The Man Ban

by Nicola Marsh

  Besides, that candle in her bedroom was a big one and would burn for hours.

  When she padded into the lounge room with the platter in her hands, Manny had his head resting on the back of the couch and his eyes closed, fatigue etched into the faint lines around his mouth. Tenderness expanded in her chest until she could barely breathe, and she contemplated taking the platter back into the kitchen and letting him sleep.

  Sensing her scrutiny, he opened his eyes and sat up straighter. “Don’t mind me. I’m an old man and need my regular naps.”

  “You’re exhausted. You should be in bed.”

  He perked up, a spark in his gaze. “Is that an invitation?”

  “I think you need to eat first to keep your strength up.”

  He pointed at his groin. “That doesn’t need food to be up.”

  She chuckled. “Eat.” She laid the platter down on the coffee table. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Coffee please, strong black. Otherwise I’m in danger of falling asleep right here.”

  “What I said earlier, I meant you should be in bed at home. Why did you come over?”

  “Because I had to see you.” He captured her hand and pressed a kiss to it. “I wanted to make sure what happened between us in New Zealand wasn’t just in my head.”

  “And?”

  “It’s real.” He stood and reached for her, clasping her face in his hands, drawing her closer to slant his lips across hers. “Mind-blowingly real,” he whispered against the corner of her mouth as his hands slid lower, over her shoulders, her torso, to cup her ass.

  “I thought you needed coffee?”

  “Later,” he murmured, pulling her to him. “Much later.”

  42

  Manny had no idea how long he’d slept, but when he woke he felt more refreshed than he had in a while. Long shifts after any time off kicked his ass, and it took him a week to acclimatize, which is why he didn’t take a vacation often. He stretched and rolled over to find himself face-to-face with the reason for his supremely rested state.

  “Good morning,” Harper said, her coy smile alerting him to why he’d had such a deep sleep. A sensational orgasm was more powerful than any sleeping tablet. His medical opinion; he was sticking to it.

  “It’s a very good morning.” He leaned forward to kiss her. “What time is it?”

  “Almost five thirty.”

  “Crap. I’ve got a shift starting at midday, and I’ve got errands to run before that.”

  “No problem. You’re free to leave at any time.” She winked. “I’m not tying you to the bed.”

  “I wish you would.”

  “Maybe next time.”

  That was the best offer he’d had in a while. “So there’s going to be a next time?”

  “What do you think?”

  She’d given him the perfect segue into what he’d wanted to discuss last night. Coming over to her place, deriving comfort in being here with her, reinforced what he’d known deep down when they’d parted at the airport.

  He wanted more than a fling with Harper.

  He wanted a relationship.

  “I think we need to clarify what we’re doing,” he said, sliding his hand under the covers to capture hers. “Last night was special.”

  Either she misunderstood because he tended to deflect with humor or she deliberately chose to make light of what he’d said, but she lifted the top sheet a tad and peeked under. “I’ll say.”

  “I know what you’re doing.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m the king of using banter to distract from the heavy stuff. But I’m not kidding around. And I’m not referring to the sex, because we both know how compatible we are between the sheets.”

  He pressed her palm to his chest, over his heart. “Last night was special because for the first time in my life, rather than avoiding company when I was feeling so crappy, I sought it out. And I wouldn’t have done it for anybody other than you.”

  Her eyes widened and she nibbled on her lip. “What are you saying?”

  “That I want to give this a go. You and me. Dating. Exclusively.”

  “Aww, you’re asking me to go steady?”

  He loved her sass. “Make light of this, but this will be my first relationship, so you’ll need to go easy on me.”

  “You’re forty. How can this be your first relationship?”

  “Already told you, I didn’t have the time or the inclination.”

  “You still won’t have the time now. We’re both busy and—”

  “But the inclination between us is strong. Very strong.” He shifted closer. “I know this is crazy because we’ve known each other for a short time. But I’ve never felt this way before, and I want to explore what we’ve got. So what do you say?”

  She hesitated, and his heart sank. “I have to tell you something first.”

  “Uh-oh. You’ve got a long-lost lover returning to Melbourne? You’ve got a harem of guys in various restaurants around the city? You’ve decided to bone Jock McKell after all?”

  She laughed and shook her head. “I’ve had a self-imposed man ban for the last year.”

  “A man ban?”

  “Yeah, my last boyfriend, Colin, hurt me so badly I haven’t gone near a guy since.”

  “So what was I? An aberration?”

  “No, you were part of my Manny-banny.”

  He groaned. “That’s woeful.”

  “Hey, the startling news that a man I think is the most gorgeous, intelligent guy I’ve ever met, and the best sex I’ve ever had, wants to date me calls for lame-ass puns.”

  “You’re forgiven because you boosted my ego. But you still haven’t answered my question. Are you up for dating a relationship-phobe and indoctrinating me into the ways of being part of a couple?”

  This time, she didn’t hesitate, her nod emphatic. “Let’s do it.”

  He let out a whoop, wrapped his arms around her, and rolled her on top of him. “I need to leave soon, but how about we have a rousing celebration first?”

