Free Another Hood Love 2 by Jontu'

back?” he asked.
    I tried to hold back my emotions but who was he to put a time limit on how long I held on to the past? I didn’t even respond to Chris’ statement. I excused myself to the restroom and took a couple of deep breaths. This was the second time tonight that Chris had made a reference to my feelings about Tone and I didn’t understand how somebody that was right here could be so worried about a man that was dead and gone. I pulled out my phone and texted Gio that I was on my way and after I handled my business, I left the restroom and returned to the table.
    Once I sat back down, I saw that Chris had paid the bill and had our plates packaged up. He had also ordered me a salted caramel pudding to go. I smiled because when I was looking at the dessert menu, I’d kept going back and staring at it but I had never decided if I had wanted it or not.
    “Thank you,” I said as I grabbed my food and purse and we got up to leave.
    We walked out the restaurant and Chris stepped in front of me and stopped me in mid step. “I hope I didn’t make you feel some type of way in there. If I did, then I apologize but I just want you to open up to me and quit trying to block me out because I could really be good for you,” he said, grabbing my hand. “I am willing to take shit slow with you. I want to make you my girl but there’s no rush. But if that’s not what you want now or even in the future, then tell me because we can just be friends. I ain’t no ugly nigga, baby. I get hoes,” he said while rubbing his hand across his waves and giving me a sexy grin.
    I laughed at his cockiness. “Boy, knock it off. We good. I get a little sensitive but I get over it. Just keep doing what you’re doing these walls are slowly coming down,” I said as I grabbed his hand and we continued walking towards the car.
    All in all, I’d enjoyed our date and I could see myself spending a lot more personal time with Chris. I wasn’t ready for sex but on some real shit, I was horny as hell. Once I got the babies settled in and they were sleep, I would be giving my rabbit a little quality time. I didn’t really care for vibrators and dildos but I wasn’t ready to make a sexual connection with another man at this time in my life.
    Tone was my first everything. I was only 18 years old and I had only been with him. The love, the sex, the bond was all new to me and he was the only nigga I’d had ever felt anything with. Yeah, I had liked guys before. Had even chilled with a few before me and Tone’s relationship, but that was it. At the moment, my mind, body and heart still belonged to Tone, but it was complicated because now it was like my heart and life were on standby. It was in the hands of somebody that could do nothing with it. Tone was gone and never coming back so I knew I had to let go sooner or later and possibly let Chris in or somebody eventually, but now I still wasn’t ready.
    We pulled into my driveway and I got out the car and walked over to my truck. I leaned in and placed my things on the seat and turned back around as Chris was walking up on me. He leaned into me, wrapping me into his warm embrace. It was kind of cold outside and I wasn’t dressed warm enough at all. I reached up and put my arms around his neck and stared into his eyes.
    “I like you, Jaeda. Quit playing wit a nigga,” Chris said as he kissed my lips. His lips felt so good and I couldn’t resist kissing him back.
    “I’m far from playing with you,” I said in between kisses.
    “Then be my girl then, my baby, my boo, my number one,” Chris said while placing soft kisses along my collarbone.
    I pushed back after one last kiss and allowed my hands to glide down his well-defined chest as I stared at him. “I had a great time, Christian. I’ll call you tomorrow or something.”
    He chuckled as I climbed into my truck and started the engine and turned my heat on high. “It’s all good, baby. Goodnight. At least let me know when you get back