Author's Chapter Notes:
I have to admit that I honestly have no idea what possessed me to write this. I love the film Corrina, Corrina and I suppose the completele lack of Corrina, Corrina fan fiction appealed to me. I'm so anxious to post this fic because it is completely out of my element. I do hope that it comes off with the approach I'm attempting and thanks goes to my friend Sam for motivating me to post it. I thought I would try something new. 
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
It was her hips.
Manny watched as Corrina and Molly hula hooped in the backyard, getting lost in the sway of her hips while he was supposed to be barbecuing. She hummed 'It Don't Mean A Thing' while Molly attempted to hula hoop alongside her.
"You're getting there, honey!" Manny cheered on while he locked eyes with Corrina briefly and then turned back to the beef.
Although Corrina was no longer working for the Singers, her time was still well spent with Molly and Manny. If it were up to Molly, Corrina would be living with him. Hell, if it were up to Manny, Corrina would be living with them, too. Despite his many attempts, the relationship between him and Corrina had remained a relationship strictly on the basis of a friendship, with the exception of the little slip-ups here and there. How Manny enjoyed the very many there's they experienced.
For the most part, he didn't press the issue of an impending relationship with Corrina because he figured that things would work out the way they were meant to be but Molly constantly tried to casually throw the idea at both of them. And while it was adorable, being that Molly was only seven and too innocent to understand the difficulties of a relationship like Corrina and Manny's, it was incredibly awkward.
Sundays had become 'Their Sundays'. On 'Their Sundays', Corrina, Manny, and Molly would have a small barbecue and Corrina would come over and spend the evening with them. It was lovely and it was nice to get away from the world. It was their little piece of heaven.
He watched as Corrina taught Molly how to twist and finished up with his cooking.
She wasn't Annie.
But then ...she wasn't supposed to be.
Corrina had changed their lives in ways he could never explain, would never explain. He fell in love with her the moment Molly had and the funny thing was, he didn't even know it.
"Oh honey, you've got to have more hip action," Corrina's smooth voice said to a giggling Molly.
Manny forced his attention to stay on the meat.
Hips.
Try not to think about ...hips.
As Corrina and Manny both fussed over Molly's lack of eating, something they both found to be exceedingly tiring, Molly shared with Corrina her experiences of first grade. Corrina and Manny listened, somehow managing to lock eyes with one another and quickly glancing away. Only being seven, Molly ate it up like ice cream on a hot day.
"So, what did Mr. Schumacher say?" Manny asked, as the conversation had steered towards Corrina and her pursuit of writing music reviews began. Manny had known Leonard Schumacher since Molly was a baby and after a lot of pleading and promotions, he'd worked out some sort of ordeal where Corrina had gotten an opportunity to send in her poems to Leonard Schumacher and his small time publishing company. And while it wasn't extremely popular, it was a start.
"He said he'd get back to me," Corrina replied automatically, playing around with the potato salad she had prepared for 'Their Sunday' dinner.
"And he will," Manny promised her.
He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She seemed to be avoiding his after the Schumacher question but it didn't stop him from staring.
"Can you stay the night now?" Molly asked suddenly, her big bright blue eyes gazing at Corrina. Manny hadn't shared the information with Corrina but Molly had been asking him to 'marry Corrina already' for nearly a year.
Corrina chuckled, like she always did and tilted her head to the side, like she would always do and looked to Molly. He had memorized the move by now.
"No, I can't do that, honey. You know I can't."
She looked to Manny and just as quickly looked away. Manny could only clear his throat and take a drink of his water.
The rest of the dinner was in silence.
A crestfallen Molly had taken her bath for the evening and Corrina decided that no, she didn't have to leave so early and yes, could stay and read parts of Alice in Wonderland to her. Molly didn't even make it to Alice getting out of the rabbit hole and starting her adventures in Wonderland before she was snoozing quietly.
Manny stood there watching Corrina read the story to the dozing Molly longingly, just as he had the day she and Molly had fallen asleep in his bed.
It had taken nearly two years for him to be able to say his bed instead of his AND Annie's bed without falling apart. He didn't know how he would have gotten to that point if it weren't for Corrina.
"It's getting late," Corrina said, slipping back into her black heels and standing up. Even with the heels she was still so much shorter than Manny and to be honest, he kind of liked that.
"How about a song and drink before you leave?" Manny asked with a pleading look in his eyes. "One song and I'll leave you alone. I'll even let you pick."
While Corrina feigned impatience, as if she had somewhere to be - this was nothing new between them. She would give him a sigh that spoke volumes and he would ask again, as he was doing now. She'd slowly nod her head and instead of putting on a record, they would begin to play the piano together, fully aware that Molly would try and stay awake as hard as possible, until the soothing melody put her to sleep.
