Текст книги "Touch Me Not"

Автор книги: Apryl Baker

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

He tossed her a bottle of water. She twisted the cap off and took a sip, her tongue darting out to lick the drops from her lips. His nostrils flared at the sight, but he tamped his own desire down. He had to be careful not to scare her.

“You said you’d explain when we got here?” She looked everywhere but at him.

“This is my escape,” he told her. “It’s where I come to get away from everyone, where I come to…to share certain experiences with women who enjoy the same things I do.”

Her eyes flew up to his face, and he bit back a smile at the anger in her eyes. He knew what she was thinking. She had nothing to fear from him.

“Lily Bells, don’t overreact.” He tried to keep his voice soothing. “I told you I had certain tendencies, but none of them involve pain. I have never caused a woman physical pain, and I never will.”

“You just break their hearts.” Her voice was full of her own anger at his behavior. He was relieved. He’d take anger over hurt any day.

“I thought we agreed to disagree,” he said mildly. “Now, Lily Bells, what happened tonight? You were fine when I left you.”

She pulled her knees up against her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her eyes took on a haunted look that made him want to hit something. “Adam came over to check…”

“To check what?” he prompted after a minute when she didn’t go on.

“You were right,” she said, her voice small and anguished. “He was jealous. He came over to check to see if you and I had…if we…”

“Had sex?” he offered. He could see how hard this was for her talk about. He needed to know what happened tonight, but more than that, he needed to know why she was afraid of anyone touching her.

She nodded. “I told him it wasn’t any of his business, and he got angry.”

“Did he hurt you?” Every muscle coiled at the thought of anyone touching her in anger.

“Not like you mean,” she whispered. “Adam would never hit me, but he did hurt me.” A tear slipped down her cheek, and as much as he wanted to reach over and wipe it away, he kept his hands tightly clenched. “He…he…Adam knows how hard it is for me to…” She closed her eyes briefly, and Nikoli felt his anger burn hotter. He knew what Adam had done. He’d done it deliberately out of anger.

“He used your fear to make you feel inadequate?” Nikoli clenched his fists. She nodded, and his frown deepened. Adam was supposed to be her friend. No matter how jealous the dickhead was, he should never have hurt her like that. “I’m sorry.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “He’s right, though. I’ve let it turn me into someone who isn’t capable of intimacy. I can’t give him what Sue can.”

“I told you I’d help you with that,” Nikoli reminded her, “but I have to understand why you’re so afraid. Did someone hurt you, Lily?”

“I wasn’t abused, molested, or raped as a kid if that’s what you’re thinking.” Her fingers twisted the end of the throw cushion she’d picked up. “It’s all in my head, according to every therapist and psychologist I’ve ever been to.”

Nikoli had expected a story of violence, given how she’d reacted when he’d grabbed her at lunch, so he was very surprised to hear that. “So, it just kind of developed on its own?”

“Do we have to talk about it right now?” Her voice was strained as her eyes fell away from his, but he’d caught the glimmer of shame in them.

“Yes, we have to talk about it right now.” he said, his voice firm. “I need to understand this if I am going to help you.”

Another hollow laugh erupted from her. “It’s not about helping me, and you know it. It’s about trying to get me naked.”

“That’s true.” He cracked a grin, despite the seriousness of the situation. “I won’t lie about it, but I do want to help you, Lily. I don’t know exactly why, but I do. And I can help you, more than anyone else, but you have to help me understand why you can’t bear for someone to touch you.”

She remained quiet for a long time, but Nikoli patiently waited. He couldn’t push her, not right now. He would eventually, but for now, she needed to do this, to trust him. It was hard for her. Her face said as much, but when she nodded, he relaxed.

“You know my dad died when I was twelve,” she began. “I started to act out after that. Gave my mom some serious trouble. I skipped school, started hanging out with the wrong people, and over the next three years, you name it, I did it. My sister, Laney, decided enough was enough. It was Friday night, and I snuck out of the house. Laney followed me and tried to stop me. She grabbed me, and I pushed her. When she fell, I went running across the street. There was a park across from us that cut straight through to the cemetery where I was meeting up with my friends. She got up to follow me. Our house was on a curve, one you couldn’t see around. The driver never saw her. He wasn’t even going very fast, but he drove right over her. She died from massive internal bleeding.”

