Page 44 of Pitcher Perfect
And speaking of teeth, Robbie’s molars gnashed involuntarily. Returning from the store this morning to find Skylar and Madden in such a cozy scene was the equivalent of getting coldcocked by a heavyweight boxer.
A pitcher and a catcher.
Perfect counterparts.
His mission to help bring Skylar and Madden together had momentarily slipped his mind. His one-track brain had ordered him tokiss her now, to warn Madden away from Skylar, instead of showing the man what a desirable woman he could have for himself if he just paid attention and made the slightest effort.
Yeah, Robbie hadn’t been thinking of that. He’d just reacted.
He’d allowed himself to want Skylar for himself. Just for a moment.
But those moments were coming way too frequently now to be anything but dangerous when she inevitably started dating Madden. There was no other outcome here. She was too incredible. Madden would pull his head out of his ass sooner or later and see Skylar for the ultimate catch that she was.Soknock your jealous bullshit the hell off.
Unfortunately, the more time he spent with her, the harder ignoring these possessive feelings became.
“Two minutes to the whistle, Redbeard. Get your game face on.”
“I never take it off.” He drummed his fingers against the outside of his thigh. “Is this a bad time to talk about our date tonight?”
“Yes,” Elton said to Robbie’s right, sounding like he’d just licked a lemon.
Robbie turned his back to Elton and dropped his voice for Skylar’s ears alone. “Monday is dating practice. It’s on the calendar. Plus, I saw it written in your planner and underlined four times.”
A sound seemed to catch in Skylar’s throat. “Why were you looking in my planner?”
“I couldn’t sleep and thought it might help—and it did. I found it kind of... soothing.”
She didn’t immediately respond. “How is it soothing?”
“You slant all your words the exact same direction. If your planner was a clock, they’d be pointing at the two. Then you’ve got all these seasonally themed tapes. I don’t even know where someone goes to buy that shit.”
“Online, mostly. But there are also stationery shops...”
“Is there one you like in Boston?”
“Why?”
Robbie lifted his blindfold just a tad and peered into the sun, trying to see Skylar across the field, but at that distance she was nothing but an outline. “Maybe I’ll get my own planner.” He yanked the blindfold back down. “We can have a planner party.”
“I can only imagine the kind of debauchery you’d schedule in that planner. Do you even need to pencil in an orgy? Seems like you’d remember.”
A sour layer coated his tongue. “You know, Skylar, most nights I’m at hockey practice. Passed out at homeafterhockey practice. In an Epson salt bath. Or eating lasagna with Mailer. I’m not always out haunting clubs looking for women.”
“You only do that three times a week.”
Robbie snorted. “Twice, tops.”
I can’t see myself doing it anymore, he almost added.Not after you.
Yeah, when he got back to Boston, he’d talk to Mailer aboutknocking off the irreverent bachelor lifestyle. Maybe... who knows. Maybe Skylar and Madden wouldn’t work out. She’d bump into Robbie at the park after the breakup and he’d be extra jacked, since this was his fantasy. She’d be, like,Whathave you been up to?And he’d say,Notclubbing, that’s what. I volunteer at hospitals now in my spare time.
Then she’d whip out her adorable little planner and schedule in a date with him.
A real one.
For now, however, if all he got was a fake one, he’d damn well take it.
“So, we’re definitely on for tonight?” Robbie asked, peering down at the grass through the tiny sliver of daylight at the bottom of his blindfold and finding the white starting line that had been spraypainted on the grass. “Take me somewhere the portion sizes can feed a family. Or one Robbie.”
