'So how is it going with the vixen?'

Bernie knew that Fleur didn't really have designs on Serena. But she never could shake the feeling that Fleur would swoop in at any time. Given the chance she would but her moral code dictated that she wouldn't try anything knowing that Serena was hopelessly in love, especially with Bernie. She would flirt at arm's length and no more. Bernie just had to trust her. She sort of did.

'Very well' she said primly. She knew what nosy Fleur meant. She was a bawdy one and delved for details.

'That's very reserved. I know Serena is capable of inspiring so much more than that. You both look less stressed and angsty since I last saw you.'

Bernie couldn't pretend that her smile was anything innocent. Just a flash of memory of those articulate fingers raking her hair as Serena used the other hand to massage her shoulders, was enough. Bernie didn't know she'd like it like that.

'I know that smile. What did she do to you?'

Bernie hesitated. What to tell her? Not the valuable piece of information that Serena liked a good spanking while being fucked from behind, not something Serena had ever known before but a most welcome addition to their relationship. She knew that Fleur would love that.

'She has a way of guessing what you want before you do.' She meant the hair pulling. She liked it. She never would have thought of asking for it because she didn't even realise her love of being stroked could turn into something so thrilling.

'I can imagine.' Fleur wiggled her eyebrows and sipped her coffee wistfully. She could imagine doing all sorts of things with Serena but more than anything, just thinking about her with Bernie in bed really got her going. She wasn't going to tell Bernie that though. She could tell that this was the real thing; the way that they looked at each other, like they were the only stars in the sky. The amount of times Serena played with Bernie's hair and the adoration Bernie gave her. The way Bernie clasped her close. She could guess what they did in private. Bernie knew she knew and blushed slightly.

'I don't know how she does it. She led the way right from the beginning without knowledge of…all of this. There's something so intuitive about her that things she's never done before just works. It just feels so right with her. I never knew it could feel this way' she confessed. 'I've never felt anything like it before.'

Fleur clucked considerately.

'You poor thing. That husband of yours really had no idea about how to understand you.'

'Well that's not his fault.'

'Well no, but it doesn't take a lot of effort to find something a woman likes and employ it. Men rarely do. That's why bedding other women is so delightful, we know a female body better than any man. It would have been wonderful for you to have known that before.'

'I wasn't brave enough to admit it, even when I did know that about myself. A little too late.'

'Better late than never. You can thank that anaesthetist for that. You don't happen to have her number do you? I could do with a bit of…'

'Yes thank you. I don't but if I see her again, I'll let her know that a horny medic wants to scale her like a tree.'

Fleur beamed. She was demanding but easily pleased. A combination that Alex might appreciate, Bernie mused.

'Well I'm glad that both of you are in good hands. Serena certainly deserves it. That potato faced ex-husband of hers has a lot to answer for. I'd punch him in the face if I could reach it.'

Bernie told her they could stalk him in a dark carpark and she'd hold him down to make that happen. They shared a rare moment of camaraderie, laughing so hard that they spilt their coffee. All in all, Fleur wasn't so bad.