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Blythe’s hand until a thumb caressed the back of her own.
    “Yes. I’ve had some close calls where others died. Young men and women in their teens or early twenties. Horrible.”
    “You helped by telling their stories.” The tables had turned. Evie now focused on the pain on Blythe’s face. “Because you lived to tell their story, they didn’t recede into anonymity.”
    “I know. It’s just—I have these permanent images. Every time I close my eyes I see the severed limbs, the blood…” Flinching, Blythe looked mortified. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t talk about that.”
    “Hey. Yeah, you should. As I should, sometimes. To a friend.” Evie knew deep inside that it would be problematic for her to refer to Blythe as a friend only. She was far too conscious of how holding Blythe’s hand made her tremble, and how their legs pressing together made her want to edge closer. Her libido, which had been completely dormant since the crash, was waking up.
    “All right. Thank you.” Blythe lowered her gaze and looked at their joined hands. She’d begun to pull hers away when deafening thunder hammered outside, rattling the house. The wind roared and growled. Her eyes grew huge. “Oh!”
    “Shh. I’m here. You’re not alone.” Evie instinctively pulled Blythe in under her arm and wrapped it around Blythe’s shoulders. “Let’s just sit here under this nice cozy fleece blanket.” Evie wrapped the blanket around them.
    The lights flickered and died.

Chapter Four
     
    “Evie?” Blythe gasped her name before she could stop herself.
    “The power’s gone. Let’s light more candles.” Evie shifted and let go of Blythe.
    Blythe wanted to pull her back and press her face against that long neck. Hide.
    Evie quickly lit a few more block candles. Huge, with three wicks in each, they helped illuminate the room. She sat down again, this time even closer to Blythe.
    “See. Lights.” Evie smiled and lit up the room much more than any candle.
    “Yes,” Blythe murmured, gazing at her. “Lights.” Entranced, she nearly forgot about the storm. If she could just stare at this stunning woman for the entire time the storm caused havoc along the New England coast…
    “You comfortable?” Evie took the blanket and covered them again. “I usually stay here on the couch during a storm, since this is the center of the house. The guest room is on the—”
    “No, I want to stay here.” Blythe couldn’t imagine being alone at the far end of a darkened house.
    “You sure? The couch is big enough for us.”
    “I’d say. It’s humongous.” Blythe couldn’t remember ever seeing such a plush couch. “We’ll be fine.”
    “Sure we will.” Evie pulled her legs up and edged closer to Blythe. “Tell me if you’re hungry. I won’t be able to cook, but I can get us some sandwiches.”
    “Maybe in a bit, if that’s all right?”
    “It is.”
    They sat in silence for a while, listening to the pounding rain and growling wind. Blythe still fought the nausea from her flashbacks, but her immediate fear had diminished while she talked to Evie. She stealthily glanced at her. Evie sat with her eyes half closed, her hands resting on top of the blanket. Her dark hair framed her high cheekbones and broad forehead, and the flickering candles created pretty shadows around her eyelashes. Evie was so beautiful in this moment, in this light, Blythe wanted to get her camera out again. A stronger part of her didn’t want to move and disturb the serenity on Evie’s face. She had seen many emotions depicted there, but this calm, reflective mood was new.
    “What are you thinking?” Evie asked without turning her head. “Since you’re scrutinizing me?”
    Caught. “I was trying to think of reasons not to pull Viktoria out and take pictures of you in this amazing light.”
    “I’d rather you didn’t.” A tinge of steel crept into Evie’s voice.
    “That’s why I’m still huddled under the