Whitewater Rendezvous

stop. So you better get this truck going before I lose my resolve not to touch you until we get there.”

Chaz fumbled the key into the ignition and got the pickup moving.

For the fi rst time ever, she wished she lived a hell of a lot closer to town. She kept glancing in Megan’s direction. “You’re going to have to stop looking at me like that, Megan.”

“Like what? How am I looking at you?” Megan’s sexy tone indicated she knew damn well what she was doing.

“I mean it, now! Stop! It’s hard enough to keep my eyes on the road as it is. Be nice!”

“Can’t help it. God, I’ve missed you so much. I can’t wait to get my hands all over you.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You’re looking at me like I’ve already got all my clothes off.”

“Never seemed to bother you before,” Megan said with a grin.

“Well, I have absolutely no problem taking off my clothes with you,” Chaz said. “But you can’t be putting these images into my head when the road is slippery and we have miles and miles to go yet.”

“You are such a wet blanket sometimes,” Megan griped. “But okay. I’ll behave.”

“So talk to me. Keep my mind off of where it is right now so I can get us home safely. Tell me about this assignment you’re on.” Chaz glanced sideways at her and refrained from stopping the truck so they could kiss. “I still can’t believe you’re actually here. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I wanted to surprise you. I’m here to do a series of special reports on the refuge.”

“No kidding! Was this your idea?”

“Yes. I’m executive producing. My crew arrives next week. I’m here to scout locations and do some research.”

“Well, you know whatever I can do…” Chaz said.

“I was hoping you’d say that. We’ve talked to the university about getting someone to act as our guide and resident expert—I’ve requested you.” Megan grinned at her. “They gave me the go-ahead to see if you’re interested. It’d be good exposure for the school and good for the refuge. You know I’ll cover it right—really make people interested in helping to make sure it stays a protected wilderness.”

“ And we get to spend a couple of weeks together,” Chaz said.

• 225 •

KIM BALDWIN

“Sounds like a wonderful plan to me.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“You know, the next time we talked I was going to ask you what you thought about my maybe coming to Chicago for a very long visit.”

Chaz slowed the truck to turn off the main road onto the one that led to her cabin.

“How long are we talking?”

“Maybe a year?” Chaz glanced over to see the reaction. Megan had a very happy grin on her face.

“And how would you manage that?” Megan asked.

“Take a sabbatical. I could probably be there in January. I ran it by the head of the department today, but I wanted to talk to you before I made a formal request.”

“You’d take a year off from your job…and leave Alaska for Chicago…for me?” Megan’s voice was soft in disbelief.

“Of course. I said I’d do whatever it takes to give us a real shot.”

“Yes, you did.” Megan was quiet for a long while, staring out the window. “I’d like to tell you about someone, Chaz. From my past. I told you that you reminded me of someone.”

“Rita,” Chaz answered. “Justine told me a few things about her.”

“Did she?”

“Not that much, really. I think she wanted me to know that you weren’t really a one-night-stand-only kind of person, at heart. That you had fallen in love and had gotten serious with someone, but she hurt you very badly.”

“That sums it up pretty well.” Megan’s voice was resigned and sad.

“I thought it was love. I thought we were happy. But she was cheating on me behind my back, and when she left, she hired an attorney and wanted to make it all very messy. I just wanted to stop the pain, so I let her have everything. The house. Most everything in it. The nice new car. Our two cats. I walked away with nothing much but my clothes.”

“I wish I knew what to say,” Chaz said. “It’s inconceivable to me that someone who purportedly loves you could do such a thing. My heart aches for you, that you had to go through that.”

Megan shrugged. “You know, I carried around a lot of…bitterness.

Anger. Resentment. Lots of negative shit, from that relationship. For a very long time. I really didn’t realize I was doing it…until I met you.

But I see now it’s what kept me from really getting close to anyone else.

• 226 •

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14