Although the problem was solved with Tayler obliging to join the others for dinner, once at the table the air was still thick. It was as if no conversations, no understandings, and even flirting happened between Tayler and Michael.

The table was quiet, except for the occasional vibrating coming from Tayler's phone. As she was engrossed in her phone the others at the table stood by not knowing what to do. Keith and Natalie eyed each other from across the table. He bugged his eyes at her gesturing to her to talk to her friend, but Natalie just shrugged in defeat. Michael on the other hand just glued his eyes to her. He was amazed how this woman transitioned from being upset, defiant, flustered, and then submissive. Now she was acting as if nothing had happened just a few minutes ago.

He was definitely intrigued but getting bothered by the second. She was once again ruining dinner.

Natalie cleared her throat. "Uh Tay, don't you think you should put the phone away?" Natalie questioned.

"Huh? Sorry Nat but duty calls" her attention still on the phone.

Michael smirked at her. He wasn't amused but he was getting more bothered by the second; however, him smirking was the only way he could contain himself. He looked at Keith just chuckling and his friend knew exactly how he was feeling. But he assured him to just hold tight.

"Tayler please" Natalie pleaded.

"Natalie, I'm sorry but I am on call for this new account. I have to propose on Monday" she reasoned.

Natalie leaned into her ear "You're being fucking rude, put the phone away. You promised" Natalie gave her friend the puppy eyes.

Tayler sucked her teeth as she was a sucker for the eyes, especially when it came to people she cared about.

It had been a long time since she had been on a date and it seemed she forgot her first date etiquette at home. She just didn't know what to say at the table, especially after Michael threatened her with pleasure that she couldn't stop thinking about since she first saw this beautiful man.

"Ok fine" she finished texting and put the phone away in her purse.

"Happy?" She asked Natalie.

"Ecstatic" she smiled.

Once again the table was quiet as nobody knew what to say. Usually double dates would be easy as the couples can interact with one another and help the other person find their footing for appropriate conversation, but it seemed everyone was at a lost for words.

This time Natalie gestured for Keith to start. He quickly sat up and cleared his throat.

"So Tayler what exactly do you for a living if you don't mind me asking" he asked politely.

"I am a PR specialist. I work at a PR firm and I basically specialize in marketing strategies that is helpful for many businesses, organizations, or even groups that would like to increase their business sales or awareness" she eloquently spoke.

Michael admired her. The way she spoke so professionally, he liked it. It was definitely different from all the wanna be models, dancers/strippers, and even the business owners that would approach him on the daily. It was the woman in the boardroom that lit the fire of his desires just sitting in that seat. He envisioned her laid across a large wooden desk with her legs spread wide, beckoning for him to come. As his dick twitched in his pants, he imagined her teasing her pearl in anticipation for him.

"And Michael what do you do for a living?" She turned her attention back to him.

"He actually ow-" Keith got interrupted.

"I think a grown man like Michael can speak for himself" she started.

She was replying to Keith but kept her eyes on Michael. Natalie put her head down in shame as her friend was being too harsh for a minor mishap.

Michael smiled at her bossiness. "I'm actually a mechanic" he beamed.

She started to slightly cough as she choked a bit on her water she was drinking. "A mechanic?" She managed to get out.

"Yeah, a mechanic" he said simply, leaning back in his chair.

"That figures" she mumbled.

"What was that?" he tilted his head.

Natalie nudged her under the table. She was just about to start again with her boujie behavior.

"I was just saying-"

"Are you all ready to order?" the young waiter walked up.

Keith and Natalie sighed a breath of relief.

"Keith are you ready baby?" Natalie questioned.

"Uh yeah, are y'all two ready?" Keith looked between Tayler and Michael.

They both nodded.

Everyone ordered their various dishes of chicken, steak, potatoes, and salad orders. Tayler took a mental note that Michael is a steak and potatoes kind of guy, which is ironic because of his slim lean built. She immediately thought he was a vegan or vegetarian by his weight.

She mentally fanned herself at his panty dropping smile and subtle lip bites he gave when speaking and deciding what he wanted to eat. She couldn't resist thinking about the naughty thoughts about the possibilities of him biting that lip during his sexual escapades.

She was in such deep thought that she didn't even notice it was her turn to speak.

"Are you ready?" Michael asked.

She seductively nodded as she watched how slow his perfect lips moved.

"Girl are you ready?" Natalie asked.

"Tayler! The man said are you ready?" She slapped her friend's arm.

"Oww- hit me one more time" she threatened.

Now it was Michael's turn to watch her as she ordered. She was very particular as she ordered her salmon and requested it to be well done unlike the last time she visited. She was very detailed about how she wanted her broccoli and asparagus seasoned and her mash potatoes to be without lumps.

He shook his head at how particular she was and how demanding she could be.

Once the waiter was out of sight, she turned her attention back to Michael.

"Is there a problem?" She spoke up.

"No" he simply said.

"I feel like there is" she leaned onto the table.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that elbows don't belong on the table" he licked his lips.

