This story contains sexually explicit language and is intended for ADULTS ONLY (18) years of age or older. If you are under the age of (18), please DON'T PROCEED with this story. From the author of Thug Passion & DL Brothaz Last Chance For A Love Affair A short story By Angelo A. Dixon We've all had a first love--a love like none other and a love that we will never forget. Maybe that first love moved mountains; perhaps that first love sent us sailing across a bright, star-lit sky on a soft, romantic zephyr sighed from that lovers' breath and made us feel as though we could reach out and touch the moon - a love full of hopes, wishes, dreams and passions - joy and sometimes pain, most often pain; a pain, which strained our feelings and faith in love itself and provoked deep emotions that had no real urge to be anything more than just that, deep emotions. But we required more - a healthy mix of fun, spirituality, friendship, LOVE and sharing. Yet we still cherish the memories of that first love for better or worse with the knowledge that it will never be again. But sometimes…just sometimes, we get a second chance at love--a chance to express our inner most soul and deep-seated desires happily ever after, a last chance for a love affair… It had been a long and emotionally draining summer for Todd Anders, African-American, 23-years-old, who owned a barber and hair stylist shop (Todd's Creative Concepts), one of many black owned businesses on MLK Jr. St.--the center of black activity. Todd's shop was directly across the street from Cue-Ball City (a popular pool hall) in Capital City, Mississippi. Without a doubt, Todd was a handsome looking dude. He was dusty-red in skin tone, had sandy-red hair, which he wore as a short afro, beautiful light-brown eyes (almost hazel colored) and full, succulent, cherry-red lips. Todd was also very fine and stood six-feet, three inches tall. He was a thin dude, but his thinness was complimented by a boomin', round ass, that the brotha' didn't mind sporting in tight-fitting denim jeans. Most guys of the day chose to hide their sexy bodies in loose and baggy jeans, but Todd didn't go for the thugged-out look. He didn't have anything against the popular thugged-out look. He simply preferred to give the ladies and the brothaz' a chance to see what he was working with - front and back. Todd was bisexual with more of a preference for guys, but his previous lover and the cause of his slump mood had been a beautiful, 22-year-old, high-yellow, independent, African-American susta' named Keisha McMillan. Todd and Keisha had been dating for a year and a half and Todd thought he and Keisha were going to "do the damn thing" and tie-the-knot, but Keisha never seemed to want a committed relationship with Todd. This was very distressing to him, because he loved Keisha and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. So when Keisha came to him one day and dropped the bomb by saying, "I think we should slow this relationship down, Todd. It's moving too fast. Let's start dating other people to see if we really love each other, and then we'll know if it's true love," he was saddened and heartbroken, yet he agreed. Keisha had been the second young lady in Todd's life to tarnish his future dreams for a happy married life. And after everything went south in his relationship with Keisha, Todd figured he would never find that true love - that special love. As he stood behind his barber chair wearing a dark burgundy barber shirt, DaDa denim jeans and DaDa tennis shoes and trimming away at a young guys head, a handsome dude stepped into the shop and had a seat in front of Todd's chair. And being that Todd was bisexual, he checked the dude out from head to toe. "Whasup?" Todd said to the dude in a deep voice, as he slightly threw up his head. "Whasup?" the dude replied in an even deeper voice with a similar head gesture. The dude was an attractive Blatino brotha' (a person of Latin and African-American decent.) He stood six-feet, eight inches tall, golden brown skinned, had wavy jet-black hair and dark entrancing eyes. Todd couldn't help but peep the dude out. The dude couldn't help but notice how Todd was giving him the once-all-over treatment, but he didn't mind. He thought Todd was a killer for looks his damn-self. Back and forth, Todd and the handsome young stranger exchanged eye glances of interest on the down low. No one else in the barbershop knew they were courting each other in this manner. But Todd still couldn't tell if his new admirer was gay, straight or bisexual. Like him, the