Page 13 of Picture Us

As they climbed, Drew could hear Rose’s breathing become staggered. Drew couldn’t stop the corners of their mouth from rising with a smug grin. Of course, the stairs kicked their ass too – they were just better at hiding it.

At the top of the fourth floor, Rose gasped for breath and rested her hands on her hips. Her face was glowing with a light layer of sweat that had developed on the way up.

Drew grabbed the three keys for their apartment door, undoing each in quick succession. The large metal bolts slid free with athunkas Drew turned each key.

The door clunked open when the final lock was undone. It swung open, heavier than the average apartment door. Drew walked in confidently and placed their keys on the hook by the entrance.

Rose followed, placing her palm on the heavy door to stop it from slamming her out of the loft. Her mouth fell open as she gawked at the space.

“Sorry it’s a mess. I left in a rush yesterday, and then last night…” Drew trailed off as they headed to the open kitchen and set their sandwich on a plate. Of course, the place was spotless; Drew never missed a morning making their bed or running the vacuum.

Rose shook her head as she looked around the loft. “Oh no, it’s great. Cleaner than my place ever is.”

Drew walked back to the coat rack by the front door, which was really just a black, spray-painted pipe. As they peeled their bomber jacket off, they could feel Rose’s eyes scanning their toned arms. Feeling a blush rise to their cheeks, Drew swallowed nervously under her gaze.Wasn’t she with Shan?

Shooting Rose a glance, Drew wandered toward the work tables at the center of the massive, minimalist loft.

Rose cleared her throat, embarrassed to have been caught. “How long have you been here?” She walked closer to Drew, who had pulled up a stool and taken a seat at the metal table.

They took a sip of their coffee. “A couple years. I got in when the prices dropped. I give the landlord free portraits for his friends and family, and he lets me keep the deal.”

“A-ha. I knew there was a catch.” Rose wiggled her eyebrows at Drew.

Drew looked away, trying to stop themself from blushing under her gaze. Despite her obnoxious personality, Rose was breathtaking. Her hair glowed auburn in the bright sun of the loft. It was so eye-catching that Drew almost wanted to grab their camera and capture it.

They swallowed the lump growing in their throat. “Besides, no one wants to do the stairs.”

Rose giggled, meeting Drew’s gaze. Drew hadn’t noticed how stunning her green eyes were. Their breathing grew heavy as they looked at the beautiful woman before them. As if their whole body had frozen through, Drew couldn’t move.

Trying to snap themself out of it, they stood up abruptly. The metal legs of their stool scraped against the wood floors, sending an ear-splitting screech echoing off the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I’ll be right back. I forgot to grab something.”

Before Rose could even respond, Drew was disappearing behind a pair of curtains. They shook their head, trying to steady their breathing and ignore the tingling sensation building between their legs.

Sure, she’s beautiful. But I’ve seen plenty of beautiful girls.Drew closed their eyes.None of them have ever looked quite like that.

Drew rolled their eyes at the thought as they wrestled for control of their mind and body. “God,” they whispered to themself, “Just fucking play it cool.”

8

ROSE

Rose pacedaround Drew’s loft, wandering toward Drew’s low, platform bed. It was clearly an expensive frame, a light wood stain with beautiful craftsmanship.

The bed was perfectly made, not a single wrinkle on the white duvet. Rose raised her eyebrows. Considering how hungover Drew was, the lack of mess was astonishing. She kept moving around, not wanting to be caught too interested in any one spot.

Despite Rose’s hope that her… session… the night before would stop her from being a little too interested in Drew, she couldn’t stop looking at them. Drew was stunning, and so was their apartment.

Rose’s eyes wandered the framed prints on the white brick walls.

Mostly in black and white, the photos were signed with Drew’s signature in the bottom corner. She rolled her eyes; it was so typical for someone like Drew to decorate their own apartment with theirownart.

But it was the subject matter that surprised Rose. They weren’t weddings or engagements or events. Instead, they were a series of travel photos.

Kids playing soccer in the desert, an old man pushing a cart down a cobblestone road, an unhoused woman in the subway. Looking at them, Rose felt their presence as if they were in the room with her. Drew had captured something truly special about their lives. A brief glimpse at eternity placed delicately on the walls of this gorgeous loft.

As she walked along the wall of art, Rose’s eye caught on a familiar face: Diana.

“Wow,” Rose shook her head. Diana’s eyes were soft as they looked into Drew’s lens, like they held a secret just for Drew.

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