Modern Girl's Guide to One-Night Stands

by DRAYER, GINA

  He closed his eyes against the sight. No, he wasn’t going to start down that train of thought again. She was just Megan’s friend. That was it.

  Simon turned away from the window and went back to the balcony. He was too fucking old to be spying on pretty girls at the lake. He sat down and picked up his drink, determined to ignore her. Then a soft humming drifted up from the water.

  Simon smiled, remembering her horrible singing. It might not have been any good, but there was abandon in the way she’d enjoyed the music. Rapture, the sheer joy of living, radiated from her. It was like the sun on the first warm day after a long gray winter, and for a few hours she’d focused that light on him. That, more than the sex, was what made her so alluring.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were up here.”

  Simon had been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed the door open. Julia was standing in the middle of the living room, dripping on the floor. Before he could say anything she turned to leave.

  “Wait,” he said, jumping up from the deck chair. “Don’t leave. You're soaking wet. Let me get you a towel.” He rushed over to a well-stocked closet just inside the room.

  “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I don't want to disturb you. Really.”

  “Here.” Simon tossed her a towel from the shelf. He was afraid if he got any closer she’d bolt. “Get dried off before you go. Do you want a drink? I’ve got a nice bottle of scotch, or I’m sure I can find a bottle or two of wine in the kitchen. You look like you could use the warm-up. Your lips are turning blue.”

  A sheepish smile crossed her face as she looked down at her sodden clothes. “I need to change. I wasn’t expecting to go for a swim, but I just couldn’t get the right angle from the shore.” She looked down and quickly wrapped the towel around her shoulders, hiding the t-shirt that clung to her like a second skin. “I didn’t think the water would be that cold. It’s still around eighty, so I figured the water would at least be bearable. What’s up with that?”

  “It not until July before the water starts to really warm up. Right now I’d bet it’s around fifty degrees or so.”

  “My guess was thirty. I’m surprised there aren’t ice cubes floating out there.” She was shivering and hugged the towel tighter. “I should go back to the house and change.”

  “We’ve got some stuff out here. I’m sure I can find you something to change into.” He started rummaging through a chest in the closet. Finding some sweats and an old college sweatshirt, he turned, triumphant. “They might be a little big, but they’re dry. The bathroom’s over there.”

  She looked down at the sweats and back up to him, the mental debate playing across her face.

  He should have let her go, but he was curious about her. The conflicting images he kept getting from Megan didn’t add up to the strange woman who’d wade into frigid water to get a photograph. Or the one who’d asked a stranger for sex.

  “I’d be a terrible host if I let my guests get frostbite. Anyway, I’d love to know what it was you were doing down there."

  This seemed to be the right thing to say. She smiled and her whole demeanor changed. She came over and grabbed the clothes. “Did you know tonight was a super moon? I was hoping to get some shots of the full moon over the lake while we were here. I really lucked out because this is probably the best time this year to get that shot.”

  She was practically giddy as she talked and Simon couldn’t help but feel some of her excitement. He had no idea what she meant by a super moon, but by the way her face lit up he wanted to hear more. “Every time I try to take a shot of the moon, it always looks like a small marble in sea of black. It doesn’t matter how ‘super’ the moon is,” Simon said with shrug.

  She dropped her arms from in front of her breasts as she started explaining how to set up a good night sky shot. Simon was only half listening because he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Like a delicate moonflower his mother had planted in the gardens, Julia bloomed right in front of his eyes.

  “You make it sound simple, but somehow I bet there’s a lot more than just framing the shot,” he said, encouraging her to continue talking.

  “Well there is, but it all starts there.” She smiled broadly again and glanced over to the bathroom. “I’m going to change and I’ll show you some of the shots. I was coming up here to get some shots of the moon reflecting off the surface of the water. I could give you a lesson.” She paused, looking a little unsure again. “That is, if you’re interested.”

  “I’d like that.” And Simon was surprised he genuinely meant that. In his line of work he had good instincts when it came to visual appeal, but he'd never been interested in how the images were captured. The only thing that mattered to him was they had to catch his eye and make him feel something. But tonight he wanted to know more.

