by Apryl Baker
“I do not!”
“Really?” she asked. “Tell me when was the last time you had a relationship that lasted more than a night?”
“You.”
“I don’t count,” she said. “Besides, what we’re doing isn’t really a relationship. The question is why you don’t want a healthy relationship with one person.”
“I have my reasons,” he told her.
She snorted, but continued. “Girls, like guys, don’t want someone everyone and anyone can have and has had at one time or another.”
“I have not slept with as many women as you think. Girls tend to let their friends think something happened. I just don’t correct them.”
Like she believed that? Ha! She’d seen him with more women over the last three years than she could count. “You also have no respect for women.”
“I have respect for them,” he said and then paused. “Well, some of them. I respect you and my mother. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
“Why don’t you respect them?” she asked, curious.
“As you like to point out, I’ve slept with a lot of women, not as many as you think, but enough. I’ve seen them cheat on their husbands, boyfriends, and fight with their best friends to sleep with me. I don’t say this to sound arrogant or to brag, it’s just a fact. Why would I respect people who would throw everything away for sex? If you’re not happy, then have enough balls to ’fess up to it. Don’t disrespect someone else by cheating.”
Lily frowned and shoved a spoon of chowder into her mouth to keep from having to respond right away. She hadn’t expected that answer from Nikoli. It’s something she would have said. And he had a point, dammit. How could a person respect someone who couldn’t respect themselves or others? Well, damn, maybe Nikoli did have some kind of moral code.
“Anyway, back on topic, the bet,” she said. She needed a few minutes to process the whole deep side of Nikoli Kincaid. “People know me, they know I’d never go out with you willingly, so I came up with something they’d believe, that Adam would believe.”
“Boy Wonder does know about your car addiction.” Nikoli nodded as if everything made sense. “So it’s not a real bet, then? I can do…”
“Oh, it’s a real bet,” Lily interrupted. “The way I see it, this…proposition of yours is completely one-sided.”
“One-sided?” he asked incredulously. “You get Boy Wonder out of it.”
“But what if I don’t?” Lily asked. “What if I can’t get past my fear of people touching me? Or what if you can help me and I still don’t get Adam? What if we’re both wrong and he loves Sue too much to leave her? Theoretically, if that happens, you might manage to get me to sleep with you. You win in either scenario, and I get jack. This way, I stand a chance of walking away with a car that I want more than almost anything else.”
Nikoli watched her through hooded eyes. She hadn’t noticed he’d pressed his feet against her thighs. She was so focused on their conversation, she forgot to be afraid. It was definitely progress and proved if he was patient, he’d end up with her in his bed, so why shouldn’t he bet his car? Not a chance in hell he’d lose it to begin with. So why not?
“All right, Lily Bells, I’ll bite. If you can stay out of my bed for three months, then you can have my car.”
Her face lit up and she nearly jumped up and down where she sat. It didn’t take a lot to make her happy. He settled back, content to watch for a minute. She still hadn’t noticed his feet, and he debated telling her. He didn’t want to ruin the moment, but then again, she might be so shocked, she shoved them.
“How old is Kade?” she asked, taking another bite of her chowder.
“He’s twenty-seven.” Nikoli watched the spoon disappear into her mouth and then slide out between her lips. He rubbed her leg with his foot in response. “Lives in Virginia and works for the FBI.”
“Really?” Lily asked. “He didn’t go back to Russia?”
“No, none of my brothers did. We might eventually, but we like America. We have more freedoms here than we do in Russian. Kade and I have been trying to convince our parents to move back to the States for years, but our mother loves Russia.”
“Hey, Bob, turn that up!”
Both Nikoli and Lily looked to see the guy behind the counter turn the volume up on the wall mounted TV screen. A reporter stood in a park, a crime scene behind him. The body of the missing girl who had been all over the news had just been found. People started talking all at once, but Nikoli pulled his attention back to Lily. She was frowning and shaking her head.
“Are you worried about that?” he asked.
“Not really worried, just sad. Freaked too. They found that poor girl really close to campus.”
“Whoever he is, he doesn’t seem to be targeting college campuses, at least,” Nikoli offered, hoping to calm her nerves a bit. A lot of the girls on campus were starting to worry about that. Campus security had posted flyers everywhere warning women not to go anywhere alone if they could help it. He might be freaked too if he was a girl.
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” she said, staring at the TV screen. “Are you about ready to go? I lost my appetite.”
“Sure.” He signaled the waitress for the check. “One thing, though.”
“Hmm?”
“How do you plan on getting out of your seat?”
She gave him a questioning look, and he pointed at his feet, pressed up against her thighs all snug and cozy. She looked down, and her mouth dropped open. Her eyes darted from his face to his feet. He waited patiently for her to get over the shock. Julie set the check down on the table, and he nodded at whatever she said, but didn’t break eye contact with Lily.
Lily gasped and nearly had a small heart attack right then and there. Nikoli had managed to press his feet against her and she’d never noticed. How had she not noticed this? She could feel them like a hot iron burning through her pajama bottoms now that she saw them, but God only knew how long he’d been like this. She’d been too distracted to realize he’d pulled another sneak attack on her.
