As Sasha followed Terrance, a couple times she had second thoughts about proceeding with the evening with him. Each time she wanted to renege, though, she reminded herself that it was nothing more than two friends out grabbing a drink, and then she’d be wholly back on board again. It was when they pulled up to a huge black gate that Sasha began doubting her decision again.
“What kind of bar is located in a gated community?” she asked herself as she watched the gates open and Terrance drive in.
It hit Sasha that Terrance was Eric’s buddy. Eric did own that freaky-ass strip club. Was it possible that Terrance was into that type of thing as well, even though he never gave her that impression? On the flip side of the coin, Sasha was Casey’s friend. It was possible that Terrance was thinking the same thing about her. This could be bad, all bad.
She checked out her surroundings as she followed Terrance inside. At first all she saw was landscaping. Just looked like grass and trees. As they drove up a hill, she could see what she initially thought was an apartment building. It only took her pulling up behind Terrance into the circular driveway to realize that this was no gated community. This was no apartment complex. This was Terrance’s home!
“Oh, hell no!” Sasha let out, shaking her head. What was this fool trying to pull? Perhaps he had taken her for some young and dumb groupie. It was an understatement that Sasha was getting hot up under her collar. And here all this time she’d pegged him as the perfect gentleman—God sent. He wasn’t nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing . . . who knew how to dribble a ball.
Terrance got out of his car and began making his way to Sasha. She was mad, but that cool glide of his made parts of her a little glad and jumpy inside. She still had the right mind to run over his smooth ass for trying to play her stupid. But she managed to calm down by the time he arrived at her window. She felt she needed to give him the benefit of the doubt, to explain himself and apologize if need be. Perhaps he’d just left his wallet and needed to run inside and grab it real quick.
As Sasha went to roll her window down to talk to Terrance, he already had his hand on her door handle opening it up for her. He stood there holding the door open for her with one hand while extending his other arm for her to exit the car.
“Ummm,” Sasha said as she began looking around. “This doesn’t look like a bar or any kind of club to me.” She looked back at Terrance, awaiting an explanation.
“Who said anything about going to a bar?” Now he was looking just as confused as Sasha. “And I didn’t peg you for the clubbin’ type. Seems like you’re above the club life.”
This man knew how to make a woman, in this particular case, Sasha, feel like, not just a dime, but a rare coin. But she still needed to be cautious.
“I didn’t want to offend you by taking you to some random club or something,” Terrance continued. “I thought you would prefer something like, I don’t know, the bar I have in my home.”
Sasha looked at him to see if he was for real–for real. “So what was all that talk about meeting up in a public place? This is as private as it gets.” Sasha pointed down the hill. “Private gate.” She pointed at the house. “Private home. Private bar.”
“On some occasions I entertain others at the bar,” Terrance explained. “So I’d like to think of it as publicly exclusive.”
Sasha let out a harrumph. “You got the wrong one, baby.” She went to reach for her door to close it, but Terrance grabbed her hand instead.
“Please don’t be that way,” Terrance pleaded. “It’s . . . it’s not that private. I mean, yes, it’s my private home, but we won’t be alone.”
“Oh, really now?” Sasha said, putting one hand on her hip. “So what you got up in there? Your entourage, your posse, so that once you’re through with me they can have a turn? Ain’t no fun if your homies can’t have none? Is that what you’re used to, because let me tell you—” Sasha’s finger was just a-pointing.
“Okay, wait a minute now,” Terrance said, letting go of Sasha’s door and putting both hands up for her to tone it down. “You’re going a little too far.” His once smooth tone now had an edge to it.
Sasha was a little taken aback. She pulled her neck back in disbelief. All night Terrance had spoken with her in a very respectful tone.
When Sasha’s eyes locked with Terrance’s, he seemed to have recognized the alarmed look in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. He’d brought his tone down several notches.
Sasha relaxed her shoulders, thankful for his apology and the fact that he had some self-control. That enabled her to have some as well, because if he thought he was going to stand there and read her, he had another think coming.
“Now I’ve been nothing but respectful to you,” Terrance continued in a civil tone. “I haven’t accused you of being anything other than what you’ve shown yourself to be, which is a nice, respectful lady. Now what if I started talking to you, insinuating that you are some gold-digging ho? Took you to some hole-in-the-wall bar, or even a strip joint or something, and then expected you to put out? You’d be offended. Well, I’m offended at the way you are coming at me. I’ve not done a single thing to make you think I’m some kind of perverted rapist or something. You might not be a gold-digging ho, but maybe you are one of those stuck-up chicks who went to college and thinks she’s better than everybody else who might not have a fancy degree. Well, I’m here to tell you that no, maybe I didn’t get a college degree. But I went to college, and you know what? I went on an academic scholarship, not a basketball one. I could have graduated and became the owner of my own Fortune Five Hundred company if I’d wanted to. But I loved ball. It was my life. So I did what made me happy at the time and what I thought was the best thing for my family. I entered the draft. Yes, I had to drop out of college to do so, but I—”
“Whoa, whoa, wait,” Sasha said, stepping out of her car. She had really hit a nerve with Terrance. She thought earlier tonight she’d heard him mention something about playing offense on his team. Well, somehow her words had him playing defense in their conversation.
