“I did. Sheff forgot my phone but he put an electric razor in my bag. I guess he thought that was more important. He may have been right. When I saw myself in the mirror I was almost shocked. Sometimes my days grow together out on there on the water and I don’t groom myself too well. I promise, no more grizzled sailor look.”
They were alone by the pool table near the soft lighted bar. Tanner led Kinsey toward the bar and said, “I love your idea about a drink in this bar.” He looked to the sign, The Rose Bar it announced to all passing by. “Let’s sit at the bar and see what the bartender can make us.” He led Kinsey to a high bar stool and helped her get seated. He took the seat to her left, “I’m left handed; I’ll spill my drink all over you if I have to use my right hand.”
Kinsey smiled and when he pulled his seat over and flush to hers she leaned into him, “I’d like a special drink.” She said.
“Of course, Can I ask why? Is there in occasion?”
The words came off her lips quicker than she could catch them and reel them back in, “Meeting you, feeling completely alive and being high as a kite and I have no idea why although that’s not the truth – I do know why. You. You’re the reason and I can’t believe I’m exposing myself like this. I feel so vulnerable now.” She said it fast and in one long breath, then, feeling exposed to being hurt like she had never been before in her life, she looked up at him, deep inside his eyes and she waited for his response.
Tanner began to speak but the bartender approached and he was forced to look away from Kinsey.
To the bartender, a young good looking man, Tanner said, “It’s a special night and we want something to drink that is memorable and sublime, something that tastes beyond our understanding of what is succulent, good and even transcendent. Can you do that for us?”
The bartender simply raised an eyebrow and nodded. He left them and went to work on their drinks. Tanner turned back to Kinsey, “So where were we?” Tanner placed his left hand on her leg, softly, not with aggression, and stroked his fingers across the bottom of her evening dress and he continued, “Ah yes, you being vulnerable. I hope that you open doors like that for me all the rest of my days. If you’re exposed and feeling vulnerable to me then that means that I’m enjoying the mystery that is you. God created all women as a mystery to men, but to know that I’ve been blessed with trying to understand you, Kinsey, then that means I’ve been blessed more as a man than I ever deserved. Anything you reveal to me I honor as a gift and I will hold it in high esteem.” He put his right arm around her and waited for Kinsey to respond.
“Can I ask you questions? About you?” Kinsey asked and when he nodded she went on, “So what makes you tick? What is it about life that makes you excited?”
Tanner pulled back, only an inch, and looked around the bar at its patrons. “I like the light in this bar. I like how it softens the lines of everyone in here making them glow and shine out. I like how the light bends through the whiskey bottles on the shelves of the bar and gets mellow and warm. I wish I could paint because I see things and I can only write about them in words and I love words but sometimes I’d like to be, to actually be, what I’m looking at and painters come closer to light, to God’s light, than any other form of artist.”
Kinsey gasped at his words, she wanted him to talk to her forever. “Keep going,” she said.
Tanner rubbed the inside of Kinsey’s leg, near the knee and continued speaking for her, “I love water. We’re all born of water, from the womb, and then, if we’re blessed, we’re born again in our baptism. God loves us with his gift of beautiful, clear, clean, sweet water. It is there for us. I like to swim in it, dive in it, sail upon its swells and surf its waves. I like how the sun shines through it making it different colors in different parts of the world. Every ocean and every sea is different from the other. All have a unique wavelength and light cuts through and bounces off each sea differently. I like to dive into salt water and feel it explode around me, it keeps me cool and dulls any anger that the day may have brought into my nerves.
I love the sky and the sun. I like how the sky changes color as the sun marches through the day, like they were born to dance with the other. I enjoy sunsets, which is what I was doing when I saw you on the beach – I was enjoying sailing and watching the setting sun. To be truthful I was looking for you also. I was always looking for you and I wasn’t surprised when I saw you in the foreground of a beautiful sunset.”
