Free Asking For It by Alyssa Kress Page A

that?" It would be worth many times that for Griffith to make it out of there.
    The boy started to back away, his smirk even more pronounced. "Five C's up front or no deal."
    "Oh, come on. I'm good for it. I'm worth — millions ."
    The kid laughed.
    He didn't believe Griffith, and Griffith, in his borrowed clothes and unshaved beard, had no idea how to prove himself.
    "Ten thousand," he said, which was no doubt the least convincing thing he could have uttered.
    The boy laughed even harder and ran away.
    He'd have lunch, Griffith thought, and start over. Not having eaten since Tuesday, he couldn't think straight. In fact, his stomach was starting to hurt more than any of his bruises.
    Campers were filing into the dining hall for the noon meal when he reached the main doors. He rubbed his belly in an attempt to quell the rude rumblings and followed everybody else inside.
    He saw Kate at once, standing at the head of a table and shouting directions at somebody who was trying to sit down on the bench seat. He swiftly looked away. Getting into it again with her was not on his agenda.
    Looking at her, just thinking about her, filled him with too much anger to deal with — and a thoroughly disgruntling hint of shame.
    Griffith chose a seat at the very end of the table headed by José. The teenager gave him a pained look, but didn't say anything. Griffith started salivating when a platter of roast beef began making its way down the table. Yes, he definitely needed to eat.
    The roast beef, which smelled more heavenly than anything Griffith had ever smelled, was just being handed to him by a rather stout boy when it was snatched up and lifted away.
    "What?" Griffith's exclamation was outraged, but that was nothing compared to the jolt he got when he looked up to face the culprit. Kate was smirking down at him.
    "Mr. Blaine," she purred. "I don't believe you're registered here as a camper."
    "No," Griffith told her, silky smooth. "I don't believe I am, which makes it something of a mystery what I'm still doing here."
    She ignored that jibe. Of course she did. Still holding the platter of aromatic roast beef, she said, "If you aren't a camper, then I'm afraid you'll have to pay for any meals you consume here."
    At the end of the table, Griffith could hear José make a choking sound. Griffith kept his eyes on Kate. He'd been right to guess she had a stubborn streak. It seemed she had a suicidal bent as well. He was hungry enough to wrestle the devil himself for that roast beef.
    "You know damn well I don't have any money."
    Her smile widened. "Yes, I know. So I decided I'd let you work for your food."
    Again, there was a choking sound from the head of the table. José was evidently enjoying the whole thing. Griffith, meanwhile, repressed his desire to jump off the bench and attack the female who was holding his roast beef. She was going beyond the bounds, way beyond them, so far beyond that he found himself getting interested. This was more than feminine pique. Just what was she up to?
    Griffith crossed his arms over his chest to keep them from strangling her and asked, "What kind of work?"
    Kate twisted so that the platter of meat was a few inches further away from Griffith. "It so happens I'm short one counselor."
    Griffith stared at her. That's what this was all about? She needed some minimum-wage camp counselor? When he had a multi-million dollar business languishing back in L.A.? "You've got to be kidding."
    She raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to eat?"
    He met her eyes. Clear green, decisive eyes. She was short a counselor, probably had to have that extra counselor. And then he'd shown up like the early answer to a Christmas prayer. "No wonder you didn't call an ambulance for me," he said, musing.
    She had the grace to blush. "So, do we have a deal?"
    Griffith sighed. "For how long?"
    She gave him a cool look. "Until the Wednesday after next, the twenty-fifth."
    Griffith gawked. That was two weeks! The woman had to be kidding. He