Lily picked at the sheer black lace of the dress. It was so short it barely covered her bottom. A black choker encircled her neck, and strappy black heels made up the rest of her ensemble. Never in her life had she worn something this revealing. It made her uncomfortable, but more than that, looking at herself in the mirror before they’d left, she’d felt sexy for the first time in her life. And all that was due to the man sitting across from her, thanking the waiter for their food. She murmured her own thanks when he set her tilapia down in front of her.
“You okay, Lily?” Nikoli asked, and she looked up to see a hint of concern in his eyes.
“If you don’t count the fact I’m practically naked, then yes, I’m fine,” she said, cutting her fish.
“Don’t be a prude,” he laughed. “You look beautiful.”
“You’re not the one showing off your naked ass, are you?”
“Want me to?” he countered, grinning. “I’ll be more than happy to drop my pants in here so everyone can get a good look at my naked ass.”
He stood up, and Lily hissed, “Don’t you dare!” She shook her head when he sat back down. He delighted in upsetting her. “Are you and Luther ready for the race next weekend?” They’d been gearing up for the race in Miami since she’d started dating him.
“Yes,” he said. “Luther still wants to add a few things, but I don’t want any electronics on that car. That is where we got caught with our pants down last time.”
“No, just let her run,” Lily agreed. The Mach 1 didn’t need electronics. They’d equipped it with a nitro system, but other than that, she was good. Let everyone else get taken out because of their electronics. If someone was going to beat Nikoli, they’d have to do it the old fashioned way—by racing.
“Want to come?” Nikoli asked softly, and Lily’s eyes shot up to his face. Had he just asked her to go to Miami with him?
“I…”
“I remember you told me your dad never let you go to this kind of race, and you’ve put as much time into getting the Mach 1 ready for this race as Luther and me. I thought maybe you’d like to be there to see her run.”
She stared. He was inviting her to go away for the weekend. Sure, Luther would be there, but she was betting Nikoli wasn’t going to be sharing a room with him. Could she do that? Could she go away with him and not give in to what she wanted to do more than anything else?
“You don’t have to answer now.” He smiled his snake-charmer’s smile. “You can tell me tomorrow.”
She smiled hesitantly in return. This was the Nikoli everyone else didn’t see. The guy who was sweet and kind and charming. Oh, he could be charming in the manwhore way, but this charm she’d only seen him use on her. The kindness in him was her downfall, and she knew it.
“So, tell me about VSL and how you ended up on that type of game.” It wasn’t a request, and Lily heard the command in his voice. She started to automatically answer, but stopped herself. She’d gotten in the habit of following orders, and she didn’t like it. The fact that she trusted him enough to do as he asked irritated her and overwhelmed her at the same time. It was very confusing. She and Rebekha had had several conversations about this very subject. It worried Lily that she was turning into one of the women she read about in books. Rebekha had assured her she wasn’t, had in fact pointed out how much stronger she’d gotten over the last month. She wondered what Janet would say…Janet would tell her to run screaming. She wasn’t into being a submissive any more than Lily was. Although, Lily admitted to herself, she found herself wondering what it would feel like to do just that with Nikoli. She’d mentioned to Rebekha that she’d been thinking of this, and Rebekha had neither encouraged her nor discouraged her. She’d told Lily to trust herself. Lot of help her shrink was.
“Why are you on there?” she countered.
“My brother introduced me to it,” he answered. “I was visiting him and saw it up on his laptop. Asked him what it was, and when he explained it, I was a goner. Perfect game for me.”
“It’s about more than just sex,” she told him. And it was. It wasn’t why she was there, not really. She loved the friends she’d made, and her business thrived because she treated her customers like family and helped them out when they needed helping. Lots of other gem merchants didn’t do credit. She did.
“Yes, Lily, it is,” Nikoli agreed. “Now, tell me how you found it?”
He made it a question, and she smiled. He always knew when to switch tactics on her. She was well aware of when he did it, but she didn’t mind. She’d rather answer questions than commands any day of the week.
“Well, Mike was the first one to find it. I never asked how he found it, mind you. He got Adam into playing it, and they both decided it might be good for me.”
“Good for you?”
Lily took another bite of her fish while she thought about the best way to answer him. It all had to do with her fears and those two trying to find ways of helping her. She loved them for it, and in truth, she’d discovered a place where she could be herself without fear of anyone or her own fears taking over. She felt safe there, to be herself. As safe as she felt with Nikoli.
“Mike and Adam thought it would help me,” she said finally. “Adam thought if I could get used to being intimate with someone online in a virtual setting where I couldn’t get scared, it might help me be able to deal with my fears in the real world. I was so embarrassed.” She laughed, remembering that conversation. “It wasn’t something I wanted to discuss with him. Virtual sex.” She shook her head, grinning.
“Did it help at all?” Nikoli asked, curiously.
She thought for a minute before answering. “Yeah, it did. Not with the physical aspect of my phobia, but with my own bashfulness and self-esteem. It was a place where I could be myself, be the person I hide from everyone else. No one cares in there how messed up I am in the real world, they only care about the little pixel person in front of them. It helped me learn to be myself in the real world.”
