ghirardelli.

When I was 9 years old I met my best friend’s older brother. He was 15, taught us how to do the guess and the prep. He was real black. Think eggplant. I fell in love. Immediately. So inspired by love was I that I participated in a photo shoot, draping my flannel pajama clad 2 ponytail wearing self with Christmas tinsel. As if the glitter of Christmas decor would entice him to share my sentiment. Now, 25 years later, he may look at that picture and wonder why I was striking poses with a halo of green foil. It was all for you Dethrick.

The combination of darkness and muscle tone was apparently as severely appealing to me at 9 as it is now at 33. I no longer try to attract men with holiday decorations but I do plenty of painfully high heel wearing, pushing up, smashing in, plucking shaving and nairing. Christmas tinsel was easier. Either way my love of dark skin began long before Shadow and Clarke got busy on the balcony. Dulce de leche might be making a come back, dark chocolate is here to stay.

What about the midnight tint to the dark skin makes it so beautiful (irresistible) to me? If I could explain that I’d also be able to tell you why people love cheese. Who in creation knows? I just know I tend to stare. Possibly ooh, might even ahh. My lips generally part a little. I have to catch myself, because who wants to get caught drooling at this age? There is this sheen that is not greasy, more like the metallic paint on a dark Mercedes sedan. Against white teeth, linen, cotton their skin illuminates. Somehow they possess this intense stare that produces this combination feeling that is part discomfort, part lust.

There are/were seven in my life.
One I cannot look directly in the face because I will disintegrate. I almost can't listen to him speak either.
One has grey in his beard: killer. Voice, code 187.
One has eyes the color of amber (mercy). They glow in the dark.
One has the illest set of eyelashes that wrap around these huge brown eyes that I just (sigh. Head shakes). and dimples.
One has the most ridiculous pair of lips I (sighing again. Eyes roll)
One is just tall and I… (biting bottom lip. sipping coffee. damn i don't smoke cigarettes)
One is completely at fault for this whole mess. If only mom had said no to the snow trip.

Like I prefer Sharp cheddar to Swiss, I just prefer the melanin saturated end of the spectrum. I like Caramel, and milk chocolate, I like dulce de leche sometimes too. They are all beautiful. Hell I'm milk chocolate myself. And Iove the way milk chocolate tastes swirled with dark chocolate. I love the way it looks together. The shine sweat adds to the dark skin is intoxicating. The richness of the summer version is cause for intervention and subsequent rehab. I always relapse.

Terrell Owens, Kevin Garnett, Tyrese, Djimon Hounsou, [add your favorite piece of chocolate]