Page 17 of Taming a Menace

“Just in case it slipped your mind where you know me from, my name is Key. I cooked dinner for you on your anniversary a few years ago.”

“I know who you are, Mr. Glover.” I shook my head.

“Mr. Glover?” he asked, jerking his head back as he frowned.

“Yes, I know who you are.”

“You look delectable tonight, Moon. I would have never expected to run into you at the club in a million years.”

“I’m just as surprised that I’m here as you are. Well let me go,” I said, attempting to turn and walk away.

He grabbed both of my hands, making sure I didn’t leave.

“Wait a minute, mama. You probably got me confused with someone you can’t see outside of work hours. That’s not who I am.”

“What?” I asked, brows shooting to my hairline at his statement.

“Listen, I know you turned me down when I asked you to give me your number that night, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t ask you again.”

“Keywan, you know I can’t do that.”

“You’re probably thinking about Keywan when you’re saying you can’t do that. I’m guessing he’s one of your patients or something like that. I don’t want to get into all that. I want to dance. I saw you turning dudes down the whole time you been here. Dance with me.”

“I can’t do that either, Keywan.” I shook my head.

“Who is this Keywan you keep referring to, beautiful? I’m Key.

I just explained that to you. Listen to me, mama.

Keywan is your client. He’s going to remain professional as promised, but I’m a different nigga.

I want to be your nigga. I’m willing to wait ninety days or even nine hundred days for you.

It doesn’t matter how fucking good you look in this dress.

I know I can resist my urge to take you back in that bathroom and fuck you until you lose your voice.

I’ll follow your rules, Moon. Just let me in. Let me prove myself to you.”

“Key.” I sighed.

“I’m not taking no for an answer tonight. Dance with me.”

I rolled my eyes. “What are you even doing here? It’s R&B night.”

“I can’t like R&B?” he asked, placing my hands on his shoulders before pulling me to him by my waist.

“You can.” I nodded as I surrendered to his irresistible charm.

I tried to ignore the fact that I was dancing with him, because if I accepted that I was dancing with one of my patients, I knew I was going to freak out. Instead I focused on his eyes. Huge mistake.

“I am an R&B guy, preferably old school. I don’t really do the club though.

I’m too easy to go in a nigga’s shit to be around a bunch of people getting drunk.

Tonight I came because my brother owns the company that does Carteay’s security.

I actually came tonight to shoot my shot at her.

He won’t let me get up on her for shit. I’m glad I changed my mind though.

I found something way more interesting.”

“Tell me anything.” I blushed.

“I can’t wait to make you eat your words. I can show you how serious I am about you way better than I can tell you.”

“I hear you.”

“You don’t strike me as the club type. What are you doing here? Let me guess, you love Carteay too,” he stated.

“My sister’s actually a big fan. I came with her,” I revealed.

“Y’all want to meet her? I can get you in the back with her. I cooked for her album release party.”

“Oh wow. I’m sure my sister would love that.”

“Dance with me first. I like this song.”

It was crazy how Carteay’s song about risking it all resonated with me so much more right now.

Was I willing to risk it all for him? What would that even look like?

Would we let our animalistic desires lead us to some torrid affair?

Would we fall in love and live happily ever after?

Would we engage in this harmless cat and mouse game for the duration of his treatment and never speak again?

There was too much in the balance. There were too many ways for things to go wrong.

There were too many variables at play. I could dance with him for the rest of this song, but after that I had to be firm about my boundaries.

I couldn’t get caught up in some affair with a man I had no business dealing with and lose everything I worked my ass off for. I couldn’t rationalize it.

As the song ended, Keywan kissed me on the cheek but never removed his arms from around my body. A rap song came on, causing the crowd to go wild. He never let me go. He never stopped swaying to the slow beat of the song he proclaimed to love.

I cleared my throat before saying, “I think the song is over.”

“I just want to hold you as long as I can because I don’t know what you’re going to do when I let you go.”

“Eventually you’re going to have to.” I giggled.

“I would stand in this muthafucka until it burned to the ground as long as I could keep my arms around you.”

“Well hopefully that doesn’t happen. I need to get back to my sister and my friend before they think I got jumped in the bathroom.”

“We don’t want that. Do we?”