She squinted at him in annoyance. She couldn't think of anything witty to say back, so she let it go. She sat up straight in her seat and looked at him.

"But you're right. I would just like to finish our conversation from earlier. When I said I was a mechanic you said 'that figures', am I missing something? What do you mean by that?" He plagued the questioned.

Natalie grasped her Long Island ice tea in her hand and downed it, she knew this was bad as her friend could sometimes care less about the things she said that could possibly offend people.

"Well Michael, all I meant was that I can see you doing a manly job like a mechanic since you walk around with this macho persona. Plus, remedial work for well..a person such as yourself" she lifted her wine glass with her brow raised.

He smiled at her, but once again he wasn't amused.

"You better get this boujie ass chick" Michael whispered to Keith.

Keith just awkwardly laughed. "Boy you wild man, that was funny"

"Yeah mmm I'm wild" Michael smirked.

"What was funny? Would you like to share with the table?" Tayler questioned.

"Nothing! Hey have we told you guys the story of how we met?" Keith suggested.

"No" they both said in unison.

"Well we met on the set of this new show I'll be starring on. Coming this fall near you on all TVs" he joked.

"But she was one of the costume designers and I just thought she was the most beautiful woman I ever seen" He smiled at her.

"I bet you did, with all them bugga wolfs you dealt with" Natalie mumbled.

Everyone laughed at their interaction, it was so pure and loving.

"Well yeah but the more professional she was trying to act I know she was feeling a brother, she was touching all on me trying to cop a feel. I had to let her know baby this is a professional setting, not here"

"Boy please, I wasn't feeling you. I was touching on you to measure your waist. I had to tailor the clothes to fit you" Natalie shook her head.

"Well anyway, I just noticed how genuine she was. She was so nice to everyone on set and spoke to everyone. Usually the crew that works on set they are quiet or they just say hello but nahh. Natalie was just so sweet and she just seemed like a friend you could just confide in. Even when I was having a rough day on set she would always encourage me and make me laugh"

Natalie poked out her lip "Awwe you're the sweetest" she grabbed his hand and stroked it.

The other odd couple looked at them in amazement. Their friends were really in love it seems. Keith and Natalie spoke like they knew each other all their lives and truth be told their friends were a bit jealous.

Tayler never really got to enjoy the love of life as she was abandoned early on and continued to have an unconventional childhood by being raised by a drug dealer and his woman Peaches that was formerly his bottom bitch. As she grew up Big Daddy forbid her from dating and when she did start he picked out the guys. The guys who he thought was the ivy-league or the athletic type that was a shoe in to become a professional athlete. But they were just wolfs in sheeps' clothing. They all wanted to just simply be put on by her illegitimate father or take his empire down by getting close to his only daughter. In her story, people always leave or just want something from her, that's why love doesn't live in her anymore.

On the other hand Michael experienced love, loss, and rejection. Although he comes from a pretty big family, he never truly felt accepted or love amongst his siblings as his father Joseph would always try to pit them against each other; sometimes unintentional or sometimes intentional. Michael was never met with acceptance or approval from his father and that made him some what of a recluse and a hard worker to prove himself. Sometimes trying to prove himself, landed him in trouble that he's still trying to escape til this day.

He once had a love of his life but just like Tayler's story of abandonment the love of his life left him to be with someone else who had more money and more opportunity than Michael had at the time. He certainly got the short end of the love stick.

"I hope to find love like that one day" Tayler commented looking on.

"Well keep dreaming" Michael fired back.

"What did you just say?" She leaned onto the table again.

"Tay-" Natalie started.

"No Nat, the man has so much on his mind. Let him speak"

"I'm just saying, you keep being rude and stuck up, you-"

"Listen y'all, we wanted to do this because we thought this was a good idea but this can't go on like this. Now we understand that y'all are uncomfortable but there is no reason why we cannot be civil adults at this table" Natalie interrupted him.

"No for real. You two need to chill out and stop attacking each other. Even if y'all don't want to speak to each other. Don't say anything if you have nothing nice to say. Please" Keith finished.

The two just eyed the couple and silently complied.

The dinner was back to being quiet except for Keith and Natalie talking amongst each other and trying to engage the odd couple out. Just like earlier, Tayler would steal glances at Michael when she wasn't looking down at her phone again. Michael on the other hand just full blown stared right at her. He didn't care who saw or cared if it annoyed her, he watched her every move. He was fascinated and angered by this beautiful woman. He knew that this wall she had up was just a front. He could see that she had possibly been hurt before and by whom? He wanted to know badly. He wanted her to break the ice from her heart and just confide in him because she looked like she needed someone, just like he needed someone to talk to. He knew that despite the front she had up, she was just a scared little girl in a world full of adults and that's why she acted out every chance she got.

She was a child that never grew up. Little did he know, he was spot on about her. However, she would never admit that, especially not to Michael.

After enjoying their awkward dinner, it was time to pay.

"I'll pay" Keith offered.

"No, it's ok. I got it" Tayler interrupted.

"God woman! Do you have to fight everything?" Michael questioned.

"No, I just don't need a man to pay for dinner" she crossed her arms.

