Free Nick and Lilac by Marian Tee

would ever make a great coupl---
    Lilac mentally stopped herself.
    They were not going to be that , ever.
    Her phone beeped again.
    Nick: I know you’re reading this.
    Her lips twitched.
    Nick: Stop overthinking things. Let’s just go play.
    Before she could think about what she was doing, Lilac was already saving his number and typing her reply.
    Lilac: One condition: my treat this time.
    Nick: You wish. Stop playing hard to get. We’re just friends, remember?
    Nick: Unless you want us to be something else?
    Nick: I can think of other things we can be together. I can think of it VERY EASILY. And it will mostly have to do with undressing you.
    Lilac gasped.
    Lilac: What are you saying?!!!
    Nick: I knew that would get a response. If we don’t go out tonight, you know what kind of messages I’d be sending you. Your choice – I’m going to have fun either way.
    She could block his number of course but – they both knew she wouldn’t have the strength to do that. She…liked him too much already.
    Lilac: You are so UNFAIR!
    Nick: LOL. I like texting you, Lilac. You’re much more expressive.
    She sighed. That was because fingers didn’t stutter – but of course she couldn’t say that.
    Lilac: That’s me. I text more than I talk.
    Nick: Figures.
    Lilac: WHAT does that mean?
    Nick: Nothing, manari mou.
    Lilac: WHAT does that mean as well?
    Nick: Your job to find out, sweetheart.
    Her heart jumped at the term of endearment, while another part of her body also reacted, heating up before getting disturbingly wet. It had Lilac blushing, even though she was all alone in her bedroom. How could something so simple turn her on? But then – this was Nick. He could just raise his brow, and she had no doubt it would be more than enough to turn on most women. Herself included, she thought morosely.
    Nick: You’re home? I’ll pick you up now.
    Lilac: Yes. Will dress now.
    Nick: Fuuuuuuuuuck, Lilac. Please do not tell me you were naked the whole time we’ve been texting?
    ****
    Nick waited for Lilac to reply but she did not – even when minutes had already passed. A reluctant smile formed on his lips. Well, this was a first. And knowing Lilac, it surely wouldn’t be the last instance she’d prove how different she was from other girls.
    He arrived promptly at seven in front of her house, and she came out less than a minute after. Another first, Nick thought wryly.
    Their eyes met, and for a few moments both of them were simply content looking at each other.
    Too gorgeous to spend too much time with, Lilac thought with a pang as she took in his impeccably dressed self with his blazer, white polo, and formal pants.
    Too beautiful to leave alone far too long, Nick thought as an unnamable sensation squeezed his chest. He could only be thankful that most men weren’t as discerning as he was. If they were, they would have easily seen past Lilac’s love for revoltingly ugly clothes and discover the beauty hiding underneath it.
    He smiled lazily at her. “So were you?”
    She raised a brow.
    He smirked. “Were you naked or dressed when we were texting?”
    Lilac scowled.
    Nick chuckled. “All right, sweetheart, I’ll stop teasing you for now.”
    The endearment got to Lilac again, and in the middle of coming up with a retort that wouldn’t make her stutter, she closed her mouth with a mental sigh. Lilac was sure she would not be able to speak anytime soon after something like that. Her heart had run off again, galloping like a wild stallion that had broken free from captivity. Who could ever speak sensibly when Nick Christakos called you ‘sweetheart’?
    As she took a step closer, Lilac paused, her nose wrinkling.
    That nose…was too adorable as well. Nick closed his eyes, exasperated with his libido. Was it going to find every little thing Lilac York did arousing?
    “You…smell like beer.”
    Nick supposed he did. He and Jason had downed a couple of beers earlier, past experience telling them that numbing their senses