Free Summer's End by Harper Bliss

really—fundamentally—changed. There was another woman in her bed. And although nothing physical had transpired between them, everything was different now because, somehow, Emily had gotten through to her on a deeply emotional level—one she’d considered a no-go zone years ago.  
    A tween. Generation Y. Wasn’t that what they were called these days? It just goes to show, she thought, how people can utterly amaze you. She crawled a bit nearer to Emily and pressed her stuffed nose into the girl’s hair. Once again, emotion engulfed her, like a shot of heroine in her veins, it seemed to immobilise and entrance her at the same time, until she felt Emily stir beneath her.
    “Morning,” she whispered.
    “What time is it?” Emily’s voice sounded as if it needed to be ironed.
    “Six.” Marianne huddled closer.
    “How utterly dreadful.” Emily backed up against her, sighed, and went back to sleep. Not a morning person then.
    Marianne figured she could forego her morning beach run just this once. What better occasion than a woman in her bed? Now that the room was filled with morning light, her eyes caught hold of the picture of Ingrid and her. And, for an instant, it did feel like a lifetime ago. Marianne was not the same person anymore. She’d changed for the first time after meeting Ingrid. For a second time after the fatal crash. God, how she longed for the next transformation.
    Emily’s words had kept playing in her mind throughout a fitful night. Who says you can’t be happy? There was only one person standing in her way, Marianne knew, and it was herself.
    In her sleep, Emily turned on her back, her wrinkled face aimed directly at Marianne, forcing a smile to her lips. Then another thought slowly made its way into Marianne’s mind.
    It was Saturday, August the thirty-first. It was her forty-first birthday. She didn’t want a cake, but she knew what she did want.  
    As if Emily had read her mind while she was sleeping, her eyes flew open. “What day is it today?” she croaked.
    “Saturday.”
    A wide grin appeared on Emily’s face. “Looks like you’re over the hill then.” She pushed herself up, shoving Marianne’s arm off her in the process, and straddled her. “Happy birthday.” Her eyes sparkled in the golden light of sunrise. She leaned down, her arms resting on either side of Marianne’s head, and pecked her softly on each cheek.
    Something loosened in the pit of Marianne’s stomach, but she had no time to dwell on it.
    “What do you want for your birthday?” Emily’s tone was not insistent, more probing and careful not to make assumptions.
    “You,” Marianne replied without hesitation.
    “I’ll see what I can do.” Emily shot her a wide smile. One that dislodged another tight knot deep beneath Marianne’s ribcage. She bent her elbows and this time, her mouth didn’t aim for Marianne’s cheeks. Her lips landed on Marianne’s and the kiss sent a spark of desire right up her spine. She responded by grabbing hold of Emily’s neck and pulling her close, until she realised that, despite it being her birthday, it was a day like any other at the Lodge.
    “I can’t… not right now…” She tried to say in between passionate lip locks. “I have guests and—”
    “Dao will take care of them. It’s your birthday.” Emily had stretched her body on top of Marianne’s and her nipples pressed into Marianne’s flesh. She could hardly argue with that. She tried anyway.
    “I have to help her. I’m always there.”  
    Emily nipped at her neck. “Today you’re not. And you know what? The place is not going to crumble to the ground. The world will still turn. The guests will not leave.”
    “God, you’re bossy.” Marianne couldn’t suppress a smile.
    “I know.” Emily stared down at her with her big blue eyes. “It’s one of my quirks.”
    “Thank you for last night.” The words just came. Marianne didn’t have to think about them or weigh them. “You’ve no idea what