6.30PM

'Were you really checking me out the other day?'

Bernie swung around in shock. Serena looked playful. Her face flamed. She vowed to clip Cam over the head. Of course she had; having refused the offer of a drink with Serena and Ric, her eyes had flickered up and down the gaily retreating figure, that hip swing catching her eye. It had given her even more to fantasize about. She'd barely gotten the image of the glimpse of cleavage displayed at lunchtime when Serena had leaned over the table to talk to Ric. That was tantalising enough.

'Guilty as charged' she admitted sheepishly. She sat down on the hard chair, the only one that hadn't been broken by now. She felt utterly embarrassed that she felt the way she did. She gasped in shock as Serena swung her leg over and straddled her, pinning her to the chair. Her hands instinctively clasped around her waist to steady her. Bernie looked down at her lap and up at Serena, who half smiled at her confusion. She threaded her arms around Bernie's shoulders and leaned in head to head. Bernie's breath stuttered at having her so close. She could smell her perfume, musky and sweet. She waited, meeting a pair of assessing eyes. Serena was eerily calm about this revelation and Bernie wasn't sure how to feel about it.

'Don't blame Cam. He only did what he thought was right. He doesn't want you to be unhappy.'

'Am I unhappy?'

'Maybe you are. I don't know. I do know that I'm happy when you're around. What he said, made me redefine what you mean to me.'

'What do I mean to you?' Bernie's voice shook with longing and fear.

'All of those dinners and drinks out, evenings at my place, breakfast coffee, how we muddle along in theatre…what Cam said makes sense. There is something between us. There's always been something between us. It's taken me long enough to realise that. If you were a man, I would have recognised it sooner.'

Bernie shivered in anticipation.

'Sometimes you're the only good part of my day' she confessed. 'The only thing I have to look forward to when I've had a bad week.'

Serena knew what that meant. Sometimes the depression hovered over Bernie and it took a while for the black cloud to disperse. Knowing that she was something that alleviated it, made her hunger for her attention more. The smile she gave Bernie was enough to melt her insides. Bernie never thought Serena would look at her that way.

'Come back to mine. Pack a few things. I have a spare side of the bed, remember?'

'What about Jason?'

'He's not back until Thursday. Don't you dare stall me now, Berenice Wolfe. We've got a lot of catching up to do.'

Bernie could really fall for that glint in her eye. Serena was tempting her to a place she thought she'd never get to. She gave in and let go; lunging forward for a kiss, one hand swiftly moving to Serena's cheek. Serena gave as good as she got, they were panting by the time they finally unlocked lips.

'Skip dinner, let's go.'

'Even your glass of Shiraz?' Bernie was shocked.

'Even that' Serena assured her. Bernie was finally convinced of how serious she was. Serena wouldn't skip her wine for anything or anyone. Except Bernie Wolfe, it seemed.

And that was that.