Nick and Lilac

by Marian Tee

  The point was - you didn’t need to meet Nick to know of him. Jilly would know that, so what was she doing?

  “I’m so happy to see you again, Lilac,” her friend was saying. “And I’m so excited for you to meet this friend of mine.”

  Even with her gaze firmly fixed on the ground, Lilac felt derisively measuring eyes settling on her, making her feel even more self-conscious.

  When Jilly continued to wait for her answer with an expectant air, Lilac knew she had no choice but to look up.

  Lud! The old-school expression of surprise came out as a mental sigh as their university’s so-called Don Juan locked gazes with Lilac’s. His swoon-worthy blue eyes arrested her in place, changing her world in an instant.

  The ancient brick walls of their college melted into ornately designed brocade-covered walls of a 19th century ballroom, golden light radiating from the brightly burning candles set in the exquisite chandeliers hanging from above.

  Other students slowed down as they walked past Lilac and Nick, gazing at them surreptitiously over their books and binders. But in her mind, they had been turned into debutantes and swains, dressed in velvet and silk ball gowns and elegant waist-coated shirts and breeches, the women peering over ivory-backed fans before gracefully waltzing away.

  In her favorite daydreams, she was an impoverished genteel bluestocking daughter. Her favorite hero to fall in love with: a tall, dark-haired man whose face she could couldquite picture. All she knew of him was that he was a duke notorious throughout the Continent for his rakish ways.

  Looking into Nick Christakos’ blue eyes, she knew that the man in her daydreams now had a face, a name, an identity.

  The ballroom fantasy faded, replaced by yet another daydream.

  “Saw what you’re looking for?”

  The words worked like a bucket of cold water, and she recovered from her shock. “Put me down!”

  The stranger behind her chuckled even as he did as bid and slowly lowered her to the ground.

  She whirled around, furious and embarrassed at the liberties the stranger had been able to take with her person. But then she saw who he was---

  “I see you know me, little one.”

  She lifted her chin but said nothing.

  “A chit who can hold her tongue,” he murmured. “Impressive.” He gave her a lazy smile, and though she tried her hardest, she could not stop her heart from racing at the sight of it. He bowed. “Forgive the boldness, but please allow me the honor of introducing myself. My name is Nikolai Stanford.”

  She held her skirts, a part of her wanting to simply run away. But then a mocking light gleamed in his eyes and she knew that he was aware of her thoughts – and was amused by it.

  Infuriation replaced her desire to flee, and she curtsied slowly instead, murmuring, “Your Grace. It’s my honor to meet you.”

  The amusement in his gaze turned into something deeper and darker, making her swallow. He said softly, “The honor is mine.”

  “Lilac?”

  The daydream disappeared, reality set in, and a lump of fear quickly formed in Lilac’s throat, reminding her of a long-ago nightmare that she couldn’t make herself forget.

  Jilly raised a brow at her friend. “So…have you ever been introduced to Nick yet?” She tried not to grin when Lilac finally, slowly, shook her head, a now-familiar aloof mask falling on her friend’s incredibly lovely face. Beside her, she could feel Nick inhale sharply and she did her very best not to snicker at the sound. She knew Nick was so proficient in seducing a girl that he might eventually break down Lilac’s walls if he wanted to. But that was then and this was now – and the frustrated look on Nick’s face was more than enough for her.

  He had it bad – very, very bad, and his irritation was becoming more visible with every passing second that Lilac did not make a move on him like all the other girls usually did.

  Well, he would have to wait forever for that, Jilly thought smugly. In the years she had known Lilac, she had never seen Lilac respond in any way to any guy.

  Nick tried not to curse when the girl’s long dark hair fell forward as she shook her head, partially covering her face. She was the hottest chick he had laid his eyes on, and it didn’t matter that she was dressed like a prude about to enter a nunnery. Buttoned-up long-sleeved shirt, shapeless pants, and the ugliest pair of shoes – none of it was good enough to deceive Nick’s connoisseur gaze into thinking he wasn’t standing before a sex siren hidden under spinster garb.

