by Kim Baldwin
“Yeah, I sure want some of that,” Elise added. “Hey, Chaz, want to pair up with me?”
Oh, no, you don’t, Megan thought, jumping in before Chaz could reply. “We should draw straws or something to see who goes when. That would be the fair thing to do.”
“My thinking exactly,” Chaz said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a bunch of small pieces of paper. “There are eight slips here,” she said, cupping them in her hand. “Each has a number from one through eight. One and two get the first shift, three and four the second, and so on. Trading is allowed. Does that work for everyone?”
They all nodded agreement, so Chaz went around the circle and let them each choose a slip of paper.
“Is this ever going to feel good on my aching back and shoulders,” Yancey said, as she selected her number.
“My replacement is going to have to pry me out of there,” Justine agreed. “We should set a time limit. Half an hour or something?”
“That sounds good,” Megan said, reaching up for her slip when it was her turn to choose. Please please please let me be paired with Chaz.
“Okay, who’s got what?” Chaz said when the slips had all been distributed.
“I’m number one!” Justine said.
“I’m with you, then,” Yancey said, holding up her slip. “Number two.”
“I’ve got three,” Linda said.
“Damn. I’m five,” Pat said. “Who’s got four?”
“That would be me,” Elise said. “And yes, I’ll trade so you can be with your honey. Never let it be said that I stand in the way of hot tub luuuve.”
They all laughed.
“I have six,” Chaz said.
Shit. Just my luck. Though Megan couldn’t help but notice that Chaz didn’t seem entirely happy about being paired with Elise. Or was that wishful thinking?
“Then that leaves Megan and me last,” Sally said. “Which means you all better not exceed your time limits!”
“Come pry us out of there when our half hour is up,” Yancey called out, as she and Justine headed to their tents to get their towels and swimsuits.
The six who remained by the fire made small talk about the things they had seen that day and what was ahead of them, while Sally worked on repairing the tent, and Chaz kept the fire 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 campfire 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 flashback of Chaz sunbathing nude on the rock after her swim. Maybe she never wears a swimsuit if she’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 first 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 fix it,” Sally said, holding up the tent and rain fly, 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.
*
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 flirtations. 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 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 wallflower,” 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 find 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 for eavesdropping. 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?”
“Not unless you get one in before breakfast,” she said. “Tomorrow’s destination is a pretty good distance downstream, and I want to get an early start. It’s the stop where we’ll have the best chance of getting a good view of the caribou herd.”
“I can’t wait for that,” Linda enthused. She and Pat got out and dried themselves off.
“Can’t wait for what?” Elise appeared out of the trees.
“We’ll see the caribou tomorrow,” Pat said.
“We hope.” Chaz stepped gingerly into the hot water. “You can’t really predict where they’ll be, but I was watching them before we left. They’ve radio-collared a bunch of them, and you can track where they are on the Internet.”
“Okay, guys, shoo! Our turn,” Elise said, dropping her towel to reveal a skimpy black bikini that left very little to the imagination.
“We can take a hint,” Pat said, chuckling, as she and Linda headed back to the others.
As she watched Elise slip into the water beside her, Chaz had to admit that the woman was way above average in the looks department. Her body would certainly make anyone look twice, but it wasn’t the body Chaz wanted.
“So, finally, I have you alone,” Elise purred, leering at Chaz like she wanted to eat her alive.
“Down, girl,” Chaz rebuked gently with a smile. She leaned her head back against the smooth rock side of the hot spri
ng and closed her eyes. The water was roughly chest deep, so she relaxed with her knees slightly bent to keep only her head above water.
“Aw, don’t be a wet blanket. You don’t mean that, now, do you?” Elise pouted slightly.
Chaz cracked open an eye. “Believe me, I’m flattered, but it’s not going to happen.” She closed her eyes again in an effort to end the pursuit.
“Can I ask why not?”
“A lot of reasons. First and foremost, you’re a client, and I don’t go there,” Chaz drawled lazily. The hot water really did feel amazing on such a cold and dreary day. She’d stayed at this stop a couple of days the year before, primarily because of this special feature.
“Why don’t you go there?” Elise persisted. “What’s wrong with two consenting adults having some fun?”
