A Perfect Ten

by Linda Kage

  My face drained of color.

  Shit, shit, shit. What was she doing here? What if she learned about the bet? What if she thought I was cool with it and had willingly volunteered to participate? What if—

  “Jesus, you really do have it bad for Hamilton’s woman, don’t you?” Gamble murmured.

  “What?” I glanced at him, confused, until he pointed Caroline’s way again. That’s when I noticed Blondie was with her. The fucker really thought I’d been staring at her instead of his sister.

  I groaned. This was not working. I opened my mouth to call off the bet with Hart and tell Gamble in no uncertain terms that I was not carrying around a flame for Hamilton’s woman when Hart cursed from behind me. Then he spoke up louder, saying, “Hey, Ten. I’m closing the bet, now. I got four numbers. Can you beat that?”

  I glanced at him, scowling. “You’re stopping it now?”

  When he nodded, I rolled my eyes. “You all piss me the fuck off. You know that?”

  Fed up with the both of them, I whirled away from the bar and marched off. I wanted to go to Caroline, but I couldn’t. Which only infuriated me more. When she caught my eye, I kept walking, feeling shitty about having to blow her off.

  I’d just taken an order from another table when Hart caught my arm. “Man, I didn’t know Caroline was going to show up tonight. I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

  “Fuck off.” I shrugged him away and marched back to the bar to put in my orders. I made sure to stop at Lowe’s end instead of Gamble’s, though. As he fixed me up with a full tray to deliver to my customers, I glanced around the place. I spotted Blondie where she’d waylaid Ham and was greeting him with a hug and kiss. But Caroline was no longer with her. So I kept scanning. Where the hell had she gone?

  When I finally spotted her, she’d already found me. She strolled through the crowd of people and tables as she headed in my direction, and dear God...I had no idea she owned a skirt that short, or top that tight and low-cut. My insides heated. I wanted everyone else in the place to just disappear so I could lay her out on top of the bar and feast upon her.

  But Gamble called out her name and crooked his finger beckoning her to him. She turned away from me, and something inside me growled with displeasure.

  I watched her skip to her brother at the other end of the bar. He crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke to her, probably giving her some kind of lecture. In return, she set her hands on her hips and said something back, something smart-mouthed and defensive would be my guess. But instead of growing pissed, Gamble merely chuckled and then reached for her to pull her half across the bar so he could hug her, which made her skirt ride higher up the back of her thighs to damn near show the entire club what color of panties she was wearing. As she smiled and hugged him back, I glanced away.

  It was times like this that made it so much harder to do the shit I was doing behind his back. If only his sister had been anyone but Caroline, I was sure I never would’ve had a problem keeping my hands off her. But she was just so...her.

  “Here you go.” Lowe set the last of my drink requests on my tray and I picked it up, sending one last longing glance Caroline’s way. She was looking my way again, sadly, as if she was beginning to realize I wasn’t going to approach her. Not here.

  I turned away, more miserable than ever.

  When I returned to the bar, she was no longer there. I had to scan quickly before I caught sight of her near a table full of men and women, where some ugly motherfucker was looking a little too interested in her tits as he smiled and laughed at whatever she was saying.

  I cracked my knuckles, wanting to slaughter him, whoever he was.

  But then Hart approached their table and stole her attention away from the ugly mo-fo. Except that didn’t settle my jealousy in the least.

  Seriously, the fucker was openly flirting with her, right in front of Gamble. And Gamble—the douche—did nothing, didn’t even twitch an eyelash. I couldn’t mention Caroline’s name around him without him nearly busting my balls and warning me away from her, but Hart could damn near stick his hand up her short little skirt in front of him and he completely ignored it?

  It was no fucking fair.

  I stewed and ground my teeth as I took another order. I’d just delivered a round of slippery nipples to a group of rowdy drunk chicks—one of whom grabbed my ass when she slid my tip into my back pocket—when I spotted Caroline entering the hall that led back to the offices and bathrooms.

