"The night was warm, the laughter easy—
but something in the air buzzed,
just out of reach"

"What's the worst that could happen?" Sloane said with a shrug, looking almost too casual about it.

I glanced over at Morgan, she twisted her mouth with curiosity. She caught my eye for a second, and I could practically feel the thoughts running through her— why not?

The room went quiet for a beat. Everyone was thinking the same thing: we might as well.

After a moment, Morgan shrugged and let out a slow breath. "Alright, let's do it." She shocked me.

Everyone nodded, the energy spiking immediately.

"Atta girl! That's why she's my sister," Andy said, bouncing on his feet as he handed the bag to Morgan. "This is gonna be good!"

I shot a half-smile back at Morgan, who rolled her eyes playfully. "Spare me," she muttered, and I couldn't help but laugh at her.

As we took our doses, the air around us seemed to lighten, charged with a kind of buzz that felt as uncomfortable as it was exhilarating. It was like the room was expanding, stretching just beyond the walls of the kitchen. Everyone settled in, the sounds of chatter and laughter rising, but underneath it all, there was this subtle tension hanging in the air that I couldn't put my finger on.

The sounds of Duke and Stevie barking in the yard made me peek out of the window to lay eyes on them.

But for now, I was just going to enjoy whatever came next.

"Alright," Sloane spoke up, "let's go claim rooms."

"We got the master!" Eli chuckled in his girlfriend's ear.

Sloane smacked her silicone filled lips at him. "It's called the primary suite, baby."

"You didn't need to correct him." I gave her a hard time just because we all work together. Sloane playfully swatted at me like she was going to hit me but didn't.

"Damn, Morgan," Faith's words made me turn to see where that comment came from. "Pilates has been doing you a lot of good, I see."

Morgan, cheeks red, laughed. She pulled her red and white gingham mini shorts down but that barely did anything, her ass hanging out of them.

I watched Morgan interact with Jabari and Faith for a minute, just taking her in as they talked about the details of their relationship.

She looked otherworldly, beautiful — too perfect to be real.
Her slightly off-centered middle part was new with this low-back length wavy hair she'd been sporting lately. I liked it a lot.
It was a basic outfit but the way she wore it— the way her body looked in it— made it anything but ordinary. The white tank top was ruched and cropped at the waist, revealing just an inch or so of her flat stomach above the hip area where her low rise shorts sat. It wasn't flashy, but she had this effortless ability to make anything look high-fashion and perfect.

I was too in my head to hear anything they were saying, but they all looked at me expectantly.
Morgan, catching me wet my lips as I stared at her, did a double take at me. A sparkle gleamed in her eye. For a second, she chewed her lip, and then reverted her attention back to Faith.

In the next minute, Morgan took me by the hand. Everyone else had already gone their separate ways, dispersing to settle in.

As we made our way upstairs, the soft thwap, thwap of Morgan's brown braided flip-flops on the steps filled the quiet of the house. I couldn't help but watch her as she moved playfully ahead of me, holding my hand.

When we reached the room, she stepped up to the window to open it and let in fresh air. Her legs, toned and sun-kissed, caught the light as she stood there for a moment, her eyes taking in the view. The wind from outside caught a strand of her hair, and I couldn't help but take in the sight of her, the way the outfit hugged her and just felt so... angelic on her.

I lingered there for a second longer than I meant to, appreciating how she looked in the soft light of the room, a quiet smile tugging at my lips.

I dropped my bag onto the bed, exhaling as I took in the guest room. It was nice—comfortable, even. The kind of place that should make me want to kick back and sink into the weekend. The scent of lake water drifted through the open window, mixing with the faintest trace of sunscreen and old wood.

It was gonna be a good weekend.

I told myself that, letting my shoulders ease a little. The air felt thick, buzzing with that slow, syrupy energy that came when a high started to creep in. My fingers tingled. Everything sounded a little sharper, like I could hear each creak of the house settling, every shift in the voices downstairs.

Then Morgan's voice cut through it, warm and easy. "Hey, give me a hand?"

I turned, and there she was, holding out the strings of her bikini top, looking at me over her shoulder.

Any lingering thoughts faded as I stepped toward her. My fingers brushed against her back as I took the strings, and she lifted her hair out of the way, exposing the smooth curve of her spine.

She was right there, close enough to pull in.

I couldn't help myself, and neither could she as she awarded me with her lustful moans that turned me on more.

It had been a long time. Too long.

Everything was more intense, I felt like I was losing myself and I was okay with that.

But then—

A sound.

Just a flicker of something outside.

My head tilted slightly toward the window, my fingers tightening on the bikini strings.

Morgan turned to face me, eyes catching mine, something playful tugging at her lips. "You good?"

I blinked. I should be. I should be pulling her in, pressing my mouth to the curve of her shoulder, losing myself in the weekend like everyone else.

Something was off, though.

My breath felt too loud, too slow. Every inhale sat heavy in my chest, like I had to think about it too much.

The lake outside—had it always looked like that? The way the water rippled felt wrong, almost frantic, like it was trying to pull itself apart.

I swallowed. "Yeah. Just..." I forced a breath, rubbing the back of my neck. "The dogs. You hear them?"

Morgan glanced lazily toward the window, then back at me. "They're fine, babe." She reached up, squeezing my arm. "Relax."

I nodded, trying to, but the itch in my brain didn't settle.

The room felt smaller. Warmer.

