Take My Breath Away

Sheffield ignored her and put one of the two bubble wands into his pocket. He tore open the other one, dipped the stick in the bubble mixture and handed it to Evelyn. "Come on, give it a try! Check out that little boy. Look at the size of those bubbles! Blow a bigger one than his. You can do it!"

Evelyn wasn't impressed. She couldn't help but ask, "Do I look like a kid who might like blowing bubbles? Scratch that—do I look like a kid?"

Sheffield smiled. "Yes! Evelyn, let your hair down every once in awhile. You might actually like it."

She rolled her eyes at him. What a load of crap! She wanted to be carefree too. Who wouldn't? But carefree didn't mean acting like a kid.

"Don't tell me you don't know how to blow bubbles," Sheffield challenged her when she just stood there, staring at him. In order not to waste the soapy solution, he casually blew on the round circle at the end of the stick, and several big, round bubbles flew out, one after another.

Evelyn immediately denied, "Don't know how? Now you're just taunting me. I used to love these toys as a kid." She was telling the truth. She always had to have one when they went somewhere. But she was almost thirty now and it would be weird for her to play with kids' toys.

Hearing her, Sheffield handed her the wand. "Come on, prove it to me. I double-dog dare you!" He hadn't said that in a long time, but he figured it was appropriate now.

Evelyn knew he was deliberately trying to tick her off, but she still played along. She also couldn't help smiling at what he just said. Taking the toy from him, she retorted, "See for yourself. If I can blow a bubble, a big, round one, you'll have to do whatever I say tonight, and you can't say no!"

"No problem!" It was not what he wanted to say, which was, "Sounds kinky!" But he didn't want to push it.

Evelyn dipped the stick in the liquid and blew it. Under the dazzling lights of the city, several bubbles that reflected the colors of night floated in the air.

Sheffield gave her a thumbs-up and exclaimed dramatically, "Evelyn, you're awesome! You make quite a fetching kid! I declare Little Evelyn got first place this round."

Part of Evelyn couldn't stand it when Sheffield treated her like a kid, but the other part w

asking me why I quit racing cars."

"And?" Evelyn continued to ask.

"And I didn't answer back. Why would I do that when I already have you?" He pretended to be aloof.

With a smile, Evelyn said, "Why don't you reply to her? You're hurting the poor girl."

"But wouldn't that hurt you?"

Evelyn had to admit that he had a perfect answer.

They stopped at a sidewalk restaurant and found a table to sit down. "Ever been to a place like this?"

Evelyn looked around and saw that it was quite crowded. And noisy. They had to raise their voices to be heard. She shook her head and answered, "No."

They were overdressed for a venue like this, drawing curious stares.

"I know it's not what you're used to. Just give it a chance. If you don't like the food, we'll leave." Then he took out a tissue, wiped her chair and helped her sit down.

"Okay."

"What do you want to eat?" A waiter came over with the menu.

Sheffield put the menu in front of Evelyn and said, "Pick anything you want." Then he told the waiter, "Four Snow Beers, please."

"Okay! I'll be right back!"

The waiter left. Evelyn put the menu back in front of Sheffield and said, "You order. I don't know what's good here." The menu looked sumptuous. Those photos certainly had her mouth watering, but she didn't know how the food actually tasted.

"Okay." Sheffield ordered several seafood platters and barbecue skewers.

In the end, he said to the waiter, "Two sets of disposable tableware, thanks!"

"Yes, sir."