Page 44 of Spindrift

“Don’tworry about it. If she wants, she can always crop out your face, right?Photoshop—”

“Actlike you like each other, people,” said Lillian.

Danielleslung her arm around Morgan’s shoulder. She debated the wisdom of doing thesame thing to Emilia, but before she could come to a decision, Emilia leanedher hip against Morgan’s and turned sideways to face the camera. The pose wascompletely normal and even made sense, given the angle of the camera, but itrendered a comradely shoulder grip awkward. She put her arm around Emilia’swaist instead. Emilia shifted her weight and leaned in closer.

Shefelt too good. Morgan bared her teeth in a smile for the camera as she grewinstantly and acutely aware of the warmth of Emilia’s skin and the inundatingscent of her perfume. This close, she picked up hints of violet and blackberry.

“Smile,”said Lillian as she stepped back to join the group. Her phone flashed severaltimes, and she strode back over to it. “Nobody move. Stormy, your eyes areclosed in all of these.”

“What?No way.”

“Way.Okay, let’s do this again.”

“There’sthat doctor personality. I was beginning to think she was too chill,” Emiliasaid in her ear.

Morgan’sfingers tightened on Emilia’s hip as her whisper traced its shivering way downher spine. She saw Emilia’s lips curve in a self-satisfied smile out of thecorner of her eye, and she suppressed a groan of frustration.

“Didn’tthey teach you that in vet school?” she said.

Emiliadidn’t answer, but she placed her left hand on the small of Morgan’s back, andthe slow drag of her thumb across the fabric of Morgan’s shirt feltintentional. She needed a cold shower. Now.

“Muchbetter,” said Lillian.

Morgandidn’t know if she was furious or relieved at Lillian’s dismissal. Danielle droppedher arm as the group began to disperse, and she braved a look in Emilia’sdirection.

“IfAngie crops out my head, who will she put there instead?” Emilia asked.

“Hercat, probably.”

“Mightbe an improvement.”

Morgantried for a laugh and managed a strangled croak. Every nerve in her body hummedand her muscles tightened, poised to act on a variety of appealing impulses,none of which were appropriate for a crowded kitchen.

“Whereis the cat, anyway?” Emilia continued.

“Hiding.”Her ability to form complete sentences was fading fast. Words would be next.

“GuessI got lucky this time.”

“Mhmm.”And there go all language skills.

Emilia’sfingers brushed her back again. “Where could I grab a glass of water?”

“I’llget you one.”There. Four words in a row.Morgan pulled away, but shelet her hand trail down Emilia’s waist as she did so, and Emilia’s pupilswidened.

Fuck.

Shefled to the sink and filled two glasses from the tap. Cold water soothed herdry throat, but she wished she could pour it over her head.

“Excuseme for a sec,” she said to Emilia as she handed her the second glass. “I needto go check on the fire.”

Thenight air offered a lackluster alternative to an icy bucket of water, but ithelped. She settled into an empty chair and greeted the dogs, who had reclaimedthe yard in the absence of humans.

“Hey,buddy,” she said to Kraken. He flopped at her feet with a sigh.

Thedoor opened and shut at her back, and she heard the suction break on the sealof the cooler as the footsteps paused.

“Beer?”asked Stevie.

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