Almost Perfect Read online

  Published by J Hodge

  First eBook edition

  Copyright © Jenny Siegel 2015

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.

  If you are reading a copy of this book that has not been purchased from a licensed retailer please destroy it. Thank you for your support.

  Edited by Jenny Carlsrud Sims of www.editing4indies.com

  Cover designed by Robin Harper of www.wickedbydesigncovers.com

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Almost Perfect Playlist

  Almost Perfect

  By Jenny Siegel

  Dedication

  To everyone that bought A Good Girl.

  Chapter One

  Dominic’s lips brush over the sensitive skin of the back of my neck as I try for the third time to push my key to his apartment into the lock.

  “Stop distracting me.” I gasp as the tip of his tongue trails upwards.

  “I can’t help it. You’re very distracting.” My stomach clenches tightly at his husky whisper as he brings his mouth to my ear. A hand snakes around my waist and with a tug backward, I collide with his lean body and a hard erection presses back. His teeth bite down gently on my earlobe, sending a shiver through me, and I give up trying to unlock the door. Instead, I turn in his arms and wrap mine around his neck, standing on tiptoes to press my lips to his. My tongue brushes over his lower lip before I draw it into my mouth. An agonized groan escapes him and he takes my keys out my hand, breaking our kiss briefly to fumble again with the lock. He has the advantage of having had more practice, and a second later, the door swings open. With his arms wrapped around me, Dominic walks me backward into the apartment and straight into the bedroom, slamming the door behind us.

  It’s been ten minutes since Dominic left to get a bottle of water, but he still hasn’t come back, and I’m lonely.

  “Dominic,” I shout and wait a few seconds, but there is no reply. Odd. Throwing back the covers, I grab my panties from the floor and find Dominic’s t-shirt at the bottom of the bed. When I emerge from the bedroom, Dominic is sitting hunched over the breakfast bar. With only his boxer briefs on, I get an eyeful of his lean muscular back. I scan the tattoos that work their way down his bicep and observe his dark hair, all disheveled from my fingers being buried in it.

  “I missed you.” I speak up, letting him know he’s not alone. He turns on the stool and flashes me a smile, but it isn’t his usual megawatt smile. Something’s up.

  “What’s wrong?” I cross the room and pull myself up onto the stool opposite him. Without saying a word, he slides an envelope across the breakfast bar to me. With a quick glance at him, I open it up and slide out the contents. My hands tremble slightly as a photograph lands face up. It’s a football team and then I look closer. Fuck. It’s the football team from my high school. The odd part is that a red marker circles some of their faces. As I scan the lines of faces, my eyes zoom in on one familiar face—the quarterback, Zac Lucas.

  I chance a quick look at Dominic and don’t miss the scowl etched on his face or the tightness around his jaw from clenching his teeth. Steely green eyes stare back, he’s ready to explode . I study the players, and it doesn’t take me long to work out why some of their faces have been circled. They’re the ones it was rumored I slept with.

  “Is there a note?” I hold my breath, and when Dominic gives a sharp shake of his head, I breathe out harshly.

  “I didn’t sleep with them all.” My quietly spoken words echo in the tense silence. My fingers drum on the table as Dominic picks the up photograph again to study it. My nervous tapping annoys him because his hand clamps down on mine, and stays there until he sets the photo down.

  When he lifts his head to look at me, green eyes bore into mine, but instead of disgust or condemnation, all I see is worry and concern.

  “Who is doing this?” he grinds out in frustration, his hand clenching tightly around mine. “If I could get my hands on them…”

  “I don't know, Dominic,” I whisper and the helplessness on his face tugs at something deep inside. I can’t stand being so far from him, so I climb off the stool and walk around to where he is sitting. He turns and I stand between his legs, my hands resting on his thighs.

  “Don't worry, babe.” His hands thread through my hair, holding me there as he brushes his lips over mine. “Nothing they say is going to change the way I feel about you.”

  I don’t trust myself to speak as fear claws at my chest, making it hard to breathe. I manage a nod and tilt my head upward. My eyes flutter shut when his warm lips press against mine. His hot, insistent tongue invades my mouth in a kiss that consumes me, sending desire racing through my veins.

  Hands sweep up the outside of my thighs and slip under my t-shirt coming to rest on my waist. His thumbs brush over my skin and I begin to relax. Some of the worry drains away and when he lifts me up, heading for the bedroom, the photograph is the last thing on my mind.

  Pete has lined up loads more gigs at Captain’s Cabin, and as is the norm on a Friday, Iris and I have come to watch them play. Once we’ve passed the bouncer, I make my way over to the bar while Iris goes in search of Bryan, who has become a roadie of sorts. Before I can even order a beer, Grace sidles up beside me and nudges me in the side.

  “Nuh-uh. You’re not hiding back here. We’ve already got you a beer, so come and sit with us.” She links her arm in mine and tugs. I offer some resistance but go with her because I like them all. Bonnie and Maddie are already sitting at their usual table and they smile when I sit down next to them. The table is in front of the stage and to the side, which ensures we get the best view of our boys.

