by Rhonda Bowen
“Good evening and welcome to Dark Night at the Pour Deux. I will be your server this evening. My name is Blake. If you need anything just call my name. I will be there right away to assist you.”
Portia listened as Blake went on to explain the procedure. They would choose their course from a very vague dining menu before entering the darkened dining room. All electronics, purses and valuables were to be left in the lockers provided and guests were encouraged to use the facilities before they entered the dining room. By the time they were led into the pitch black eating area, Portia was less apprehensive and more curious.
Portia leaned over to whisper in Khai’s ear. “Don’t think I haven’t figured out your plan, mister.”
He chuckled. “Oh? What’s that?”
“You just want me holding on to you all night because I can’t see anything.”
“Mama didn’t raise no fool.” he joked. “But I thought this might be fun for you, guessing what you’re eating. I know you love to cook, but let’s see how sharp those taste buds really are.”
Moments later, they were sitting in complete darkness. Portia thought her eyes would adjust and she’d be able to see something in the dining room, but there was nothing. She was completely short one sense.
“Khai?”
“I’m here,” a familiar voice answered from her right.
She reached over and felt around. Her hand touched something firm. She felt around some more, the something shifted.
“Uh...wrong direction, PJ. Not unless you want to start an entirely different dark room experience.”
She gasped and snatched her hand away, even as she heard the person to her right chuckle. For a moment, she was glad the room was dark so no one could see the blazing fire in her cheeks. Before she could apologize, she felt hands lifting hers and then she was touching cutlery. Her cutlery.
“Bon appetite!”
And with that, the adventure began. What started out as quiet comments turned into loud chatter pretty quickly. Portia laughed out loud as people made guesses about what they were eating.
“I just ate something meaty. I think this is beef.”
“No way,” the voice of the other male at their table. “I think it’s lamb.”
“What do you say, PJ?” Khai asked.
“I say chicken.”
There was a chorus of disagreement, which made Portia giggle. There was something about being in the dark that made people seem to lose their inhibitions. Or maybe it was the need to remind everyone else that they were still there. Whatever it was, it provided for an entertaining dining experience.
She didn’t try to touch Khai again until they were led safely back into the lounge area. She kept her eyes on the ground as the waiter advised, allowing herself to readjust to the light. Khai’s hand slipped around her wrist.
“You okay?”
She nodded, closing her eyes a moment. “Mhmm, except I feel like a vampire coming into the light.”
“A very cute vampire, I might add.”
She laughed.
“Okay, ready to see what your dish was?”
They all groaned at the reveal. All except Portia.
“Chicken in a beef gravy.”
“So your girlfriend’s a chef, right?” their other male dinner guest nodded to Portia.
Khai grinned. “Nope. But she knows her food.”
Portia waved goodbye to the others as Khai led her over to a small table in the lounge where they ordered dessert.
“This was great, Khai,” her eyes twinkled at him over the piece of caramel cheesecake on her fork. “Tonight was a big deal for me. Years ago, something like this would have thrown me into a panic.”
He nicked a piece off her dessert. “Because of your eating disorder?”
She nodded.
Khai’s eyes warmed as he looked her. “Was it a struggle for you?”
Portia bit her bottom lip. “I was in a treatment center for four months. It was like prison. I hated it. I had absolutely no control over my life. People told me when to go to sleep and when to get up. When to eat and what to eat. When I could exercise and when I couldn’t. Plus, I was constantly under surveillance. It was terrible.”
“Sounds that way,” Khai said thoughtfully. “I bet you’re glad to be past it. How long have you been recovered?”
Portia drew in a breath. This wasn’t really first date conversation, but then this also wasn’t a typical first date. He already knew more about her than most people in her life did. If she told him the rest, if she shared the truth about her diagnosis, would it change the way he looked at her?
“Full disclosure?” She turned the fork in her fingers without meeting his gaze. “I am not sure that I am fully recovered.”
His eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
She answered his unasked question. “Most days, I’m okay. But I still have the thoughts, you know? I still look in the mirror sometimes and think that I’m not thin enough. I still wonder if people are watching me when I eat. And every now and then I still look at a meal and feel my throat close up in panic. It’s a daily fight.”
“Wow.” His voice was soft. “I didn’t know that.”
She nodded. “There are days when I feel perfectly fine. When it’s like I never had this issue at all. But other days, it can feel like I am right back at the beginning fighting myself.”
Khai nodded. “Have you told anyone?”
“My therapist knows. Milo is also aware, but no one else.” She shrugged. “I don’t want people panicking. As it is, if I don’t clean my plate, my mom and Derek start looking at me funny. Sometimes I think if they knew what I was thinking, they would be on top of me 24/7. And that by itself would create more stress which would lead to more of the thoughts.”
She sighed. “I just wish they knew how much I regretted that time in my life. How much I hated being locked up in that hospital like that. I know I needed it at the time, but I would do anything to make sure I didn’t end up back there.”