It was apparent to Sasha that he was truly hurt by the inferences she’d made about his character. That explained why he’d taken offense and had gotten a little loud just moments ago. And he had every right to be. Him insinuating that she could be stuck up alone had pissed her off, because that’s not who she was. So she could only imagine how he must have felt with her practically calling him a rapist.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off like that,” Sasha apologized. “That’s not who I am, either. I don’t say things to intentionally hurt people.” Sasha hadn’t meant to hurt him. She was simply trying to be cautious. She was still trying to read who he was without getting lost between the pages. But after what she’d just witnessed, she felt she could close the book. Terrance was the real deal, and he had too much to lose and too much at stake not to be. She couldn’t imagine he’d jeopardize his life and livelihood by being some creep or jerk.
Terrance stood there looking at Sasha. Behind his eyes Sasha could see that he was still a little hurt, but there was some anger there, too. This is not how Sasha wanted the night to end. This was not the bad taste she wanted to leave in Terrance’s mouth.
“Let’s just go inside and have that drink, okay?” Sasha suggested, hoping to turn things around. She could have very well hopped in her car and gone home, but a final impression as a bougie bitch was not what she wanted Terrance to have of her.
Sasha stared at Terrance, who stood there looking as if now he was the one debating whether he wanted to continue his evening with Sasha.
Sasha closed her door and hit the button on her key fob to lock it. It was habit and not that she thought anyone would steal her little Honda from this mansion. If the inside resembled the luxurious outside, she was certain he had vases in there that cost more than the value of her car. She looped her arm through Terrance’s. There, now he had no choice. He was too much of a gentleman to fling her arm loose and leave a lady
standing there on the curb.
As he stared at Sasha, a little smile forced its way onto his lips. “Come on, woman,” he said as he began walking to his doorstep, “before you make me . . .” He was now in a joking mood.
“Before I make you what?” Sasha wanted to know as she walked to his doorstep arm in arm.
He chuckled.
“You’re laughing, but I’m for real,” Sasha said. She then stopped in her tracks, forcing him to stop in his. She slightly jerked Terrance to face her. “Before I make you do what to me?” she asked, seductively looking into his eyes.
“I didn’t necessarily say I was going to do something to you.”
“Oh, you didn’t?” Sasha played dumb, placing her index finger on her chin as if thinking back.
“Nope,” Terrance said, enunciating the p. “Must have been wishful thinking on your part.”
“Wishful thinking?” Sasha shot back.
“Yeah, you wishing I was going to do something to you.”
Sasha tucked in her bottom lip and blushed. “Come on, let’s go.” She walked past Terrance, leading the way to his house.
“Oh, you got the key or something?” he jokingly asked her.
“Nope.” Sasha said the word in the same manner as Terrance had just said it. “Must have been wishful thinking on your part.”
“Touché.” Terrance laughed, then made his way past Sasha to open up the door.
Once inside, Sasha tried not to appear material struck; after all she’d been in mansions and luxury homes since moving to Atlanta. Norman had taken her to some amazing homes and had even allowed her to play his assistant as he dressed a client for a video shoot. But Terrance’s place put them all to shame. It was huge. Gigantor! The foyer was the size of her entire apartment. The ceiling was something only Spider-man could have gotten to. Even he might have run out of web navigating it.
“Lovely,” Sasha said, looking around. She could have sworn she’d heard her voice echo.
“Thank you. My mother did it. She lives here, too, you know.”
A slight but noticeable frown appeared on Sasha’s face. She felt a couple kinds of ways about that. For one, it was definitely not a check on her list, but a big red X. A man who lived with his momma was a cause for immediate elimination.
“I’m just joking.” Terrance laughed. “Not about my mother decorating it. She owns her own interior design company. I’m joking about her living with me.”
“Oh,” Sasha said, relieved. Terrance had a sense of humor and Sasha liked that about him. She’d just have to get better at figuring out when he was joking and when he was for real. In her opinion, Terrance was like one of those books or movies she’d have to read or see twice. The second time around perhaps she’d pick up on some things she’d missed the first time. Kind of like what she had to do with the movie The Sixth Sense. She’s missed both the obvious and the not so obvious the first time she’d seen the movie. By the second time, she knew exactly what to expect and to look out for.
“You act like you were disappointed.” Terrance leaned into Sasha’s ear. “Like you were afraid my mother was going to catch us doing something we weren’t supposed to be doing.”
Sasha was speechless at Terrance’s comment, but only because he was right. But no way was she going to voice that that was exactly how she was feeling. It wasn’t necessarily that his mother would catch them doing anything R-rated, just catch her there in his home, period . . . after having just met him. Damn, why was she so hung up on and not able to shake the whole going out—or home—with a man on the first night of meeting him?
“Come on,” Terrance chuckled. “Let’s go.”
Sasha went to follow him, but was startled by a voice that came from behind them. It was the voice of a woman, an older woman. Did this man’s mother really live with him? That would make him a liar. Big red X, and again, cause for immediate elimination as a husband prospect.
