"You know something I do remember from yesterday?" Bernie's voice suddenly spoke silkily in Serena's ear making her jump and spill a little of the shiraz she had only just ordered.
"What?" Serena asked, one eyebrow raised as she watched the blonde signal the barman.
Bernie turned to her with a smile. "You told me you loved me."
Serena felt the redness of embarrassment beginning to rise on her chest, and she forced down a large gulp of red wine before replying lightly, "Well, you said it first and I didn't want to make you feel awkward by not replying."
"Oh, is that so?" Bernie's smile widened and she turned to look at Serena, her eyes sparkling with mischief, desire and something else Serena couldn't quite put her finger on as she smiled back over the edge of her wineglass.
The moment was soon broken by Morven suddenly sticking her head between them to order her drink.
An hour later, Serena had given up trying to stop herself going red, because she would never win while Bernie was in this sort of mood. The two of them had been dragged over to sit with their colleagues, and Bernie was unusually the one doing most of the talking, using the word love almost every second sentence, after which her eyes would linger on Serena with a smirk as the brunette blushed.
Serena finally managed to slip outside un-noticed, the icy air doing little to cool her down. A mixture of wine, desire, embarrassment, longing and the looks Bernie had been giving her were a sure fire way to give Serena Campbell a temperature rise.
"Of course, you know the thing I think I love most in the world?" The words were suddenly spoken softly into Serena's ear, silky and slow.
"What's that?" Serena asked just as quietly, cursing her voice for wavering as she turned to face the blonde who now rested against the building, that insufferable smirk on her lips.
"When you look at me like you can't quite decide whether to strangle the life out of me or take me then and there." Bernie's voice dripped like honey, and Serena was having difficulty linking this Bernie with the one who, only a day ago, had been so quiet and wary.
"Don't flatter yourself, Ms Wolfe. That look is me trying to decide between strangling you to death-" Serena stepped forward, so close that Bernie could smell her perfume and longed to lower her head and nibble at the pulse point on Serena's neck that made her moan.
"And?" Bernie asked instead, her hands involuntarily reaching out to rest against the brunettes hips.
Serena had intended to turn the tables, to do something that would make Bernie the one to blush when they returned to their colleagues, but suddenly her mind could no longer focus on her idea, instead becoming fascinated with the way Bernie began to respond to the cold, tiny bumps forming on her skin as the breath caught in her throat.
"And?" Bernie prompted again, her voice quiet as she watched the way Serena's eyes moved down to her chest.
Rather than replying, Serena lifted her hands and began unbuttoning the blonde's black shirt, easing the edges apart so Bernie stood with her bra exposed, her nipples straining against the fabric and the cold.
Bernie was freezing, she was stood just outside a bar with her bra exposed where she could be seen by anyone, and yet she barely even noticed, her focus solely on Serena, whose breathing grew shallower, her pupils dilating as she watched her own hand move up to cup the surgeons breast.
"Serena." It was whispered, the air turning opaque from the warmth of Bernie's breathing.
"Bernie." Serena breathed the name as her fingers brushed over the fabric, the warmth of her hand making Bernie give a soft moan. And then suddenly one breast is exposed to the elements, but only for a second before a warm mouth descended on it, the tongue twirling around the erect pinkness sending all the nerves in bernie's body firing, her hands gripping onto Serena's hips for dear life.
"Serena, we need to…" Bernie made an attempt to get them moving, but it was lost in a kiss as Serena suddenly pressed that warm mouth to hers, her hand replacing her tongue on Bernie's breast.
"I need you." Serena pulled back only slightly, both of them panting. "Please. Properly."
Bernie nodded, her eyes scanning the dark car park surrounding them as her fingers fumbled to do up her shirt and fix her bra, Serena's hand moving instead to slide under the fabric on Bernie's stomach, eager to touch her smooth, pale skin. Once she'd managed to look at least a little more presentable, Bernie grabbed hold of Serena's hand and pulled her towards their cars.
"Serena!" Came a call from the light source that was the bar.
"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why does this happen every time?" Serena muttered under her breath, missing the quiet moan Bernie gave as she rested her head against the car.
"Glad I caught you. It's Morven. She's upset, someone said something stupid." Raf offered breathlessly.
Serena drew in a breath and then let it out slowly, eyes turning to look at the blonde who still rested against the car, eyes shut.
"It's fine. You go. I'll come back in after I've…" she left the words hanging in the air, leaving Raf with a frown and Serena even hotter than she had been a second earlier.
"Right, come on, then. Who said what?" Serena asked, leading Raf back towards the bar. Would their time together ever be uninterrupted?
Despite her exhaustion and the hangover that was still niggling, Bernie slipped back into Albie's a short time later, disappearing to the bathroom to splash her face before her eyes scanned the room for Serena.
The brunette was currently sat on a bench stroking Morven's hair as the girl cried into her shirt. Serena had her eyes shut, but apparently sensed that someone was watching her because her eyes opened in a flash, already focused on Bernie who stood by the door, unsure.
It was the look in Serena's eyes that made up Bernie's mind. Serena may be the one who looks after everyone else, but Bernie is going to be the one to look after her. Giving Serena a gentle smile, Bernie retreated to the bar, ordering both Serena and Morven a drink before approaching them hesitantly.
"Here, Morven, Bernie's brought you a drink." Serena rubbed her arm, glancing up at Bernie with the same pained look in her eye.
Sniffing, Morven lifted her head and gave Bernie a watery smile as she released her grip on Serena to take the glass. "Thanks. Sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry for." Bernie assured her as she sat on the edge of the table in front of them, holding out a glass of wine to Serena. The brunette took the drink more than willingly, her fingers brushing Bernie's before Bernie suddenly held her hand, pulling it to rest on her lap. Serena studied her profile for a moment before stroking her thumb against the warm, soft skin.
"It's just going back to an empty flat…all I can do is think about him. When that man assumed we'd broken up, and I had to tell him what h-happened to Arthur…"
"Well there's absolutely no need for you to go back to an empty flat. You can come and stay with me." Serena squeezed the shoulder she still had one arm around. "I know staying with a middle aged colleague and a…well, Jason, isn't exactly the nicest thing for a girl of your age, but-"
"I'd really like to." Morven gave another watery smile, lifting a hand to wipe her eyes.
"Well, that's settled then. Finish up your drink and I'll come with you back to your place to pick up a few things." Serena smiled at her.
"No, you won't." Bernie suddenly interrupted, causing them both to look at her. "Jason will be wanting his dinner soon. I'll take Morven home and then drop her off at your place."
Serena's face lit with the sort of smile that told Bernie she'd done exactly the right thing.
"You don't think Jason will mind, do you?" Morven suddenly asked Bernie an hour later as they drove towards Serena's house.
"I shouldn't think so, he's getting used to…people coming over occasionally." Bernie replied.
"Used to you, you mean?" Morven smiled. "I've been in love, Bernie. I know the signs."
"Someone else said that to me quite recently." Bernie smiled, glancing sideways at her colleague. "Serena doesn't want anyone to know just yet."
"Your secret is safe with me." Morven smiled, turning to look out the window as she thought of Arthur and what he might have made of the situation. He would have been happy, she decided, and therefore she would be too.