Kim stood in her kitchen putting the final touches on dinner. She was trying to concentrate on keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground, worried that she wouldn’t be able to help throwing herself at Kerry when she came to the door. She wanted to make slow, passionate love to the redhead, but she was in a hurry to get there.

All of the candles were lit; the bed was made with the covers on one side, Kerry’s side, pulled back. Two bottles of white wine were chilling, prepared to be enjoyed before, during, and after dinner. Diana Krall and Norah Jones were loaded into the five-disc changer, ready to provide hours of sultry music for what Kim hoped would be a night of passion.

Just after seven the doorbell rang and Kim quickly checked her hair in the reflection from her microwave. When she opened the door Kerry was standing there with an overnight bag over her shoulder and flowers in her free hand.

“Hi,” Kim said leaning against the door, staring at Kerry like a fifteen year-old boy with a crush on a cheerleader.

“Hi,” Kerry replied.

“Oh sorry, come in.” Kim realized her lack of manners and quickly moved out of the way for Kerry to enter.

Kerry walked past her at first, but then turned around and reached up to plant a brief kiss on Kim’s lips.

“You do that again and we may miss dinner.”

“These are for you.” Kerry said, indicating the flowers.

“They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

Kerry stared at her for a moment, amazed that she was standing in Kim Legaspi’s apartment. The whole thing still seemed very surreal to her.

“Did I ever tell you that the first time you walked into the ER my first thought was ‘God, she’s so beautiful.’?”

Kim suddenly lost her voice at this honesty.

“Sorry, I just remembered that,” Kerry said as she noticed the startled look on Kim’s face. “Something must have reminded me.”

And with that she winked at Kim and walked into the apartment, placing her bag down near the couch.

“If you have a vase, I’ll put these in some water.”

Kim shook her head trying to brush away the shock of Kerry’s forthrightness.