Chapter 4

"So tell me," Elizabeth said over a glass of cabernet sauvignon, "What is a millionaire doing driving a beat up old Corolla? I mean you could afford a Mercedes or a BMW. Hell you could afford three of each."

Sean laughed at that. "Yea, I suppose I could. But what would be the point if I already have a car that serves its purposes. Besides, I earned this car. I wouldn't sell it for any reason unless it broke down on me. Yes, a Mercedes would be nice but I consider myself 'down to earth'."

Elizabeth looked at him quizzically as she took another bite of her steak. Sean was glad she wasn't the type that counted the calories and worried about it. She ate what she liked but exercised daily because she enjoyed it. He respected her for that. "Before I came into my money I was your typical high school student that scrounged every penny he got working part time to buy things. I saved and bought that car with my own money. Money that I truly earned. I was raised in a pretty rich neighborhood and saw a lot of other kids whose parents bought them expensive cars they crashed within a month. The kids were careless because their parents would just buy them a new one. I hated them; spoiled little snots that have never held a real job that paid dirt and rode you hard. They didn't value a single cent because they never had to sacrifice for it."

"My, aren't you a bitter one?" Elizabeth said playfully.

"I suppose you could say that," Sean replied then continued. "But the thing that gets me the most is that they grow up expecting the world to be handed to them on a silver platter. And somehow they pull it off through the connections their parents have. In other words, they don't have a single copper to their name. Don't get me wrong though, I had friends that were well off but they worked their asses off before their parents gave them anything. I respect my friends and their parents because they value the dollar. As for me, well, the money I earned from the stock market I never really consider mine. My grandmother passed away when I was ten and left me an inheritance of two hundred thousand when I came of age. So I never really consider it mine. I do take the money seriously though. So everything I have is through my own earnings, mostly work at the laboratory where I help research a few things under a professor. Whenever I get stuck in a jam I sell a few shares of stock but only as a last resort. I haven't had to do that too often since I live simply anyways."

Elizabeth mulled this over as she nibbled on a leaf of lettuce. "Then what do you plan on doing with all the money you're making from your investments?"

"I'm not sure yet," Sean said as he bit off another piece of the steak and chewed. "I always wanted to retire early. Maybe when I'm forty or so I'll just sit back and reap my rewards. I think I'll buy an island. I hear the Fiji Islands are nice this time of year. You like the Fiji Islands?"

Elizabeth laughed. "You're horrible. Are you ever serious?"

"Sometimes always," Sean replied.

"You know. I think I almost understand that oxymoron."

"Really? You'd be the first."

"It's perfectly logical nonsense."

It was Sean's turn to blink and think. "I think I like you," he said finally.

"I think so, too."

Sean heard the band play a slow jazz piece and stood up. "Care to dance?"

"I thought you would never ask."

Once again Sean swept Elizabeth off her feat and floated her across the dance floor like the night they met only two weeks ago. Had it only been two weeks? Sean found it hard to believe considering how much he cared for her. Her eyes sparkled as he led her across the dance floor. There were a few other couples on the floor but Sean only saw Elizabeth smiling at him as they glided back and forth. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was just something about her that drew him in like a moth to a flame. Time slipped by as he held her close and lost himself in those soft brown eyes, absently minding the steps as she floated in his arms. Before he knew it, the music was over and the two of them were the only ones left on the dance floor. He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips tasted like wine; her breath like a warm spring breeze. The touch of her lips to his sent a jolt of electricity down his spine, almost making him lose his balance. Sean lifted his hands and caressed her face.

All too soon the kiss was over and he stood there, losing himself in her eyes. They just stood there, his heart pounding in his ears, as he continued to look at her.

"Sean. People are staring."

"Then their parents never taught them that it was rude," Sean replied, still looking in her eyes. He just couldn't pull his eyes away. Somehow they got back to their table and Sean noticed that she was blushing about as furiously as he thought he was.