“And you blame yourself.” Nikoli hadn’t expected that. Losing so many people in such a short amount of time had to be hard to begin with, but blaming herself too? It sucked ass. He at least understood her a bit better now and could build from there.

She nodded. “Wouldn’t you?”

He could have lied to her, but that wouldn’t have done either of them any good. “Yeah, Lily Bells, I probably would have blamed myself too.”

She smiled slightly. “After that, it got harder for me to let anyone touch me. I kept seeing her grab my arm and me pushing her away, and then watching as the truck ran her over. Adam tried to help me, he used to grab me in these bear hugs, but I just couldn’t…I started to shake, and then I’d start screaming. I couldn’t. He gave up after a while. It was an easy diagnosis, but a little harder to cure. It really is all in my head.”

“You equate someone touching you with death, specifically a death caused by you,” Nikoli muttered. This might be harder than he’d expected, but he wasn’t going to let her mental hang-ups deter him.

“So how can you fix that?” She laughed bitterly.

“With patience,” he said, determined. And some help from friends in the psych department. A few owed him favors and might be able to shed some light on her phobia for him.

Lily glanced up, surprised. Patience? He seriously thought he could cure her of her worst phobia with patience? Nikoli Kincaid was truly insane if he thought that.

“Adam tried that for over a year, Nikoli. Why would your attempts be any different?”

He studied her, and Lily squirmed. She also blushed when his gaze traveled from her head to her toes and back up, landing on her lips and staying there. She felt hot and took a sip of water. His stare caused all sorts of unfamiliar sensations to assault her. His smile said he knew it too. Here she’d told him her darkest secret, and all that was on his mind was sex! Now she felt really stupid. Why did she believe this could work? Nikoli was the worst kind of womanizer, and she knew it.

“Lily, Boy Wonder is an asshat and an idiot,” Nikoli told her. “You needed patience and a firm hand. He couldn’t give that to you. It was too hard, and he gave up. I, on the other hand, don’t give up, and I love a challenge.”

“How are you supposed to help me when all you can think about is getting into my pants?” Lily asked, rubbing her arms.

“It’s because I want into your pants that I can help you,” he fired back. “I have methods we can use, things that will help you learn to tolerate my touch, enjoy just thinking about what my hands will do to you.”

She swallowed, every muscle in her body tightening at the promise in his voice. Somehow in that moment, looking into his black eyes, she believed him. He might be able to do this for her.

“I’m sorry about your sister,” he told her. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost one of my brothers, so I can’t begin to imagine what you felt, what you still feel. Hell, all but one of my brothers have graduated and spread out around the country, and I miss them. If I couldn’t call one of them or see them…” He closed his eyes, and Lily just stared. She’d never seen this side of him. He sounded like a decent human being for once. “I am sorry, Lily.”

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“I’m a bastard. I know that, but I’m not a heartless bastard,” he said, sliding closer to her. She pushed herself as far into the cushion as she could, but he came closer, until he was sitting only about two inches away from her. Her palms started to sweat. “I want you to understand that simple fact. I’m going to push you, Milaya, push you well past your breaking points on many levels, but know that I heard you, heard your pain. I won’t let my own needs make me forget how much you’re hurting. You will always come first with me. You just need to be willing to try.”

His dark eyes burned with an intensity that scared Lily a bit. She’d never had anyone look at her like that. Those eyes held a promise. All she had to do was accept it. Could she do it?

“Will you tell me exactly how you plan on helping me?” She needed to know the specifics.

“We’re going to go slowly, Lily. First, you have to be comfortable with me, so you and I are going to spend a lot of time together. You’ll be as comfortable with me as you are with Boy Wonder and Mike.”

“Hardly.” She couldn’t repress the giggle that slipped out. She was too nervous. “Neither of them have designs on my virtue.”

He smiled, really smiled, and she couldn’t help but admire his dimples. Nikoli had a nice smile when he wasn’t trying too hard. It was honest. “Once you start to get used to me, we’ll move on to something basic.”

“Like?”

“Like putting your hand in mine. I won’t do anything except let you set your hand in mine. You can snatch it back without fear.”

“So you’ll let me touch you instead of touching me?” She’d never tried that before. Adam had always forced her to let him hug her.

