“So you’re absolutely sure that you can’t get away this weekend, hmmm?” Helena asked, kissing Tina’s palm, then wrist through the open driver’s side window.

“Unfortunately, I’m absolutely sure,” Tina said.

Helena kissed a path from Tina’s wrist along the tender inside of her arm, up to her elbow.

“Absolutely positively sure?” Helena asked again, drawing Tina closer to the car with a gentle tug.

“You always make it so hard to say no,” Tina said, bending down to kiss Helena’s smile. “But this time, I really have to.”

“Well, I’ve tried flirtatious. And plaintive. And pathetic. Yet, you remain unmoved. Oh, your hard heart!” Helena said dramatically, campily swooning over her steering wheel.

“You definitely get an A for effort,” Tina grinned, stepping back from the car.

“I suppose since you’re going to spend the weekend at the Center, making the world safe for democracy, then the least I could do is indulge in enough abject hedonism for both of us. But you know I’ll miss you.”

“I hope so,” Tina said. “Remember to say hello to the kids for me.”

“You can be sure they’ll be asking after you all night. Poor old mummy isn’t enough for them anymore. It’s all about Tina, Tina, Tina,” Helena feigned a pout.

“Poor old mummy, huh?”

“Who could blame them really? I know I’ll be missing you all night, too. One last kiss to tide me over?”

Helena’s green eyes were bright with mischief, and Tina didn’t try to resist her. She lowered her face to the window again, and felt Helena’s light touch on the back of her neck, guiding her closer until their lips met.

“Sleep well, sweet one,” Helena whispered.

“Good night,” Tina replied.

Then the engine purred to life, and Helena was gone.

When the doorbell rang half an hour earlier, Tina thought it was Bette. Instead, Helena met her at the door with a single red rose, a gift-wrapped box of exquisite lingerie, and a passionate entreaty to play hooky from her weekend of work and travel to Carmel as planned.

As pleased as Tina was to see Helena, she was more than a little anxious worrying that Bette was going to show up, ready for their scheduled discussion about living arrangements. Not that she owed Bette an apology or explanation. Clearly, Bette knew that she and Helena were seeing each other. But Tina wasn’t in the mood for awkwardness or drama, and a surprise encounter between Bette and Helena could not possibly end well. Of this, she was certain. Thankfully, Helena was on her way to pick up her children for the night, so her visit was brief.