dude was very masculine and had no overt homosexual ticks - a fact Todd found very pleasing, because he hated the "queen" type of guy--the hand throwing, wrist bending, finger snapping, hands-on-his-hips, "girl, please" type of guys. Finally and much to Todd's delight, he finished up with the young guy and now it was the Blatino brotha's turn. "Whasup, man? You waitin' fo' me?" Todd asked. He stared straight into the dudes' eyes when he asked these questions and prayed his answer would be (yes.) The stranger didn't utter a word. He stood, made his way to Todd's chair and had a seat. Todd thought to himself… "Damn, I guess that answers my questions." He smiled and got right to work on the brotha. Todd shook the protector smock a few times, and then with expert skill, he covered the dudes' fine gear, as not to get any hair on him. "How you want it, man?" Todd asked to the dude. "My name is Ember, dude. Ember Velez. You can call me that," the stranger said. "What?! Oh, okay, man, Ember, then. How you want it, Ember?" Todd asked again with a smile. "Just give me a trim and line it up, bro," Ember said. "You got it! And by the way…my name is Todd." "Word? Well, nice to meet you, Todd," Ember said with a smile. Todd did his thing on Ember's soft and dark hair. Ember's hair was very easy for Todd to cut and he seemed to enjoy every second of this job. As he moved around Ember's body to trim his hair, he pressed is crotch against Ember's shoulders. He did this to feel the brotha' out. If Ember made any annoyed moves from being bombarded by Todd's large, semi-hard tool, then he would know that Ember wasn't down. Ember didn't flinch. Instead, he continued to smile and when Todd was at a certain angle, their eyes would lock one onto the other. Silent words began to flow into them, which said what they both wanted to hear. This continued on and on, and then Todd broke the silence to learn more about Ember. "So, Whasup, man? I mean, Ember. That's a strange name, man. Ember… What does it mean?" Todd asked. Ember smiled. "Well, it has a very special meaning and I only tell it to special friends in my life, mostly females, you feel me?" Ember said. "Special, ha? I feel ya', man. I wouldn't want you to break any personal rules or anything. Well, you from around here?" Todd asked, as he changed the subject, but his curiosity about Ember and the true meaning of his name only grew. He hoped he would be considered a "special friend" one day and be given the honor of knowing its meaning. "Nah, man. I mean, Todd. I'm from New York, dude--the Bronx," Ember replied to Todd's question. "New York?! Damn, what you doin' way down here? You got family in Capital City?" "Nah. I'm going to school at MA&M (Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical University.) I got a full athletic scholarship to go there," Ember said. Todd turned him around in the chair to check out his skills at lining the front of Ember's hair. "Damn, that's straight," Todd smiled, as he turned Ember's head to the side. "What you play, man?" he asked. "Basketball & Football. But, I won the scholarship with my basketball playin' skills, you heard me?" Ember said with a slight smile of pride. The pride could also be heard in his voice and Todd immediately picked up on it. "So, B-Ball yo' thang, ha?" "Fa' sho, dawg! I think I'd die if I couldn't play," Ember said. "Die, ha?" "Fo' real." "That would be a shame, dawg," Todd said. "Yeah…?" "Yeah, man. If you died, then I wouldn't be able to trim you hair anymore," Todd chuckled. Ember chuckled too. The shop had thinned and the other barbers went home for the day. This left Todd and Ember in the shop alone, a fact that pleased Todd to no end… Todd swung the chair around to face the large mirror, so Ember could check out his work. "What cha' think?" Todd asked. As Ember checked himself out in the mirror, Todd used this time to peep out his stunning body again. "Damn, this motherfucka' fine as fuck!" he observed. His eyes went from Ember's tiny, pierced ears all the way down his hard chest and rippling abs that protruded through his shirt, to his large feet, which were sporting the latest pair of Air Max Duncan's. Unaware of Todd's admiration of his well-defined physical attributes, Ember turned his head from side to side, and then he looked up at Todd with a colossal smile. Todd quickly stopped his intense ogle of Ember's body and smiled back. "It's tight, man. Thanks," Ember grinned. Todd turned him around, again, and then he removed the smock and shook off the access hair. Ember stood and pulled out his