  Desire sparked in her eyes as she slowly, deliberately, writhed against him. “You know how much I love a good celebration with you.”

  43

  Harper strode into the small Indian café in Dandenong and immediately spotted Samira and Pia at a table by the window. The café only had ten tables but each one was taken, and the delicious aroma of spices made her salivate.

  The women had their heads close together, looking at something on Pia’s cell, and as she made her way toward them she heard Samira squeal, “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Hey, girls.” Harper slung her arms around their shoulders and gave them a half hug. “What’s going on?”

  When she straightened, Samira nudged Pia, who had flushed crimson. “You tell her.”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Sit first,” Pia said, swiveling the phone toward her. “What do you see?”

  Harper peered at the screen. “You and Dev draped all over each other in front of your place.”

  “Check the date stamp,” Samira said, beaming.

  Harper realized what all the fuss was about as she glimpsed the numbers. “You and Dev are back together?”

  Pia nodded, her smile so bright it could light a room. “Yeah. It’s taken us a long time to get here, but with the counseling and the dating, we’re ready to move back in together.”

  “I’m thrilled for you both,” Harper said, reaching out to give Pia’s arm a squeeze.

  “Thanks, we’re thrilled too.” Pia slid her cell back into her bag. “And we’re planning a trip to India to check out adoption agencies.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  Samira clapped her hands. “If I was any more excited I wouldn’t be able to eat, but that’s never happened before, so I’m pretty sure I’ll manage to squeeze in a masala dosa
.”

  Pia laughed. “Have you had South Indian vegetarian food before, Harper?”

  Harper nodded. “Nishi introduced me to the wonders of Indian food when we first met in school, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

  “Shall I order three masala dosas then?” Pia asked.

  “Yes please, and mango lassis,” Harper added, as Pia headed to the counter to order.

  “You’re sounding like a pro.” Samira smiled, surprisingly smug. “And something tells me you’ll be eating a lot more Indian food in your future.”

  No way. How could Samira know about her and Manny when they’d only made it official this morning?

  “How do you . . . I mean . . . when . . .”

  Samira laughed. “Relax. You’ll soon discover the Indian grapevine works faster than any smartphone.”

  Pia returned and sat. “What’s the latest on the Indian grapevine?”

  Smug, Samira gestured at Harper. “Our friend here has some news about a new boyfriend.”

  “Oooh, is he hot?”

  Samira whacked Pia. “You’ve only just reunited with Dev.”

  Wincing, Pia rubbed her arm. “Yeah, but I’m a woman and I have a pulse so I can look.” She focused on Harper. “Got a pic?”

  As Samira continued to smirk, Harper heaved out a sigh. “Actually, you both know him.”

  Confusion creased Pia’s brow. “We do?”

  “It’s Manny,” Harper said, as Samira burst out laughing.

  Pia’s eyes widened in recognition. “Manny, as in Manish Gomes, the guy you humiliated at Nishi’s wedding?”

  Harper nodded as Samira continued to giggle like a schoolgirl. “His grandmother rang Mom, gave Kushi the full rundown about Manny chasing after some Aussie he met at Nishi’s wedding all the way to New Zealand, and how he’s mad for her and won’t hear reason about settling down and marrying a nice Indian or Anglo-Indian girl.”

  “He chased you to New Zealand?” Pia’s eyebrows rose, but Harper glimpsed the reservation in her eyes. “Just so you know, Manny’s got a reputation as a pants man. He dates extensively, but he never chases after a woman, ever. So did he really follow you all the way to New Zealand?”

  “That’s practically a marriage proposal, you know,” Samira said, snapping her fingers in front of Harper, who swatted Samira’s hand away.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, nobody’s getting married, and if you want to hear what really happened rather than listening to gossip, you two better shut up.” Harper mimicked zipping over her lips, and the girls laughed.

  Samira held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, we’ll behave.” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “Now tell us what happened, and don’t leave out a single detail.”

  “Aren’t you married to the hottest reality TV star in Australia?” Harper asked.

  “Yeah, and your point?” Samira mock huffed. “Doesn’t mean I don’t love a bit of juicy gossip, and Manny falling for you definitely qualifies.” She jerked a thumb at Pia. “Cuz is right, Manny doesn’t do commitment, and we’re not trying to scare you off by saying it, just telling you how it is.”

  “He told me that himself when we both stipulated having a fling while we were overseas, but things changed . . .” Harper felt heat creeping into her cheeks, and she resisted the urge to press her hands to them. “We had a good chat this morning, and turns out we’re trying the relationship thing.”

  “Good for you,” Pia said, a second before Samira added, “So tell us more about this fling.”

  Harper grinned, happy to have something to impart rather than being a bystander as usual. While she’d known Nishi forever, she’d only met Samira and Pia through her friend, and they’d caught up regularly in the lead-up to the wedding. She liked the cousins and they had bonded over a shared love of Gilmore Girls reruns, Ryan Gosling flicks, and masala chai. It was a bonus that Samira happened to be a friend of Manny’s. And Harper was sure that had nothing to do with Samira organizing this catch-up today. Yeah, right.

