Read On My Knees for Free Online Page A

eyes, like he had something juicy to share.
    “What do you want?” I trained my eyes back on the screen. I was in my mode.
    “Nice to see you too.”
    I sighed and waited for him to start. Considering Alex was male, straight, and engaged, he was a terrible gossip at work. I suspected it was a result of absolute boredom, which I couldn’t exactly blame him for. Our office sorely lacked culture and energy. When I wasn’t working, I usually welcomed the distraction—and the information—since I wasn’t in the habit of making friends at work for intel.
    He leaned into the side of the cubicle, bringing his head lower to mine. “Have you met the new assistant VP?”
    “The chick?”
    I’d seen her walking between her office and the senior VP offices. She was olive-skinned, gorgeous, and had a throaty laugh that made me wonder how many guys had propositioned her since she’d started last week.
    “Her name is Jia. She’s our age. I’d like to know how she landed that gig. They didn’t even pretend to hire internally for the position.”
    “Is she nice?” I asked, assuming she wasn’t. No one climbed the ladder that fast being nice. Not that I would necessarily know. More women worked in the field now than a decade ago for sure, but our small contingent didn’t exactly share a strong female camaraderie. Every woman for herself, and you never really knew who would sell you down the river if given the chance. I’d seen it happen a few times and accepted this as yet another facet of office politics that I’d never fully buy into as long as I was here.
    “I don’t know. I haven’t met her yet, but Jason said his cousin used to work with her before she came here. Said she was a real bitch. That might have been because she wouldn’t sleep with him though.”
    “Great. Can’t wait to meet her.” I looked back at my screen, trying to figure out which cell I was on.
    “Shit, boss is coming. I’ll see you later.”
    I nodded without a word, and he disappeared with lightening speed.
    I finished what Alex had interrupted, and then headed downstairs for lunch well after the herd had cleared the office. I waited patiently by the elevator when someone joined me.
    “You’re Maya, right?”
    “Yes.” My reply came out as a question.
    “I’m Jia.”
    Up close, she looked impeccable in a blue silk blouse, a fitted black skirt, and heels that I envied. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a tight twist, her features accented with enormous diamond stud earrings and a simple platinum chain that sparkled against her skin. She was pretty. Too pretty.
    “Congrats on the new position.” I acknowledged her with a quick smile and shook her hand before turning back. I stared up to the elevator numbers, hoping they’d hurry. I was running out of time to make it to Delaney’s.
    “Thanks. I noticed your name on the roster. Not many women around here.”
    “You noticed?”
    She laughed, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth. Not only was she gorgeous, she was dazzling. Her naturally dark red lips sealed it. The elevator arrived empty and we stepped inside. I punched the button for the lobby, and she leaned back against the elevator wall as we descended.
    “How long have you been with the company?”
    “Four years,” I replied.
    She nodded, no doubt unimpressed at my inability to climb the corporate ladder with the breakneck speed that she had. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know how she’d done it, but maybe I could use some tips, because doing the work of two or more people wasn’t enough apparently.
    “We should get lunch sometime.”
    “Sure,” I agreed. I could feel her eyes on me, and a quick glance to the side confirmed it. I tried to shake the mild discomfort of being assessed in such close proximity by this beautiful stranger.
    “I have meetings this week, but we should plan something for next week.”
    “Yeah, that sounds great. You know where to find me.”
    Despite my general pessimism about excelling