She waved it off and took the first-aid kit back from him. "It's fine. But I like her for you. And for the record, I have never believed in letting anyone disrespect you without a response. I don't play like that either."
I smiled at her.
Duke kissed his teeth and she popped his shoulder.
"Boy, don't even start. You were out here fighting before you could spell your own name. I remember one time you took me to Sammy's to get a bag of Skittles and some girl walked up talking about Colby. She didn't even get the full sentence out before you put her face into the chip rack."
We all cracked up. Duke shook his head but he was smiling too.
"I'll admit it. I was a swing-first, ask-questions-later type when I was coming up," I said.
Heiress reached over and slapped my hand. "My kind of girl."
Jessa and Aubree made their way back over, and Juelz was with them throwing shadow punches in the air.
"Aye, now that I know you got hands, can I call you if I ever need some females handled?" he asked.
Aubree's brow went up slowly. "What females are you referring to exactly?"
"I thought we weren't serious, love."
Aubree turned and walked off without another word. Juelz went after her immediately, wrapped his arms around her from behind, and said something in her ear that had her giggling within seconds.
Jessa stepped around them and did a little celebration dance. "I knew you had it in you."
"Girl, please. Have y'all met Duke's mom? This is Heiress," I said, gesturing toward her.
Heiress had her hand in Duke's hair trying to smooth it down. He kept knocking it away telling her it was fine.
"Hi, Ms. Hinton," Jessa said with a wave.
"Call me Heiress, baby. Ms. Hinton is my mother."
Jessa smiled and nodded.
A tall man with deep brown skin and locs pulled up into a bun walked over. He was wearing a white shirt with the fire department logo and Station Three printed beneath it, and it fit like it had been made for him. He dapped Duke up, then looked over at me with a nod and an easy smile.
"You know you're in the Parks when you can get a good meal and a good show all in one night."
Duke smirked and shook his head.
"Man, this is her first block party and she's already the main event," Duke said, pointing at me.
I crossed my arms and turned my back to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back into his lap, then leaned forward to my ear.
"You mad at me, baby?"
I kept quiet.
"So that's how we're doing it? You're out here putting hands on people and now you won't talk to me?" He bit my ear lightly and then kissed the same spot.
"You were being mean to me," I said, somewhere between a whine and a laugh.
He pressed kisses down my neck and against my cheek until I was squirming and giggling and completely unable to hold onto being upset.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Duke," I groaned, then gave up and laughed.