Page 48 of Chrome

She walked over to me and gave me a side hug. I couldn’t tell you the last time Melanie hugged me and meant it. I dug in my purse and hand over my card. I also handed her, hers. She was changing and deserved it back. My daughter was my first love, and I never wanted to be her enemy. Realizing how hard I fought for her happiness, she’d given me the little girl I had before the divorce.

“What’s wrong, baby? You okay?”

“I’m good. Chrome’s here so that means…”

“No abortion,” I answered.

Her smile stretched from ear to ear. It was an unexpected reaction. I fully expected her to just be mellow about it. However, seeing her show joy caused me to smile as well.

“I’m glad you didn’t get it. I’m leaving and you would’ve been by yourself. The baby can keep you company.”

“I doubt the baby will keep me company. If anything, I’ll be stressed the hell out. Are you cool with Chrome being here?”

Nodding, she said, “Yeah. My lil’ crush has passed. I hope he makes you happy, Mama. You deserve it. Did y’all want something? I’m ordering Chinese.”

“Yeah. I’ll text you the order. Thank you, Mel.”

All she offered was a small smile as she walked off and headed back upstairs. I always knew she would realize how deep my love ran for her. It was like she was blinded as long as Houston was in the picture. Now that it was just us, she didn’t question me or give me grief. She went with the flow and made sure she was with me most of the day now. I’d become her mother again in her eyes.It took her long enough.

Chapter Fifteen

CHROME

Asmile graced a nigga lips while I admired my woman. All the bullshit we’d been going through had become overwhelming to us both. I proposed a date, and she went for it. I mean, she didn’t really have a choice in the matter to begin with. I wanted to see her dolled up and matching a nigga fly. It was all part of this vision I saw in my head of us.

She stood in the mirror with a black dress hugging her body stopping mid-thigh. Fade was bright and evenly toned. Nothing about her skin was discolored and there wasn’t a blemish in sight. Nothing tainted her canvas except for the sternum tattoo that I couldn’t get enough of kissing.

“Where are we going, Chrasmere? Is this even appropriate? Is my ass out?” she fired off question after question out of nervousness.

“Mama, we going wherever I take you and you look fine as hell. Ain’t nobody worried about that ass being out either because it’s gon’ be on this dick later anyway.”

“That’s not helping,” she whined.

I stood from the bench and walked over to my baby. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her for a minute. When she wasn’t fussing or being a brat, she was a nigga peace.Everything this woman did had me locked in. I didn’t know how she got me so fuckin’ obsessed with her ass either. We weren’t ever parting though. She had to know that.

“Baby, you good. Our reservation is at seven. We can either eat out, or I can eat in,” I said running my hand up her thigh. I didn’t have a problem with either choice on the table. The taste of her was better than any entrée.

“As much as I would love to have my soul snatched for the umpteenth time today, I want to go out and have a good time. Help me with my heels and then we can go.”

From sunup to sundown, I’d been between her legs. She brought me home with her from the precinct a couple weeks ago and a nigga ain’t left yet. I couldn’t if I was being honest. The perks of having her anytime I wanted had me spoiled. I missed the hood fa sho, but I missed my woman more. Couldn’t nobody in that muthafucka make a nigga go crazy like she could.

She took a seat on the bench occupying the space I previously did. Squatting, I slipped her foot into her heels one by one strapping them around her ankles. She smelled so fuckin’ good. Out of all the scents she wore, smelling her in Killian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy had to be my favorite. When muthafuckas described smelling Rihanna was like heaven, I imagined this was what they inhaled.

“We really could stay in, Mama.” I was already in position. All she had to do was spread her legs and let a nigga feast.

Leaning forward, she cuffed my face and planted a kiss so soft a nigga was ready to cancel plans for real. When you got somebody so fuckin’ addictive, the world shifted, and you just wanted live in that muthafucka skin.

“Keep that same energy after dinner. Now let’s go.”

She stood, grabbed her clutch, and walked out the room. Standing, I smirked and followed her out the door. She was who a nigga was in love with.

We headed right out the door. I was glad she knew to keep walking because my eyes couldn’t stay off her ass. I knew the recoil on that bitch and how good that muthafucka hit when I was behind it. Fade had me out here admitting to anybody that would listen how sprung a nigga was.

Opening her door, I helped her into the passenger side and helped her with her belt. I really just wanted to rub up against her breast. They were growing by the day and a nigga was in love with them melons. I jogged around and joined her after she was strapped. I pulled out and hit the main road heading for Portofino’s. It was an Italian restaurant that I thought she would like.

The traffic in the Lake was light but the folk were still out. I loved my city. Regardless of how many stupid muthafuckas it housed. I wouldn’t want to be nowhere but the Lake. When it came down to it, we lowkey unified with understandings. The biker life saved a lot of us from being in jail or in a fuckin’ grave.

The drive was a smooth fifteen to get downtown and another ten to find parking. We had to walk the strip a lil’ bit to get to our destination but we got there eventually. Walking inside hand in hand, the dimly lit scene immediately gave you that intimate setting you were looking for. Fade’s smile stretched from ear to ear as she gently squeezed my hand.

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