“It’s all about control, Lily,” Nikoli explained. “Everyone has been forcing their touch on you, and I won’t do that. I may do a few sneak attacks, but I’m going to let you get used to touching me, become familiar with how my skin feels against yours. Once that happens, then I’ll touch you. Trust me, Milaya, you will learn to love the way I touch you.”

“What does that mean? Milaya? It’s Russian?”

“Yes, it’s Russian,” he said.

“So?” she prompted. “What does it mean?”

Nikoli wasn’t ready to tell her yet what it meant. He wasn’t even sure himself why he called her that. It meant sweetheart. He’d never in his life called a woman sweetheart. It slipped out around this one, and it unnerved him a little.

“What it means doesn’t matter.” He brushed the question aside. “Are you ready for this, Lily? Really ready for it? I want you to be sure.”

“I…I don’t want to live like this anymore, terrified, unable to show anyone how much I care about them. I can’t even hug my mom.” She twisted her fingers, her anxiety easy to read. “Even if things don’t turn out with Adam, I want to be normal again, Nikoli. I want to have what everyone else has—someone who loves them, a family. I need to be able to touch someone in order to get that. ”

Nikoli watched her. So many emotions ran rampant on her face. He couldn’t even begin to fathom all the pain this woman had gone through, but here she sat, stronger than most. Yeah, she had a hang-up, but she was trying to get past it. She wasn’t taking it lying down anymore. To face your fears took more courage than people ever gave you credit for. He’d faced a few demons himself, so he understood. Lily wasn’t just special; she was extraordinary.

“Then you’ll have it, Lily. I promise.”

“What about you, though?” she asked.

“Me?”

Lily grinned, her inner devil shining through, and Nikoli frowned. What was the minx up to?

“Well, you did say you wanted to improve people’s perception of you. If you plan on doing this, it means you can’t go out and have sex with whomever. If you want people to believe we’re dating, then you are going to have to conform to my standards.”

So the little minx had a devil in her after all. Two could play this game. He pushed her. He scooted until his thigh was pressed firmly against hers. She sucked in her breath. “As I told you earlier, Lily. I won’t need anyone else. I’ll have you.” Before she had time to respond, he leaned in and softly brushed his lips against hers. It was over and done before she could freak. He stood up and walked over to the row of window overlooking the Boston skyline. He needed to give her a moment and to get his own emotions under control.

Lily’s hand shook as she brought her fingers up to touch her lips. She couldn’t believe he’d done that! He’d told her he wouldn’t touch her this soon, and he’d gone and done it anyway.

“You said…”

“I did say.” He turned to face her. “My goal is to help you, Lily, make you comfortable with me, but I also want to touch you, very badly. It’s why I’m over here right now. I want to bend you over that couch and fuck you so hard, you’ll feel me inside you for a week, but I’m controlling myself.”

Lily’s mouth formed a silent O. She hadn’t expected that. He was honest, if nothing else. “How can I trust you, though, if you can’t even keep your word for one day?”

“Lily, I promised we’d take it slow, get you comfortable with me, but part of that includes my sneak attacks. My lips feathered over yours, not even a touch really. I will do it again and again. Get used to it.”

She swallowed. He meant that. He was going to do it again. Her insides tightened, but not in fear. Her hands were shaking, yeah, but there was more than fear there—she felt excitement, anticipation. Why did his touch, even the promise of his touch, do this to her? No one, not even Adam, had ever made her feel like this. Maybe the manwhore really was that good. She laughed, thinking about what Janet would have to say on the matter.

“Something funny?” he asked, his voice low and rough.

Lily looked up and her laughter died. He looked hard, determined. Not the laughing man of before. He looked more like the dominant males she secretly loved to read about, and it made her mouth dry. Dear Lord, what was she getting into? She almost called it off right then and there, but forced the words back. If she didn’t take a chance, then she’d never know. This man—not the boy from before, but the man in front of her—could give her back her life. Instinct told her this, and she wasn’t going to give up the chance for normalcy.

Not that she’d tell him that, though. “I was just thinking about what everyone’s going to say when the manwhore goes straight. Do you think you can handle the ribbing?”

“Connoisseur of women, Lily, connoisseur of women.”

“If that gets you through the night,” she said, shrugging. “At least you’re not hooking on the corner…”

He spewed the water he’d just put into his mouth, and Lily laughed. Oh God, she was going to have to tell Janet about this one for sure.

