Female What happens in Vegas...

[deere]

Chapter 1...which I wrote as a prologue to Chapter 2, coming shortly. 

 

Las Vegas is, in some ways, as much an idea as a place.  And as such, it sometimes extends beyond it’s physical boundaries.  Flights into McCarran, for instance, can be part of Vegas, in a way that flights into O’Hare are never, ever part of Chicago.

Dylan had left work at lunch, driven straight to the airport, taken a short flight to a major hub, and now he had a couple hours to fill before boarding the plane to Las Vegas.  He’d originally planned to be going with some friends from college, but one by one they’d dropped out until now it was just him and Johnny.  Johnny wasn’t flying out until tomorrow morning.

He found the gate, sat down, and read through the e-mails that had come in while he’d been on the plane.  His boss had told him to enjoy himself, there was nothing that couldn’t wait a few days, but since he was here with nothing better to do, he figured he might as well get as much reply to as many as he could.

Before long, though, the bar beside the gate started getting loud and rowdy, and after a while Dylan gave up on working and joined the crowd, ordering a beer and chatting with the increasingly drunk and rowdy group.  Perhaps not everyone going to Las Vegas is on their way there to party, but everyone standing around the bar certainly had fun on their minds.

He noticed one woman, in particular- medium length brown hair, green eyes.  Athletically built, nicely dressed, she seemed to be part of the crowd but didn’t really seem to be with anyone else.  Generally fairly shy, the party atmosphere and the beer emboldened him.  He walked up to her and introduced himself.  Her name was Sara, and she was on her way to a convention but flying out a few days early to enjoy the city before it began.

Just as their conversation started to take off, they announced boarding was about to begin.  Dylan had the fortune to be in an early boarding group, and was soon on his way down the jetway.

He found his way to his seat, shoved his carry-on into the overhead bin, and sat down.  A few minutes later, Sara sat down beside him.  “Well, fancy meeting you here!” she said.  They continued talking as the plane taxied, and Sara grabbed Dylan’s hand as they lifted off.  His eyebrows raised slightly as he smiled.  “Sorry,” she said “I’m not usually so forward, but flying makes me a little nervous, and you just seem like such a sweet guy.”

“It’s fine,” Dylan said with a wink.  “You can hold onto me as long as you want.”  As the plane started to level off, Sara dropped his hand so it fell on her thigh.  He left it there while they talked, and he noticed she was sniffing a bit.

heh’chx  heh’chxx  heh’chxx

“Bless you! Are you alright?”

“Yes, just the changing pressure makes me” hep-Choo “sneeze every time I’m on an” hep’CHOO “airplane.”

When the flight attendant came by, Dylan bought himself a beer, and a glass of wine for Sara.

“Do you always buy strange women drinks on planes?” Sara asked him with a grin.

“Only the good looking ones,” he replied.  “Actually, this is way out of character for me.  Usually I’m the guy too shy to even say hi to a pretty girl.”

They talked for almost the entire flight, and when the pilot announced they were about to begin descending, Sara reached under the seat for her bag, from which she pulled a package of tissues.

“Pressure change again, huh?” Dylan asked.

“Yeah, descent is always worse,” she said.  “Not sure if it’s actually worse or just that I’ve been breathing this nasty air for hours now.”  And she sniffed to punctuate the thought.

The plane hit a bit of turbulence, and Sara grabbed Dylan’s forearm.  He lifted his hand from her leg to grab hers, and could feel her squeezing tightly.

“Sorry,” she whispered.  heh’chxx  heh’chxx     heh-heh’chooo  “I know it’s silly to be scared of flying.”

“It’s ok,” he whispered back.  “Squeeze my hand as hard as you want.”

heh-chxx     heh’choo  heh’choo 

Sara blew her nose with one hand, the other still holding squeezing Dylan’s.

“Thank you for being so” heh-choo “so sweet,” she said.  “I’m a sneezy, scaredy-cat mess, and you’re just being so kind.”  heh-choo  heh’heh-choo  heh-CHoo

Dylan wasn’t quite sure what to say, so he just squeezed her hand back.  It seemed to be the reply she was looking for.

