Naughty by Nature

by Brenda Hampton

  “Shane Alexander,” I answered.

  “Where are you?” Felicia asked.

  “I’m about to have dinner.” I looked at the maître d’ and held up two fingers. “Can you seat me for two? Someone else will be joining me.” I followed behind him.

  “Tell Sam I said hello. I wanted to tell you that I’m looking at your sketch for the Mayor’s account.”

  “And,” I said, taking a seat at the small candlelit table the maître d’ had taken me to.

  “And, it looks good. I think you did a phenomenal job.”

  “Thanks. But, if you don’t mind, I need you to add your touch to it, too.”

  “Oh, I plan to. After I get finished, we are going to knock the Mayor’s Group off their feet.”

  I smiled and felt a tap on my shoulder. When I looked up, I could have fallen out of my chair. Scorpio stood beside me wearing a canary yellow mini dress that had a haltered top. Just a sliver of her meaty breasts crept out on the sides and she accessorized her neckline with a silver and diamond necklace that fell between her breasts. Since the last time I’d seen her, her hair was full of long thick curls that draped down her shoulders. Now, her hair had been straightened and hung at least four to five inches from her shoulders. Bangs covered her forehead, and she was by far, the sexiest woman I had seen in a long, long time.

  She immediately noticed how mesmerized I was, and smiled before taking a seat in the chair in front of me. I got a glimpse of her nicely shaped ass that so many men craved to hold in their hands. My dick thumped in my pants, so I placed my hand over it to calm it down.

  “Let me call you back,” I said to Felicia. “I’m getting ready to order dinner.”

  “Okay. Don’t forget to tell Sam I said hello and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  I laid my phone on the table and quickly stood up.

  “Sorry about the call, but you know you’d better stand up and give me a hug.”

  Scorpio stood and put her arms around me. She rubbed my back and pressed her breasts against my chest.

  “It’s good to see you, Shane. Thanks for coming.”

  Even though I didn’t want to, I finally let go. Her sweet smelling perfume and soft body had me unable to get myself together. I took a hard swallow and cleared my throat before sitting back down.

  “Hey, what can I say, Scorpio. You . . . you look magnificent.”

  She blushed and winked at me. “Thanks, Shane. I do my best to look good and I’m pleased to hear when people appreciate my efforts. You look awesome, too—even better than I remember.”

  We both smiled and there was no doubt that our previous encounter together was playing out in our minds.

  “So,” I said. “What brings you out of hiding? I thought I’d never see you again. Honestly, I thought you’d left St. Louis.”

  “No, I didn’t leave St. Louis. After Jaylin and I broke up, I almost did, but I decided against it.”

  The waiter approached the table and displayed the special of the day, then asked if we wanted something to drink. As he spoke, my eyes were glued to Scorpio. She was so stunning; I knew Jaylin had to be missing her like hell.

  “I’ll have a dry martini,” Scorpio said to the waiter.

  The waiter looked at me, “And, you sir.”

  “Rémy, no ice.”

  The waiter said he’d be back shortly with our drinks. Scorpio noticed my stares and questioned me. “Shane, you really don’t have to put on a front like I’m the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever seen. I’m sure you’ve had plenty.”

  I smiled at her comment and licked my lips. “Are you telling me, Miss Scorpio Valentino, that you’re unaware of how attractive you are? Woman, as you stood there, do you know that every head in this place was turned. And, still is. I am honored to even be sitting here with you.”

  She turned her head and noticed some people, women included, gawking at her. “Those women are looking at you, and possibly, Mr. Shane Ricardo Alexander, some of the men are, too.”

  “Ricardo? How in the hell did you know my middle name?”

  “Jaylin told me. We were talking about you one day and he told me your middle name.”

  “I hate that name. My mother knew she was tripping when she gave me that for a middle name.”

  “Well, I kind of think it’s cute. Now, don’t get me wrong, Shane fits you to a capital T, but Ricardo is kind of a suave name.”

  I shamefully dropped my head. “Please. Suave or not, I ain’t feeling it. And you, pretty lady, better not ever call me that again.”