“Mr. McKinley, good evening. Can I get anything for you?”
Sasha quickly turned and faced the short, older black woman who was walking from the opening at the other end of the foyer. The woman wore a black dress with a white apron.
“Oh, no, Miss Hart,” Terrance said. “You can retire for the evening.” He looked to Sasha. “I think I’m taken care of for the night.” With that Terrance turned and continued walking.
Sasha smiled at Miss Hart before following Terrance. Miss Hart didn’t return the gesture; she simply shook her head and gave Sasha a look that said, “Another one bites the dust.”
All Sasha could think about was the hashtag made popular by Beyoncé, #dusttosidechicks. But she wasn’t a side-chick. She wished she could have stood there and defended her honor to Miss Hart, but Terrance grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along. He led her down a staircase and into what might as well have been a nightclub.
“I can only imagine how many parties have gone on down here,” Sasha said, admiring the burgundy-and-gold color-coordinated room. It had a couple of booth seats, tables, a bar area, and both a jukebox and a DJ booth in addition to a stage. “And it’s even fully equipped with a stripper pole. Nice,” Sasha said, both playfully and sarcastically.
“Oh, so you do a little stripping?” Terrance teased as he walked over behind the bar.
“I thought you knew,” Sasha played along. “What girl who went to college didn’t have to do a little stripping to pay off her student loans?” Sasha began laughing. “No, but really, I don’t have nothing against a chick who’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.” Sasha made her way over to the stage while Terrance prepared them each a glass of wine. She went over to the pole and looked at it for a moment. She then touched it. After thinking for a second, she quickly snatched her hand away as if the pole was hot. “This thing been cleaned?”
Terrance laughed. “That’s what Miss Hart is for.”
Taking his word for it, she reached out and touched it again. Sasha held the pole with one hand and then slowly began to walk around it. Next she put both hands on it. She got so wrapped up in the fantasy of it all that she didn’t even realize Terrance was watching her every move.
Terrance carried the two glasses of wine over to the jukebox, which was at the end of the bar. He sat the glasses down on the bar while he punched in a couple songs. He then turned, picked up the glasses of wine, and made his way over toward the stage just as the music came on.
Sasha turned to look at him once the music filled the air.
“I hope you like R. Kelly,” Terrance said, extending her glass of wine to her.
Sasha was standing there looking like Terrance’s mom had actually caught her doing something wrong.
“Why you looking like that? All guilty? Like you’re doing something you’re not supposed to be doing?” He took a sip of his drink while still extending Sasha’s to hers. “Woman, you’re grown. Now take this drink and get your dance on.”
Sasha smiled, giggled, and looked down at the drink. “No, I’m good.” She’d told herself she was not going to drink any more tonight. “But what I’m not good at is dancing.” She walked down the steps from the stage. She’d been dragged to a pole dancing class or two with her friends, but she couldn’t quite get the hang of it.
“No, stay up there,” Terrance said, sitting down at one of the tables in front of the stage. “You don’t have to dance or anything, not unless you want to. Just stay there because on a stage is where someone like you belongs. On a pedestal.” He leaned forward with a serious and intent look on his face. “Yeah, you’re different. You’re a star. You stand out. There ain’t nothing about you that’s average.” He sipped his drink and said, “Nah, you don’t belong out here with the rest of us ordinary folks. You’re not regular at all.”
Sasha was mesmerized by the way he was reading her. These were internal thoughts that Sasha had had about herself ever since she could remember. No, she wasn’t conceited or felt she was better than the rest of the world. But she’d seen so many people content with an avera
ge life; just making it day by day and living a routine life. She couldn’t do it. Ordinary and regular would not be the life she lived.
“You just want to see me do some dirty dancing,” Sasha said, giving him a playful side-eye.
“That too.” He raised his glass and extended hers to her again. “Drink. Nothing like a little liquid courage.”
Sasha was a tad parched, she reasoned. Besides, in looking around the room, she didn’t see a cappuccino machine. So what other choice did she have? It had taken very little convincing from Terrance or herself to make Sasha reach for the glass of wine and sip.
“Dance.” Terrance sipped from his own glass while looking up at Sasha.
Sasha took another sip of wine. She was going to need some courage all right. She closed her eyes and allowed the wine to slither down her throat. In doing so the music infiltrated her being. Slowly she began to rock her hips back and forth. Forth and back. Back, back, forth and forth like an Aaliyah song. She didn’t even realize it, but she was smiling. Once again she did ring around the rosey with the glass of wine in hand, taking sips until it was all gone and another song was now playing.
Terrance stood and took the empty glass from her, refilling it. Sasha watched the deep plum wine funnel into the glass.
“That wine is delicious,” Sasha said as she accepted the offering.
“It’s the best bottle I have,” Terrance said, now refilling his own. “I’ve been saving it for—”
“Let me guess,” Sasha said, tipsy enough to be feeling herself. “You’ve been saving it for something special.”
“No, not at all,” Terrance said, shaking his head. He took a sip of his wine, keeping his eyes glued to Sasha over the rim. “I’ve been saving it for someone special.”
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