She shushed Bette, placing a finger over the brunette’s lips.  “He just threatened you.  I didn’t like that.  And he tried to fuck me over with that bogus report.  Which just ticks me off.  Not because it was about me.  But because it hurt you, somehow.”

“Baby… ,” Bette tried again.

“Bette, don’t tell me not to,” Tina said quietly, her determination growing with every passing second as they talked.  “You don’t need this distraction.  And he just admitted that what they did was not important to what you’re working on.  So: leave this to me, ok?”

Before Bette could answer, she got a text from Dave, “Are you ok?  Veronica said Tina hasn’t checked in like they’d agreed.”

Bette texted back, “We’ve got something to tell you.  But we’re ok. Tina will need help with something.”

She showed the text to the blonde before hitting “send.”

“Ok, if you promise to be careful, and only if you work with Veronica and Dave.  Deal?” she asked, kissing the blonde softly, unable to hide the worry from her voice.  “And only if your next appointment with Liz shows that everything’s going fine with you and the baby.”

Tina returned her kiss with heat, her relief at both of them coming away from the strange incident with that man unscathed overcoming her all of a sudden.  “Deal.”

As Bette hit “send,” Tina asked, “And, Bette?”

“Yes, T?”

“Take me home with you tonight?”

“But …”

Tina kissed her deeply again, wanting more.  “I miss you, baby.  That brute just reminded me how much…”

Bette groaned as Tina moved her kiss to the brunette’s neck, nipping on it. “You’re not the only one missing us …”

“I’m here for you, Bette,” Tina whispered, as she continued to nibble on the brunette’s neck, aching to kiss more of her wife’s sexy body, grateful beyond words that their love remained strong.  “There’s no one else for me.  No one else could ever be the one for me.  Just you …”

“T…” Bette breathed out, arching her neck.

“Only you,” Tina repeated, as she snaked her arms around Bette’s back, tightening her embrace.

Bette thought quickly.  She knew neither of them would be able to make it all the way to Chelsea without wanting to rip the other’s clothes off, maybe in relief over what they’d just experienced together, with that man pulling a knife on Bette. Or maybe because they just missed the hell out of each other.

 “Why don’t we head back to The:Core?” she asked as Tina began to tug the brunette’s tank top up from her pants to untuck it.  Bette swallowed drily, resisting the strong urge to unbutton Tina’s blouse, in return.  “Think they have a few rooms in the upper floors set aside for members to book for overnight stays or a bit longer.”

“What’s the matter? This public sex thing not working for you anymore?” the blonde asked softly in a teasing voice as she blew a sizzling breath into Bette’s ear.

Bette pulled on Tina’s hand, walking rapidly out of the alley, turning right as they reached the street, heading back to The:Core.  “I want our first time, after a long time being apart, to be in a comfortable bed, baby.  I want to kiss your sexy body all over first before I taste you again …”

Tina tugged on Bette’s hand, to make her stop walking, and to pull her close.  She kissed Bette quickly.  “Only if you promise to make me come,” she whispered after she broke their kiss.

“Anyway you want,” Bette murmured as she winked at her wife.  “All night, if you want.”

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