Follow the River

River presses his hands into my chest, pushing me off his body. “Of course, Rain. You threaten to kill me multiple times, but you want me to be alive and well. You want your victims to feel it when you hurt them. I get it now. Really. I think I understand that more than anyone.”

“Fuck you.”

“Do it yourself,” he taunts with a smirk. “But I’d appreciate an orgasm out of it this time. Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to leave your partner hanging?”

I narrow my eyes at him. It didn’t take long to catch onto the game he plays, but for the life of me, I can’t keep myself from playing it. “First, you aren’t my damn partner. And second, I know all about getting my actual partner off.” I pause, getting closer again, speaking against his lips. “You asked if you’d get rewarded for being a good boy. And you were anything but, Riv. So why would you ever think I’d let you come when you never know when to shut your fucking mouth?”

Shit, just talking about his mouth makes me stupidly hard. Maybe just stupid in general.

Because I’m not fucking gay.

But I want to capture those lips with mine, seeing as I can’t stop fucking staring at them half the time, and put our tongues to other uses than fighting and taunting.

Goddamnit.

River licks the seam of my lips with the tip of his tongue, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “Well, baby, you know what to do to get me to shut up. Put your gorgeous cock in my mouth.”

Baby. My brain catches on the word.

I know he uses it as a barb, just like he always does.

But this time? I swear I hear something else in his tone.

Tenderness?

“You’d like it too much,” I tell him, currently reeling on the idea of River wrapping those perfect pink lips around my cock again. Inhaling deeply, I attempt to calm my erratic thoughts.

But he smells so damn good. I swear to God, his cologne or soap or natural fucking scent sends a signal of raging desire straight to my dick anytime I catch a whiff.

I can’t believe I’m even contemplating this…

“But maybe if you show me how good you can behave, then I can be…” I glance up into his eyes before continuing, “…generous enough to make these next few weeks a lot less… confrontational, and a lot more… pleasurable.”

“What are you saying, Rain?” he mumbles, the sound of my name, that name, on his lips getting me ridiculously hard.

“I want to fuck you again,” I whisper into his mouth, giving into temptation and grabbing his bottom lip between my teeth and tugging. “And I hate it. I can’t stand that I want to fuck your tight ass more than I want to escape from this goddamn cabin,” I say in a frustrated exhale. “I hate that I’m driven by this uncontrollable… lust for you, even when I fucking hate you.”

“That’s because you don’t hate me at all.”

I sigh against his mouth, letting the lie slip off my tongue. “I couldn’t hate anyone more if I tried.”

“Better be careful, Rain. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. You’ll be falling in love with me before you know it.”

“Unlikely.”

He pushes me back again and rolls his eyes. “Is it so fucking hard for you to admit you like me?”

“Yes, because I don’t. So, I’m not going to say it because I’m not a liar.”

Liar.

“You like me enough to want to fuck me. That’s what you’re attempting to ask for, right? A good fuck? Something to pass the time while we’re stuck in this hellhole?”

River’s lips quirk up in the corner and his eyebrow inches toward his hairline as well.

Damn him for being so receptive.

“That’s not what I’m saying at all,” I deny. But we both know my argument is weak and the furthest thing from the truth. Because the unthinkable is happening.

The asshole is starting to grow on me.

So naturally, I keep digging the hole deeper, knowing he will have a witty retort on the tip of his tongue for anything I have to say.

“This changes nothing. I don’t like you. I never will. And I won’t like fucking you, either. It’s a means to an end, that’s it. If we were to do this, then when this little social experiment Coach is putting us through comes to an end, so does the… arrangement between us.”

“Fine by me.”

I raise a brow. I was expecting him to put up more of a fight.

“And no one can know about it when we get back to school.”

“I’m not agreeing to that.”

Ah, there it is.

“But—”

“Shut up and let me finish. I’m not agreeing to that.” He pauses, checking to make sure I’ll keep my trap shut this time. “I refuse to go back into the closet for anyone or anything. But that being said, you shouldn’t have to worry about people back at school finding out if we end this the day Coach comes to pick us up.” He quirks a brow in amusement. “Or are you already pla

“You won’t go anywhere near my ass,” I snap. “And before you even think about it, I’m not blowing you, either.”

He laughs. “Fucking bet.”

“I’m serious. In this agreement, I’m the top only. I’m in charge.”

River shakes his head. “No deal man. I’m not a human blow-up doll. I deserve to get off just like you do. Every time. Not only when you think I deserve it.”

I grind my teeth, conceding that he does have a point. Begrudgingly.

“Fine. I’ll make sure you get off. But I stand firm on the anal.”

River just smiles and steps into my personal space. His hands, so much larger than any other that has touched me like this, slide under my shirt and over my abs. My dick jolts, loving his hands on me in any capacity.

Fucking hell.

I’m not gay.

Riv moves his hands from my abs around my waist to my lower back, fingers trailing softly against my flesh. Goosebumps break out over my skin as he slips two fingers under the waistband of my jeans and briefs, teasing the top edge of my crack. “I’ll take this ass one day. And don’t worry, baby. You’ll love every fucking second of it.”

I tense. It’s on the tip of my tongue to call this bullshit off and ignore him for the rest of the month, even if I go insane in the solitary confinement of my bedroom. But his hand shoots up and he places a finger over my lips, silencing me.

“These lips don’t need to do anything right now except seal this deal with a kiss. So do us both a favor and shut the fuck up.”

Before I have the chance to object, his mouth smashes into mine, his tongue probing my mouth instantly. In search of a sparring partner. It only takes a minute of our tongues tangling before I completely forget the protests I had to his terms.

What were they again?

Hell if I know, because kissing him makes me damn near mindless.

I press River back into the counter with my body, locking him in with my arms and pi

“Get naked,” I murmur against his lips before whipping my shirt over my head in one fell swoop. My hands fly to my belt and I unbuckle it hastily before unbuttoning my jeans.

“Someone’s eager,” he laughs huskily in my ear before his mouth trails down my neck and across my collarbone in slow, leisurely kisses. He nips and sucks at the skin on the other side of my neck, I’m sure leaving hickeys in his wake. “I’m fine going slow. I’d love to mark every inch of you first.”