Nikoli stared at the woman staring at him and took a deep breath. Her honesty always shocked him. It was something he valued, though. Most women, while not dishonest, tended to stretch or avoid the truth. It was one of the reasons he never bothered to get to know many of them. Oh, he had a few friends who were girls, but only a few, and he never talked to them for hours like he did Lily Bells.
“So, did you ever have virtual sex?” he asked, the devil in him wanting to make her blush.
“That’s really none of your business,” she replied, picking at her food, the blush blooming on her cheeks.
“Come on, Milaya,” he wheedled. “You can tell me. It is VSL after all.” He watched her duck her head, and he smiled in response. She was nervous. The one thing she didn’t need to be with him.
“Really, Mr. Kincaid, it’s none of your business.”
“Oh, but I beg to differ, Miss Holmes,” he said, his voice soft. “You are my business, and now that I know you’re on VSL, you’ll be my business there too.”
“Well, no, I don’t think so,” she replied, finally looking up, and his breath caught at the devilment in her blue eyes. They were shining with laughter. “I may already be someone else’s business on there.”
Anger and jealousy swelled up within him. The thought of her being with anyone else, even some virtual boyfriend she’d never meet, had him seeing red. She was his. In the real world or in the virtual world.
“Do you have a boyfriend on there, Milaya?” His voice came out whisper soft, but the steel in it was impossible to mistake, and Lily’s eyes flared in response. When she didn’t answer, he let out a low growl. “Answer the damn question, Lily.”
“No,” she said. “I haven’t had a boyfriend on there for months. The guys on that game are bloody cheating bastards.”
Relief swept through him at those words. She would have broken up with the guy if she’d had one. “Well, it is a sex game, Milaya. They are there for one reason, and one reason only. If you aren’t giving them what they want, they move on.”
“I don’t do voice or video,” she said. “I think that is part of it.”
He nodded. He’d never thought of that, but then again, his same rule applied online as much as it did in real life. He never dated girls online either. He had lots of friends on there, but the girls he had sex with in-game stayed off his friends list.
“You shouldn’t,” he said. “They aren’t just cheaters, Lily. Some of them are downright stalkers.”
“Creepers.” She smiled. “That’s what I call them. The ones who creep me out.”
He shook his head. Leave it to Lily to come up with a cute name for the weirdos who liked to stalk girls online. “Now, next question. I’m assuming you’ve had virtual sex on there?”
“Yes.” The one word sounded low and almost torn from her. She was so embarrassed, and it was adorable.
“How long have you been a member?” he asked.
“Since our sophomore year.”
He sat back and stared. Two years on a sex game. She wasn’t as innocent as he’d thought at first. Then again, virtual sex wasn’t the same. “Do you touch yourself, Lily? When you’re in the moment, do you touch yourself for them?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ve never felt the need to do that with anyone. I just lie and say I do.”
Again her honesty shocked him. So she’d been playing this game for two years and never so much as stroked herself? He shook his head this time. Time for his girl to understand the beauty of being touched. She’d been depriving herself for far too long.
“Well, Lily Bells, that is all about to change,” he said, the grin on his face causing her eyes to widen. She knew him well. She knew he was up to something. “I have something planned for you.”
“Look, you have a reputation to uphold on VSL.” Nerves made her voice crack just a bit. “Won’t chasing me there ruin that rep?”
“Have I ever cared what anyone thought of me, Lily? Why would it be any different there than here? Besides, you don’t need to worry about that right now. I have other plans for you tonight.”
She let out a low strangled sound, like that of a trapped animal, and his grin widened. The waiter came, and he said no, they’d be skipping dessert. He asked for the check and just watched her.
Lily fidgeted in her seat. What was he up to? What plans? The look in his eyes made her want to run and never look back, but at the same time, she wanted to lean forward and demand to know what he was going to do to her. She waited while he paid the bill, then collected her purse and let him usher her out to the car.
He never said a word while he drove, didn’t even look at her, and it made Lily that much more nervous. What was he going to do? He’d been watching her for days, his eyes broody and heavy. She knew he wanted her badly. The truth was she wanted him just as much, but she wasn’t going to give in. She wanted that car. Then again, it might be moot. If he touched her like that, she might end up screaming her head off, her body’s instinctive learned fear taking over. She hoped to God she wouldn’t, but she simply didn’t know.
They drove to the apartment complex she’d only been to once before. The penthouse. Her breath came out in a low, ragged sound when she realized where they were. There was no one to interrupt them here. No Luther or Mike or Adam. No residents knocking on her door. No one. She would be all alone with Nikoli Kincaid.
Oh, damn.
He parked and then got out to open her door. She took his hand and let him help her from the car before following him to the elevator that led to the penthouse apartment. The ride up was quiet, and when the bell chimed their arrival, she jumped. Nikoli only smiled and led her out of the elevator and into the apartment. Her eyebrows shot up. New furniture decorated the main room, and she saw he’d even gotten a new kitchen table. He’d kept his word. A small smile flirted with her lips.