  Not about to let this opportunity slip by, I hurried after her.

  There were about a dozen people blocking my way, but I dodged around them and caught Caroline’s arm right before she could enter the ladies’ room.

  “Wha...?” She spun around to confront me, her eyes flashing wide when she saw it was me.

  Changing directions, I tugged her along until we reached the door to Pick’s office. I didn’t even bother to turn on a light. As soon as I had her inside and the door shut, I pushed her against it and pinned her there. Then I kissed the piss out of her. Her mouth clung to mine and her fingers clutched my shirt.

  We attacked each other until I had to come up for air.

  “What the fuck are you doing, coming here, dressed like that?” I thundered and kissed her again, hard, not giving her a chance to answer. While I spiked my tongue into her mouth, my hands roamed her thighs until I had them up her skirt and was palming her ass cheeks through her panties. After I managed to pull my mouth away, I pressed my forehead to hers. “Or did you just want to drive me crazy because you knew I couldn’t talk to you, or touch you, or kiss you after those fucking, stirring texts you sent me?”

  “You used to talk to me in public before,” she argued, even as she ran her fingers through my hair and cupped my head in her hands. Then she yanked me in for another kiss.

  I ground my pelvis into hers and kissed her back, only to come up for air so I could keep arguing. “Yeah. Before,” I muttered. “When it wasn’t fucking impossible to keep my hands off you. I don’t know how the hell I’m ever going to survive being in the same room with you and your brother again, not without letting something slip.”

  Caroline laughed. “You mean something like this.” When her hand wandered toward my throbbing erection, I snagged her wrist.

  “Oh, no you don’t. You don’t get to play with the magic stick after the way you just totally flirted with Hart.”

  “What?” Her incredulous exclamation came a second before she shoved me in the chest. “I was not.”

  “Really? And here, I could’ve sworn he told you how good you looked tonight, how you put every other woman in the place to shame, and in return, you smiled up at him and batted those goddamn beautiful lashes his way.”

  “Oh. That.” She cleared her throat discreetly. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly call that flirting. It was more like—”

  “Flirting,” I deadpanned. “He fucking flirted with you. And you flirted back.”

  “That’s just how we talk. It didn’t mean anything. I certainly didn’t grab his ass the way that one girl did to you when she slid your tip into your pocket, now did I?”

  I barked out a harsh laugh. “You’re comparing? Really? Then you should note I didn’t smile and bat my lashes at that chick after she touched me. I looked around for you, and I saw you going down the hall, so I followed you, and bam. Here we are. Jesus, but you make me horny when you’re jealous.”

  I kissed her again and she was just as eager to kiss me back. She crawled up me until she’d wound her legs around my waist.

  “Damn it. I want to be inside you so bad right now.”

  “I know.” She whimpered and ground her core against my erection. “But I don’t want to leave a mess in here. Do you have anything?”

  I shuddered. “Yeah, but...shit, baby. I’m working. Your brother’s...” Hell, I couldn’t even finish listing all the reasons why this was a bad idea. I ripped her panties off and plunged a finger inside her. She immediately lit up, and I almost went of
f with her while I was still tucked in my pants.

  “Wait, I...fuck.” I couldn’t see shit in this dark-ass office.

  While Caroline was still coming against my fingers, I searched the wall for a light switch. Once I found it, I flicked it on and caught the last of her orgasm as she rested the back of her head against the door and panted. Perspiration misted her brow and upper lip. She was so damn beautiful I once again almost came.

  Spotting the couch across the room, I carried her to it and laid her down. Then I dug my hand into my pocket and whipped out my wallet. As I fumbled for a condom I was sure had to be inside, Caroline sat up and unzipped my pants. I groaned as she pulled me free.

  She flitted her fingers over my birthmark first, as was her way, smiling softly as she touched it with a gentle kind of reverence. Then she kissed it before she licked me from base to tip and lapped up a drop of pre-cum at the end.