  She laughed and agreed not to. The waiter came back with our drinks and took our orders. Scorpio ordered a Caesar salad and I ordered a steak.

  “No wonder your body is intact like it is. Hell, you don’t eat nothing,” I said.

  “Oh, I eat plenty. I just know how to work it off.”

  That statement went in another direction for me, so I left it alone and changed the subject.

  “I . . . I would assume you called me to discuss Jaylin. There couldn’t possibly be no other—”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” she said, and then clinched her hands together on the table. I could tell that my mentioning his name made her nervous. “Lately, my mind has been preoccupied by the thoughts of him. I know it’s been a long time, and I have been able to move on. However, a . . . a part of me wants to know what he’s been up to. I thought you might know, since the two of you are so close.”

  I hesitated to talk to Scorpio about Jaylin, but I only thought it was fair that she knew the truth. After all she’d been through with him, if I was able to put her mind at ease, then that was the least I could do.

  “Jaylin is doing well, Scorpio. He lives in Florida and things are going well for him.”

  “Florida, huh? Has he been in Florida since our breakup, or did he recently move there?”

  “He’s been there for,” I looked away to think. “almost two years.”

  “Then, it was right after we broke up.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess.”

  Scorpio swallowed and looked down at her lap. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings, Shane. If I didn’t want to know the truth, then I wouldn’t be here.”

  “What do you want me to say, Scorpio? That . . . he’s married to Nokea, they have another child, and they’re living out their dreams together as a happy couple.”

  She looked up and gasped. “Is that true?”

  “I . . . I wouldn’t lie to you,” I said. “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but it’s the truth.”

  Seeming a bit shaken, Scorpio took a sip from her drink. She placed the glass on the table and cleared her throat. “I knew he always loved her.”

  “Yeah, but he loved you, too. As a matter of fact, he loved you just as much.”

  “I guess I really blew it when I had sex with Stephon, huh?”

  “Honestly, I can’t say it really mattered either way. If I can voice my opinion about the situation, I think Jaylin would have married Nokea someday either way you look at it.”

  Her voice rose. “And, I disagree. I think my betrayal is what drove him to Nokea. We would have stayed together forever . . .”

  I kept quiet because I wasn’t in the mood to debate the issue. Instead, I picked up my drink, admired Scorpio’s sexy lips and listened to her vent.

  “So,” Scorpio said. “When is the last time you’ve seen him?”

  “I visit him from time to time. He and Nokea have a beachfront home and I go there to get away some times. The last time I visited was about three months ago. He had a surprise birthday party for Nokea and invited me to come.”

  “I see,” Scorpio said. Even though she said my words wouldn’t hurt, hurt was written all over her face. When her eyes watered, she excused herself from the table and headed for the restroom.

  By the time Scorpio had gotten back, our dinner had been served. I had already cut into my steak and was on my second piece. I placed my fork next to my plate and stood up to pull h
er chair back. I couldn’t tell if she’d been crying, but if she had been, she covered it up pretty well.

  I went back to my seat and dabbed my mouth with the napkin. Scorpio looked at her salad and twirled her fork in her hand.

  “Shane, does Jaylin ever come back to St. Louis?”

  “Yeah, sometimes. He’ll be in St. Louis on Friday to introduce Felicia and I to some possible new clients.”

  “On this Friday?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking . . . what’s the plan for that day?”

  “Plan? What do you mean by plan?”

  “I mean, what time will he be here? Where is he staying and for how long? I guess the big question is . . . is Nokea going to be with him?”

  I wasn’t sure how Jaylin would feel about me telling Scorpio about “his plans” so I hesitated. I guessed it wouldn’t do no harm, so I went ahead and told her. “His plane arrives at 9:00 A.M., our meeting starts at 2:00 P.M. Most likely we’ll have dinner that evening, and by morning he should be heading back home. That’s if—”

  “If what?”

