She loved him.

Not just loved him. She was in love with him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice concerned. “You just tensed back up, Milaya. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Wrong? Everything was wrong. Her panic shifted from his touching her legs to touching her heart. She felt like her entire world had just bottomed out. How had this happened? When had this happened? She couldn’t be in love with Nikoli Kincaid.

“Easy, baby, everything is okay. Just take slow, deep breaths and calm down.”

Calm down? How was she supposed to calm down when she was in love with the manwhore? Dear God, how did she let herself fall for him? She knew better. Sure, he might have called her his girlfriend for the sake of the bet, but he didn’t want one. He was helping her get over her fears, yes, but he had an ulterior motive. He wanted in her panties. Simple as that. He didn’t love her. She couldn’t ever let him know how she felt.

“Lily?”

“Give me a minute,” she told him, her voice a little sharper than she’d meant for it to be.

“I got all night, Lily Bells. You take as much time as you need.”

Damn him. Why couldn’t he still be the manwhore to her? Why did he have to be sweet, and kind, and considerate?

He started rubbing his fingers back and forth over her thighs, and she closed her eyes. The panic tried to come back, but her fear of his breaking her heart drowned that out enough for the sensations of his fingers to break through, and it felt…good. Oh hell, it felt really good. She was in so much trouble.

“Do you have to do that?” she asked, trying once again to pull his hands up.

“Yes, I do,” he said, the laughter evident in his tone. “Besides, you like this.”

His hands slid higher, slipping under the hemline of her skirt and pushing it farther up, his fingers continuing to massage the flesh he exposed. Holy hell. It was all she could do to stop a moan from slipping past her lips. She wanted to squeeze her thighs together to relieve the pressure that was starting to build.

“Easy, baby,” he murmured. “I got you. It’s okay. You’re safe with me.”

Lily did moan when his wandering fingers traveled up, her dress inching up her hips. Her hands fell away as he caressed her hips, moved around to cup her ass, and squeezed gently. She felt every caress travel from his fingers in a little path of lightning all the way to her core. She did squeeze her legs together then, and he let out another low chuckle that sent a shiver through her.

His hand drifted up her back to where the zipper rested. She felt him tug on it, heard it as he slowly pulled it down, felt the cool air against her back as it was exposed. He laid his hand flat against her back and looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

“We need to set a safe word for you, Lily, something you’ll be able to remember no matter what happens here. Think, baby, what word will you remember?”

The first word that came to mind was Laney, but that didn’t seem appropriate. They had both loved one thing, and it was something she was sure she could remember.

“Butterfly.”

Nikolas regarded her curiously. “That is the first girly thing I’ve ever really heard you mention.”

“I am a girl.” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. She shifted and he hissed. Her eyes widened when she felt him through the sheer lace of her panties. Flutters started in her stomach, but that sense of everything closing in on her came back. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly in and out.

“Are you good?” he asked.

“I…I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

“If it gets to be too much, Milaya, just say your safe word and I’ll stop. Promise.”

She nodded. Nikoli had never lied to her. He would stop if she asked him to. The real question was, would she ask him to?

“Good girl.” He smiled and moved his other hand to small of her back. Then he moved both hands up and around her shoulders. Lily’s fear was fast receding, replaced by a completely new fear. The fear she wouldn’t say stop. His fingers felt like a trail of fire as they danced their way up her neck, to bury themselves in her hair. He pulled her toward him, his lips settling over hers. Nikoli wasn’t gentle with his kiss. It was hard and demanding. Lily shuddered, her arms coming up to cradle his neck, her fingers tugging at his hair. She felt his groan go through her, causing another full body shudder.

His lips moved from hers, his kisses going across her cheek, then her jawbone, along her throat. He stopped to nibble at the pulse point, and she moaned softly, her fingernails digging into his hair. He continued his lip torture while his hands came to rest on her shoulders, pulling the lacy concoction that couldn’t really even be called a dress aside, letting it slide down her arms, over her breasts, to settle around her waist.

Nikoli pulled back and looked at her through heavily-lidded eyes. “Beautiful.” He’d been thinking of this all night, and now that it was here, he wasn’t going to rush it. She sat on his lap in her black lacy underwear, her dress bunched around her waist, her arms trapped within the sleeves. Magnificent was more the word he should have used. She was truly magnificent.

He let his fingers roam over every silky inch of flesh he’d revealed. She shivered, a whimper escaping from her, and his nostrils flared. He’d never wanted anything more in his life than to flip her over and thrust into all that wet heat. He pushed those thoughts aside. He’d be inside of her soon enough. Right now was about getting her used to the feel of his skin against hers.

Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, Nikoli watched her. She was nervous, but her eyes were locked on his chest as he revealed his bare skin with each button he undid. He pulled the shirt off, tossing it aside. He gave her a moment before he leaned back and then tugged her forward until she landed against his chest, her breasts pressed tight against him. He could feel her pebbled nipples and closed his eyes. God, this felt so good. Too good. His arms wrapped around her and she relaxed, her head tucked under his chin. Lily’s warm breath ghosted over his naked flesh, and he suppressed the groan that was building.

She fit him perfectly. Her little purr of contentment made him smile. She trusted him. It was a truth Nikoli was proud of. She knew he would never hurt her. He wanted to see just how far that trust went.

“Lily?”

“Hmm?”

“Time to go to bed.”

He felt her entire body tense up, and he laughed. “Shush, now, Milaya. I don’t mean what you think I mean. I just want to touch you. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“I promise.”

“Okay.”

A smile spread across his face, and a feeling of sheer happiness overwhelmed him. He didn’t let it bother him. Instead, he sat back up, helping Lily to swing around. He stood up, Lily in his arms, and walked the short distance to his bedroom.

The brand new king sized bed dominated the room. Her gaze shot to the bed, and he squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “It’s okay, Milaya, you’re safe with me. You know that.”

He left the door open so her panic level would stay down. Kicking off his own shoes, he set her on her feet by the bed.

The dress fell and pooled around her feet. “Stay still.”

He went to his closet and found the scarves he was looking for. They were thick, soft, and very sturdy. He took them back out and leaned in close to her ear. “I’m going to blindfold you, Milaya. You enjoy that, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, a shudder going through her.

He smiled and covered her eyes, tying the scarf tightly so it wouldn’t slip. Now that she couldn’t see the open lust on his face, she was calmer. “On the bed, Milaya.” Gently, he pushed her backward until her knees hit the mattress. She fell back and lay there, her breathing a little erratic. Nikoli picked her legs up and said, “Go, on, lay back on the bed, baby.” She scooted and twisted, pulling her legs free from his hands.