Restaurant
The restaurant is obviously popular and expensive, tall vaulted ceilings and subdued lighting, art work on the walls in gilded frames, furniture of dark wood and carpets and upholstery a matching pale cream.
Sheldon wore his dark suit, but seemed more nondescript, unsure of himself. Penny was sure it was his nerves, he was always more confident in places he'd been before. Less new things to distract him or worry about, she assumed.
Penny wore her red dress, a sleek scarlet number with thin shoulder straps that showed off her figure to good effect. She'd fished out her dark stockings and matching garter belt, paired with a black thong to give her no visible panty lines. As she walked she could feel the whisper of silk on silk, she wondered if Sheldon was appreciating the effort she'd made
"Sheldon, this place is lovely. But looks kind of expensive, are you sure?"
"Another patron of the orchestra recommended here, they are a regular here and spoke to the maitre de for me." "But its one of those places where they don't put prices on the menu! that's always a bad sign"
"It's worth it just for the hygiene rating"
A waiter escorted them to their table, he took Penny's coat but Sheldon pulled out her chair for her. As she sat the waiter lit a pair of red candles on the table.
"I see your old south manners are put to good use."
The table has a single red rose in a tall vase
"oh, For me?"
"Of course."
She smiles. "That so sweet of you."
She looks around for a menu. "so, what's good to eat here?"
"If I may take the liberty of ordering for you?" He motions to the waiter. "The lady will have the steak, medium rare, with the grilled romaine heart salad. I am Doctor Cooper and I phoned my dietary needs in earlier?
The waiter nods understandingly.
"Of course, Sir. And to drink?"
"A bottle of the house red for the lady and a sealed bottle of chilled mineral water for myself."
"Very good sir."
"Did you say patron of the orchestra?"
"Yes, I did a few things for them, corrected the hall acoustics, performed a piano recital and gave a small donation. "
"A proper recital? you play piano that well?"
He shrugs "I learnt a long time ago, you know I never forget. A little practise to refresh muscle memory and I was concert quality again. It's very useful as I've found people seem to accept an eccentric musical genius a lot more than an eccentric scientific genius"
"That's because musicians rarely become super villains or make atomic bombs. Was this all part of your master plan for diversification?"
"Of course. I decided I wanted to be respected by people of culture, so I used what skills I had and applied them appropriately to find said people and earn their respect."
"Is that what you're doing with me?"
He smiles his lopsided grin. "Is it working?"
She laughs
The waiter returns and pours their drinks as they wait for food, which only seems to take minutes.
Penny's steak is thick and well charred on the outside, pink and juicy all the way through. It's by far the best steak she's had in years. The salad has seared lettuce hearts that mix a sweet smoky taste with a fresh clean crunch and the wine is a fully bodied red that compliments the savour of the red meat .
"This is wonderful, Sheldon."
Looking over she puzzles at his plate. A delicate pile of thin sliced steak, a green leafy salad heavy with tomato, olive oil and crystals of salt, flakes of parmesan and a toasted Italian bread roll. he picks at it delicately with a fork.
"Did you have them deconstruct a hamburger and fancy it up just for tonight?"
he nods and smiles "It seemed appropriate"
She slips off a shoe and runs a stocking foot up his leg. He freezes, surprised.
"You feel that?" She smiles playfully. He nods. The nerves make him jitter again.
she strokes again, teasing. Where is that determined look in his eye? "Just having a little fun"
She leans forward "I wore them specially for you"
It takes him a moment but his brain catches up, and an understanding smile spreads across his face.
he turns his attention back to his meal.
Did he not get the hint? she teases her foot up his leg again, but this time he presses his knees together, momentarily pinning her foot. before she can pull back he drops a hand under the table.
Above the table he makes an offhand comment about the food, gestures with his fork, eyes locked on hers.
Under the table he traces a single fingertip up the sole of her foot from heel to toe, making a shiver run up her spine. She bites her lip at his evil grin. Oh, this is going to be fun.
As they finish eating she notices that tucked next to the rose is a card - She picks it up and turns it over, reading "To Penny, from Sheldon"
she looks at him with a sweet smile and opens it, then her face falls.
" a voucher for a full car service"
Sheldon nods. "your check engine light is still on"
She sighs "I know, I know."
He persists "it's been on for as long as I've known you."
"I know, don't worry."
"well, I do worry. so now you don't have to worry. They'll fix it. Then I won't worry either. "
She frowns, waving a fork full of salad at him. "You're not just using this going out thing as leverage to try and fix me and my stuff are you?"
He looks furtive. "That is not the main purpose but may be a secondary benefit"
"A rose and an engine servicing ? Oh, be still my beating heart. "
"Howard gave me a pun to go with the engine service, but I didn't get it. and knowing Wallowitz it's probably offensive"
"I'll bet. Ok, You need to work on what to buy a girl on a date"
"But I thought it'd show my care and concern for your well being... Did I miscalculate?"
"It's a miss by a mile, sweetie. The rose was the right direction"
"All this" she gestures about the restaurant "This isn't you."
She reaches over and takes his hand. "To me you are annoying burgers and Thai food on Mondays and the comic book store."
"Let's save this sort of thing for special occasions, ok? "
He nods then looks her in the eye and simply states "But this is a special occasion"
She smiles and sighs, "take me home, Sheldon"
At the end of the Night, He walks her up to the door of 4b
She's really undecided, it's been a weird few days with Sheldon. Some moments he's a dork, others he's nice, some he's giving her shivers and others he's useless. But what the hell, it's that cat in the box isn't it?
"It's kind of early, want to come in for coffee?" she wiggles her eyebrows and grins playfully
"Oh, coffees out of the question. When I moved to California I promised my mother that I wouldn't start doing drugs."
"oh, you think coffee actually means coffee?" She clasps her hands together in front of her chest and smiles at him "that is so sweet."
He Frowns. "But you did say Coffee. I heard you."
"This is one of those social conventions we were talking about that you need to learn. I'm saying 'come in for coffee' but in real terms I mean 'I've had a nice night with you and would like to spend some more time with you. alone. in private.', but it does it in a way that doesn't directly promise anything will happen, got it?
"Why not just say that?"
"that sort of directness is not normally socially acceptable"
"well, I'd find it easier"
"Ok, would you like to come in for a herbal tea and to fool around?"
"That sounds most agreeable"
She drags him into the apartment and shuts the door.