Khai nodded. “I know what you mean.”
Portia folded her arms. “Do you now, Mr. LA to New York and back again? I doubt it.”
“Then you would be wrong.”
The look in his eyes made the smirk slide off her face.
“Since you’ve been so honest with me, I can’t be any less with you.” He rolled his napkin between his fingers and looked down at the table briefly.
When he gazed at her again, the seriousness in his eyes made Portia shiver.
“Full disclosure? I know exactly what it feels like to be held against your will because I have been. I was in prison back in California. For over three years.”
Chapter 5
Khai definitely had not planned to share that piece of information with Portia so soon. Definitely not on the first date she had said yes to in months. And definitely not with said date going so well. In fact, if Khai had had to score the whole event on a scale of 1 to 10, it would have been holding a solid 11, starting with the amazing kiss they’d shared on her front walk.
Just thinking about the kiss made charges of electricity run through him. He had wanted to kiss her since the moment she had shown up at his house with her brother earlier that year. Their mutual acquaintance, Morgan, introduced them for business reasons. The moment he saw her, however, he was interested in a lot more. But Portia held him at bay. And when she finally said yes to going out with him that first time, he had screwed it up by being too wrapped up in his own drama to give her the attention she deserved.
But not tonight. Tonight, he planned everything down to the minute. He left his phone in the car, and pulled out his A-game. And it had all been working. Right up to the point where his mouth developed diarrhea and spilled his guts.
Now all he could do was sit there and watch as her jaw hit the table from shock.
“It was insider trading. But I didn’t do it.”
She squinted at him. He immediately regretted his words. He sounded like OJ Simpson, even though he was actually tell
ing the truth.
“I was working for this investment company, with lots of access to information on the market. Some stocks got sold at a key point and when things came down, it looked like I had acted illegally.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I tried to defend myself, prove I didn’t do it, but they found evidence, which someone must have manufactured, that I had acted wrongly. So I had to pay a huge fine and was sentenced to six years in low security.”
“But I thought you said you were only locked up for three?”
He nodded. “Yeah. We had private investigators and lawyers on the case. They eventually proved I was innocent and managed to get the conviction overturned.”
Portia shook her head. “Wow. I would never guess you went through all of that.”
“Yeah,” he rubbed his hand over his beard. “I never planned to tell you that so soon.”
She tilted her head to the side and gave him a small smile. “I’m glad you did.”
He leaned back. “Guess you were right about me blowing it. And to think we were having such a great evening.”
She sat forward, resting a hand on his knee. “You haven’t blown it yet. But you will if you don’t ask me to dance soon.”
Relief rushed through Khai’s veins like oxygenated blood, jolting him out of his seat. He reached for her hand.
“Miss Wynters?”
She smiled and placed her small hand in his. “I would love to.”
Khai closed his hand around hers and helped her to her feet. He couldn’t help but think about how natural her palm felt in his. How he could completely see himself holding this same hand on a very regular basis.
They wandered over to a makeshift dance floor in the lounge where a live band was already playing soft jazz. Others seemed to have had the same idea and several couples joined them on the floor.
So far, the smile hadn’t budged from her face. It stayed there even as he eased her closer. Dancing with Portia was just like everything with Portia had been so far that evening, better than he expected.
“What?” she laughed.
“I just,” he shook his head. “Okay I’m about to sound like a jerk, but I never thought you could dance...like this.”
She raised an eyebrow, amused. “Like what?”
He led her into a turn, which she twirled into elegantly before sliding back close.
“Like a dancer,” he said.
“And what did you think I would be like?”
“Honestly?”
She smirked. “That does seem to be the theme of our evening.”
“Well you’re usually so...unwavering.”
“As in uptight?”
“I never said that!”
Portia laughed. “It’s okay. You were wondering how this uptight, slick mouthed chick could be so relaxed on the dance floor?”
He chuckled. “Pretty much.”
She rested both hands on his shoulders. “Do you know how I met Milo?”
He grinned. “Contrary to appearances, I don’t actually know everything.”
“I joined a dance class she was teaching, years ago. I was looking for some other way to work out, and it sounded fun. We became really good friends and I became a pretty good dancer.”
“I think you’re more than pretty good,” Khai said. Her eyes sparkled at the compliment. They had been sparkling all night, in fact. He was finding it difficult to stop looking.
“I like this Portia.”
She cocked her head to the side. Her hair fell in lustrous waves over the side of her face as she did. “Do you?”
He reached up and ran his fingers through it before tucking it behind her ear. “I mean, I think all the versions are pretty sexy, but this one,” he shook his head. “You’re different tonight.”
She shrugged. “It’s the same girl. You just got to see a side that most people don’t.”
“Can I see it again?”
She bit her lip, which made him look at her lips and think of what he wanted to do next.
“I don’t know yet. Let me go home and pray on it.”