“Do the furnishings meet your approval?” he asked, his voice almost formal.
She nodded, not trusting her voice yet. The furniture was modern and done in softer tones than he’d had before. It was as if he’d shopped with her in mind, which was ridiculous. He wouldn’t decorate this place just for her.
“Have a seat, and I’ll get us something to drink.” He motioned toward the couch, much as he had the first time he’d brought her here. She didn’t see another option, so she took a seat, tugging her dress as far down as it would go, which wasn’t saying much. She felt exposed, naked in this skimpy little black dress.
“Take your shoes off,” he said, his voice casual, and Lily glanced up to see him surveying the contents of the fridge. She frowned, but unbuckled the strappy heels. Her feet were killing her. It’d been a while since she’d worn six inch heels.
Nikoli came over and dropped down on the other end, handing her a bottle of water. Lily took it and massaged her aching feet with the other hand. Nikoli brushed her hand away and pulled her feet into his lap. His fingers began to massage the bottom of first one foot and then the other, working out the tense muscles. He didn’t say anything while he did this, and Lily watched him. He hummed to himself, and she grinned. She didn’t think he even realized he was humming. He did it sometimes when he was very relaxed. Lily loved to watch him at times like these, when he was peaceful and carefree.
His smile was soft, and his black eyes glowed with contentment. His humming calmed her rising panic, and she slumped back against the couch cushion, a low moan of pleasure slipping out of her lips. This was nice, and she loved it when he was sweet like this. She was starting to love a lot of things about him, and it worried her. Nikoli didn’t do girlfriends. Sure, for the sake of the bet, he’d called her his girlfriend earlier, but she knew he didn’t really think like that. He may be helping her, but he had his own reasons for it. She had to remind herself of that. Daily. Hourly, really.
The problem was, that little reminder stopped working weeks ago, and she wasn’t sure how to stop herself from falling for the manwhore. She admitted she may have already fallen for him and was just too stubborn to admit it. Either way, she was in deep trouble. Her heart was bound to suffer an epic heartbreak by the end of all this. Of that, she was certain.
Nikoli watched her from underneath his lashes. Her face was pensive. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking about, but her body was completely relaxed. It was exactly what he needed her to be. His fingers worked their way around to the top of her feet and up her ankles, slowly massaging the muscles. She was so relaxed she wasn’t even paying attention to his wandering fingers, and he smiled as he moved higher to her calves. He kneaded the muscles and chuckled at her little sigh of pleasure.
He made it all the way to her knees before she realized what was going on. She bolted upright and stared at him, her eyes a little wild. He simply stared back for a moment, and then continued his gentle massage around the back side of her knees and then up to her thighs. He slowed his pace, but increased the pressure of his fingers, soothing and kneading away the tension. She let out a little moan, but still he didn’t look up.
Her hand grabbed his when he got to her upper thighs, right below her hemline of her dress. She tugged, and he refused to stop. When he looked up, her eyes were overflowing with several emotions. He could see fear and panic, but there was also curiosity and lust. He needed her to focus on the latter two.
“Lily, I am going to take your dress off.”
“No.”
He did look up then, his eyes stern. “Yes, Milaya. You need to learn to feel my hands on your bare flesh. It’s time to push you just a bit further. You know I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I…I…Nikoli…”
“Shh, Milaya,” he crooned. “You are fine. You can do this. I know you can. Do you trust me?” He reached his hand out to her and waited. She looked at it like it was the hand of the devil, but he didn’t grow impatient. He simply waited for her to decide she was going to trust him.
It took her a good five minutes, but she finally whispered, “Yes.”
She put her hand in his and he sat up, pulling her toward him. She landed in his lap, her legs straddling his own. Her blue eyes were so dark they were almost black. He saw her fear and forced himself to stay calm, to go slowly with her.
“Easy,” he murmured, placing his hands on her thighs, where the bottom of her dress had bunched up higher. She gasped and put her hands on top of his to stop him, and he let her, knowing she needed to feel more in control.
She looked into his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. “I don’t know if I can do this, Nikoli. I don’t know if I’m ready.”
“How can you know, though, if you don’t try, Lily?”
Her gaze swept down to where her hands lay on top of his. He could feel the tremor in them. He understood she was scared, maybe even terrified, but that was the point of all this. She needed to stop being afraid, and that wouldn’t happen if she refused to push herself.
It took every ounce of strength she had for Lily not to jump up, run into the other room, and huddle in the corner, screaming. Her panic was so severe, she felt her throat closing up on her and she started to shake. Just the thought of what Nikoli was going to do terrified her. Right now panic was all she felt.
“Look at me, Lily.”
Lily pulled her head up and met Nikoli’s gaze. His face was only a few inches from hers. His black eyes were calm, warm. She gave him a hesitant smile, doing her best to make herself relax.
“Have I ever hurt you?” he asked softly.
“No.”
“Do you think I ever would?”
“No.”
“Then stop thinking so hard,” he said, a small laugh escaping. “Just look at me and breathe, Milaya, just breathe.”