As they taxied toward the gate, he worked up the courage to ask if she had plans for the evening.  When she said she didn’t have any yet, Dylan said “I’m not the kind of guy who usually asks, but would you like to explore the town with me?  My friend isn’t getting here until tomorrow.”

Sara hadn’t let go of his hand, and still didn’t.  “And I’m not the kind of girl who usually says yes…”

“But what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” they said together, with an embarrassed laugh.

[deere]

Dylan swore to himself as he got back to the door of room 1136 at the Venetian.  With two paper cups of coffee from the breakfast room and a newspaper in his hands, there was no way to reach his key card out of his pocket without setting something on the floor.  As he bent to do so, he heard Sara sneezing through the door.

het-choo heh-t’choo h’h’h’t-CHOO

He fumbled his way through the process of setting the coffee down, getting his card, opening the door, putting the card back in his pocket and picking up the coffee, then walking in the door, and shutting it without slamming it as quickly as he could, cursing the inconvenience of it all the way.

Sara was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hair a mess, tears streaming from her eyes, wearing nothing but a white camisole top and a pair of lavender panties.  The Kleenex box was on her lap, and the floor and bed were littered with used tissues.

“Are you alright, babe?”

hehhhh-h’h’hee—t’choo “I’m” heh’choo’choo  he’t’chu “I” h’choo “I can’t” hep’t’choo “stop” het-choo  heh-t’choo “sdeezig.”  heh’shoo

“I see that.”  Dylan set the coffee cups and newspaper down on the table.

heh-choo  hehhh-choo  heh’choo’heh’choo—he’choo’heh’shoo

“What’s making you so sneezy?”

heh-choo “I don’t” heh-t’choo huh’choo “knowww,” Sara said.  heh    hehhhh       hehhhh  "Ahhhh"  h’h’heh-h’choo-h’choo’h’CHEWw “It must” heh “be some-“ heh-ahhhh “something” heh-t’che’khu “in the room.”  hehhh—heh—heh-choo  “Oh my GOD.  This is the”  heh’choo “the worst sneee” heh’CHoo “sneezing fit I’ve ever” hehh—heh   hehh’choo’t’choo “ever had.  I can’t”  heh-choo  heh-chhoo    heh—heh’h’h-t’ch’kchu “can’t stop.”

Sara blew her nose wetly, soaking another tissue, which she dropped on the floor.  She grabbed another from the box, then threw the empty box at the floor.

“I’ve sneezed through” heh-choo “a” heh’choo “whole” heh-heh’CHEW “box of” heh-chooo “tissues already!

“Let me grab the box from the bathroom for you,” Dylan said.

heh—hehhhhh—hehhhh      hehhh—  “Ahhh it’s”  hehhh    “stuck!”

hehhh    heh—  hehhhhhh   “Ahhh—oohhh”

“Well, at least you stopped sneezing for a second,” Dylan said as he came back with the other box of tissues, realizing as the words came out of his mouth it was the wrong thing to say.

Sara was fanning her hands in front of her face.  hehhhh “It ticklesss” heh—hehhhhh “so badddd!”  heh’hehhhh “Ahhh…”

Dylan set the tissues on the bed, then sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her.  He could feel her shoulders rising and falling as her breath heaved.

hehhhh—hehhh-heh’heh “Ahhhh! Help me Dylan!  I have to” hehhhhh “sneeze but I” hehhh “can’t!”

“Uhhh…what do you want me to do?”

“I don’t”  hehhhh “knowwww…”

Dylan really had no idea what to do, so he reached over and gently pinched her nose, rubbing it up and down.  It seemed to do the trick.

heh’choo’heh’choo’he’h’h-CHOO  heh-choo    heh-choo’choohehshoo         HET’choo  heh’h’h’chew  “Ahhh” heh-choo  hi’choo  “now I” heh’choo  “now I can’t”  heh  “can’t stop”  heh’ckhooo  “can’t stop again.”  heh-choo  h’choo’h’choo-hhCHOO

Dylan really didn’t know what to do, so he wrapped his arm around her more tightly, pulling her into his chest.  He felt her body shaking with every sneeze, her ribcage expanding with every breath.  He stroked her hair with his other hand, kissing her gently on the top of her head.

