"What? That I’m a bombastic bully?" Bette shot back, a half smile on her face as she pushed at the base of her martini glass.

Tina took a moment before answering with total honesty. "That you’re loyal, and unswerving in your convictions."

Bette’s silly smile reached her almost instantly, and now it was Bette’s turn to stare while Tina looked down at her drink.

Before Tina could fully realize what was happening, Bette was leaning in. She turned just in time to meet in the middle for a kiss, and the act surprised her. However, she only allowed the confusion to last for a matter of seconds before she closed her eyes to the gesture. The smell of alcohol pierced her nose, but the sensation of kissing Bette overrode the ambience. She pressed deeper into the kiss before Bette pulled away.

"Sorry … I … it’s alcohol …"

Tina smiled down at the countertop, her first realization that she wanted it. And not just the kiss. She wanted Bette, and it was a full-on lesbian urge. Well, more than an urge. She silently cursed herself for having been so blind, but was immediately reconsidering. Was it just the alcohol that guided these feelings?

The second kiss convinced her she had been right the first time around. The electric chemistry between them was undeniable, as was made clear when a couple of men whistled at them from a corner of the bar.

Tina pulled away first and looked angrily to the men, but it was nothing compared to Bette’s glare. She hadn’t wanted her kiss with Tina to end so quickly.

"How about uh … a nice coffee?"

Turning back to Bette’s voice, Tina couldn’t help her smile at the suspicious offer. Without the energy to mimick Bette’s strange request, she allowed herself this small pleasure with a simple nod.

Intelligent conversation with a fine black coffee allowed both women to remain alert and as cheeky as ever. It was the first time they could really connect, or allowed themselves a moment of real time spent together without their ritual of insults flying back and forth. Simply put, it was nice.

After getting home, they each printed out their articles before closing their eyes and putting an end to a very stressful day.