Page 60 of Taming a Menace

“No, in a lot of situations, I don’t have to be in control.”

“Good to know.”

“I’m not even going to ask why.” I shook my head.

“There’s no particular reason yet. Find something funny to watch. You like comedies?” he asked.

“I thought I was in charge,” I replied.

“You are. I just gave a suggestion. I thought you might need some help since you have yet to leave the home screen.” A round of beeping caused him to stand to his feet. “I’m not trying to tell you what to watch. I just don’t want to spend the whole time I have with you figuring out what needs to be background noise to me watching you and committing your features to memory for the nights when I don’t have you by my side.”

“I’m starting to realize what a charmer you are, Mr. Glover.”

“I think I already told you how dangerous that title is.” He winked before continuing his journey to the kitchen.

Once I was no longer under the dizzying spell of Keywan’s gaze, I was able to think long enough to find something on TV. I had recently restarted one of my old favorite series. Something about a soapy, comedic, romance series did it for me every time.

After pressing play on episode one, I put the remote back on the table and got comfortable on the couch. I was trying to get out of my head about being at Keywan’s house, but deep down I was freaking out. I was at the man’s house. There was an underlying expectation to have sex when you were at a man’s house after a certain hour. It didn’t help that I didn’t have my own car. That essentially meant that I was at his mercy.

It wasn’t like I couldn’t call a rideshare to pick me up. Isis would even get out of bed to come get me if I summoned her. I didn’t want to make things awkward though. No, actually I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to maintain my boundaries while giving him a chance to convince me that I didn’t need to.

I wanted Key to break down the barriers I put up between us. Just because I wanted him desperately didn’t mean I felt comfortable with my feelings. The smell of the food made it to the living room before Key appeared. My stomach was starting to mirror the sounds I’d heard coming from his just moments ago. I hadn’t eaten since the early part of the day. I knew it was a bad habit to eat so late, but I was too hungry to care at this point.

“I should have known you would put the TV on a soap opera,” he teased.

“This isn’t a soap. It’s a sitcom.”

“Well, it looks like one of those shows my mama is always watching.”

“It was ladies’ choice, right?” I quizzed, grinning at him as he placed our plates on the table.

“Always,” he said with a casual shrug.

“Well then.” I sassed.

“It’s your world, mama. I’m just fucking with you,” he said.

“Me too. I wanted to put it on my favorite movie, but I didn’t feel like hearing your mouth.”

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“The Princess Diaries,” I revealed.

“Oh, hell naw. I’m not watching no fairy tale shit.”

“It’s not a fairy tale. Besides, I figured you didn’t care what we watched since you referred to it as background noise.”

“And I don’t. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to keep you here as long as possible. I just want you to be comfortable.”

“I am.” I nodded.

Key was so attentive he barely let me lift a finger. He pulled a TV tray from beside the couch and set it up in front of me, then put my plate on top of it. Once my plate was in place, he removed my bottle of water from the side table and put it on the tray too.

“As you can see, I eat in front of the TV a lot.” He chuckled.

“Yeah, I see you just have the whole set up.”

“I brought real silverware. I don’t like eating with plastic if I don’t have to.”