A PERFECT TEN (Forbidden Men #5)

1. Caroline

1

Caroline

“Ooh, he’s cute. Caroline, don’t you think he’s cute?”

I sighed as Blaze—and yes, she’d given herself that name—shoved me in the arm for like the tenth time in the past five minutes, almost making me upset the glass of cola I was nursing.

“Yeah,” I said, not even bothering to check out the newest hottie she’d spotted. “He’s...adorable.”

Usually, I was all for checking out anyone within my age range who possessed a Y chromosome. But tonight, I was anti-Y, so freaking anti-Y that I’d rather throw a vat of flesh-eating acid on the lot of them than check out one of their annoying, irritating, cute smiles, or asses, or packages, or pecs.

Across the table from us, Zoey covered her mouth with her hand and tried not to laugh out loud over my lackluster response. I scowled at her and mouthed, “Shut up.”

She had nothing to be moody about. Her boyfriend was frigging perfect. Gorgeous, considerate, sweet, faithful, Quinn Hamilton was exactly the kind of guy I should crave. But no…oh no. The i***t I coveted was a loudmouthed, politically incorrect jerk who shoved his p***s into any willing woman who batted her eyelashes at him.

Except me. Me, he had turned down flat.

Twice.

Yeah, I said twice...because I was i***t enough not to get the hint the first time around.

Wrapping myself with my own arms, because just remembering his rejections made me feel all ugly, worthless, and gross, I glared at my drink, wishing I had even a hint of a bourbon in my cola. But my brother was working the bar, so that was a no-go.

Typically, his coworkers would slip me a little alcohol, but not if Noel was on the clock. No one crossed Noel Gamble where his eighteen-year-old sister was concerned, not even the biggest loudmouthed, politically incorrect jerk of the century.

“No, wait. Check him out instead. Now there’s a stallion I’d like to mount and ride.” Blaze literally licked her lips as she gazed hungrily across the crowded club. “Just look at how thick that chest is. And those arms. Mmm, God. You gotta know the rest of him is just as big. Dayum. I want to see him naked.”

“Hey,” Zoey spoke up, her tone annoyed. “That one’s my boyfriend.”

I glanced over to find Quinn’s hulking figure up by the stage as he talked to Asher.

Ready for the evening’s performance, Asher had a guitar strapped to his back. He swept a long piece of hair out of his face before gesturing with his hands as he spoke to Quinn. And like Quinn, he was another amazing guy, a hot rocker dude with a voice that made your hormones hum along with him every time he sang.

But he didn’t want me either, which brought up another reason I was so anti-male these days. The good guys who might actually treat me right stayed away, weren’t interested or already had a woman. The only asshole who’d actually taken a chance on me had used me, turned me into his dirty little secret, and then thrown me out like yesterday’s trash. Was it any wonder I hadn’t had s*x in almost a year?

Oh, hell. Had it already almost been a year? Not cool.

I sank deeper into my chair as Blaze gasped. “What?! That hunk of walking orgasm is your boyfriend? Since when can you attract a guy?”

“Whoa!” I sat up straighter, scowling at Blaze. “What the hell? Zoey could attract any man she wanted.”

Zoey was my best friend on earth. She and I had come here tonight with Quinn to watch Asher’s band play. Blaze was merely a passing acquaintance I shared a couple classes with, who’d approached us tonight, probably just looking for a table to sit at.

“But she’s just so...” Blaze motioned to Zoey as she made a sour face. “So...”

“Sweet?” I guessed snidely, arching an eyebrow while my gaze dared her to say one more negative thing about my friend. “Beautiful? Smart? Loyal?”

“Shy,” Blaze burst out as if that was something horrid. “Seriously, I don’t know why you hang out with such losers. You’re not like them, but I swear you try to be. You just need to live a little, Caroline. Find yourself a man. A hot one-night stand. I haven’t heard about you hooking up with anyone since we met last semester, and I know you’re not into chicks. I’m worried your poor v****a’s going to wrinkle up and dry out if you don’t give it a little pampering.”

