Whitewater Rendezvous

by Kim Baldwin

  “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. “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. I was just too damn afraid of it all happening again. Making myself vulnerable enough for someone to be able to cut me so deeply.” She put a hand gently on Chaz’s thigh. “I really trust you. And I have to say…that I feel things for you that I never felt for Rita.”

  “Thank you for telling me about her,” Chaz said.

  “I want you to know everything.”

  “As I want you to know everything about me.” Chaz hated that Megan had suffered so in her relationship with Rita, but she felt almost giddy that she had pushed past all of that in order to find her in Alaska. “So does that mean you’re up for my coming to Chicago?”

  “Well, I think we have another alternative that might be better,” Megan said, as Chaz’s cabin came into view in the distance.

  “Do we?” Chaz asked.

  “This assignment could turn into something more long term.”

  Chaz’s heartbeat picked up. “Define long term.”

  Megan was watching her intently. “Well, it could be permanent, if that’s what we both want.”

  The truck ground to a halt. Chaz turned to her. “Permanent?”

  “If that’s what we both want,” Megan repeated. “You don’t have to decide today.” She gestured at the road. “Come on. Keep going.”

  Chaz put the truck into gear. “How is it possible?”

  “Well, I pitched an idea to the network president, my boss. I told him I wanted to start up an environmental unit—that it was high time WNC had one—to do documentaries in the public interest.”

  “And he went for it?”

  “Well, I had to threaten to resign first, to show him I was serious that’s the only way I would continue with the company,” Megan said. “He likes me well enough that he wanted to keep me on the payroll.”

  “But how can you be here permanently?”

  “Well, that was one of my conditions. That I would be based wherever I choose. I’ll be on the road some, of course, but it won’t be too bad.”

  Chaz shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’d do all this for me.”

  “Why? You were ready to do it for me.” Megan’s staff couldn’t believe it at first either, and she knew it appeared to most like a pretty monumental change she was making in her life. But the decision had actually been pretty simple when it came right down to it. “I get to be with you, in Alaska…which I’ve grown rather fond of, by the way. And I’ll get to do something I feel passionate about. Something that might make a difference. Besides, I was beginning to be very unhappy with where I was, without you there.”

  The truck came to a stop in front of a well-kept one-story log cabin. A matching garage sat off to one side. In every direction were magnificent, snowcapped mountains, and behind the cabin there was a picturesque lake, already frozen over except for a few small patches of open water that glistened in the sunlight. It couldn’t have been more inviting.

  “We’re here,” Chaz said, shutting off the engine and turning to Megan. “Welcome. Welcome home.”

  *

  Megan paused just inside the doorway, her eyes taking in the comfortable and homey great room as Chaz darted about, picking up a sweater she had thrown over a chair, the loose mail on the coffee table, the empty coffee cup from that morning.

  “Sorry about the mess,” Chaz said. “Please…come on in and make yourself comfortable. I’ll get a fire going and pour us some wine. How does that sound?”

  “That would be lovely,” Megan answered.

  A massive stone fireplace dominated one wall. The other walls were crowded with bookshelves, jammed to overflowing with books and with framed photographs from Chaz’s travels. Her concertina, unlatched as though it had been recently played, sat on an end table beside the couch.

  Everywhere was evidence of Chaz’s love of the out-of-doors. Snowshoes hung above the mantel, cross-country skis and poles were propped in one corner. Inuit art and sculptures were scattered about, on bookshelves and in
small glass display cases. Megan wandered about the room, taking things in, as Chaz built a fire.

  Within a few minutes, a cheery blaze was going, and Chaz lit a few candles to add to the romantic ambience. Then she excused herself to get some wine from the kitchen.

  “Join me,” she said, when she returned to settle on the couch in front of the fire, with two glasses of Lambrusco.

  Megan took one and held it up for a toast as she sat beside Chaz. “To us,” she said.

  “I’ll certainly drink to that.” Chaz clinked her glass against Megan’s and took a sip. “I still can hardly believe you’re here.”

  “Well, then I guess it’s time I start convincing you I’m not only here, but here to stay a while.” Megan put her glass on the coffee table, then took Chaz’s and set it down as well, before she repositioned herself—facing Chaz, straddling her, one knee on either side of Chaz’s lap.