I pulled the knot tight, letting my knuckles skim her skin. She hummed, shifting slightly, just enough for her back to press against my chest for a second. My hands lingered at her sides, my body ready to sink into the moment.

Then, there was a sharp yell from outside.

I flinched, heart lurching. My body moved before I could think, pushing toward the window, hands braced on the frame as I scanned the yard.

For a split second, my chest squeezed, but it was just Andy.

He was standing in the grass, arms thrown up, laughing as he hyped everyone up.

Morgan snorted behind me. "Jesus, Chris." I turned to see her shaking her head, eyes full of amusement. "Seriously, you okay?"

I let out a breath, feeling my pulse steady. A slow chuckle left my lips as I rubbed my face. "Yeah," I muttered. "I'm good."

➤

The air was thick with smoke and summer, the scent of grilled meat curling into the evening sky. Jabari posted up at the grill, flipping ribs like he's running a damn steakhouse, while Eli and Andy stood next to him, beer in hand, nodding like they were witnessing something biblical.

"See that char?" Jabari boasted, pointing with the tongs. "That's flavor, boys."

Andy took a dramatic inhale. "Smells like greatness."

The girls were off in their own world, laughing as they pose for pictures in the yard. Sloane and Lucy clinked their wine coolers together, while Morgan twirled in the golden light, her hair catching the last rays of sun. She'd always been good at this—being in the moment, soaking up life like it's something meant to be savored.

I took a sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle in my chest.

The music shifted, a song grooving through the speakers, and someone cheers. Sloane was already dancing, swaying with a lazy, wine-drunk grin, and Morgan wasn't far behind, grabbing Lucy's hands and spinning her under the string lights we hung up earlier. The glow of them flickered, warm against the deepening blue of the sky.

I felt good. Relaxed, even.

Then, out of nowhere—

Where are the dogs?

I don't know why the thought hit me so suddenly, but it stuck. Like an itch at the back of my skull. I glanced toward the trees, scanning the edge of the yard, the slope that leads down to the lake.

Nothing.

I shook it off.

Jabari caught me looking and smirks. "You good, man?"

I blinked, forcing myself back into the moment. "Yeah. Just hot as hell."

He laughed. "It's called summer, my guy."

I pushed out a breath, rolling my shoulders. The warmth of the whiskey spread through me, loosening whatever tension I didn't realize I was holding.

The night stretched on, dipping into that golden-hour haze where time felt slow and easy. Andy was still tending to the grill like it's his life's purpose, with Lucy perched on the cooler, stealing pieces of burnt ends when he wasn't looking, and Sloane hyping him up like he's hosting a cooking show.

"You gotta let the juices settle," Andy pretended to know what he was talking about while Jabari took a smoke break.

"Ohhh, let the juices settle," Sloane teased. "You sound like my grandpa."

"Your grandpa must be a wise man."

Everyone laughed, and I did too, the sound of it blending into the crackle of the grill and the low hum of music.

Morgan leaned against me, sipping something fruity, her skin warm from the sun.

I let myself sink into it, into her, into the way her fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on my forearm.

And then—

Something shifted.

The lake looks... different.

Not bad. Just off.

The ripples moved in a way that didn't make sense, like the water's restless. I squinted, but the breeze shifted, and it became just a lake again. Just water lapping at the shore, reflecting the orange-pink sky.

Morgan nudged me. "What, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, forcing a smirk. "Just thinking."

She hummed, tilting her head up at me. "Dangerous habit."

Her playfulness tethered me back. I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and for a while, that's enough.

➤

The music kicks up again, something with a heavy bass that gets the whole group moving. Sloane and Lucy were hyping each other up, laughing as they tried to recreate some dance from a video they saw earlier. Morgan joined in, spinning with that effortless, sun-drenched grace that always pulls me in.

I should dance with her. I want to.

Instead, I found myself scanning the trees again.

The shadows stretched long, shifting with the breeze. I blinked, and for a second—just a second—I swear one of them moves.

I exhaled through my nose, rolling my shoulders.

Get a grip.

I smoothed a hand through my hair, shaking the thought loose. It's just the heat. The whiskey. The remnants of the shrooms tugging at the edges of my mind.

Jabari stepped up beside me, blunt in hand, watching the group with an easy grin. "You know you're allowed to have fun, right?"

I smirked. "I am having fun."

He gave me a look. "You look like you're thinking about tax fraud."

I laughed. "Just zoning out."

"Uh-huh." He took a swig of beer. "You sure it's not something else? You know you can tell me anything?"

Just for a second, I considered telling him about the situation with Tandy and Kip, and how they could possibly be linked to Malcolm. But I decided against it. For now.

"Nah," I lied. "Just the heat."

Jabari didn't push, just nodded toward Morgan. "Well, if you don't get your ass over there and dance with your girl, I will."

That got me moving.

I stepped back into the warmth of the group, into the sound of laughter and music, into Morgan's arms as she pulled me into the sway of the night. She was soft and sun-warmed, and when she tilted her head up to kiss me, it was easy to lose myself in her.

For a while, I did.

The night stretched on, filled with easy conversation and full bellies, with the flicker of string lights and the lull of the lake. I let myself sink into it, into the people I love, into the heat of summer pressing against my skin.

I let the laughter pull me in.

I let Morgan anchor me.

But every so often, my eyes drifted to the trees.

Just for a second.

Just to check.