Bette screwed her eyes shut as the visual of Tina
half-naked carved itself into her eyeballs. She realized with a start
that she was panting slightly. She took a quick swig of coffee and
burned her tongue.

    “So anyway, she got a can of soda from the fridge
and sat with us. Then she apologized for not saying hi earlier, but
that she just came in from a date with a wild chick. If I didn’t know
that she was talking about you, I would’ve never thought she was
talking about you, Bette.” Shane grinned knowingly at Alice, who stared
open-mouthed at Bette.

    “Let me say it again, way to go Bette!”

    Bette closed her mouth with a snap. She didn’t trust
her voice to remain steady so she opted to forgo the explanation she
had formulated and instead just shook her head vigorously. She held up
one finger, forestalling any more comments from her admiring friends,
stood up slowly, gathered up her purse and coat, and shakily walked out
of the Planet. She heard Alice and Shane whooping after her as she
found her car and got in. She very carefully drove back to her
apartment, trying to ignore the little naked Tina’s dancing around in
her head, and failing miserably. Once at her apartment, she went
straight into her bedroom and shut the door. After a few minutes, she
was letting out a scream or two of her own.

*****

    Across town, in a large sprawling villa with a
Olympic-sized swimming pool and a horticulturist’s dream garden, Tina
and Jenny sat at the kitchen counter, chatting.

    “So Tina, who was your client? Anyone I know?” Jenny slowly spooned avocado into her mouth.

    “Oh my God, Jenny. You’ll never guess who it was.
Remember that breathtaking woman we saw outside the Planet that one
time? The one with the Saab convertible? The one with long curly brown
hair?” When Jenny still looked blankly at her, Tina smiled smugly, “It
was Bette.”

    “Bette? Bette… Bette… Who..?” A look of dawning
realization came over Jenny’s face, “Oh, don’t tell me! It’s your dream
woman Bette! The one they call Greta Garbo coz she’s all msyterious and
‘touch me not’! That Bette?!”

    At Tina’s decisive nod, Jenny squealed. “But Tina!
You’ve had a crush on that woman for ages! You must’ve died when you
found out it was her!”

    “Nope. I was my usual suave ***** self.” Tina pushed out her chest and wriggled her eyebrows.

    “And did she fall all over you?”

    Tina’s face fell and her chest deflated, “Actually,
she wasn’t what I expected. She was really uncomfortable and awkward…
and kind of a geek.”

    “Oh,” Jenny clucked her tongue sympathetically, “She
was horrible wasn’t she? Is that why you had to take matters into your
own hands when you got home?”

    Tina laughed, surprised. “No! She wasn’t horrible at
all! She was funny and smart and really really REALLY *****. She really
got me going and I… just wow!”

    Jenny brightened up and didn’t miss a beat, “Then she was as good in bed as she looks out of it?”

    Tina made a face. “Well actually, we didn’t get to
that part. She ‘had a stomach ache’,” Tina made air quotes. “But I
think she was just caught off guard. She’s shy, I think.”

    Jenny turned commiserating again, “Oh, I’m so sorry
Tina. That’s okay, you’re very much in demand. Your batting average’s
still excellent. And you’re a beautiful woman. She has no idea what a
phenomenal experience she missed out on.”

    “Thanks honey, but I’m not giving up yet.” Tina dug
into her melon determinedly. “I, Tina Kennard,” a scoop and a swallow,
“will get Ms. Bette Porter,” scoop and swallow, “eating out of my
hand,” scoop and swallow, “within this week,” she stood up and tossed
the melon rind in the sink.

    “So Jenny, if anyone asks, I’m not available. I’ll
be having my hands full turning water… ” Tina smiled evilly, “…
into sweet, uninhibited, totally wanton… wine. Okay?”

    Jenny nodded in delight. Tina on a mission was always fun to watch.

TBC