Lily did what he asked her to do. She thought about the last two months, about all the time she’d spent with him. She thought about the way he made her feel when he kissed her, when he made her laugh, when he held her, and how safe she felt. The more she thought about him, the more her body relaxed and the more her mind began to panic. Looking into his patient, dark eyes, Lily realized a hard truth she’d been hiding from.
She loved him.
Not just loved him. She was in love with him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice concerned. “You just tensed back up, Milaya. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Wrong? Everything was wrong. Her panic shifted from his touching her legs to touching her heart. She felt like her entire world had just bottomed out. How had this happened? When had this happened? She couldn’t be in love with Nikoli Kincaid.
“Easy, baby, everything is okay. Just take slow, deep breaths and calm down.”
Calm down? How was she supposed to calm down when she was in love with the manwhore? Dear God, how did she let herself fall for him? She knew better. Sure, he might have called her his girlfriend for the sake of the bet, but he didn’t want one. He was helping her get over her fears, yes, but he had an ulterior motive. He wanted in her panties. Simple as that. He didn’t love her. She couldn’t ever let him know how she felt.
“Lily?”
“Give me a minute,” she told him, her voice a little sharper than she’d meant for it to be.
“I got all night, Lily Bells. You take as much time as you need.”
Damn him. Why couldn’t he still be the manwhore to her? Why did he have to be sweet, and kind, and considerate?
He started rubbing his fingers back and forth over her thighs, and she closed her eyes. The panic tried to come back, but her fear of his breaking her heart drowned that out enough for the sensations of his fingers to break through, and it felt…good. Oh hell, it felt really good. She was in so much trouble.
“Do you have to do that?” she asked, trying once again to pull his hands up.
“Yes, I do,” he said, the laughter evident in his tone. “Besides, you like this.”
His hands slid higher, slipping under the hemline of her skirt and pushing it farther up, his fingers continuing to massage the flesh he exposed. Holy hell. It was all she could do to stop a moan from slipping past her lips. She wanted to squeeze her thighs together to relieve the pressure that was starting to build.
“Easy, baby,” he murmured. “I got you. It’s okay. You’re safe with me.”
Lily did moan when his wandering fingers traveled up, her dress inching up her hips. Her hands fell away as he caressed her hips, moved around to cup her ass, and squeezed gently. She felt every caress travel from his fingers in a little path of lightning all the way to her core. She did squeeze her legs together then, and he let out another low chuckle that sent a shiver through her.
His hand drifted up her back to where the zipper rested. She felt him tug on it, heard it as he slowly pulled it down, felt the cool air against her back as it was exposed. He laid his hand flat against her back and looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
“We need to set a safe word for you, Lily, something you’ll be able to remember no matter what happens here. Think, baby, what word will you remember?”
The first word that came to mind was Laney, but that didn’t seem appropriate. They had both loved one thing, and it was something she was sure she could remember.
“Butterfly.”
Nikolas regarded her curiously. “That is the first girly thing I’ve ever really heard you mention.”
“I am a girl.” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. She shifted and he hissed. Her eyes widened when she felt him through the sheer lace of her panties. Flutters started in her stomach, but that sense of everything closing in on her came back. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly in and out.
“Are you good?” he asked.
“I…I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
“If it gets to be too much, Milaya, just say your safe word and I’ll stop. Promise.”
She nodded. Nikoli had never lied to her. He would stop if she asked him to. The real question was, would she ask him to?
“Good girl.” He smiled and moved his other hand to small of her back. Then he moved both hands up and around her shoulders. Lily’s fear was fast receding, replaced by a completely new fear. The fear she wouldn’t say stop. His fingers felt like a trail of fire as they danced their way up her neck, to bury themselves in her hair. He pulled her toward him, his lips settling over hers. Nikoli wasn’t gentle with his kiss. It was hard and demanding. Lily shuddered, her arms coming up to cradle his neck, her fingers tugging at his hair. She felt his groan go through her, causing another full body shudder.
His lips moved from hers, his kisses going across her cheek, then her jawbone, along her throat. He stopped to nibble at the pulse point, and she moaned softly, her fingernails digging into his hair. He continued his lip torture while his hands came to rest on her shoulders, pulling the lacy concoction that couldn’t really even be called a dress aside, letting it slide down her arms, over her breasts, to settle around her waist.
Nikoli pulled back and looked at her through heavily-lidded eyes. “Beautiful.” He’d been thinking of this all night, and now that it was here, he wasn’t going to rush it. She sat on his lap in her black lacy underwear, her dress bunched around her waist, her arms trapped within the sleeves. Magnificent was more the word he should have used. She was truly magnificent.
He let his fingers roam over every silky inch of flesh he’d revealed. She shivered, a whimper escaping from her, and his nostrils flared. He’d never wanted anything more in his life than to flip her over and thrust into all that wet heat. He pushed those thoughts aside. He’d be inside of her soon enough. Right now was about getting her used to the feel of his skin against hers.
Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, Nikoli watched her. She was nervous, but her eyes were locked on his chest as he revealed his bare skin with each button he undid. He pulled the shirt off, tossing it aside. He gave her a moment before he leaned back and then tugged her forward until she landed against his chest, her breasts pressed tight against him. He could feel her pebbled nipples and closed his eyes. God, this felt so good. Too good. His arms wrapped around her and she relaxed, her head tucked under his chin. Lily’s warm breath ghosted over his naked flesh, and he suppressed the groan that was building.
She fit him perfectly. Her little purr of contentment made him smile. She trusted him. It was a truth Nikoli was proud of. She knew he would never hurt her. He wanted to see just how far that trust went.
“Lily?”
“Hmm?”
“Time to go to bed.”
He felt her entire body tense up, and he laughed. “Shush, now, Milaya. I don’t mean what you think I mean. I just want to touch you. That’s all.”
“That’s all?”
“I promise.”
“Okay.”
A smile spread across his face, and a feeling of sheer happiness overwhelmed him. He didn’t let it bother him. Instead, he sat back up, helping Lily to swing around. He stood up, Lily in his arms, and walked the short distance to his bedroom.
The brand new king sized bed dominated the room. Her gaze shot to the bed, and he squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “It’s okay, Milaya, you’re safe with me. You know that.”
He left the door open so her panic level would stay down. Kicking off his own shoes, he set her on her feet by the bed.
The dress fell and pooled around her feet. “Stay still.”
He went to his closet and found the scarves he was looking for. They were thick, soft, and very sturdy. He took them back out and leaned in close to her ear. “I’m going to blindfold you, Milaya. You enjoy that, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she whispered, a shudder going through her.
He smiled and covered her eyes, tying the scarf tightly so it wouldn’t slip. Now that she couldn’t see the open lust on his face, she was calmer. “On the bed, Milaya.” Gently, he pushed her backward until her knees hit the mattress. She fell back and lay there, her breathing a little erratic. Nikoli picked her legs up and said, “Go, on, lay back on the bed, baby.” She scooted and twisted, pulling her legs free from his hands.
The rigid way she held her body made him laugh softly, and he watched her mouth turn down in a frown. “It’s not nice to laugh when I’m scared.”
“There’s no reason to be afraid, Lily,” he said. “I’m only going to touch you. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“That’s all?” she questioned, nervous.
“That’s all. Now give me your hands.”
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
“Do you trust me, Lily Bells?”
“Yes.”
“Then give me your hands.”
Lily lay frozen, her mind whirling with a hundred different thoughts. He was going to tie her hands up. She knew it. She didn’t want him to, but she did. Why did he want to tie her hands? So she couldn’t run from him, her mind whispered to her. She thought about getting up and running now, but her skin felt like it was on fire, and all she wanted was to feel his hands on her. Since he’d told her he was going to touch her, her mind seemed to fixate on the image, her skin already craving the touch of his hands.
Could she do this? Could she let him tie her up, give up all the control she had to him? Did she trust him, he’d asked her. Her reply had been instant. Yes, she did. She trusted him. As much as she did Adam, maybe more. He’d never hurt her, he’d never pushed her too far. He’d been gentle and kind. And she loved him. She could do this. She could. Maybe.
She lifted her hands, and he crooned something nonsensical to her. She felt a soft material wrap around her wrists until they were bound. Nikoli tugged on the knots to make sure they were secure, and then lifted her hands up and fastened them to the headboard. He tugged once more, and she pulled at the bonds as well. They were tight. She wasn’t getting out of them anytime soon.
Nikoli moved away from the bed, and Lily lay there, her anxiety growing with every second. What was wrong with her? Why had she let him do this? She couldn’t handle this, and she started to twist her hands, tugging hard, needing to be free. The panic rose fast and fierce, and she started yanking harder. She needed out, she needed free. She couldn’t do this.
“Shhh, Milaya.” Nikoli’s hand covered both of hers. “You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you. You know this. Just breathe, sweetheart. Breathe and relax.” His fingers started rubbing slow circles over her hands, and oddly, her body did start to calm down. Not her mind, but her body began to unwind, to melt into his touch like it always did.
“Relax, baby,” he whispered, and she felt the bed give where he sat down, his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze before moving away. “It’s okay, baby. We’re going to take this slow. Just relax.”
The sounds of Blue Foundation’s “Eyes on Fire” filled the room, and Lily focused on it and the thud of her own erratic heartbeat. She took deep breaths and just listened the sultry sounds of the hypnotic song. His touch began to chase away her panic, and she sighed. His fingers ghosted up the length of her arm and back down again, like a flame trailing sparks behind it. He ran his fingers down her other arm and then back up. When he came down again, she felt him. His fingertips were against her skin, and she shivered where they touched her.
He trailed his hand down her side, ghosted over her ribs, over her hips, and she jerked, not expecting the flare of desire that sparked inside. He continued his slow exploration down her leg and then back up along the inside of her thigh. Her breath caught when his fingers glided up over the lace of her underwear, pressing down slightly right where her clitoris was, and she whimpered. His fingers ran up to her abdomen where he splayed his hand flat against the muscles of her belly. His hand traced over her stomach, up and down, across and down again. His touch sent hot shivers running through every inch of her body, and she cried out when his hand cupped her breast, squeezing gently.
