Hurricane Watch - DK2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

thought that the hour of climbing she’d just enjoyed would also make the pound of strawberries and crock of thick, dark chocolate waiting at home equally and guiltlessly enjoyable, she finished fastening her gear and met her eyes again in the mirror. “Ready to kick some booty?”
    As if on cue, her stomach started growling, and she rolled her eyes.
    She locked her locker and headed for the door as she tied her belt.
    ”Took you long enough.” Colleen gently pushed Kerry’s drink over to her. ”So, how’s the week been?” she asked. “ Since I never see you anymore to ask you down in Kendall.”
    Kerry looked mildly abashed. “Yeah, that only visit on the weekends thing didn’t last long, did it?”
    Colleen chuckled. “Did you really think it would?” she asked.
    “C’mon, Ker.”
    Kerry sucked her drink down. “I was trying to give Dar space,” she said. “Turned out she wanted me around as much as I wanted to be there.”
    “Could have told you that before,” Colleen tsked. “So anyway, how’s work?”
    Kerry sighed. ”Personally, great. Professionally, great, except that new guy I told you about. He’s been driving us crazy this week.” She took a long gulp of the frothy fruit drink, enjoying the tangy sweet taste. ”He’s got it out for Dar.”
    Colleen sipped her own drink, and fiddled with a napkin. ”Well, you be careful, there, m’dear. Don’t get caught in the crossfire,” she warned. ”Dar’s fully capable of taking care of herself.”
    ”I’m already in the middle of it.” Kerry sighed. ”It’s a mess, but we’ll handle it.” Her eyes went to the door just in time to see it open and a familiar form ease inside. Dar was still in her business suit, but had her gym bag hitched over one shoulder. She pushed it back as her eyes swept the interior of the gym.

    20
    Melissa Good
    Kerry counted. It took less than five seconds. It was a game they played sometimes, to see how fast they could find each other. On the count of one thousand four, the blue eyes zeroed in on hers, and Dar’s lips twitched into a grin. She made her way over to where they were seated, gracefully sidestepping a pair of power walkers who were strutting their way across the machine area.
    ”Hey.” Kerry offered her a sip of her drink. ”How’d it go?” She felt safe in this moderate display of affection, since the crowd was busy and most of the people there who knew them weren’t gossipmongers.
    A shrug. ”Same as always.” Dar accepted the glass, and took a swallow of the fruit smoothie. ”Hello, Colleen.”
    The redhead smiled. ”Hi Dar. Any chance of going over those punches today?”
    ”Sure,” Dar replied, handing Kerry back her cup. ”I’m going to go change. Meet you guys over by the mats.” She headed into the locker room, crossing to her locker right next to Kerry’s, and unlocking it. She put her bag inside, and changed quickly, glad to get out of her skirt, hose and pumps, and into a comfortable pair of cotton pants and soft boots.
    She hung up her work clothes, and shrugged into the mid length shirt, pulling the long, black belt from her bag and glancing at it before she wrapped it twice around her waist and tied it off.
    Putting this on had felt very strange, she remembered. She usually worked out with the trainer on the island in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, but when she actually started teaching class, Ken said it would make the students feel less awkward with their own new garb if she wore hers as well.
    So she’d rooted around in the three trunks tucked into the condo’s closet that represented her personal possessions, and dug the old thing out. She was a little surprised it still fit. She’d had her doubts about wearing it, but then Kerry had told her she liked it. She’d told Dar she thought she looked really cute in it, and since then Dar hadn’t minded wearing it.
    ”A little egotistical?” she asked herself wryly. ”Oh. Just a little.”
    She locked the