A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5)(57)

I had no idea how this could ever be okay. I lifted my face to look up at him. “Is it okay if I regret it? I know I was only seventeen and had no place being a mom. There was no money. It would’ve probably buckled Noel under completely with responsibilities. But I wish...I just...even from the moment it was done, I never felt relieved. I’ve only ever felt sick with regret.”

Oren leaned down and kissed away the tears on my cheeks. “You can regret whatever the hell you want to regret. I regret plenty. Just don’t let this suck you down and take over your life.”

What surprised me more than the fact that Oren Tenning was full of good advice was the fact that he looked completely serious and genuine when he gave it.

“How do I do that?” I asked. “How do I not let it take over?”

His lips softened and then spread into an encouraging smile. “Just keep going forward, I guess. Fuck, I don’t know.”

I laughed, and he leaned in to nuzzle his nose against my hairline.

“Keep smelling this good every day is a good start.” His voice rumbled into my ear and made me shiver...the good kind of shiver.

Then his hands slipped up my back in a sensual caress as he kissed my temple. “You could also keep driving me crazy with every breath you take, or—”

“Oren,” I said, my voice breathless as my arousal kicked into gear. “Shut up or you’re going to turn me on.”

He chuckled. “Going to? Woman, I know you’re already soaking wet for me.” His nose batted playfully against my ear before he whispered into it. “Aren’t you?” And then his teeth nipped the lobe.

My fingers curled into his shoulders as my neck arched back and my body crawled up his and pressed hot against his hard chest. “Nobody likes a braggart,” I panted, aching for him to kiss me already.

“Yeah, you do.” The rasp in his voice caused an electric spark to shock through me. I shivered against it and curled even closer into him. “You like every f*cking detail about me, from all the stupid, annoying lines I spew to how it feels when I’m buried so deep inside you, all you can think about is screaming my name.”

He was right. Shame on me, but I did love every aggravatingly flawed detail about him. “Damn it,” I muttered. He was going to make me be the one to kiss him, wasn’t he?

I grabbed fistfuls of his hair and slammed my mouth against his. His cocky, victorious laugh was cut short when my tongue spiked into his mouth. The groan that rumbled from his throat filled me with accomplishment a split second before he cupped my ass hard and lifted me off the floor.

Embedding myself in the distraction he offered, I relished the friction of our chests rubbing past each other as I rose above him. I wound a leg around his waist and he thrust his hips against my hip, letting me feel how aroused he was.

It totally didn’t occur to me how this was absolutely the worst time and place to kiss Oren Tenning until the back door swung open and two voices filled the kitchen.

Just as abruptly, they shut off.

Oren and I leapt apart. “Oh my God.” I pressed my hand against my chest as I gaped at Colton and Brandt. “What’re you two doing here?”

They stood frozen in the back entrance of the house, gawking between me and Oren, who’d turned his back to us and was breathing hard as he latched on to the edge of the counter, trying to calm his breathing and no doubt his libido too.

“We live here,” Brandt finally answered. Then the twerp glanced away from Oren’s back to send me a little smirk. “What’re you doing here, Caroline?”

“Why were you kissing Ten?” Colton asked.

Mortified heat washed over my entire face. “I...I wasn’t.”

Both brothers sent me a get-real glance. Finally, Brandt asked, “So, then he was...choking, and you were...trying to resuscitate him...with your tongue?”

When Oren laughed and finally turned around, I cast him a killer glare. “Why are you laughing?”

Oren sent me an innocent, What? What’d-I-do? shrug. “Because it was funny,” he answered. “Sounds like something I’d say.” Then he grinned at Brandt and offered him a congratulatory fist bump, to which my brother grinned back and accepted.

Oh my God. I totally did not understand guys.

Rolling my eyes, I threw my hands into the air, feeling clueless.

“Does Noel know you guys are...?” Colton waved a hand between Oren and me. Even he wasn’t sure what was going on between us.

I folded my arms over my chest and lifted my chin. “Of course.”

Brandt snickered, knowing better. “So if we mention it to him tonight...?”

Damn it. “Don’t you even dare.”

The fourteen-year-old chuckled, telling me just how doomed I was right before he said, “I don’t know, Caroline. I really don’t think he’d like you dating his best friend...the very friend he warns to stay away from you, like, every time Ten visits.”

Oren groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “Damn...he’s even going to blackmail us for his silence just like I would.”

I sighed out my acceptance and glared at Brandt. “Fine. Whatever. Twenty bucks.”

“Gee, big sister.” Brandt scratched his cheek thoughtfully as he glanced from between me and Oren. “This is kind of a big deal. Noel would be really mad if he knew.”