Free Who's That Lady? by Andrea Jackson Page A

her arm. He had touched her a thousand times, but today her nerve endings reacted as if to the most intimate stroke, igniting her being with sexual tension.
    “It’s fine, Key,” she managed to say in a near normal voice. “Really,” she added, giving his arm a friendly pat. She fled to the downstairs bathroom.

CHAPTER 6
    Once she’d locked the door, she stared at her face in the mirror, her hands pressed to her cheeks.
    Get a grip, you fool! Do not make an ass of yourself because you got a little nookie last night. He’d brought this girl here, to her, because he depended on her, as a friend, to help him. And she was going to have to forget about last night so she could do that. Key had obviously managed to do so.
    She turned on the faucet in the sink to douse cold water on her face. That was exactly the way she wanted it. No morning-after guilt to sour their friendship. She didn’t want him thinking about how she’d melted into him, devoured him, inhaled him—
    Stop it! she ordered the images in her head. More cold water and a firm scrubbing with a towel brought back a semblance of calm.
    “So what’s going on?” she asked when she walked into the dining area where the others were gathered around the table.
    Crystal aimed the question at Key more than at Jalessa, who was wolfing down lasagna.
    “Remember Marcus, the kid who called me that time we were at Finnegan’s? Jalessa’s his girlfriend. She and her mom had a big fight. She was going to run away, but Marcus convinced her to come to me first.”
    “Where’s Marcus?”
    “I told him to come by later. I’m trying to keep inside the NCAA rules, which means I can only spend a limited amount time with him. I thought you could be our intermediary.”
    “Of course,” she agreed. She smiled at the girl. “So why don’t you tell me what happened, Jalessa?”
    The teenaged girl put down her fork, her expression stubborn. One shoulder jerked. “My momma wanted to send me away to my grandmomma’s to have the baby. She doesn’t like Marcus.”
    “Okay. So what did you plan to do instead?”
    “I’m gonna marry Marcus when he finishes school.”
    Key, Crystal and Shonté exchanged speaking looks across the girl’s bent head.
    Crystal chose her words with care. “I can tell you’re in love with this young man. But have you thought about the practical points? Where will you live if you get married? How can he support you? Will he have to drop out of school? Key thinks he’s a talented athlete.”
    Key chimed in. “He’s got a good shot at being offered a four year scholarship at Hope. After he gets his degree, he could make a good life for a family.”
    “We wouldn’t have to worry about money if he made it to the pros,” said Jalessa.
    “There’s no guarantee he’ll go pro. Anything can happen,” said Key, slapping his knee. “Ten years ago I was on my way to the pros, until a lineman ran over me like a bulldozer.”
    “And if he has to drop out of school to take care of you and the baby,” Crystal added, “he won’t get seen by recruiters.”
    Jalessa slumped in her chair, her gaze darting about unhappily. “He doesn’t have to do that. I can stay with my momma.”
    “I thought you were trying to get away from her house?” Crystal pointed out.
    Jalessa sank her forehead into both hands and puffed a sigh. “I know. I just flipped out. She made me so mad. But I can go back for a little while. For Marcus.”
    “How long do you plan to stay there? How will you support yourself and the baby?”
    “We’ll figure it out.”
    “Is that the kind of life you want? Will he be away at college? There’s a lot of pressure trying to maintain a long distance relationship. You’ll have the responsibility of the baby and your mom telling you what to do. He’ll be going out to parties and on trips with the team.”
    “I trust him,” the girl said defensively.
    “I know, I know.” Crystal put her hand out in a soothing gesture. “Just