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

think about it. That’s all I’m saying.”
    “I know I’ve been stupid,” said Jalessa, her jaw clenched. “But we love each other. I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
    “You’re what—sixteen?” Key said gently. “The rest of your life is a long, long time. I know you think right now this is what you want, but things change.”
    “What do you want?” Jalessa lashed out. “You want me to give my baby away? Stay away from Marcus?”
    Crystal winced and shot a surreptitious glance at Shonté. Shonté’s creamy skin flushed a little and her head dropped as she bit her lip.
    Key glanced at Crystal when she remained silent. Then Crystal spoke slowly. “Nobody can make that decision for you. There are people you can talk to, though, who’ll help you decide. In the meantime, why don’t you stay here and chill a couple of days. I mean—” she looked at Shonté again, “if that’s okay with you, Shonté?”
    “No problem,” said Shonté. She got up and started to gather the dishes.
    “Okay,” said Jalessa in a small voice. She blinked rapidly and hugged her arms around her rounded belly.
    “A couple of conditions, though,” said Crystal. “Marcus doesn’t visit unless one of us is here. And, we call your mother and get her permission.”
    Jalessa started an instinctive protest.
    “Don’t worry,” said Shonté with easy assurance. “Crystal will convince her it’s okay. She’s as upright as a deacon’s woman.”
    Crystal’s gaze inadvertently clashed with Key’s before they both looked away. Her breathing sped up.
    Shonté went on. “Why don’t you two go on in the living room and sort out the details. Key, you want to help me with the dishes?”
    In the bustle of cleaning up, Key gave a lingering look at Crystal before he followed Shonté into the kitchen. Crystal was terrific with kids Jalessa’s age. Her college major had been psychology, and she’d even interned with a counseling center before she began to specialize in business. But it wasn’t simply her intelligence. She always seemed to know exactly what a person needed, and then she arranged it, putting her whole being into her efforts.
    His blood stirred as he remembered how she’d given herself last night. He still had trouble thinking about it without starting to tremble. Fantastic, soul-rousing, toe-curling, chest-thumping, out-of-this-world, incredible sex. While the details were a little blurry in his mind, he knew nothing like that had ever happened to him before. If he didn’t get a chance to talk to her about last night soon, he was going to lose his mind. With an effort of will, he focused on what Shonté was saying.
    “Don’t worry, Cee will handle Jalessa. I need to talk to you about something important.”
    “Yeah? Are you okay with her staying here a couple of days?”
    “No problem,” said Shonté in a breezy tone. “She reminds me of myself when I was young and stupid.”
    He grinned at her and tugged the braid hanging down her back. “What are you saying? That you’ve changed, little princess?”
    Shonté wrinkled her nose and punched his arm. “Smart aleck. Pass me the dishes.”
    He brought them over as she turned on water in the sink.
    “This is serious, Key. Do you know Crystal was out all night with some man and came in completely hung over at dawn?”
    Key heard his pulse pound in his ears. “What did she tell you about it?”
    “Nothing. She crashed and didn’t wake up until right before you got here. I haven’t had a chance to pump her yet.”
    “Maybe it’d be a good idea to let her keep her privacy,” he said, compelling his voice to sound neutral.
    Shonté rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t respect my privacy when it comes to my love life. You know how bossy she is, Key. I can’t get over her, lecturing me when she’s doing stuff like this.”
    “What’s so terrible? You were the one who spent the night out before that.”
    “But this is not Crystal! You know it isn’t.