“Do you think maybe a shower would help?  Or some fresh air?”

Sara blew her nose again.  heh-choo  heh’h’choo “Maybe a” heh-heh “maybe a shower would hel-“ h’choo “help.”  heh’choo

~~~~~~~~~

An hour later, Dylan’s phone buzzed.  He glanced at it, saw the message, and remembered that Johnny was coming in today.  His plane had just landed, and he’d be at the hotel soon.

Dylan wasn’t quite sure what to do about Sara.  His confidence from the night before had vanished, and he was the same shy guy he’d always been, never sure how to talk to a girl.

“So, uh, my buddy’s plane just landed.  He’ll probably be here in half an hour,” he said, looking at the carpet.

“Oh, shit!  I was supposed to meet some other people who are out here for the convention this morning,” Sara said.  “What time is it?  Shit!"

This wasn’t quite the goodbye either of them had envisioned, but as they kissed awkwardly at the door, Sara said “I’m here until Thursday…maybe I’ll see you again?”

 “I’m here until Tuesday.  I’d love to see you again!  It’s been such a great little while, I hate to think this is it.”

“You’ve got my number,” she said.  "And not all of what happens in Vegas has to stay in Vegas, you know."

And like that she was gone, leaving Dylan standing in the doorway wondering how to explain the tangled sheets and mountain of tissues to Johnny.

[M214186]

Oh please continue.... Is Sara sick???

[deere]

Dylan let Johnny in.  “Crazy Johnny,” he’d been called sometimes back in college, and as far as anyone could tell, not much had changed.  Always up for any adventure, at any time- but he still managed to graduate with a 3.6 GPA.  Now he had a high-paying job with a big company, but still managed to be the guy who showed up for all the exciting things anyone else was doing.

Johnny walked in and set his bag down on the other bed.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it in last night,” he said.  “Damn work anyway.  Hope you managed to find something fun to do.”   Johnny went to throw his boarding pass in the trash, and paused.  “What’s with all the tissues?  You sick, dude?”  He looked slightly worried.

“No, I’m fine,” Dylan said.  “You aren’t gonna believe this, but I met a girl on the plane out here-“

“You’re right, I don’t believe it,” Johnny replied with a grin.

“-and when she woke up this morning-“ 

“Now I really don’t believe you!”

“-she had this crazy sneezing attack.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  She was just sneezing non-stop for like fifteen minutes.”

Johnny looked more closely at Dylan’s bed, then looked back at him.  “There were two people in that bed last night,” he said.  “Unless you slept on both sides yourself.  Nicely done, dude.  Weird about the sneezing, though.  Hope she isn’t going to get you sick!”

“Yeah, I hope not.  She said she’d didn’t think she was sick.  Like it was an allergy or something.”  Dylan paused, then continued, “This is weird, but it was, uh, actually kind of hot to hold her while she just kept sneezing over and over.”

“You know, I can actually kind of see that,” Johnny said.  “It is a little weird, but you always were.”

Dylan flipped him the bird.

“She still in town?  Maybe she’s got a friend.  Those Harleys we rented for tomorrow have back seats, ya know.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The next morning, Dylan and Johnny were at the Harley dealership when it opened.  They were both experienced, skilled riders, but wanted to take the rental bikes out alone and get comfortable with them before they picked up the girls at their hotel.  Being the first arrivals, they had their pick of the rental fleet.  Dylan chose a black Road King, and Johnny a cinnamon-colored Street Glide.  Huge bikes compared to the on-off road bikes they usually rode, and they enjoyed pushing them to their limits.

An hour later, they pulled up to the Golden Nugget with windblown hair, and big grins on their faces.  Sara was waiting with her friend Erica.  They introduced themselves all around- Erica and Sara worked for the same company, but in different states.  Sara explained that they worked together all the time, but almost always remotely.  As she climbed on behind Johnny, Erica said “I can’t believe I’m doing this- getting on a Harley with a complete stranger.  I’ve never even been on a motorcycle before.  This town does strange things to a person.”

