Page 42 of Waiting for Friday Night

He shook his head. “Nah, I just got out of the shower. Do you want to come in?”

She looked over her shoulder then back at him. “Just for a second. We need to talk.”

He stepped back and she crossed the threshold. She followed him into the living area. When they faced each other, her eyes dropped to his bare chest. Her lips pressed together before her eyes met his.

“Um...could you put on a shirt?”

“Give me a second.” He went into the bedroom, grabbed a T-shirt out of the drawer and came back.

Her eyes scanned his bare arms. “You didn’t have anything with sleeves?”

“I grabbed the first thing I saw.” He ran a hand over the front of the faded red sleeveless Georgia Bulldogs T-shirt. It was one of his favorites that he’d worn when he’d played professionally. A go-to, and he hadn’t even thought about the lack of sleeves when he’d grabbed it.

“Do my arms bother you as much as my chest?” he asked, raising a brow.

Halle crossed her arms over her chest. “No part of your body bothers me,” she replied in a tight voice. “It’s just a little inappropriate of us to talk with you...like that.”

“That’s why I put on a shirt. The last time I checked, having my arms out isn’t scandalous.” The corner of his mouth quirked with a thought. “Unless any sight of bared body makes you uncomfortable.”

Anything between Halle and him would be too complicated and too tangled to even try to work out. But some part of him, that primitive part that was attracted to her, couldn’t stand the idea that she was willing to dismiss him as someone unworthy of her attention. He wanted her to acknowledge that, despite the reasons they shouldn’t be together, if they could make things work, they would be fucking fantastic.

Halle cleared her throat and raised her chin. When she spoke, she was back in the crisp school principal tone that only made her sexier. “No part of you makes me feel any type of way, Coach Evans. I didn’t come here to talk about your body parts or anything else. I came here to talk about our daughter.”

Our. Daughter.

The words hit him straight in the chest, knocking the wind out of his lungs and the smugness out of his thoughts. Damn, they did have a daughter. The situation between them was convoluted, unorthodox and could easily result in Shania being hurt if they didn’t proceed with extreme caution.

“Is Shania okay?” He motioned toward the couch for Halle to sit.

For a second she hesitated, and he thought she would remain standing. But she eventually took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the couch. Not trusting his thoughts to stay on topic if he sat close to her, Quinton sat on the love seat.

“Shania is fine. In fact, she’s over the moon.”

“I thought the outburst this afternoon might have upset her.”

“No, she’s wanted to know who her dad was for a long time. Now that she knows, I think she wants the world to know as well. I knew it was hard on her, not knowing who her father was. But after she burst out and insisted everyone know, I think I have a bigger appreciation for how much not knowing has affected her. She doesn’t want to be the kid who was abandoned.”

“I won’t abandon her,” he said quickly, meaning the words. “I meant what I said about being a part of her life. I’m willing to take responsibility.”

“I know, and even though I was hesitant to let you in, I realize that it’s best for Shania, but...”

“But what?”

“But we need some ground rules or something. A way to make our lives coincide without interfering with the others.”

“Okay,” he said slowly. “I don’t know how we coincide without interfering.”

“I stay out of your business, and you stay out of mine. Unless it concerns Shania, we don’t get involved.”

“Involved how?”

She gave him an exasperated look. “Like today. You showed up and made things uncomfortable for Gregory. That was unnecessary.”

He blinked. “Uncomfortable for Gregory. Are you that worried about his feelings?”

Halle swallowed the “no” that threatened to burst from her lips. She was not that concerned about Gregory’s feelings. She’d think about that later, but his showing up had interfered with her life. Shania had been happy, and Quinton had gotten along with her cousins easily. He’d fit in with her family with no problems. While Gregory had seemed uncomfortable and irritated from the moment he’d seen Quinton there.

Afterward, when Gregory had driven her home, he’d asked her the real reason why she’d been at Quinton’s house that day. Halle admitted the truth. They’d argued and then he’d suggested they take a break while she “figures this thing out.” Gregory believed Quinton was going to try to work his way into her life and that Halle needed to “set him straight” so he understood exactly what his place would be in her life.

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