“Fuck yes,” I breathe, sagging back into a relaxed state.
Riotous laughter breaches the air when the guys around me watch in fascination. Yeah. I’m fucking crazy.
Leo tugs at Jamie’s arm, and he nods in my direction, apparently noticing the fact I’ve been burning a hole through them for the twenty minutes they’ve been here. His mouth tilts up on one side, as if he knew I hated him for a little while. I almost wonder if that’s why he showed up. At least I can take him off my people-to-kill list.
Tria looks over at me as Leo walks away, and I give her a real smile because I can’t help myself. My feet are moving before I can stop them, and Corbin sidles up to my side as I reduce the distance between myself and Tria.
Her eyes get wide in her head, but it’s as though she’s trapped and unable to look away. I don’t stop walking until I’m right beside her, angling my body so that her side is touching my front.
“Kode Sterling. We thought you had died. Haven’t seen you around in a while,” Courtney Hughes says.
I hadn’t even noticed her over here.
“I’ve been too busy trying to get my girl to talk to me,” I say, watching the blush rise up Tria’s neck. It’s a good color on her.
Corbin snickers while moving closer to Rain and dropping his arm around her shoulders.
Courtney’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard when she continues. “Oh. Really? You two? I had heard the rumors, but I thought that was impossible.”
I still haven’t looked at her, because my eyes are glued on the brunette who isn’t moving away from me. Old habits die hard, and my hand moves to her back, stroking it and almost feeling the static between our touch.
She stiffens at first, but almost as quickly, she relaxes as though she’s relishing the feel of my body so close to hers as much as I am. It feels so damn good to be touching her.
“Nope. Not impossible,” I finally say to Courtney, still keeping my eyes on Tria who is wearing the sexiest red dress I’ve ever seen.
It stops just below her ass, and the top part is strapless, giving me a view of the upper swells of her perfect tits.
Fuck. Seven days suddenly feels like ten years.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her, not giving a damn when several of the guys make heckling sounds.
Tria smiles up at me, and I brush my thumb across her cheek.
“Thank you. I should probably go.”
Shit. I pushed too fast. She was letting me touch her, and I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.
“Don’t,” Rain says, trying to help me out apparently.
Tria turns her attention to her sister, and her body starts to separate from mine. “I need to. I’ve got an early conference call to make. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?
Rain pouts, but sighs, “Fine. Tomorrow. At least you’re giving me that.”
Making a mental note to grill Rain in a minute, I put my hand back on Tria’s waist. “I’ll walk you out.”
Her breathing hitches, and she looks back up to meet my eyes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she almost whispers, as though her voice is lost.
“Why?” My voice is low, the way she likes it to be when I seduce her.
I know exactly why she doesn’t want me to walk her out. She’s weak right now. I’ve weakened her with my touch, and she’s on the verge of giving in.
“I’ll walk with you,” Courtney says, glaring at us when I scowl at her. “I forgot my phone in my car.”
Bitch.
But the phone gives me an idea. I pull up my contacts as Tria bids everyone goodnight, and I hand Tria my phone as she turns back toward me.
“What’s this?” she asks, her eyes slowly taking in what I’m showing her. When she sucks in a sharp breath, I can’t help but smile.
On the screen, she sees the picture of her with her head resting in my lap, smiling happily as she watches TV. The name I had her under has been changed to The Girl I Love. Tears water up in her eyes, and she takes a deep breath.
Reaching over to her hands, I scroll to another contact, and show her a different name. It’s Rain, but now it says Dane’s Girl. And the picture is one of her with Tria.
She looks up to meet my eyes, and gives me a sad smile.
“That’s nice, Kode. But doing something after the fact usually implies that it’s not very sincere.”
She hands me my phone back, and her hand shakes as she does. Cursing internally, I take it back, but not without seizing the opportunity to wrap my other hand around hers, forcing skin-on-skin contact.
I smirk when she sways, acting as though that simple touch is enough to crack her reinforced barrier.
“Just because I’m slow about some things, it doesn’t mean they’re any less sincere, Tria.”