Page 103 of Home Game

Her eyes jumped around. “I don’t like casual relationships.”

I could think of a million reasons why someone who had been living on the street didn’t date, but I wanted to know her reasons. “I told you my story.”

“I’m saving myself.”

Zoey was a virgin. I felt the shock jerk through my body, but I worked to keep my expression nonchalant. To my dismay, I felt my dick harden. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been with a virgin. Maybe my first girlfriend in high school?

“That’s cool. Are you saving yourself for marriage?”

Her gaze was downcast. “Just for someone special.”

The thought of Zoey giving herself to another dude made jealousy and frustration wash through every cell, momentarily muting me from responding. I felt my nostrils widen as I worked to bring more oxygen into my body. I wanted to ask her what she considered special. I refrained and instead said, “Don’t ever forget that.”

“I’ve seen people on the street have sex in exchange for a meal or to score drugs. When you’re cold and hungry, you get desperate, but that’s a slippery slope. I made a pact with myself to never cross that line.”

I leaned forward. “Zoey, those days are behind you. I promise you never have to live like that again.”

Her smile was sad. “You’re a nice person, you know? Never forget that.”

I watched as she slid off her chair and picked up our trays. Something unsettling passed over me. Like a dark warning. I had the urge to wrap her up in my arms and never let go. Why did it feel like she was slipping away from me?

I caught up with her, “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Can you help me out on Saturday night?”

She hesitated for a long moment. “To do what?”

“I was hoping you’d hang out on Saturday night. It’d make me feel better if you were there. You know, some friendly fire.”

She frowned. “I thought you and Mica were already friends.”

I had assumed that she’d attend this party. What if she didn't want to come? “Well, Mica might bring more people.”

She reached out and grabbed my arm. “So you think more guys will show up!”

I was counting on it. “So what do you say? Can you hang out and be there for me?”

She looked conflicted, then she nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

CHAPTER 22

ZOEY

I openedmy eyes to the smell of burning food. Today was my birthday. I should pack up and leave, but I had already promised Ryan I’d help him out tomorrow night when Mica came over. I promised myself I would leave on Sunday. I was living on borrowed time before Terrance reappeared.

I pulled on a hoodie and moved towards the kitchen.

A steaming frying pan sizzled in the kitchen sink and Ryan was bent over, wiping something off the floor, giving me a money shot of his taut, muscular ass in his stretchy gray shorts. I had the urge to run my palms over his ass, to see if it was as hard as it looked.

I cleared my throat, “What are you doing?”

“Oh shit,” he straightened up, wearing a guilty look on his face.

I eyeballed the kitchen. Pancake batter dripped down the edge of a bowl on the counter. A carton of eggs, with broken egg shells beside it, littered the counter. Burnt bacon stacked on a napkin. “Are you trying to make breakfast?”

He put his hands on his hips. “Yeah. I’m trying to make your birthday breakfast, but I might have been too ambitious with the pancakes.”

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