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haphazardly
    on the pier, and stepped lightly into the boat also. He had to pass by
    her to reach the rowing seat, his thigh brushing her bare shoulder,
    and then he said, 'OK, here we go. Can you reach back and loosen
    that knot?'
    She did, and found she could reach it quite comfortably. 'There we
    go,' she said, her voice sounding underneath the pier and echoing
    oddly. 'We're free.'
    'Wait. Why don't you grab my jacket?' suggested Pierce then, a quiet-
    voiced unknown. 'You might want it after a bit, on those sleeveless
    arms.'
    'Thanks, I will.' That wasn't the pier, she thought, with another shiver.
    That strange breathless note was all her own. She took his jacket and
    draped it over her shoulders, finding the shoulder width far too big
    and quite lovely for snuggling deep into. She could smell the same,
    faint, fresh scent as before, and she stealthily inhaled deeply.
    He loosened the oars and, with a shoulder- flexing shove off one of
    the other moored boats, they shot out so that he could begin rowing.
    She leaned back on one hand while she sipped from her wine and
    looked around her lazily. Very probably the hard seat was dirty, and
    her dress would be rendered unwearable until she had a chance to
    wash it, but she didn't care.
    The only sounds were the dipping of the oars, continual and
    rhythmic, and the wafting music from the party which carried for a
    startling distance. The air smelled fresh, slightly wet, and she was
    thankful for his jacket as a cooler wind chilled her. She said then,
    'Are you warm enough? Here you are, doing all the work, and I'm
    snuggled deep into your suit coat.'
    'Don't trouble yourself, I'm quite warm,' he reassured rather quickly,
    as she made as if to take off the jacket. She subsided then, and after a
    bit he spoke again, very quietly. 'Are you awake?'
    'Mmm,' she said, and then laughed. 'Yes, but a bit muddled from the
    wine, I think. I had some at supper, and it's starting to go to my head.
    Sorry.'
    She could hear the smile in his voice. 'Don't be. As long as you're not
    roaring drunk. See those lights, along the edge to your right? Those
    are other houses. Our neighbours don't take too kindly to a lot of
    ruckus on the water late at night. The sound carries over to them.'
    'Well, please don't worry about me, then,' she said, with a light, hand-
    covered yawn. 'I don't get drunk. I fall asleep. It can be utterly
    mortifying.' While he chuckled, she paused to look at the oars with
    some distaste. They were already far out from the Langstons'
    property and coming to the other end of the lake, which was peaceful
    and dark, though by no means quiet. A multitude of crickets
    positively screeched from the undergrowth. 'I suppose I should offer
    to row back.'
    Another low chuckle. He neatly swung the boat around and began to
    slowly row them back. 'I won't hold you to that promise. You do
    realise that you'll probably be a bit dingy on your backside?'
    'Heavens, yes, but who cares?' she said, impatient and light. 'I'll just
    sneak upstairs by the back way. Does the house have a back way?'
    'We'll figure out something for you,' he said amusedly. 'If you like,
    we can edge past everyone, back to back.'
    She grinned. They had passed around the slight bend in the lake, and
    the low-hung golden lanterns were visible, far over the dark waters
    like a magical domain. Faint music and laughter wafted to them on
    the breeze, and Pierce sat facing her, a blackened, impenetrable
    figure as he tirelessly rowed them back.
    She hardly recognised the impulse, or the wistfulness that was too
    audible in her voice as she said, 'I suppose we have to go back?'
    The faint light illuminated her features, flickering light and dusky
    shadow. Her silver hair in wisps around her face blurred her features
    like an old photograph, and her eyes glistened at once brilliant and
    dark. She thought she saw his black head move sharply, and there
    was a moment as he apparently stared at her, his flexing