A Perfect Ten

  “No idea,” I said. “But I’ll get out so you can have room. I should probably get going anyway.”

  As I slipped off the bed, I met the kid’s gaze. He smiled up at me so smugly I had to mouth the word, “Fucker,” at him, to which he mouthed right back, “Asswipe.”

  Damn, I was turning him into a potty mouth. That couldn’t be good.

  After pulling on my clothes, I went around to Caroline’s side of the bed and knelt beside her, touching her hair. Her eyes opened slowly.

  “I’ll call later, okay?”

  When she nodded, I touched my mouth to hers gently. “Take it easy today. I’ll see you when I check in for blackmailing duty with shit-breath over there.”

  “I have to work this evening.”

  I frowned. “Maybe you should take the day off to recuperate. That food poisoning kicked your ass, baby.”

  Her chapped lips only widened as her smile grew. “Listening to you worry about me is hot.”

  With a wistful sigh, I stroked her hair some more. “If only I took advantage of sick chicks.”

  “That bruise around your eye is sexy too.”

  Leaning in close until my nose touched hers, I grinned. “Then I’ll keep it perpetually black and blue, just for you.”

  “Are you guys going to kiss goodbye already?” Colton complained. “I want to go back to sleep now.”

  “We already did, punk.” I nudged the back of his head. “Now quit being a Peeping Tom and let me say goodbye properly.”

  He snorted, and Caroline and I grinned at each other. “I don’t want to leave,” I admitted on a whisper.

  “I don’t want you to either.” She reached out and touched my jaw. But her eyes were growing drowsy.

  “Get some sleep,” I told her and kissed her hair.

  Her eyes were already closed by the time I pulled back. “‘Kay,” she mumbled.

  “Okay,” I said right back as I stood. “Love you.”

  “You too,” she slurred.

  I stood there a moment, watching her and her brother curled up together and falling fast asleep against one another. I glanced at the window but knew I couldn’t leave that way; no one would be able to close it behind me, so I held my breath and tiptoed to the door. I peered into the hall as I cracked it open. It was fairly dark still, so I stepped into the shadows and darted toward the opening that led to the kitchen. I half expected to find Gamble there, sitting at the table and drinking coffee, just waiting for me, but the room was empty. I escaped out the back door, and hiked to my truck.

  After I made it home, I crawled into my own bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Everything felt wrong without Caroline next to me. I was tossing and turning when a sudden thought struck me. “Holy shit.” I bolted upright, my eyes widening.

  I’d told her I loved her. It hadn’t even occurred to me what I was saying when I said it. It’d just come out as natural as breathing.

  I’d never told any female, besides my mother and sister, that I loved her.

  I have no idea why I was so panicked by the idea. I’d known it was true for a while, but still, I didn’t have to go just blurting that shit out to everyone.

  Maybe she hadn’t really heard me. She’d been half asleep and had mumbled back her answer as if she was talking to her brother, or something.

  Wait, shit. She’d said she loved me back. I wondered if she’d remember that?

  God, all this thinking about it was giving me a headache.

  I crawled out of bed and ran to the nearest fast food-restaurant. After buying enough to feed me and my roommates, I jogged back to my apartment. Zwinn was surprised by my generosity when they finally woke up, but they ate and hung out with me, distracting me from my swirling thoughts for a good hour. But then they went their own way, and I fidgeted around the house most of the day. I sent off a few more applications and tried to watch some television. Then I received a return call from one of the places I’d applied to electronically. But mostly I just watched the clock.

  I spent a while texting my woman and flirting with her. She’d ended up taking my advice and calling in sick to work and she mentioned nothing of the l-word I’d dropped earlier, so I assumed she didn’t remember. Needing to see her anyway, I showed up at her place in the early evening just after I knew they’d had their supper.

  Gamble’s woman answered the door.

  “Ten,” she said in surprise. “Uh…Noel’s not here this evening. He’s working—”

  “I know.” Rolling my eyes, I muttered, “I’m here for the kid. The littlest one.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Colton?”

