by Toni Aleo
“You made wine come out of my nose!” she complains, and I laugh before handing her a napkin. Phillip and Riana joining in.
“Serves you right. You shouldn’t be drinking anyway.”
Vera makes a face. “Why? I’m not driving. Phillip is.”
Phillip gives her a deadpan look. “Thanks, Vera.”
“What? Wait, no, you’re driving, Riana.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”
I chuckle as I take a long pull of my glass, but when I set it down, she reaches over and takes it. “What the hell!”
“You’re driving,” Riana says simply. “And it’s your third.”
“Fourth, and I can handle my drink.”
“No, I need you to make it home,” she says before handing my drink to Vera, who sends me a wide grin before taking a pull of my beer.
“I didn’t take you as a beer drinker.”
Looking at me from over the mug, she smiles. “I’m an anything drinker.”
“Amen,” Phillip jokes, but Riana doesn’t find any of us funny. She looks upset, but then the waitress sets down her baked potato, and she’s happy again.
Pregnancy hormones. Gah.
“So you were born and raised here. Ever going to leave?”
I just took a bite of my steak, so chewing around it, I say, “Nope. I love it here.”
“But you were gonna go to Germany, weren’t you?”
I swallow my bite as I nod. “I was, but I knew it wouldn’t be forever.”
“Do you still talk to that family?”
I smile. “I do, daily.”
“Wow.”
“I miss them a lot.”
“Yeah, but I’m glad you didn’t go,” Phillip adds, taking a pull of his beer. “I’d miss you.”
“Aww,” Riana and Vera tease, but he doesn’t pay them any mind.
“Hey, he’s my brother from another mother.”
Riana rolls her eyes, but I find myself feeling a bit of guilt. I made a promise, but I haven’t been sticking to it. I flirted with Vera today, a lot, and if she even showed any kind of interest, I would have kissed her. My hand is still burning from touching her earlier. She’s so warm, so beautiful, and I’ve never wanted to protect someone the way I wanted to protect her. It’s been a long while since I wanted to fight a man, but I wouldn’t mind beating the shit out of Simon.
He is a douche.
“You know he is going to get married one day,” Riana says then, distracting me from my thoughts. “He won’t be with you forever.”
I smile as Phillip shrugs. “Yes, but I got married, and we’re still the best of friends.”
“For the love of God, you’re drunk.”
“Leave him alone, Ri. You’re jealous,” I tease, and she sticks her tongue out at me playfully.
“Fine, maybe a bit,” she says, but Phillip leans into her, kissing the side of her mouth.
“Nothing to be jealous of. You’re my number one.”
“I’m number zero,” I tease and she glares, but then her mouth is busy with Phillip, which gives me the perfect opportunity to grab my beer. But when I do, Vera does at the same time, our hands crashing together. Her eyes widen as she looks back at me, and I send her a quick wink before reaching for it to down most of it. Impressed, she claps her hands quietly, and I laugh before setting it back in front of her plate.
She’s fun.
Holding my gaze, she moves her fork through her spaghetti.
“Is it not good?” I ask.
She shakes her head quickly. “No, it’s fabulous. I just keep wondering how our paths never crossed before. I remember hearing Phillip and the boys say ‘Linc,’ but I guess I was always so busy, I just didn’t pay attention.”
My lip quirks as I shrug. “Yeah, I guess, but you know, they did cross once.”
Her brows shoot up. “Huh? When?”
“Yeah, when?” Riana asks, confused. “I didn’t know that. Did you?”
“No,” Phillip says simply.
I just smile. “I mean, not really, but I was sleeping off a hangover one morning at their house, and you had come over to get something—I don’t remember. But Riana had asked for you to keep it down, and you said, I quote, ‘I’m not keeping my voice down ’cause some asshole doesn’t know how to handle his liquor.’”
Her face turns beet red as a guilty smile curves her lips.
It is honestly the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen.
Covering her mouth, she looks to Riana. “I did do that.”
“You did!” she gasps, pointing to her sister and laughing. “Jesus, that was eons ago! Weren’t you pregnant with the twins?”
“I think so.”
“I don’t remember this,” Phillip says.
Riana slaps the table as she laughs. “’Cause you were on the floor passed out beside him! I had picked y’all up from some party.”
Phillip goes back to eating. “That makes sense.”
“It does,” I agree.
Vera glances back at me. “Sorry?”
I wave her off. “No need. It was so long ago.”
“I was angry and pregnant.”
“Hey, I’m not judging,” I say, holding up a hand. She grins, and a blush settles along her cheeks. I want so badly to tell her she is beautiful. That she is way too good for that bastard Simon. That I’d like to take her by that sweet face of hers and kiss the living shit out of her.
But I made a promise.
Fucking promise.
“Well, let’s make a toast.” Phillip holds up his glass, and I reach for my beer, causing Vera to laugh a bit as Riana glares at me. “To new beginnings. To getting to know each other and long-lasting relationships. Oh, and to the boys, Charlie, Louis, and Elliot. May they always feel loved and needed.”
Vera sighs happily, which is innocent enough, but apparently my cock doesn’t know that. For that simple sound has me harder than a rock as we clank our glasses together, all repeating, “To the boys.”
