She gave both of them a half-smile, and drained the last of her cappuccino, then set her cup down.
Brom shook his head, then, after heaving a deep a sigh like Mike’s, he nodded imperceptibly.  He stood up and walked over to Bette, then enveloped her in a hug.  “We just want to keep you safe, Bette.  But … you and Tina should see each other of course.”

“Thank you, Brom,” the familiar warmth in her voice returning at last, and which finally broke slightly.  She leaned her head on his shoulder, and returned his embrace.

As he released her, she turned to Mike also, wiping her eyes as she did, “And thank you Mike.”

The she pursed her lips and set her chin determinedly, “So, let’s go find whomever’s trying to get me, shall we?  Then Mike can nail the bastard.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bette bent forward carefully and kissed Tina’s left shoulder, as the blonde continued to take deep breaths, the back of one hand rested on her forehead, which was slightly misted with sweat, while the other hand caressed Bette’s thigh.

Tina was lying on her right side and Bette was kneeling over her, straddling Tina’s right leg, while Tina’s left leg was curled around Bette’s left side.  Reluctantly, Bette sat up, stopped her soft kisses of Tina’s shoulder and then eased back to sit on her heels, carefully unhooking Tina’s left leg that had been curled around her as she did so.

Bette carefully lifted the leg around her shoulder, set it down, and then lie down next to Tina, facing up.  The blonde’s eyes were still shut, as she continued to take deep breaths.

After a few minutes she rolled over Bette, who spread her legs so that Tina could rest comfortably on top of her.  Tina rested her head on the nook formed by the space between the base of Bette’s neck and her shoulder.  She tried to kiss a spot near the brunette’s clavicle, but missed the mark slightly as Bette winced.

Tina opened her eyes as she sensed the involuntary reaction, “What’s wrong, baby?” she asked.  Sitting up slightly, she drew her head back, and saw a reddish bruise in the spot she’d just tried to kiss.

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry!,” she exclaimed, touching it tenderly with the tip of a finger.  “Did I bite or suck too hard on it earlier?”  She lie back down.