“I don’t think it’s ethical for a guide to sleep with a client. This is a dangerous place, and I have a responsibility to all of you,” Chaz said seriously. “I can’t have my judgment compromised by personal feelings. And I can’t favor one client over another. There are a lot of other reasons why not.”
Chaz thought she’d finally gotten through to Elise, for a long quiet fell between them. In fact, she nearly dozed, lulled by the heat and the steady cascade of water from the river beside them. Her mind wandered back to that morning and the thrill of waking up holding Megan.
The next thing she knew, she felt a touch—so light it was almost a whisper—run slowly up her leg from calf to thigh. She reached down and gently intercepted Elise’s hand before it got any higher.
“Somehow I think I’m not getting through to you,” she said, opening her eyes to find Elise poised to pounce, her lips inches away from her own. “Elise, I—”
But Elise was not going to let her make any further objections. She closed in for the kill. Her right hand shot out and wrapped around Chaz’s neck, and she pulled their faces together for a searing kiss.
For a brief moment, Chaz was too startled to respond at all. Then her mind registered that Oh, man, her lips are so soft, and it had been a long while since she’d been kissed like that, and she really liked kissing, and Elise sure did know how to kiss, oh, yes, indeed she did, and she couldn’t kiss the woman she really wanted to kiss, so…
“No!” she said, breathless, as she pushed away from Elise and held her at arm’s length. It was only then that she realized that Elise had taken off her bikini.
Elise frowned. In a sexy half whisper, she said, “Now, I know you were enjoying that as much as I was.” She inched closer as though she was going to take another shot as soon as she saw an opening.
It was a very small pool, and there wasn’t anywhere for Chaz to go. “Look, Elise, I’m not going to deny you’re a great kisser. But it’s still not going to happen.”
“I bet I can change your mind,” Elise predicted.
“No, Elise.” Chaz injected a note of finality into her voice that was unmistakable. “I’m sorry, but no means no. If you’re going to persist, I’m going to get out right now.”
Elise’s expression changed and she backed away. “There’s no need to do that,” she said dejectedly.
Sensing Elise’s feelings were bruised, Chaz said, “I’m sorry. I don’t want this to be awkward, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings. You’re a beautiful woman, and like I said, I’m very flattered. But I’m not into one-night stands, even if you weren’t a client.”
Elise let out a big sigh. “Oh, well. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
Just then, Sally’s voice rang out, “Time’s up! Everyone out of the pool!”
Chaz turned to see Sally and Megan approaching through the trees. Megan had the oddest expression on her face. She looked as though she’d just lost her best friend.
Chapter Ten
After Chaz and Elise left for the hot spring, time had seemed to slow to a crawl for Megan. She kept glancing at her watch and wondering what the two of them were up to. She was certain Elise would try to take advantage of the situation, and the pictures that formed in her mind were not at all welcome ones.
After fifteen minutes had elapsed, she excused herself and went to change into her swimsuit, telling Sally she wanted to make a pit stop before their turn and would meet her there. In reality, she wanted to satisfy her curiosity about what was happening, so she intended to get to the hot spring a little early, alone.
She’d approached through the trees as silently as possible, grateful for the soft cushion of spongy moss beneath her feet. She strained to hear voices, but the only sounds she heard were the soft ripples of white noise from the river, and the chorus of bird songs that seemed to accompany them everywhere.
Her first glimpse of the two of them through the trees had confirmed her worst fears. Chaz had her head leaned back against the side of the pool, eyes closed with a hint of a smile on her face, the picture of contentment, while Elise loomed close, watching Chaz with a dreamy expression. Beside them, tossed haphazardly on a rock, was Elise’s bikini. Shit. Shit. Shit.
Megan couldn’t tear her eyes away, and neither could she move or announce her presence. She had to see what happened next.
Her heart sank when she saw Elise move in even closer to Chaz, so close that she was certain their bodies had to be touching beneath the turbulent surface of the water. Then Chaz opened her eyes and said something—but it was too far for her to make out the words. Whatever it was, it made Elise smile and reach for her.
A moment later, they were kissing.
