Page 4 of On Your Knees

I shrug. “No idea. I was heading into work to see if one of the girls would let me crash on their couch until I can find something else.”

“Your parents can’t help you out?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t seen my mother in five years, and she refuses to tell me who my father is. Though I have enough saved to get a place on my own, I would prefer not to spend it. My grandmother isn’t doing well, and I help with her expenses, plus I have school.”

“School?” he says, scrunching his nose, and I laugh.

“I go to PHU. I do plan to do more than sell myself on the corner.”

His eyes go wide, and he opens his mouth, which makes me laugh even harder.

“I’m not a prostitute, if that is what you were thinking. The thought has crossed my mind about becoming a stripper, except I can’t dance, I’m really not that sexy, and my tits are way too small to draw a crowd.”

The microwave dings and he turns to grab the plate out, then puts it down in front of me. My mouth waters atthe sight of the meat and vegetables; it’s been a while since I had a home-cooked meal.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I eat this? It’s not your dinner?” I ask, picking up the cutlery he places down beside the plate. He shakes his head.

“It’s Ridge’s,” he says as I take my first mouthful.

“Ridge?”

He chuckles. “The dick who you thought had a phone sex voice. He is my business partner, best mate, and stepbrother. Or he was my stepbrother for a brief two years.”

“And you’re letting me eat his food, why?”

“Because...” he says, turning his back to me as he gets two bottles of water from the refrigerator. “It’s fun to piss him off and knowing that the girl who derailed his afternoon also ate his food will be hilarious.”

I contemplate feeling guilty but decide against it. These men look like they have more money than sense.

“Plus, he gets rough when he is angry.”

“So you like it rough? And you left out he’s your boyfriend.”

That makes him throw his head back in laughter, and I see the shadow of a tattoo peeking out from under his business shirt.

“Let me see if he’s still here and you can ask him if we are boyfriends.”

“Somehow, I don’t think he will find that funny.”

Zeland leans on the counter in front of me. “No, he wouldn’t. Ridge Ellington doesn’t do commitment, which suits me fine. I like to fuck. If it were upto me, we wouldn’t be talking—we would be fucking right now. I should have been a prostitute, except sucking an old man’s cock doesn’t sound appealing.”

I gag at the thought. That’s a hard no from me. “Hmm, I wouldn’t have pegged you as bi.”

“You could just peg me instead... if you’re into that kind of thing.”

“I wouldn’t know what I’m into. I don’t have time for complications or to get knocked up at twenty-one.”

A huge smile creeps over his face. “You’re a virgin, that’s cute.”

I snort. “Now I didn’t say that—I said I wouldn’t know what I like. I’m not the most experienced, and the handful of times I gave in to a jock were less than stellar. If I had to give a review, they would have gotten one star for at least getting it up.”

“Oh, Pocket Rocket, can I keep you? You could be my own personal fuck toy; we could have so much fun.”

“As appealing as that sounds, I have to go house hunting and find a second job.”

He wiggles his brows at me.

“You are not paying me to fuck you. That brings us full circle to the prostitute thing.”