Strange thing was, she wasn’t about to hyperventilate. It could be because it was just his shoes and not technically him. There was no skin to skin contact. Did this even qualify as touching? Her brain screamed yes, especially when he rubbed his foot back and forth. She felt it, and it felt…nice. It was such a foreign sensation, she reached out and pushed his foot away from her without thinking.
Nikoli let out a low hum of satisfaction. Lily wasted no time in scrambling out of the booth and fleeing the diner. She went straight to his car and stayed there, trying to focus. She did it. She’d touched him. Oh. My. God. She did it! Relief swept through her. She’d been terrified she couldn’t do it, scared that she was too broken to fix, but she touched him!
Sure it was only a shoe, but even yesterday, she wouldn’t have been able to do that. His sneak attacks were working, making her more comfortable with him. Nikoli could distract her like no one else, and maybe that was the key to learning to touch and be touched. She could do this. For the first time since she was sixteen years old, she had hope. Hope.
Nikoli was smart enough not to say a word when he unlocked the car. She climbed in, buckled her seatbelt and smiled. “Tell me about Russia.”
Nikoli put the car in gear, and then started them moving again. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” He laughed and spent the remainder of the car ride telling her about growing up in Russia with his brothers, about their favorite places to play when they were little, and then about their favorite hangouts when they got older. He told her about the castles, the architecture, and the culture. Everything he could fit into an hour, anyway. He did promise to tell her more when they pulled onto the dirt road leading to Jasper Moore’s house and his Mach 1.
The house was a bit run-down, the paint peeling, and he could see several shingles on the roof that needed replacing before winter set in. His beautiful car sat in the driveway, prepped and ready
to go. When they pulled up, he could see what it cost Lily not to jump out of the car. She was a smart woman, though, and understood you didn’t just go wandering around a stranger’s property. Nikoli honked the horn, and they both waited for the guy to come out.
Jasper Moore was just as run-down as the house. His clothes were messy. He had a hole in his shirt, and he looked like he hadn’t showered in days. Nikoli debated telling Lily to stay in the car, but the way she was eyeballing the Mach 1 said she’d stab him if he tried. Suppressing a smile, he got out, and Lily followed close on his heels.
“You Kincaid?” Jasper had a raspy voice that sounded like he smoked one too many cigarettes. He ran his gaze over Lily from head to toe, eye fucking her as he did. Lily wasn’t even paying attention; her focus was all on the car.
Nikoli stepped in front of Lily, cutting off Jasper’s access to her ass. He did not like the way his eyes had zeroed in and stayed there. “I am. I’ve got the check. Keys?”
Jasper pulled them out of his pocket. “You want to start it up first?”
“Always do. Lily?” He tossed her the keys when she turned around. “Pop the hood and start her for me?”
She ghosted her fingers across the top of the car, never touching the paint, before opening the door and sliding in. She popped the hood and then cranked the ignition. It came to life, and relief swept through Nikoli. He’d been afraid the car wouldn’t start. It was obvious Jasper had no clue how to take care of it since he didn’t understand how much it was worth. “Rev it up for me, will ya, Lily Bells?” Nikoli said as he propped the hood up. The engine roared, and he grinned. This was his four hundred thousand dollar victory car. He might need to tweak it a little, but this one was gonna take it home.
“It still runs like the day my uncle dropped it off here,” Jasper said. “He died a couple years back and left me the car.”
“How long has it sat idle?” Lily asked. She was already checking the interior for flaws.
“Nearly four years.” Jasper moved closer to the car.
“How often did you start it?” she asked.
“I started it up a few days ago before I put it up for sale to make sure it still ran.”
Lily gaped at him, and Nikoli chuckled. Jasper here was not a car buff. “Well, that explains why it’s almost out of gas,” she grouched. “It might make it to the station.”
Shaking his head at her disgusted tone, Nikoli turned his attention back to Jasper, who was standing much too close to Lily, even if she was safely in the car. There was something about the guy, something off, that rubbed Nikoli the wrong way, and he definitely didn’t like the way he stared at Lily. If she was paying attention, she’d be freaking out. For once, Nikoli was glad her car lusting made her oblivious.
“If you’ll get the title, I’ve got the check.” He pulled out his wallet and fished out the certified cashier’s check.
Jasper turned and disappeared back into the house. Nikoli waited impatiently while watching Lily. She was going over everything, finding imperfections and clucking like a mother hen. The fact that she could lust over a car and not him still blew his mind. It was sexy as hell.
“Is there enough gas in that thing to make it to the station?” Nikoli asked to get his mind off things that would drive him insane on the four hour trip back to school.
“I think so, but barely,” she said, frowning. “The passenger seat’s leather is ripped in two places. There’s a crack in the dash, and there’s a tiny dent back by the back fender.”
“Are you okay driving it back?” he asked. “You said it’s been a while since you’ve driven anything like it…”
“Does that mean I can drive your car?”
“Hell, no!”
“Then, yes, I’m good driving this one back.” She looked up at him and winked. “Just try to catch me.”
His eyes widened at the challenge, but before he could say anything else, Jasper was back with the title and a bill of sale. Nikoli made sure the title was signed, then handed over the check.