  Chapter Seven

  Modern Girl Tip #15: Don’t Overstay Your Welcome—Once the fling has been flung, get out. You don’t have to bolt for the door, but don't settle in either.

  What was she doing? Julia should have headed back to the house. Instead, she was standing in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror, trying to figure out if she was about to make a giant mistake.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be bad. It wasn’t like anything was going to happen. They’d agreed to put that night behind them. She was just trying to get to know her friend's brother. That was it.

  Simon had asked about her photography, after all, and that was safe-enough ground. Sure, every time he looked at her with those warm, whiskey eyes, Julia’s insides melted. But that’s not why she decided to stay.

  To be honest, she was excited that he showed interest. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone bothered to ask her about her work, outside of her students.

  Even Megan, despite her unwavering encouragement, wasn’t the least bit interested in how she took her photos. Every time Julia had started talking about aperture and shutter speed, she could almost see Megan’s eyes glaze over. Julia craved to talk to someone else about her work. Anyone who wasn’t paying her for the pleasure, that was. So if Simon was willing to listen, she was happy to indulge his curiosity.

  She removed the icy, wet clothing, and debated whether to take off her bra and underwear. If she left them on they’d just get the dry clothing wet as well. She eyed the sweats Simon had given her. They looked huge, but it wasn’t as if she could stand there naked all night. They would just have to do. At least they were baggy enough not to show she wasn’t wearing any undergarments.

  She made quick work of the rest of her sodden clothing, and rolled them into a towel before carefully storing them in the side pouch of her bag.

  Once the dry shirt was on, she adjusted the sleeves. The worn material was soft against her clammy skin and it held Simon’s musky male sent. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell before she pulled on the pants. As expected, they were far too big for her, but Julia rolled the legs up and tightened the drawstring, happy to be in something dry. After she was dressed, she hauled her equipment bag and tripod out to the balcony.

  As promised, he was waiting for her with a glass of scotch and a smile that caused her pulse to race. His full frame was silhouetted against the rising moon. Julia crouched down and took a few snapshots of him.

  He turned when the shutter clicked, and frowned.

  “You don’t mind, do you?” she asked.

  “Be my guest.” Simon relaxed against the rail and grinned. “But I can’t imagine why you’d want to take pictures of me.”

  She could name half a dozen reasons but bit her tongue. Julia forgot how achingly handsome Simon Shelton was in person. He still wore that scruffy close-cut beard that she’d thought looked sexy on him. His blond curls looked wild and unruly. Her fingers itched to run through the soft tresses and press her body against that firm chest. To feel his strong lips against hers.

  “Do I need to move the table for you to set up?”

  His words shocked her out of the rapidly devolving fantasy. Jul
ia hadn’t realized she’d stopped taking photos. She stood up and walked over to where he stood, taking the scotch from him.

  “Um. No, it should be fine. I need to set up as close to the railing as possible.” She took a big gulp, nearly choking on it, and handed him back the glass. “Once I get the camera set up, I’ll show you some tricks.”

  Julia started unpacking her gear, finding the best spot to capture the haunting landscape, all carnal thoughts of Simon’s naked body put aside for now. Her mind switched gears and went into teacher mode.

  “The key to taking night shots is to use a tripod,” she started to explain. She waved him over to show him the settings on the camera. “With the low light you have to have a long exposure time—this setting here on your camera. This is the reason you need a tripod. It reduces the chance of shaking, which will cause the photo to blur.”

  Simon leaned over to look at the small LCD screen. She could feel the heat of his body, and found herself leaning closer like a moth to a flame.

  “That explains why my night photos are always shit,” he said, taking a step back. “I don’t think I’ve ever had my camera off auto.”

  “There’s your problem. If you want to take a good photo, you need to be willing to put in the effort up front.”

  “I’m sure you’re right, but I doubt I’ll remember any of this." Simon waved to the camera and shrugged. “You were going to take some photos of the lake. Why don’t you just show me what you were going to do up here and I’ll sit and watch?”