Zoey’s eyes grew big as she darted glances between me and Blaze. Unlike Blaze, though, she knew I had a temper and wasn’t afraid to use it, so she also knew I wasn’t going to let Blaze get away with saying all that s**t unscathed.

One freshly clawed face coming up.

Sniffing up some oxygen into my nostrils, I nodded and sent Blaze a pleasant smile. “You know what? You’re absolutely right.”

“I know.” She lifted a hand and motioned toward Quinn. “I say you take her man and show him what a real woman’s like.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Not about that. You were right about me hanging out with too many losers. I totally need to stop that s**t. They’re such a drain. So...bye-bye now...you f*****g loser.”

Blaze’s mouth fell open. “What the hell? What’d I say?”

Was she for real? “What did you not say? You just belittled my best friend and then told me to go cheat on her with her boyfriend. I don’t care who you are, that’s wrong, honey. And since when does a girl need a man in her life to be considered living? I don’t need some useless d**k around to prove I’m somebody.”

“Well, damn, you didn’t have to be such a b***h about it. I was just looking out for you, Care.” With a huff, Blaze shoved her chair back and hopped to her feet. “I don’t have to take this from you.” Arching her chin up, she pulled her shoulders back and pushed her chest forward. “Only a girl who can’t get a guy would say that, anyway. You’re both losers.”

As she flounced off, I snorted. Good riddance. I turned to Zoey to apologize for letting Blaze sit with us in the first place, but she was already sending me a regretful wince as she bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Caroline.”

I blinked. “You’re sorry? About what? She was the one who insulted you.”

“But she insulted you too, and I said nothing. If I was just a little more outgoing or—”

Reaching across the table, I clasped her hand. “Zo, you are perfect just the way you are. And I don’t want you to change a thing. Besides, how can you listen to a word she said, about you or me? She’s headed over to hit on your man as we speak.”

“She’s what?” Zoey twisted in her seat to watch as Blaze boldly approached both Asher and Quinn, but Quinn was the one she turned to. She moved in close enough to brush up against his arm as she sent him a flirty smile.

Bouncing in her seat, Zoey clapped happily. “Oh, this should be fun to watch. I hope he’s really cold and rude when he rejects her.”

I shook my head, amused. Ninety percent of the women I knew would turn jealous and insecure when another woman hit on her boyfriend and end up blaming him, but not Zoey. She was completely confident about her relationship with her man, and she knew Quinn would never cheat...which only made me feel worse about my own pathetic relationship status.

Without my consent, my gaze strayed to another part of the bar where one dark-headed guy flirted with four—not one, or two, or even three, but four—women at once. He’d looped his arms around two of their waists while he said something to the other pair in front of him. When the two girls in front of him moved together and began kissing, he hooted in approval as if he’d asked them to do it and was pleased about getting his wish granted.

The sleaze ball.

I rolled my eyes and tore my attention away before I puked. Oren Tenning was the epitome of the male chauvinist pig. Every word to spew from his mouth was laced with all his crude, promiscuous thoughts. I wanted to hate everything about him with every fiber of my being, except he stirred each molecule in me into wanting to pounce and take him instead.

Humiliated that I’d actually tried to kiss him a few months ago, and even more humiliated that he’d stopped me—twice—I clenched my teeth. He and his harem were the very reason I was so pissy this evening.

But seriously, four women? Was that not a bit excessive?

I would almost swear he went out of his way to make himself look like the biggest man-w***e asshole on the planet whenever I was around just to keep me away from him. But then, that was probably wishful, presumptuous thinking on my part. I’d worked out some big romantic plot in my head where he was desperately in love with me but he had to stay away because his best friend—my overprotective big brother—would kill him for even looking at me wrong, thus he went to ridiculous lengths to make me disapprove of him. If I hated him and stayed away, he wouldn’t feel so tempted into falling for my wonderful self.

