Anton wasn’t sure if Stella was<i>workin’ it </i>or not with the manner in which she graciously accepted his offering of Kona-crusted ribeye.  Then again, maybe it was just his imagination, since her steak removal from his fork appeared to happen in super slo-mo.  He figured her red lips backed by white teeth had something to do with this.<br/><br/>Her expression following consumption, however, was not surprising at all.  Anton recalled a similar feeling and appearance when he initially sampled his first taste of that Kona-crusted seasoning on a proper cut of meat.  In a word?  Bliss.  Any other words?  Nom-Nom-Nom, as it was just as delicious as fresh brains to a zombie.  If not more delicious.  Definitely more.<br/><br/>Although both agreed their respective menu selections were outstanding, they also concurred that a lot of food was put away.  Still, it’s not like they ate this way every day.  An indulgence such as this was most welcome every once in a while.  And there was still the play to enjoy.  Leaving the restaurant, Anton nodded at Ben while offering his arm to Stella, which she cordially accepted.  Good thing, too, as it seemed to him she was slightly unsteady on those heels.  The further they walked, however, the steadier she became.  He had always marveled at women and high heels.  The higher the heels, the more he marveled.<br/><br/>It had been a while since he’d been this close to a woman, and a fully-clothed one at that.  Stella’s closeness reminded him so much of Evangeline, as she always insisted on walking this way with him.  And just like his departed wife, Stella felt like she belonged there.  This evening was great, to say the least.  Dinner was delicious and very filling.  The short walk and the play were bonuses.  Although if it was up to Anton, he could’ve used a few more blocks to walk off that meal.  He was extremely glad at this moment that he declined dessert.  There was just no vacancy for that banana cheesecake.<br/><br/>The performance was captivating, though if he was honest with himself, he couldn’t recall the last play he had witnessed.<i>A Chorus Line?  Annie?  </i>Meh, no sense in racking his brain, as the answer probably wouldn’t reveal itself until 2:17 in the morning anyway.  It was great to hear Stella’s name uttered on stage, and he jerked slightly upon her arm-grab.  But at least they weren’t watching a horror flick with their predictable jump scares.  Predictable, yes, but he always jumped anyway.  There was a surreal feel to enjoying the play, as Anton thought it offered a better experience than a movie.  The actors and actresses were right there in front of you, with no<i>Cut! </i>and retakes at their disposal.<br/><br/>And just like any other artistic performance, a discussion soon followed.  Anton caught snippets from nearby couples who were engaged in exactly the same thing.  It was something that came naturally, especially when opinions clashed.  Everything was still fresh in everyone’s mind, therefore, dialogue about it was immediate.<br/><br/>Back outside, Anton watched intently as Stella reached into her purse, muttering something about Uber.  Upon seeing her dead phone, the right corner of his mouth curled into a smirk, while he raised an eyebrow.  “Uber?  Seriously?  What, you got something against German engineering?” he asked, in reference to his Audi R8.  He pretended to be a little hurt.  “C’mon, what say we head back to<i>The Capitol Grille?  </i>Not only do they have my car parked via valet, but I could sure use an espresso or a coffee or something.  Besides, we live in the same building, for Pete’s sake,” he stated.  This time, Anton extended his other arm, still smirking.