  Turning back to the lake, Julia studied the horizon. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d already missed her shot. She’d come up here to catch the moon just as it inched over the treetops. They had spent so much time talking, the moon was high in the night sky now. So instead, she decided on capturing the moon’s reflection on the lake’s surface.

  Even though she taught in front of students all the time, Julia was struck by a sudden case of nerves. As she raised the tripod and changed the setting, explaining each step along the way, Julia kept glancing over her shoulder to where Simon sat watching her. But as soon as she started taking pictures, all her nerves fell away and it was just her and the landscape.

  After about thirty minutes and close to a hundred pictures, Julia was about ready to wrap up. She was happy with the shots, even though they were fairly mundane. From the corner of her eye, Julia caught a lone crane take flight off in the distance. Reframing the shot, she held her breath and hoped the bird wouldn’t alter its course. When it finally came into frame she snapped a dozen shots before it flew off.

  “Did you see that?” She hopped up and down, unable contain her excitement. She detached the camera and flipped back through the shots. “This shot is 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 to just relax.” Megan looked over Julia’s shoulder to Simon, and her brow creased. “What were you guys up to out here with all the lights off? And where are your clothes?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Her cheeks were on fire, but Julia managed to keep her voice steady as she answered. “I was all wet from wading into the lake. When I came up here to take some more photos, Simon was kind enough to find me some dry clothes. I even attempted to give him a lesson, but I’m not sure he grasped the concepts.” Julia shot him a conspiratorial glance. Holding his gaze, she said, "If he wants to learn how to handle the equipment, he needs a little more practice.”

  Simon coughed, covering a choking laugh. “I can’t blame Julia for trying. She’s a really good teacher, but she seemed to lose focus when she finally got into it."

  Now it was Julia’s turn to bite her lip. What was wrong with her? They’d almost been caught by Megan, and there they were, making fun of the whole situation. Where would things have progressed if Megan hadn’t come home so soon? More importantly, was she grateful for the interruption, or not?

  Megan, still frowning, looked back at Simon one more time before she started dragging Julia toward the door. “We brought back ice cream from the Silver Spoon. Why don’t you join us, Simon, and stop being antisocial?”

  “I’m going to pass. I’m not fit for mixed company right now. The last confere
nce call I had really got under my skin and I need a few to cool down."

  Julia couldn’t help but notice him shift in the chair, the glass of scotch strategically placed on his upper thigh. She just managed to shoot him a sympathetic grimace before Megan had her out the door.

  “Gee, Meg. I guess I’ll collect my gear tomorrow,” Julia said as Megan continued to pull her away from the boathouse.

  They were halfway up the stairs before Megan stopped, taking the stair just below her, so she was face to face with Julia. “Okay, knock it off. What was really going on? Was my brother hitting on you?” She looked down to the boathouse and back to Julia, scrunching her nose. Suddenly, her eyes got wide and she covered her mouth. “Oh, crap, you guys weren’t having sex, were you?”

  “No, we weren’t having sex. God, Megan, get your mind out of the gutter,” Julia said, relieved that at least it was the literal truth. If she had come just a few minutes later, Julia wasn’t so sure that would have been the case. But one thing was certain—she wasn’t about to tell what was really going on. Because hell if she knew how to explain it. "I told you what happened. I got wet taking photographs in the lake, and when I went to the boathouse, your brother was already there. Simon was a great sport about the whole thing. He even listened to me geek out about shutter speeds and aperture settings.”

  “It must have been a really bad day if Simon couldn’t muster the will to stop you,” Megan said, bumping her hip. Julia relaxed as Megan started back up the steps. "I didn’t really think anything was going on, but I had to check,” she said over her shoulder, not pausing a step. “You seemed pretty set about not starting a new relationship, but I haven’t talked to Simon yet because he was resistant to the whole idea from the start. I was really hoping you weren’t in the awkward position of having to shoot down my brother. You know, despite his current asshat-ness, Simon's quite the charmer. Growing up, I always dreaded bringing girls home from school because they would fawn over his every word.”