Misadventures with a Manny

by Toni Aleo

  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
n every single inch of Lincoln. He is either sweaty or he just got out of the shower, because drops run down his chest, getting lost in the fabric that he is struggling to hold at his waist. “Fuck off. I was working out.”

  Oh. Oh, God.

  “In a dish towel?”

  He scoffs. “No, I was working out, and I heard you come in so I grabbed this.”

  “You still work out naked. Ew,” Phillip teases, and Lincoln just laughs.

  Naked. He works out naked.

  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

  It is beyond unfair that sight isn’t televised.

  When a sound leaves my lips, almost a moan, I turn bright red. Well that is until I notice Phillip looking at me funny, so of course, I cover it with a cough.

  “Need some water, Vera?”

  My eyes cut to Lincoln’s, and I swear he is teasing me! He runs his tongue along his lips, and I squeeze my thighs together and ogle him.

  What is he doing to me?

  “Whatever. Charlie left his crosse in your car. Came to pick it up before we head to the game.”

  Lincoln points to the couch, but I don’t move. I’m too busy gawking at him like a girl in the front row at a Justin Timberlake concert, praying for him to sweat on me. Newsflash: if Lincoln starts gyrating, I might pass out.

  Meanwhile, no one notices that I am two seconds from passing out as Lincoln says, “I was going to bring it with me.”

  “You’re coming?” I squeak, and Phillip gives me a look once more, which leads to more really bad coughing. “Something is in my throat.”

  “I have that glass for you if you need it,” Lincoln says, his voice so low and dangerous, but I shake my head quickly as he looks back to Phillip. “I was about to jump in the shower before you walked in.”

  “Oh, okay. We’ll just grab it now so he has it,” Phillip says as he looks back at me for confirmation.

  I nod. “Yup.”

  Lincoln pulls his brows together. “You okay?”

  “Great,” I say, my heart jackhammering in my chest. I’m trying so hard not to look at his chiseled chest and rock-hard abs, but it’s a damn fail. My eyes cut back to Lincoln, and he’s watching me, his eyes full of playfulness as his lips curve. I don’t know how I am ever going to look at this man and not think of this moment for the rest of my existence, but I am thankful for it.

  I am going to get myself off good tonight.

  “What are you doing afterwards?” Phillip asks.

  I hadn’t even noticed that Phillip had moved and grabbed the crosse.

  Tearing his gaze from mine, Lincoln inhales hard before shrugging. “Same thing I always do… Hang out, watch TV, and sleep.”

  “Loser,” Phillip teases.

  Lincoln scoffs. “Hey, before you were waiting on Riana, hand and foot, you were doing the same.”

  “I was,” he says fondly, and then he shakes his head. “I think we’re going to dinner. Wanna join us?”

  “Who’s us?” Lincoln asks, his eyes moving between the two of us.

  Phillip gives him a dry look. “What does that mean? It’s me, Riana, and Vera. Why are you being weird?”

  “I’m not,” he says simply, his eyes snapping back to mine. He loses a bit of the dish towel, which gives me one hell of a peek at the crook of his leg. I’m pretty sure my tongue is hanging out of my mouth at this point. “Is that cool with you, boss lady?”

  “Huh?”

  He smiles widely, his face so bright, and those teeth—fucking hell, he’s beautiful. It’s unfair. “Is it okay if I come to dinner with you guys?’

  “Oh, oh, yes, of course. I told Phillip in the car, I wanted to get to know you.”

  “You do, do you?” he asks, and once more heat flushes through my body. “I’d like that.”

  I can only blink as Phillip’s phone goes off. “It’s Riana. She’s ready.”

  “Oh! Well, let’s go!” I say, turning quickly and almost running into the couch.

  “Easy there.”

  I look back to Lincoln and see his gaze moving along my body, and he smiles. “It’s nice seeing you in jeans for a change.”

  Another weird noise leaves my lips, and Lincoln sends me a grin that is probably how a wolf looks in a chicken coop.

  I’m the poor little chicken.

  My brother-in-law must be oblivious to it all. He reaches for the door and looks back at Lincoln. “Your towel is about to snap. You better get a new one.”

  Lincoln laughs. “Eh, it’s ’cause my cock’s too big.”

  I run into the doorframe.

  Right smack dab into it.

  Good God Almighty, kill me now.

  “Shit. You okay, Vera?”

  “Fine,” I somehow get out, holding my forehead.

  “Asshole. Watch it around my sister-in-law.”

  Lincoln looks at me and laughs almost in a teasing way. “She’s a grown woman. She knows what a cock is.”

  Oh boy, do I. And at this moment, with my head throbbing and my pussy dripping wet, all I want is his.