“You are going to pay for that one, Milaya,” he promised. “I may spank you.”

“No, you won’t,” she said, laughing. “You just told me you don’t hurt women.”

“I never said it’d hurt, did I?” His eyes glittered with intent, and Lily’s own widened.

Her own doubts crowded back in, and she pushed them down. This man could be more dangerous to her than anyone else. He struck a chord in her, and it scared her, but she refused to be a coward anymore.

“No touching, remember?”

He grinned, a slow, lazy smile that put her on alert. “Oh, but when I do touch you, Milaya…”

Lily took a shaky breath. She needed to get out of here, before they both did something she wasn’t ready for. “I think we should probably go back to campus now.”

Nikoli chuckled. “Running already. You realize I’m not going to let you escape so easily next time?”

“I’m counting on it,” she said and meant it. She needed him to not let her run. Maybe it was what she’d needed all along.

“Come on, Lily Bells, let’s get you home.”

Chapter Ten

Lily felt like crap, but her growling stomach roused her out of bed. She didn’t even bother changing, she just took care of business in the bathroom and washed her face. Lily headed to the cafeteria dressed in her favorite penguin pajama pants and an old AC/DC t-shirt. Stifling a yawn, she grabbed a bowl of fresh fruit and yogurt covered in granola, along with a glass of OJ. She plopped down at the first table she came to and rubbed her eyes. They felt blurry and gritty from her lack of sleep. Her only plans for today were to eat, then go back to bed for a couple more hours, and then possibly she’d deal with Nikoli.

Just thinking about last night twisted her stomach into knots. She still couldn’t believe Adam had done that, said those awful, hurtful things to her. Never would she have thought him capable of being so cruel. She tried to tell herself it showed he cared enough to be jealous, that she might have a shot at winning him from Sue, but it hurt too much. Lily didn’t know how long it would take her to forgive him, but it wasn’t going to be soon. It might actually help, too, if Nikoli’s plan worked. If she stayed away from Adam, and spent her time with Nikoli, then it might drive him crazy enough to realize she was more than just his best friend.

If Nikoli’s plan worked, and that was a big if.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down to see Adam’s face on the screen. She hit ignore. Too early to even try to deal with that.

“You look like hell, Lily.”

Lily let her head fall on the table. Mikey. Of course. Adam probably sent him to feel out how mad she was.

“Well, thank you, Michelangelo,” she grumbled. “Make me feel all awesome, why don’t you?”

He plopped down across from her, and his plate of steaming eggs and waffles made her grimace. How anyone could eat something that heavy first thing in the morning was beyond her. Just gross.

“Soooo…”

Lily grimaced, and he laughed, but then his face got serious. “Adam got so drunk last night, I thought he might have alcohol poisoning.”

“Is he all right?” she asked, alarmed. She might be mad and hurt, but she didn’t want him hurt too. Well, not much.

“Sleeping it off, but he told me some stuff,” Mike said. “I’m sorry for what he said, Lils, and so is he.”

She sighed. “Sorry doesn’t cut it this time, Mikey.”

“I know, but you realize he only said those things because he was jealous, right?” Mike shoveled eggs in his mouth and swallowed. Man didn’t even chew. Lily screwed up her face. “All he could go on about was you and Nikoli. He wants to beat the crap out of him.”

“Yeah, well, it’s none of his business, especially after what he said to me.”

“Janet said you left with Nikoli last night.” Mikey put his fork down and stared at her. “Lily, Nikoli…”

“Is none of your business either,” she said bluntly.

“I just don’t want you to do something stupid out of spite.” Mike turned his full attention on her. “You’re like a sister to me, Lily, so I have to put my two cents in. Your eyes are bruised and hurt, so I don’t know if you’re thinking straight. Nikoli is, he’s…”

“I know all about him. I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Adam. Stay out of it. I’m a big girl. I know what I’m getting into.”

Mike stared at her for a long moment. “Lily…”

“I mean it, Mikey. Leave it alone.”

“Leave what alone?”

Lily groaned at the sound of Nikoli’s voice. She groaned again when he sat down right beside her. He scooted until only an inch separated them. Her palms started to sweat, but she forced herself to sit still.

“Nothing,” she said and sat up. Nikoli was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a Metallica t-shirt. His hair looked rumpled, and his black eyes twinkled. Those full lips of his were turned up in a half smile.