“Oh, you’re gonna use God to kick me to the curb now?”
Portia chuckled. “No. But I didn’t get this far by trusting in my own judgment. If you and me is something He intends for us to explore more deeply, I think He’ll let us both know.”
“Wow. You take it seriously, don’t you?” Khai asked. “I mean I knew you and Derek were Christians, but I didn’t know you were in that ten percent.”
“What ten percent?”
“The ten percent of people who don’t just say they’re Christians, but actually let it influence their life.”
She locked her hands behind his neck. “Well, if you’re not going to take it seriously what’s the point then? It has to be more than just going to church. There has to be a real relationship with God, otherwise you might as well use your weekends to sleep in. I mean, isn’t it that way for you too?”
Khai’s eyebrows shot up. “Me? No, I’m strictly a weddings and funerals kind of guy. I totally agree with you. If you’re going to do it, you have to do it one hundred percent, otherwise you’re wasting everyone’s –”
“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute.” Portia unlocked her hands and leaned back to get a better look at his face. “What do you mean you’re a weddings and funerals kind of guy?”
Khai shrugged. “I’m not really into the whole Christianity thing.”
She stopped moving. Her hands dropped away from him.
“Christianity thing?”
“Yeah, the whole, God is in charge and we should leave everything to Him thing.” Khai reached to pull her close again, but she shifted away.
“So you don’t have a relationship with God?” Portia stepped back. Khai felt a cold draft of air pass between them. “You’re not a believer?”
“A believer in what?”
“In God.” She waved her hand in the air impatiently, her words speeding up. “In the blood of Jesus Christ that saves us from sin. In the power of the cross. In Christ’s return.”
Her chest rose and fell, each breath becoming deeper.
Puzzled, Khai looked at her. “No. Not really. Is that going to be an issue?”
“Oh, Khai.” Portia held her head in her hands as if she had suddenly developed a headache. “I liked it better when you were just an ex-con.”
Khai scratched his head. “Say that again?”
Her hands fell to her side. “I think it’s time for me to go home.”
She didn’t wait for him as she left the dance floor. By the time Khai registered what was happening, Portia was already halfway back to their table.
Chapter 6
“Portia, wait!”
How could she have been so stupid?
Portia pushed open the doors of the exit, not waiting for Khai to hold them for her. She hadn’t waited for him either, as she grabbed her purse and headed toward the exit.
This was entirely her fault. She just assumed Khai believed the same things she did. After all, she met him through Morgan who was a believer, and Morgan said she had met him at a church event. She stopped and turned around so fast, Khai almost walked right into her.
“Morgan said she met you at church.” Portia questioned.
“Yeah,” Khai nodded. “At a baby blessing for my nephew, which happened to be in church. I told you, weddings, funerals, special events that my brother drags me to.”
Portia shook her head. “Drags you?”
Khai threw up his hands. “What do you want me to say, Portia? I am who I am. I could lie and tell you something different, but I don’t lie. And I have definitely never lied to you. I’m not about to start now.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see this.” She shook her head and walked to the curb where the valet waited.
“See what?” Khai’s face was a picture of confusion as he followed.
She took the valet ticket from his hand and gave it to the attendant. “That you’re a complete heathen. I should have picked
up on it. From your little comment earlier.”
She dropped her voice an octave. “You know we don’t actually have to go out for dinner...”
Khai held up a hand. “First of all, I do not sound like that.”
“You totally do...”
“And secondly, can you blame me for not wanting to share you with the world? Look at you. You’re absolutely stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off you all night. And after that kiss...”
Portia felt her heart beat faster as his heated gaze pinned her. He stepped closer.
“After that kiss, you can’t tell me you didn’t feel—”
“Stop.” Portia placed a hand on his chest and slowly moved him back. “It doesn’t matter how I felt or feel, Khai. I can’t go there with you.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I absolutely am. I told you, Khai. I didn’t get this far on my own. I have to do it His way and His way says...no dating unbelievers.”
“So you’re passing on us because I don’t go to church?”
“No. I’m passing on us because we don’t believe the same things. Going down this road would only lead to heartbreak for both of us.”
“But--”
The valet pulled up with Khai’s car. Portia opened the door and got in before he could even reach for the handle. He, however, caught the door before she could close it.
“Could you stop doing that, please?”
“Stop what?” Portia looked up at him from the passenger seat.
“Stop acting like the evening is already over and I’m already gone,” he frowned. “I respect that you don’t see us going any further in this direction, but at least allow me to finish the evening properly.”
Portia felt her cheeks heat up. She looked at her feet. “I’m sorry.”
He closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side. Portia watched him from the corner of her eye. She noted the firm set of his handsomely sculpted jaw; saw the way his green eyes darkened to almost brown. And the mouth that had worked magic on her hours earlier was now locked in a rigid line.
He secured his seatbelt and moved the car forward. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
