Alice leaned back in her chair and watched Bette dive into her salad with gusto. “Hungry?”

“Starving,” Bette replied, looking up briefly.

“I guess all that lust can take it out of a girl.”

“Im not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“Great. Id rather speculate. So. Goldilocks came by to pick up her earring”which she obviously left for you to find”and then what?”

“She did not leave it. Tinas not like that.”

“Well thats a shame, because the earring thing? Pure genius. Okay. So she comes by to retrieve that which had been innocently misplaced. And?”

“Andwe kissed,” Bette said.

“Where?”

“On the lips.”

“In your office? At the gallery?” Alice practically leapt across the table.

“Yes.”

“Holy *****. What did she do? Did you totally freak her out?”

“No, she did not freak out. It was verymutual. We went to Caf Allegro and had a glass of wine and talked. For about three hours.”

“Your first conversation lasted three hours? Thats longer than some of the relationships youve been in,” Alice quipped. “Whats she planning to do about her boyfriend?”

“I dont know. I didnt ask.”

“What?”

“Im not going to push her about this. Im not in any hurry.”

“Are they engaged? Are they living together?”

“No, nothing like that. Shes been seeing him a little less than a year. Lots of mutual respect and affection. No serious commitment.”

“Sounds like hes going to get the old heave ho,” Alice said. “I mean come on. How could he compete?”

Bette smiled and busied herself with her food. “Thats a sweet thing to say.”

“Dont get all Wind Beneath My Wings. Im talking about the fact that her wardrobe is going to double. You two are almost the same size. And youd look great in that little black number she had on the other night,” Alice winked, spearing a piece of cucumber from Bettes meal.

“Why do I bother?” Better asked, pushing her plate toward Alice.

“You cant help yourself. Im irresistible. Have you seen her since the three-hour pow-wow?”

Bette nodded as she considered the walk she and Tina had taken the previous evening. They met after work for a meandering stroll through Elysian Park, and Bette tried not to be too disappointed when Tina greeted her with a chaste peck on the cheek in the parking lot. Once they had moved beyond the clusters of people at the entrance, though, Tina reached for Bettes hand.

“Is that okay?” she asked.

“Thats very okay,” Bette said, raising their joined hands and placing a kiss on the back of Tinas wrist.

They walked a while in comfortable silence before Tina began speaking.

“All day I was thinking of things I wanted to tell you. But now that Im with you I cant remember any of it.”

Bette stopped and turned Tina to face her, resting her hands on the other womans shoulders. “All day Ive been thinking about this,” Bette said softly, leaning in for a slow, incendiary kiss.

“Im glad you remembered that,” Tina said. She made a loose circle of her arms around Bettes waist, not breaking eye contact.

“Want to keep walking?” Bette asked, after several long moments and more than a few amused joggers had passed by.

“I cant feel my legs,” Tina grinned, not moving.

“Then we should stand here for while. Just until youre alright.” Bette rested her hands lightly on Tinas hips, drawing their bodies closer together.

“Youre not helping.”

Bette kissed Tina again, tenderly at first, almost tentatively. But Tinas quiet moan, barely more than a sigh, loosed a rush of heat and adrenaline through Bettes body. And what started as sweet and gentle quickly became passionate and intense. Bettes hands were on Tinas face, in her hair, her lips and tongue ravenous.

“Bette,” Tina whispered, her breath warm against Bette’s cheek.

“Yes,” came the strained reply.

“People are watching.”

Bette collected herself enough to step away a bit and look around. It wasnt as if a crowd had gathered, but she and Tina had definitely attracted attention from a few curious onlookers.

“Maybe next time we ought to meet someplace moreprivate,” Bette said sheepishly.

“Next time, huh? I like the sound of that.”

“Helllooooo,” Alice said, snapping her fingers in front of Bettes face.

“Right. Sorry,” Bette said, blinking back to the present.

“You were saying?”

“Yes. We took a walk last night. And were having lunch on Thursday.”

“Sounds like things are progressing nicely,” Alice said approvingly.

“If you say so.”

“Fine,” Alice said, sipping her iced tea. “Play coy if you want to. But you know as well as I do that this is most certainly a thing. More than a situation, less than a relationship. But absolutely a thing.”

“Glad youre keeping track,” Bette said.

“Somebody has to. Youre already way out of control. But you know what? It looks good on you.”

“Thanks. I think.”