  Her hair was a rich dark brown, a startlingly beautiful contrast to pale violet eyes that seemed too ancient for someone so young. Her face was delicate and fine, like a porcelain figurine with a goddess’ body, full breasts, a small waist, and unbelievably long legs that Nick had no problems imagining running his hands all over before pulling them up to wrap around his waist.

  Nick made an effort to keep his smile friendly but impersonal, his tone polite as he said, “Hi.” It was the most he had done in years to get a girl to pay attention to him, but he had a feeling if he didn’t make it clear to this girl that he wasn’t about to eat her alive – at least not now – then she would vanish into thin air like a figment of his imagination.

  Lilac could feel Nick Christakos’ eyes boring through her, and she tried her best to appear unaffected even though she was anything but. He was too…intense, too much like the duke in her daydreams.

  The austere-looking duke lifted his quizzing glass to stare down at her, as if needing a closer way to inspect her peculiarities. It was as if he could not believe that the girl he had met in the garden party was the same boring girl who stood before him now.

  Lilia wished she had the courage to roll her eyes. However, a wallflower had no physical traits. It was just…there.

  Lilac mentally shook her vision away. Stupid, stupid, stupid – she couldn’t afford to daydream now!

  The girl still hadn’t said a word. When the silence bordered on awkward, Nick was stunned into accepting that Jilly’s friend did not intend to return his greeting. Jilly was smirking, damn her. He knew she knew he was goddamn interested, so much so that for the first time in his life, Nick Christakos found himself wanting to demand another person’s attention. There was something about this quiet and regal girl that brought out his possessive instincts.

  Jilly said teasingly, “Nick said ‘hi’, Lilac. Didn’t you hear him?”

  Not wanting to be rude but not wanting to be in any way friendly either, Lilac inclined her head to the side and gave the devastatingly handsome man beside Jilly her best Your-Hotness-Doesn’t-Affect-Me nod.

  Most times, it was effective.

  This time, it didn’t work.

  Perplexed, she watched Nick cock his head to the side as well. And then he gave her his own kind of Cool Nod, one that had an arrogant You-Can’t-Intimidate-Me-With-Just-That flair only someone like Nick Christakos could carry off.

  The girl’s eyes widened at his response, and Nick almost smiled at the sight. It was as if she was unable to believe her excruciatingly polite attitude wasn’t successful at working as a guy repellant.

  Ah, sweetheart, you’re going against a pro. What did you expect?

  Still, Nick had to give it to her. Her disguise was fucking great – and all these I’m-an-untouchable-nerd vibes were also just that: a disguise. It was probably the only reason why none of their university’s empty-headed male students crowded around her, and if he was honest – he fucking hoped it stayed that way.

  When she still didn’t reply, Nick drawled out, “Maybe she’s sexy.”

  Nick Christakos’ drawl was all sex and arrogance as well as bearing a distinct note of challenge. Around them, Lilac could feel more and more glances darting their way and lingering as time passed. She knew what they were thinking because she was thinking of it herself. What was the great Nick Christakos doing with mousy little Lilac York?

  It created a sick feeling in Lilac’s stomach, making her want to withdraw into herself further. The university’s open-a
ir hallway suddenly felt suffocating, the surrounding courtyard with its vast spaces, magnolia trees, and stone tables reduced into a gilded cage.

  And yet---

  Nick’s presence was so forceful it overrode her usual inhibitions. Those eyes of his made Lilac want to look at him…really look at him when for years just the thought of looking into another man’s eyes was enough to make her feel claustrophobic.

  Lilac caught sight of a long-sleeved shirt tucked into a pair of gray beautifully tailored pants – urbane beyond words and with more confidence than a twenty-something MBA student should have.

  She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes, unable to help it. He caught her staring – and didn’t let go.

  Nick waited for the girl to stammer or blush when their gazes met for the second time. That was all he needed to make a move.

  But all she did was blink at him, as if she couldn’t believe he had the right to look at her.

  What. The. Fuck. Was. Up. With. This. Girl.