  “Yep. That one. He wants to play…” I sighed heavily, “catch.”

  “O…kay.” Opening the door, she stepped aside. “Come on in then...I guess. I’ll go get him.”

  I stepped inside and she disappeared from the room to find the kid. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I glanced around the front room as I waited for—

  “Took you long enough to get here,” a voice hissed. I spun to find Caroline in a baggy T-shirt and sweatpants hobbling toward me. She looked tired and had bags under her eyes, but she was still so beautiful; I can’t even describe how it felt knowing she was going to be close enough to touch again.

  My fingers actually tingled when they made contact with her cheek. “What’re you doing out of bed? How do you feel?”

  She leaned against me, and I gave her a warm hug. “My stomach’s still giving me twinges, but I feel a million times better than last night. Your black eye looks really dark. Do you feel okay?”

  I actually had a bit of a headache, but I said, “I’m fine. You’ll never guess who called me today?”

  She lifted her face. Shadows filled her eyes. “I don’t know. An ex-flame?”

  “What? No.” I lowered my voice and leaned in closer. “Lake Tahoe.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, wow. You got an interview with them?”

  With a nod, I blew out a breath. “I wanted to tell you in person.”

  Leaning up, she kissed me on the cheek. “This is so amazing. Congratulations.”

  I was watching her face closely, so I swear I saw a bit of fear cross her eyes. Or maybe I was just imagining it.

  “Are you excited?” she asked.

  I snorted. “Scared shitless is more like it.” I stepped in closer to her until I could drive myself crazy with her smell. I almost told her I wouldn’t go if she didn’t want me to, but Colton raced into the room.

  “Ten! You really came.”

  Straightening away from Caroline, I snapped my heels together so I could send the little shit a salute. “Reporting for blackmailing duty as requested, sir.”

  He giggled and then grabbed my hand to drag me from the living room, away from Caroline. I glanced back at her with a mopey goodbye wave.

  She grinned and rolled her eyes, but blew me a kiss.

  The football the kid found me was going flat, so we spent a good twenty minutes digging up a hand pump for it and filling it with air again. It was also covered in dust. “Well, shit. I guess you don’t toss a ball around much with your big brother, do you?”

  Colton ducked his face at the mention of Gam. “He’s pretty busy,” he mumbled.

  “Oh, yeah?” I wasn’t buying it. His family meant the world to Gam. I don’t care how busy he was, if he knew his kid brother wanted to play catch, he would’ve played catch with him. “You ever ask him to play?”

  Colton shook his head, still staring at the ground.

  “Well, you should, you know. He taught me how to do this.” The kid glanced up in time to watch me spin the tip of the football on the top of my index finger.

  His eyes lit up. “Cool.”

  “I know, right?” I flipped the ball into the air and caught it with one hand behind my back. “Head over there and get ready to catch this.” After he followed my instructions, I called, “You want to know how awesome Noel was at football?” I lobbed the ball his way.

  He scrambled but was able to catc
h it against his chest. “How awesome?” he asked as he jetted it back.

  I snagged the ball from the air before it slammed into my knee. “He was so awesome that he could launch a football forty yards while running away from a horde of linebackers bearing down on him in below zero weather with five seconds left on the clock while we were three points behind, and he’d still manage to win us the game.”

  I continued to wow him with highlights from Gam’s college years on the field. He started to get better with his throwing and catching as he listened, and he even asked more questions, growing increasingly curious about this mysterious big brother of his.

  Twilight was beginning to fall when someone else joined us, walking around the side of the house into the backyard and lifting a hand to wave hello.

  I frowned, wondering who the hell this preppy, conceited-looking dipshit was. “Can we help you?” I asked, instantly suspicious.

  When Colton turned and saw him loitering at the edge of the yard, recognition lit the dude’s eyes. He stepped toward Colton. “Hey there, little guy. Do you remember me?”