Manny's fingers tiptoed over towards Corrina's end as she put all of her attention into the song or at least, that's what Manny assumed. He took advantage and inched closer to her, slyly moving his arm away from the piano and around Corrina's waist, continuing the song but dangerously closer to her.
Corrina's fingers did not falter as they had done the first time he'd attempted this. She simply turned to him and smiled as if to say - "Oh you think you're so slick."
And Manny could only return his - "Oh yes I am." smile right back at her.
The song became an echo in their ears as the smiles they tossed one another's way began to slowly fade. "Manny," Corrina whispered warningly, wondering if Molly would ever walk in on the two of them. Or perhaps, because Molly was one of the smartest children Corrina had grown to know stayed in her room as not to interrupt the strange affair of the two adults at the piano.
She could try as she might resist this man but her willpower always eventually gave in.
When she had first begun working for the Singers, she found she didn't really have a reaction to Manny. She was neither here nor there with her opinion of him. He was sweet enough, managing to not get too in the way of her when she was around the house. She liked him fine enough because he was nice to her and he loved his little girl with all the love in the world. It was a pretty average relationship.
She'd have been lying if she said she didn't find him attractive, which, for Corrina was funnily enough, rare when it came to most white people. It wasn't a fact she was proud of or even embarrassed about. It was just a fact. Pretty plain and simple.
Then they wanted her to stay over for dinner and then he had to go and smile at her more, take his time trying to talk more with her, wanting her to join him on the piano before she'd go home. He had even just decided to give her his wife's car to drive more often. When she had asked him why and if he'd lost his mind, he told her that he simply didn't think it was safe for a woman to be out so late at night. Corrina didn't argue it even though she was likely safer walking at night than she was behind the wheel of a car.
The growing attraction between them was strong. She knew it. He knew it. Even Molly had known it.
And as much as she tried to fight it, her heart had always won over.
Even now, as she attempted to ignore Manny 'putting the moves' on her, she could feel her stomach flutter the moment his skin made contact with hers.
His body inched closer to hers and soon his long arm had found its way around her waist and was continuing on with the song. She could feel his piercing blue eyes stare right through her.
She tilted her head to the side and delicately played a note, closing her eyes and smiling her little smile. She turned her head to him and opened her eyes. He thought he was so slick, inching closer, staring her down. She tossed him a little smile that told him she was on to him and to her surprise, he tossed one right back.
Soon, she couldn't hear the melody anymore. She could only hear her heartbeat or maybe it was his. She wasn't sure. She was too confused to say. Maybe they had stopped playing the song altogether. Molly wouldn't be coming into the living room. She was a smart girl, that Molly. One kiss wouldn't hurt...
And so, Manny kissed her. Corrina kissed him back.
She could taste the bourbon on his lips but it wasn't bad like it had been with her husband. His drinking was excessive and he didn't kiss her often so when he did, all she could taste was the alcohol.
Their eyes closed and their lips locked and the song really did stop playing.
It was difficult trying to kiss sitting on a piano bench. It was in this moment that Corrina and Manny were both reminded that they weren't teenagers anymore and the hard bench made their backsides ache. Manny struck an ugly chord when he felt Corrina's tongue entwine with his and it caused Corrina to chuckle softly. Her laugh was so contagious that Manny found himself laughing quietly with her.
They laughed until finally, Corrina stood up from the piano and straightened out her dress. She headed towards the door and after Manny had stolen a glance at her bottom, he walked over towards her back.
"Can't you?" He asked, sounding a lot like Molly.
"Can't I what?" Corrina turned around, her purse now clutched tightly in her hand.
"Stay the night," Manny said softly, avoiding the eye contact with her. It was the first time he had approached the idea of Corrina spending the night, leaving the awkwardness of it all to Molly. She was a child and because of a child's innocence - the question wasn't really all that bad. To be honest, when she asked it (and she usually always did, both Manny and Corrina thought it was kind of cute.
"You sound like Molly," Corrina stated.
"I don't mean it like Molly."
Corrina perked an eyebrow and shifted her head so that she could get eye contact with Manny. "Of course you didn't mean it like Molly. You're lonely and you only spend your time with me. It's understandable Manny and you don't have to be shy about it."
When Manny didn't reply, Corrina pursed her lips and turned for the door. She couldn't lie that the idea that there was fact in the truth of her words disappointed her. What was she expecting though? Kisses shared between them didn't really mean anything - which was a lie because if they didn't mean anything, they wouldn't continue to do this.
Whatever this was.
So, instead of saying goodnight, like she always did, Corrina simply headed for the door. When she opened the door, it was Manny's hand that pushed the door closed and stopped her from making one of her dramatic exits.
