Page 46 of Picture Us

“What party?” Drew asked, running their index finger from Rose’s hips to her ribs and back again.

“Ellen and Fin’s?” Rose scrunched her brows together, her eyes barely open.

Drew dropped their head low, resting it on Rose’s shoulder. “I wasn’t planning on it. I thought I was invited as a formality. I don’t really know them outside of the shoot.”

Thinking for a moment, Rose shrugged. “Come with me.”

Drew raised an eyebrow, studying Rose’s sleepy face for some hint of an explanation. Shaking their head, Drew turned, their back pressing against the mattress. Their sweaty skin stuck to the sheets as they adjusted, and a part of them loved how dirty it felt.

“Don’t you think it’s a little fast?” It wasn’t entirely clear how Rose intended the invite to come off. Did she want them to go as a couple?

Rose laughed and lightly punched Drew’s shoulder. “Not like that. Come as a friend. They have a lot of cool contacts. If nothing else, maybe a new gig could come of it. Plus, I don’t think either of us are looking for anything serious.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Drew nodded. “Okay.”

Of course they weren’t sure exactly what they were looking for. Especially when it came to Rose. Everything Drew knew about themself went out the window when Rose was around, and they weren’t sure what that meant.

But hooking up would be casual. Simple. Uncomplicated.

“We could get pizza or something beforehand? Or are you, like, not a pizza person?” Rose avoided their hazel eyes, but her hand stayed planted on Drew’s chest.

“That’s absurd.” Drew lifted their head from the pillow to get a good look at Rose. “Who the fuck isn’t a pizza person?”

Lightly tickling Rose, Drew sat up and repositioned over her. With their faces mere inches apart, Drew’s shaggy hair draped down over Rose. “Okay, I’ll go. As friends.”

Rose brought her lips to Drew’s and wrapped her arms around their neck. The electricity came back to their bodies as their mouths met again. Drew’s stomach turned at the feeling of Rose’s tongue slipping between their lips. They hadn’t felt this giddy for a long time.

Before they could get too wrapped up in what the actual fuck was going on between them, Rose broke away from their kiss, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “I don’t think friends kiss like that, Drew.”

Drew’s breathing got heavier as their lips found each other again.Maybe they don’t.

They laid in bed like that for hours, only getting up for food and bathroom breaks. But the next morning, Drew had to get some work done, and so did Rose.

Drew’s fingers clacked against the keyboard as they finished sending an email to a client, one hundred photos attached. They were well-dressed: a pair of dark blue trousers with an orange button down tucked into them.

Ellen and Fin’s party was that night, but Drew had a corporate client pitch beforehand. Luckily, Ellen and Fin lived in Drew’s neighborhood and were hosting the party at a bar down a few blocks away, so they would be able to stop in at Drew’s place to get changed before the party.

Their computer made the familiarwhooshas Drew clicked send. They grabbed a sleek, black portfolio bag from the worktable and headed for the door, where they slipped on their black Chelsea boots.

As they bent over, their back strained. Rose had really worn them out; their entire body sore from a long night of pleasing each other.

The memory brought a smile to Drew’s face. But they had to chill. It was casual, and neither of them had any intention of ending up in something super serious. Odds were, this would end as soon as the maternity shoot was finished.

Shaking the feeling, Drew grabbed the door knob and hurried out of the apartment. They jogged down the steps and out the front door, the wide portfolio swinging as they walked. The meeting was in Midtown, and they didn’t want to be late.

For once, the train was shockingly fast, and before they knew it, they were sweeping into the lobby of a grand old building. They got checked in with the nice security guard at the front desk and then headed up to the 27th floor.

As the elevator ascended, Drew’s chest started to heave with anxiety. Their foot tapped against the faux wood paneling. They hadn’t done a pitch like this in a long time, and corporate jobs were a luxury: higher pay and clearer terms than a wedding or an engagement.

But it also meant way more accountability. Drew knew their workwasthe product in a corporate campaign.

The doors of the elevator slid open to a cheery assistant immediately flagging Drew down. “Drew Hudson?”

With a nod, Drew plastered on a polite smile and extended their hand. “Hi, how are you?”

“I’m great, thank you. And yourself? This way to the conference room.” She smiled back at Drew and turned on her heel, heading into the fancy – albeit sterile – office.

As they approached the conference room door, Drew saw a few other photographers leaving. Corporate jobs were always an uphill battle. Film was expensive, and very few marketing executives found it worth the cost.

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