by Kim Baldwin
And then they were stroking in tandem, helping each other to prolong the sweet ache, moving in synch, their bodies as one, backing off enough at the moment of eruption to push it still higher, the pressure incredible.
Both of them were gasping for air, their bodies rigid in those excruciating moments just before release, when Chaz’s voice, husky, came from close above.
“Open your eyes, Megan, I want to see you,” she said.
She had always thought it too personal…too intimate…to let someone into her eyes at that moment. Like they could see all the things that she safely kept hidden all the rest of the time. She never allowed it.
But she did not hesitate this time. She opened her eyes and sank into the depths of Chaz’s, and they soared together over the precipice, crying out in unison, and she had never before seen anything more starkly, breathtakingly beautiful than Chaz was, when she came.
And she had never felt the overwhelming rush of heat that poured through her and lit her up from within…than when Chaz brought her to orgasm.
She was still shuddering with the aftershocks when she heard the sound of a zipper and realized Chaz had opened their sleeping bags again so she had room to maneuver, room to slowly descend down Megan’s quivering body, kissing every inch as she went, no time to recover.
Megan spread her legs and Chaz slipped down between them, and before she knew it, Chaz’s warm mouth was on her, the tip of her tongue playing along her wet folds with a maddeningly light touch.
Chaz looked up at her, eyes dark, pupils enormous, her lips bruised from their kisses. “I can’t get enough of you, Megan,” she said, breathing heavily in and out, before resuming a slow and tantalizing campaign to bring her to climax again.
Chaz’s tongue explored every inch of her at leisure, discovering every place that made her hips rise up for more. Returning often to those strokes that made Megan moan, and gasp, and especially those that made her clench her teeth and cry out.
That accomplished tongue stroked the length of her, nipping, sucking, dancing in tight little circles around her painfully swollen clit, until she could stand it no longer. And somehow, Chaz knew the moment. The precise moment. For it was then that she entered Megan with her long fingers, filling her completely, and Megan roared to climax.
The storm, at its height, raged outside; the wind was howling and thunder boomed all around them, and it seemed somehow perfectly appropriate. The atmosphere both inside and outside the tent was fraught with the same kind of wild energy, elemental and totally uncontrollable.
“This is sure going to be a hell of a hard act to follow.” Megan sighed, as Chaz settled beside her, one arm and one leg draped over her protectively.
Chaz raised her head so they could look at each other. “It’s never been anything like this for me, either.”
She kissed Megan again, a soft, sweet kiss this time that lingered long so they could memorize every second of it. Eventually they were quiet for a long while, cradled together, listening to the rain. As they drifted off to sleep, Megan wondered whether she’d ever again feel quite as content, quite as happy, quite as blissfully whole as she did at that moment.
She prayed the bad weather would continue. Anything to delay her departure.
Chapter Seventeen
Some time later, Chaz was awakened by the sensual caress of fingers running through her hair, languid and soothing. Next she became aware of the naked body she was draped around. Finally, she opened her eyes to find her face pillowed against Megan’s left breast.
The heady smell of sex reached her nostrils, reminding her of the way Megan tasted, and she went from fast asleep to fully awake in an instant. She raised her head to find Megan watching her with the same intensity she’d had in her eyes right before she’d climaxed.
“I don’t want to waste what little time we have sleeping,” Megan said.
Chaz opened her mouth but nothing came out. She cleared her throat. “No?”
“No, I want more images for my mental scrapbook. Photographic memory, remember?”
Chaz really liked the provocative tone in Megan’s voice. Her body began to move against Megan’s as her hand cupped Megan’s breast.
Megan’s chest swelled as she inhaled sharply. “Jesus, Chaz,” she said shakily. “I swear to God it’s like you have electricity in your fingertips when you touch me.”
“Do I?” Chaz trailed her hand lower, along a teasing path that skimmed through the hair at the apex of Megan’s thighs before returning to her breast.
“But as wonderful as it is,” Megan added, as her nipple sprang to attention, “I had something else in mind at the moment.”
Chaz’s hand stilled and she looked at Megan. “Of course. What would you like?”
Megan’s eyes held hers. “I just have to taste you. Please?”
The coil of desire in Chaz’s belly flared until it threatened to consume her. Her body started to shake. “Damn, Megan, just telling me you’re going to nearly puts me over.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. This shoulder kind of puts a crimp in my style.” Megan cocked her eyebrows expressively. “So I could probably use some creative positioning on your part…”
“Oh, I think that can be arranged.” Chaz smiled at her, enjoying their easy banter.
“First things first, though.” Megan moistened her lips.
“Yes?”
“Have I told you what an absolutely fabulous kisser you are?”
Chaz felt her cheeks get warm as she leaned down and brushed her lips against Megan’s, then slowly, almost reverently, claimed her mouth. Every kiss between them had been different, but memorable in its own way. This one had equal parts of the passion of the night before and the sadness of the separation ahead. It was bittersweet, and a harbinger of how much she would miss Megan.
Over the hours that followed, they made love in as many ways as they could think of and that Megan’s injuries allowed. Slow, and fast. Gentle, and rough. Playful. Seductive. Cramming every possible experience into their limited time left together.