  “If I can persuade him to stay Saturday night for a li’l get together I’m having for my cousin Trey. He’s turning twenty-one and I invited a couple of his friends to Davenports for drinks and a li’l entertainment.”

  Scorpio slightly tooted her lips. “Yeah, right. Your cousin is turning twenty-one and all y’all having are drinks and a little entertainment? Shane, please. I know better.”

  I smiled because she’d definitely seen through my bullshit. “Okay. There might be a little more entertainment, but not much. I have a woman and she would kill me if she found out about anything raunchy going down.”

  “What’s the stripper’s name?”

  “There ain’t gon’ be no—”

  “Shane, don’t lie. If I know you like I think I do, you’re the one who’s making all of the arrangements.”

  I laughed and reached into my back pocket. I pulled out my wallet and searched for the stripper’s business card. “Her name is Lady Ice. Now, what’s it to you?”

  “Curious. I just wanted to know.”

  Scorpio picked at her salad and hadn’t taken one bite. I could tell something was still on her mind.

  “On Friday,” she said. “Do you mind if I stop by Davenports to see Jaylin?”

  “Scorpio, feel free to do whatever you like, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t know how Jaylin is going to react and Nokea and I have become very good friends. I don’t want to be responsible for—”

  “Look, all I want to do is see him. Nothing more and nothing less. All I need is five minutes of his time. I promise you that I will not interfere with him and Nokea’s marriage.”

  “I know you wouldn’t. But, please don’t come dressed as you are today. I don’t know of any man who can keep their hands off you, being dressed like that.”

  “You seem to be doing a pretty good job of it.”

  I displayed my dimples and gave her a wink. “If, pretty lady, I was not in a committed relationship with a somewhat decent woman, and if you were not previously engaged to my boy, this shit would be on. I’m telling you now, and I do not lie, we would be leaving here right now and indulging into some hot and heavy sex.”

  Scorpio pulled her head back and smirked. She seemed stunned by my words, but sat quietly. I wasn’t sure if she was thinking about my previous licks between her legs or not, but being speechless implied that something was on her mind.

  “Let’s wrap this up so I can get out of here,” she said. “Your offer sounds tempting, and I’m glad that you have a somewhat decent woman at home. If I learned one thing from my mistakes with Jaylin, that is to never get involved with a man who is with someone else—if I can help it. In this case, I’m not sure if I can.”

  I wanted a piece of Scorpio so bad, but because of her past relationship with Jaylin, I changed the subject. After we finished yakking about old times, she headed her way and I headed mine. She told me she’d see me on Friday, and whether Jaylin liked it or not, his marriage to Nokea was about to be tested. I had faith in my boy, but as fine as Scorpio was, I wasn’t sure if he’d survive seeing her again.

  SCORPIO

  3

  Having dinner with Shane was very enlightening. More than anything, it was my final wake-up call. Jaylin and Nokea had tied the knot and the hopes I had of us someday getting back together had finally washed down the drain. A part of me really wished that maybe our time would come again, but then there was something inside of me that knew it was over for good. I guess I really didn’t need Shane to validate anything for me, when I knew deep down Jaylin had moved on.

  If I really knew that, then why was I still so willing to see him on Friday? Getting my feelings hurt again wasn’t on my agenda, but I wanted to see him and wish him well. In addition to that, I wanted him to know Mackenzie and I were doing fine. There was no way he hadn’t thought about us from time to time. I didn’t care how happy he was, I was positive that we occasionally crossed his mind.

  On Thursday, Jay’s was jam-packed. Brian McKnight was coming to town, and everybody was dying to see him. Every last stylists’ chair was full, about ten people were waiting, and Yasing couldn’t handle all the pedicures she had lined up. I could have helped, but my job was to run the business not handle the business. I wanted to make sure everything flowed smoothly, and if things got out of order, I had to step in. We were way behind schedule, so I ordered one of my masseuses from the back to help out. She didn’t mind because she was a jack-of-all-trades.

  Things started to slow down, so I grabbed a Black Hair magazine and took a seat on the leather sofa near Bernie’s station. She was working on one of her customer’s hair and had it laid out.

