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What’s wrong with this guy? I wondered.
“Damn right, you didn’t know,” Jeb said with an unmistakable ire in his tone. “Get lost, don’t come back in here, and I’ll pretend it never happened.”
Jeb stood an imposing two to three inches taller than the chocolate dessert I’d considered changing all my rules for moments ago. That fantasy was dashed when the nameless, handsome man scurried away, holding both of his hands in the air in surrender to Jeb.
I shook Jeb’s arm from mine, and I asked, “What the hell are you doing? I was talking to him.” I scanned the room for Mr. Chocolate, but he was long gone. “You have no right to do that. I mean, you had no—” my words slurred and slowed down.
“What I’m doing is saving you from a pig. You can thank me later,” he said as he smirked.
“Thank you?” I scowled. “I was handling him perfectly fine, thank you very much. You just ruined what could have been a great moment in my life.”
Jeb chuckled. “Tameka, what are you even doing here?”
“No, I should be asking you that, Jeb. Do you always come to this place? Are you following me? Seems too coincidental that we would see each other two times in a month after going an entire year without crossing paths. Explain yourself!” In so many words, I accused him of stalking me.
“Explain myself?” His jaw dropped, and he started laughing hysterically. “How do I know you’re not following me? After all, you did walk into my club tonight,” he said.
I frowned. “Your club?” I was a bit drunk, okay, maybe a lot drunk, but I heard him correctly. Club Elite was his club, and I had no idea what I walked into. “This is your club?” I crossed my arms in front of me. “I think I need to see proof. Show me that in writing. Otherwise, I’ll stand by my claim that you are following me.”
Jeb shook his head, pulled out his wallet, and retrieved a business card. He slid it across the bar until it rested in front of me. The card proved he, indeed, owned this club.
“Happy?” he asked.
“Oh, well,” I mumbled. “Doesn’t change the fact that you have no right to stop me from leaving with any guy. I’m perfectly capable of making up my mind about who I want to spend time with.”
“Maybe so,” he said, grabbing a beer the bartender passed him and taking a drink from it. “But you are my cousin’s sister-in-law. I doubt he would appreciate if I watched you walk out of here with a guy that’s known as Fast Hands, and it isn’t because he plays cards.”
“I’m a big girl, Jeb. I don’t need you or anyone else to save me.” I started to stand up, but dizziness caused me to steady myself using Jeb’s leg.
Jeb grabbed ahold of me and cocked his head. “You were saying?”
“I will go home and sleep it off. Can I have my arm back please?”
Instead of letting me go, Jeb wrapped an arm around me protectively. “I’ll walk you out.”
“No, I can walk myself,” I said, stumbling over my feet.
“You’re not driving, Tameka. I’ll take you home,” he insisted.
“I live five minutes away. Don’t be ridiculous,” I argued.
“I’ll carry you out of here over my shoulder, kicking and screaming if I have to,” he threatened as he led me towards the door. We reached the sidewalk, and Jeb was still holding me.
“Jeb…you’re doing too much. I don’t want you to walk me to my car. I don’t want you to take me home. I’ll call a cab first.”
“Why can’t I just help you, Tameka?”
“Because it’s just not necessary for you to drive me home. I drove here, so I can drive back.” I reached inside my pocket and pulled out my keys. “Besides, I’m not that drunk. I’m perfectly fine to get home.”
I took a step away from him, and a wave of dizziness hit me at once. I was going down again. Before I reached the pavement, two strong arms enveloped me from behind.
Jeb lifted me up and carried me to his car. He put me in the front seat. I took a deep breath and held it as he leaned over to buckle me in. Our eyes met briefly, and he smiled then went to the driver’s side.
“I—” I wanted to protest, but I couldn’t find the words to say anymore.
“Alright, where do you live?” he asked after he started his car.
Leaning my head against the seat, I thought about his question. My head was throbbing, and my thoughts were hazy. Where did I live?
