“I can almost see the cogs turning, Kel. Talk to me, tell me what’s going on in there.” Lucy tapped Kelly’s temple.

“Firstly, I’m glad you’re not a man-hater, my best friend’s a dude. But…”

A mischievous glint shimmered in Lucy’s eyes. “But he doesn’t have the equipment you like?”

Oh my God. How did Lucy do that? The woman was astute, incredibly sexy, and had a wicked sense of humour.

Biting back a grin, Kelly continued. “Right, and he burps and farts and smells like man.”

Lucy grinned. “And you’re innocent of all three?”

Right on cue, wind bubbled up Kelly’s windpipe. Damn beer. She put her hand over her mouth and suppressed a burp. “Point taken. And for the record, I don’t fart, I whisper in my panties.”

“Me too,” Lucy replied. “Especially when they’re stuffed in my mouth.”

Blushing furiously, Kelly steered the conversation back toward safer waters.

“Wind aside, believe me when I say, I’m trying to understand where you’re coming from.”

“What about your friend, the one I met for all of five minutes at Paula’s potluck dinner?”

“Nicole, we’ve been best friends for more than a decade. Her and Steve are an item.”

“She’s cute,” Lucy said.

“She’s fucking gorgeous.” Kelly narrowed her eyes. “And taken.”

Without missing a beat, Lucy drilled her point home. “Would you do her?”

“Hell no, she’s like a sister to me. And even though she’s stunning, to tell the truth, I’ve never been sexually attracted to her.”

“But, she has the bits you like? So what’s the issue?” Lucy cocked her head to the side.

“It’s about more than that. Sex is great, but I have to be attracted to the person.”

Kelly had never been into casual sex. She had to connect on more than a physical level, even if it turned out to be a one-time thing.

In a show that eclipsed Kelly’s theatrics, Lucy gasped and covered her mouth. “Goodness me, Kelly. Surely, you’re not suggesting attraction goes deeper than anatomy?”

Kelly chuckled. “Okay, okay.” She held up a hand in surrender. “Point taken.”

They still had a lot to discuss. First and foremost, what the hell had Lucy been doing in Paula’s bed and why wasn’t she running for the hills? Something Kelly was determined to find out. The sooner the better.

A couple breezed by and sat at the neighbouring table. Great. So much for talking openly.

Now that she was sure Lucy didn’t want to stab her with a pitchfork, or steak knife, Kelly felt more relaxed about the offer she wanted to make all along.

“I have the flat to myself tonight, how about we finish this conversation there? Then you can have a real wine instead of that half and half stuff you’re sipping on.”