They took off for the Valley of Fire state park, a beautiful rocky desert spot.  Past the entry gate, they stopped in at the visitor center.

“How you doing, Sara?” Dylan asked.

“Good,” she said.  “The air is so” heh “dry” hehhh-hehh “it’s playing hell with my sinuses!”  She looked off at the horizon, squinting slightly, then shook her head.  “Nope, that sneeze is gone.”

The four walked into the visitor center and headed for the restrooms.  As soon as they were separated to be out of earshot from the girls, Johnny grinned at Dylan.  “Damn, dude…I ought to vacation with you more often!  You got game!”

“I wish I could tell you this was a more common occurrence,” Dylan replied.

The roads wound through the stunning red rocks of the park, and the guys rode smoothly, slowly and cautiously, respectful of their passengers unfamiliarity with being passengers on a motorcycle.

Suddenly Dylan felt Sara tense up behind him.  He wondered what was wrong.  He reached down with his left hand and squeezed her knee, in what he hoped was a reassuring way.  Another mile down the road he felt her tense again.  He gave her knee a quick pat, but was coming up a curve and had to put his hand back to the handlebars quickly so he could downshift.

Sara had her arms wrapped tight around Dylan, and as he leaned the bike into the curve, he could feel her chest heaving against his back, and he realized she had to sneeze again.  The road straightened out, opening into an incredible vista of red rock formations against the desert sky, but Sara was now in the throes of a full-on sneezing fit.  Dylan could feel the spray against his neck, and her whole body convulsing behind him.  He reached down to stroke her knee again, looking for the next place he could safely pull over.

As they neared the pullout, he double-beeped his horn, and when he saw Johnny check his mirror, he pointed right.  Johnny’s turn signal came on.  Dylan smiled to himself- it had been years since they’d ridden together, but it was like they’d never stopped.

Sara was still sneezing when he got the bike stopped, and even after he shut the bike off and set it on the jiffy stand, it was a minute before she was able to climb off.  He hurried off behind her.

hehh-choo heh’choo  heh’heh—h’CHOO’h-choo’o

“I deed” heh-choo “to blow” heh-chh’heh-choo “by dose,” Sara said.  “Ad I dod’t” heh-choo  heh’choo’heh-SHEWW “dod’t hab a tissue!”

Dylan reached for his pocket, then realized he wasn’t wearing his usual riding gear, which usually had at least a couple napkins stuffed in a pocket. He had nothing.  He looked to see if Johnny and Erica were off the bike yet, and shouted over to ask if either of them had a tissue.  They both shook their heads no.

“You, uh, want to use my t-shirt sleeve?” Dylan asked?

Sara looked embarrassed, but nodded yes.

heh-choo  heh-hehhh-h’CHOO heh’choo heh’h-h’tchoo

He turned so his arm was to her face, and she blew her nose on his sleeve, soaking it.

heh-choo “I think it’s this” heh “dry desert” heh—hehhhh “desert air” she gasped.  “It’s killing my” heh-choo heh’choo’h’choo’h’CHOO “my siduses.”  heh-choo

Dylan awkwardly tried to hug Sara while she was still blowing her nose on the sleeve of his, grateful the only other two people at the pullout were Johnny and Erica.  Johnny shot him a look over Sara’s head that seemed equal parts confusion, concern and envy.

“Do you want to head back to the hotel?” Dylan asked.

heh-choo hehhh “I hate to” heh-choo “turn back so” hehh-heh’h’choo’he’CHoo “so soon,” Sara said.  “It’s so” heh-choo “pretty here.”  heh’choo’hehhh—hehh “But I can’t stop” heh-choo    heh-CHooo-heh-choo’heshiew “stop sneezing in this” heh-choo “goddamn desert air!”  And she blew her nose on Dylan’s sleeve again.

Dylan looked over her head at Johnny, and years of traveling, living, and partying together allowed them to agree wordlessly what they would do.

“Well, let’s get you back to the hotel,” Dylan said.  “If it’s the dry air, the sooner we get you inside, the better.”  He looked over at Erica, then said to Johnny, “Why don’t you two continue our planned ride.  Finish up here, then go see the Hoover Dam.”  