wallet to pay Todd. "$8, right?" "Nah. This one's on me," Todd said with a very serious look on his face and in his eyes. He stared straight into Ember--straight into his soul with a mad rush of emotions. Ember could feel the power in Todd's stare, but he played it off. "Cool! Thanks, man!" Ember smiled. "No problem, man. Maybe, I'll see you around, ha?" Todd said. It was really a hope, a desire that he would see Ember again. "Maybe, dawg. I tell you what," he said, as he pulled a card from his wallet. He handed it to Todd. "This is my cell phone number. Holla' at me sometime," he said. Todd took the card and smiled. He looked up at Ember with a wise grin. "Fa' sho, dawg. I might be givin' you a ring real soon," he said. Ember fled the shop and left Todd with more than just a card with his cell phone number on it, but an aching, desirous hope that the two of them would one day get together and get down. Two days passed. Todd didn't call Ember right away, because he didn't want to seem too anxious. But anxious is just what he was. The moment he finished his last client for the day, he beat his way to the payphone in his shop and dialed Ember's cell phone number. The phone rang three times, before a deep, rugged voice came on the line and caused Todd's heart to thumb faster. "Yo, wasup?" Ember answered. Todd could also hear a lot of laughter and loud talking in the background. "Hey, wasup, Ember?" Todd said with much excitement. "Chillin'. Who dis?" "Todd, man." "Todd…?! Oh, the dude from the barbershop, ha?" "Fa sho, man. Hey, where the hell you at, bro?" "In the locker room on campus about to take a shower, man. I just finished basketball practice," Ember said. Todd smiled. All he could imagine was Ember standing in the locker room and wearing only a jock strap or nothing at all - drenched in sweat, beads of sweat, like liquid jewels, rolling off his face, down his throat and trickling between the valley of huge, perturbing abs, which completely covered his stomach, while talking to him on the phone. He leaned against the wall next to the payphone, closed his eyes and cupped his crotch, as he continued to talk to Ember and slowly stroked himself to a point of semi-hardness. "'Bout to take a shower, ha?" Todd said. His tone of voice dropped lower, yet his body temperature rose and a harder woody invaded his boxers. His tool was hard enough to fuck something right then and there. "Fo' real, man. I'm funky as a Billy-goat, right now, dawg, believe dat'!" Ember laughed. "Damn, I wish I could smell your sexy ass," Todd said to himself. "Hey, you still there, man?" Ember asked. "What?! Oh, yeah, man. Look… what you got up tonight?" Todd asked. He snapped back to reality and stood upright in front of the phone. "Nothing really. What's up?" "Wanna' hang for a minute with me, since you ain't busy?" Todd crossed his fingers. Ember was silent for a few moments, before he gave Todd an answer to his request to hang. "Well… sure, man. We can chill for a few, dawg. It's the least I can do, since you gave me a free cut the other day," Ember smiled. "That ain't all I wanted to give yah'!" Todd said in a very low whisper that was quickly carried away to vanish in a passionate puff of air. "What chew' say, man?" Ember heard Todd's mumbling, but couldn't quite make it out. "Oh, nothing, man. Look, where do you live? I'll stop by and pick you up," Todd said. "I live right here on campus in the athletic dorm. Know where it is?" "Fa' sho'! No problem, man. I'll be there in two hours, word?" "Word! Aiight, man… Let me hit this shower and I'll see you in two hours." "Aiight, peace!" "Peace!" Todd hung-up the phone and smiled. He couldn't wait to see Ember again. He looked down at the floor in his shop and saw several balls of black hair from hours of haircuts. He figured he'd better grab the broom and do a quick clean-up job, because a filthy shop was bad for business. ___ Twenty minutes later and when Todd was about to walk out of the shop and head home to take a shower and change clothes, the payphone rang. He stood at the door for a moment or two and let it ring several times. He didn't know if he wanted to answer it or not, because the shop was officially closed for the day. Yet and still, he turned around and headed back into the shop to answer it. "Barbershop!" "Todd?" "Keisha?" "Yes, it is. What took you so long to answer the phone, Todd?" Keisha asked in her typical lighthearted and energetic voice. "I was walking out the door when you called, Keisha. I wasn't even going to answer it, but I changed my mind," Todd