There's a saying that a girl will never find a guy who is "just a friend", that every guy thinks about having sex with the girl he's talking to. I'd say that's true, but it sells short our ability to control ourselves and play the game called civilisation, society, community.
She was part of the group. More a part than I, and not just because she'd known most of them for longer. There's chatting about people, behind the scenes, that I wasn't a part of. A network of information sharing, opinion forming and concensus building that would make the World Trade Organisation green with envy at it's efficiency. (Or at least that's the impression I always get ;-) )
But I digress. She was part of the group and I slowly worked my way in as well, through humour and wit; through not being too pushy; through making friends with the right people; through playing the game.
We'd gotten together once - ducked off (not too inconspicuously, and I still have to grin at the memory) and spent a short but great time together. Touching and kissing, we explored each other with the vigour and glee of two naughty kids.