  Grace slides a beer across the table to me. “Now, it’s official.’ She holds up her glass and tips it in my direction, but I am none the wiser.

  “What’s official?” I return the gesture and take a pull on my cold beer.

  “You’re Dominic’s girlfriend. He’s off the market.”

  My brow furrows with confusion. “We live together, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

  “Ah-ha, but now you’re with us, everyone knows. It’s a public statement.”

  “I’ve never heard so much crap in my life.” I shake my head and she shrugs.

  “I know, but that’s what it’s like. It’s like the football player who has his girlfriend wear his number. Around here, this is a public statement.”

  I take a drink from my bottle, not entirely comfortable with this, but there’s nothing I can do anything about it. Then I notice the double takes when people see me sitting there. They put two and two together because Dominic and I are always togethe
r. The shocked looks are the most amusing, or maybe I should be insulted. After a while, I raise my bottle whenever some girl throws me a shocked look. Why wouldn’t I be with Dominic?

  “Has it always been like this?” I lean across the table.

  Grace shrugs and tosses her hair out, shaking off the fact that it bothers her that the band has such a large female following. And a lot of them are lusting after her boyfriend. Pete is the front man and gets the most attention. It doesn’t help that he is so good looking with tousled, dirty blond hair and jeans that sit so low on his hips that when he reaches up for the mic he exposes a lot of tanned muscled flesh. Tattoos decorate his arms, down to his wrists, giving him the complete bad boy look despite him being a total sweetheart. Rumor has it he can do wicked things with his tongue piercing, but I’ve never had the guts to ask Grace if this is true. She always looks happy, so I guess it is. When he sings, his piercing pale blue eyes never leave Grace, and the way he looks at her always makes me feel like an intruder.

  “It’s worse now than it was when they first started.” Bonnie, who is the quietest of the three, twirls her straw around her soda. “They have a bigger following now and get a lot more attention.”

  “So I’ve noticed.” I cast my eye over the crowd.

  “You never had to vie for Dominic’s attention.” Maddie smiles at me, and I nod without saying a word.

  As much as this table gives you a great view, I think I’d rather stand at the bar and avoid all the dirty looks and stares. The lights dim, saving me from dwelling on it further. The spotlights illuminate the stage, and my lips curl up into a broad smile when the opening bars of “Lie to Me” sound. This is one of my all-time favorites, I had just been telling Dominic how much I love this song.

  Toward the end of their set, I excuse myself from the table and head to the bar for another beer. Most of the crowd has moved closer to the stage so it is quieter here. It is mainly guys who have taken a step back to listen to the band. I perch on a stool with my beer and watch the rest of the set. For the first time all night, I relax slightly; no one stares at me or raises their eyebrows once they realize that I must be dating one of the guys in the band. The rest of the girls accept it, but I’m not comfortable with it.

  All my concerns are forgotten as I watch him play. The way he bites his on his bottom lip with concentration is sexy as fuck and my smile grows wider as my thoughts become inappropriate. I look like a crazy person sitting on my own, smiling to myself. But it’s hard not to. Come on, look at him. At six-foot-plus, he towers over my short ass, with styled messed-up hair and intense green eyes, and the tattoos that decorate one arm make him exactly my type.

  It took me long enough to admit it to myself and even longer to admit it to him. He was exactly the type of bad boy who I swore I would steer clear of when I first arrived, but that was easier said than done. Especially as he made it impossible and I was powerless to stop the attraction that grew between us. Despite me insisting from the beginning that we were just friends, it became apparent that I was lying to us both. We were never just friends. Dominic, on the other hand, knew what he wanted from the start—me. Just as well, really, because he’s stuck with me.

  It’s not been long since I moved in with him but the excited feeling I get every night when I fall asleep next to Dominic will never get old. Not to mention the butterflies I experience when I wake up with his warm body curved around mine, a protective arm slung around my waist, holding me to him.

  The stage lights dim and I cheer alongside everyone else when Superchared walk off the stage. Knowing that Dominic will come find me, I remain seated at the bar, facing out into the club as I drink my beer and people watch. The people on the dance floor are the most entertaining, girls dance with their friends or grind against the guy they’re with, and I smile to myself. Six months ago, that would have been me. Wasted and dancing with any random guy before going home with him, sleeping with him, and then sneaking out. Things can change so much in a short space of time.

  Granted, I still don’t drink as much as I used to, but I’ve loosened my teetotal stance enough to be able to enjoy a few beers when I’m out. Especially when I’m here watching Dominic play. My smile widens when I see Dominic striding across the busy club in my direction. People exchange a few words with him as he pushes through and although he flashes them a smile or nods, he doesn’t stop in his mission to reach me. He is almost clear when an attractive blonde tugs on his wrist and pushes herself into his side. Pulling his hand out her grasp, he flashes her a polite smile and continues to walk in my direction.