  In my mouth.

  Chapter Eight

  Vera

  “I shit you not.”

  Riana’s eyes widen. “No!”

  “Yes,” I whisper, my eyes wide. “The towel was like one of those little dish ones that you hang by the sink. He had somehow wrapped that around him, and I swear to God, Riana, I’ll never look at rubber duckies the same.”

  She snorts with laughter. “Rubber duckies?”

  I shrug. “No clue, but they were straining across his hips and thighs. Jesus, those thighs.”

  “And it was all there.”

  “All of it,” I gasp, my eyes falling shut, seeing it as if it is in front of me at that moment. “He is so thick.”

  Her eyes glitter with excitement. “What did you do?”

  “What else could I do? Phillip was right there! I was just trying to breathe and not attack him!”

  She giggles as she leans into me, which means we are basically sharing my lawn chair. She has a way of doing that, getting in my space—not that I mind. Too much. “I am so jealous he has a great body…though, Phillip’s is better.”

  “You have to say that,” I say dryly, and she nods. “And I love you, and Phillip, but Lincoln’s is way better.”

  “Ugh,” she adds and then her eyes go to where Phillip, Charlie, and Lincoln are standing by the side of the field, cheering the twins on. “I wonder what he was thinking as you gawked at him.”

  “I swear he loved it.”

  “No!”

  “Yes! And he was teasing me, licking his lips and giving me those ‘come tear this towel off me, baby, with your teeth’ eyes.”

  Her laughter is so loud as she falls back in her chair, shaking her head. When I say loud, I mean everyone turns to look at her. Even Phillip and Lincoln, who both give her a weird look before looking back at the field. Charlie pays her no mind; he is used to his crazy aunt Riana. “You are insane. Legit, stop it.”

  My eyes widen. “No, really,” I insist. “You don’t understand. He seriously looks at me like that.”

  “That is crazy talk. He’s so nice.”

  “And either, a: a closet freak, or b: knows I want him and is dead-set on driving me out of my skin.”

  “If he knew, he’d come after you.”

  I scoff. “He would not!”

  “Yes, he would. I just know it.”

  “You’re insane.” I’m answered with her giggles, which has me grinning as I shake my head. “It’s totally unfair, and the only good thing is I’ll get off so much faster tonight.”

  Again, she almost falls out of the chair. “Who’s the freak, Vera Woods?”

  I giggle as the men look back at us, both shaking their heads, but I don’t care. Exhaling hard, I drink in his back and then his thick legs. “Ugh, Ri, I can’t handle it. I really can’t.”

  “Well too bad. You got to.”

  “Well, duh,” I say simply, reality hitting me in the face. “The boys adore him.”


  Her laughter has subsided by now as she throws her legs into my lap, her gaze toward where Phillip stands with Lincoln and Charlie. “They really do. Charlie seems better, or am I just hopeful?”

  “Well, he hasn’t pranked anyone in five days, and he hasn’t screamed at me either. He actually told me he loved me today.”

  Her eyes light up. “He did?”

  “Yeah, on the phone. I don’t think he meant to, but he did.”

  “Oh, V.”

  She takes my hand, squeezing it hard, and I smile widely at her. “I’m not naïve enough to think that he’s great and things are all good. I know he still has some healing to do, but I truly think we are heading in the right direction.”

  She beams at me. “Told ya.”

  “Told ya, what?” I ask, taking a long pull of my water.

  “Lincoln would be great for you guys.”

  I scoff. “I mean, I don’t doubt his magic or whatever he does with the boys to make sure they are clean at all hours of the day, but I highly doubt his being around Charlie for three days changed him.”

  “No, but it is giving him a male presence, someone he can talk to.”

  I look away. I want him to talk to me. “Have you heard that they’ve been talking?”

  “I asked Phillip, but he said that Lincoln hasn’t said anything.”

  “Oh, okay,” I say sadly. “I need Lincoln to take Charlie to therapy on Thursday. I need to work a bit late.”

  “He won’t mind.”

  “I know, but I like being there.”

  “I understand that, but at least someone he trusts will be.”

  “Does he trust him?” I ask, my gaze falling on them. Lincoln said something funny, and my baby is grinning so wide, his laughter is making my smile. “They don’t even know him.”

  “But they do. Lincoln hangs with us a lot.”

  “How did I never meet him?”

  Riana pauses and then shrugs. “You were always working.” I move my fingers through my hair, and Riana adds, “You’ve cut down on your hours so much, Vera. Please don’t be upset.”

  “I’m fine,” I lie, and I know she doesn’t believe me. “I just wish I could have met him before he became my manny.”