„I didn't know you got a boost in pay." Sofia looked at the very expensive looking furniture of the restaurant they were standing in front of. Sara had surprised her with an invitation to dinner, Sofia expected their favorite restaurant with huge steaks and a variety of salads. To be in front of one of the most exclusive and expensive restaurants was something she didn't expect.

"I didn't."

"Why are we here?"

"My wife is pregnant, I don't celebrate that in a cheap place, I want the best and I read in a gourmet magazine, this restaurant has the best steaks in town. My wife deserves the best she can get." Sara got her arm around Sofia. They would be parents in a few months, there wasn't a better reason to celebrate.

"So you treated me with a Europe trip when I married you and now I get a five star steak because I'll give you a child? Are you buying me?"

"I didn't promise you these things before we got married or you got pregnant, I give them to you after all these events and as far as I can remember, you paid your part of the Europe trip by yourself plus a very expensive ticket for me in Vienna. Did you try to buy me?"

"Yes, I wanted to make sure you don't go back to friendship and keep the marriage alive. It worked out – three months later."

"One word of you and there would have never been a three months gap." Sara kissed Sofia's earlobe.

"I thought you were serious with this 'what happened in Europe stays in Europe' thing."

"Ditto."

"We need to talk more. This shouldn't happen with the parenting."

"Mhm, we need evenings alone to…talk." Sara had stop herself from kissing Sofia, this wasn't the time and the place to fall for her wife; again.

"Maybe we should go home and call the delivery service." Sofia suggested with a grin. She felt that Sara was more interested in her than in the food.

"No, I booked a table for us. I'll get myself together." She sighed and got a foot between her and her wife. What a pity, it was so tempting to go home with Sofia and get something delivered. But she had planed this and wanted Sofia to have the best steak in Las Vegas.

With a smile she opened the door for Sofia. That gave her also the chance to admire her wife. In a long, blue dress, not in high heels anymore but black shoes that showed Sofia's feet as good as a high heel did, slender legs and still a stunning body, Sofia took not only Sara's breath away.

The waiter guided them to their table, where candle light and a glass of sparkling champagne was already waiting.

"Impressive." Sofia pushed her champagne to Sara. She was sure that was really good champagne but she was pregnant and she was strict with the 'no alcohol' rule. Every little drop was poison for their baby.

"I can ask for two oranges juices or would you like something else?"

"You can have the champagne…"

"You don't drink, I won't drink. We both wanted the child, it's only fair if I stay for nine months without alcohol too."

Sofia rolled her eyes. She had this discussion with Sara two days ago. Then the brunette was stubborn and didn't touch the beer, today Sofia wanted to be stubborn.

"Honey, I gave in the last time, this time I won't. You got us this great table, we got the champagne, if you don't drink this freaking expensive stuff, we would never dare to buy for ourselves, I won't eat anything."

"Sofia…"

"No! You don't want to order alcohol when we go out, meet the guys, it's alright. But this is something different, you paid already for it. You drink it now and when our baby is born we'll come here again, I'll get my glass of champagne and we both have another wonderful evening here. In case it's really as good as everybody says it is. If not, we'll get our favorite Thai man to deliver us a perfect dinner with wine."

"Stubborn bitch."

"That's my wife but I do love her anyway." Sofia smirked.

"Funny."

"Please, can we agree on that?"

"Do I have another choice?"

"You do."

"I can't deny your request."

"Thanks." Sofia smiled and moved her left food forward until she touched Sara's legs. "Don't they know that very much in love couples come here? Why is there a table between you and me? Why can't I sit next to you?"

"A man must have arranged the tables." Sara moved her chair so that she was sitting in an forty-five degree angle to Sofia.

"You sure you're allowed to move the chair?"

"They can throw me out if they've a problem with that."

"Shall I leave my badge on the table? To warn them."

"No, I'll kick their asses."

"My lovely wife." Sofia took Sara's hand. "I hope our child has your charm."

"And your self-esteem."

"Stubborn, bitchy and smug, the teacher will hate this child. Unfortunately there won't be my teachers around anymore, I'd so much love to go to school and tell them they screwed up with me and if our child tells them to fuck off, our child is right."

"Honey, language please." Sara smiled. She saw the waiter coming to their table with the menu.

"Do the ladies know what they'd like to drink or shall I bring you our wine menu?"

"No thank you." Sara denied. "I'd like an apple juice."

"And I take an orange juice with a little bit of lemon inside, thanks."

"Very well." The waiter left the menu and walked away. No comment about the moved chair, no comment about Sofia's hand linked to Sara's.

"Wow, two dozen different dishes with steaks, how am I suppose to make a decision." Sofia read every menu and tried to pick her top five to read them again.

"What is the difference?"

"The sauce, with onions, with mushrooms, with warm pineapple, garlic, red pepper, asparagus or mixed herbs. T-bone, ribbed, filed…"

"Alright, I get you." Sara laughed. "Impossible to make a decision."

"It is."

"You need a mixed plate with different kinds of steak, lieutenant?"

Both women turned.

