A Holiday Romance (2 page)

 “Oh, my God, do I have a ‘Cinderella Complex’ deep down inside?” she wondered. Could I secretly want to fulfill a fairy tale dream of being kissed by a white prince? Girl, get a grip! It’s only dinner,” she admonished. Or was it something more? And come to think of it, she hadn’t actually “met” him; she didn’t even know his name. It was so unlike her to be jumping at spending time stranded in a strange city, with a stranger.

But it just felt right. He was white, and a Republican for crying out loud, but as she got ready, it was like she was fifteen, going out for the first time.

Luckily, the international airport at Dulles offered a complete shopping experience for the traveler, duty free! She wasn’t able to retrieve her luggage from wherever it was at the moment, and she sure didn’t want to go to dinner in the clothes she had been wearing all day.

On the way to register at the Hyatt, where the airlines had booked her for the night, a few quick stops and a credit card solved that problem. There wasn’t any word on the next flight out yet and on top of everything, it had begun to snow. It was almost Christmas, so a little snow added to the excitement of the day and her dinner date.

In keeping with her type “A” persona, at five minutes to eight she was sitting at the Hyatt lounge at the bar. She was showered, coifed, wearing a not too cheap cocktail dress that fit her too well and new heels. The dress had a sage green, tight fitting bodice and a little tulle skirt that was a little short. The green color complemented her chestnut skin tones and her short-cropped, almost raven hair. The fitted bodice complimented her ample chest and she thought the little tulle skirt disguised a little of her butt. It was her toned, athletic legs wearing nude hose, supported by the little black 4” heels that set the entire outfit off.

Although her preparation had been hurried, she still felt that undercurrent of almost anxiety. She also felt adequate. She felt more than adequate, she felt pretty. She had the momentary mental image of being a black Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman,” sitting at the bar waiting for Richard Gere. Only she wasn’t a hooker on a “date,” she was simply meeting a friend for dinner. Well almost a friend, really.

As the minutes ticked by, she never once considered he would stand her up. She never had the thought. But by five past eight, she began to think she had misunderstood the arrangement. At ten minutes after eight, she ordered a glass of Merlot. Maybe he had had second thoughts. Maybe his tweed suit was all he had and he was uncomfortable without a change of clothes. Maybe he had been placed in another hotel and was waiting for her at another bar in another hotel.

All these thoughts swarmed at once through her head as an electric shock coursed from her elbow to her chest. He had walked up and gently touched her arm as she was lost in thought. He started to apologize.

“So sorry I’m late, he started, had emergency business to take care of. My God, you look beautiful!” he said getting a good look at her. “Stunning! Is this all for me?”

Latisse blushed, and felt her heart pounding with relief, and pleasure at the sight of him. He was wearing a very well-tailored Navy blue suit. The blue in his tie had flecks that picked up the blue in his eyes. The overcoat casually slung over his arm wasn’t the cheaper model, but the soft cashmere of aristocracy. He wore very little jewelry and nothing ostentatious.

 She noted with relief he wasn’t wearing a wedding band, and there was no telltale sign of pale skin suggesting there had been one recently. That caught her by surprise. After all she had just met this guy, it was just dinner for crying out loud, why did she care if he was married or not? She managed to reply “nah, I get all dolled up for every Tom, Dick and Harry I meet.”

Her mouth had suddenly become quite dry, as she picked up her wineglass to sip; her cell phone rang from inside her small clutch bag. She fumbled briefly to liberate the tiny computer from the purse mumbling “who,” and “at this hour.” She saw the caller ID and looked up at her dinner partner. “I gotta take this, it’s the SOB,” and winked with a smile as she answered the call very professionally.

She turned to him with a perplexed look on her face. “That was “his people.” Something’s apparently come up and the meeting has been postponed until after next week. The day after my Napa trip, how’s that for good timing? Now I have no stress, I can probably fly right out of here to California.”

He gave her a broad smile and said “great, now we can relax and enjoy the night, all right with you?” She simply supplied that coy smile and nodded yes. “It is Christmas in our Nation’s capital and it’s snowing. I have a car waiting outside and we have reservations at Komi and we should have some time for a little sightseeing, like maybe the Christmas lights at the National Zoo?”

“Who is this guy?” she asked herself. She didn’t even care anymore. If he was a serial killer, what a way to go she thought. “Who are you” she asked him as they stood to leave.

“I just a guy who can’t believe his good luck at getting stranded in D.C. with most beautiful and intelligent girl on the planet, that’s who I am.” “Good answer,” she thought, “really good answer.” Suddenly she turned and said “I wasn’t planning outside, I assumed we’d be dining here. I don’t really have a wrap for outside.” Smoothly he draped the cashmere coat around her shoulder, it was big, but soft and smelled slightly of something familiar. It smelled like his cologne. As they walked towards the door, she felt a little giddy, lost in the cashmere that smelled like him. She leaned into the coat and into him just a bit and he put his arm around her. She had never felt so amazing, so safe, so happy and so excited. Maybe it was a date after all.

