Whitewater Rendezvous

they had seen that day and what was ahead of them, while Sally worked on repairing the tent, and Chaz kept the fi re stoked. After a while, Linda and Pat departed for their turn at the hot spring.

“That was unbelievably wonderful,” Justine reported when she returned to the campfi re a short time later, her skin pink and glowing.

“It’s not only great on the sore muscles, but what a setting for a soak!”

“Yeah, the river is kind of dreamlike in this light,” Yancey agreed, reclaiming her seat. “It’s all salmon-colored, with soft edges.”

“I can’t wait for our turn,” Elise said to Chaz.

I bet you can’t. Megan suddenly had a fl ashback of Chaz sunbathing nude on the rock after her swim. Maybe she never wears a swimsuit ifshe’s only got women clients. She’s so cavalier about it. Her irritation grew. She better not get naked with Elise, or Elise will be all over her.

She probably will be, regardless.

She began to regret that she didn’t make a try sooner for Chaz.

Sally said she doesn’t like to make the fi rst move. If you wait for her,you’ll wait forever…or Elise will beat you to the punch.

“Well, this is done, as best as I can fi x it,” Sally said, holding up the tent and rain fl y, both of which bore neat rows of stitches along the rips the bear had made. Over the stitches, she had liberally applied seam sealant. “I think it’s dry enough to put up.”

“I’ll take care of that,” Chaz said, getting to her feet and gathering up the tent. “Then it’ll be about time for our turn,” she told Elise. “I’ll meet you there in a few minutes?”

Oh, I’ll be there,” Elise said, with such delight in her voice that Megan cringed.

Count to ten, Megan, just count to ten.

O

Chaz set up the tent in a couple of minutes and went inside to put on her swimsuit, a navy one-piece. When she exited for the hot spring, she could hear Elise in the next tent getting changed, but she didn’t wait for her. Elise wasn’t taking the hint that she wasn’t interested in her fl irtations. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to be a tad more direct.

At least she wasn’t paired up with Megan. That might have been awkward. The hot springs setting was pretty romantic, she had to admit, and she didn’t know what seeing so much of Megan’s body might do

• 125 •

KIM BALDWIN

to her self-control. She had never before felt an attraction like this for a client.

She heard laughter through the trees as she approached the hot spring, then voices. She stopped in her tracks when she heard her name and then Megan’s. Curious, she edged forward until she could make out what Linda and Pat were saying.

“No way. It’s Megan or neither one of them. She hasn’t looked twice at Elise.” Linda’s voice.

“Yeah, but Elise can be persistent,” Pat argued. “You know she’ll try to seduce Chaz when they get in here together. And not many can resist Elise when she’s determined.”

“Well, it’s obvious Megan has the hots for her, too. She can’t keep her eyes off her.”

She can’t, eh? Chaz knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but this conversation was one she didn’t want to interrupt.

“I can’t understand why Megan hasn’t made a play for her yet.

She’s certainly no wallfl ower,” Pat said.

Linda laughed. “Yeah, I wondered the same thing. She usually moves right in for the kill when she spots a good target. Doesn’t take her ten minutes to fi nd someone at the club and leave with them.”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Elise and Megan go after the same woman before,” Pat mused. “They’re both so competitive. I wonder if they have a bet going as to which one of them will get her?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Megan sure isn’t used to hearing no,”

Linda said.

“Elise, either. I hope this doesn’t cause a problem between the two of them after this trip,” Pat said.

“Nah, that’ll never happen. They’ll both have moved on to someone else within a week, anyway.”

Pat laughed again. “Too true.”

Chaz felt a bit sick to her stomach. That’s what you get foreavesdropping. But perhaps it was all for the best. It was yet another reason she couldn’t, and wouldn’t, get involved with Megan.

She took a moment to compose herself, then stepped out of the trees. “Hi, ladies. I think your time is about up.”

“Hey, Chaz,” Pat greeted her. “This has been glorious. I don’t suppose we have time for another soak in the morning before we leave?”

• 126 •

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