"Keane." Sofia sighed. Why did she have to meet the millionaire everywhere? Wasn't there a place she could go without meeting him? She should go back to Europe, she hadn't seen him there.

"Lieutenant, Miss Sidle."

"Don't tell me this is your restaurant." Sara said.

"Alright I won't tell you."

"Why do you own all bloody restaurants we go to?" Even in New York they had ended up in restaurant he owned. Sofia was sure, Keane owned only this one restaurant and she had to go there and had to meet the millionaire too. That was spooky.

"I doubt I own all restaurants you go to. I just happen to own a few and you've an excellent taste, that's why end up in my places sometimes."

"Magically you're there too."

"I've dinner in my places almost every night."

"And where's your company of the week?"

"I'm solo."

"Wow, what happened? The last one bored you so much you need a break of brainless teens?"

"Maybe I'm looking for a challenge and not a present, lieutenant."

"Well, enjoy your search."

"You've been a challenge for years."

"She's off the market, Keane." Sara said calm but cool. "You go on hitting on my wife I'll hit you. With that flower vase."

"Your wife?"

"My wife and I really don't like it when men think they can hit on her. Like you said, she's a challenge and I won't let her go after I got her. I fought hard to be her wife, no man will take that away, not even a rich good looking millionaire. You had your change in New Orleans, you screwed it up, I took my chance and I didn't screw up." Sara took Sofia's hand again and linked her fingers to the blondes.

"You're married?"

"Yes."

"Congratulations. May I offer a glass of champagne?"

"No thanks. We're married and pregnant." Sofia smiled wide. It sounded so good when she said she was pregnant. She and Sara were pregnant.

"Having this wonderful wife by your side and knowing she – understandable – not willing to share you, I assume you had IV. This will be a very happy child with two lovely mothers."

"No need for a father."

"I don't support the argument children need a mother and a father to be happy, children need at least one person in their life who loves them and shows it to them."

"Finally something we agree on." Sofia commented dryly.

"I'm not such a bad person you see me, Misses Sidle? Misses Curtis – Sidle?"

"Curtis."

"Your wedding isn't legal in Nevada."

"No."

"Vegas will realize this old fashioned way of seeing relationships is due to change soon."

The waiter came back.

"Mister Keane."

"William, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Sir. Shall I give the ladies a little bit more time to order?"

"Do you think the kitchen can fix a lovely plate with mixed steaks? You know, all our kinds of steaks on a huge plate together with all the sauces….lieutenant, what are your favorites?"

"There's no need to…" Sofia started.

"Which one would you not want to try?" Keane changed his question.

"Number four, fifteen and twenty-seven, but that doesn't mean…"

"We need a plate with all other steaks, not the usual size, big enough that the lieutenant can try them all without feeling too full for a dessert after it. And can you fix the lovely investigator a salad? Anything you don't like, Misses Sidle?"

"No fish, no meat, pure vegetarian."

"Eggs and cheese?"

"I do eat them."

"So we need a salad with everything except fish or meat and all the different sauces, please. Do you think it's possible to get that?"

"I'm sure we can arrange that, Mister Keane."

"Thank you very much, William. I really appreciate that you treat our special guests special. Please make sure the chef prepares the food for the lieutenant without any alcohol."

"Very well."

"Thanks, that's all for the moment."

"Ladies." He took a bow and left.

"Keane, there's no need to…"

"You can't make a decision, this way you'll be able to try all of them, you might like two or three what means you're likely to come back and order again. It's all for the business, lieutenant. I try to make you a regular customer."

"You're a smart man, you know your prizes and what a lieutenant brings home. There's no way I'll come here regular. You need to drop the prizes."

"You might get a special deal."

"If I do what?" Sofia cocked her head.

"Forgive me for being foolish in New Orleans and be not annoyed all the time we meet somewhere."

"My wife tells me that for years."

"She's not only a beautiful woman but also a very smart woman."

"Since do you waste a second for me, Keane?" Sara asked amused. "So far you had only eyes for Sofia."

"Only because I didn't invite you to New Orleans it doesn't mean I don't think you're a beautiful woman, Misses Sidle. But it was much more fun to do that to the lieutenant, you had only denied the request, she got mad. I've to admit I liked to annoy her. Your wife is really sexy when she's annoyed and mad."

"Something we agree on." Sara said. "I hope you'll remember the part that she's my wife."

"I don't mess around with relationships, that's cheap."

"Like most of your women?" Sara asked sweetly.

"They're not that cheap, some have a really expensive taste. How can a man have some respect for himself when he hits on a married woman? A woman who's obviously very happy in her marriage. I'd feel cheap doing that and I don't like to feel cheap. I left that feeling behind me."

"I'm glad to hear that. I hate the idea of breaking this lovely flower vase to hurt you."

"So would I. I'll leave you alone and wish you a lovely dinner. You need anything else don't hesitate to ask William for it. He'll make sure you'll get all you need to have a lovely evening."

"Thanks Keane."

"Thanks." Sofia smiled a bit. The first time she had the feeling Keane wasn't a complete idiot.