said. "Oh, it is late, huh? Well, anyway… What are your plans this evening?" she asked. "Well…" "Look, there's this great movie playing at the Mall Theater, "Baby Boy." It's the new John Singleton movie. Have you heard of it?" Keisha asked. "Yeah, I have heard of it. I saw a trailer for it this morning on TV," Todd replied. "But…" "Great! So you know it's a good movie, then," she said cutting him off. "What do you say about catching the late show, 9pm, huh?" "Well, Keisha, I do have plans tonight," Todd said. "Plans?! What kind of plans, Todd? I know you, brotha'. You're probably going to just sit at home and watch some game or something or play Nintendo like a little boy. Am I right???" Todd didn't respond. "Look, Todd Anders, a night at the movies would be more interesting than just sitting around the house drinking beer and playing games, and I think you would like the movie," she surmised. She tried to entice Todd, next… "Hey, I just bought a new skirt set at Jack & Jill's downtown. I just know you'll like it. It comes to halfway up my thighs," Keisha smiled, as she went on and on without giving Todd a word in edgewise. Todd began to deliberate… "Humph… I'm good enough to go to the movies with, but I'm not good enough to marry, huh? Why is she asking me, anyway? Why doesn't she go with one of her girlfriends or some other guy? Hell, I know she's seeing other men. I'm not the only guy in this city she can ask to take her to the damn movies. And I'll bet she expects me to pick-up the tab, too. This Hoe got too much damn nerve. And not just that, I haven't heard a word from her in two damn weeks!" Todd was really getting pissed at Keisha. He already had plans for the evening, but Keisha had completely dismissed his plans as ferriferous and boring. And at that moment, Todd's date with Ember seemed more alluring and exciting to him than having to shell out $20 or $30 to sit in a dark theater with Keisha. His mind was made up. "Look, Keisha. I already have a date for the evening," Todd said bursting her bubble. Keisha was truly shocked. "What?! You already have a date?!" "That's right, and I can't change my plans, because you call up out of the clear blue sky, girl. Hey, I gotta run. Maybe we can catch a movie next week or something, if I'm not busy, that is. I'll holla' and let you know. Gotta' get outta' here now, Keisha, and get ready for my date. Peace!" Without warning and without a second thought, Todd hung-up the phone in Keisha's face and headed out of the barbershop with a giant smile on his face. In his mind, Keisha had her chance with him, but she blew it by being indecisive about their relationship. So he felt that he didn't owe her a damn thing - not even his company at a movie. _____ Promptly two hours later, Todd pulled up in front of the athletic dorm on the campus of MA&M in a fly-ass metallic green Suburban with chrome chopper rims and dark, limousine tinted windows. His choice of attire was very casual. He was wearing a white Fubu stocking cap, a baby blue Fubu warm-up suit with detachable sleeves, a plane white T-shirt and white Nike tennis shoes. He appeared to be a loverman supreme with this sporty, yet sexy outfit on. Only LL Cool J could have matched his new jack, chilled-out, style. Ember was standing inside the building when Todd pulled up, but he quickly exited and headed towards the truck. He didn't know what kind of car Todd had, but he figured it must be him, because he hadn't seen this truck on campus before. With a really cool stride to his steps and wearing a black and white bandanna tied round his head - covered over by a black baseball cap turned backwards, an off-the-fly dark blue Players hooded, long sleeve shirt, dark denim baggy Players jeans and a pair of Bob Marley tan colored hiking boots--untied with the tongue flapped over them, Ember approached the truck and leaned against the passenger door. He stuck his head in and smiled. Todd smiled. Ember looked all around inside the cool ride. "Damn, you got a tight ride, man," he said. The 6-disc CD changer, 13" TV, DVD player, plush carpeting and sunroof impressed him. "Thanks, man," Todd grinned with pride. "Hey, get in, man. Let's roll." Ember pulled his head back, opened the door and got in. He reached his hand over to give Todd some dap. So did Todd. Their hands touched for the second time since first seeing each other and their eyes locked. Neither one said a word, but it was all understood that this ride was going to be an adventure that neither one of them would ever forget. Ember was the first to pull his hand back