Which is the reason I am here.
Because I am the manny.
And she’s my boss.
I really need to keep reminding myself of that.
Chapter Ten
Lincoln
Once we finish dinner and settle the tab, we gather our things to head out. It was a great night, a great day actually, and I’m glad Phillip invited me, though I’m pretty sure he did with the intentions of Vera and me getting to know each other. While that had happened, it also made my crush on Vera stronger. I enjoyed watching her eat and laugh—man, I love her laugh. Her smile, though, is the best, and not her fake smile but her real one. The one that lights up her eyes and makes the little lines by them show.
Yup, clearly I have it bad for my boss.
But apparently no one knows of my struggles, for when we arrive in the parking lot, Riana asks, “Hey, Lincoln, why don’t you run Vera home?”
Phillip’s brows pull together, and I don’t miss the pure panic on Vera’s face as she eyes Riana. Phillip looks down at his wife, asking, “What, why?”
“’Cause I want to go home,” she coos, running her fingers along his chest.
Within seconds, gone is Phillip’s confusion. “Yes, take her home, Linc, please.”
“Wow, thanks!” Vera calls to them.
“Hey, I gotta get it in before this kid comes and I don’t get it at all,” he says, and Riana smacks him, but they’re both laughing, grabbing each other as they go toward their car. I’m taken by them. They are completely and utterly in love, and it does nothing but leave me envious as hell.
I want that.
I had my fair share of relationships, but no one ever did what Riana does for Phillip. Complete him. I want that. But I can’t help but think I’ll never find it if I’m in fact taking care of other families instead of finding someone to make my own.
Or maybe I already found her but I can’t have her.
Silence falls around me.
Vera glances up at me shyly as she
shrugs. “I can call an Uber.”
“Nonsense. I’ll take you home. It’s on the way.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely, unless you want to ride home with someone else.”
Her eyes turn such a dark color as she slowly shakes her head. “I don’t.”
“Cool, then let’s go.” I reach for her, pressing my hand into the middle of her back as we head toward my SUV. I’m getting comfortable doing that, and I’m not sure what that means. I shouldn’t be touching her, but I can’t stop myself.
Which is probably against all the rules of that promise I made.
And I should probably care more…
I’m a horrible friend.
Opening the door for her, I help her in since it’s so high off the ground.
“I bet the boys love this thing.”
“Oh, yeah, they do,” I say, and she chuckles as I shut the door before rushing around it to get in myself. I turn the car on, hitting the heat and then bundling up in my thin jacket. “Damn, it’s chilly tonight.”
“It is. I wish I had brought a coat.”
“Do you want mine?”
She scoffs. “I’m fine.”
I eye her. “Why’d you make that noise?”
Her brows pull together. “What noise?”
“That noise of ‘please, yeah right.’”
“Did I?” She chuckles.
I nod. “Yeah.”
She looks away, her laughter dying down. “It’s just silly to think your jacket would fit me.”
“Why wouldn’t it?”
She eyes me. “Really?”
I give her a look. “What? Don’t be weird. Jeez,” I say, taking my jacket off and handing it to her. “Put it on.”
“I’m really fine.”
“No, put it on,” I demand, and her eyes narrow a bit as if she wants to argue with me. Instead, though, a grin pulls at her lips. Slowly, her eyes never leaving mine, she puts on my jacket. I have to say, it’s the first time I’ve ever begged a woman to put on clothes. My jacket actually drowns her, like I knew it would. “See.”
She cuddles into it. “Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“You were right.”
“Say it again, louder for the people in the back.” Her glare deepens, and my grin doesn’t falter. “Ready?”
“Yeah.”
I’m met with a grin that hits me straight in the gut. As I pull out of the parking lot, I find that I’m nervous, which is odd. What the hell do I have to be nervous about? I just have the hottest chick I’ve ever seen in my life riding shotgun, and it’s fantastic because I can’t touch her.
I promised my best friend.
And she’s my boss.
See, nothing to be nervous about.
Annoyed with myself, I reach for the tunes and turn it up. “You like music, right?”
She gives me a deadpan look. “Duh.”
“Just making sure.” I laugh as the radio blasts the newest Justin Timberlake. When her eyes widen a bit, I wonder why. “Are you a fan?”
“I am.”
“Me too. Good body-rubbing music.”
Her face fills with color, and I can’t stop grinning. It’s fun flirting with her, though I don’t think she realizes I am. “Body-rubbing music?”
I show her all my teeth in a grin. “Yup.”
She just giggles, shaking her head as the music plays. Soon we’re both singing along together, and of course, I start dancing to the music. Growing up with all girls through the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block era, it’s easy to say I was in a lot of dance-offs. But it’s different with Vera than with my sisters.
She has a nice voice, but when she adds in her amazing dance moves, I am finding it hard to breathe.
“I can’t with you. The sprinkler? It’s almost twenty-twenty!”
She laughs. “Hey, the sprinkler will never get old!”
“Touché, touché!”
“All you keep doing is thrusting.”
“I’m driving!”