  An angry scowl twists on her face as Dominic’s hands slide around my waist and he draws me closer to the edge of the stool to stand between my legs. My hands rest on his neck and twirl the hair at the back of his head. Cocking my head to the side, I gaze up at him, finally able to relax when his thumbs work their magic on my hot skin. Long strokes sweep over the sensitive skin and my brain fogs. The girl watching us scowls harder before she flounces away into the crowd. It is all forgotten when Dominic’s lips claim mine, the minty taste from his gum lingers on his tongue as it strokes mine. The smell that I have grown to love—deodorant, sweat, and the smoke machine—surrounds me, and I inhale deeply.

  “Do you need to stay?” I mumble against his lips.

  Pulling back he cups my face in his hands, green eyes twinkling. “No. You ready to go?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, instead he lifts me off the stool and entwines his fingers with mine.

  “Did you bring Daisy? Pete’s going to take my truck.”

  “Maybe,” I tease him, and his smile widens.

  “You’ve been drinking, so I guess I’ll have to drive.”

  “I guess you will.” Fishing my car keys out of my back pocket, I press them into his warm palm. His fingers close around mine, and he pulls me closer for another kiss before pulling me toward the exit. When we pass the blonde from earlier on our way out, she looks me up and down in disgust and I fight the urge to stick my tongue out at her. I squeeze Dominic’s hand, and he looks down at me.

  “Who’s that?” I ask with a bite to my words.

  “The hell if I know.” He dismisses her after a cursory glance and tugs me against his body, wrapping an arm around me, letting the door swing shut behind us.

  Chapter Two

  I end the call from my mom and stare at the handset for a minute longer. My screensaver is a picture of Dominic and me on the hood of Daisy. I’m looking at the camera, but he’s looking at me, and Iris has captured him perfectly. A slight smile plays around his lips and his strong arms wrap around me. I am laughing at something he’s said with my hand on his jaw. The expression on his face takes my breath away; it’s something close to awe, and it makes me love him even more.

  “Charlie,” he shouts from the bedroom. “What are you doing, woman?” I smile at the impatience in his voice. I told him it would be a quick call and that was thirty minutes ago. Although I barely got a word in, Mom was telling me all about her wedding plans. I just made noises at the appropriate places and hoped she would think I was interested.

  Tossing my phone down on the sofa, I push up to standing and walk through to the bedroom.

  Dominic lies with the covers twisted around his middle, naked from the waist up. One arm behind his head and the other hand has a tight grip on the remote control. I lean in the doorway and watch him for a minute, his eyes glued to the tv, engrossed in whatever movie he’s watching. It give me the perfect opportunity to stare at the taut, rippled muscles of his chest and stomach which make my core clench, and when he swings his green eyes to meet mine, they smolder and my stomach flips.

  “Is your mom okay?”

  “Hmm.”

  “We could have gone to see her.”

  “I wanted to stay here with you. Anyway, they’re going to Aruba.” For the first time ever, I’m spending Thanksgiving and Christmas apart from my mom. Instead, I decided to stay with Dominic. The rest of our friends are staying and don’t
seem too enthusiastic about going home. Dominic has barely mentioned his family, apart from the phone call to his mom on Thanksgiving, which made him grumpy afterward. I asked if he wanted to go and spend Christmas with them, but all I got was a curt, ‘No,’ so I didn’t mention it again.

  After spending the rest of the morning in bed watching 80’s movies I drag myself out of bed and into the shower. We are spending Christmas Day with the rest of our friends at the band's house. Well, I’m the only one making any effort to get dressed. As I pull on my jeans and blouse, Dominic watches me a minute longer.

  “I was thinking… could we wait and exchange presents after we’ve been at Pete’s?”

  “Sure.” I shrug, but inside, I’m burning with curiosity about what he could have gotten me that needs to wait.

  “Come here.” Still lying in bed, he beckons me over and holds his arms out. I crawl on the bed beside him and relax when his fingertips slip under my blouse and run over the bare skin of my spine making me tingle. My breath hitches as desire unravels inside me. Green eyes flash with want as he lowers to meet my lips. At the first swipe of his tongue over my bottom lip, I arch into him.

  “I’m enjoying our first Christmas together.” He nips the bottom of my lip.

  “So am I, but you need to get dressed.” I chuckle when he groans, deep in the back of his throat, and his head flops back against the pillows.

  “Stop teasing me, woman,” he grumbles, and I kiss him once more, which earns me a smack on the ass. It takes all my willpower to pull away from his half-naked body, but Iris won’t appreciate it if we were late. Which is ironic, really, but her and Grace have put a lot of effort into today.

  “All right, let’s get over there and then I can give you your present when we get back.” Now I’m even more curious.

  • • •

  Iris greets us as soon as we walk through the door and grabs me into a huge hug, swaying me from side to side. This is the most excited I’ve seen her, and that’s saying something. For weeks, her sole focus has been on decorating their apartment, planning Thanksgiving and then Christmas with military precision. She’s like a small child, although I was never this excited about a holiday. Her face glows with excitement as she sticks out her left arm, and for a split second, I expect to see an engagement ring, but then I notice something around her wrist.