Yeah, I only wished that were the case. In reality, he probably didn’t even know I was in the building and his only passing thought of me was that he had to be nice to me or my brother would lob off his d**k with a butter knife.

My shoulders slumped. God, my life sucked. Maybe Blaze had been onto something when she said I needed to live a little. Because really, it had almost been a year since I’d stepped out of my comfort zone. I didn’t agree that I needed a man to make myself something, but Zoey seemed more fulfilled to have a special someone to share everything with her. And since Noel had met Aspen, there was something different about him, as if her presence settled a restless part of him. Having one certain someone around to talk to might not be so bad, someone to hang out with, to tell secrets to and lean on when I needed support, someone to support when he needed a boost. That didn’t sound bad at all.

So why wasn’t I getting back on that horse and trying out the dating scene to find that kind of companionship? Maybe because the last time I’d searched for that in a guy, it ruined me. Maybe I was letting myself obsess over Oren because unconsciously I knew I could never have him. I could safely pine for him without putting my heart at risk...again.

I did miss kissing, though. And certain parts of touch-ing. Being physically close to someone and drowning myself in a little bit of pleasure.

“Maybe I should have a one-night stand,” I said aloud.

Zoey swerved around in her seat to blink at me from large, startled green eyes. “Say what?”

“It’s been almost a year since Sander,” I told her, feeling funny just saying his name.

Sander Scotini had broken me so badly I hadn’t been able to speak his name aloud but a handful of times in the past twelve months. I hated how much power I’d given him just by my inability to vocalize his existence... and by how wary of the opposite s*x in general I’d been since him, or how overprotective of me my scandal had made Noel. I wanted my freaking power back. I wanted to be able to live again.

“And I don’t want a dried-out, wrinkled-up old v****a,” I said with maybe a bit too much vehemence.

Zoey sniffed and waved her hand. “That’s just absurd. Mine wasn’t used for eighteen years, and Quinn has no complaints about it now.”

I snorted out a laugh, loving it whenever my quiet, reserved best friend said something shocking.

“What’s so funny?” Quinn asked, popping up behind Zoey and slipping his arms around her waist from behind.

As he kissed the side of her neck and nuzzled his nose into her ponytail, I couldn’t help but gag a little, in a very jealous, I-hate-you-for-being-so-disgustingly-content-while I’m-miserable way. A part of me still adored watching them together, though, because I did love a good happily ever after.

Separated, Quinn and Zoey were usually too shy to do much but bleed back into the sidelines. Together, however, they lit up like Christmas tree lights, and I loved Christmas tree lights. Best lights in the world.

Watching Zoey’s face brighten with pleasure as she ran her hand up his arm and pulled him in tighter behind her, I shook my head. “I totally love your girlfriend, that’s what.”

Quinn cuddled his cheek against Zoey’s. “Sorry, but she’s already taken.”

I sniffed. “Hey, don’t be so selfish, Hamilton. Can’t you share her at least every other weekend? I bet she’s a hot piece of ass.”

“Oh, she is.” He grinned, looking proud of himself. “So I’m definitely not sharing.”

While we all laughed, I slid my attention past them to the stage where Blaze had approached him. I was a little disappointed I’d missed the big rejection he’d given her; I’d been too concerned about glaring at the man-w***e with his four skanks.

Damn, I was pathetic.

Spotting Blaze coming on to Asher now, I shook my head, disgusted. When Asher caught me watching him, I rolled my eyes and gave him a thumbs down, letting him know the woman talking to him wasn’t worth his time. He sent me a wink, telling me in return that he got it and would be keeping his hands off my ex-acquaintance. I could even hear his voice in my head saying, “You got it, babe,” like he usually did.

I preened rather smugly. I’d just showed that b***h.

