Page 105 of Spindrift

Warmthtrickled into every part of her body at Morgan’s words.

“Butyou’ve got a lot going on,” Morgan continued before Emilia could speak, “and Idon’t want to complicate that.”

“You’renot.”

“Areyou sure?”

Shedidn’t answer. If she said yes, she’d not only be lying, but she’d bediscrediting both of their feelings. If she said no, though, Morgan might feelobligated to call things off. She settled for a different truth.

“It’stoo late.” She touched Morgan’s lips with the tips of her fingers and tracedthe bow of the upper, then the full sweep of the lower.

“Wecould—”

“Morgan.”She cut her off. “You don’t need to protect me.”

“But—”

“Shutup, Dr. Donovan.” Morgan’s lips parted beneath her fingers and Emilia pressedthem closed. “I want this.”

Asmall, nearly inaudible sound vibrated against her fingers. Emilia shiftedbeneath the sheets to lay flush against Morgan’s body, half rolled on top ofher, half tangled in her arms.

“Iwant this,” she repeated in a voice that broke against itself as she framed thewords, and Morgan’s hands gripped her hips with a fierceness that mirrored herown.

Chapter Fourteen

The first fewweeks of July passed in a blur of heat, appointments, and moments spent withEmilia. Morgan took her out on her boat and melted at the sight of her in abikini, cursing the number of other boaters on the water who prevented her fromfucking her on the deck again. Stevie spent every spare minute with Olive, whohad recovered from surgery without complication and who now lived at Morgan’sparents while Morgan and Stevie built a paddock in the orchard. She saw Stormyin snatches behind her bar, usually while grabbing a cup of coffee on a middaybreak with Emilia, as she was now.

“Thismust be Ray’s daughter.”

BothMorgan and Emilia jumped. Morgan slopped her iced coffee down her front as shelooked up into her mother’s face. Shannon Donovan handed her a napkin andsurveyed a startled Emilia over one of Stormy’s outdoor café tables.

“Yes.I’m Emilia Russo. And you must be Morgan’s mother?”

“Shannon,”she said with a smile.

“Ican see the family resemblance.”

“I’vebeen telling Morgan to bring you by the house. My husband, Aaron, knew yourfather. You’re always welcome. In fact,” she shot Morgan an inscrutable lookthat promised trouble, “why don’t you come over tonight if you aren’t busy?”

Morganopened her mouth to stop this disaster, but only a squeak came out.

“I’dlove to,” said Emilia.

“Wonderful.Stop by whenever you get out of work.”

“It’smy day off,” said Morgan, who had been looking forward to spending the daylying in bed with Emilia, not facing the Shannon Inquisition.

“Thenwe’ll see you at five.”

Andwith that, Shannon strode away.

Morganstared after her mother, feeling like she’d been clubbed over the head.

“Youokay?” Emilia asked.

Shemade what she’d intended to be a noise of assent, but what instead sounded likea strangled cat.

“Yourmother seems nice.”

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