She's beautiful, black and desperate to dance--Her name is Rice and she wants to feel alive, but Danny, her husband, seems to be settling down, growing jealous when other men even look at her, and she wants them to do much more than look. If Danny won't play, the promise of adventure with the boys in the band at the club might prove irresistible. ~~~~~ Excerpt ~~~~~ Rice stepped onto the dance floor and let the music seep into her bones, let the pulsing rock rhythm make her nerves twitch and the she started moving with it, dancing across the floor of the club with Danny trying to keep up with her. He wasn't the world's greatest dancer. He had some nice moves, but he didn't care that much about it. When it came to dancing Danny could take it or leave it, but for Rice, dancing was sexy and wonderful…freeing. She worked out regularly, but dancing kept her in shape too and it was a release. Other people in the club, mostly men, watched her move and she ate it up. She liked dressing so that they noticed her fine body. It was nice to be desired even though the looks often upset Danny. He seemed to be getting worse even though he knew acting jealous, showing it and getting angry at other men, pissed her off. Increasingly he didn't even seem to like getting out. Tonight she'd insisted. "I need a night of dancing," she told him. "It's a night for dancing." "You like the way men look at you in that short skirt," he said. "You enjoy parading that sleek ebony body around and knowing they want you." "And what's wrong with that? Isn't this sleek ebony body what attracted you to me? Maybe you should have married that Shirley from work. She had, probably still has, a crush on you. Fat as she is, she probably is still available and other men won't be chasing her and making you act like an asshole." "I just hate seeing other men hitting on you." She wasn't letting him get away with it again. "Well you don't have to see it. Stay home if you want…I'm going dancing. The club has a hot band playing. Great dance music from all eras. I can't get off on that but if you can't get up some enthusiasm for a night dancing I'm sure I can find someone to dance with." Of course then he had to go. Now, on the dance floor, she came into her own. It didn't matter if Danny was there or not. It didn't matter who she danced with or if she danced with anyone at all. The music infected her and took control. The songs were good ones and the band did decent covers. The band was a four piece. A tall girl played keyboard and sang some of the songs. A stocky young guy with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes played guitar and sang other times. They were both good. Two other fair-haired guys laid down funky rhythms with drums and bass. The group was tight. As she danced by the bandstand, with the girl singing CHAIN OF FOOLS (she wasn't Aretha, but the effort was good) the guitar player openly gave Rice a good looking over. Enjoying it, she shimmied a little extra when she was close to the bandstand, letting them know she didn't wear a bra under her silk blouse. Naturally Danny noticed and his dance movements became tighter. The guitar player said something to his band mates and they grinned back at him, and when the song ended, they immediately started in on a hot rendition of BROWN SUGAR. The guitar player sang it with great energy, looking right at Rice. She felt a warm glow from having his eyes on her. Charged, she put on a show for him, really shaking her ass, and running her hands over her body suggestively. If he wanted to play, well she knew and enjoyed the game.
