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 telling 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.