  Instead of answering, the kid bolted to me. I caught him by the shoulder and protectively pulled him against my side. Then I set my hand on his head to reassure him. Instantly not liking whoever this douche was upsetting him, I said, “You know he’s nine, right? Not two.” But seriously, who talked to a nine year old like that, giving him the baby voice and even trying to crouch down to his level? Fucker was fishy if you asked me.

  The stranger sent me an irritated glance before asking, “Are you Noel?”

  I snorted. “Do I look like a fucking Gamble to you?”

  He shrugged. “Like I would know. None of you have the same dad, do you?”

  Yeah, I really did not like this nut sack. There was just something about his prissy, arrogant attitude and Abercrombie and Fitch clothes that pissed me off.

  That’s when the back door swung open and Brandt strolled out. “Hey, I heard you guys were playing…” His voice trailed off when he saw the visitor. “You,” he snarled as he balled his swinging hand into a fist and stalked forward. “I owe you a black eye for the one you gave me, asswipe.”

  As he swung, I easily caught his arm. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I chided mildly. “No one’s punching anyone until I know what’s going on. Now someone get me up to speed.” I snapped my fingers. “And go.”

  “He’s Sander Scotini,” Brandt said.

  My mouth opened, but no words came out. I turned to stare at the guy who’d messed up Caroline’s life. I wanted to laugh. This puny little pipsqueak was Sander Scotini? And then suddenly I wanted to punch him. This puny little pipsqueak was Sander Scotini?

  “Oh, is he?” I murmured.

  When Brandt tried to move toward him again, I blocked him one more time, stepping easily in his path so I could face off with good ol’ Sander myself. “Why don’t you let me take care of this one?” When I met the fucker’s gaze, I smiled widely and gave him a chin bob. “Hey there.”

  I knew my almost-flirty greeting skeeved him out. He sent me one of those untrusting scowls and edged a step back.

  Good. I liked unsettling him.

  “What brings you by, Sander?” I asked, strolling casually his way. “A little far from home, aren’t you?”

  He sent a nervous glance toward the house, but he must’ve known he wasn’t getting anywhere near it until he went through me. With a sigh, he scratched the back of his neck. “I need to talk to Caroline.”

  I shook my head and bunched up my mouth as if I had to think about that. Then I said, “No. You really don’t.”

  The idiot puffed up his chest—all twenty centimeters of it—and lifted that prissy combed eyebrow of his. “I came all this way to talk to her, so I’m going to talk to her. I’d like to see you try to stop me.”

  Oh, game on, bitch. “Gladly.”

  I grabbed the front of his pink—yes, pink—collared, polyester shirt and flung him around until I’d slammed his back against the side of the house. Then I pinned his windpipe in place with my forearm and lifted my eyebrows in challenge. The gurgling sound that came from his throat as he floundered helplessly was music to my ears. It must’ve freaked Colton out, though, because he yelped in fear and raced for the back door of the house.

  Brandt, on the other hand, bounced on his toes, his eyes lighting with delight before he murmured an awed-sounding, “Cool.”

  I leaned close to the fucker, who was obviously hard of hearing, so he could catch every word I had to say. “Now, here’s what you’re really going to do, Sandy. You’re going to walk out of this yard and crawl back under whichever hole you came from, and you’re never going to contact Caroline again. Capiche?”

  Before he could choke out an answer, the back door came flying open.

  Damn.

  Eyewitnesses.

  “What in the world—” a wide-eyed Caroline started while Aspen filled the doorway behind her.

  But I cut her off by growling, “Get back inside,” maybe a bit too harshly.

  And yep, that was entirely the wrong way to say it. Her eyebrows lifted in outrage. Setting her hands on her hips, she stepped onto the porch. “What did you just say to me?”

  “Care—” I started, but the little fucker flapped his arms, catching her attention.

  “Caroline...help.”

  She jerked to a stop and blinked at the guy I was pinning by the throat. “Sander?”

  When he opened his mouth, I shoved him roughly back into the wall. “You are not allowed to talk to her. You are not allowed to look at her.”

  “What the hell is going on?” she demanded.

  “Who is this guy?” Sander choked out, trying to motion to me. “Is this your brother?”