  He should be insulted, turned off, but the way she was so coolly disregarding him only amused him…and Dio! Damn if it didn’t turn him on even more.

  Jilly bit her lip, unused to someone being so incredibly persistent with Lilac and more than a little worried now by Nick’s interest in her friend.

  Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all, Jilly thought with a frown. Turning to Nick, she said sharply, “Stop bullying her, Nick. She is shy, but right now I think it’s more of Lilac being smart enough to not want to talk to guys like you.”

  Nick knew other girls would deny Jilly’s words right away. But all that this one did was blink again, as if Nick wasn’t worth wasting her voice for. That clinched it, as far as he was concerned.

  He had been getting alarmingly bored these past few months, unable to find it in himself to be even the slightest bit interested in any of the hundreds of girls who threw themselves at him. The harder they tried, the wilder their antics were, the faster he lost interest in them. But this girl worked on him like the best aphrodisiac, making his cock ache with her blink-me-not ways. And considering the average number of times a person blinked in a minute, Nick had a feeling he’d spontaneously combust if he didn’t get to fuck this beautiful girl soon.

  Jilly went to Lilac’s side, curling her arm around her friend’s. “Don’t worry, sweetie. His reputation may precede him, but I’ve got your back. I won’t let him mess with you like he does with other girls.”

  Wisely, Nick chose to say nothing. If he had his way, he would like to mess Lilac up right now, see her go wild with need in his arms.

  She was looking at him with a mixture of puzzlement and disregard.

  Stop looking at me like that, sweetheart, or I’ll have you up against the wall in no time.

  But his silent message was lost as she blinked yet again, and all Nick could think at that moment was how he wanted her doll eyes focusing only on him as he took her again and again.

  God, she was hot!

  Nick glanced at Jilly. I want her. No more fucking games.

  Jilly’s jaw dropped open, but even she wasn’t brave enough to get in his way. Clearing her throat, she said reluctantly, “Let me formally introduce you two. Nick, I’d like you to meet my very good friend Lilac York.”

  Lilac York. Even the name was sexy.

  Jilly hesitated before carefully adding, “She’s best friends with Karla’s cousin Amber.”

  Tension poisoned the air at the mere mention of Nick’s supermodel ex-girlfriend. His eyes were now an arctic blue, and for some reason it made Lilac’s heart ache.

  That was not the look of a man who had moved on.

  Somehow, the realization made her heart ache even more.

  The mere mention of his ex made him feel like he got punched in the gut, but Nick managed not to react to it. So Karla knew Lilac. That shouldn’t matter and Jilly seemed to agree as she continued steadily, “Lilac, this is Nick Christakos.”

  Nick didn’t wait for Lilac to answer. “It’s my honor to meet you, Lilac York.”

  Lilac froze, feeling like the gods of serendipity were laughing at her. Those were almost the exact words used by the duke in her daydreams!

  “Err, Lilac…” Jilly cleared her throat meaningfully.

  Flushing, Lilac realized that Nick Christakos had his hand out for quite some time.

  Nick watched Lilac’s gaze dart around in response, as if there was a chance she’d find an excuse to avoid his touch. Fuck if that didn’t make his erection bulge painfully against the tight confines of his pants. Maybe, Nick mused, just maybe, it was true that girls who presented a challenge were more interesting.

  Patient, amused, and aroused, Nick was content to watch Lilac dither without saying a word. Sweetheart, there’s no escape.

  As if she heard him, Lilac slowly turned to face him again, a reluctant expression on her face as she took his hand.

  The connection was electrifying, making Lilac’s body jerk. She withdrew her fingers right away, but it was too late – for both of them. Lilac was in a daze. Oh, sweet heaven, just that one touch alone had set her body on fire, skin sizzling as if she was being caressed by flames.

  She saw Nick smiling at her lazily, telling her without words that he knew what she was trying to hide. God, he was arrogant! But the worse thing was how his arrogance only seemed to add to his attraction.