and play the close moment off. "So…where we headed, Todd?" he asked. "It's a surprise, man," Todd replied. He started his engine and pulled off. "A surprise?! I don't like surprises, dude. You ain't takin' me somewhere I can't find my way back from, are you?" Todd looked over at Ember with a sneaky grin. "Don't worry, dawg. You're in good hands. You're going to like this place. Trust me, aiight?" Ember looked into Todd's sexy, light-brown eyes and his uneasy feeling was soon swept away. "Aiight, man. I'll trust you…this time," he said. He looked forward again, and sat back and enjoyed the ride. Todd turned on the CD player and the sounds of Silk "We're Callin' You" filled the truck with booming base and slamming hip-hop lyrics. "You like Silk, man?" Todd asked. "Yeah. I got that CD, myself. The whole thing is tight. That is…if you're into romance," Ember replied. He looked over at Todd to see his reaction to his leading statement. Todd took his eyes off the road for a second or two and looked over at Ember with a serious, penetrating gaze. He looked forward again and broke a tiny smile. "You into romance, dawg?" he asked, as he still looked forward. "Fa' sho!" Ember said. "When I'm with a honey," he threw in. Todd looked over at him again. "Oh, I see. So, you ain't into romance unless you're with a female, ha?" Ember looked to the right and out of the window at a passing car. They were on the freeway. Still looking out of the window he said, "Why you wanna' know…you gay or something?" Todd's heart jumped slightly. "Nah…I ain't gay, dawg. I was just askin' you a question, that's all," Todd quickly replied. He shook his head. "Damn, why did I ask him that question? Now, he thinks I'm gay and shit. Well, I am bisexual, but that's not exactly gay, though," he contemplated in his mind. Then Ember shocked Todd with a bold admission… With his eyes glued out the side window and looking at absolutely nothing but green trees, he said, "I kindda' wished you were, man, 'cause I think you're fine, yeah." He looked over at Todd and smiled. Todd quickly looked over at Ember with a look that combined a mixture of shock and excitement. He also damn near drove off the side of the road, but he soon regained control of the truck. "What 'chew say, man?" He couldn't believe he actually heard what he thought he heard come out of Ember's mouth. "You heard me, right, man. I said, I think you're fine and sexy as fuck," Ember grinned. "Damn, Ember," Todd sighed, as he looked back at the road. "You straight-up about yo' shit, ha?" "For real, man. Hey, I don't openly let people know my business about being bisexual, but I had a feeling you were down," Ember said. "Especially after that shit you did when you were cutting my hair." Todd laughed. "Word?" "Straight up! I could tell you were down for whatever." "Word? It was that obvious, ha?" "No, not really, but you know what they say, dawg?" "What's that…?" "We know our own," Ember said with a grin. Todd shook his head. He blew out a sight of relief. "Feels good to have it out in the open, ha?" Ember asked. "For real! It ain’t every day you get to speak openly to someone about your sexuality," Todd replied. "So, tell me the truth, Todd…are you gay or bisexual?" "Bi." Ember blew out a sight of relief, then. "Why you did that?" Todd asked, as he looked over at Ember. "I'm glad you ain't totally gay, cause I don't want anybody to figure my secret out," Ember said. "What?! You think I look or act gay, or something?" In an odd sort of way, it pissed Todd off to hear Ember say this. "Hey, don't get upset, dawg. I just have to be careful, you know? I might loose my scholarship or something if the college found out I wasn't totally straight," Ember explained. Todd went silent. Ember could feel that Todd was a bit put off by his statement. He slid over on the seat closer to Todd and reached over and placed his hand on Todd's right thigh and smiled. Todd looked down at Ember's hand, and then up at his innocent-as-a-kitten expression, which also revealed much more than innocence--a seductive side. "Forgive me?" Ember asked in a very calming tone of voice. He trailed his fingertips up and down Todd's thigh and caused his tool to jump in his boxers. "Sure," Todd said with a smile. His smile shone brighter than the sun itself. He glanced down at Ember's lips and became instantly heated. He felt like pulling over on the side of the road and giving Ember something long, hard and wide to suck on, but he shook off that thought and continued to head towards his destination--a destination that only