  She cradled Chaz’s face in her hands and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. They had all the time in the world, now, and Megan wanted to make it last. She kissed Chaz with all the passion that four months of longing had built up inside of her, and Chaz kissed her back in equal measure.

  Her body came alive then, teased by Chaz’s body undulating beneath her, and her hips began to move of their own accord. Before she knew it, Chaz’s hands had worked their way beneath her clothing and were caressing her sides, her back, her hips, her stomach, with increasing pressure and purpose. Soon her heart was pounding so loud she was certain Chaz could feel it, hear it. It sent a warm wave of blood pulsing between her legs.

  She gasped for air when Chaz’s fingers found both of her nipples at once. Each tweak, firm and insistent, resonated to her core and sent her higher. She ground her pelvis against Chaz and moaned, long and loud, arching her back and letting the sensations wash over her.

  The sound seemed to fuel Chaz’s purposeful touches—she lifted Megan’s sweater and shirt and took one of her breasts in her mouth, sucking hard, while one arm wrapped around Megan and pulled her close.

  “I love your mouth on me,” Megan whispered, breathless with excitement. “But I need to feel you, Chaz. We have far too many clothes on.”

  “Your wish is my command.” Chaz slipped Megan’s sweater off and fumbled for the buttons on the red silk shirt underneath.

  Soon she was naked from the waist up, and Chaz followed a moment later with the swift removal of her own fleecy top and turtleneck. They came together then, breast to breast, mouth to mouth, their bodies moving more urgently against each other as the passion between them flared higher.

  “Jesus, Chaz,” Megan cried out. “You’re driving me crazy! Clothes! Off! Now!”

  Chaz lifted her, one strong hand beneath each thigh, and shifted Megan until she was lying on the couch. Thank God for those long hours spent kayaking and backpacking, Megan thought. Muscles to spare. And she’ll need them tonight.

  She stared into Chaz’s eyes as her slacks and panties were stripped from her body. She could drown in those eyes. Dark pools, the pupils enormous, lids heavy with arousal.

  She watched as Chaz got to her feet to slowly remove her own jeans and boxers in a seductive striptease. The warm amber glow from the fire lit her skin, casting shadows that accentuated every curve and hollow and taut muscle of that exceptional body.

  “Come lay on me,” Megan whispered.

  “You don’t want to move to the bedroom?” Chaz asked, her voice hoarse and unfamiliar. She offered a hand to help Megan up.

  “For the next round, perhaps.” Megan took the hand and pulled Chaz down on top of her, opening her legs to surround Chaz’s body and pull her close.

  She felt Chaz shudder as their centers came together, and she couldn’t contain an answering tremble of her own body. When they were together like this, nothing else mattered. And everything, everything—made sense.

  The travel brochure had promised Megan that she would have an unforgettable experience in Alaska. One that would change her life. It had certainly lived up to all of that and more. It had given her perspective and purpose, and for the first time in her life, here in Chaz’s arms, she felt truly complete, filled with a sense of belonging she had yearned for all her life. She was home at last, and in the calm that enveloped her as Chaz stole the breath from her body and noisy doubt from her mind, she could hear her heart’s truth. This was for keeps. And she wanted it no other way.

  “I love you, Chaz,” she said.

  Chaz drew back slightly and stared down at her with solemn yearning. “I could get used to hearing that. How does every day for the rest of our lives sound?”

  Megan brushed her mouth across the soft lips just a breath from her own. “I think I could sign up for that. But I’ll need to practice.”

  Chaz grinned. “Then let’s not waste any time. I love you, too, Megan Maxwell, and now I’m going to show you how much.”

  About The Author

  Kim Baldwin has been a writer for three decades, following up twenty years as an executive in network news with a second vocation penning lesbian fiction.She has published five other solo novels with Bold Strokes Books in addition to Breaking the Ice: the intrigue/ romances Flight Risk and Hunter’s Pursuit and the romances Force of Nature, Whitewater Rendezvous, and Focus of Desire. Four of her books have been finalists for Golden Crown Literary Society Awards. She has also published two books in the Elite Operatives Series in collaboration with Xenia Alexiou: Lethal Affairs (translated into Dutch as Dubbel Doelwit) and Thief of Always. The third book in the series, Missing Lynx, comes out in February 2010.