It was nice to know I had some kind of influence, which made me adore Asher for giving in to me. If only he could’ve been the guy I wanted more than anything. He might’ve actually risked the wrath of my brother to be with me. Or maybe not. I wasn’t exactly sure about him, because neither of us had attempted anything with each other. I think he suspected where my heart already lay. My stupid, idiotic heart that had no sense of decency or self-preservation whatsoever. Seriously, what kind of heart fell for an annoying, obnoxious, loud-mouthed male slut?

Probably a weak, too-forgiving, clueless heart, because no matter how much it hurt to watch him drool over four other women, I always came up with a reason to fall for Oren Tenning again and again. Every freaking day. Just when I decided I hated him, and meant it this time, he’d come up with one huge redeeming quality that made me look past all the bad and just see...him.

Like now. He caught sight of Quinn and Zoey and let go of one of his whores to point to them. “Blondie!” he called with a big, happy grin.

Zoey and I were both blonde, but I knew he was greeting her. For some reason unknown to me, he refused to call her by her first name. He’d even go as far as to describe her in terms of “that girl” or “the one Hamilton’s dating” to keep from saying Zoey. But mostly, she was Blondie to him.

The boy had issues if you asked me.

But then, I had even more for wanting him as badly as I did.

Once again unwillingly warmed to him because he was so nice and accepting of my shy best friend, I sighed. He and Zoey had a close friendship. He’d never once made her feel freakish for how introverted she was, and I couldn’t outright hate him because of it.

I could hate him for making me jealous of a bunch of nasty sluts who absolutely wouldn’t stop pawing at him, though. I wanted to slap the smirk right off the little witch who was leaning in to nuzzle her nose against his neck. I itched to stalk over there, yank her away by the hair and nuzzle her nose against the first wall I found...as hard as I could.

Okay, fine. I had a whole boatload of issues instead of just a couple. Sue me.

But, ooh, was that bastard sliding his hand over the other one’s ass while the first one sucked on his neck? He was! Grr. I hated him so much.

Wishing Oren Tenning a long, slow, painful venereal disease-ridden death, I glanced away. “He is such a freaking man-whore.”

Both Quinn and Zoey glanced at me, their gazes full of sympathy, which made me want to pull my hair and scream, because I also hated how so many people knew how much of a crush I had on Oren. It wasn’t fair.

“That’s it,” I announced. “I’m doing it.”

Zoey and Quinn looked at each other, frowning in confusion, before turning back to me. “Doing what?” they asked together.

I blew out a breath. “I’m living again. I... I...” Glancing frantically around the place, I paused on the first guy I spotted. “I’m going to go talk to him.”

Zoey glanced over and winced. “Him? Are you sure...?”

I gave a very decisive nod. “I’m positive.”

“Who is he?” Quinn wondered, eyeing the guy censoriously. He was another friend of my brother’s and was probably guessing how many times Noel would kill the guy for even talking to me.

I was thinking Noel had way too many freaking friends.

“No clue,” I said, not caring who he was at all. “How about I go ask him.”

To be on the safe side, I snatched up the piña colada Blaze had abandoned at our table for a little liquid courage and gulped it.

Slamming the empty glass down, I let out a refreshed breath. “Please excuse me while I get my groove on.” Standing up, I threw a flirty little wave at Zoey and Quinn—or Zwinn, as I was going to call them henceforth—and I turned to make my way toward Mr. Lucky, whoever he was.

Except I couldn’t spot him anywhere. Crap. Where had he gone? Didn’t he know he was a possible candidate for clearing the cobwebs from my v****a? My own personal cobweb duster.

“Um...” Zoey cleared her throat before she helpfully offered, “He went that way.”

I jerked around to scowl at her. Then I pointed at Quinn. “Stop laughing. My groove’s been on an extended vacation.”

He immediately pursed his lips tight, holding in a grin. I narrowed my eyes and waited a tick to make sure another laugh didn’t slip out. Then I glanced at Zoey. She pointed me in the right direction. I nodded my thanks and turned that way, grateful when I spotted my possibly first one-night-stand man straight ahead.