“Shh, sweetheart,” he whispered against her fevered skin. “Just relax, baby, just relax and feel.”
His mouth closed over one nipple, and Lily nearly came off the bed. If it hadn’t been for the bonds holding her to it, she would have. His mouth suckled at the tortured nipple through the lace, the material growing damp. Fire flashed through Lily and she cried out again. The sensation made a blazing hot trail straight to her clitoris. The little nub of bundled nerves began to ache and throb. The harder Nikoli sucked on her nipple, the more she ached. He didn’t even have to touch her there for the fire to build. She moved restlessly, squeezing her legs together tightly, trying to alleviate some of the pressure.
Nikoli let her nipple slip from his mouth, and she cried out, not in relief, but in something like pain. Her body throbbed, and she shifted. He stood up and she heard a rustling sound, but it didn’t register. Her entire being was focused on the sensations in her body and the sound of the music.
“Lily, I’m going to cover your body, baby. You’re going to feel my skin against yours.” Nikoli’s voice was almost hoarse, but she paid it no heed. She felt the bed dip again, felt his hand spread her legs, and she whimpered, trying to close them, but he wouldn’t let her. He wouldn’t let her hide from him. He pushed her thighs wide and settled himself between them. She felt his skin touching hers, the heat seeping into her flesh, her bones. His body swallowed hers, he was so much bigger. “There’s my girl,” he said, his voice a purr. “Are you good?”
Lily’s entire body tensed up at the unfamiliarity of him. He stayed perfectly still, giving her time to adjust to the feel of him. She took deep, steadying breaths, the panic there, but not as severe as before. She forced herself to relax, to let the heat seeping off of him soothe her frazzled nerves. The sound of his voice whispering in her ear helped as well. Her body began to relax, to become loose and boneless at just the feel of him. She sighed, a low sigh not of fear, but of…something, something she didn’t have a name for.
“Good girl,” he murmured against her ear, and she whimpered when she felt his tongue trace her earlobe before sucking it into his mouth. That same fire from earlier began to snake its way down her body, settling at the junction between her thighs. She moaned when his teeth bit into the soft flesh ever so slightly. His lips left her ear alone and worked their way down her throat, nuzzling, his tongue swirling over the sensitive skin. She let out a sound even she didn’t recognize when his teeth scraped against the pulse point on her neck.
“I thought you said you were only going to touch.” She gasped when he started to lick his way back up her neck, over her jawline, and across her bottom lip.
“I never said exactly what I’d touch you with, now did I, Milaya?” His voice was soft and dark, like a deep, rich chocolate you indulged in late at night. You knew it was bad for you, but you wanted it anyway. That was how she felt about Nikoli. “I’m touching you with my hands, my mouth, my tongue, my teeth.”
His lips settled over hers, and she couldn’t stop the sigh of relief. She’d gotten used to him kissing her over the last few months. She loved the feel of his lips, the way they slid across hers, sucking at her bottom lip. This time was different, though. She felt his kiss like a caress that wrapped around her entire body. Blindfolded, tied, and unable to move, the sounds of the rich, hypnotic song seemed to enhance each touch, each stroke, and each small movement of his skin against hers. She’d never felt anything like it, and despite being terrified of the strange sensations, she refused to give in to her fear. She wasn’t the same girl she’d been two months ago.
His tongue invaded her mouth and she moaned, her tongue curving around his, dueling as he deepened his kiss, shifting so he fit more snugly against her. Lily could feel the hard length of him pressed tightly against her, and she instinctively arched her hips upward. Nikoli let out a low, ragged moan and tore his lips from hers. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing heavily. His tongue swiped against the soft skin, and she groaned.
Nikoli forced himself to stop, to calm down. She trusted him enough to let him tie her up and to blindfold her. Trusted him to take care of her and not frighten her. He wouldn’t take advantage of that trust. At least not tonight. He’d go to bed with blue balls again, tonight and every night. Miami…well, that might be an entirely different scenario.
He pushed himself up until he was sitting on his knees between her spread legs and simply stared at her, not making a sound. He could hear her breathing, knew she was wondering what he was doing or what he was going to do. A small smile spread across his face as he thought about that. She had to be so nervous, and yet she lay there, waiting. Waiting for his touch, his taste. Simply his.
His.
She was his, and there was no denying that anymore. No matter what happened in the next while, for right now, she was his. He wasn’t going to make it another three weeks, the end of their three month bet. His body couldn’t handle it. He was going to seduce her soon. Truthfully, if he pushed, he could take her now, but he wouldn’t. He wanted her to be completely and utterly lost to his touch, no thoughts but the feelings running through her body.
She moved restlessly, and he refocused on her instead of his thoughts. He laid his hands flat against the insides of her thighs and rubbed them up and down the silkiness of her skin. She always felt so damn soft, like a balm to his callused hands. She let out a low whine, and he increased the pressure, the gentle massage becoming a deeper one. Each time he went up, he got closer and closer to the apex of her thighs, and she shivered every time.
