David must have caught her happiness. He whispered in her ear, "Ten thousand dollars was too cheap a bet. I should have bet a hundred thousand we would get in tonight."

The maitre'd never asked for their names, if they had reservations, nor did he hold out his hand for a gratuity offering. He snapped open the chain and motioned with an open hand they were welcome as David and Karen entered the lobby. "This way please, Miss Long. I have a table by the stage reserved for you and Doctor Beckworth. It is our finest table in the house. I do hope you like it."

Leading David and Karen to a table close to the center of the restaurant near the stage, he pulled a chair from the table and waited for Karen to seat herself. He motioned to one of the other chairs for David. "Your table madam, sir."

Karen knew someone had made a mistake and she didn't want anyone to be embarrassed or get mad. Somebody would come in and find her and David sitting at their table. It would be best to get this straightened out now, even if it meant they had to leave.

"Sir, I’m terribly sorry. You must have us confused with another couple who has reservations. We came here hoping to find a table in the back somewhere."

The maitre'd smiled apologetically at her. "No, there has been no mistake, Miss Long. A Mr. Henry phoned, and said you may be by and asked if we could find accommodations for you. I assure you Miss Long, even if Mr. Henry had not called and said, “The Miss Karen Long” would be here to honor our club, I would still recognize you anywhere. You are one of the finest celebrities I have ever had the honor to serve, Miss Long. I look at you and cannot believe I’m looking at a doctor. Your pictures do not do you justice. However, there is no mistake. I’m looking at the one and only, Doctor Karen Ann Long, model, engineer, researcher, computer designer, and fashion celebrity."

"You have honored us with your presence."

David pulled a chair out and slumped in it. "I knew it."

She leaned toward him. She was embarrassed by all the attention and trying hard to not draw anymore. "What did you say?"

"I said it was nice of you to let me come along so they would let me in too."

"David, you know I didn't plan any of this. The least you could do, is enjoy the evening. Please David, don't spoil it for me."

The maitre'd had waited. "Your head waiter for the evening is Mr. Cordoni. Please enjoy our hospitality and please enjoy yourselves."

He made a slight bow and left. In a couple of minutes he walked across the stage where the band director was standing. The maitre'd handed him a note and said something to him as the band director turned to look at Karen and David.

The director motioned for the band to stop their fidgeting and tuning up their instruments as he tapped on the microphone to check if it was on. "Ladies and gentlemen, as you may have noticed we have the honor of the presence of Doctor David Beckworth and his very lovely date, the very attractive, and lovely, Doctor Karen Ann Long."

David sensed a slight temperature rise. He didn't expect attention for himself and he felt a little pride and a little foolish for it. Now he had a small inkling of what Karen endured every second of her life for the past few months. He felt ashamed for the way he acted when they sat down at the table.

"These two have contributed to the scientific and humanitarian needs of the community and as outstanding leaders of today, they show our youth the directions for tomorrow."

David knew this guy didn't have the slightest idea what he did. It was Karen who had been splashed all over the papers everyday. She was the one the newspaper articles were written about, not him. David looked at her with a new interest.

The band director was pointing at their table. "Would you please rise, so everyone may see you? Ladies and gentlemen how about a small round of applause to show our appreciation for the leadership our two honored guests have bestowed upon our community."

A round of applause was enthusiastically given. David was wishing Karen would sit down so he could. But, she was smiling and nodding her head in acknowledgment to those around her. After she turned completely around so no one would be slighted, she sat down.

David sat down so quickly, he almost fell backwards out of his chair.
"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" She had no idea what he was talking about.

"Put up with me and everyone else in the world gawking at you. You do it so graciously. You are a true princess."

Karen bowed her head. "David, you're embarrassing me."

Smiling mischievously she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Do it some more. I like it."

The director was finishing up. "And so ladies and gentlemen. I would hope you respect their evening as you want yours. Please don't bother them for autographs or questions about their work. They’re here to enjoy themselves the same as you. Thank you for coming to Ruddys and please enjoy yourselves."

And they did until late into the early hours of the morning. David found out Karen didn't drink anything alcoholic and actually enjoyed himself just as much with a couple glasses of wine. He couldn't figure out how she could dance in those heels she was wearing but she had to be good since she managed to stay out of the way of his two left feet. There were a lot of things he wished he had taken the time to know about Karen before now. Why was it men noticed the outer beauty of a woman before they gave the inner beauty a chance to shine? David decided it was a good question to think about.

Karen and David both laughed at the show the stand up comic did. Probably too much but it was a release of tension from long hard hours of work and frustrations. Autographs had to be given throughout the evening, in spite of the earlier plea of restraint. And the maitre'd was not surprised to find word had spread, the model who was in all the papers was in his club. The publicity about Ruddys always being filled to capacity was true that night, even if it wasn't true other nights.

