And maybe because he was the type of lover who cared so much about her pleasure, he’d given her three orgasms in total last weekend when she’d only given him two.
He was the guy who—“I think he wants to kill Vov.”
Natalia bolted upright and dropped her phone in her lap at the mention of Lily’s ex. Her hair whipped around as she spun, her bright brown eyes staring at Lily as if she had three heads. “You told him aboutVovik!?”
“No, but he saw my scar in the shower.” Lily ran her hand over her clothed shoulder. She didn’t need to feel the scar to know where it lay. While months had dulled the thorns surrounding the memory of Vovik snuffing a cigarette in her flesh, it still wept when touched.
“Yeah, well, he’ll have to get in line.” Natalia huffed and resituated herself beside Lily on the bed so their shoulders touched. “If I ever see that fucker, it’s on sight.”
Lily scooted the laptop, so it bridged their laps. “I’d prefer to forget him.”
“I know.” Natalia’s voice softened, and she nudged Lilywhile pointing at the open search profile for Kieran. “It’s gotta feel good to know you bagged a guy who’s protective.”
Her heart sank. It should have. It should have felt amazing. She should have texted Kieran back and never let him leave her bed.
But Vovik had been protective, too. He’d been perfect and devoted and kind. He’d been the answer to her prayers, up until he became a nightmare.
She navigated away from Kieran’s page and opened the desktop version of Hit It. “I don’t think I’ll go out with him again. Sleeping with the same guy doesn’t feel very hoe phase.”
“It counts if the one guy is aprofessional fucking athlete.” Natalia took over the cursor and returned them to the web page splashed with photos of Kieran. “Lils, if I was banging this man, I would let him bend me over every available surface. Stop thinking and look at his face. No, look at his arms. Look at that fucking V-cut.” Natalia groaned and leaned back, tapping her head against Lily’s wall. “I’d have to clear it with Jack first, but that man could rearrange my guts any day of the week.”
“Natalia!” Heat flooded Lily’s face, and she smacked her best friend’s thigh. “Don’t be so—so—”
“So what? What is the hold up?” Natalia raised one manicured brow. Her deep gaze fluttered over Lily’s face as if searching for any glimpse of explanation. Her eyes widened.
Lily’s stomach dropped.
“You like him!”
“No!” Fire burned in Lily’s cheeks. She slammed the laptop closed and tossed it to the foot of her bed. “I do not like him.”
“That is the face of a liar, Liliana!” Natalia grinned and pounced, digging her fingers into Lily’s side with mischief in her eyes. “Spill it!”
Lily jerked and rolled, desperate to throw Natalia off as fullbelly laughs broke through her lips. “Stoooop.” She looped both arms around Natalia’s waist and tightened, crushing her best friend against her chest. “Tickles are a crime against article five of the friendship clause!”
“Okay, well.” Natalia wiggled her head free of its prison below Lily’s chin and stuck out her tongue. “Lying is a direct violation of article one.”
“Urg.” Lily rolled her eyes and unbound her arms, leaving Natalia lying atop her chest. Her oldest friend folded her hands beneath her chin, perfectly comfortable continuing to invade Lily’s personal space.
“Tell me.”
Her lips pursed in a pout. “I like him.”
“And?” Natalia raised her brows.
“And… I’d rather not. Like him, that is.”
Natalia deflated and flopped back atop the mattress. “Why not?”
“Because I fell head over heels for the only other guy I ever slept with, and I don’t know. It just feels pretty cliché if I fall in love with the next guy, too. Very basic.”
“Lily, I have bad news for you.” Natalia rolled onto her side and snuggled in, nuzzling her face against Lily’s arm. “You’re a basic bitch.”
“I amnot.”
“You’re one life crisis away from a ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ tattoo.”
“Take it back!” She tackled Natalia into the smattering of blankets and pillows covering her bed.