Johnny looked at Erica, “Only if you want to, of course.  I’m certainly happy to take you back, too.”

Erica looked at Sara, and Dylan could see the struggle in her eyes.  Sara was still sneezing, but she looked at her friend and nodded.  heh-choo  heh-heh’chooo “You should go, Erica!  I wish my stupid dose would let me” heh-choo “keep going, too.  But dod’t” heh-choo “let it keep you from having a good time!”

Erica nodded slowly.  “I still can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said.  “Riding off into the desert with a complete stranger, alone.”

“I’m not a complete stranger,” Johnny said.  “We’ve known each other for over an hour, now.”

Erica rolled her eyes.

Sara’s sneezes were beginning to settle down a little, and after a few minutes the fit subsided.  They climbed back onto the bikes, Johnny and Erica continuing on, while Dylan and Sara made a u-turn and headed back for town.  Twice along the way, Sara had sneezing fits, and Dylan could feel her blowing her nose on the back of his shirt.

He pulled up to the front of her hotel, and she climbed off.  “You OK?” he asked.

“Yeah, for now,” she replied.  “Aren’t you gonna see me to my room like a gentleman?” she asked with a wink.

“I can’t leave this thing here,” Dylan said sadly, “so I’ll have to return it to the rental place.”

“Oh, right.  Well, maybe you could come back here after?  If you want.”

“I’d love to,” Dylan said.  “But I might swing by my room quick for a clean t-shirt first!”

[Privatedancer]

Love this

[Ariel]

I love this. Maybe you could throw in a few sneeze attacks from Dylan as well?

[deere]

I suppose it's possible...I'll have to think about how to make that work.

[Saimou]

I would certainly love to see some continuation for this amazing sneezefic .

[M214186]

This is great would you please continue with this 

[deere]

Dylan was lying on top his still-made bed when Johnny unlocked the door of their room that evening.  

“Did Sara have to go to that dinner meeting too, or was Erica just trying to ditch me?” he asked.

“Yeah, she said it was the kickoff to their convention.  How was the Hoover Dam?”

“It was pretty sweet- way more miles of gravel road than I expected, though.  That big pig of a Harley was a handful, especially two-up.  Would’ve been a hell of a lot more fun on something built for that kind of road,” Johnny answered.  “How was the rest of your day? Did you end up getting back out on the bike?”

“Pretty good,” Dylan said.  “No, I returned it after I dropped Sara off at her hotel.”  He got up from the bed and walked to the dresser, where he picked up a nearly-full bottle of Jack Daniels.

“Yeah?  What’d you do for the rest of the afternoon?”

“A gentleman never tells,” Dylan said with a grin.  “You want a drink?  I picked up a bottle on my way back here.”

“Fair enough,” Johnny said with a nod.  “Sure, I’ll take a drink.  Thanks!”

Dylan handed Johnny one of the two glasses he’d poured.  “Here’s to pretty girls, and cities that lower inhibitions!”

“I’ll drink to that!”

The two friends sat in silence for a minute, sipping their drinks.  After a while, Johnny turned to Dylan, and said “I have to ask- did she keep sneezing like that all day?”

“Yeah.  I mean, it was off and on, but…most of the day, yeah.  It got better after a while inside.”

“Wow.  I could see what you meant about it being kind of hot, when we were in that stopped there in the park.  Never occurred to me that sneezing could be sexy,” Johnny said.

[bzzt-bzzt]

Johnny jumped up to grab his phone off the dresser.

“Erica wants to know if we have dinner plans?  She and Sara will be done their meeting soon.”

“I guess we do now,” Dylan said with a grin.  “Do they have any place in mind?”

“She didn’t say.  Just said to meet them at their hotel lobby in an hour.”  Johnny picked up the bottle of Jack and shot Dylan a questioning look.

“Sure, one more,” Dylan said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the four walked to dinner, they wandered into and out of a few different shops.  Every once in a while Dylan and Johnny would catch the other’s eyes rolling, looking at overpriced junk, but they were good sports about it and never rushed Sara and Erica.  The Jack Daniels probably helped.