Just outside of the airport terminal, she found not “a car” as he had said. She thought he probably had rented an economy or mid-sized car at the last minute. An unmarked black stretch waited for them. The white female driver jumped out to open the door but he waved her back and opened the door for Latisse himself. She slid into the thick leather seats and took in the interior view. The television was off as was a portable laptop. The mini bar lay ready with an iced bottle of Korbel champagne. Korbel was a winery she planned to visit in Napa. Wine flutes decorated with holiday ribbon sat adjacent to a bowl of expensive chocolates and fresh strawberries. Fresh strawberries in December, in Washington D.C. She knew this couldn’t be random; he had done this by himself. When had he had time she mused? And why did he go through all this trouble for someone he had just met?

The restaurant surprised her. She hadn’t heard of “Komi.” They pulled up to an unassuming clapboard house in the middle of what looked like a residential block. It was actually next to a CVS pharmacy. Inside was warmly decorated, like you were eating at someone’s home. The music was adult contemporary, not classical as she had expected. The waiters and especially the sommelier were friendly, not formal and there were no menus. After sitting and receiving an introductory glass of wine, food started coming at regular intervals paired with the wine Kat, the wine steward talked passionately about. There were bite sized chopped scallops in caramelized coconut with just a hint of cilantro. Charred octopus with peaches, gnocchi with salt cured ragu, house cured anchovies with fresh tomatoes and homemade mozzarella and several other delicacies one by one over an hour or so. Just when Latisse felt full, almost too full and expected a break, a platter of roast suckling pig arrived. He turned with concern and asked her “do you eat pork?” “Hell yes,” she replied as they dove into the sweetest meat she had ever eaten. Little bite sized sweets including homemade Baklava and berry cheesecake paired with a soft dessert wine finished the feast. It was by far the most unique and delicious meal she had ever enjoyed.

They had been able to talk a little during dinner. Of course Kat kept them updated on the various wines, waiters described all of the dishes and Johnny Monis, the owner and chef had come out to be appreciated. The wine and food had made them both sleepy so they rode in the limo in comfortable quiet along the Potomac waters taking in all of the holiday lights and sights. The snow continued to fall and Latisse thought that this was possibly the most perfect night she had ever enjoyed. It was like a fairy tale Christmas. This was turning out to be the best Christmas she had ever had with any man. Moreover, if she had to pick a gift, it would be him wrapped in absolutely nothing.

 She just hoped that this night would go past midnight and her handsome prince would not turn into a toad.

The limo stopped at one point and they got out for a walk at a well-lit park, they held hands and talked. She asked him if he wanted his coat back but he said he wasn’t cold, her company alone was keeping him warm. He talked about his childhood in Evenston, Chicago and playing football at “a decent university.” He told her about the car accident that had killed his best friend and ended his NFL hopes. That now he was just part of corporate America. He liked his work, but longed for something else to feel fulfilled. No, he had never married, but wanted to one day. No, he didn’t have any children but hope to “have a couple” one day. No, he wasn’t seeing anyone at the moment and no, he wasn’t gay. He looked at Latisse with a coy smile and said, “Well, maybe I am seeing someone now, I sure hope so.” And without hesitation she leaned in and spontaneously kissed him.

It was done without any thought or preparation. It started as a soft brush of lips but quickly roiled into a passionate lip lock, tongue dueling pulling each other into it kiss. The force of it stunned them both for a second, standing there in the snow outside of the Limo. She felt that electrical current running though her body and he felt it, too. They were on the same page and felt the Universe was conspiring with them to make a miracles happen. Was it magic or was it love?

He shuddered just a bit. “You’re cold.” She said softly. “No Latisse, I’m definitely not cold.” He panted little out of breath. “Not cold at all.”

They climbed back into the Limo and drove for a little while in silence. Holding hands she drew little circles in the palm of his much bigger hand while they both contemplated what had just happened.

 Latisse certainly didn’t want this magic night to end but she was pragmatic at best. “I have to go to California tomorrow” she finally said lamely. “And you must be going somewhere to do something, right?” There was silence in the air. “I mean this is crazy, right, we’re just two people stuck in D.C. overnight, it’s impossible.” More, silence in the air. “Right?” she offered pensively. She kept drawing soft swirls in the palm of his big hand. Suddenly she remembered a line from “Pretty Woman” and said “if I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time.” And they both started laughing out of control. They laughed until tears ran down their faces holding onto each other. The limo driver thought they had lost their minds back there.

It was after midnight, closer to two in the morning actually when they got back to the Hyatt at the airport. They sat quietly at the bar sipping a last glass of wine. They were so comfortable in each other’s company, little needed to be said. Finally Latisse said, “Gonna have to make some travel arrangements in the morning, hope I’m not too hung over. I really should get some sleep.” He said absolutely nothing. Then she blurted out the question that had been hanging with her for most of the night. It just spilled out quietly. “Do you want to come up to my room?”

He shifted a bit in his seat and looked at her directly in her big brown eyes with his own sparkling blue eyes and said “I’ve never been with a woman of color before, have you?” It took a second for the joke to reach her and then they laughed like silly children.

“I want to sleep with you more than you can ever know beautiful Latisse. And to be honest, I kinda planned the whole night to end up that way.” Her heart started beating faster. “But now, after spending these wonderful hours with you, I have a confession to make.” “He is gay” she thought for a second but quickly let it pass. “The kiss we shared was like none I’ve ever experienced, it was really different, intense, consuming. It made me think there could be more to this than a one nighter in Dulles airport. I don’t know. But I do know I don’t want to mess it up by rushing you into anything too fast. I want everything to be right, to be correct.” She realized she had been holding her breath. She exhaled and felt a little dizzy.