Whitewater Rendezvous

want to talk about it, that’s fi ne. I was just wondering…what changed.

To make you…you know, kiss me.”

Megan squirmed a little under Chaz’s blunt questions and couldn’t meet her eyes. “You remind me… reminded me of someone. At fi rst.”

There was a long silence. “I take it you don’t like this person very much?” Chaz asked gently.

“I liked her very much,” Megan said, her jaw clenching as the memories fl ooded into her mind. “Once upon a time. But not at the end.” She looked right at Chaz then. “You’re nothing at all like her, Chaz. And I’m really sorry I treated you so rudely.”

“I told you, I wasn’t looking for an apology. I just hoped it wasn’t something I did or said.”

Megan smiled. “It wasn’t. And thank you for being so understanding. So…you teach biology at the university, you said. Do you like your job?”

“Very much.” Chaz didn’t fl inch at the sudden change in subject.

“I have wonderful students, for the most part. Bright, inquisitive, motivated. I get to spend my days talking about the things that I’m the most interested in—Alaska’s wildlife and ecology, and its future. I have a view of Denali from my offi ce. And my teaching job gives me the opportunity to lead groups like this during the summer.”

“And you really like this, don’t you? Isn’t it still work, having to take care of everything and everyone?”

“To a certain extent, sure,” Chaz said. “But I get to spend three months a year in some of the most beautiful places in the world, and get paid for it, with not a whole lot of real hard work involved on my part.” She chuckled to herself. “Of course, some trips are more fun than others.”

“You’ve had to go above and beyond on this trip, that’s for sure, because of me,” Megan said apologetically.

“Don’t worry about it. Except for the bear and the near drowning, I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Megan laughed. Chaz’s exuberance for her work was evident in her radiant smile. In addition to the obvious sparks between them, she would miss Chaz’s company a lot, she realized. She was easy to be with—bright and funny and with an irresistible charm.

“Honestly, though,” Chaz said, “I’m just sorry you have to leave early.”

• 185 •

KIM BALDWIN

“Me, too. I wasted a lot of time that I should have spent getting to know you better.”

A loud boom of thunder sounded in the near distance, and both women jumped.

Chaz turned to look behind her. “We better get into the tent soon.

That will hit us before we know it,” she said, studying the sky. A solid wall of dark charcoal clouds was approaching fast from the northwest.

“I just love storms.” A huge grin spread across her face. She always felt energized when a big storm was coming, like her body was one giant barometer. “The power of nature exerting itself. Elemental, you know?

And when you’re out here, surrounded by it, at its mercy…well, I just love it. Makes me feel alive. ”

“Storms scare the crap out of me,” Megan said. “At least they usually do.” But she was feeling no fear at the moment, she had to admit. She was feeling it too…the excitement and energy and raw anticipation that were written all over Chaz’s face.

“We’ll be fi ne,” Chaz said reassuringly, and Megan believed her.

So far, leaving it all up to fate had worked out pretty well for her. It had brought her to Alaska and to Chaz. She wasn’t going to fi ght it now.

• 186 •

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14