he was aware of at this point. Ember slid back over on his side and looked out of the window again. That's when he realized they were now way out of the city limits and seemed to be traveling towards the countryside. He looked over at Todd once more. "Come on, Todd. Tell me where are we going, dude. We've been ridin' for almost an hour now, dawg." "We're going to a private cabin on my family's property in the country. They call this area of Capital City "Sagefield." Ever heard of it?" "Nah." He looked over at Ember. "You like the country?" he asked. "Well, I've never been in the country before. I'm from the Bronx, man. Ain't much countryside where I'm from," Ember chuckled. Todd chuckled. "Well, this should be an interesting experience for you--for both of us, ha?" Todd asked. His mind fell upon getting down with Ember. Ember looked over at Todd's wise grin and mimicked him. "Fa' sho'," he said. "Very interesting." His mind fell upon getting it on with Todd. "Tell me something?" Todd asked seriously. "What does Ember mean? I asked you that before, but you wouldn't tell me." "Not yet, man. I'm gonna tell you, but not just yet, okay?" Ember said. "Must be something freaky," Todd concluded "Not freaky…romantic," Ember smiled. "Romantic, ha?" "Without a doubt." Todd continued on his drive to Sagefield with the hope that he and Ember would connect and get it on like never before. Ember had a similar hope, but neither one of them had any way to determine the outcome of this peculiar encounter. _____ Finally, the destination had been reached. When they got out of the truck, Ember looked up and was amazed by all the tall, green trees, the potpourri of astonishing wildflowers in an array of bright, vibrant colors, the spacious surroundings and the cute, little two-story wooden cabin with a nice wrap-around deck. He shook his head. "Whasup…something wrong?" Todd asked. He beat his way over to Ember and placed his hand firmly on his left shoulder, as he continued to look around the property--a beautiful 40-acre country scene, straight off of a Norman Rockwell postcard. "Nah. Nothing's wrong, man. I'm just blown away. It's pretty as fuck out here, man," Ember replied. He took a deep breath of the fresh, country air and smiled. "And the air is so fresh and sweet…I don't think my lungs have ever experienced air that didn't have smog in it," he said with a loud chuckle. "I hear yah, man," Todd smiled with pride. He was happy Ember was feeling at ease in this alien, country setting. "Think you could get used to this kind of living?" Todd asked. "Fo' real! I wouldn't mind comin' up here every weekend," Ember replied with excitement. Todd liked hearing this too. "This is your family's property, you said?" Ember asked. "Yeah, but it's really mine. I'm the one my grandfather left it to, but we all come up here to enjoy the quite scene, fresh air, pretty flowers and uncomplicated country living," Todd replied. He released Ember's shoulder and walked forward a few steps. He stopped dead in his tracks and quickly turned around. "Wanna' take a swim?" he smiled with glee. "A swim… You have a pool out here?" Ember asked. "Nah. I have a lake out here, man." "A lake?! I don't know, Todd. Is it safe? There aren't any alligators or anything in it, ha?" "Alligators?! No way, man! This ain't Louisiana, dawg. This is Mississippi, bro'. There might be a few frogs and turtles in it, but that's about the extent of the wildlife in this lake," Todd assured him. "What about snakes, man… I hate snakes, dude?" Ember asked with a shimmy of his shoulders. "Don't worry about it, man!" Todd assured with much confidence and excitement. He ran to Ember and stopped inches in front of him. "None of the snakes on this property are poisonous snakes. They are all friendly, country snakes," he grinned. "What?! Man, I ain't ever heard of a friendly snake, dude," Ember replied. He gave Todd a curious gaze. "What are you trying to do, Todd? You wanna' see me get bitten by a snake or something, ha?" "What?!" Todd moved closer to Ember and got right up in his mix. He spoke in a very soft voice level to put Ember at ease. "If you get bitten by anything out here, it'll be either a mosquito or me," he said with a giant grin on his face. "Word…? Is that a promise or a tease, man?" Ember asked. He turned his head to the side and licked his bottom lip, as he stared into Todd's gorgeous, light-brown eyes and waited for his answer. Without blinking an eye, Todd responded, "that's a promise." Also without blinking an eye, Ember said, "lead the way." ____ END OF PART 1