“Not really,” I said, backing up as he released me from his embrace.

“You want to go talk to your sister about going backstage to meet Carrie?”

“Carrie?”

“Carteay,” he corrected.

“Oh sure.” I nodded.

“Lead the way,” he instructed, motioning with his head.

Heat crept up my spine when he rested his hand on the small of my back.

Instead of overthinking things, I made my way back through the crowd.

It seemed much easier this time, and without having to fight through the growing sea of people, I stepped out in front of my girls.

They were still dancing and vibing their asses off until they spotted me coming in their direction.

“Oh, so that’s where you been?” Patrice smirked.

“Baby, who is this? He is fine,” Isis whispered in my ear.

“Ladies, this is Keywan. I ran into him when I was leaving the bathroom.”

The looks on their faces were mortifying. I knew without a doubt that if he didn’t already know I had been talking about him to my friends, the way both of their eyes bugged out of their heads at the recognition of who I had in tow told it all.

“The chef?” my sister asked just to verify her suspicions.

I cleared my throat before responding. “Um, yeah. His brother does security for Carteay. He wanted to know if we wanted to go backstage to meet her.”

“Hell yes! Where do we go?” Isis shouted.

“Well, first I need to go to the back and make sure she has time before she goes on stage. I think she’s going to perform a couple of songs, but if she doesn’t, I’ll take you back there after she’s done.”

“I can’t believe this. I’m about to meet the real Carteay,” my sister sang.

“Believe it.” Keywan chuckled. “I’m about to run to the back to make sure everything is all good. Stay right here, Moon. I’m coming back for you,” he directed.

His eyes on me made me as self-conscious as ever.

Him leaving was my perfect opportunity to bail before he finished disarming me and making me reconsider everything I thought was right and moral.

There was no reason other than a job I had only had for a few months that said I couldn’t have this man.

Now I was fighting my own instincts wondering if great sex was enough to make me betray my principles.

“OK,” I said, nodding as he casually strolled away.

“Who is Moon?” Isis asked as soon as he was out of earshot.

“That’s what he’s been calling me. Apparently he remembers what I told him my name meant.”

“Girl, no wonder you been in turmoil,” Patrice joked.

“Right. He is fine as hell, sis. Did I already say fuck the rules?” My sister chimed in.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m pretty sure you have. That’s easy for you to say, though, Isis. You’re married to a fine ass man and most of your students are women.”

“If I wasn’t married and I swung the other way, I would fuck one of my students if she was fine as he is.”

“Girl, shut up.” I laughed in spite of myself.

The DJ came on the microphone announcing that Carteay was about to hit the stage.

My heart sank. Hopefully we would still be able to meet her after her performance.

I was a little relieved because my feet were starting to hurt.

Retrieving my watery margarita from the table, I sat down in one of the chairs.

Isis shot a quick glance in my direction from where she stood in front of the table.

“Your ass is sitting down already,” she fussed.

“Girl, I’m trying to preserve my feet for another hour or so.”

“If they’re hurting, maybe your friend will rub them for you.”

“Hush.” I rolled my eyes, hoping to look convincing as I dismissed her.

“Your man is coming back,” Patrice warned.

“He’s not my man.”

“Well then can I have him?” she asked.

“I keep forgetting why I can’t stand you two heifers.” I laughed, taking another sip of my drink.

“Hey, ladies. Carrie said she has about five minutes before she goes on. Follow me,” he told Isis. “Where’s Moon?”

“Who’s Moon?” Isis asked just for the hell of it.

“Iyla,” he reiterated.

“Over there sitting her lame ass down,” she revealed.

His head jutted out to the side so that he could look past my sister at me. “You good?”

“Yeah, my feet are just kinda tired. I didn’t want to leave before my sister got to see her girl.”

“You need me to massage them?” he quizzed.

The sincerity of his question caused an ache in my belly. Leave it to my sister to ruin the moment.

“I know that’s right. Let that man take care of you. She’s so stubborn. Maybe you can get that out of her some way.”

“Can you stop?” I whisper-shouted.

“She’s so controlling. Sometimes I forget that I’m the big sister.” Isis rolled her eyes.

“I am not controlling.”

“Whatever. Come on. I’m not about to miss my chance to meet Carteay arguing with you,” Isis said.