"Nobody said you needed anything. It's just a nice thing to do when you take two beautiful women out" Michael smiled.

"Tayler just let it go" Natalie said in defeat.

"Natalie no- I'm tired of letting things go. I've been letting things go all night. I just simply wanted to pay"

"Ok, then pay" Michael gave in to her.

"Of course you would let that woman pay"

Everyone at the table snapped their neck at her in disbelief.

"Bruh what the fuck?" Michael spoke up.

He was truly getting tired of her mind games.

Tayler cracked a smile. "I'm just kidding, it was just a joke"

"Dang relax, I can't even joke with y'all" she shook her head.

Everyone at the table sat confused with a light chuckle or smile plastered onto their face.

On the contrary she really didn't want to pay but once again she opened her big mouth and now she was stuck with the bill. The joke that she supposedly made was actually literal, she didn't even want to be here and here she was paying.

"I just figured it's the least I can do because of the trouble I had caused"

She appeared to be coming to her senses and she did recognize that she was being rude and childish tonight but would she take it back? Absolutely not.

After paying the bill, and gathering up the to go bags, they begin to go to their respective vehicles.

"So we're going to meet up at XLanes right?" Keith asked.

"Boy, I'm about to whoop your head in bowling" Michael gloated.

Natalie shook her head at Keith and lowered her head. She lied to her friend about not going bowling earlier at the house.

"You have a huge mouth babe" she whispered to Keith.

"What is the problem?" Michael asked.

"The problem is I don't want to go bowling" Tayler crossed her arms for the thousand time tonight.

Michael sighed. He was getting tired of this routine.

"And why is that Tayler?" He asked lazily.

"Because I don't want to stick my feet in the same shoes as a stranger"

"So you don't want to bowl because of the shoes?" Michael pointed out.

"I'm very big on hygiene and it makes my skin crawl just thinking about the many people who have tried those shoes on. I don't want to develop toe fungus"

"It's ok, why don't we do something else?" Keith suggested.

"No, its fine. It really is. I can just go and y'all can just have fun"

"But Tayler I really wanted us to all to hang out and this is kind of a double date, you can't just leave" Natalie said.

"I understand, but it's getting late" Tayler excused.

Natalie looked disappointed as Keith just rubbed her back and looked between her and Tayler. He truly didn't know what to do. He wanted to spend more time with her and he wanted these two to get along but no matter how hard he tried, they just couldn't get along. She's fire, Michael's ice. Tayler's oil and Michael is water, they never saw eye to eye and they've only known each other for a few hours.

Michael looked on at his friend and Natalie. It really bugged him that this girl tried everything in her power to ruin their dinner and now she was being selfish again all because of some bowling shoes. She could clearly see that her friend was happy being with Keith and instead of staying a bit longer, she could not suffice to make her friend happy. He was fed up.

"Ok, Keith I know you told me to chill but I have to speak up. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Excuse you" she rudely asked.

"Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Just shut the hell up cause I am tired of your mouth" Michael went on.

Everybody stood back as Michael stood over Tayler.

"Mike man, just chill" Keith begged.

"No man, I'm sick of this shit. You been playing these little girl ass games all night! You want to be a grown ass woman act like it. That's why you can't get a man cause you don't know how to just be a lady"

"You better watch-" she started.

"Does it look like I'm done talking?" He growled.

She seen the seriousness in his eyes and for some reason that shut her up real quick.

"First you throw a tantrum and storm out, then you're on your phone at the table which is rude as fuck then you insult what I do for a living? Newsflash sweetheart I am too much fucking man for you any damn way. You wouldn't know what to do with me but I know one thing for sure"

He walked closer to be in her ear. "If you were my woman you wouldn't even fix your mouth to talk back to talk to me like that cause I'd fuck that attitude right out your spirit"

Her mouth immediately dried at his words. Her panties for the thousandth time tonight grew moist at him. The way he dominated the conversation drove her insane. He smelled heavenly, a mixture of jasmine and sandalwood, and she had to stop herself from sniffing loudly. Her innocent eyes looked up at him as she felt vulnerable and sexy under his gaze.

"I speak for everyone here when I say this with no disrespect intended but you have acted like a total rude bitch! And I hate to call women that so you know you have truly rubbed me the wrong way"

"Your behavior was despicable, disgusting, and appalling".

"Do I sound remedial to you?" He asked referring to her calling him remedial earlier in the night.

"You can truly see how happy your friend is with Keith and you have done nothing but make everyone at the table uncomfortable and made it about you! How could you be so selfish? Obviously your friend really wanted you here because if she didn't she wouldn't have asked you but you just had to ruin the night. I hope this made you feel good sweetheart" He finished.

Everyone's mouth hung open at Michael going off on her. They couldn't even stop or defend Tayler on her behalf because most of what he said was true but the other half part was just so shocking to even hear him say.

"Natalie it was nice to meet you, and Keith we'll chop it up later man" Michael side hugged Natalie and clapped up Keith.

Without even acknowledging Tayler whose face was cracked and on the ground, he walked off towards his car.

~
How was the date?