It all felt wonderfully illicit. And yet safe, at the same time.

”May I invite you upstairs?” Bette asked.

It didn’t take Tina long to decide.

”Absolutely.”

Bette reached for the bill that was on the bar, signed her name and offered the room number she had just registered at the front desk, so Tina’s drink would be charged to the room.

Bette silently held her hand out and assisted Tina off the stool. They walked to the elevator; Tina tapped her fingertips on the side of her purse as it hung from her shoulder. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Tina turned to Bette, whose back was to the wall.

Standing face to face, Tina placed her fingertips on Bette’s lips. Bette snuck her tongue out and teased at them for only a moment before she reached to kiss her. The kisses they shared the previous weekend were perfectly lovely. But this kiss had a different purpose. Saturday had been ”getting to know you.” Soft, gentle and searching. Today’s kiss was a precursor to something intensely physical. If Tina wanted to get laid, that’s most assuredly what was going to happen.

The elevator slowed to warn that the doors were about to open. They exited on their floor. Bette had the key card at the ready as they approached the room.

Tina entered first, and Bette closed the door after placing the ‘do not disturb’ placard on the handle.

”This was a good idea,” Tina said quietly. She slipped her suit jacket off, tossing it over the arm of a chair.

”I’m glad you think so,” Bette did the same thing with her suit jacket. ”Can we get together for a more traditional date on Saturday evening?”

”If you come over I’ll cook for you,” Tina suggested.

They’d started to undress each other as their plans for the weekend were confirmed. Time. Place. And intentions.

”How long can you stay tonight?” Bette asked the question only once they were in bed together, and after they’d been exploring each other for what seemed like minutes, but what approached an hour.

”I have to go home to get ready for work in the morning,” Tina replied.

”We’ll get room service later?”

”Much later,” Tina replied.