Page 10 of Manny

“It went under the counter,” I lie. I can feel Audrina look at me in her periphery. She’s such a goodie-two-shoes. I love her and all, but she needs to let her hair down just a little. If she hasn’t been fucked by the boss yet, she needs to. She’s so tense.

Though, it looks like Hustler likes her just how she is. I stifle another laugh over his concern. If I’d told Hustler she’d broken a nail, he’d probably call an ambulance.

“It’s fine, really, West. It’s nothing, I have bug spray right here somewhere...” Her voice is a little too high, and if I checked real close, I’d bet she sent a glance down to his nether region, because right now, I’m thinking about it, too. Not that I wanna bone the boss. Hell no. But the man is sexy, I can’t deny it.

“As long as you’re sure?” He presses. Aww, so sweet. His obvious concern is heartwarming.

I roll my lips. “The cannoli’s have been a real winner today, boss,” I say, trying desperately to change the subject, because now I feel like a bit of an ass. Then again, I have been known to play matchmaker quite well…

He shifts his gaze to mine, then checks out the cake cabinet behind us. His face brightens. “That’s great.”

“It’s all thanks to Audrina,” I chirp. “She loves a good cannoli with extra cream.” I. Am. The. Devil.

His eyes flick to her for just a second, his mouth opens, then closes before he mutters something, and excuses himself back to the kitchen in a hurry. I can’t hold back my laughter this time.

Audrina, however, has other ideas. She faces me, hands on hips, and shakes her head. “Really, Lace? Cannoli with extra cream?”

“What?” I try my best innocent voice as I move away, scared she’ll try to flick me again and get me this time. “You did sell all the cannoli’s today. It isn’t my fault you two have dirty minds. I was just trying to make you look good in front of the boss, not that you need any help in that department.”

She blows air out of her cheeks. “You’re just trying to embarrass me even more than I already am with your other comments.” She holds up a hand to stop me as I open my mouth. “Seriously, cut it. Or I’ll tell Manny you have a secret crush on him.”

I spin around and purse my lips. “You wouldn’t.” Okay, maybe I confessed too much.

“Well, I will if it means you’ll get off my back aboutour boss.”

“What? LikeWestdoesn’t look like someone who just fell off a men’s magazine campaign for Brut, or whatever it is old guys wear.”

“West isn’t old,” she whisper-shouts. “He’s distinguished.”

“Which is a polite way of saying old, really. Hey, I’m totally into it. He’s really hot. I saw him coming out of the gym onetime. The man has some serious abs and muscles going on under those clothes.”

“You shouldn’t be talking like that. May I remind you about the code of conduct we both signed?”

“Off the record.” I give her a pointed look. “How would you rate the Bossman in the sack?”

I watch as she smiles, albeit a little devilishly, takes out her phone and starts to text. “Hey? What are you doing?”

“Oh, nothing.”

I move toward her, but she turns her back on me and I try to see over her shoulder, but she’s taller than me. “Audrina!”

“You asked for it!”

“I was kidding!” Ever since Manny and I went out running errands, and our flirty little conversation in the kitchen, my libido has been going a little haywire. I’d put Manny in thefriend zone, but now things have changed. Recently I’ve been wondering why the hell I would do that. I guess I figured he was more into dudes, and realistically, he knows I’ve not exactly been a saint since I got to the club.

Casual sex is meaningless, but it fills a void. One that I’m not always proud of because, most of the time, the sex isn’t even good. It’s about the guy getting off as fast as possible; it’s never about me and my needs. Sometimes I question why I’m like this if I don’t even enjoy sex, but I’ve used it as a mask for so long to cover up my pain that I’ve become numb to it.

When Manny said that shit about good guys, it made me wonder. I mean. I’d love to have a little bit of the good boy, and the bad boy. But not bad as in he’s terrible or hurts me, but just a bad boy with a heart of gold kinda thing. I almost snort at that idea. Do those guys really exist?

I try to wrench Audrina’s phone from her hands when I see her texting Manny. “I think the cat needs to be let out of the bag,” Audrina sing-songs.

“Noooo!” I howl, wrestling her as she sticks her ass out to block me, and we end up entwined with each other, both laughing like idiots, my cheeks hurting from laughter.

Then suddenly we hear,“Are you girls okay?”

We both look up at Hustler, appearing again at the door, and fuck me if he doesn’t have more cannoli in his paws, ready for the cake fridge. This dear, sweet man.

Just as I look back at Audrina, she hits send. My eyes go wide as I read the text.

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