Touch Me Not (Manwhore, #1)(18)

Nikoli’s eyes narrowed. Why was Luther suggesting they stay away from everyone?

“I mean, it’s obvious you had an epic failure with Lily,” Luther continued. “I’m sure you don’t want to listen to every guy we know go on and on and on about it…”

“Not a problem.” Nikoli stared pointedly at Luther. “If that were to happen with any guy we know, I’d beat him to within an inch of his life.”

The grin slid from Luther’s face, and he beat a hasty retreat to the fridge for more beers. “At least you’re giving up on Lily and…”

“Who said I was giving up on Lily?” Nikoli savored the jaw drop currently on Luther’s face.

“But…but…you came home alone!” Luther stammered, slamming the fridge door.

“Yeah, so?”

Luther snapped his mouth shut and glared. “You can’t do this, man. She’s not a girl you f*ck with. She’s too nice. I swear to God, you hurt her, me and you, we’ll have a problem.”

Nikoli’s eyebrows shot up. He’d heard Luther talk about Lily before. She’d helped him out in one of his English classes he’d been failing. Nik had no idea Luther was this protective of her, though.

“Calm the f*ck down and stop acting like an outraged woman. You look like your sister when you do that.” Nikoli chuckled when Luther’s glare got hotter. He loved riling him up sometimes. “You got it wrong. Lily and I came to a mutual agreement.”

“What kind of agreement?” Luther asked suspiciously.

“She’s in love with Boy Wonder,” Nik told him, disgusted. “He’s marrying the blonde. I promised to help her win over Boy Wonder if she agreed I could try to seduce her.”

“And she agreed to that stupidity?” Luther barked.

“Not yet,” Nikoli admitted. “I took her home and told her to think about it. If she stands a chance of stealing Boy Wonder, she has to get over her fears, and I can I help her with that. Deep down, she knows she needs help, and she’ll agree.”

“Fears?” Luther asked, curious.

Nik debated with how much he should tell Luther, but Lily would be spending a lot of time here as well as his other apartment. Luther needed to know her boundaries if she was ever going to be comfortable around him.

“Lily has a phobia,” he said at last. “I’m only telling you because you need to know so you don’t do something to send her running. If she finds out I told you, she’ll beat me bloody.”

“Now I really am curious.” Luther tossed Nik a bottle of water as he sat down. “What? We’re out of beer. Water won’t kill you.”

Nikoli grunted. Truth was neither he nor Luther were big drinkers. They could drink with the best of them, but they both agreed after the epic car crash of 2008, they’d keep their drinking to a manageable level. They’d gone out drinking with a buddy, and on the way home, they’d crashed the car. Their friend, who’d been driving, died. After that, both Nikoli and Luther refused to drink and drive.

“She doesn’t like to be touched,” Nikoli said. “That’s where my biggest problem is. If I can’t touch her, I stand zero chance of getting her in my bed. If she can’t learn to tolerate someone touching her, she stands zero chance of stealing Boy Wonder, who is a touchy-feely person.”

“Well, damn.” Luther whistled, his expression thoughtful. “That explains a lot. So what kind of agreement did you two come to?”

“I’m willing to help her get past her phobia and make Boy Wonder jealous if she agrees to my price.”

“And what price is that?” Luther was back to being suspicious.

“I get the chance to seduce her, and she gets Boy Wonder.” Nikoli swallowed the rest of his beer and then broke open the water. “It’s a win-win.”

“Until you break her heart,” Luther growled. “Lily’s not…”

“Dammit, Luther, shut the hell up!” Nikoli exploded. “I’m tired of hearing everyone warn me off. She’s just a chick!”

Luther’s mouth worked furiously, before he snapped it shut. A slow grin spread across his face, and Nikoli’s frown deepened.

“I take it back,” Luther said. “I think this is the best damn idea you’ve ever had.”

Something was definitely up; Nikoli just wasn’t sure what. “Why are you grinning like an idiot?”

“Because you are never going to see it until it’s too late,” Luther said. “Lily is the best thing that’ll ever happen to you, but by the time you figure it out, she’ll be gone.”

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Nikoli denied, even though he knew Luther was probably right. Lily Holmes terrified him.

“We’ll see.” Luther grinned. “Come on, let’s get out of here. The White Horse or T’s?”

“T’s,” Nikoli told him. “I’m not in the mood for trendy. I need a bar tonight.”

Luther didn’t say a word. He just held the door open and grinned like the idiot Nikoli labeled him. Nik grumbled and headed out. Tonight he needed some stiff whiskey. Lily Holmes wasn’t even his yet, and she was already driving him to drink. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into?