Chapter 10

"So, what's the name of this chocolate shop? I'm assuming you found that out while you were at the jewelry shop," Dania wanted to know.
"I did," Dave agreed. "The name of the best chocolate shop in Chicago is Boneham's chocolate and that's where we're heading now."
"I can hardly wait," Dania said almost licking her lips in anticipation, but she managed not to, as that would've been rude and also disgusting if anyone was to see her other than Dave.
"I'm sure you can't," Dave said, and the amusement in his tone was crystal clear.
"So, I love chocolate!" Dania told him mock pouting at him.
"Yes, you do, but there is a difference between liking chocolate and being obsessed with it and you, my dear are obsessed," Dave told her with a lighthearted grin.
"There are worse things I could be into you know," Dania pouted. "Like drugs or alcohol for instance," she added quietly enough, so the driver could not have heard what she said.
"True," Dave admitted easily. "I promise I won't tease you anymore at least right now, though I won't promise not to tease you about your obsession with chocolate at a later date."
"I suppose that's something anyway," Dania said trying to look upset when she really wasn't. "So why were you gone so long you were only going to one place and yet you were gone for hours," Dania asked.
"Well, for one thing I wanted to give you plenty of time so you didn't feel like you needed to rush to finish up," David explained. "If I had been able to view your outfits while you were trying them on, I wouldn't have minded sticking around, but with the way society is, I knew it would never be allowed, so it was just better if I left."
"You know I was just thinking basically the same thing as the shop clerk was bringing me a selection of outfits in my size for me to try on," Dania said. "I knew that no public place would allow a man to stay and watch a woman try on clothes, even if they were married, as it would be considered utterly improper."
The way Dania said the words made Dave chuckle, even though he completely agreed.
"Well, since I couldn't stay and watch, you'll just have to give me that fashion show you promised later," Dave told her with a wink.
"Happy to," Dania promised. "So back to my original question where did you go while I was trying on clothes other than the errand you told me about?"
"It's a surprise," Dave told her.
Dania said nothing knowing that Dave wanted to surprise her, which probably meant dinner out somewhere nice and probably exclusive. She would be shocked if there weren't other surprises in store, as Dave loved spoiling her ever since they had met. He had left her with that five dollar bill for his one meal at the restaurant where she'd worked, the first instance of him spoiling her before she had even known who he was, and what he would come to mean to her. The meal had only been $.45 which I left her with a large tip. Dania now knew that Dave had done that deliberately, as he had known that she didn't make much money at the grill and he had wanted to give her a little bit extra so she could spurge on something she wanted.
Dania hadn't spent that money for days thinking she'd be able to return what was left from his meal to him when he came in again. Dave however, had deliberately stayed away and not just because he didn't want his money back, but because he wouldn't have been able to resist flirting with her in her place of employment.
"Here we are," Dave said, as the cab slowed and finally stopped. "Buy whatever you want in here, though I hope you'll share your bounty with me. If you want to buy out the whole store, I won't mind, I promise as chocolate doesn't spoil so long as it doesn't melt of course."
"There's no way I can eat that much chocolate and not get sick of it not to mention gain a ton of weight," Dania told Dave giggling, which had probably been Dave's intent in the first place. "And of course, I'll share with you, even if I love chocolate, as I'll only make myself sick otherwise."
"Well, good. I'm glad you're agreeable to sharing," Dave said giving her an adorable grin.
"Of course I am, because if I didn't that would be like throwing your generosity back in your face and I won't do that," Dania shot back.
The two of them exited the cab, Dave helping his mate down to the ground before the two of them headed for the chocolate shop after Dave had paid the driver.

~~~Dave and Dania~~~

Dania gazed at all the delicious looking treats that were in the cases at the front of the chocolate shop after she and Dave had entered and tried not to drool.
She was in public after all, and she didn't want to be taken as unwomanly.
"Can I help you?" asked a pleasant voice with a slight accent.
"Yes, sir, you can," Dave answered politely. "My wife here loves chocolate and could buy out your entire store. Right now, she's just trying to decide what she wants."
"Which isn't easy," Dania said, as she read the little cards that were in front of each display of chocolate.
"Ah! You are not the first to make such a comment as many people not just women love chocolate," the man behind the counter, answered smiling a little, his thin mustache quivering. "It is very lucrative for me."
Dave got the distinct impression that the fellow was laughing silently at them.
"So have you made your selections, honey?" Dave asked Dania cordially.
"Well, as you just stated, I could easily buy out the entire store," Dania answered, but finally chose several different things and the man behind the counter took them out of the case and cut a sliver off each one so she could try it before purchasing.
"Oh, this is sublime!" Dania said enthusiastically, as she tried her first sample, which was chocolate and peanut butter.
"You might as well give us all you have made as I know my wife and she'll want as much of it, as she can get."
Dania tried another sample this one fudge with nuts and caramel in it and made yummy noises as she chewed and swallowed.
"Well, apparently, that one's a hit to," Dave said amused, and the man behind the counter immediately started to box up what was left of the caramel with nuts and fudge.
By the time Dania was done sampling, Dave had bought out half the stock that was in the cases, and the man rang up their purchases, looking rather pleased at how much the couple had bought.
"Please feel free to come back if you ever in Chicago again," the man said as he bagged everything.
"We'll likely be here for a few months at least," Dave said, "so we'll likely be back until we continue our travels."
"If we do have a chance to come back, I won't object I promise you that," Dania said, just preventing herself from kissing Dave's cheek in thanks for his generosity since they were in public and had an observer.
"I didn't figure you would," Dave said and the amusement in his tone was clear."
"So, where to next?" Dania asked Dave as the two of them left the chocolate shop the man behind the counter watching them go.
"Wherever you want to go, of course," Dave answered before the door shut behind them
"Well, first we need to take this chocolate back to the hotel room so it doesn't melt on us since it is the middle of summer, which means it's scorching hot right now. I would hate to see you waste all the money you just spent and have all this lovely, delicious chocolate ruined."
Dave snorted in amusement at that but also agreed that it would be a shame to waste all the chocolate they had just bought just because it melted in the heat of a hot summer's day.
"So, we'll go back to our room first and leave this chocolate there before we head wherever you want to go," Dave conceded.
"Sounds good," Dania said smiling glad her suggestion had been accepted so easily.
Dave immediately whistled for a cab and as soon as one pulled up, helped his mate in to the back.

~~~Dave and Dania~~~