A Perfect Ten by Linda Kage
“Ten. Hey, Ten. Wake up. You’re having a nightmare.”
I jerked upright and panted, out of breath as my two roommates backed up a step from my mattress, eyeing me as if I was rabid. Sweat rolled down my temples and bare chest.
I gaped up at Ham, remembering every detail of the last conversation I’d had with my twin. The first moment I’d met him, I’d almost shit my pants with disbelief. He’d been the very image of the guy Zoey and I had described. I think my sister would’ve actually liked him too...if she’d ever gotten the chance to meet him.
The fact that he’d ended up with a woman named Zoey had almost been too eerie to take at first. Blondie was the antithesis of how my sister had been, but still...with the same name and the way she’d hooked up with Hamilton, I hadn’t been able to brush off the brotherly feelings I’d grown for her.
“Are you okay?” she asked, climbing onto the bed with worried eyes to sit beside me. “You were yelling my name.”
I shuddered. “Was I?”
“It freaked us out.” Ham sat on the corner, his expression matching his woman’s.
I cleared my throat and glanced away. “Yeah, well...sorry about that.”
“You were dreaming about your sister, weren’t you?”
With a glare at Ham for even asking that and an internal cringe at myself for once admitting to them that I’d had a sister named Zoey, I then glanced away and gave a nod.
Blondie took my hand. “Do you want me to change my name? I would. For you.”
“That’s sweet,” I said and sent her a small smile as I squeezed her fingers thankfully. Then I pulled her toward me and gave her a hug. “But, no. I’ll just keep calling you Blondie.”
She nodded. “Okay. I like Blondie. It’s way better than Milk Tits.”
I pulled out of the hug to scowl at her. “Milk Tits is a kick-ass nickname.”
She laughed and shook her head. “No. It’s actually really awful.” But as soon as her smile started, it settled. “Do you want to talk about it? Your nightmare.”
God, no. The last time I’d talked about this shit, I’d ended up with this very nightmare. I was done talking. I shook my head. “No. I’m good. You guys can go back to sleep.”
“Are you sure?” Ham asked. “Can we get you some water or anything?”
Damn. These two. Their sweetness was beginning to make my teeth rot. “Mom. Dad.” I lifted my hands. “I’m fine. Seriously. I’m sorry for waking you. Now get back to bed.”
And finally, they relented. Blondie had to give me another hug and Ham patted my shoulder, but once they were gone, I couldn’t get back to sleep. I tossed and turned and before I knew it, I was grabbing my phone off the nightstand and zinging a text off to Caroline.
After writing, Nobody puts baby in a corner, I sighed and tossed the phone back onto the counter, only for it to immediately ding with a response. Not expecting her to write back at this time of night, I picked it up, thrilled to see it really was from her.
Why are you sending me a Dirty Dancing quote at two in the morning?
I grinned, and immediately, my chest felt looser. I could breathe easier, and the headache that had been forming behind my eyes abated completely. I’ve been studying up. I wanted to wow my sexy movie-expert girlfriend with my new knowledge of movie one-liners.
Well, I’m not wowed. Everyone knows THAT line.
So, I typed, Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
To which she typed back, Clark Gable. Gone with the Wind. Send a real challenge already. I’m yawning over here.
A grin lit my face. Maybe you’re yawning because you’re up at two in the goddamn morning. Maybe someone needs to…make you an offer you can’t refuse.
GODFATHER. And you’re the one waking me up at two in the goddamn morning. What’s up with that?
I was leaving a message for you to read when you woke up. I didn’t mean for it to actually wake you, Rosebud.
Well it woke me, Citizen Kane. What’re you doing up now, anyway? You didn’t work tonight.
I debated over whether I should tell her, but then I shrugged. What the hell? Bad dream, I typed.
Two seconds later, my phone rang. I shook my head and answered. “Yes?”
“What were you dreaming about?”
“It was nothing,” I started, only for her to talk over me.
“It was about your sister, wasn’t it? We had that big heart-to-heart on the roof earlier and it brought up a bunch of memories. Damn it, I should’ve suspected this might happen.”
“A misdiagnosis from Dr. Caroline?” I gasped. “I think I’m going to need a refund from our last session.”
There was a pause before she said, “I don’t even know what that means. You’re not regretting that sex on the theater roof, are you?”
“Fuck, no.” I laughed, and damn, it felt good to laugh. I was actually glad my text had woken her. Just hearing her voice was already making me feel better. “I don’t know what I meant,” I admitted. “It just sounded good.”
She snorted. “Is this how your brain works every night at two a.m.? I think you need more sleep, bud.”
“Well, maybe I could sleep better if I had a soft, sweet-smelling blonde to cuddle with.”
She sighed. “Well, maybe if you went to your front door and unlocked it, you’d find one already waiting for you.”
I paused and blinked. “Wait? What? You cannot be here, now, outside my apartment.”
“Why not?”
“Shit? You’re here? Now?” I threw off my covers and marched through the house to fling open my front door.
A real-live Caroline, her hair full of bedhead and her clothes wrinkled and clearly thrown on in haste, smiled up at me. “Surprise.”