  I wondered why this didn’t feel strange. I’d spent years freaked out about my spotted dick and had gone to great pains to keep it hidden from everyone. But a month with Caroline and I had no qualms whatsoever about whipping it out in front of her. She actually made me feel more special because of it.

  Her mouth covered me completely before her face bobbed forward and she took most of me down her throat.

  Goddamn. That felt good.

  I grabbed a handful of her hair. When she moaned, I tightened my grip. “Shit. You’re really good at that.” She sucked a little harder and pulled me deeper into the hot, cavity of her mouth a little deeper. “Damn. How do you make me ready to come so easily?”

  Caroline popped her lips free and grinned up at me. I wanted to sob from the loss of her mouth, but yeah...I was a little too dazed by that smile. “Just call me Caroline Gamble, renowned cock whisperer.”

  I laughed. “You got that right. My cock definitely knows how to obey your every command.”

  Her amazing smile only grew. “And what would your cock do if I gave this command?” Letting go of my hips, she lay back onto her spine and spread her legs open until her little skirt fell up to her waist to remind me I’d taken off her panties already. When she touched herself, separating her pussy lips to show me how wet she was, I shook so hard I almost couldn’t tear open my condom package fast enough.

  “Fuck, woman. You’re going to kill me.”

  “And here I was only aiming to please you.”

  I paused between her legs and glanced up into her eyes. When she smiled again, I felt sucker punched hard in the chest. “You please me,” I said, meaning it more than I’d ever meant anything I’d said in my life. “You please me so fucking much.”

  I grabbed a handful of her hair at the base of her neck and kept her head captive so she was forced to look into my eyes. As her gaze widened with a knowing kind of shock, I pushed inside her. She pulled in a surprised gasp.

  I thrust slow and steady, making sure she felt every fucking centimeter of how much she satisfied me.

  “No one’s ever pleased me the way you please me. Every time with you is better than the last. I can’t even...God, Caroline. You own me.”

  “Oren.” She sobbed my name and threw her head back. When her inner muscles began to milk me, I ground my teeth.

  “Damn it. Not yet.”

  “I can’t...help it. Can’t stop.” She tried to restrain her orgasm, but it took her anyway, and I was unable to hold back either. Kissing her hard and running my hands over her face and hair, I emptied myself inside her.

  We clung to each other, riding the chaos until the room settled again. Then I panted out a breath and slumped on top of her, burying my face in her neck, right where she smelled the best.

  I have no clue how long we stayed like that. I was nearly unconscious and probably growing heavy on her, though, when she nudged my shoulder and giggled under me. “Oren. Baby, don’t fall asleep on me.”

  “Why not?” I slurred, burrowing into her a little more and making her giggle again.

  “You’re working, remember?”

  I lifted my head from her shoulder to look around Pick’s office. “Fuck.” I’d completely forgotten where we were. And I’d never locked the door, either.

  I jumped up off her, giving myself a head rush in my hurry. Then I tossed the condom and tucked myself back into my pants. As I was zipping up, I turned to Caroline in time to watch her fetch her panties off the floor. There was no way she’d be able to slip the shredded cloth back on, and I couldn’t help it; I grinned smugly.

  She scowled at me and waved them in my face. “Thanks a lot, asshole. You ruined them. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

  I snatched them from her, glad to have the memento, and stuffed them into my pocket. “Looks like someone’s going commando for the rest of the night. Just make sure you don’t flirt with Hart again while you’re not wearing panties, or I’m really going to lose my shit and go all cave-man on you. I’ll probably toss you over my shoulder and drag you back to my lair, chain you to my bed and spank you daily.”

  She grinned and cupped my face in her hands. “I love it when you get jealous.”

  I snorted because I didn’t love it at all. I pretty much hated it. Jealousy was only hot when she wanted to cut a bitch for touching me, not the other way around. “You don’t know how douchebag Hart fucked with me earlier tonight, so I have a good reason to be pissed at him.”

  Her brow puckered in confusion. “Asher fucked with you? How?”

