“You know I do, aye? Love you right, Chessiebomb.”

“How I can do that one, aye? Leave my Chessiebomb there without me.”

“Love you too Chess. You got that aye? Ain't you know it? Love you right, till it hurts. Ain't going nowhere…………”

“Always want you, Chessiebomb. Always.”

“Give you whatany you want, Chessiebomb. Anything.”

“I’m not into danger, either.” “Aw, Chess. You so into it you ain’t climb out with a rope. Why else you do your job, live down here, buy from Bump?” “It’s just—I mean—I just do, is all.” Her cheeks burned. She shouldn’t have let him come in here. She should have just sent him home and let him wash his stupid shirt himself. “No shame in it. Some of us needs an edge on things make us feel right, else we ain’t like feeling at all, aye?”

“You so f*ckin pretty, you got that?” The hand moved lower. “So pretty everywhere.”She swallowed. Her mouth had gone so dry it was hard to talk. “To you, maybe.”“Aye.” His lips moved further up her neck until he pulled away enough for their eyes to meet. “Aye, to me.”