Whitewater Rendezvous

Thankful to feel Megan relax at last, Chaz cradled her protectively and absorbed the bumps as best as she could as they fl oated downriver.

All the while, she had to make a conscious effort not to let their positions and proximity do what it was doing to her body.

God help her, it apparently didn’t matter that Megan was injured and in pain. Or that she’d had her chance and passed it up. Megan just plain fl at turned her on, in a way that completely mystifi ed her. She was helpless to prevent it. With every bump, every roll of the rapids, their bodies came together, and the contact was beginning to manifest itself in a warm, moist pulse of arousal between her legs. She was damn glad the PFD she was wearing hid the fact that her nipples were as stand-up-at-attention sensitive as she’d ever felt them to be.

She said nothing for the fi rst ten minutes, not trusting her voice, allowing herself to relish the closeness of their bodies, despite her best intentions. But when they hit a particularly bad bit of rough water and Megan groaned, the sound shot through her and allowed her to regain her sense of professional responsibility.

“How are you doing?” she whispered into Megan’s ear.

“I feel like crap,” Megan said drolly. “Thanks for caring.”

Chaz couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her lips, and that got Megan laughing, too.

“I haven’t said thank you,” Megan said, in a voice low enough that only Chaz could hear. “First the bear. Now this. That’s twice you’ve saved me.”

“No problem,” Chaz said.

“Have you started thinking of me as the trip Jonah yet?”

Chaz laughed again. “No, but Calamity Jane did occur to me.”

“Funny.”

“Well, let’s just say, I know we billed this as an adventure trip, but I’d like a bit less adventure from now on, if you please.”

“I’ll do my best.” Megan’s voice grew serious. “When will they come to get me?”

Soon. Far too soon, Chaz wanted to say. Barely realizing she was doing it, she tightened her hold around Megan’s waist. “Today, probably,” she said, glancing up at the thickening clouds overhead.

“Unless we get some bad weather.”

She found herself hoping for a nice low ceiling of clouds, or one of the sudden fog banks that frequently materialized this time of year.

• 173 •

KIM BALDWIN

Today. Megan slowly processed the idea. She could be picked up and taken away today, and that would be the last time she would clap eyes on Chaz. Her stomach churned, and it wasn’t about the rolling motion of the raft. This might well be her last opportunity to talk to Chaz without the rest of them overhearing.

“Chaz?” Her voice was just above a whisper. Intimate.

Chaz cradled her head beside Megan’s, her chin on Megan’s shoulder, so she could hear her over the roar of the water.

“Mmmhmm?”

“I really am sorry about the way I acted last night. I mean, I’m not sorry I kissed you,” she amended. “But I lost my temper. And I should have respected your asking me to stop.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I shouldn’t have kissed you back and let it go so far.”

There was a hesitation. “I’m glad you did.”

Another brief pause. “I couldn’t help myself.”

Chaz held Megan a little more tightly and sensed that they were on the same page. It was as though they had both suddenly become aware that their time together was nearly over, but they each had things that needed to be said.

“I think we’re almost there,” Sally said.

Chaz looked back over her shoulder. They were nearing the end of the canyon. She could see a patch of hilly tundra beyond. She settled against Megan once more and resumed their whispered tête-à-tête. In light of their admissions, and with time so short, there seemed little need for further restraint.

“I’m sorry you’re leaving,” she said.

“I can’t imagine why,” Megan murmured. “I’ve pretty much been nothing but trouble since day one.”

“That’s not how I’ll remember you.”

“No?”

“Nope.”

“So how will you remember me?” Megan asked.

“I’ll remember you with great fondness,” Chaz said honestly.

“And…as a very tempting opportunity missed.”

“Thank you for saying that.” Megan felt a pang of regret run through her over what might have been. “I won’t forget you, Chaz. I can’t tell you what this trip has meant to me.”

• 174 •

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14