Page 19 of Manny

“Told ya,” Lace laughs. “Manny is freaking amazing.”

Reaching out I give her a chin lift. The words leave my mouth but they feel foreign. “How’s the new place goin’? You still need a hand with the boxes?”

“If that’s okay? My brother said he’d help, but he can’t get the van till Friday.”

She’s adorable when she eats. I know you can’t say that about many people, but she devours every morsel like it’s her last meal. She’s not a messy eater, she’s careful and not noisy. In fact, I’ve never enjoyed watching anyone as much as I enjoy watching her.

“We can make several trips in her car, but it’s tiny,” Manny adds. “Even though you don’t have that much stuff, those tubs take up a lot of room.”

“My clothes are my life,” Lace goes on and I hate how it irks me that Manny is being super helpful. It’s obvious he has a thing for her. Here I was thinking he was gay this entire time, and I recently learned he’s bi. I mean, he’s like this with all the girls in the club; super fuckin’ helpful. A littletoohelpful in this regard, and that annoys the shit out of me.

Here I am trying to be a nice guy and not treat Lace like another roll in the hay, somebody to have a good time with and discard once we’re done. Not with her. Never with her. I respect this club too much to let a chick get in the way of me and a brother. And if we fucked, it’d be nice and weird when I run into her at the clubhouse. Which, by the looks of things, will be a lot now that she and Manny are bosom buddies. I’d feel like an errant child if I screamed at him that I saw her first. That’s just dumb. Plus, I can’t shake that thrill that ran through me when I saw a peek of his body when his tank was flapping in the breeze…

Fuck no!I need to pull myself together. This isn’t who I am. I mean, I’m straight. Also, I have no fuckin’ problem with people who aren’t, nor do I give a shit what other people do, but it’s not a complication I need right now in my life. Realistically, I have enough shit going on to sink a battleship. I don’t need to be lusting after a fuckin’ man as well.

Is that what I’m doing?Confusion and panic hits me all at once. It’s suffocating.

“Which means we need another shopping trip.” Manny points a wooden spoon in her direction and she swoons.

“Totally.” She glances at me. “Are you up for a shopping trip?”

I give her a deadpan look. “Do I look like the type of man who’d be up for that?”

She gives me a once over and my balls tighten. “I don’t know. Those ripped jeans have seen better days.”

Manny snorts with laughter, and I shoot him a glare. I down a few mouthfuls of soup; it’s fuckin’ delicious. I never thought I was a soup guy until now.

“Let me know what time tomorrow.”

“That’d be perfect.” She gives me a bright smile. “I appreciate all the help I can get, if that’s okay, Manny?”

Manny shrugs. “Fine by me.”

I want to ask her when I can see her next, but not in front of Manny. He’s got a big mouth. It’d get back to Riot before I even stepped foot outside the clubhouse.

I chow down the soup, and even though I’m a pretty good cook, I couldn’t make shit made out of onion taste this good. “No problem.”

I stick the bowl in the sink when I’m done, muttering, “Thanks.”

Manny watches me as I move back toward the other side of the bench. I nod to Lace, “Text me when you’re ready, I’ll bring my truck.”

“Thanks, Bandit. That’s awfully nice of you.”

My jaw ticks.Nice?I’d love to show her hownotnice I can really be, though putting my hand over her throat while I fuck her hard and fast might be a little too much for this princess. “What can I say? I’m a nice guy.” I cast Manny a glance as he rolls his lips. What that’s all about, I don’t know. He’s just smugbecause he has Lace living right where he wants her; in his home. Probably in his bed.

“See ya later,Beefcake.”Manny finger waves while I flip him the bird.

“Later,” I mutter, leaving Lace in the kitchen as I stomp out. Not taking what’s mine feels foreign, and I want her. But I can’t risk Manny finding out. I reach for my phone, then slide it back into my back pocket. I’ll give it a beat before I tell her exactly what I want to do with her. Then I’ll let her have it.

By the time I get home and cook dinner for me and Eli, I’m beat. I tuck him into bed and read him a story, and like clockwork, he’s out like a light.

I make my way to my room, turning on the shower as I strip my clothes off. I’ve had Lace on the brain all goddamn afternoon.

I can’t get the idea of Lace out of my head after seeing her swinging her legs back and forth on Manny’s countertop while she ate. It takes two seconds for my hand to slide down to my dick. I grip it with my palm and stroke myself.Yeah, that’s good.Squeezing a little tighter, I get into a steady rhythm, the warm water hitting my back as I brace one hand against the wall. I need my dick sucked, that’s what I need. And imagining Lace on her knees before me, my cock choking her tight, pretty throat has me groaning out loud. She’s such a goddamn tease. I can clearly see that abstaining is doing nothing except making my balls feel even heavier.

Lace.Those big, fuckable tits in my face as I suck her hardened nipples, fondling them as I finger her tight pussy.And Manny’s watching.

Wait, what the fuck? My eyes spring open as I choke my cock with my hand.No. Not fuckin’ Manny!