A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5)(73)

“Damn it!” I kicked a post office mailbox we passed in an attempt to vent. “How dare they f*cking forgive me so easily?”

Caroline didn’t answer. All she did was tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, telling me how nervous she was. I clenched my teeth, instantly contrite for putting her into such a situation.

Glancing at her, I said, “I can’t believe you f*cking lied for me. Therapy?”

I snorted. Me in therapy? What the f*ck ever.

“What?” She sent me a rueful smile and a shrug. “I’m Daisy Gamble’s daughter. I know all about lying.”

I shook my head and finally let a smile slip free. The woman did have a fiercely conniving side, but so far, she’d always used it to my benefit, from sneaking into my room to rock my f*cking world to getting my parents off my back. Frankly, I could kiss the shit out of her for the way she lied.

Glancing around the dead street of my small hometown, she asked, “Where are we going, anyway?”

I shook my head, unable to keep my temper intact. Just being around her mellowed whatever anger I wanted to feel. Damn woman had a bad habit of making me too happy whenever she was around.

“I need to go to my place.” I sent her a scowl in a last-ditch effort to hang on to my anger, but f*ck, she looked really pretty with her cheeks flushed from the effort it took to keep up with me. “And since you’re all about being my shadow, I guess you’re coming with me.”

Strangely, I actually wanted to show her my place I used to go to be alone when I was a kid. I’d never taken anyone there before, hence the alone part. Not even my sister. But it somehow felt right to take Caroline.

“You have a place?” Sending me a sidelong glance, she started to smile. “That’s so neat.”

I snorted. “Of course I have a place. Everyone has a place.”

But she shook her head. “I don’t have a place.”

“Oh, whatever. I’m not buying it. There’s got to be somewhere you go just to be alone, unwind, get your head out of your ass?”

“Not where I grew up. I mean, back at the trailer house, I used to camp out in my bedroom sometimes, but I had to share it with Colton and Brandt, so...it wasn’t really just mine.” As we passed an old, run-down theater, she gasped and glanced up at the opening where the ticket box had been boarded over. “Oh, man. This place is so awesome. It’s a shame it’s not still open.”

With a smirk, I took her hand. “I had a feeling you’d get a kick out of it. Come on.”

When I veered us down a dark alley next to the theater, she moved closer to me, touching my back as she blindly followed.

“So, your place is an alley?” The wariness in her voice told me she wasn’t impressed. “That’s kind of creepy.”

I paused next to a rusty fire escape ladder. “No, smartass. My place is on the roof of the theater.” Turning to pin her to the wall next to the ladder, I leaned in close. “See, I’ve always had a fetish for wanting to be on top of movie lovers.”

With a snort, she threw her head back and laughed. “Oh God. I can’t believe you. You’re supposed to be having a personal meltdown here, and yet you’re still cracking crude puns?”

“Admit it,” I murmured, leaning into her until I could smell her hair. “That’s exactly what you like best about me.”

“Hmm.” Her murmur of interest raced through my bloodstream and had my cock hardening. “There is something naughty and sexy about it,” she finally admitted.

“Oh, yeah?” I dipped my face down to hers until our mouths aligned. But I didn’t kiss her. “If I didn’t know any better, Miss Gamble, I’d say you’re trying to seduce me right now.”

She touched my nose with a quick tap. “You almost quoted The Graduate right there.”

“Did I?” I pressed my hips against hers so she could feel how hard I was. “I bet there isn’t a quote good enough for what I want to do with you right now, though.”

While her gaze screamed f*ck me, and the sensual curving of her lips seemed to second that sentiment, she whispered into my ear. “Take me...” I started to groan in delight, but then she finished with, “...to see your place, Oren.”

I shifted in closer to her, my mouth only centimeters from hers. “Then you’d better start climbing, woman. Before I take you against this wall.”

Her gaze drifted to the ladder next to us before her eyes grew wide. “Wha...? No. Oh, no. You don’t actually expect me to climb that rickety old thing, do you?”

With a cluck of my tongue, I grasped her waist and lifted her up, so she could reach the bottom rung. “Yep, I absolutely do. Now get going, woman.”

“Oren—” She clambered and cursed before finally catching a good handhold. As she lifted herself up, she whimpered. “Oh God. I’m going to die.”

“Just...climb,” I murmured approvingly, enjoying the view. This was probably the second, maybe third, time I’d ever seen her in a dress, and I was getting to see it from below. Damn, I was a lucky son of a bitch. And bullshit she’d dressed that way for my parents. No way had she put on that lacy black thong to impress my mom.

She climbed well in heels, which impressed the f*ck out of me. When I started up after her, though, the ladder swayed from our combined weight. She froze, squeaking out her fear and clutching the rungs for dear life until she grew used to the movement.