Whitewater Rendezvous

10. Today I’m going to be talking about the magnifi cent mammals that inhabit this great state.”

She fl icked the switch that lowered the lights above the students and turned on the digital projector. “First up is Ursus arctos horribilis …

or our friend the Alaska grizzly bear…”

The ninety-minute class fl ew. Perhaps she had brought a few too many photos. Or maybe she had paused a bit too long on the ones she’d taken of the caribou herd that summer, because those photos always reminded her of Megan. Before she knew it, the time was nearly up, and she still had pictures left to show.

“I’m going to just let the slide show play out here, to give you all a look at the rest of what I brought,” she said. “But I’ll stop now…in case anyone has any questions? Comments?”

There were four.

The fi rst was a query about where musk ox could be found.

The second, a compliment of her excellent photography skills, drew a smattering of applause from other students.

The third asked when midterms were.

She thought that was all. In fact, she had already begun to hear that pervasive rustling that was the sound of students gathering up belongings to leave, when a familiar voice rang out from the dark last row.

“Ever come face to face with a grizzly bear?”

She was stunned into silence.

A long moment passed. The rustling had stopped and the room was quiet. The students were all watching her intently.

“Yes,” she replied, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.

“Once.”

There was dead silence in the room.

“But there’s not time to tell that story today.” This elicited a loud groan from at least three-fourths of the class, but she stepped to the wall switch and turned the lights back up, saying, “See you all next week.”

Megan was seated in the dead center of the last row. She remained where she was, staring at Chaz with a positively beaming smile on her face, as students got up all around her and fi led out. Finally, once they were alone, she rose and made her way forward, her eyes never leaving Chaz’s.

• 223 •

KIM BALDWIN

Chaz’s breath caught in her throat. Oh, God. Megan had never been more stunning. Like she stepped off the cover of a magazine. Hair shining, eyes glowing. Lips full and moist. She was wearing a pair of dark gray dress slacks, topped with a red silk blouse and charcoal sweater.

Megan slinked slowly toward her. Until she got to within a few feet—then she fl ew into Chaz’s arms and hugged her with a fi erceness that took her breath away.

“You’re really here,” Chaz said, inhaling the herbal fragrance of Megan’s perfume.

“Indeed I am. In the fl esh.” Megan drew back from their embrace to look her in the eyes. “And very anxious to be alone with you. I think you’re done for the day, aren’t you?

“How are you here?” Chaz was still in shock. “How long are you here, more importantly?”

“I’m here on assignment,” Megan answered. “I’ve got at least a couple of weeks.” She pointed to a small suitcase, shoved beneath a row of coat hooks along one wall. “That’s mine. Know a place I can stay?”

“Oh, boy, do I ever.”

A minute later, they were in the vast parking lot. It was only mid-October, but it was already white as far as the eye could see.

“Didn’t you tell me you lived quite a ways out of town?” Megan asked as they climbed into Chaz’s big pickup truck.

“Forty miles.”

“There is absolutely no way I can wait that long to kiss you.”

Chaz started toward her at once, but Megan still managed to meet her halfway.

Their lips pressed together, softly at fi rst—tentatively, reacquainting after nearly four months apart. Then their too-long-denied heat for each other took hold and ignited the kiss into a scorching, hungry exchange.

“Jesus,” Chaz said shakily when they parted to breathe. “We’ll never make it to my place.”

“Yes, we will.” But Megan was breathing heavily, too, and her lips were bruised and tender. “I’ll be good.” She leaned back into her seat and buckled her seatbelt, while she gestured with her head for Chaz to do the same. “Once we really get started, you know we won’t be able to

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Дата добавления: 2015-11-14