“Dushka…”

“What does that mean?” she asked suspiciously.

He grinned wolfishly. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I know what it means in English.” Her eyes narrowed.

“But it doesn’t mean that in Russian.” Nikoli popped a grape in his mouth.

“Why is your English so good?” Mike asked curiously. “Didn’t you grow up in Russia?”

Nikoli nodded. “Yes, but my father spoke English. I speak it as well as I do Russian. Now, dushka…”

“No,” Lily interrupted. “Stop right there. Do not call me dushka. Ever.”

“You don’t even know what it means.” Nikoli laughed.

“I know what everyone else will think it means, and that’s more than enough for me. No dushka. Promise!”

“No more dushka. Katyonak instead.”

“Note to self, pick up a Russian to English dictionary.”

Mike shook his head, barely containing his laughter. Lily shot him an annoyed look, which only caused him to cough to try and hide his choked laugh.

“What’s up, guys?”

Lily closed her eyes as no less than three of Adam’s football buddies took a seat at their table. They leveled a look that promised pain at Nikoli, which he ignored completely. Instead, he focused on Lily, and she tried to scoot farther away from him. He only followed. She frowned at him and he simply smiled in response. He did warn her he was going to push her, but she thought he’d give her at least a day to come to grips with it. She should have known better.

“Breakfast?” she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Milka, you are going to fall off the bench if you scoot any farther.” Nikoli laughed.

“Maybe you should back off then, Nik.” Menace laced every one of Brian Greggory’s words.

“No, it’s fine.” Lily waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it, Brian.”

“If he’s bothering you…”

Nikoli lazily plopped another grape into his mouth. “I’m not bothering her. The fact is, she and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, so get used to it.”

Brian narrowed his eyes, and Lily could see they’d never believe she’d willingly go out with Nikoli. “He’s right,” she said. “You see, we have a bet.” She felt Nikoli go completely still. He had no idea what she was up to, but a plan was forming, and she rubbed her hands together gleefully. This could turn out in her favor after all.

“A bet?” Mikey asked curiously, still shoveling food. She caught a glimpse of waffle and made a face.

“He wants in my pants, and I want his car.”

Six pairs of shocked eyes gazed at her.

“Never going to happen, Lily Bells.” His car? She’d lost her damn mind!

“Never say never, Kincaid.” Lily grinned impishly up at him, and Nikoli almost laughed with her. Almost. His baby was going nowhere. She could get that out of her pretty little head right now.

“You want the ’Cuda.” Luther sat down next to Nikoli, rubbing his eyes.

Lily nodded, and Nikoli wanted to throttle her. No way in hell was she getting his car!

“He looks worried,” Mikey observed.

“He does,” Luther agreed. “I have a hundred bucks that says she gets the car.”

Nikoli sent Luther a glare hot enough to singe what little hair was left on his head. They were betting on his car? His baby?

“So what does this bet entail?” Mikey asked.

“I personally don’t think our manwhore here can go without sex,” Lily said casually. “If he slips up during the next three months, he forfeits his car.”

Nikoli focused on the woman next to him. He zoned out all the people around him and looked directly into her laughing blue eyes. She was going to pay for that. “And as I said last night, Milaya, I won’t need to slip up with you in my bed.”

Mike growled something unintelligible, and the other guys got pissed off looks. Nikoli ignored them. “That’s the second half of our bet. She has to keep out of my bed for three months, or I win.”

“I want the car more than I want you,” Lily told him.

“We’ll see, Lily Bells.” Nikoli grinned. “Speaking of our bet…are you ready to go?”

“Go?” She frowned. “Go where?”

“You’ll see.” He stood up and waited for her.

“I’m not dressed.” Her eyes were wide and slightly fearful when they looked up at him.

“You look fine for what I have planned.” He couldn’t keep the evil grin off his face. Time for a little payback. “You won’t be keeping those clothes on for long anyway.”

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “I want medical reports. Who knows what you might have.”

She did not. He narrowed his own eyes. “We discussed this yesterday, dushka.”

“And I told you not to call me that!” she yelled. The guys sitting across from her were chuckling, and she turned her furious gaze on them. “The next person who laughs will not get tutored this year.”

That wiped the smirks off their faces.

The girl had more fight in her than she realized. It was what he was banking on. She just needed to keep her fingers off his car. Seriously, where had that come from?

