Page 74 of Waiting for Friday Night

Halle’s hand balled into a fist. “What? He didn’t take it seriously?”

“Khris’s family contributed to the booster club, the school giveaways, and was a donor to the mayor’s election campaign. Most people in town ignored any wrongdoing on their part.”

“Did your parents do anything?”

He shrugged. “What could they do? Khris’s dad owns half of the rental property in my hometown. Hell, the apartment my parents could barely keep was owned by him. They covered up being slumlords by giving a lot to the community and the school. When they argued that their son was just horsing around and ‘accidents happen,’ there wasn’t any way for my parents to fight. They didn’t even bother to pay my hospital bills. It’s part of the reason why my family struggled when I was in college. My dad was trying to make enough money to pay for what the scholarship didn’t cover, but there was too much debt and too much to take care of.”

Halle understood why he didn’t want anything to do with Khris Simmons. The more she learned, the more she didn’t want anything to do with him either. “What are you going to do when he gets here?”

“What do you think? Should I beat him up?” he asked with a half smile.

Halle reached over and poked his arm. “I don’t condone violence. I don’t know how you can avoid him, but I know you don’t want to be around him. Do you need me to talk to your principal?”

“Are you offering to take care of me?”

The question was innocent enough, but the spark in his eye and the sexy tone of his voice made her stomach flip. “I’m offering to step in and help. You said you’ll look out for me. I can at least do the same.”

“I appreciate that, but don’t worry. I can deal with talking to him. Years have passed and I’ve more than proved that I can survive. I’ll tell him about the football team and avoid him after the interview is over.”

He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and gently tugged. Even though she shouldn’t, Halle slid closer. “Are you sure? You shouldn’t have to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation just for the town.”

“Coming from the woman who will bend herself into all kinds of contortions to make other people happy.” He let go of her wrist and spread his fingers.

Halle mirrored the movement and pressed her palm against his. “That’s just for special people.”

His fingers threaded with hers. “Am I a special person?” he asked in a low, sensual voice.

“You’re a certain type of special, but not getting any contortions from me.”

His lips quirked and he gently squeezed her hand. Tingles flashed from her arm down her spine. Quinton’s dark eyes met hers as he slid closer on the couch. “I might like contortions from you, Halle.”

Images filled her mind. Her body bent with pleasure. Her legs twisted around his waist. Delicious spasms as she clenched around his length. “Don’t tease me like that.”

“It’s not teasing.” His thumb brushed over the racing pulse in her wrist.

Her nipples hardened and desire slid between her thighs. “Shania should be here soon.”

His hand rested on her thigh. His gaze was questioning, asking if the touch was okay. Halle scooted even closer, until their bodies touched. His palm slid up her thigh to her waist. He leaned in and murmured in her ear. “I want to see you.”

“You see me now.” She tried to tease, but her voice was breathless.

His nose nuzzled against her hairline. “Not like this. The two of us. Without Shania, or your cousins or my family. Just us.”

Halle closed her eyes. She savored the way his lips lingered over her temple. “We can’t be together right now.”

His lips brushed across her ear. “We can find a way to make this work.”

“Shania doesn’t want us together.” Her hands went to his chest, but she didn’t push him away. His heart was a heavy drumbeat beneath her palm. Her fingers trailed down to his stomach.

“Because she’s afraid we won’t make it, but what if we can make it? What if this is real?”

“Quinton, I—” His lips brushed against her neck, cutting off her words. Her body shuddered as he pressed sweet, hot kisses across her neck. She needed to pull away, but instead she leaned into him. Her head fell to the side and he gently sucked on her neck. His hand came around and slid beneath her shirt, cupping her breast. His fingers played with her nipple, and she gasped. Her hand lowered from his stomach to the hard ridge of his dick. Quinton sucked in a breath as she palmed his length.

Quinton’s hand left her breast and lowered to the waistband of her loose-fitting pants. She should stop him. This was getting out of hand. But by now, desire had taken over her brain. Her legs spread. One agonizingly slow beat later, Quinton’s hand slid past the elastic waistband. The seconds it took for his hand to reach her center felt like an eternity before his long fingers finally brushed against her panties.

He let out a hiss. “Damn, you’re so hot. Can I touch—”

“Yes,” she said quickly. If he didn’t touch her, she was going to scream.

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