Tanner paused, like he was waiting for Kinsey to be surprised at his words but she wasn’t, and she said, “That’s what I was doing. I was waiting for you and I’ve known for three years I’d meet you when the sun was setting. I didn’t know it was you but even before I could see you, when you were but a speck on that boat, I knew you were the man I’ve been holding my breath for the last three years. It feels good to take a breath and you are such fresh air.”
Seeming to come out of nowhere, the bartender stepped into their world and both Kinsey and Tanner looked up to him. “I have your drinks,” he said, “Tell me what you think.” He placed the drinks on napkins on the bar before them. He had poured them in martini glasses and the drinks was dark brown, almost black, with a hint of a light brown powder floating on the top of the drinks and the lightest streak of orange, like a ribbon, flowing through their liquid.
The glass was chilled and cold to the touch. Kinsey took a sip as Tanner watched her. She let the liquid roll across her tongue and then she swallowed it. It tasted of coffee, dark chocolate with a hint of vanilla, then, a mystery flavor as she swallowed and finally the sharp taste of alcohol followed the coffee and other flavors down her throat and cleaned her palate and prepared her mouth for the next swallow.
“You did it.” She said to the bartender, “A complete work of art.”
Tanner tried his drink and agreed, “Have you named this yet? It is incredible.”
“It’s a vanilla expresso martini but I added a secret ingredient. I came up with it last week on a whim. I made it for myself and really like it. You’re the first customers I’ve tried it on though. I’m glad you like it.”
Tanner nodded and said, “You should name it. Make a claim on it. It’s too good to let get away without giving it a moniker.”
The bartender agreed and asked, “I overheard the two of talking. I’m not being nosey but you’ve just met? This is your first date?”
Kinsey nodded and said, “He just pulled up in a sailboat, he’s sweeping me off my feet at this very moment. You’re in the middle of it as well, it’s a work in progress.”
Tanner and the bartender laughed and the bartender said, “I heard you talking about the sunset and your name is Kinsey, correct?”
Kinsey nodded and the bartender continued, “Then how about we call it a Sunset Kinsey?”
“He’s right Kinsey, a drink like this should be named after a beautiful women.” Tanner said, raising his drink, “Here’s to sunsets, love, new cocktails and Kinsey, all of them beautiful on their own but overwhelming when mixed together.”
The bartender produced a glass of water, no drinking on the job, he said and he raised it to Tanner’s glass and after a moment of reflection Kinsey raised her glass as well and they toasted and drank to a new creation, the Sunset Kinsey.
They finished their drinks, talked, talked some more, they could have sat at the bar and talked all night but both Kinsey and Tanner were hungry and they asked the bartender for a good, quick place to get some food. He gave them some suggestions, all within walking distance of the hotel and they thanked him for an incredible drink and stepped from the bar. Kinsey was sure her feet weren’t touching the ground as they left she felt so light and high. Tanner was such good drugs she kept thinking and she wondered how anyone could ever take drugs when life offered something like a transcendent love – something like a man, someone like Tanner. Dear Jesus, thank you, thank you so much she was saying to herself as she looked up at Tanner as they walked through the lobby. Waiting to meet Tanner had so been worth it
she was thinking as they passed the sushi bar in Delano’s on their way out to the night beyond.
“Hey girl, you can’t walk by with a man like that and not at least introduce me. That’s against the best friend’s code of conduct.”
Kinsey turned to the sound of the familiar voice and let out a cry of happiness. She pulled Tanner over toward the Sushi and Sake Bar, named Umi, and the table where her friend Jessica and Dale were sitting and began introductions in a breathless burst of air.
Jessica insisted that they sit with them and order dinner. Tanner was more than agreeable and as they sat and Dale and Tanner shook hands Kinsey listened for Tanner’s last name. He said it as Jessica was talking into Kinsey’s ear and, again, Kinsey missed out on learning what she hoped her new last name would soon be.
Jessica did the girl’s universal secret code with her eyes to get Kinsey to get up and go to the bathroom and Kinsey and Jessica excused themselves and left for the restroom leaving Tanner and Dale to get to know one another on their own.