“Ready?” He kept his expression as mild as he could, but from the look of irritation on her face, he knew he’d failed and let the smirk out.

She stood up and grabbed her bowl to dump off at the bins. “I really need to change…”

He shook his head. “Nope, no time. I might even let you drive my car if you get your butt in gear.”

Mike snorted milk through his nose at the look of excitement on Lily’s face. “What’s with you and his car?”

“Ohmygosh…it’s a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda!” Her blue eyes lit up like Christmas. “Do you even know how rare that car is?”

“When did you become a car buff?” Mike frowned.

“She’s been a car buff since before she could talk.”

Lily’s entire body froze and she flinched at the sound of Adam’s voice. Nikoli moved closer, and for once, she didn’t move away from him. He didn’t think she was even aware of how close he was, but Adam noticed. His eyes narrowed.

“Seriously?” Mike asked. “Why did I not know this?”

“Who do you think fixes my car?” Adam set his tray down. “Lily, can we talk?”

“She was just leaving.” Nikoli’s voice was cold.

“Lily?” Adam stared directly into her eyes, and she flinched again.

“No,” she said after a moment. “We’re leaving.”

“Lily, please…”

“No, Adam, not today.” She turned to the other guys sitting at the table. “You guys seem all concerned about Nikoli, but he’s not the one you need to worry about. You want to do something for me? Then keep Adam the hell away from me and leave Nikoli alone.”

Nikoli smirked at Boy Wonder, who looked pissed beyond belief. Good. He needed to be beaten for the mess he’d left Lily in last night, and from the looks around him, Adam had some explaining to do. He might just get that beating too.

“So, where are we going that I don’t have time to change my clothes and put a bra on?”

Nikoli’s attention snapped back to Lily, and he zeroed in on her chest. His eyes widened when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra…why had he not noticed this before?

“And stop staring at my boobs.” Her laughter bubbled up and spilled out as she started walking toward the door.

“How about I stare at your ass instead?” he called, and she shook her head. He didn’t have to look back to know the low growl came from Boy Wonder. “It’s a damn fine ass.”

Luther caught up to him. “Do you have a death wish?”

“They’ll get over it.”

“Where are you guys heading?” Luther asked, following them outside.

“To pick up the Mach 1.”

“You’re taking Lily? In her pajamas?”

Nikoli grinned. “She wants to drive, so I’m letting her drive…just not my baby.”

“She’s driving the Mach 1 back?” Luther asked, eyes wide. “What if she wrecks? Totals it?”

“Then she does. It’s just a car.”

“Just a car?” Luther shouted. “It’s a Mach 1!”

Nikoli stopped walking, seeing Lily staring at them curiously. He couldn’t afford to screw this up. “Lily’s not going to total the car. Her dad was Martin Holmes. She probably drives better than either of us.”

“That’s not the point,” Luther argued.

“Look, man. I get that you usually drive them back, but just this once, trust me, okay? You can drive it all day tomorrow. Hell, once the race is over, you can have it for your own baby. Don’t think I didn’t see the way you were salivating over the online images yesterday.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Luther grumbled, but Nikoli caught the gleam in his eye. Luther wanted that Mach 1 in a bad, bad way.

“So where are we going?” Lily yawned when Nikoli reached her. She looked cute. Strange that he’d think of this woman as cute, but he did. To him, women were hot or sexy, but never cute. He snorted. It sounded cliché, even to him.

“You up for some driving?”

“You’re going to let me drive your car?” Lily asked, her eyes wide and excited.

“No, you’re not driving Ellie, but you can drive the Mach 1 we’re going to pick up.”

“Really?” she asked, squealing like a girl.

“Really. We just need to swing by your dorm and pick up your license.”

“I can change my clothes…” She trailed off when he started shaking his head. “Why not?”

“Because I want you comfortable with me, Lily,” he told her. “We’re going to be spending all day in the car, so I want you relaxed. Those penguin pajama bottoms of yours should do the trick.”

She made a face at him, but didn’t argue as they piled into his car. Her fingers started gently running over the leather seats the minute she got in. He stared at them, imagining her running them over his skin. Maybe being in the car with her all day wasn’t such a good idea.

No, he decided a few minutes later when she hopped out and flew up the front stairs of her dorm, his eyes following her ass. It wasn’t such a good idea at all.