  This is insane, Lilac told herself. She had sworn off guys. She needed to swear off guys. She had to remember that. Managing to finally tear her gaze away from his mesmerizing blue eyes, Lilac desperately sought for something else to look at –

  Unfortunately, that ‘something else’ accidentally happened to be his crotch, which was not so effectively hiding his raging hard-on.

  Lilac’s eyes flew to his in shock. Really? She wanted to gasp out loud, never having met someone so blatantly sexual and so shockingly arrogant about it.

  Nick didn’t even blink, his smile only turning into a smirk that just made him more intensely sexy. Yes, really, his smirk seemed to answer.

  Lilac hurriedly looked away, needing a few seconds to think and just…breathe. She had never come across someone even distantly resembling a powerfully attractive man like Nick.

  Nick could see that Lilac was struggling to ignore him. Her body language said it all, as if she wanted him to understand that she had decided whatever they had between them wasn’t worth exploring.

  You can’t fight fate, manari mou, Nick thought with possessive satisfaction, his imagination already going into overdrive with how he would soon pursue Lilac York...and make her his.

  Lilac forced herself to speak. Stuttering or no stuttering, she had to go like right now unless she wanted to embarrass herself by doing something like…like beg Nick to take off his shirt so she could stop obsessively wondering what kind of abs he had.

  “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

  Jilly tried her best to hide her relief at Lilac’s words. Yes, go! The Devil’s out to get you. But of course she couldn’t say that, not with said devil still beside her and emitting predatory vibes. Shit. What had she done?

  “I have a meeting with the SAC,” Lilac was mumbling.

  “Then you should hurry,” Jilly said firmly and waved her friend away.

  “SAC?” Nick echoed without taking his gaze off Lilac’s hurriedly retreating back. She looked, he thought with amusement, like the devil was after her. Then again, her fears had merit. He was closer to being a devil than an angel.

  Despite her worries, Jilly couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “Social Action Committee, you jerk.” She shook her head. “Why am I even surprised that you don’t know anything about it?”

  Nick shrugged, not bothered by her all-too-accurate assessment. He was a selfish bastard. He knew it and didn’t see any point in denying what he had no plans changing.

  He caught sight of Lilac turning toward the stairs, disappearing completely from view in a second. Something primal inside him wanted to command her to come back, but he manage
d to reel the urge in.

  “What the fuck does someone in the SAC do?” Nick muttered.

  Why the fuck are you even thinking about it, Jilly wanted to ask. But she didn’t. She wasn’t ready to hear the answer.

  “Nick.” She planted herself in front him. “You can’t---” Her voice faltered at the look in his eyes. He had never looked at her that way.

  Mine, those cold blue eyes said. Don’t fucking mess with what’s mine.

  Jilly bit her lip. “Nick, she’s not for someone like you…she doesn’t even date. She’s a nice girl, the real thing.”

  Nick was quiet. Jilly was beginning to panic when he said flatly, “I know that.”

  But he still wasn’t going to give up on the idea of pursuing Lilac. She tried another tactic. “It’s not right to go after her when…” The moment the words were out, she knew it was a mistake. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. She had no right to bring up Karla. Even her fiancé Ephraim didn’t have a clue as to what had really caused the breakup. All they knew was it had wounded Nick and made him harder, colder.

  More silence, tinged with bitter fury, and then Nick spoke again. “I’ll do my best not to go after her, Jilly. But if we meet again…” Nick murmured something in Greek, making Jilly wince as she understood him perfectly. Learning the language had been the only way Jilly was able to win over her future and very traditional mother-in-law.

  He who submits to fate without complaint is wise.

  What the hell did that even mean? Jilly glared at Nick. Ephraim was also often like this, answering a straight-out question with some deeper-than-heck quote when all she wanted was a yes or no. “Nick, please just---”

  But he was already walking away, surrounded once more by his security detail, drawing the gazes of every woman after him – even those whose hearts he had already crushed. From afar, Jilly heard his phone ring and saw Nick answer the call. The way he spoke in Greek, the way he talked about billion-dollar deals like they were nothing but child’s play to him, told Jilly that Nick Christakos was already in another world. In his mind, Lilac York’s fate was already sealed.