Tina let out an internal sigh. That didn’t work.
This seducing is going to turn out harder than I thought. Alice wasn’t
kidding when she said Bette’s elusive. Her actual term was
‘impossible’. But, Tina thought with an impish smile making her eyes
twinkle, I’ve been told my hands can bring the dead back to life. Bette
doesn’t look dead, but I sure would love to coax something out of her.

    Tina stared at Bette. She kept her eyes trained on
Bette’s mobile lips, not letting any of Bette’s arm gestures distract
her from her goal. She put all of the desire she was feeling into that
single burning stare. As expected, Bette’s words soon faltered and she
unconsciously moistened her lips with her tongue. Tina felt triumphant
as she saw Bette’s lips part slightly. I’ve got you now Bette Porter…
Now to reel you in…

    “What? What is it? Is there something on my chin again?”

    Tina closed her eyes tight in exasperation. She met
Bette’s eyes and saw the darkening of desire there, but Bette’s words
belied how she was feeling. Bette wiped at her mouth with a napkin,
scrubbing slightly but roughly.

    “No,” Tina had to clear her throat, “No, there’s
nothing on your chin. I just couldn’t take my eyes off your mouth.”
There. Subtlety is the last to go, but Tina was now pulling out all the
stops.

    “Ah. Really?” Bette chucked, “Well, people are
naturally drawn by curiosity to freaks. It’s one of the most
fundamental and puzzling things about human nature…”

    “No. I wasn’t drawn by curiosity. Do you want to
know what I was thinking while I was staring at your mouth?” Tina had
leaned as close as possible, noticing that Bette had scooted as far
back on her chair as she could. She sighed silently, starting to feel
irritated.
   
    “No, not particularly. Erm, look Tina, I’m sorry but
I suddenly feel not so good. It’s this thing… stomach flu. Yes, I was
really sick this morning and I thought I was fine this afternoon but
apparently I’m not yet completely well.” Bette put her napkin on the
table and smiled winningly. “Can we call it a night? I’m sorry if this
evening didn’t turn out the way you and Alice talked about…”

    “Alice took care of everything. I’m here just to
show you a good time, that’s all Bette.  I hope, I did… I’m
sorry about your stomach…” Tina kept the frustration out of her voice
and matched Bette’s polite but unattached attitude. Tina was willing to
let the night go because it was obvious Bette was still too scared to
do anything more than dance around her. But she was determined to spend
more time with Bette. She didn’t care about getting paid now. Bette
challenged more than her practical economic side. No woman, straight or
*****, has ever rejected Tina Kennard. If one approach didn’t work,
another one surely will.