In the wee hours of the morning, scant moments after Chaz had reached yet another climax, just seconds after Megan, a wolf howled in the distance. Both women froze for a second, mesmerized by the sound, then Chaz howled back—a long, jubilant cry.
It was lifelike enough that the wolf replied, then Megan started up, too, and they all howled together until the howls turned to laughter that went on and on and on.
Chaz wiped tears off her cheeks as she collapsed back against Megan. “Well, that’s a first. No woman has ever made me howl before.”
“Just one of my many talents. How will you ever get over me?” Megan asked, with a flippancy that wasn’t convincing.
Chaz picked up on it and looked her in the eyes. “That’s a good question.”
“Can we keep in touch?” Megan asked.
“I really hope we do,” Chaz said. “Maybe you’ll come back and visit one day, and I’ll show you some of my favorite places.”
“I get four weeks’ vacation a year, and I’ve got a million or so frequent flier miles. I’ll come back if you want me to.”
“Good. Because I do. Very much.” Chaz kissed Megan again and tried not to make it feel like good-bye. But it was already beginning to. Far too much. She couldn’t help it. Three or four weeks a year would not be nearly enough.
They lazed back into a spoon without further words, Chaz wrapping her body around Megan’s, front to back, always mindful of her injured shoulder. Soon she felt the deep even breathing she could already recognize as Megan asleep, and she had to fight back sudden, unexpected tears that sprang from nowhere.
How is it possible to feel so much for her, so soon? It’s not fair. To finally feel something like this and have it be so impossible. It was nothing at all like she’d expected. The women she had seriously dated were all just like her. Wilderness devotees. Monogamous. Perfect fits, all of them, at least on paper. They had the same interests, outlook, priorities in life.
She and Megan, on the other hand, had very little in common on the surface. Sure, Megan appreciated the uncommon beauty of their surroundings with a sensitivity that not everyone possessed. That much was clear. She picked up kayaking pretty fast and seems to enjoy it, despite the accident. No complaints about the primitive camping experience. She’s bright, and funny, incredibly sexy, and…she makes you feel things that no one has ever made you feel.
But the differences between them seemed insurmountable, distance being only one. They had different priorities. And even though it seemed to her, when they were making love, that Megan was feeling exactly as she was feeling…that this was incredibly different, and special…she knew it wasn’t so.
For her, it’s only an affair. And she has them all the time. You know that you’d want much more than that. If you kept seeing her, it would only make it that much harder to say good-bye when she moved on to someone else.
Yes, it was probably just as well that they had only one night. For every additional hour that she spent with Megan was an hour spent getting closer and closer to her. Already, she could not imagine how she would ever say good-bye.
*
When next Chaz woke, the light streaming into the tent and the bird calls outside told her that the storm had passed, and it was probably well into the morning. She knew she should find the radio and turn it on; they would be sending a helicopter as soon as possible. But she couldn’t bring herself to move right away.
She wanted a final moment to relish what it was like waking up next to Megan, after the most incredible night of lovemaking in her life. She was on her back and Megan on her side, tucked up against her with her head in the crook of her shoulder. Her soft breathing against Chaz’s chest felt like brief, airy caresses. Chaz’s nipples started to get hard.
One of Megan’s legs was carelessly draped over hers, weightless and unmoving but, placed where it was, between her legs, still extremely provocative. She could feel herself getting aroused again. Jesus, get a grip. Aren’t you worn out yet? Apparently not.
Her common sense won out. It wouldn’t do for the chopper to arrive with them lying like this. She managed to reach her watch without having to move too much. Megan slept on. 8 a.m. Shit.
She glanced outside. There was a touch of fog; that was good, it meant probably that rescue wasn’t imminent. But the rain had stopped, and morning fog often burned off by midmorning. She really did have to check in, and in order to reach the radio, she’d have to move Megan off of her.
She tried to slowly extricate herself from Megan’s embrace, but as soon as she moved a few inches, Megan moaned, and, still half-asleep, nestled her body even more snugly against Chaz. The languid movement of Megan’s body along hers did nothing to help quench Chaz’s growing excitement. I’m just going to have to wake her. Or pretty soon I’m not going to care whether the chopper is coming or not.
“Megan?” she said gently.
Megan sighed a long sigh of contentment. Chaz knew she was still asleep, but the gentle exhalation sounded so much like the sigh she’d made after orgasm number three that it kicked up Chaz’s arousal another notch.
“Megan!” Louder this time, her voice betraying the level of her fear of losing control. “I have to radio in.”
She slowly stretched to reach her pack, and her movement made Megan come fully awake. She yawned sleepily and blinked at Chaz. “Hi, there. Good morning.”
Her eyes were twinkling at Chaz, and she had a shyness to her voice that in light of what they’d been doing to each other all night, sounded incredibly sweet and endearing. Why do you have to be so irresistible?
Chaz did the only thing she could do. The only thing that made sense, when Megan looked at her like that. She kissed her, like she meant it. Like she never wanted to let her go. Damn, she was going to miss those kisses.