“What the hell?” I snagged her around the waist and dragged her inside. “What...please don’t tell me you walked here in the dark.” And how the hell had she made it here so fast if she had?
“No.” She hugged me and kissed my cheek. “I pinched Aspen’s keys and left her a note.”
I grinned. “Well, you devious little woman, you. Do you know what I do to wily women?”
“You...leave them panting and boneless after a world-class orgasm?” she guessed.
“Why, yes. Yes, ma’am, I do.” Picking her up, I carried her back to my room and kicked the door shut behind me.
And the only dream I had the rest of the night was a dream come true.
Things changed after that night. And it wasn’t just because I finished college and put on a cap and gown and walked through a stupid line so my parents could take a crapload of pictures of me shaking hands with some important dipshits. I just felt...different.
My applications were sent off, my future was wide open to explore, yet I feared leaving Ellamore more than ever. And it was all because of one sexy, saucy little blonde who’d flipped my world upside down.
It certainly didn’t help that she liked to fuck with me at the worst possible times, either, like the sexy little text she sent right before I started a shift at the club on a ladies’ night.
Just wanted you to know I’m touching myself right now and imagining it’s your tongue instead.
The glasses I was supposed to be stacking behind the bar were instantly forgotten. I whimpered, hard as a rock as I began to type in my response. You have a dirty mouth, little girl. I know exactly what you need to clean it out with.
So...69?
I shook my head as desire rippled through me. “Minx,” I muttered aloud. I started to type back when a voice from behind me startled the fucking shit out of me.
“Wow, who’s texting you that has so much of your attention?”
I spun around to gape at Gam. Then I sniffed. “None of your fucking business.” I lowered my face to the text, but now the moment was ruined by big brother.
“Seriously.” Gamble made a grab for my phone, but I was quicker, holding it away from him. His gaze shot to mine. “Who’re you texting? Why won’t you show me?”
I typed, Wear that red thing again. I want to rip it off you...with my teeth this time— just as the bastard jabbed me in the gut with a fist and yanked the phone from my hand. I doubled over, groaning. When I straightened as much as I could, clutching my belly, I noticed a worried-looking Ham had paused to watch us. His eyes were wide because he knew I hadn’t been lying about it being Gamble’s sister on the other end of my texts.
Caroline never sexted me from her personal number, though. She still used Midnight Visitor’s number. I’m not sure why, but I had to admit it was always hot to see that name pop up. Told me I was about to read something explicit and sexual. At the moment, I was doubly glad she did it, because it had just saved our asses from the wrath of Noel Gamble.
He snickered as he started to read through our private correspondence.
“Pervert,” I muttered, grabbing my phone back and glaring at him. “Those weren’t meant for your eyes, jackass.”
Gam lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “That was your midnight visitor friend.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really? I had no idea.”
He set his hands on his hips, frowning. “I thought you said you weren’t hooking up with her anymore.”
“Well, I guess we still text around. Why do you care?”
“I don’t. I’m just surprised you’re being so secretive about it.”
With a full laugh, I shook my head. “I’m not being secretive. Since when does not wanting you to ruin my mood by butting into a smoking hot conversation make me secretive?”
“Since you usually shove them in my face to read every fucking line of them. What is up with you, man? You always give details, usually more than I ever want to begin with.”
“Well, maybe I’m actually beginning to listen to you about keeping my shit to myself. Did you ever think of that? Your little Ten is growing up and learning something called privacy and responsibility and respect, and all that decent shit.”
“Yeah, right,” he said dryly. “You grew up that much in...how long has it been since you started fucking her? A few weeks ago? A month?”
I bristled. I didn’t like how disre-fucking-spectfully he was treating my relationship with Caroline. I knew he wouldn’t be saying that shit if he knew who he was talking about, but damn...it still made me want to wrap my hands around his neck and just—
“Yo, Gamble,” Hart called suddenly from the other end of the bar. I glanced over to see him with his phone in his hand and his palm over the receiver. “Your sister’s on the phone for you.”
What? Why the hell was Caroline calling him in the middle of sexting with me? And why had I not heard the phone ring? Whatever the reason, Gam moved away to answer her summons, dropping our argument flat.
I blinked at Hart as he shook his head at me when he passed. “You’re welcome,” he muttered.
“What?” Confused, I turned to follow him.
Hart sighed and glanced over my shoulder to watch Gamble talk on the phone. “You need to be a little cooler around him, man.”
I stopped short, blinking. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means you’re kind of being an ass. You’re the one fucking him over right now, sneaking around behind his back. Yet you’re acting like it’s the other way around.”
“Are you kidding me?” I muttered, digging a finger into my own chest. “He’s the reason Caroline and I have to keep everything hush-hush in the first place. I think I have a pretty damn good reason to be irritated with him. And—wait. What the hell?” I stepped in closer and grabbed his shirt to yank him into the opening of the hallway. “You know,” I hissed. “How the fuck do you know?”
The fucker just grinned at me. “Know what?”
I ground my teeth and glanced around to make sure no one was listening in on us. “Don’t fucking play with me, man. How did you find out?”
