Third Chances (Men of Manhattan, #2)

by Ivy Smoak

"Well, don't thank me yet. I didn't save you." He lifted up Matt's card. "I'm just taking Matt's place because I can tell you'd rather it be me."

Trying to resist me? I don't think so. I slid my hand slightly up her thigh. "I promise I won't bite." Until later.

Holy shit he has a boner. What was the best plan of action here? Get up and walk away? No. I had already completed more than half of that stupid card. It would be wonderful to be rid of at least one bracelet. The most logical thing to do would be to ignore it. I coughed awkwardly.

And yeah, I miss her. I'm used to telling her goodnight every night. I want to do that. That's why I'm marrying her. I don't want a day to go by where we don't talk. I don't like this feeling." He ran his hand across his chest. "So if that makes me cute, fine. I'm fucking adorable."

"Fine. I totally get it. If she was my girl I wouldn't cheat on her either. She is so fucking sexy. And I promise, if you ever die in some terrible, fiery accident, I will totally make sure she stays sexually satisfied for you. Best man code."

"I almost forgot." He pulled out a card from his pocket and swiped it across one of my bracelets. "That one was for the snuggling." He pulled out two more cards and removed my other two bracelets. "And that's because I don't like to share."

"You're stubborn, obsessive, controlling, hot-tempered, possessive, jealous, egotistical, and you're probably extremely selfish in bed. She already knows all that and she's decided to stick around anyway."

I didn't like giving up control. But he didn't know why. He didn't know how much I had lost. He didn't know how scared I was.

Terrified of feeling loss. Because it almost drowned me the first time.

I wanted to show her just what it meant to let go, to truly live. She needed me. She needed me and she didn't know it.

He was going to ruin me. And a part of me wanted him to ruin me.

She just has this way of making me only see her. Like nothing else in the world matters. She grounded me. I guess you could say she's my balance. I'm better because of her. And she loves me despite all my flaws."

"I love her flaws, I don't just love her in spite of them." He smiled again. "They're part of why I was drawn to her in the first place. She's stubborn and she challenges me. She never cared about who I was. And maybe that makes her naive, but it makes her her. And I love her."

"It's about patience and taking the time to truly know someone. And when the right person comes along, it will be totally worth the wait."

I wasn't a nice guy. Why the fuck was I pretending to be? I didn't need a serious relationship to be happy. I was happy exactly where I was. I loved my life.

How could he think he wasn't a good brother? Had I somehow made him feel that way? It hurt me that he thought that. James had protected me my whole life. He gave into Mom and Dad's demands so that I wouldn't have to. He gave up his life so that I wouldn't have to. He wasn't a bad brother. I was.

You're not wrong about me. You have a right to judge me. Because I used to be an addict, it means I am an addict. I know that's how it works. But I no longer need to numb my pain. For three years, I've been in complete control.

I'm at peace with my past. I have to be in order to move forward. So judge me all you like. I can handle it. It's my burden. Don't place that burden on my brother. I've already put him through enough. I'd hate to know I'd messed up his life any more than I already have.

"If I've learned one thing in my life it's that you need to stop living in the past. It'll eat you up until nothing is left."

Yes, he was a good guy, but he certainly knew how to be bad.

"I don't actually want to hurt you, Daphne." He pressed his forehead against mine.

I laughed. "You know I'm the man of your dreams."

I'm so sick of hiding. I'm so sick of feeling broken. And I thought I was okay, but I'm clearly not okay."

If Daphne didn't want me, I didn't fucking want her either. I wasn't going to pine after some girl I had only known a few days.

"Fuck!" I yelled into the silent air. My curse echoed around me. I was alone. I was always alone.

"What, traveling? I've been everywhere I want to be. I'm alone. I'm so sick of being alone. I used to see Daphne studying on the green at the University of New Castle. She was so beautiful and peaceful and I couldn't talk to her because I knew all I'd do was fuck up her life. Just like I fucked up yours."

"To protect me! Do you have any idea how guilty I feel? It's my fault that you're an addict."

"Yeah, but what you didn't know was that Penny didn't need saving. She didn't need me to come into her life and screw everything up. I did it anyway because I needed her. Sometimes it's okay to be selfish. Sometimes you have to take that risk. I like to believe that I make her happy."

"Oh, now that I'm thinking about it, I did get those voicemails. I don't know why your hands aren't all over me if you're in love with me, Daphne."

"And by fucking. I should probably put that out there. Because if you're naked, there's no way I'm not fucking you. Come and get me, beautiful." He turned around and dove head first into the pool of water.

"Give me your hand. I promise I won't let go."