”Family night?” Tina asked, as she, sat up, eyes sparkling, still savoring her small success at getting to Bette with a tickle attack.

“Yes … every week my closest friends and I get together, normally on Sunday night, like tonight, here at my place, for a casual get-together. Nothing special really: I grill some steak and fix a salad, and they bring nuts, snacks, and drinks, whatever. We tend to hang out here by the pool.  I really should say family day and night, because they start coming ’round at around 5 or so, to get a swim in, lounge a bit.  Then I get the grill going. “

“So you’ll have some of the people from last night over? They didn’t strike me as a crowd that hung out by the pool, grilling steaks …” Tina’s voice trailed off in confusion.

Bette said quickly, “No, no, that’s not the crowd I would call ”family,” not really. They’re all dear friends, but they’re mostly clients. And yes, I agree with you, their parties are typically dress-up affairs, and even a ”pool party” with them doesn’t mean anyone gets wet.”

”Oh, okay,” Tina brightened.  She thought it was a great idea. She didn’t feel like dressing up, like last night, as she thought she would have to for the crowd in the gallery.

Besides, she loved the feel of the oversized button down shirt she was wearing, that she picked out to wear from Bette’s closet this morning after climbing out of bed.

She stood up to take the mugs over to the sink, motioning to Bette to sit back and relax on the couch.

“So who’s coming over then?” throwing the question out over her shoulder.

She found a tea kettle, half filled it with water, then set it to boil.

As she moved around the kitchen, Bette looked at her with a bemused smile, marveling at how quickly Tina had become comfortable in her house. And how natural it seemed to have her in the house.  As if she was meant to be there always.

Bette also couldn’t help but notice Tina’s sexy shape underneath the oversized shirt the blonde had picked out from her closet. Tina had only closed a few buttons of the shirt, and as she moved around, it flapped open from time to time, revealing a flat stomach, fit core and tight abs.  Tina’s backside could cause drooling, too, particularly the perfectly rounded cheeks hinted at beneath the shirt.