He let one hand slide up her hip and then trace the top of the bit of lace that had been driving him crazy since he’d seen it on her. His hand worked its way down, his index finger pushing down, forcing the fabric between her folds. He loved the sound of her voice as she cried out, loved the wet material that told him how ready she was. He pressed down and rubbed hard circles around her clit.
“Do you like that, baby?” he asked, his voice hoarse. God, he needed relief soon or he was going to hurt all night.
“Yesss,” she gasped, her hips pushing up.
Nikoli smiled. The look of desire and lust on her face was enough to almost push him over the edge. He pushed the lace aside and slipped his fingers into her folds. God, she was wet, so wet. Her soft cries when he touched her swollen clit had him putting his own hand down his underwear, and he stroked himself as he stroked the girl bound to the bed, writhing under his touch, spread wide across his thighs.
His thumb switched places with his index finger and he slid a single finger inside her, and a low guttural sound was ripped from her. Fuck, she was so tight. He closed his eyes and thought of sliding inside all that tight heat, her walls surrounding him, holding him in their velvety depths. He groaned and let out a cry of his own.
Her hips were thrusting up, and he made himself focus. If she was a virgin, he would hurt her. It would be so easy to get carried away and push his finger in too deep. She was close. Her thighs were tense, trembling. She was thrashing, moaning.
“Nikoli…I…what…”
“Shhh, sweetheart,” he soothed, pushing two fingers inside of her. “Don’t fight this. Just relax and let it happen. Easy, baby, just let go.”
He gripped his cock and stroked hard and fast, his fingers stroking Lily in time to the hand on his cock. He was close himself. God, it felt good, and he wasn’t even inside her. His fingers pressed harder against her clit, he scraped the inside of her walls, and he felt her tense, felt the climax swell inside her, and then he felt it give way, the rush of fluid coating his fingers as Lily screamed and bucked beneath his hand. Nikoli groaned and felt his own climax hit him hard. He cried out her name and fell forward, landing on top of her. It took him a moment to get his breathing under control, but even then he didn’t move. He let her take his weight and reveled in the knowledge he’d made her scream his name. Not Boy Wonder’s, but his name.
Lily could barely catch her breath at the rush of sensations that had just torn through her. Never in her life had she felt anything like that. She still ached a little, but his fingers were still buried inside her. She’d heard him yell out her name, and she loved it. Despite the fact he was too heavy and made breathing difficult, she refused to ask him to move. This felt good, it felt right, and she didn’t want to lose this feeling yet. Didn’t want to lose Nikoli, even though she knew she was going to lose him soon enough.
When Nikoli finally shifted and lifted himself up, Lily dreaded what was coming. He pulled his hand free of her panties, and she whimpered a little. The flesh was still swollen and sensitive. He untied the scarf that served as a blindfold, but she kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want to see what was in his eyes. If it was gloating, she couldn’t bear it.
“Open your eyes, Lily.”
She groaned, but did as he asked. His black eyes were hooded and sleepy, but there was no sign of gloating.
“Are you okay, Milaya?” he asked, reaching up to untie her hands. He took them in his and rubbed her wrists gently, first one and then the other.
She nodded, not trusting her voice. He was being so gentle, so kind. How could she not love this man? Not the manwhore everyone else knew, but Nikoli, the man no one else ever really saw. How was she going to survive it when he left?
He pulled her up into a sitting position so she faced him. He cupped her face and leaned in to give her the softest, gentlest kiss he’d ever given her. Lily melted into the kiss. It was so sweet. He had never kissed her like this before, and she savored the feel of it.
“There’s my girl,” he whispered against her lips. He ran his tongue over her lower lip, and she let out a tiny sigh, which caused him to chuckle. “Was that so bad?”
Lily felt her face flame up and she ducked her head, her mass of heavy, dark curls swinging in her face. Her hair had become unbound somewhere in between all that, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember when.
“Hey now, my little prude, no hiding,” he chided, lifting her face up. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“It’s just that I…I’ve never…I…”
Nikoli laughed and pulled her into his arms, before falling backward so she landed on his chest. “Lily, don’t worry, your virtue is still intact.”
“So I didn’t lose the bet?” She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes twinkling. Truthfully, she didn’t care. That would have been worth losing a bet for.
Nikoli burst out laughing, and she found herself laughing too. His entire chest vibrated with laughter. “No, Lily Bells, you didn’t lose the damn bet. Technically, we both orgasmed, so you could say we had sex, but I don’t count it until I’m buried so deep inside you that you can’t tell where you end and I begin.”
The visual that assaulted her pulled a gasp from her, and Nikoli chuckled softly. He started stroking her hair as he pulled her tighter against him. She snuggled in and let herself relax. For once, there was no fear, no tensing up, nothing but a boneless feeling of contentment. She didn’t question it, she just enjoyed it.
“Nikoli?”
“Yes?” he said, his voice as lazy and relaxed as hers.
“If I go with you to Miami, do you think you could take me to my mom’s? I haven’t seen her or the twins in over a year.”
“Of course,” he said. “You shouldn’t go so long without seeing them, though, Lily. Family is important.”
