Misadventures with a Manny Read online

  I look away, running my fingers along the bottom of my glass as I lean back into the counter by the sink. “I refuse to give them the opportunity to speak badly about me to them. If I’m nice to them, the boys won’t believe them even if they say terrible things.”

  Leaning into me, he says, “They wouldn’t believe it anyway. You’re their mom.”

  His gaze takes mine once more, and I swear, all I have to do is move an inch, and my lips would crash against his. I turn my view to his lips and swallow hard, but he moves away, grinning. “I guess I’m done.”

  “Oh, yeah, you are.”

  Our eyes meet once more, and I know I couldn’t look away if I wanted. I feel the heat coming off his beautiful body, and I want so badly to touch him. But what if I’m reading him all wrong? What if he doesn’t want me, but pities me? I couldn’t take that rejection at all.

  Licking his lips, he says, “So, I guess if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll head out.”

  Well, if you’re offering sex, then I may…

  I don’t say that, though. I just shake my head. “Nope, I have a date with my bathtub and then some work to do.”

  He slowly nods. “Sounds like a blast.”

  “Oh, yeah. I party hard on Fridays.”

  We share a grin as he moves past me, his spicy, cedar, and tobacco scent tickling my senses. When he reaches the entryway, he looks back at me, and a very suggestive grin pulls at his lips. “I’m just a call away.”

  And then he’s gone.

  Leaving me speechless, and I swear no one has ever done that to me.

  Maybe it was his tone that left me speechless, because what I heard is, “Call me if you wanna fuck.”

  I need help.

  I need Jesus.

  Fuck, I need to get laid.

  Chapter Seven

  Vera

  When Phillip taps my knee, I grin over at him. “I appreciate you coming with me to do that. I hate trying to surprise Riana. It’s so hard,” he says.

  I nod as I send an email back to my boss with an update on all the work I did the night before. I send him a grin. “Of course. You know I love shopping.”

  “You also know how hard it is to surprise her,” Phillip reminds me.

  “That too,” I agree before laughing softly.

  His laughter fills the car. Riana wasn’t the only lucky one when she picked Phillip way back when. I remember thinking that I’d never like him. He was too cocky and full of himself, but he proved me wrong. He is by far the nicest man I have ever met, and he cares for me, which is refreshing. He’s a good guy, and I love him dearly, so when he asked me to help him with ideas about a nursery for Riana, I didn’t hesitate to agree. I wanted to go, and I am honored he asked me.

  “Yup,” he says as he turns out of the city.

  We are heading back to pick up Riana before the boys’ games. I am dreading seeing Simon and Kaia, but I am thankful that Riana and Phillip will be there. Maybe then I won’t have to talk to either of them.

  “So how’s Lincoln working out?”

  Ugh. Just his name has me squirming in my seat.

  Before I went to bed last night, I thought of him. One thing led to another, and I got myself off so damn good that I am still riding the high. I haven’t done that in what feels like forever, and all it did was make me desperate for the real thing. I sort of regretted canceling my date with Dennis, but I just kept hearing Lincoln’s husky words over and over in my head.

  Don’t waste a good fuck on someone who doesn’t matter.

  I know darn well his momma didn’t say that, which means he was saying that to me, and something about that gave me gooseflesh all over my body.

  But also confused me all to hell.

  Unable to tell my brother-in-law of the complete and utter knots that man has me in, I smile. “He’s been great. The boys adore him.”

  “I knew they would. He’s a great guy.”

  “He seems like it,” I say offhandedly. “I haven’t gotten to know him very well yet.”

  He scoffs. “That’s surprising. He talks all the time.”

  I quirk my brow at that. “Hm. He doesn’t around me. But we haven’t had a lot of time. I’m usually blazing through as he’s going out.”

  “Really?”

  “I mean, we chit-chatted a bit last night, but nothing like getting to know him.”

  He slowly nods as he moves in his chair. “Maybe we can all go out tonight.”

  That excites me way more than it should, but before I can agree to it, my phone is ringing. It’s Charlie. “Hey, love, what’s up?’

  “Mom, I left my crosse in Lincoln’s car.”

  “Oh, crap,” I say, and I notice that Phillip looks toward me. “Charlie left his lacrosse gear in Lincoln’s car.”

  “Okay, I’ll call him,” Phillip says. “We can swing by and grab it on the way to the house.”

  “Your uncle is the best. He’s in the car with me, and we will swing through and grab it before meeting you at the field.”

  “Cool. Thanks, Mom.”

  “Of course, love.”

  “Okay, see you in a bit. Love you,” he says, and then the line goes dead before I can scream I love him back. It’s been months since he has said that. I don’t doubt that he loves me. But hearing the words… Oh, they fill me with such joy. My face breaks into a grin as Phillip calls Lincoln. Man, I don’t think Charlie realizes that made my day.

  As we wait for Lincoln’s voice to come across the car speakers through Bluetooth, I pray Phillip doesn’t notice how eager I am to hear Lincoln’s voice. I want to ask to go in with him to get the crosse, but I worry he’ll think I have a thing for his best friend. Well, not a thing. That’s silly. I just lust for him. Yes, that sounds more appropriate. More scandalous, but eh, no one will ever know.

  But man, what a hell of a scandal it would be…

  Unfortunately, Lincoln doesn’t answer.

  “What the hell? I know he’s home,” Phillip says.

  “How do you know that?”

  “He told me he isn’t doing anything today. He’s probably on the phone with his mom. He’ll call back.”

  It’s funny how close they are. They are almost like Riana and me. Lincoln doesn’t call back, so Phillip heads to his condo, which is on the other side of Riana and Phillip’s complex. I wring my fingers together as we pull into the driveway. Nervously, I ask, “You don’t think you should call again?”

  He shakes his head, throwing the car door open. “He’s home, and I have a key. Come on.”

  Quickly, I say, “Oh, I’ll wait here.”

  “Just come on. We’ll probably start talking, and I’ll feel bad leaving you out here.”

  I want to see Lincoln’s home. I’m sure it’s annoyingly clean.

  Cleanest man I’ve ever met.

  Yup, my curiosity gets the best out of me, and I follow him up the walkway as Phillip digs out his keys and opens the door with ease. “Bro.”

  “What?” Lincoln calls through the house as we enter his entryway. Of course, it’s cleaner than a hospital room. I have shoes and the boys’ things everywhere.

  “Hey, asshole, I’ve been calling you,” Phillip yells and then groans. “Jesus, put some clothes on.”

  I should be embarrassed with how I stretch my neck around my brother-in-law to see. When my gaze falls on Lincoln in only a very small yellow ducky towel, I’m nothing but thankful as my mouth parts in awe. Riana wasn’t lying; he is ripped from the top of his shoulders to his thighs. Each bit of him defined and thick with muscle. The ducky towel doesn’t cover much, and I swear I can see the length of him through it.

  And that alone has me gasping for air.

  He must have not seen me, because a slow and very naughty grin comes across his sexy face. “Hey, Vera. Didn’t see you there.”

  I can’t talk.

  “Yeah, can you go get dressed?”

  No. Please don’t.

  Not that I can say that as my eyes take i