Before the show

Since they had not stopped to change clothes, the three women arrived early enough to the club to get a table with a good view of the stage. They settled in and a waitress quickly came by. She was a perky blonde showing lots of leg and cleavage. Gotta keep the soldiers happy.

"Well hello, girls. What can I get you?" Diana caught Eve looking the waitress up and down, almost like a man would.

"I'd like a cola," Diana said. She wanted her wits about her if she was going to seduce Candy.

"Oh, Diana. Live it up a little. Get a real drink," Candy chided playfully as she removed her service jacket. "I'll have a vodka tonic." Diana couldn't help but watch her friend's breasts pressing against her WAC blouse.

Eve said, "Drinks are on me tonight. I want a dirty martini."

Candy chuckled, "You want a dirty martini, because you want to get dirty tonight, Eve? You got eyes on a soldier or Cary Grant?" She giggled.

"Oh, I was thinking closer to home," Eve said. Diana wasn't certain, but thought she saw Eve wink furtively at her.

Hmmm. Was Eve flirting? "Okay, girls. I give up. Make that a Cuba Libre, please." Diana also took off her blue jacket. She thought she saw Eve checking her out.

Eve handed the waitress a five. The blonde smiled at the three and headed to the next table. Eve undid the top button of her white work blouse, showing some cleavage, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Eve tapped it to get one out. She lit a match and her cigarette, puffing lightly.

"Ooo, can I have one, Eve?" Candy asked. Eve took out a cigarette and handed it to the blonde. Candy leaned over, and Eve lit another match and lit Candy's cigarette, holding her hand to steady it. Diana thought that was a rather interesting gesture. She'd seen it from men who were flirting with a woman. It seemed to imply more intimacy between the two women than Diana had assumed. Small touches of affection like that between women who were lovers was common on Paradise Island. Could Eve and Candy be lovers? Notwithstanding Candy's comment about soldiers and Cary Grant? Diana's mood brightened.

Their drinks came, and the trio chatted about work and the Nazi threat while the girls smoked. Diana savored the sweet mixture of Coca-Cola and rum in her drink. The tang of the lime tickled her tongue.

Candy was cute and bubbly, always giggling. Diana loved the way her body moved when she laughed. She wondered how she moved in bed. Her smile was infectious, and she had a great sense of humor that she expressed in her stories about her family. Diana never tired of hearing about Candy's family, because Diana could see how much Candy loved them when she spoke.

Eve intrigued Diana. Her laugh came like hot silk, and it practically caressed Diana's skin. Her eyes missed nothing, darting back and forth between Candy and Diana as each spoke. She always had something intelligent or sexy to say. The first time Eve touched Diana's hand to make a point, a spark of static electricity made her shiver. As she leaned into the conversation, Diana stole glances at her chest when she was paying attention to Candy. Diana was nearly as attracted to her as she was to Candy.

Candy stubbed her smoke out less than halfway through and Eve followed suit shortly after. Diana took another sip.

"I need to powder my nose," Eve said as she got up from the table, looking over at Diana before glancing at Candy.

"Me, too," said Diana, recognizing the female ritual of going to the restroom together. She wasn't sure why, but American women always seemed to go in groups. Eve smiled and locked eyes with Diana for a second.

"I'm good. Hurry back," Candy said. Diana and Eve headed toward the Ladies Room.