  “Well, you know about the wedding debacle.”

  Samira nodded. “Not the most auspicious beginning, but you must’ve had a lot of fun resolving your differences.” She made a lewd sign with her forefinger moving in and out of a circle formed with her opposite thumb and index.

  “You are so immature.” Pia elbowed Samira and rolled her eyes. “Now quit it so we can get the lowdown.”

  Appearing suitably chastised, Samira clasped her hands together and rested them on the table. “Okay, I’ll be good.”

  “At the Storr Hotel in Auckland, I ran into Manny. He’d just finished up a medical conference, I was freaking out over losing my assistant, and he volunteered to help me out.”

  Samira’s and Pia’s jaws dropped in unison, like those clowns at a sideshow where you popped Ping-Pong balls in their mouth.

  “He what?” Pia asked.

  “He helped me out of a jam. Was really sweet about it, actually. Took orders like a pro, and if it wasn’t for him I would’ve made a mess of the job.”

  Biting back a grin at their matching shocked expressions, she continued. “He was taking a few days off after the conference, and I had another job to do at the new Storr Hotel in Lake Taupo, so he offered to accompany me down there too.”

  Samira’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Let me get this straight. He helps you out of a tight spot, takes orders from you, you fall for his gallantry, and suddenly you’re dating?” She shook her head. “I don’t buy it. What aren’t you telling us?”

  Aiming for bashful, Harper shrugged. “Well, there may have been a few romantic dates here and there, and some sexy time.”

  Pia whistled. “Look at your cheeks. They’re fire-engine red.”

  Samira wiggled her eyebrows. “That good, huh?”

  “Better,” Harper murmured, remembering all the ways Manny had pleasured her, not surprised she’d become addicted so quickly. “He’s a special guy.”

  “He’s one of the good ones,” Samira said, but Harper detected a hint of recalcitrance.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Samira cast Pia a quick sideways glance before refocusing on her. “I like Manny. He’s fun. But he does have a reputation among the Indian community as being the unobtainable bachelor.”

  “Some of the aunties call him the Unicorn behind his back,” Pia added.

  As proof of where Harper’s mind was at when it came to her new boyfriend, mentioning unicorn had her thinking about his impressive horn and she struggled not to snicker.

  “So you think he’s just fooling around with me?”

  Samira hesitated, before saying, “We don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Thanks, that’s sweet, but don’t worry, I’m going into this with my eyes open.”

  Thankfully, the arrival of their dosas and lassis put paid to further conversation about her relationship. But as Harper tore into her paper-thin crispy rice pancake and scooped up the spicy potato filling, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been too quick to accept Manny’s spiel about her being an exception to his no-relationship rule.

  And what that might spell if he’d spun her a whole lot of BS she’d fallen for.

  44

  At the end of an eight-hour shift, the last thing Manny felt like doing was having drinks with other couples. He’d much rather have Harper all to himself, in his bed preferably, but while he may not have had a real relationship before, he knew it meant making sacrifices.

  At least he knew Samira and Rory, and Pia, though he hadn’t met her husband, Dev, yet. Harper had been pretty chuffed about them reuniting, and from what Samira had told him, Pia and Dev had been through the wringer trying to conceive, and infertility had precipitated their separation.

  So he could do this. Play nice for an hour, make small talk, then whisk his girlfriend back to his place
for some raunchy one-on-one time.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Harper said, as they strolled along the Yarra River to an upmarket Southbank bar.

  “It’s because I’m still processing. The aunties really call me the Unicorn?”

  “Yeah, because you can’t be captured. A figment of the imagination of a thousand pining brides-to-be, apparently.”

  “They’re always trying to matchmake, regardless if you welcome it or not, and I do not,” he said, wondering why Izzy hadn’t mentioned the nickname over the years.

  Though it wasn’t exactly flattering, and he’d hazard a guess the aunties had never used it in front of his gran. She’d always been fiercely protective of him, and in a battle of Izzy versus the aunties he’d have his money on Izzy every time.

  “You’re Anglo-Indian though, so arranged marriages aren’t part of your culture. Why do they feel the need to interfere?”

  “Because it’s a skill born of a lifetime’s practice,” he said drily, remembering countless functions where he’d been introduced to an endless parade of “suitable” women.

  Doctors were considered the Holy Grail for matchmaking mothers, and he’d been successfully dodging them ever since he graduated.

  “I can’t wait to show you off to the community,” he said. “Having a girlfriend will finally get those old crows off my back.”

  “So that’s all I am, huh? A prop in your dastardly plan to foil the aunties?”

  “You’re also incredibly talented in bed,” he deadpanned, cracking up when she bumped him with her hip, hard, and he staggered a step. “Hey, don’t be so brutal. I’m coming off a difficult shift and I’m only doing this because you asked so nicely.”

  The memory of how she’d asked, by giving him a blow job as a prelude, had him wanting to finish these obligatory drinks in thirty minutes rather than sixty.

  “It’s our first outing as a couple,” she said, her smile surprisingly shy. “It’s kind of nice.”