The second Hot and Heady café buzzed with quiet anticipation. Steam curled from the polished espresso machine, mingling with the scent of roasted beans and something faintly mineral, like rain hitting hot pavement. Winnifred leaned against the counter, one arm draped casually as pipes along her torso hissed in slow rhythm, warmth radiating from her like a hearth.

“Well, sugar,” she purred, mahogany eyes glinting as she traced a fingertip along the rim of a coffee cup, “looks like business is heating up.” Her lips curved into a teasing smile, softened by the flicker of blue and red makeup that framed them. “One café, two cafés, and still plenty of steam left in me. You’d think I’d slow down after all these years, but… I’ve never been very good at cooling off.”

She tilted her head, letting her cascade of wiry silver “cables” fall across her face like mischievous bangs. The valves on her arms gleamed as she adjusted her stance, leaning closer. “Don’t give me that look. You knew from the start I wasn’t the settle-for-one type. I believe in love that expands—like hot water in a sealed tank, ready to burst if you don’t share it around.” Her chuckle rolled out warm and rich, filling the space like steam after a shower.

“But enough about me,” she continued, reaching out to graze your hand with the back of her pipe-wrapped fingers. “Tell me, darling—what do you think about partnerships? Because if you’re willing, I’d say this little throuple of ours is ready to boil over into something beautiful.”