Touch Me Not (Manwhore, #1)(45)

“Yogurt is boring, Lily Bells. Why not try something else, like biscuits and gravy?”

“I’m from the south,” she reminded him. “Biscuits and gravy is a staple where I’m from. If I didn’t eat it growing up, I’m not eating it now.”

“That’s too bad,” he said. “I would have loved to pour the gravy over your belly and lick it clean.”

Her gasp was loud, and he chuckled. He’d shocked her again.

“You think about sex too much,” she said after a minute, her voice just a little breathy.

“You can never think about sex too much,” he countered. “You, my prude, don’t think about it enough.”

“You’re an ass.”

“I’m your ass, though.” He grinned wickedly.

She shook her head. “I’m hanging up now. I really do have to study. I have a test in the morning.”

“Fine, Lily Bells, I’ll let you escape back to your studying, but I’ll swing by at six to pick you up. I have class at eight, so we need to go early.”

“That means I have to get up even earlier to take a shower, dammit.”

“Deal with it. Good night, Milaya.”

“Good night, asshat.” She disconnected the call, and he laughed. God, that girl was something else.

***

“I hate you, Lily.”

Lily grinned at Luther and flipped him off as she carried in the table lamp.

“Man up, Luther,” Janet said. “You’re the only one complaining.”

“Easy for you to say,” he grumbled. “We’re doing all the heavy lifting.”

Mike shot him a warning look. Lily only laughed. She’d love to see Janet go all Terminator on his ass. Luther needed a good kick in the rear anyway. He really had been complaining all day.

“I wouldn’t,” Adam whispered. Lily was close enough to hear him. “If you get her started, she’ll never shut up.”

Luther gave him a horrified look and ran back out the door to see what else needed to come up the three flights of stairs.

Lily had been surprised Adam volunteered to come help them move furniture. When he’d shown up with Mike and Janet, she’d almost told him to leave. Except they needed the help. Nikoli meant it when he said he was getting new furniture.

Goodwill had come by this morning and picked up every piece of furniture they owned, except for what was in Luther’s bedroom. Nikoli had dragged them both to several furniture stores after renting a U-Haul. He’d made Luther follow them in his car so she wouldn’t have to freak out over having to sit between them. She couldn’t handle that, and she knew it. Apparently, so did Nikoli.

Adam and Mike sat down the sectional in front of the TV. The fabric was a soft, dark beige and went well with the pale walls. Lily had picked it out not based on the color, but on sleep worthiness. She’d stretched out on several in the store and rolled around, testing comfort. This one was the softest, but had just a little resistance so you could nap with ease.

Nikoli tossed the red throw pillows at her and shouted, “Drinks in the fridge, guys. Grab a cold one before we go after the next load.”

Janet took a long swig of water and then whispered to Lily, “Why did he buy new furniture?”

“I refused to set foot in the place until his disease-covered filth was gone,” she said, not bothering to lower her voice.

Nikoli just smiled wanly and chugged his beer.

“Why do you think I don’t sit when I go over to Mike and Adam’s frat house?” Lily said, her expression scrunching up in disgust. “Just think about all the bodily fluids in that place.”

“Ewwww.” Janet looked disgusted. “I never thought about that.”

“We clean,” Mike defended.

“With bleach?” Lily asked. “And on every surface?”

“Well, no…”

“Not clean!” Janet did her grossed out dance. “I’m not going back there ever again.”

Mike shot Lily a what-have-you-done look, and she smiled. “Deal with it, Michealangelo.”

Luther let out a groan, and they all turned to see him sitting on the couch, a look of utter joy on his face. “Oh. My. God. I could live here.”

“Off the couch!” Lily demanded.

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s brand new and you’re dirty, sweaty, and you stink,” Lily told him.

“It’s my damn couch,” he grouched, but moved when he saw the look of promised pain Lily aimed at him. Instead, he rambled over to the fridge, which Nikoli had replaced the day before. The fact he’d replaced it made Lily shudder at the thought of what might have happened there.

Nikoli grabbed the drink out of Luther’s hand. “Nope, man, not yours. These are Lily’s.” He walked over and handed her the can of cherry Dr. Pepper.

“I like those too!” Luther protested.

“Don’t touch ’em,” Nikoli warned, his voice hard.

“How did you know these are my favorites?” Lily asked, perplexed. She’d never told him.

“Every time we go out to eat, it’s the first thing you ask for.” Nikoli shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “Not hard to figure out.”