“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.