“Is there somewhere you could go tonight? Seeing you now is only likely to anger him further” I say, remembering the red sheen glossing the man’s eyes. I feel my brow crease. “Why was he so angry anyway?”

It’s not as if he knew I was about to kiss you.

“I shamed him” she says quietly, “in public. I embarrassed him”

Once again she’s close to spilling tears. I feel my own fury wash over me, but there’s something heavier lying over it, taming it: The urge to comfort her. The need to protect her from whatever flame he’s holding to her.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Tina. It was an accident” I say, but I know the words are weak, “Look at me. This is not worth the tears, I promise you. I was there, I saw what happened. Or rather, felt it happen” I joke, hoping she’ll smile again. She does.

Oh, that smile is going to be the very death of me.

I know that smile. I know it’s every curve and fleck. It’s like I’ve been blessed with gazing upon it every day for my entire life, but I know I haven’t. It’s like the greatest of masterpieces; perfection captured on the most beauteous of canvases.

“Tina, stay somewhere else tonight. A motel, if necessary. Go to him in the morning, in the light of day”

“I can’t” she whispers softly, “My money, my cards.. They’re all at the house”

“I can p-“ I try to make an offer, but she seems to have already sensed what I’m going to say.

“No” she says stubbornly. Her eyes are challenging me and I concede, wondering how it is she conquers me.

“Then stay with me” I say. Seconds later, I realise how she could’ve taken it, “I mean, I have spare rooms. They’re clean and completely occupant free”

She doesn’t answer straight away, she just looks at me as though she’s trying to make sense of what she’s seeing. I feel the full burn of her gaze, it’s like the hottest of firestorms on my face.

“Why? Why would you do that? I could be a homicidal maniac for all you know” she says and I laugh.

“So could I”

“Oh yeah? And this whole seduction thing we’ve both got going on is part of both our plans, is it?” she smirks.

Seduction thing. She feels it too then.

Her banter catches me off guard and I wait for a moment, wondering whether or not to respond to what she said.

“Well, I don’t know about that. I think if that’s what’s really going on, then we’re both playing it really badly” I say, raising one of my eyebrows.

“How do you figure that?” she’s looking at me coyly.

“Well, look at this way, if we were, to coin your phrase, homicidal maniacs” I nod to secure the point before continuing “Then surely one of us would have taken advantage of the fact that we’re completely alone”

She looks up and around. I watched the last customer walk out at least half an hour ago and the only serving waitresses disappeared into the back room not long after.

“And if I was the psycho here, you would have just pointed out what potentially could have resulted in your death” she says, sitting back and shaking her head at my apparent naiveté.

“Well, I guess that proves you’re not a villain then” I smile, “So I can offer you my spare room without worrying about you creeping up on me in the middle of the night”

Not that a night time visit from you would be entirely bad.

I stop myself from vocalising my thoughts.

“But..” she starts to argue again and I feign authority.

“No. It’s done. You’ve got a room”

She smiles and I fall apart again. There’s a glow about her that I’ve not seen before. It’s blinding. Everything about her is so goddamn overpowering. I feel so weak in her presence, but at the same time like I could battle the harshest of forces.

Oh Bette, this is going to be a long night.