“Good doing business with you.” Jasper nodded and went back inside the house.
Nikoli turned his attention back to Lily. He crouched down in front of the driver’s window. “Are you sure about this? I can always bring Luther back to…”
“I’m fine, Nikoli,” she told him. “I’m more comfortable behind the wheel of a car than I am anywhere else. I’m not going to crash her. I promise.”
“Okay, follow me to the station. Let’s hope there’s enough gas in there to make it. I’d hate to leave it on the side of the road even long enough to go get gas.”
Lily nodded and obediently followed him to the station. Once the tank was full, she grinned. The boy had no idea how well she could drive. Her dad may have died, but she loved cars and had spent her teenage years learning all sorts of tricks. This baby had all the bells and whistles she could ever want. Not only was she in the driver’s seat of one of the most awesome cars ever created, she’d managed to actually touch Nikoli. That still made her smile from ear to ear. It wasn’t major to most people, but it was to her.
Nikoli came out of the store and handed her a cold bottle of water. “You ready?”
“Are you?” She grinned up at him.
“Oh, Milaya, I’m always ready.” His fingers reached out and traced her cheek. She barely flinched and didn’t pull away. She was getting used to the feel of his hands on her. She looked at him, shocked and surprised. Why wasn’t she freaking out? It made no sense to her.
He smiled. “I’m going to win.”
“You keep thinking that,” she said, pulling away from him and starting the car. “See you back on campus!”
With that Lily pulled out, leaving Nikoli running for his own car. She laughed and went from forty to eighty to a hundred. The wind whipped through her hair, and the feel of the car beneath her reminded her how much she loved driving. She’d missed it. There was so much freedom and power in letting a car run flat out. Nikoli was catching up, and Lily smiled an evil smile. The man had no chance. She was in a fully modded racing car. His ’Cuda was amazing, but he would never catch the Mach 1.
Pressing her foot down on the acceleration pedal, she picked up speed and left Nikoli Kincaid in her rear view mirror.
Chapter Twelve
Nikoli cursed six ways to Sunday as he almost ran up the stairs to Lily’s dorm. He had never in his life been outdriven by a girl, and it rankled. Granted, he knew the Mach 1 was faster than the ’Cuda, but still, she shouldn’t have been able to smoke him. Her driving skills were better than he gave her credit for. He’d lost sight of her fifteen minutes after they’d pulled out of the gas station. Fifteen minutes! The woman could drive. He’d give her that, grudgingly, but she could damn well drive.
Ignoring all the stares, he strode down her hallway and banged on the door. No answer. What the devil was she doing? His car was outside, so she had to be here. He knocked on the door again, and still nothing.
“She’s not in there.”
Nikoli turned to see a familiar face. The lusty blonde from yesterday. “Where is she?” he demanded, irritated.
“What do you want with Lily?” she asked.
“I want my damn car keys,” he muttered. “Look, Stacey…”
“Stacey?” Lusty Blonde gasped.
“Suzie?” he tried again.
“Stephanie!” she seethed.
“Where’s Lily?” He ignored her outrage.
“None of your business,” she told him. “She’s not stupid enough to fall for your…”
“Steph?” Nikoli let out a small sigh of relief when he heard Lily’s soft voice. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine, just telling jerk-weed here to leave you alone.”
Lily laughed. “It’s okay, Steph. He’s here to get his car.”
She opened her door and ushered him inside. She stayed to talk to the girl for a minute, and Nikoli used the time to look around her room. He’d been so focused on her last night, he hadn’t
really seen anything. There were no pink and purple pillows anywhere as he’d half expected. She didn’t really scream girly to him, but most women he knew had a deep affection for pink and purple.
Instead, her comforter was a deep red. She had an oversized beige chair in one corner. Her laptop sat on the desk, a simple desktop lamp beside it. A microwave took up residence on an end table, and a TV, PS4, and DVD player sat on top the chest of drawers the school provided every student. The most telling thing about the room were the books Lily had stacked everywhere. They weren’t in your face, but if you went to sit anywhere, you’d be hard pressed not to find a book. She loved books. He filed that little fact away. It might come in handy later.
“Done ogling my room?” she asked, closing the door.
“For the minute. Keys?”
She laughed and fished his keys out of her desk drawer. “She runs like a dream.” Tossing the keys to him, she smirked. “Stop being a sore loser and pouting.”
He caught the keys and shoved them in his pocket. “I don’t pout.”
“You’re mad because I won,” she said, laughter shining in her eyes. “You had to know there was no way your ‘baby’ could have kept up with the Mach 1. Or did you expect me not to know how to handle a racer since my dad died when I was twelve? Did you think I’d granny drive her because I’d be afraid of the horsepower?”
Well, yeah, he had thought that, dammit.
“Sorry, Nikoli. Cars are my thing. I’ve been driving for forever, and I can handle a car better than you. Guaranteed.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“How old were you when you started driving?”
“Fifteen, why?”
“Three,” she said smugly. “Trust me when I say I can handle a stick better than you.”
She had to be the sexiest woman he’d ever met. “Hmm…you can handle a stick better than me, can you, Lily Bells?”