"You know it's more than that, Corrina. And if you didn't know that by now, I have to say that I'm deeply hurt."
Manny slowly turned her around and Corrina gazed up into his eyes, feeling herself wanting more than anything to just get lost in them. And yes, it sounded so cliché, especially when she thought about it afterwards, but it was the honest truth.
He cupped her chin in his hand and tilted his head to the side before slowly going in for the kill. Their lips locked and it was always the same electric bolt they felt when their lips connected. This routine between them never got old and Corrina and Manny both prayed that it never would.
"Hurt," he whispered against her lips, making her smile just a little.
She put her hands on his shoulders, feeling her knees get a little weak.
Maybe staying over for the night wouldn't be so bad.
As their kiss deepened and Corrina felt a strong heat in the pit of her stomach, Manny shifted his hips a little, trying to readjust the complication that had created itself in his trousers. He would work on that later. For now, he would just savor this moment he had with the woman he'd fallen in love with.
He kissed her softly, gently, almost warily, because it had been so long since he could give a woman this sort of affection and he did not want to destroy it. His tongue trailed against her full lips and Corrina let a gasp escape her lips that he took advantage of and slipped his tongue between hers.
With no piano in their way, it was much easier to touch and kiss like they'd both been dying to do.
And while he had the advantage, Manny's hands immediately found those hips. He pressed Corrina against the living room door and slyly locked it, while she had wrapped those arms around his neck. She could feel him locking the door but she said nothing and pretended that she had no idea what he was doing.
As Manny's lips trailed to her neck, where he dedicated minutes of open mouthed kisses, Corrina allowed herself to get lost in this moment. She tilted her head back and held onto Manny, enjoying how soft his lips truly were against her skin.
"I - love - you" he managed between kisses and in the first moment, Corrina did not hear and she now had her hand resting against his cheek.
The words must have surprised Manny because he himself had to take a moment to realize the words he just uttered and Corrina's own hand had slipped away from his neck.
He stood up to full height so now that Corrina was once again looking up into his eyes. His expression was very serious and his heart was beating a mile a minute. Suddenly, he had become so nervous. He'd thought in all his years of living after Annie's death he would never have those words for any other woman that was not his mother and daughter.
"Corrina Washington, I love you."
Corrina's eyes widened only slightly and she took Manny's hands in her own.
"I thought you knew by now that I love you, too."
Manny gave her a nervous laugh and she returned it with one of her own.
He placed a hand on the side of her neck and leaned in to give her a passionate, feverish kiss that emitted a soft moan from her lips.
"Please stay the night," he whispered, only because he had decided it was time to come up for air. He could practically feel Corrina's heart beat against his chest.
"Okay," she replied.
He took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom and closed the door.
It was there that he took his time with Corrina, undressing her slowly, stealing kisses here and there. When she'd become stripped down to just her undergarments, he began to undress himself, much hastier than he had done with her. He glorified her beauty and admired the creamy texture of her beautiful skin.
She laid her head back on the pillows and took in a deep breath and slowly released it.
"It's been a while for me," she admitted nervously.
"Imagine how I feel," was Manny's witty remark.
In the times he had imagined Corrina in his bed, he had always felt immediately guilty afterwards. He had felt as though he had been betraying his wife. He had long moved on from the idea of what was right. He had even confessed to his mother that yes, he did have strong feelings for Corrina and no, he didn't care what society or even she thought about it. Besides all that, his mother had adored Corrina just as much as Molly had once they had gotten the opportunity to sit down and have a real chat. Now, however, he didn't have one guilty bone in his body.
"Even longer," she interrupted his thoughts.
"I'll take my time," he assured her.
And once completely undressed, he slipped inside of her slowly; his own body feeling like it may explode. Corrina gasped at the contact between them and her body arched into his. He allowed her body to adjust to his before he began a slow, deep rhythm within her.
That was how he had made love to her until his body could no longer control itself and he was panting and kissing her glistening skin.
Corrina had not been given the opportunity this moment to feel the explosion Manny felt but she knew in time that she would.
To her pleasant surprise, however, Manny had shifted to the side in bed and his hands begun to finish what he himself could not.
As the night rolled on, the two lovers were wrapped in each other's arms, the sounds of their soft breathing their lullaby for the night.
***
Wiping her eyes, Molly sat up in bed and blinked slowly. All the shuffling about in the living room had been like an alarm clock. It was the moment that she'd heard Corrina's voice telling her daddy that she would see him later when the big satisfied grin formed on her face.
She mentally thanked her grandfather and laid back down in the bed to pretend to be asleep when Manny would come and check on her.