  “Hey!” I grabbed a fistful of hair and thunked the back of his head against the vinyl siding. “Didn’t I just say no talking to her?”

  Caroline sighed and folded her arms over her chest. “Oren, seriously. Let him go.”

  I snorted. “Right. Like that’s going to happen.”

  She lifted her hands as if she thought my rejection of her request was ludicrous. “And why not?”

  “Because I really like pinning him to this wall right now. Because I still can’t get over the fact that this pathetic little fucker’s had his ugly shriveled-up little girl dick inside you. In fact, I’m so bothered by it I just want to grab his greasy, gross hair in both hands.” To demonstrate, I let go of his throat so I could grab two handfuls of Scotini’s hair. “And I just want to kick him...right in the nuts.”

  Unable to help myself, I jerked my knee up and caught him hard between the legs. Scotini groaned and doubled over.

  “Oren!” Caroline surged forward, her eyes wide with shock.

  “Ooh,” Brandt cried out in amazement before he covered his mouth with his hand and started laughing. “Awesome.”

  I let go of the douche and lifted my hands as I stepped away from him in an attempt to forfeit all culpability over hurting him. He fell over onto his side, holding his crotch.

  Caroline stopped beside me and winced down at him. Then she slid an accusing gaze to me. “Did you really have to do that?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I really did. I feel better now, too. Thanks for asking.” I motioned to Scotini. “You want to take a turn?”

  Caroline studied him a moment, looking tempted before she nodded and stepped forward. “Okay.”

  I grinned, impressed, but Scotini groaned, making her stop and change her mind.

  I snorted. “He’s kind of fragile, isn’t he?”

  “He’s definitely not football player material,” she agreed, glancing sideways at me.

  I cocked her a pleased grin. “Oh, so you go for the football player type, do you?”

  “Caroline,” Scotini gasped from the ground, a plea for help thick in his voice.

  I sighed and grabbed his shirt before hauling him to his feet. Then I slid my arms around him and got him in a headlock from behind before turning him t
o face Caroline. “Okay, baby,” I told her. “Have at him.”

  But instead of coming in for a physical jab, she cringed and took a step back. Then she shifted uncomfortably as her groaning ex tried to slump against me because he was in so much pain. I kneed him in the ass to keep him from touching me too much.

  “Sander, what’re you doing here?” Caroline finally asked, her voice tired.

  “My parents disowned me.” He paused to cough and pant through his pain.

  “Really?” My woman arched her eyebrow, seemingly not very interested. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” I grinned because she didn’t sound sorry at all. “But why did you come all this way to tell me that?”

  “You have...any of that...twenty thousand... left...that they gave you?”

  I sputtered. “Wait, did he say twenty…holy shit.” I glanced at Caroline. “Did he say twenty thousand? As in twenty thousand dollars?” When she just sent me a look, I jostled the fucker. “Hey, pretty boy, you want to knock me up?”

  “What the fuck?” He struggled against me some more, but yeah, his attempts to escape were laughable. “What is this? Deliverance?”

  With a grin, I murmured into his ear. “I bet you can squeal like a pig.”

  “Okay, first of all,” Caroline broke in when Scotini just whimpered. She pointed at me and cracked a grin. “Wow. You nailed that Deliverance line perfectly.”

  I beamed, preening happily. “Why, thank you.”

  “And secondly...” Her smile turned into a grimace as she focused on her ex. “Sander, oh my God, did you just pee your pants?”

  “What? Shit!” I leapt away from him, immediately letting go of my headlock. When I saw a wet stain spread across the front of his slacks, I shuddered in revulsion. Wiping my hands against my jeans, I felt contaminated. “Aw, sick, man. Really?”

  Brandt seemed to think it was hilarious, though. As Scotini fell to his knees and returned to cradling his wet, injured junk, the kid pointed and hooted. “Oh my God, that is so freaking funny. I can’t believe you racked him, Ten.”

  “Hey.” I pointed at him with a serious glance. “When someone hurts your sister, you hurt him back wherever you think it’ll be the most painful.”