A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5)(119)

“Fascinating.” I focused my attention across the club until I spotted Remy in her black Incubus tee as she talked to her lead singer boyfriend. My lips quirked. Oh yeah, it would be nothing for Hart to steal her away from that loser if he really wanted her.

As Jodi started away, I was debating whether I should tell him about the intel I’d collected on his dream woman when Gamble moved to my side. “Struck out, huh?”

“What?” I glanced at him, my thoughts still distracted.

He tipped his head toward Jodi.

Realizing he thought I’d been hitting on her, I lifted my hands. “No. I wasn’t... No! Been there already, didn’t even do that, and have no urge to finish.”

Gam snorted. “Yeah, right. Whatever, loser.”

He strolled to the other end of the bar to take an order, and I frowned after him. Shit, he really thought I’d been chasing tail tonight. The ass. Gamble was getting on my nerves in more ways than one. Not only was he keeping me from being out and open with Caroline, but he wasn’t even noticing how much I’d changed and evolved lately.

The stupid blind f*cker.

I almost didn’t approach him about Caroline after the bar closed as I’d been planning to do. But then I thought about how much I hated sneaking around. I wanted to be able to kiss her in public, or f*ck, even just hold her hand whenever the desire struck. I was damn tired of keeping my distance.

This ended tonight.

“Hey.” I caught Gam’s arm as we all began to leave after cleaning the place up. “I need to talk to you for a second.”

He paused and came back around. “Sure thing. What’s up?” I stared at him a moment, not even sure how to say it. His eyes crinkled with concern. “You okay? What’s wrong? You look pale.”

I shook my head. “Nothing. I just...I want to say...”

Gam lifted his eyebrows. “Yeah?” His mouth fell open. “Shit, you are dying, aren’t you?”

“No!” I groaned and clasped my hands to my head. “No, no, no. That’s not it at all. I just want to ask Caroline out.”

I blurted the last line, Band-Aid fast, and wow. Immediately, I felt better. Months of guilt and worry just oozed off my shoulders.

But Gam blinked at me as if I’d spoken a foreign language.

Frowning slightly, I added, “On a date,” for clarification, because from the look on his face, I could tell he clearly needed some clarification.

He shook his head, then cracked a grin and pointed at me. “Yeah, right. You’re hilarious.”

Oh God. Really? “I’m not joking.”

His smile died. He shook his head again, suddenly confused. “But...you have a thing for Hamilton’s woman.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I told you—every f*cking time you suggested that—that I do not have a thing for Hamilton’s woman. I want...to date...Caroline.”

“And I’ve told you—every f*cking time you ever looked at her—no. That’s not going to happen.”

I stared at him, not sure what to say to that. For some insane reason, I hadn’t expected an immediate rejection. I had thought coming to him openly and honestly would shock him into at least considering it. But this...I hadn’t planned for this.

Why hadn’t I planned for this? He really had told me to stay away from her a million and one times. Why had I thought he’d change his mind if I was suddenly serious?

“Well...” I floundered a moment, with no idea what to say, because I wasn’t about to give up. I couldn’t give up. I wasn’t going to stop seeing her, end of story. “I’m sorry, man, but that wasn’t a question.” Though, okay. Yes, it had been. I’d been asking for his approval and his blessing.

Why the f*ck hadn’t he just given me his goddamn blessing?

“I am going to ask her out,” I finished, my voice full of conviction.

But my best friend on earth—the f*cker—merely said, “No. You’re not.”

I exploded, throwing my hands into the air. “What the f*ck, Gam? You can’t just say no like that. She’s nineteen years old. She can make her own decision.”

“So then you’re just going to sneak her around behind my back?”

“No.” I growled and fisted my hands before pressing them to my temples. “That’s why I’m talking to you right now, giving you a heads up and trying to do the right goddamn thing.”

“The right goddamn thing would be to leave her alone and just stay away.”

I worked my teeth over my bottom lip and shook my head because that idea wasn’t even an option. “Why do you have such a big f*cking problem with me asking her out?”

With a short laugh, Gam pointed at me. “Because I know you. And you don’t deserve to have anything to do with her.”

Okay, that stung. Noel Gamble, the one guy who’d had my back for four years, and even he didn’t think I was worthy. Ye-ouch.

“Thanks. Thanks a lot.” I took a step back to draw in a breath and recover from the sting.

Obviously assuming our little talk was over, Gamble turned away to leave.

Panicking, because this was my one and only shot to get him to comply to my wishes, I called after him. “Haven’t you noticed any change in me lately?”