Touch Me Not (Manwhore Series #1)

Chapter Five

Lily glanced at herself in the mirror and grinned. Worn, baggy jeans and one of Adam's football jerseys over her black tank top was probably not what Nikoli had in mind when he asked her to dinner. Comfortable sandals completed her outfit, her toes shining from the pink nail polish she'd put on yesterday. Nikoli probably expected a dress and heels. She pulled her hair back in pigtails then slipped on her 1950's-style black-rimmed glasses. She screamed nerdy geek going to a high school football pep rally. So not Nikoli's style.

"Well, you certainly aren't going to inspire any lustful thoughts." Janet laughed from the open doorway of Lily's room.

"My point," Lily said with a grin. "Plus, I'm going prepared to wage war."

Janet arched a brow in question.

"You remember Stephanie and Mandy from last year? The ones who had the beer party that nearly got us all kicked out?"

Janet laughed. "Oh, yeah, I don't think I've ever seen you that mad."

"Well, seems our boy accosted Stephanie and left her in tears." Lily shook her head. "Why will they never learn? Women are just his toy of the hour."

"He's too pretty for his own good," Janet agreed. "I love Mike dearly, but if Nikoli gave me one of those sex-filled stares of his..." She shrugged. "I don't know what I'd do, honestly. I know how bad that sounds, but he is just one of those men..."

Lily understood exactly what Janet was talking about. Nikoli was a man who could potentially destroy a woman without a second thought, and she'd go into it with her eyes wide open. He never gave them any expectations. They did bring it all on themselves.

"Speaking of Mike, he said Adam put his foot in his mouth."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he went into over-protective big brother mode and tried to forbid me from going out with the manwhore."

"Oh, God, I never thought about him like that." Janet giggled. "Now every time I hear his name, I'm going to think manwhore."

Lily laughed herself. "Just imagine it...Nikoli dressed in black strappy heels, a mini-skirt, and a slutty top, hooking on the corner."

"Stop," Janet gasped between laughs. "That image is going to stay with me now, damn you! How am I supposed to indulge in sex fantasies about him if I keep seeing him posed on a street corner in trashy prostitute gear?"

Lily performed a mock bow. "My job is done, and the only man you'll be having sex fantasies about is Mikey."

Janet took several deep breaths then walked over to Lily's bed and collapsed. "I needed that laugh. Mike has been grumpy all week."

"Everything okay?" Lily started cleaning up the nail polish she'd left scattered on her desk. She really needed a makeup case just for her nail polish.

"I think so." Janet frowned. "He's being very secretive. I'd almost think he was cheating if I didn't know him better."

"Cheat?" Lily turned and looked at Janet. "Mike wouldn't do that to you, Jan. He respects you too much. He'd break up with you before he went out with someone else."

"I guess." She sighed unhappily.

"I know," Lily said firmly. "Trust me. He loves you. When you broke up with him last year, I got the full-on Mike meltdown. If you'd seen what that did to him, you'd never doubt him again."

"I'm surprised he didn't go cry on Adam's shoulder," Janet said ruefully.

"Oh, he went there first," Lily confessed, "but Adam and Sue had just gotten engaged the week before, if you'll remember. Not the best place for poor, jilted Mikey to get some sympathy. Besides, he and I bonded over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."