He shrugged, still looking too pleased with himself. “I figured it out the night you got your first text from...what do you call her again? Your midnight visitor? Caroline asked me to sneak your cell phone back to you after she and Zoey had taken it.”
“Zo—Blondie was involved in that, too?” Ooh, Blondie and I were going to have some words after this. “Holy shit. So, you knew before I even knew?”
“Yeah.” Looking proud of himself, Hart chuckled. “I’m pretty clever that way.”
“You’re pretty dead.” I shoved him against the wall and scowled. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you knew that night?”
Hart merely shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that I was a split second from maiming him. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually. And Caroline went to a lot of work to fool you. I didn’t want to ruin all her plans.”
He was Team Caroline. I didn’t like that. Just how much did he adore her? Frowning, I scowled as I stepped back to give him room. Starting up a tune to whistle, he winked and slid past me, exiting the hall and reentering the bar.
I followed him slowly, warily. Him knowing too much was not cool. Nothing—absolutely nothing—was keeping him from telling Noel everything, right this second.
“So, Ten...” Asher grinned at me as he swung a chair off a table. His smile was too conniving.
I narrowed my eyes. “What?”
“How about you and I make a little wager tonight?”
Forgetting the glasses I’d been stacking, I moved to the table next to the one he was working on and took another chair off it to swing it around and sit it upright on the floor. “What kind of wager?”
“Let’s see which one of us can get the most phone numbers from women?”
I paused and glanced at him. The twinkle in his eyes as he folded his arms over his chest and rested back against the table told me he knew he had me boxed into a corner.
Behind us, Gamble hooted. “Now that’s a competition I’d like to see.”
Shit. I glanced back at Gamble and mentally bitch slapped the piss out of Hart. What the hell was he getting me into? I couldn’t turn him down now, not with Gamble listening in; he’d know something was up if I rejected a challenge like this.
“Me too,” Hart said. His grin spread a little too wide and a little too knowingly. “Unless you have a reason why you’d have to say...no.”
My mouth fell open. What a prick. He must really like Caroline, enough to fuck with me tonight in some evil plot to get her away from me.
I nodded and mumbled, “Whatever,” because I couldn’t say no in front of Gam and no way in hell was I voicing the word yes aloud.
But the first second I had after we opened the doors and Gamble was busy at the bar, I shoved the prick from behind. “Go up to the bar where Gam can hear you and call this fucking bet off.”
“What?” He looked startled. “Why would I do that?”
Because I’d kill him if he didn’t. I lifted my hands and sent him an incredulous glare. “Why do you think? I can’t fucking hit on other women. I’m with someone, numb nuts.”
“Then you call it off.”
“I can’t. Gamble will realize something fishy is going on, like I’m sleeping with his sister behind his back.”
“Well, you are, so—”
“Fuck you.” I shoved him in the chest. “We’re going to tell him. Someday. But first, I want to show him I can grow up and take care of her before I drop the big bomb. Maybe that way, he won’t kill me quite so fast when he finds out. Except playing a dumbass game to accumulate phone numbers won’t show him any such shit.”
“Then call it off, man. Show him you’re growing up.”
I growled. “Like he’ll believe that. Everyone knows I couldn’t grow up that fast. It has to be a slow progressive change to maturity.”
“Oh God.” Hart rolled his eyes. “You’re giving me a headache.”
I shoved him again. “Just call off t
Except he didn’t. And so...the night started with his stupid bet itching at my conscience.
“Any numbers yet?” Gam asked a half hour into our shift as I approached the bar with a list of drinks to fetch for customers.
I lifted my face to where he was watching me from behind the counter. “Huh?”
He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Chicks. Numbers. The bet. Any of that ring a bell?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, no. No numbers yet.”
“Really? You must be off your game tonight. Hart already has three.”
“Does he?” I glanced around to a table where Hart was grinning down at the table of girls. The fucker. I narrowed my eyes at him before turning back to Gam. “Must be the musician thing?”
“Hmm.” Gamble eyed me censoriously, as if he knew better. Then he folded his arms over his chest. “I was sure you’d get something from the table you just served.”
If I’d actually been playing in Hart’s damn game, yeah, I probably would have.
I glanced back at them. “They all had boyfriends,” I said.
“And how the hell could you tell that?” Gamble asked. “You barely talked to them long enough to take their drink orders much less gain relationship statuses.”
I set my empty serving tray on top of the bar—a little too hard—and sent Gam a glare. “Why the fuck is this bet so damn important to you? Jesus, it’s like you’re trying to relive your bachelor years through me now, or something.”
“Excuse me?” Gam wrenched back at my outburst, and I realized I’d gone too far. Shit. “Christ, man. I don’t know what’s got your pussy so dry and irritable lately, but there is definitely something up with you. Now...what is going on?”
I leaned in to rest my elbows on the bar and then I buried my face into my hands. I just about told him everything, then. I don’t know why; I hadn’t discussed it with Caroline, but I was seriously fucking tired of keeping it from him.
“Or is it because of her?” Gamble’s question made me lift my face. I glanced over my shoulder to see Caroline passing clearance through the doorman.