herself to look up. “I know these are old friends of yours, Dar, and they probably don’t know you’re gay, do they?”

Dar’s eyes widened a little in visible surprise. “No, they don’t,” she answered honestly. “In fact, Chuckie asked if I was available tonight.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “I told him I was very taken.” She thought a moment, feeling the water beat down on her back. “It’s a hard question, Kerry. I’m not going to say I haven’t been thinking about it.”

Kerry kept still, watching Dar’s face, seeing only intent thought behind her expression. “I know. It’s hard,” she agreed softly. “Telling my family was hard. I’ve never felt embarrassed by it, but I knew they’d be.”

“Mm.”

“I think it will make them uncomfortable.”

Dar nodded. “I think you’re right.”

Kerry inhaled, surprised at how difficult it was to get the words out. “So, I think it’s better if you go without me, this time.”

“It’d make them more comfortable if that’s what I did,” Dar agreed softly. “They’re a very traditional family.”

A breath. “So that’s what you’ll do, right?”

“No.” Dar’s voice was quite calm, and almost amused. “If I was in the business of making people comfortable, I’d be an airline flight attendant. I’m not. I’m an individualistic nonconformist with a lot more attitude than sense, so if they can’t accept the fact that I’m gay and I’m married to you, they can just kiss my ass.” She leaned over and brushed Red Sky At Morning 131

Kerry’s lips with her own, feeling the small gust of surprise as her lover reacted and exhaled. “But thanks for offering. And by the way, I think you missed a spot.”

Hmm. Kerry resumed scrubbing, a dumb grin on her face. “Did I?”

She worked her way up Dar’s belly to her breasts, making very sure there were no lurking patches of mud. “I’ll just have to go over everything twice.” Her hands slid over Dar’s collarbone and across her shoulders as she licked the warm droplets of water off the skin in front of her nose. “Mm.”

A light touch behind her neck moved her hair back, then Dar’s teeth were taking tiny nibbles out of her throat as their bodies slid together and she felt Dar’s thigh between her own. She forgot the sponge, letting it drop.

Dar felt like her body was on fire, not from the water coursing over both of them but from Kerry’s touch, dancing over her skin in gentle motions that teased her senses, running down her sides.

She had a feeling that getting up in the morning was going to be a problem.

Of course, they could just solve that by not going to sleep.

KERRY LET OUT a sigh and burrowed into her fluffy robe as they watched dawn start to color the sky across the water. “We’re going to be so toasted by tonight, you do realize that, right?”

Dar sipped slowly on a cup of fresh coffee, closing her eyes as a gust of cool salt air brushed across her face. “Oh yeah. I’m glad I decided to go into the office today. I’d have probably driven off Card Sound road into the Florida straits on the way back from the base, otherwise.” She offered the cup to Kerry, who took it. “Besides, I’ve got a pile of stuff to take care of here.”

“Me, too.”

They swung quietly in the rope chair for a few minutes. “Guess we’d better get started, huh?” Kerry finally sighed. “I know I need a run to wake me up.” She turned her head to look up at Dar. “Unless you want to maybe go over to the gym this morning. I could do circuit, too.”

Dar nodded. “Yeah.” She winced a little and exhaled. “I think I pulled a little bit of something in my back doing that crazy stunt last night. Running isn’t the best idea. I think stretching everything out makes more sense.”

Kerry squirmed around and slid a hand behind Dar’s back, probing gently. “Where you got hurt?” She saw Dar nod a tiny bit. “Goofball,”

she scolded. “I’ve been telling you to have Dr. Steve check that out, Dar, you never did go back for another scan.”

Dar scowled. “It hasn’t bothered me in weeks,” she protested.

“Must have been crawling through that tunnel that did it.”

“Tunnel?” Kerry queried. “Oh, Jesus. That explains why you had 132 Melissa Good bruises on your knees.” She sighed. “Well, come on. Let’s go get dressed, and see if we can work your kinks out.” Neither of them moved, however, and Dar managed to get a snuggly hold on her that turned into a cuddle, which turned into some kissing, which...

“This is not getting us anywhere,” Kerry murmured.

“Sure it is,” Dar replied. “It’s just not getting us dressed and headed to the gym.” She resumed suckling on Kerry’s earlobe, earning a soft grunt of pleasure from her lover. Her hands were already inside the loosened wrap of Kerry’s bathrobe, and she ran a light, tickling touch over the ribs she could feel as Kerry inhaled.

“Hey,” Kerry laughed softly.

Dar kissed her, then relented, and backed off to rub noses. “Tell you what. I’m going to invent an afternoon meeting we both have to attend, and we’re gonna leave early.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kerry agreed. “So let’s get moving. The sooner this day starts, the sooner it ends.”