Misadventures with a Manny Read online

  He doesn’t agree. “She’s not right for you.”

  “I think she’s perfect for me,” I decide, my eyes never leaving his, even though his words hurt.

  Because they’re true.

  He shakes his head, though, almost violently. “No, Linc, you’re distracted by the sex, by the fantasy in your head of her being all those things. She won’t be, though. She’s done with that part of her life. Now she wants to raise her kids and be happy.”

  All this astonishes me. Where does he get off? “How do you know?”

  “Because I know her. She’d probably laugh in your face if you asked her if she wanted any more kids or if she has plans on getting married again. She was in a shitty relationship. Why would she want to do all that again?”

  “Because it won’t be shitty,” I snap. I don’t mean to get testy, but he’s pissing me off. “I would treat her right.”

  “And I don’t doubt that, not even in the slightest, but she will not give you everything you want.”

  “I mean, it’s been a day. How do you know—”

  “’Cause I see it in your eyes,” he says, his gaze burning into mine. “I fought Riana so hard on that, told her there is no way you’d be feeling Vera so quickly, but it’s all right there. I was wrong, and now I have to tell her that.”

  My heart jumps up in my throat as I look down at the driveway. “It’s nothing.”

  “It’s everything for someone who wants to be loved and needed.”

  I swallow, trying so hard to ignore his words, but it isn’t easy.

  “Break this off now, while it’s fresh and new and no one can get hurt.”

  I tuck my hands in farther, knowing that won’t happen. “I can’t.”

  When I meet his gaze, he looks away, shaking his head. “Come on, Linc. You know this is going to end badly.”

  I don’t know that. “Who says it’s gotta end?”

  Silence stretches between us until, finally, he groans loudly. “You’ve always been the romantic between us. It’s annoying, especially for a realist who knows this is going to end so fucking bad that I may lose you as a friend.”

  That knocks the air out of me. Meeting his angry gaze, I shake my head in shock. “Wow.”

  “Reason being, if she gets attached to you and you break it off with her because she won’t have kids with you or marry you, I swear it, man, I’ll be done. For the simple reason, I stood out here, looked you in the eyes, and warned you. I told you not to get involved with her, to keep your dick in your pants. I love you, you know that, but I refuse to watch her go through another heartbreak and have it damage my relationship with my wife.”

  I don’t say anything as I look away, but I feel him watching me. When he lets out a long breath, I still can’t look at him. Instead I watch as his feet start to walk away, and when his car door slams, I jump a bit. When he starts the truck, I look up, watching as he pulls out. He doesn’t spare me even the slightest of looks. His brow is furrowed, and his cheeks are red. I want to say that everything he said is completely untrue and I wasn’t the least bit worried, but I would be lying. What if he is right?

  I don’t want to lose my best friend, but how in the world am I supposed to ask Vera if she wants the things I want when we’ve been together a whole day?

  Plus, are we even together?

  I don’t want to know if we are or not, because I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to be told that this is nothing to her but mindless sex. I want to feel that she is falling for me, the way I am falling for her. I want to think we have a future together, because she’s just it for me.

  But stupid Phillip just put all this doubt in my head.

  Something I didn’t even need or want.

  When the door opens, I turn to see her looking at me. “He’s pissed.”

  I nod slowly, a smile pulling at my lips, though I don’t feel it. Walking toward her, I shrug. “Yup. Not a happy camper.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That I should call this off.” I reach for her, pulling her against me as I shut the door behind me. She looks up at me, her eyes wide, and in them, I’m unsure if I’m seeing what I want to see and not the truth.

  She moves her hands up my chest. “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him no.”

  Her brows perk. “You weren’t kidding when you said you’ve wanted this for a while.”

  “Nope, I wanted you the moment I saw you, and if we weren’t in a room full of the boys and your sister and Phillip, I would have taken you against the door.”

  She’s breathless as she gazes up at me. “While that tickles my loins”—I snort at that, and she smiles widely at me—“I really don’t want to come between you two.”

  “You won’t,” I say quickly, nibbling on her jaw. “He’s just mad ’cause Riana told him and I didn’t,” I lie, kissing the spots I nibbled. “It’s not a big deal.”

  She pulls back, her hands coming up to cup my jaw. “Are you sure?”

  “Definitely.”

  A small smile pulls at her lips. “I…” She trails off and bites her lip.

  I kiss her nose. “What?”

  “I don’t want to end this.”

  “You like the sex?”

  She laughs out loud, leaning into me as she wraps her arms around my neck. “I mean, it isn’t bad.”

  I nip at her lips. “It isn’t.”

  “But no, it’s not that.”

  “Then what?” I ask, holding her tightly. “My big cock?”

  She snorts this time before pressing her nose into mine. “No! Though, again, that’s not a bad bonus.”

  It’s me snorting this time as I kiss the side of her mouth. “Then what is it?”

  Her eyes lock with mine as she moves her fingers along the back of my neck. “It’s the way you make me feel.” It’s like taking a shot straight to the chest. My lips start to curve just as she beams up at me. “I’ve never felt like this.”

  I inhale deeply, kissing her bottom lip. “Me either.”

  She chews on her lip for a moment, her eyes never leaving mine. “But, would you be okay if we don’t tell anyone, not yet at least?”

  My brows come together. “I wasn’t going to scream it from the rooftop, but I don’t want to act like there is nothing here.”

  She threads her fingers through my hair. “It’s just so much change has already happened for the boys. If they find out I’m dating their nanny, I’m worried it will be déjà vu for them, and I don’t want to do that to them. I can’t do that.” Her eyes search mine. “I know it’s not ideal, but can we wait a bit? Maybe when they get back from spring vacation with their dad?”

  I should say no. I should do as Phillip told me to.

  But I can’t.

  Recklessly, I agree, “Okay.”

  “Please understand that I don’t do this to hide you or anything like that, but I don’t want to throw you into the mix and then something goes wrong.”

  I slowly nod. “It’s smart.”

  She eyes me. “You’re upset.”

  “No, I’m just annoyed with Phillip and…”

  “And you want me?”

  My lips quirk. “That’s a given.”

  “No, I mean—”

  “I know, and yes,” I say simply, pressing my nose to hers. “I want to be with you all the time, and all this means is that we’re gonna have to find time for each other. Alone time,” I add, wagging my brows at her. But she doesn’t laugh. Her eyes are full of worry, and that does nothing but worry me. “But it’s fine. Really. I understand. The boys come first.”

  Her eyes soften as she leans her head to mine. “Thank you.”

  Closing my eyes, I gather her closer in my arms before capturing her mouth in mine. Even though I feel like we have this somewhat figured out, I can’t shake what Phillip said, and that worries me.

  But my anxiety over the future can’t ruin what I’m feeling right now, in her arms with her lips and body pressed against mine.