“True, don’t kill us. Riana would be pissed.”
“She would. Probably kill me again.”
“Exactly.”
“She’s insane.”
“She’s the best, though.”
“She is,” I agree, and when I chance a glance, she’s smiling. Of course, seeing that smile only makes me grin wider and want to kiss the hell out of her. It’s short–lived, though, since when I turn onto her street, my heart sinks.
I don’t want this to end.
I hadn’t expected for that feeling to rush up on me like this. I know I enjoy looking at her, but I’m also finding that I love being around her.
She’s the total package.
Not wanting to let her get out, I say, “So the boys come home tomorrow?”
Her smile grows a bit, but I see a lot of nervousness in it. “Yeah, at seven. Hopefully Simon stays in the car.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
She waves me off. “It’s fine. I’ve been dealing with him way longer than I care to admit.”
“So it’s never been good?” I ask just as I pull into her drive. “Well, I guess not, since you threw bread at him.”
“And a baseball bat.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“I used to be very passionate about him.”
I smile. “So you being passionate is throwing baseball bats?”
“Hey, no one said I was perfect.”
I laugh as she smiles.
“But not all of it was bad, if that makes any sense,” she says softly. “He has always been a wonderful dad.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he loves the boys, very much. I guess he just never loved me.”
I don’t know what to say, but then I mutter, “Well, he’s an idiot.”
Her eyes widen a bit as she glances up at me through her lashes. “That is the damn truth.”
We share a smile, but when she goes to take off my jacket, I stop her. “Keep it. I’ll grab it when I come over Monday.”
She smiles a thanks, but when I shut off the car, her eyes widen. “Are you coming in?”
I wiggle my brows at her. “Do you want me too?”
Her lips part, and this look of pure humiliation covers her face as her mouth moves but no words come out. She does that a lot around me, and all I can do is laugh. Because I’d kiss her if I didn’t laugh.
“I’m going to walk you to the door, Vera. Relax.” I get out and go around to help her out, but she’s already shutting the door when I reach her. “Jerk. I’m supposed to help you out. Be a gentleman and all that.”
She scoffs. “Pretty sure a gentleman doesn’t call a lady a jerk.”
I press my lips together. “You’re right on that. Please don’t tell my mom.”
I’m answered with her giggles as we walk around the SUV and up the front path. “Secret is safe with me.”
My body is tingling for her as we walk in silence. I want to reach out, take her hand in mine, and then pull her closer for our mouths to meet. I want to tell her that this is the best date ever, and it isn’t even a date. I want to take her up the stairs to her room and lay her down on that massive bed of hers.
I want a lot of things I know I can’t have.
Reaching the front door, she searches her purse for her keys as she says, “I’m good. You don’t have to wait. It’s chilly tonight.”
“No way. Riana would kill me if I didn’t make sure you got in okay.” She sends me a grin as she digs in the bottom of her purse. I look up at the house and then glance back to her. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” she says, just as she finds her keys.
“How do you afford this house? It’s huge!”
She laughs as she pushes the door open. “I bought it with my inheritance from my parents.”
“Oh. So it’s paid off, then?”
She grins. “It is, you nosey ass.”
I laugh. “Yea
h, I guess that is rude. Don’t tell my mom I said that either.”
She leans into the door. “I guess when I meet your mama, we won’t have much to say.”
“Oh, she’ll have plenty. She talks more than anyone I know.”
Her eyes brighten a bit as she looks me over. “Are you heading home?”
Tucking my hands into my pockets, I nod. “I am.”
She inhales hard, her eyes burning into mine, and when she looks at me like that, I lose all train of thought. “Do you want to come in for a glass of wine?”
I’m not sure if she really wants me to come in for a glass of wine or if it is code for having my way with her, but I know if I go in there, I’ll do the latter.
And I can’t do that.
Biting into my lip, I move my head toward my car. “I gotta go. I have an early morning.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I go to church with my family on Sundays.”
Her eyes widen as she laughs softly. “So let me get this straight,” she says, holding up her hand before counting off each finger. “You clean, cook, do laundry, care for kids, and go to church on Sundays? Oh, and you love your mom.”
And some would say I fuck like a dream, but I know I can’t say that, so I smile. “I do.”
“Are you sure you’re not gay?”
“Oh, Vera, if only I could show you—” I pause, swallowing hard as I hold her gaze. My whole body is on fire. I want more than anything to press her into that door and show her all of me, but apparently I have the restraint of a saint. I clear my throat and say, “How very not gay I am.”
Her lips part before she pulls in a deep breath, and all I want is to kick myself. I am turning down this beautiful woman, like an idiot. “Good night, Vera.”
“Night, Lincoln.”
Turning from her, I swear I’ll never regret anything more than the moment when I walked away from a very wanton Vera.
But, hey, I kept my promise.
That makes me a good person.
Even though I really want to be bad.
Very bad.
Chapter Eleven
Lincoln
After Saturday, I was finding it an absolute struggle to be around Vera.
On one hand, I had my promise to my best friend, and on the other, I had this undeniable need for her. I want to believe that she too has a need for me, but if she did, why hadn’t she done anything yet?