Touch Me Not (Manwhore Series #1)

Chapter Ten

"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 eyes twinkled with mischief. 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 to hide his choked laugh.

"What's up, guys?"

Lily closed her eyes as no fewer 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 made sure they all heard her sarcasm.

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

"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 popped 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?" Mike 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 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 resisted the urge to throttle her. No way in hell was she getting his car!