  Feeling like a petulant child who was tattling on a bully, I rested my face on her shoulder and slipped my hand around her waist, only to let my palm wander down until I had it under her skirt and smoothing across her bare bottom. “He figured us out when you enlisted him to help break into my phone. So to give me a hard time tonight, he tried to start a contest with me to see who could get the most chicks’ phone numbers by the end of the night, knowing I couldn’t say no in front of your brother.”

  When she tensed against me, I caught her elbow to keep her from going anywhere. “Don’t worry. I didn’t get a single number. I didn’t even try. The fucker just pissed me off for making the challenge in the first place.”

  When I looked up, I saw relief on Caroline’s face. Beaming at me, she murmured, “My poor Oren. It’s tough being a reformed man-whore, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” I puckered out my bottom lip to make her laugh.

  Actually, the reformed part wasn’t so tough at all; it was pretending to my best friend that I still was one that sucked ass.

  “So you promise not to flirt with him ever again, right?” I pressed.

  “Hmm?” She seemed too distracted with kissing her way across my jaw to answer. I scowled and snapped my fingers in front of her face.

  “Focus, Caroline. Hart. The flirting. You’re done with that. Right?”

  She blinked and looked up at me with raised eyebrows. “Wow. You’re really jealous of him.”

  “I’m not jealous,” I muttered. But she seemed so happy about the idea that I let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “It’s just that you seem so...fucking close to him.”

  She shrugged. “Well...I am. I guess. I mean, we’re friends.”

  “Friends,” I repeated in a dry tone as I lifted my eyebrows to stare right back at her.

  The damn woman laughed at my irritation. “Well, you’re awfully close to Zoey,” she reminded me.

  “And you know exactly why,” I bit out, loathing this conversation the more it played out.

  With a nod, she smiled. “I do. You think of her as a sister. Well...the same holds true for me and Asher, I guess.”

  I couldn’t stop a snort of disbelief from blurting out. “You think of him as a brother?” When she nodded, I cocked her a look, totally not buying it. “So you don’t find him attractive at all.”

  “Oh God, yes. Asher’s freaking gorgeous.”

  “Gorgeous?” I wasn’t expecting her to use quite that strong of a word. “That pencil-thin stick of a musician?”

  Her fingers trailed up my j
awline, distracting me. “Mmm. He has a very arresting face.”

  I lowered my nose and rubbed it along hers. “But you like my face better.”

  It was a question even though I worded it as a statement. Caroline’s grin spread. “What do you think? It was your room I snuck into so I could be with you, not his.”

  Hearing her say that made me feel better. But I caught her hand to keep it from distracting me. “I think I’m fucking confused. He’s the one with the gorgeous body, the arresting face, the perfect voice and awesome attitude. I’m an asshole. So, why was it my room you chose?”

  Her hand broke free of my grip to slide into my hair, and the other followed until she’d caged my face in her palms. “Because you’re the one I want.”

  I loved hearing that. God, how I loved hearing that. But as she leaned up to kiss me, I caught her again, stopping her.

  “But why?” She could do so much better than a fucked-up jackwad like me. “Why me?”

  She paused when she realized I was serious. Her gaze softened and her lips tipped up into the most beautiful smile. “Do you remember the day we met?”

  It was seared into my brain forever, so I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “You went out and bought us all breakfast,” she started.

  I’d been starving. As soon as I’d gotten off work the night before that, Gamble had gotten his distress call from home. He’d needed to borrow my truck, since he didn’t have any wheels at the time. I’d been worried about him, so I’d gone along for the ride. We drove all night to get to her and Colton and Brandt. I’d needed food before I passed out, and no way was I going to eat something from that nasty place, so I’d taken the two young brothers over to a nearby McDonalds and gotten everyone breakfast while Noel had taken care of Caroline, because her abortion had left her so sick.

  Caroline drew in a breath. “While the boys and I ate on the couch, you and Noel went outside to talk, but the window was open, so I heard almost everything you said.”

  I winced, trying to remember that conversation with Gam. “What’d I say?”