  Kim has also contributed short stories to five BSB anthologies: The Lambda Literary Award–winning Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments; Erotic Interludes 3: Lessons in Love; IPPY and GCLS Award–winning Erotic Interludes 4: Extreme Passions; Erotic Interludes 5: Road Games, a 2008 Independent Publishers Award Gold Medalist; and Romantic Interludes 1: Discovery. She is currently at work on her tenth novel. She lives in the north woods of Michigan, but takes to the road with her laptop and camera whenever possible. Her Web site is www.kimbaldwin.com and she can be reached at baldwinkim@gmail.com.

  Books Available From Bold Strokes Books

  Whitewater Rendezvous by Kim Baldwin. Two women on a wilderness kayak adventure—Chaz Herrick, a laid-back outdoorswoman, and Megan Maxwell, a workaholic news executive—discover that true love may be nothing at all like they imagined. (1-933110-38-4)

  Erotic Interludes 3: Lessons in Love ed. by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman. Sign on for a class in love…the best lesbian erotica writers take us to “school.” (1-933110-39-2)

  Punk Like Me by JD Glass. Twenty-one year old Nina writes lyrics and plays guitar in the rock band, Adam’s Rib, and she doesn’t always play by the rules. And, oh yeah—she has a way with the girls. (1-933110-40-6)

  Coffee Sonata by Gun Brooke. Four women whose lives unexpectedly intersect in a small town by the sea share one thing in common—they all have secrets. (1-933110-41-4)

  The Clinic: Tristaine Book One by Cate Culpepper. Brenna, a prison medic, finds herself deeply confl icted by her growing feelings for her patient, Jesstin, a wild and rebellious warrior reputed to be descended from ancient Amazons. (1-933110-42-2)

  Forever Found by JLee Meyer. Can time, tragedy, and shattered trust destroy a love that seemed destined? When chance reunites two childhood friends separated by tragedy, the past resurfaces to determine the shape of their future. (1-933110-37-6)

  Sword of the Guardian by Merry Shannon. Princess Shasta’s bold new bodyguard has a secret that could change both of their lives. He is actually a she. A passionate romance filled with courtly intrigue, chivalry, and devotion. (1-933110-36-8)

  Wild Abandon by Ronica Black. From their first tumultuous meeting, Dr. Chandler Brogan and Officer Sarah Monroe are drawn together by their common obsessions—sex, speed, and danger. (1-933110-35-X)

  Turn Back Time by Radclyffe. Pearce Rifkin and Wynter Thompson have nothing in common but a shared passion for surgery. They
clash at every opportunity, especially when matters of the heart are suddenly at stake. (1-933110-34-1)

  Chance by Grace Lennox. At twenty-six, Chance Delaney decides her life isn’t working so she swaps it for a different one. What follows is the sexy, funny, touching story of two women who, in finding themselves, also find one another. (1-933110-31-7)

  The Exile and the Sorcerer by Jane Fletcher. First in the Lyremouth Chronicles. Tevi, wounded and adrift, arrives in the courtyard of a shy young sorcerer. Together they face monsters, magic, and the challenge of loving despite their differences. (1-933110-32-5)

  A Matter of Trust by Radclyffe. JT Sloan is a cybersleuth who doesn’t like attachments. Michael Lassiter is leaving her husband, and she needs Sloan’s expertise to safeguard her company. It should just be business—but it turns into much more. (1-933110-33-3)

  Sweet Creek by Lee Lynch. A celebration of the enduring nature of love, friendship, and community in the quirky, heart-warming lesbian community of Waterfall Falls. (1-933110-29-5)

  The Devil Inside by Ali Vali. Derby Cain Casey, head of a New Orleans crime organization, runs the family business with guts and grit, and no one crosses her. No one, that is, until Emma Verde claims her heart and turns her world upside down. (1-933110-30-9)

  Grave Silence by Rose Beecham. Detective Jude Devine’s investigation of a series of ritual murders is complicated by her torrid affair with the golden girl of Southwestern forensic pathology, Dr. Mercy Westmoreland. (1-933110-25-2)

  Honor Reclaimed by Radclyffe. In the aftermath of 9/11, Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts and Blair Powell close ranks with a trusted few to find the would-be assassins who nearly claimed Blair’s life. (1-933110-18-X)

  Honor Bound by Radclyffe. Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts and Blair Powell face political intrigue, a clandestine threat to Blair’s safety, and the seemingly irreconcilable personal differences that force them ever farther apart. (1-933110-20-1)