Karen's Mercedes was parked by the front entrance when they decided to leave. The attendant told David he turned the car around and left it parked there for the whole evening so no one would scratch it driving in and out of the parking lot. David gave the attendant a generous tip for his special attention to Karen's car. What David didn't know, the attendant left it there so they could show off the car Dr. Long drove up in. With the attendants help and the personalized license plates stating KAREN, there wasn't a person arriving at the club that night who didn't know who owned the little red Mercedes. Yes sir, with the tips people gave him to let them look the car over and that tip Dr. Beckworth gave him, his pocket was getting heavy tonight.

It was late and the drive back to Karen's house was quiet most of the way. They both put too much effort into relaxing and were pleasantly exhausted. David parked by the curb in front of the house. He would have to get his car out of her garage before he could put hers in. Leaning across the console between the seats was no easy task but he managed and with Karen's willingness, he kissed her. It was awkward and uncomfortable with a shift lever sticking him in the stomach but it didn't seem to deter him. Karen finally broke off the embrace. David's hands seemed to be wandering and they were straying too close to her breasts.

"Come in for the night. It's late and I have a couch you can sleep on rather than drive home."

His pulse quickened when she said come in for the night, but settled back down into disappointment when she said he could sleep on the couch. "No thanks. I have to change clothes for work tomorrow and I didn't bring anything along. I would spend the night if you let me though."

He didn't say it but she knew he meant in her bed. "David, I’m an old fashioned-girl. There isn't going to be any candy until after a commitment. You can look at the sample but you can't have any until you have made your choice of flavors and quit window shopping."

"Karen, I love you. Are you asking me to marry you?"

"No, David. What I’m saying is, I won't have sex with anyone until after I’m married. I don't think you are committed in your mind. Right now you’re being driven by your desires."

"A lot of things have happened to me lately. I’m not sure of anything anymore. I had to adjust my whole world as I knew it. I was a nobody and now I’m the center of almost everyone's attention. I preferred the old way but it can't be helped. My world as I knew it evaporated into nothing. In spite of what you think you see, I’m hurt, confused, and running scared."

"I can't marry you or anyone else. This isn't the old Karen and I’m not sure who the new Karen is. I love you, David, but I need time to find out what I’m dealing with. Neither one of us may like what I have become when we can see what it is."

She sure had a way of taking the wind out of his sails and making him feel like a heel. She was right in other ways, too. She was an unknown but not in the way she meant. It was unknown if she was going to kill him by heart attack, by high blood pressure, by emotional stress, or an endless list of other ways.

"Let me walk you to your door and kiss you good night. I won't leave until you say yes."

"Karen?" She was quiet for so long he didn't know if she heard him.

"I was thinking. You will have to back your car out, drive my car in, give me the keys and find your car again. It's a deal if you give me your car keys and drive mine home tonight. We’ll see each other at work tomorrow and can swap keys whenever it's convenient. I have a spare set of keys and you should too."

David got out of the car laughing. "You little computer brained nut. I have romance on the mind and you're thinking about me having to go to any extra trouble for my car. Why I even put up with you, is beyond me."

He opened her door and she slid out as he put his hand out to help her.

"It came back to me." He swept her into his arms and kissed her.

"Cheater. You said one kiss by the door." She pushed him away but not too quickly, nor very forcibly. She couldn't do too much. She had no place to go, her back was to the car.
"So sue me." He pulled her toward him with one hand while he shut her door with the other.

Putting both arms around her tiny waist he picked her up and kissed her again. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Karen passionately returned the kiss, until she moved her hands to the side of his head and moved it away from hers.

"Is this going to take all night?"

"If I can make it so." David decided if he couldn't have her body he would take what he could get. He would settle for being able to hold and kiss her.

"Well, you may be able to do it but I can't stay up all night and make any sense out of what I’m doing the next day. I need my beauty sleep. Now put me down."

Squirming in his arms as she spoke didn't get any results. She was emotionally hot already and rubbing against him only added fuel to the fire. If this continued much longer her emotions were going to get out of control.

The temptation to hold her was great but he finally let her down. "You can talk me into anything. Even when my mind is saying don't."

"It isn't your mind doing all the talking right now." She turned toward the house.

He put his arm around her as he walked her to the door. "I could, you know."

Karen opened the door and was standing on the step facing him. "Could what?"

"Hold you forever." He swept her into his arms and Karen thought he was going to try proving his point before she broke away from his kiss. Much later.

Karen managed to pry open her left eye. It seemed like the clock was always telling her it was time to get up. She lay there thinking about the night before. It had been wonderful. There was no way it could have been any better. Refocusing her attention she bounced out of bed. Some people got up thinking, Oh God, morning again? Karen thanked Him for another day.