“Good morning,” she replied some time later when they came up for air.
“I could get used to having that every morning as my alarm clock,” Megan said lazily as she relaxed back again Chaz’s chest.
The hint of regular domesticity about that statement made Chaz’s stomach clench. If only that was true. Stoically, she reached for the radio. “It’s late enough that I really need to call in and see when they’re coming for you. Probably would not be real good to have them come up on us unexpectedly.”
“So, what happens next?” Megan asked.
“The air ambulance will fly you to the hospital in Fairbanks. Orion will be contacting you there and will make arrangement for your flight home and anything else you need after you’re released.”
“I don’t suppose I can suggest we postpone getting me out of here another day or two or three?” Megan asked in a quiet voice, not looking at Chaz.
“I wish that was possible. But you need to be looked at. I know they’ll be sending someone as soon as the weather allows.”
“This sucks. I don’t feel bad, considering. Just a sore shoulder. The headache is pretty much gone. I want to spend more time with you.”
“I wish we could, too, Megan. But I also have to rejoin the group. I have a job to do and they need two guides.” With that, Chaz reluctantly turned on the radio and reported in to the Alaska State Troopers.
The news couldn’t have been worse. The chopper was on its way. They roused themselves and got dressed, and Chaz put some water on for coffee, then packed up their gear and took down the tent. They didn’t say much to each other as they waited. But they sat side by side, leaning back against a gray boulder, legs stretched out in front of them and their bodies touching.
“You have all my information on the registration forms, right?” Megan asked.
“Yes. I’ll copy it all down when I get back to the lodge.” Chaz reached into a pocket for a small pad of paper and pen and wrote down her name, address, phone, office information, and e-mail address. “Here’s mine,” she said, tucking the note carefully into the breast pocket of Megan’s jacket.
“Better be careful where you put those hands,” Megan kidded playfully. “You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”
“Damn, woman, don’t you ever get tired?” Chaz’s comment was offset by the fact that she leaned over to nuzzle Megan’s neck as she said it. She would more than happily go again if they had the time.
But there was no time. They heard it before they saw it. Chaz got to her feet as the chopper came into view over a nearby mountain peak. Their alone time was at an end, and she felt it as a very real ache in her chest.
“I guess this is it,” she said, leaning down to help Megan to her feet.
Megan gazed up at the approaching chopper. “I hate good-byes anyway. And this ranks up there with the class-A worst ones.”
“Yeah, I’d agree with that.”
“I know you had reservations about getting involved with a client.” Megan lowered her gaze and turned moist green eyes on Chaz. “How do you feel about public displays of affection?”
“What are you proposing?” Chaz asked with a smile.
“I’d about kill for one more of your kisses.”
Chaz cradled Megan’s face in her hand. Made one last caress of that sun-kissed cheek before she leaned down to claim that mouth a final time. Megan’s arm came around her waist and pulled their bodies together.
The sound of the helicopter landing on a small patch of level tundra nearby forced them apart.
“Stay in touch,” Chaz said, looking into Megan’s eyes while they waited for the air ambulance crew to disembark.
“I will. Thanks for everything.” Megan wanted to say something profound and meaningful, but how could she think when Chaz looked at her like that? “I’ll never forget last night.”
Chaz couldn’t keep her eyes from misting up. “I won’t either. I’ll miss you.”
“Me, too.”
That was all the time they had.
Five minutes later, Megan was comfortably ensconced in the helicopter. She gave a final wave, and the chopper lift
ed off and headed south. As she watched Chaz’s silhouette get smaller and smaller, an ache began in her chest. It grew with each mile that separated them.
*
Chaz waited until the helicopter was out of sight and then got into her kayak and on the river, happy to have some time alone before she had to resume her guide duties. She felt unsettled, even mildly disoriented. Megan had turned her world upside down in the space of twenty-four hours, and Chaz couldn’t imagine how it would right itself again. She kept telling herself that it was all for the best, but there was no way that her separation from Megan after their night together felt like anything but what it was: a sudden cold and hollow place, where there had recently been an abundance of heat and belonging.
The rest of the group was finishing a late lunch when she reached their campsite two hours later. She briefed them all on Megan’s departure and caught up with how they had fared in the storm; then they all set off in their kayaks to resume their trip downriver.
They reached their next stop about seven that evening and fell into the now-familiar routine of setting up tents and getting dinner started. Sally knew her well enough that she sensed something was different, but she gave Chaz some space to think things out on her own. She asked only if Chaz was all right and offered a shoulder if she needed someone to talk to.
Justine was not so easily deterred. At the first opportunity to talk to Chaz alone—which happened to be while Chaz was doing dishes—she corralled her and began peppering her with questions about her night with Megan. “So, Chaz…I know this is going to sound like I’m butting in, but I’m Megan’s best friend so I think I’m entitled.” That out of the way, she found a flat rock to sit on and made herself comfortable. “So did you two finally admit that you have a thing for each other before she left?”
Chaz felt her whole face get hot as images of her and Megan in various positions of lovemaking flashed into her mind. “Uh…” she stammered. But she couldn’t suppress a silly grin at the memory.
