”I heard,” Bette replied. ”The defence counsel is one of our new junior associates.”
Bette wanted to inform Tina in a roundabout way not to discuss the case further.

”Got it,” Tina understood the underlying message.

”But I also know the judge called a recess this afternoon because of a personal matter,” Bette said. ”Can you meet me in the lounge of the Sunset Marquis around four?”

”Actually I can,” Tina replied. ”We already prepped with the expectation we’d be in court this afternoon. What’s up?”

”You’ll see,” Bette spoke with an air of mystery. ”Can we plan to do dinner this evening?”

”Sure.” No reason why not – she couldn’t remember the last time she was this far ahead of her workload. Especially given the last minute case she’d been assigned.

Bette spied Tina sitting at a table on the perimeter of the lounge as soon as she walked in. She was intentionally a few minutes late, knowing that Tina had a propensity for being meticulously on time. She approached so as to follow through with her plan.

”Is that a club soda?” Bette let her hand slide over the side of Tina’s hip and nestled her chin so as to speak quietly into her ear.

Bette felt Tina react, startled at her sudden presence, and just as quickly relax knowing who was there.

”I wasn’t sure how long you’d be, or whether we might be driving somewhere right away,” Tina confirmed Bette’s assumption on her drink of choice.

”Have you ever been to this hotel before?” Bette asked. She was still out of Tina’s line of vision, but her voice was clear.

Tina kept her voice low, so their conversation would remain private.

”No, I haven’t, it’s beautiful.”

”Would you like to see a room?”

Tina turned her head with a questioning look in her eye.

”I saw you sitting at the bar, and I wanted to introduce myself,” Bette began. She smiled mischievously before lowering her voice to continue. ”I can be whoever you need me to be.”

Bette had shifted her position so she was standing beside Tina, her fingertips ventured ever higher, lightly tracing along the inseam of Tina’s designer suit pants.

Tina grasped Bette’s wrist to prevent her from moving any higher.