perfect."
Julia crouched next to the chair where Simon sat, and leaned into him to share the viewfinder.
“This one,” she said. “The crane’s shadow is centered perfectly in the moon’s reflection.”
She turned to see his reaction and noticed he wasn’t looking at the camera. He was watching her, just inches from her, and before she could move away, Simon leaned in and kissed her.
His hand moved to caress her collarbone, slowly traveling to her throat, and then around to the back of her head. The tentative kiss turned firmer as his fingers tangled in her hair, and he used his free hand to trail a path of fire down her back.
Photo forgotten, Julia found herself lost in his embrace. With interest in the photos lost, she set the camera down, and her hands traced across the hard plane of his chest of their own volition. Every muscle in her body tensed, anticipating his next move.
And he didn’t disappoint. His tongue ran over her lips as his fingertips found their way under the oversized sweatshirt and cupped her breast.
At this point a smart girl would have said stop. Pulled away. Anything. But her body had other ideas. His thumb grazed her nipple, and a traitorous moan escaped her lips. He slid the shirt over her head, tossing it to the ground.
Julia felt completely exposed in the bright moonlight. She could see him taking in the details of her exposed flesh, just as she would do before taking a photograph. Several minutes passed, and neither of them said anything as his hand moved across her body, caressing. Their ragged breathing and the soft breeze rustling through the trees filled the silence.
She tried to focus, to decide how far she was going to let this go, but her mind couldn’t catch up to her body. But she didn’t have to. She had just released the second button on Simon’s shirt when Megan’s voice came from behind them.
“Simon, I know you’re in there.”
Simon released his hold on her and Julia landed, unceremoniously, on her butt. Her rational brain screamed out at the indignity but her fight or flight instinct had kicked in. And thank God, because she had enough sense to snatch the shirt and yank it on. Jumping to her feet, she somehow remembered to grab the camera in her haste.
“I can’t find Julia anywhere in the house.” Megan said, closer to rear of the boathouse now. “I swear, if you were a jerk and scared her off, I’m going to kick your ass.”
She struggled to get her completely justified emotions under control as the sliding door opened.
“What did you say to her?” Megan demanded.
Still reeling, Julia stared at Simon from the other side of the deck, looking for clues as to what just happened. Other than a muscle twitching in his hard jaw, he gave nothing away.
“I know you did something. She only runs off with her camera gear when she’s upset, so what happened?”
Confused by her statement, Julia stepped out of the shadows of the deck. “What do you mean, I run off with my camera when I’m upset?”
Megan’s eyes went wide and she looked from Julia to Simon and back again. Julia prayed she didn’t look like a woman who had been thoroughly debauched, and she had to resist the urge to touch her still burning lips.
“Honey, I just meant that you turn to your photography when you’re upset,” Megan said, her words earnest. “I was worried when we got back and you were still gone. That’s all. It’s late, and you don’t know the area yet. I was concerned that Simon's sour mood had you traipsing around the woods in the dark with your camera.”
Julia found it hard to say mad at Megan, especially since she was only looking out for her. “I told you I was going to do a night series.”
“But I thought we were taking the weekend off.” Megan had crossed the small room and slid her arm around Julia, urging her away from Simon. She leaned in close and whispered, “After your run-in with that douche-nozzle Luke, I thought we agreed to take the weekend
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