One of the stores they walked into sold fancy soaps, hand creams, lotions and candles.  Many of them were scented, and the air in the store was a pungent mix of the different fragrances on offer.  After a few minutes in the store, Dylan was could feel a tickle beginning to build in his nose. 

“How is this place not making you sneeze, Sara?” Erica asked.  “I’d think all these scents would have you in overdrive.”

“I don’t know,” Sara answered.  “But it doesn’t seem to be bothering me any.  Is it getting to you, Dylan?  I see you keep rubbing at your nose.”

“No, I’m fine.”  He wondered why he’d lied.  He could feel the tickle building.

kuh-CHIEW  kuhSHEWW

“Yeah, fine, huh?” Sara said.

“Yeah, I’m fi…” kuh-chiew

“OK, sure you are.  We’re about done here anyway, right Erica?” Sara started walking toward the door.  “Let’s go have some dinner.”

kuh-CHew KuhShew  Dylan continued sneezing for several minutes after leaving the store, declaring over and over that he was fine.

[M214186]

Thanks for the continuation. Would love more Dylan and Sara

[Ariel]

13 hours ago, deere said:

Dylan was lying on top his still-made bed when Johnny unlocked the door of their room that evening.  

“Did Sara have to go to that dinner meeting too, or was Erica just trying to ditch me?” he asked.

“Yeah, she said it was the kickoff to their convention.  How was the Hoover Dam?”

“It was pretty sweet- way more miles of gravel road than I expected, though.  That big pig of a Harley was a handful, especially two-up.  Would’ve been a hell of a lot more fun on something built for that kind of road,” Johnny answered.  “How was the rest of your day? Did you end up getting back out on the bike?”

“Pretty good,” Dylan said.  “No, I returned it after I dropped Sara off at her hotel.”  He got up from the bed and walked to the dresser, where he picked up a nearly-full bottle of Jack Daniels.

“Yeah?  What’d you do for the rest of the afternoon?”

“A gentleman never tells,” Dylan said with a grin.  “You want a drink?  I picked up a bottle on my way back here.”

“Fair enough,” Johnny said with a nod.  “Sure, I’ll take a drink.  Thanks!”

Dylan handed Johnny one of the two glasses he’d poured.  “Here’s to pretty girls, and cities that lower inhibitions!”

“I’ll drink to that!”

The two friends sat in silence for a minute, sipping their drinks.  After a while, Johnny turned to Dylan, and said “I have to ask- did she keep sneezing like that all day?”

“Yeah.  I mean, it was off and on, but…most of the day, yeah.  It got better after a while inside.”

“Wow.  I could see what you meant about it being kind of hot, when we were in that stopped there in the park.  Never occurred to me that sneezing could be sexy,” Johnny said.

[bzzt-bzzt]

Johnny jumped up to grab his phone off the dresser.

“Erica wants to know if we have dinner plans?  She and Sara will be done their meeting soon.”

“I guess we do now,” Dylan said with a grin.  “Do they have any place in mind?”

“She didn’t say.  Just said to meet them at their hotel lobby in an hour.”  Johnny picked up the bottle of Jack and shot Dylan a questioning look.

“Sure, one more,” Dylan said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the four walked to dinner, they wandered into and out of a few different shops.  Every once in a while Dylan and Johnny would catch the other’s eyes rolling, looking at overpriced junk, but they were good sports about it and never rushed Sara and Erica.  The Jack Daniels probably helped.

One of the stores they walked into sold fancy soaps, hand creams, lotions and candles.  Many of them were scented, and the air in the store was a pungent mix of the different fragrances on offer.  After a few minutes in the store, Dylan was could feel a tickle beginning to build in his nose. 

“How is this place not making you sneeze, Sara?” Erica asked.  “I’d think all these scents would have you in overdrive.”

“I don’t know,” Sara answered.  “But it doesn’t seem to be bothering me any.  Is it getting to you, Dylan?  I see you keep rubbing at your nose.”

“No, I’m fine.”  He wondered why he’d lied.  He could feel the tickle building.

kuh-CHIEW  kuhSHEWW

“Yeah, fine, huh?” Sara said.

“Yeah, I’m fi…” kuh-chiew

