Page 58 of Pitcher Perfect
“Nothing.I just... wish you weren’t going.”
His head swiveled around so fast, he gave himself a crick. “Why not?”
A pink blush coasted upward toward her hairline.
Oh. Okay. Damn, he was slow on the uptake sometimes.
Skylar was obviously trying to flirt with him in front of Madden and he was dropping the ball. But Jesus, he didn’t have much selflessness in his tank right now. Hardly any.
Find some.
“Yeah, I don’t want to leave, either,” he said quietly, kissing her forehead. “I don’t want to leave you for a single minute, actually,” Robbie added, in a rush of honesty, feeling Madden’s gaze on them as Robbie executed what was beginning to feel less and less like deception. At least on his end. Skylar still wanted to have Madden’s babies.
They’d produce brooding pitchers with big eyes and a cautious nature.
Meanwhile, if Robbie and Skylar procreated and combined their competitive streaks and mutual mischief, their children would probably set shit on fire and howl at the moon.
Robbie flicked Madden a glance before he could completely hide his envy. Skylar saw it and tilted her head, considering him, then Madden.
As if she’d forgotten the catcher was sitting there, nearly plastered to her side?
Wishful thinking, atbest.
“Home sweet home,” called Doug from the front seat.
“Please take off your dirty shoes before going inside,” Vivica said absently, before she twisted in her seat to regard the occupants of the van. “Everyone has plans tonight, as I understand it, so we won’t bother cooking. Every man for himself.”
“What?” Elton piped up from the back seat. “I don’t have plans.”
“Loser,” Skylar said, without hesitation, tugging up one corner of Robbie’s mouth.
Dammit, she was so cool.
They would have had so much fun together. If she wasn’t in love with someone else and he hadn’t outed himself as a womanizer on day one—a fair title, honestly. That’s what he’d been for years. She was right to set her sights elsewhere. Obviously. Although something inside of him was starting to... feel a lot less inclined to let her go.
Or help her attract Madden.
Also known as the only goddamn reason he was in Rhode Island.
No. His teammates had warned him about this.
Getting attached. Wanting Skylar for himself.
Don’t reach for something you can’t have.
“Sorry, I, uh...” Robbie took off his seat belt, his earlier queasiness threatening to return. “I better grab my things and get on the road. Don’t want to be late for practice.”
Madden had already climbed out of the van before Robbie finished speaking. Skylar continued to regard him for two, three breaths, then exited, as well, Robbie close behind. He didn’t stop on his way into the house. Something weird was happening inside of his chest and he needed to get out of there, before it sprouted spikes and sank them in.
He kicked off his sneakers to the right of the front door and entered the house, beelining for Skylar’s back bedroom. Indecision and frustration crowded in on him from all sides. He didn’t want to leave her there with Madden. He also knew it was dangerous to stay and absorb more of what he couldn’t have.
As soon as he reached the bedroom, he unplugged his cell phone charger and stuffed it into his bag, intending to hit the bathroom next where he would collect his toothbrush—
The bedroom door snicked shut.
Skylar stood just inside the door.
“You’re not coming back, are you?”