  “Girl, you know you can do some hair,” I said.

  “Can’t she,” Bernie’s customer replied, as she looked in the mirror with approval.

  “That ain’t all she can do,” said Jamaica, another stylist. “From what I heard, she’s damn good at giving a blow job, too.”

  Everybody laughed except for Bernie. She cut her eyes at Jamaica and pointed her comb in her direction.

  Her voice dragged as she spoke. “You bony, ugly, nappyhead rooster. The next time you talk about your mama giving blow jobs in here, I’m gonna call and tell her. From what I hear, though, you are the queen of all queens when it comes to that. Darious just happened to mention that the other day, and even though he said you bit him, he truly understood you couldn’t help it because of your big beaver teeth.”

  “Y’all need to stop,” I said, laughing hard. Everybody else continued to laugh, but they were use to Bernie and Jamaica going at it—all in good fun.

  Just before Jamaica started in on Bernie again, the bell on the door chimed and in came Spencer. The place got quiet and everybody shifted their eyes to me. I’d eased the magazine up over my face so he wouldn’t see me. That didn’t work and I could see him coming my way.

  “Hi,” he said, standing in front of me.

  I lowered the magazine and put on a fake smile. “Hey, baby. I haven’t seen you in a few days. Have you been sick or something?” I asked.

  “Naw, I took a few days off. Why haven’t you been returning any of my phone calls?”

  I stood up so we could go to my office and talk. The last thing I needed was for the women in here to know all of my business. Spencer followed behind me, and after I closed the door, we took a seat on the sofa.

  He took my hand and placed it in his. “So, why haven’t you called me?”

  “I’ve been busy, Spencer. You can see for yourself how busy Jay’s is.”

  “Yeah, but it ain’t stopped you from calling me before.”

  “Well, it’s getting close to the weekend. I was going to call you, but there’s been one thing after another.” I stood up and walked over to my desk, pretending to be occupied with a piece of paper on it. I didn’t want to hurt Spencer’s feelings anymore than I’d already
done.

  He stood up and placed his bag full of mail up on his shoulder. “I get the feeling that you don’t want to be bothered. If so, just tell me. I’m not the kind of man who hangs on to a woman who doesn’t want me.”

  “It’s not that Spencer, but . . . but you and I just . . . we didn’t click.”

  “Didn’t click?” he shouted. “We clicked like a motherfucker the other night. Unless I was dreaming or something, that night was off the chain.”

  “With who? Me or Yvette?”

  He gave me a blank stare. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about you calling her name in your sleep. If I was that good to you, then why are you dreaming about somebody else?”

  “I don’t even know no damn Yvette.” He snapped. “If this is your way of calling this off, then fine. But don’t go making up no lame ass excuse about me calling another woman’s name in my sleep.”

  I broke him down easy. “Look, let’s just chalk up this one as a loss. If you just make sure to deliver my mail, honestly, I’m cool with that.”

  He walked over to the door. “No problem. Women come and go in my circle, baby, and it definitely ain’t no loss here.”

  I shrugged my shoulders and followed behind Spencer on his way out. By the time we reached the work area, the women got silent again. Some held their pinky fingers in the air and I hadn’t a clue what was up, neither did Spencer. He passed the mail to Bernie and closed the door on his way out. After he left, everybody burst into laughter.

  “What is so funny?” I asked, as they still had their pinky fingers in the air.

  “It’s a sista thing. This means short-dick-nigga alert,” Jamaica said. “Every time we see one, it’s a warning for the other sistas to stay the hell away.”

  I looked at Bernie because I knew she had spilt the beans about me and Spencer. I couldn’t help but laugh myself.

  Thursday night didn’t come to a close until almost 2:00 A.M. And even though I wasn’t “hands on” I was still exhausted from all the fires that had to be put out.

  As usual, Jamaica’s boyfriend came in clowning, another one of my stylist’s customers was upset about her hair, Yasing wasn’t moving fast enough for some customers, and when two women got into it over some money being owed—all hell broke loose.