“OK, sure you are.  We’re about done here anyway, right Erica?” Sara started walking toward the door.  “Let’s go have some dinner.”

kuh-CHew KuhShew  Dylan continued sneezing for several minutes after leaving the store, declaring over and over that he was fine.

Loved it. 😍😍

[deere]

Once the four were seated at the restaurant, the waiter drew their attention to the wine list, and departed, promising to return shortly for their drink orders.
“I’m sticking with whiskey,” Dylan said.  “Changing horses in midstream is never a good idea.”
“Same for me,” Johnny said.  “We both learned that one the hard way back in Andrews Hall our freshman year, right bud?”
Dylan smiled and nodded.  “I still get queasy thinking about that night.”
“How about splitting a bottle of wine, Erica?” Sara asked.
“Sure,” Erica said.  “A nice Cabernet Sauvignon would taste great tonight.”
The waiter returned, and they ordered their drinks.
The motorcycle ride earlier in the day hadn’t allowed much time for talking, so they had plenty to talk about- where they’d grown up, what they did for work- and lots of shared interests and experiences.
Drinks were brought, appetizers ordered and eaten, and the main course had been ordered.
[sniff  sniff   sniffff]  Erica’s nose twitched slightly.  ii’tch  ii’tchh  ahh  ii’t’chOO
“Excuse me!” Erica said.  “What was I saying?  Oh, yes- I think Glacier was my favorite National Park.  I just loved it up there.”
Sara refilled both their wine glasses, saying “I’ve always wanted to go there, but the season is just so short.  Yellowstone was my favorite.”
iii’t’chh     ii’tchhooo  “Gosh, excuse me!” Erica said.
“Are you okay?” Johnny asked.
Dylan tried not to look at his friend, remembering their conversation from earlier.
“I’m afraid it’s the wine,” Erica said.  “Sometimes red wine does this to” ii’tch ii’tchh “me.”
“You should have said something,” Sara said.  “We could’ve had something else.”
“It’s only every once in a” ii’tchh  ii-chxx “a while that this” ii’t’CHoo “happens,” Erica said.  Usually I’m fine.  And anyway- I picked which wine we got, not you.”
Just then the food arrived.  Their waiter had brought another server to help with all the plates, and as she set Dylan’s food down he noticed she was wearing a very strong perfume.  As she set Sara’s plate in front of her, he could see the faintest twitch around her eyes.
“Th-thank you” Sara said.
After the waitress was out of earshot, Sara said “I think her perfume is going to give me…”  hehh “another sneezing fit.”
heh—hehh—hhheeehhhhhh Sara pinched her nose and shook her head, but it didn’t work.
heh-choo  heh’choo     heh’hehh-CHooo  “I think I” hehh—  “I better step” hehh-heh’CHooo  heh-choo ahhh  heh’shoo  hehhhh—hehhh   chooo “outside!”
Sara pushed her chair back and started to stand up, but another sneeze dropped her back into her chair.  heh-choo  hehh—CHooo  heh’choo’heh’choo’hehhhh—heh-hehhhhhhh    Sara waved her hands in front of her face.  ahhhh    heh-CHOOOO
Sara stood up, and hurried for the door.  Dylan followed close behind her, grabbing a handful of bar napkins as he passed by.  Outside, he handed her one, and she blew her nose.
heh-choo  heh’choo-heh’CHoo “Sorry I’m such a” heh-ch’CHoo “sneezy mess,” she said.  I’m so em-“ heh-choo “embarassed.”
Dylan hugged her.  “It’s fine,” he said, not really sure what to say.
After a few minutes, and using up all the bar napkins, Sara finally stopped sneezing.
They went back into the restaurant, and sat down to their meal.  Johnny looked at Dylan questioningly, but Dylan shook his head that everything was OK and no more was said on the matter.
After desert, the four split up- Sara and Dylan headed to watch the fountain at the Bellagio, while Johnny and Erica went off to check out a wine bar Erica had heard about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The end.

[Ariel]

What noooooo. Whyyyy?? I want more

[deere]

Honestly, because I'm tired of writing it...

I don't really like writing long, multi-part stories.  One, maybe two or three segments...and I'm over it.

Character development, plotlines, all that becomes way more of a chore if it stretches out too long.

 

I'll write something else one of these days, though...got a few in progress.  Hopefully you'll enjoy the other stuff, too.