Nikoli worked to get his expression under control. He hadn’t been able to suppress his surprise upon learning his sweet, innocent little Lily played a sex game. It was true, there were a lot of other things to do in VSL, but he had yet to meet a single player who didn’t have virtual sex. They did other things, sure, but sex was a big part of it too.
Why wouldn’t she tell him her name?
“Are we friends there?” he asked, his voice calm and even. Lily only smiled, not answering the question. He knew Mike played, and they’d hung out a few times, but Lily? Mind. Blown.
“Mikey?” Lily tilted her head to look at Mike, the question plain on her face.
He laughed. “Don’t worry, Lils, my friend list is hidden.”
“You know I am going to figure this out,” Nikoli promised, his smile feral. Lily’s eyes grew wider and even Mike looked a little alarmed. As well he should. Nikoli could make his life hell in that game, and Mike knew it.
“Don’t worry about the gems. I’ll take care of the wedding,” Lily said, sliding farther away from Nikoli. He snorted. As if that was going to save her.
“Weddings in VSL are expensive,” Mike protested.
“Couple people owe me some favors,” she said, waving his protest away. “Remember when Jan and I helped with the Sabotages’ wedding? Jan showed me exactly what she wants for her own wedding, right down to the dress and the cake design. I got it handled, Mikey.”#p#分页标题#e#
“What about the theme?” Adam piped in. “You can’t reserve the venue till you get the theme down.”
While the three of them discussed various in-world venues, Nikoli made up his mind. He’d been using kid gloves with Lily up until now, but he was going to push her today. They were going to the penthouse and she was going to get her first lesson in feeling his hands against her naked flesh. He felt his entire body tighten just thinking about running his hands over her.
“Lily Bells, you almost ready to go?” he asked, interrupting their conversation. He needed to get her moving. “I made a reservation at Mason’s, and you and I both still need to get cleaned up if we are going to make it.”
“I don’t know if I have anything to wear there!” Lily gasped.
“Don’t worry, I bought you something,” Nikoli assured her, “but we need to get going soon.”
Lily frowned and Nikoli ignored it. One thing he had discovered was Lily was very uncomfortable accepting gifts from him. She didn’t want him to spend money on her, another first for him. He’d only spent money on one other girl before, and only because she’d demanded it. The experience had soured him. Lily was different, though. She made him want to get her things, just to make her happy. It was cute when she’d frown and say he shouldn’t have. Another sign he was getting in too deep, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it.
“How did you swing reservations at Mason’s?” Mike gawked at him.
Nikoli shrugged. Mason’s was one of Boston’s most exclusive restaurants, and it usually took months to get a reservation, but Nikoli knew the owner. Mason’s teenage sons were fans of Nik’s games. They always got pre-release copies, and Nikoli got reservations when he needed them, no questions asked. An idea popped into his head, and he grinned a Cheshire cat grin.
“What are you up to?” Lily demanded.
Nikoli laughed. “Tell you what, Mike. You give me Lily Bell’s in-game name, and I’ll make sure you get a reservation at Mason’s for the night you pop the question. I’ll even pay the bill. You order whatever you want. It’s on me.”
Mike’s mouth dropped open, then slowly closed. He got all bug-eyed and he started to sweat. Nikoli wasn’t playing fair, and he knew it. Mike would want the very best for Janet on the night he proposed. Nikoli was betting his need to make the night special for her would win out against a simple name.
“Don’t do it, Mikey,” Lily said. “Stay strong.”
“It’s Mason’s, Lils,” he pleaded. “Do you know how much that would mean to Janet?”
“I’ll even make sure they do something special for her, a desert or something no one else can order,” Nikoli threw in.
“Not fair,” Lily snarled, and Nikoli laughed. She’d gone from smug, to worried, to outright pissed off.
“Mike,” Adam interrupted them. “Think it through. Do you honestly think he can follow through on that promise? Seriously, unless he’s Mr. Money Bags, there’s no way he can do it.”
“If Nikoli says he can do it, then he can,” Lily defended. “He never makes promises he can’t keep.”