“So,” he countered, wiping his mouth with the cloth napkin before he stood up. Coming around the table, he reached out for my hand. “All you need is me.”
Looking deeply into my eyes, he spoke with so much conviction that I believed every word. My hands trembled when I placed it inside his. I'm sure he noticed, but he didn’t mention it.
He slowed his footsteps when we reached the center. I gasped in surprise as he tugged me close to his chest, wrapping one arm gently around my waist. He laid his open palm flat on my lower back, using the other to grasp my hand in his.
“You never danced before?” he asked when I stepped on his toes for the second time.
“Not like this,” I admitted shyly, peaking down to make sure my feet were a safe distance away. “I used to dance at parties, I guess, before I went to prison. People in the hood don’t dance like this.”
He chuckled, the vibration in his chest warmed my heart. That came out wrong, and he’s probably thinking I’m insulting him.
“Not you,” I fumbled over my words, tryna retract my statement. “Other hood people.”
He laughed harder, and I averted my gaze in embarrassment. I’m making a fool of myself.
Releasing my hand, he used his index finger to turn my head towards him. “I know what you meant, Baby. I didn’t know either until I started going to a bunch of fundraisers and shit for my job. I had to teach myself a thing or two. I do alright now though.”
I rolled my eyes at his cocky smile, showing dimples in his cheeks I didn’t know he had.
‘Perfect’ by Otis Kane started playing on the speakers, and it’s one of my favorite songs, so I singed along.
I lost myself in the lyrics, sensually moving my hips to the beat of the melody. I was so into it that I hadn’t realized I closed my eyes until my eyelids fluttered open. His eyes collided with mine, and I giggled at his lopsided grin.
“What?”
He shook his head. “I ain’t know you can blow like that, Baby.”
He tightened his hold on my waist, the pressure of his hand made my body tingle. I had my arms loosely around his shoulders, my fingers latched together at the back of his head.
“How could you know?” I teased, giving him a knowing look.
We have yet to talk about the fact that we knew each other for real. I know the reason I didn’t bring it up. My past reminded me of T. K, and he’s the last nigga I want to be thinking about, especially right now.But why Love didn’t say anything?
After a few seconds, he sucked his teeth, “Alright. You caught me.”
I giggled at his foolishness. “So, you do remember me?”
“How can I ever forget you, Baby?” whispered, licking his lips sexily.
The song continued to play, but we stopped swaying as our eyes collided. I feel like eighteen again, sneaking glances at him from across the room and watching him look at me with the same heated gaze. I slowly raised my hand to his face, cupping his jaw into my palm.
His eyes were glued to my mouth. I can see the struggle in his eyes, and every glance towards my lips, his jaw tightened. I never wanted anything more than this. For him to kiss me. It’s all I thought about since I saw him again. Mentally cursing myself, I lean in anyway. I don’t care about the consequences. I needed him.
We were so caught up in each other, we didn’t see the S.W.A.T. team come up with their guns, boxing us in from all sides of the restaurant. “Mr. Hamilton! Get on the ground, NOW!”
We both jumped away, and, in an instant, Love was forcefully thrown to the floor.
“Wait, what’s going on?” I screamed loudly, my eyes widened.
At the same time, Love shouted, “What the fuck? What did I do?”
Everything happened so fast, and I couldn’t even keep up with what they were saying. One minute he was holding me in his arms and the next, he was on the floor in handcuffs.
“You’re under arrest for the armed robbery of Frescani’s Savings and Loan and the Attempted murder of Antonio Frescani.”
I gasped out loud, placing my hand over my mouth.
“You got the wrong nigga man. It ain’t me!”” Love blurted out, twisting around the best he could, peering at the officer holding him down. But the man already had it in his mind that Love was guilty. “When this happened? You got the wrong man.”
