His body presses down on mine, and my breaths grow ragged. It’s embarrassing when my heartbeat kicks up hard enough for him to feel it against his chest.
“I’m not Rain,” I say in a shallow breath, trying to find the will to push him away, but finding nothing but a broken resolve. “I’m not a substitute.”
He frowns as he runs his fingers through my hair, his eyes moving to the dark locks.
“Is that why you dyed your hair? Because you didn’t want to look like her anymore?”
We really don’t look that much alike, which is comforting. At least people can’t use me that much.
“It had nothing to do with her. It was for me. Now, please go. Stop using me.”
A startled gasp falls out of my lips when he surprises me with a bruising kiss, and he starts running his hands over my body, grazing the undersides of my breasts with his thumbs. When he pulls back just barely to look into my eyes, I’m breathless.
“There’s only one way I want to use you, Tria, and it hasn’t got a damn thing to do with Rain. Now, shut the hell up and use me, too.”
If I was a girl who didn’t know Kode Sterling at all, I’d probably slap him for that. Unfortunately, I do know him, and despite his crude way with words, I’ve always been fascinated with his blunt honesty. Even when that honesty was brutal and hurtful toward me. If he says he’s not using me to get to Rain, then it has to be true. Right?
“And then what, Kode? Go another few days without speaking or acting like we know each other? Are you going to show up in my room every time you see another guy pay me attention?”
A frown mars his beautiful face, and I take the loss for words as a reprieve. But it’s only a short reprieve.
“Tria, I don’t know what’s going to happen when I walk out of this room—tomorrow. You want a commitment or something?”
I can’t help but laugh at how confused he looks. He’s either really unrehearsed with repeat encounters, or he’s used to getting his way without resistance. I’m guessing it’s the latter of the two.
“No, Kode. I really don’t want that. But I also don’t want to have sex with you and have to feel like an idiot tomorrow. No more pushing me into pools.”
When his lips brush mine teasingly, my hips arch up involuntarily, pushing against the part of his body I want the most.
“No more pools,” he agrees.
“And can you not be a dick to me in public?” I ask hopefully.
“I’m a dick to everyone,” he admits, and for some bizarre reason, that makes me laugh.
His grin comes up fully as he stares into my eyes, and I gaze back into the pools of grayish-blue that are almost silver.
“Don’t be an extra big dick to me just because you don’t want to want to fuck me.”
He laughs lightly before messing with the bottom hem of my short shorts, slowly moving his hand up my thigh.
“That’s a mouthful, but I won’t be an extra big dig just because I don’t want to want to fuck you. Right now, I’m perfectly fine with wanting to fuck you.”
I’ll probably strangle him at some point, but this could work out to my benefit. If Kode isn’t making my life a living hell, then the others might be nicer to me. I’m not naïve enough to think he’ll ever be nice, but as long as he’s not being an over-the-top jackass, it could be better.
“So until we work this out of our systems, you’re going to be pleasant?”
He nods, his grin growing as he starts working my shorts down my body, only shifting away from me enough to get them down.
“I’ll be as pleasant as I can be. Very few people can tolerate me even then, though. I’m not Dane.”
I snort derisively, because he makes it sound as though that’s what I’m looking for. Obviously that was meant for my sister, more so than me.
“And I’m not Rain. So if you’re using me to get to her, it’s not going to—”
He kisses me. Hard. And for a brief moment, I forget he’s the enemy while I spread my legs wider and dig my heels into his ass. When he withdraws from the kiss, I bite back the urge to demand he resume kissing me.
“I’m not using you to get to Rain, Tria,” he says against my lips, his hands doing a slow exploration of my body. “I’m a dick, but I know what it’s like to feel used so that someone can get to your sibling. Not my style.”
“Someone used you to get to Dane?” I ask, surprised.
His eyes don’t look so cold when he’s being so genuine.
“A lot of people have used me for a lot of reasons. And a lot more have tried. Can you shut up and let me remind you what all I can do to make this night a little more fun? I really don’t want to talk about my brother or your sister while I’m trying to get you worked up.”