In the bathroom Jessica grabbed Kinsey and said, “Where did that guy come from? How’d you meet him? I’m out with a male model and your guy looks better than he does. Did you call an escort service or something?” Jessica said laughing at her own joke, “And he seems nice too. Tell me, tell me, I need details.”
Kinsey smiled, “I’ll tell you all about it, but not…”
“Don’t you put me off. I want details now!”
“Okay, Okay, I met him on the beach. He literally sailed into my life. He pulled up on a sailboat and kissed my hand. I felt like I was meeting my knight in shining armor or something. I almost fainted. We’ve been just down the way, in a little bar, talking. I promise if he kisses me I’ll melt like a painting left in a sauna. I have no chance making it to the altar without simply attacking him. I love this man and I want to be with him forever. I am in such big trouble…”
Jessica listened to Kinsey, her mouth dropping open more and more with each sentence from her mouth. She interrupted finally, “Take a breath, girl. You got it bad. I thought I was bad with Dale out there, but you – you have left earth orbit and are flying by the moon about now. Does this guy feel the same about you? You can’t expose yourself like this.”
Kinsey nodded, “But I think he does feel the same. If he’s playing me, I’m a dead girl walking, but I met his friend, and, unless he’s his evil wingman or something, he and I talked for a minute and he said it looked to him like Tanner is full up with me as well. I sure hope so.” Kinsey said, not stopping for air and looking at her friend with big, scared, hopeful eyes.
“Let’s get back out there and let me ping Tanner with my radar. My bullshit detector never fails. Let’s order you guys some sushi and I’ll check him out.”
“Okay. But even if you say he’s full of it, I’m still over the moon for him.”
The women came back to the table and found Tanner and Dale being served sake by a waitress and talking.
Tanner saw the girls coming and said, “I hope you like all kinds of sea creatures, Kinsey, I just ordered a rather extensive variety of sushi.”
Kinsey and Jessica both sat and Kinsey said, “I love sushi. She saw the small glass of sake that the waitress had just poured for her and added, “And I love sake as well. I can’t wait. I’m starving.”
“Me too,” Tanner agreed.
To Kinsey, the conversation, the sake, the good company, the incredible food and the ambience of the long table with tall chairs perched out from the restaurant and almost in the lobby of the hotel, made her want to step outside of the scene, like an unseen private detective, and begin to draw, sketch and paint the moments as they passed so that she could have them fused in her memory forever. She loved how Tanner took to placing his hand on her leg with the lightest of touch and stealing glances from her as Dale told stories, hilarious stories, of the male modeling world.
Dale suggested to Tanner that if he ever needed some extra cash he could get him work with a single phone call. Tanner blushed (Kinsey loved it) and said he felt much more comfortable taking pictures and not having his taken, especially in his underwear. “Ever story you’ve told us has you standing there in your underwear, Dale,” he said to a table full of laughter.
When they had finished eating Jessica took Kinsey aside as the two men paid and said, “I think Tanner’s the real deal. I watched him. It was hard, I couldn’t keep my eyes off my own man, but I saw Tanner looking at you like he’d just found buried treasure. He is lit up with you. My bullshit detector never beeped once.”
Kinsey gave her opinion on Dale as well. “And I think Dale has it for you. Isn’t this night incredible? We both may have met the man of our dreams.”
“And do you know what’s so bad? We have to leave tomorrow. Our paintings are on full display tomorrow in that new gallery. We have to go; our careers depend on it.” Jessica said, completely bursting Kinsey’s bubble.
Kinsey sighed. “I know, Well, I’m going to beg him to come to L.A. and see me. Maybe he can come with me.” Kinsey frowned at her thoughts, “Is that a bit too fast? Maybe we can meet up somewhere later then.”
“Let’s just follow our hearts.” Jessica said.
“Kinsey brightened, “For sure, there is no way God would put us all together only to take us apart after one evening. Right?”
Jessica grabbed Kinsey’s hand, “Let’s just worry about tonight. Tomorrow can take care of itself.”
