“No, no. After. Over coffee. Wouldn’t feel right otherwise.”
“Okay. Thank you. We’ll only be a few hours, if that’s alright.”
“Yes, yes, you go ahead.”
Once Silas went back into the cutest little white farmhouse with red shutters and red trim that ever existed, Laney and Morgun got back in the car and drove towards the barn. They parked there, since it was closer to the orchard.
Morgun got out and shaded her eyes with her hand to take in the rows and rows of trees. It looked almost unending from where they were standing, even though the road wasn’t so far off in the distance.
“I should go first,” Morgun said. “If that’s okay? I mean, not just because this was my idea and I think we’re both nervous and I’ll be the test subject, as is only right, but because I think the wood nymph slash fairy pictures should have more light.”
“Yes. Sure.”
Morgun was right. They had about an hour and a half of good daylight left. While it wouldn’t be dark by any means for Laney’s shoot, one of her friends was going to help her out with the editing after and she assured her that they could shoot in the sunniest of sunny days and still have it come out looking like it was night. They were also going to put in the fire and sparks, so she’d bought a package of sparklers more for fun than anything.
Laney and Morgun shouldered all their gear, including two backpacks with costumes in them, and started through the orchard. It was beautiful and fragrant. Laney had to admit that she wasn’t really aware of which season oranges grew best, but she figured in California it was year-round. The heavy, round fruit hanging from the branches seemed to prove that theory correct.
She inhaled the sweet, citrus scented air. She’d never done a shoot like this before and she’d never seen a real orange growing on a tree either. Sure, she’d driven past orchards, but she’d never seen one up close. It was a neat experience. Her mouth watered at the honeyed scent that coated her nostrils and tongue when she breathed in.
“This is pretty cool.” She glanced around once, looked up at the sun, then set her bag down with her gear. “I think here would be alright.” She finally looked at Morgun and found her looking nervous. Laney understood. She was glad she was going second. “I promise to make this as painless as possible.”
“Sorry. It’s stupid to be nervous. This was my idea. I’m just…it’s weird being on this side of things.”
Being there made Laney feel like she was a kid again. When all the problems and trials of being an adult were still a long way off and she was free to just be a kid, doing something she loved in a beautiful place. With someone who meant something to her. A lot to her.
I’m real great at defining the feelings over here.
Laney produced her camera as Morgun slipped off her plaid button-up blouse and jeans and threw on the gauzy green dress. It was totally see through and Laney’s friend, Carol, who had loaned her the costumes since she owned a store with rentals and props and stuff like that, assured her that there wasn’t supposed to be anything underneath.
“Dear God,” Morgun exclaimed when she looked down at herself.
“I think you should take off the bra. Leave the panties on.” She had a black lace set on and Laney immediately felt her body heat up. Her palms grew clammy and she had to tighten her grip on the camera.
She’d done a lot of photos of beautiful women before. Many of them were risqué and involved nudity. She’d never once gotten all hot and tingly over them. She supposed that was because for those photos, she had to act like a professional. Popping a lady boner for a client was a good way to get fired, or at least not hired again, and she liked repeat business.
A lady boner? I did not just go there.
Morgun looked around the grove like it might be full of stalkers hiding behind every tree trunk. She made a decision and quickly undid her bra and slipped it through the sleeves of the dress, maneuvering one arm out at a time. She threw it on her pile of clothes, which was set on top of her backpack.
“There are a few different crowns in there and a veil. So I was told. Want to start without them so they don’t mess up your hair?”
“Sure.” Morgun breathed out a sigh of relief at having the direction provided to her. She still had her arms crossed over her chest. “I don’t know if the bra was a good idea. Taking it off, I mean.”
“Don’t worry. We can make it so the dress doesn’t look see through if it doesn’t look good. And you can do some angled away, with your arms placed over your chest. Maybe you can take an orange in your hand for one of the shots. We’ll pay for it after, of course.”
“O-okay.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I just…” She looked around Laney, off to the direction of the farmhouse. “I think Silas is a nice old man, but do you think he’d have a pair of binoculars in there?”
“Ha!” Laney roared with laughter.
Morgun finally let loose too. She had to wipe at her eyes carefully so she didn’t smudge her makeup. Laney was careful not to touch her face so she didn’t wreck hers either. It was heavy, exaggerating every single facial gesture she made. She could literally see the darkness under her eyes.
“Don’t worry. You look beautiful,” she assured Morgun, and she watched the other woman transform before her eyes. She became automatically more confident.
Laney took out her camera and fitted a lens. She played with the settings for a few minutes, then gave Morgun a grin. A shiver of excitement coursed through her. She was seriously going to enjoy herself.