She couldn’t watch any more. That’s what you get for being so damned curious. The image of the two of them locked in each other’s arms was burned into her brain.
Megan retreated soundlessly a few dozen yards back into the trees where she could no longer see them. A turmoil of emotions welled up in her—anger, disappointment, longing, lust, envy, jealousy. She was furious that she was upset at all, that being with Chaz seemed to matter so much to her.
She didn’t know what to do. Sally would be along any moment. How would she explain the fact that she was just standing here, all by herself, shaking in rage and frustration?
She took several deep breaths and told herself it didn’t matter. So she’d been beaten to the punch. Big deal. She’d go home in a week, find a new bed partner, and forget all about this in no time at all.
No time at all. It sounded good, but she had a hard time believing it.
When she glimpsed Sally approaching through the trees, she’d willed herself to be calm and composed. She could put on a mask better than anyone. Royal Ice Bitch. She’d had lots of practice.
“Hey, Megan,” Sally hailed her when she got nearer. “Couldn’t you find the hot spring?”
“I got waylaid here watching some birds,” Megan lied. “Then I heard you coming and thought I’d wait for you.”
“Well, let’s go. They’ve had their thirty minutes.” Sally had led the way. “Time’s up! Everyone out of the pool!” she hollered as they neared the hot spring.
Megan wanted to look anywhere but at Chaz, afraid she might not be able to disguise her tumultuous feelings over what she had seen. She didn’t want Chaz to know what effect she was having on her. Chaz made her feel vulnerable, and at the moment, she didn’t like that one bit.
She glanced at Elise as Elise got out of the pool and reached for her towel. She did have a great body, Megan had to admit. All lean and tanned, and Elise was apparently just as comfortable with nudity as Chaz was. No wonder Chaz couldn’t resist her. Fury poured through her, though she knew she was being unfair. Elise was her friend, and she had no right to be ticked off just because she’d been first to take advantage of a great opportunity. I had my chances.
Tears sprang unexpectedly to her eyes, and she looked away, out at the river. She was aware that Chaz was getting out of the water—she could see movement out of the corner of her eye—but she didn’t dare turn around.
“That half hour passed much too quickly,” Elise sighed, from behind her. “Have fun, girls.” Her
voice trailed away as she headed back toward the fire.
“Well, if anyone wants another round, they can come replace us,” Sally called out as she got into the water.
Megan blinked back the tears as she unwrapped the towel she had around her and turned to join Sally. She thought Chaz had departed with Elise, so she jumped when she discovered Chaz standing behind her, watching her with interest.
“Are you all right?” Chaz asked.
She felt a sharp jolt of joy bounce through her when she saw Chaz’s eyes travel south to check out her swimsuit. She involuntarily sucked in a breath, her chest expanding to emphasize how well the skimpy fabric of the bikini top barely held in her ample breasts. She could have sworn she saw Chaz’s eyes dilate.
But then Chaz looked away.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, with as much nonchalance as she could muster. Having Chaz’s eyes on her breasts, however briefly, had stirred her blood and made her feel warm despite the chill in the air.
She stepped around Chaz and got into the pool, her mind replaying the kiss she’d witnessed, her body wishing that she’d been the one who had put that contented half smile on Chaz’s face. Heat enveloped her as she sank into the water up to her chin, and she floated, swiveling slowly around to find that Chaz had gone.
“I don’t mean to pry. Or belabor the point,” Sally said. “But are you sure everything is okay? You seem a lot more…I don’t know, subdued…than you were by the fire.”
“Just…preoccupied, I guess.” Megan tried to relax. “Nothing to worry about. But thanks.”
Nothing to worry about. She breathed slowly in and out, trying to dispel the whole business from her mind. She sought out the familiar, so, for the first time in days, she thought about work and wondered how the newsroom was faring. You’re needed there, she told herself, and it brought a small measure of comfort to her state of unsettled frustration. But it was short-lived. What does that say about you, that the only thing that needs you is your job?
She had accomplished a lot and had money, respect, prestige, connections. But she had always dreamed of achieving something truly meaningful, and she wasn’t at all certain she’d managed to do that. And in getting to where she was now, she’d given up a tremendous amount, too, she realized.