She heard the reprimand in his voice and winced. His family was spread out all over, but she knew for a fact he talked to them all the time on Skype. He may have loose morals when it came to sex, but he had strong family values.
“I know, but before…well, we always ended up feeling awkward, and my mom blames herself for my phobia, I think, even though it’s not her fault. It’s no one’s fault but my own. I’m getting better, thanks to you. I think maybe…maybe I can hug her without panicking. I’d like to try.”
“I have faith in you, Lily Bells,” he said. “You can do it. I’ll book you a ticket tonight.”
“No, I’ll pay for my own ticket,” she told him.
“Lily, I can afford…”
She leaned back and put a finger to his lips. “I don’t care if you can afford it. Thank you for offering, but I’ll pay my own way, thank you very much.”
“You are the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met and the first who didn’t jump at me buying her things.”
She smiled at him. Lily knew exactly who Nikoli Kincaid was. She read the gaming magazines. “Nikoli, all I want is you, not what you can give me.”
“You mean that, don’t you?” he asked, surprise in his voice and on his face.
It was her turn to laugh. She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of the bed, looking for her dress. If she let this conversation go further, it might cause her to say things she’d rather die than confess.
“It’s late, Nikoli, and I need to get back before security locks the door at the dorm.”
“We can stay here tonight if you want.”
Lily glanced over her should her at him. He looked satisfied, yet hopeful, like a little boy asking for a new toy. “I wish I could, but I have to be there for the girls. I can’t stay out unless I make arrangements ahead of time for someone to cover my floor.”
“That’s too bad.” He ran a finger up her spine and she gasped, her skin still sensitive.
She felt the bed shift as Nikoli stood up. She spotted her dress sticking out from under the bed and grabbed it, slipping her legs in and then sliding it up her body. Nikoli came to stand behind her. He pushed her hair over her shoulder, and then zipped the dress up. He bent and placed a soft kiss on her collarbone.
“I want to show you something,” he said. He was wearing his pants, but no shoes or shirt. Taking her hand, he led her out of the bedroom and down a hall. The last door on the right opened into an office.
It was full of dark mahogany wood furniture, and bookshelves lined three of four walls. A wall of windows overlooked downtown Boston. Lily skipped the scenery and went straight to the books. It was a jumbled up mess of computer programming books, fiction, classics, and general science. The man did not know how to organize his library.
“Leave it to you to beeline to the books,” he said with a laugh. “Come over here, please.”
Lily looked up to see him sitting behind the desk, turning on the computer monitor. He typed a few keystrokes and then hummed as he waited for it to log him in. She walked over to stand beside him. He wrapped an arm around her waist while he logged into a program.
“Lily, you’re a pretty decent gamer.”
She laughed. “I guess.”
“Well, would you want to test a beta game?” He looked up into her eyes, and she frowned. Was he asking her to beta test one of his games?
“It would depend on what kind of game it was,” she said at last.
“It’s a first person shooter,” he said. “Zombie game.”
“Sure, if you want me to. I’m a big fan of horror games, and first person shooters are my favorite.”
“I thought as much,” he said. “You kicked ass today in that tournament.”
“It had been a while since I’d played,” she said, playing it down. “It was a team effort, really.”
“Bullshit.” He shook his head. “You took out almost that entire opposing team by yourself. That requires a lot of skill.”
“It’s no big deal.” She shrugged it off.
“Lily, when I said before I could afford to buy you a ticket, I meant it. I own a gaming company.”
“And when I said before I didn’t care, I meant that too. I know who you are, Nikoli.”
“You know?” His mouth fell open, and she laughed. For once, she’d one-upped him.
“I’m a gamer, Nikoli. Of course I know who you are. I just didn’t say anything because I thought you wanted to keep that part of your life private, and it wasn’t any of my business.”
“You knew who I was all this time, and you never asked me for anything…”
“Because I didn’t want anything from you,” she said. “Well, I do want your car, but that’s beside the point.”
“You’re not getting my baby,” he told her, his eyes still wide with shock.
“That remains to be seen, Kincaid.”
“I think you and I both know you’re not getting that car.” His grin turned wolfish.
“We don’t know any such thing,” she said, her own smile turning slightly wolfish. “I can say no.”
“We shall see, my little prude.”
“So we shall,” she agreed, praying she could say no to him.
He gave her a gentle squeeze and focused on the monitor.
“Is this something you’re working on?” she asked.
“Yes,” he answered. “Luther and I are working on it, and we need beta testers to analyze the weapons, how they handle, glitches, things like that. Could you do that for me?”
“Sure,” she said, jumping up and down inside. She’d heard rumors of this game on the ’net, but their company was being so closed-mouthed about it, no one could get details.
He popped a blank CD into the computer and started the burn process. “Lily, I’m trusting you with this. You can’t show this to anyone.”
“I won’t. Not even Mikey.”
A few minutes later, he popped the CD out. He rummaged around for a sleeve and handed it to her. “Come on, Milaya, let’s get you home.”
She cast one last look at the couch, her face flaming before she followed him out of the apartment. She truly hoped she could say no.
But somehow she didn’t think she was going to.