Kinsey agreed, putting the worries of tomorrow away for the rest of the night, and followed Jessica back to the table. As they approached Dale and Tanner, Kinsey found herself looking at Tanner’s profile, he was so athletic, so strong and so overwhelming in his confidence and she whispered in Jessica’s ear, “I’m useless, Jess. I’m blown away, I’m completely in love. I’ve never felt anything like this and I don’t know what to do. I’m in such big trouble.”
Jess squeezed Kinsey’s arm as they came to the sides of Dale and Tanner and whispered back, “I’m so happy for you…and us. Just let it ride, see where God takes the two of you and the four of us.”
“Okay.” Kinsey said softly, as Tanner took her by the hand and began leading her and her friends toward the front door of the lobby. He still smells like clean saltwater she noticed as he put his arm behind her back and led her through the door and into the night beyond. Kinsey knew she’d always love the scent of the open sea from that day on.
Outside the hotel, the couples split, Dale and Jess taking a cab north to the Fountain Bleu Hotel as they wanted to go to a club there and dance and Tanner took Kinsey by the hand and began walking her south down Collins Avenue.
The temperature was warm and air was not humid, perfect walking weather, and Kinsey and Tanner soon found themselves walking down the beach as the moon was rising from the sea. A ship made its way north up the coast – its silhouette moving quietly against the backdrop of moonlight. Tanner and Kinsey both took off their shoes and held them as they walked near the water’s edge. Twice waves ran up the sand and wet their feet, the water warm and alive, and they laughed and stepped back from it.
Then when it happened a third time, Tanner pulled Kinsey back and held her against himself. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands along the curve of the small of her back then reached down still farther and lightly squeezed, just for a moment, then brought his hands up under her long hair and cupped the back of her neck. He looked into her eyes, and before he kissed her, he said, “I was born twenty-three years ago. But by the grace of God, I met you tonight and I’ve finally come alive. I promise to explode every previous idea and conception of what love is for you, Kinsey.” In his eyes she could see the light of the moon dancing, and then he kissed her, soft and deep on the lips of her mouth. He tasted of alcohol, mint and fresh fruit and while he was passionate, so, so passionate, he never pushed into her, but instead, he let her give herself up to him as the moments of their kiss went along. And Kinsey did give herself up to him, letting each move of his mouth upo
n hers go deeper, until she simply surrendered, feeling herself melt into him, and after what seemed like but a second, a second of eternity, he pulled back and looked again into her eyes. “Have you ever felt like this, Kinsey? Is this real? Are we actually together? I’ve waited so long for this and now I find myself overwhelmed.”
Kinsey put her hands up to his chest and rubbed along the outside of his shirt, felt his breaths expand his lungs behind his taut muscles, and she answered, “I can’t communicate in words what I feel. I’m a painter. Word aren’t what I do; they leave me short. Believe it or not I have a gift for you. I began a painting for you three years ago when I didn’t know you. But I had faith that I would meet you and know you when I saw you. When I saw you on that sailboat this evening I knew you’d come into shore for me, I just knew it and then you did. I know God is at work in our lives because I finally finished painting it this morning and now here you are. I haven’t signed it yet. I was waiting for you to arrive in my life.” Kinsey stopped speaking, she looked at Tanner, then reached her mouth toward his, “Kiss me again.” She said, her voice as soft as baby’s breath.
Their walk along the beach brought them to Kinsey’s hotel. It was a long, conversation filled walk with Kinsey doing most of the talking and Tanner listening and adding his own thoughts when she’d go quiet. Their communicating, Kinsey discovered, much to her delight, was threefold – they learned about and spoke to the other in words, they also felt the other through their hands, their caresses and their kisses, like a dance of bodies, and finally, they saw the other through their eyes, their souls touching and learning about their new togetherness through the light in their iris’s. Kinsey could see herself in the reflection of Tanner’s blue-green eyes and she hoped he could see himself in hers as well. They each reflected the other and belonged to the other is how she came to feel.
Lights on the Far Horizon Trilogy Page 6