Page 71 of Pitcher Perfect
Or right side up?
No idea.
Before Robbie walked into the house, she’d been exposed and unsteady and lonely, ready to reveal a weakness to people who didn’t tolerate them, already at her usual deficit ofDidn’t get into Brown. Half a minute later, there she sat in the sun, her entire body surrounded in warmth and support, reassured as she watched Robbie unapologetically eat the remainder of everyone’s meals. He’d stunned them into silence.
He’d stunned Skylar.
Frankly, at that moment, she didn’t care if he’d slept with half of Boston last night.
She laid her head on Robbie’s shoulder and closed her eyes, anyway.
“Did you already get your pitching in this morning?” he asked, rubbing the middle of her back. As if no one was watching. As if they were the only two people at the table.
“Yes.” Skylar studied him a little more closely. “Is that a black eye?”
He hummed. “My last one was beginning to fade. Had to get a replacement.”
“I’ll be happy to replace it next time,” Elton voiced from across the table. “But, uh... welcome back. I guess. I wasn’t looking forward to watching my sister try and swim both legs of the race.”
“Today’s challenge is swimming? And you’ve got a Long Island kid on your team?” Robbie winked down at Skylar. “It’s in the bag.”
It was probably better they didn’t have any time alone between breakfast and the hike to the lake for the swimming challenge. While Skylar helped clean up breakfast and tried to pretend her hands weren’t shaking, Robbie quickly changed into swim trunks in her bedroom. Elton and her parents headed outside, Madden lingering by the sink, looking like he wanted to speak with her. Yet all she could do was watch her bedroom door, waiting for Robbie to emerge. Robbie, who’d definitely been with other women last night—nay,everynight of his proud bachelor life... and still, she could only wonder if they would continue her lessons or if he’d forgotten about them in a blur of beautiful babes.
Skylar shook herself.
Focused on Madden.
Stop getting distracted from your goal.
“Um...” She folded up the dish towel in her hands. “Why didn’t you want to tell them about the Yankees? It’sgoodnews, Mads.”
“Right. Yes, ’course it is. I will share it, eventually.” He coughed into his fist. “Did a lot of thinking last night, though, and I’m wondering, do you think it’s an opportunity to help Eve—”
“Ready to go,” Robbie said, entering the kitchen the way a runner slides into home base, wrapping an arm around Skylar’s waist and hauling her up against him, bending her backward slightly and planting a kiss on her mouth. Mere inches from Madden. Andthat’swhat she should have been thinking about. Madden’s reaction. Not the delightful friction of Robbie’s beard on her chin. The way he could lift her so effortlessly onto her toes and didn’t hesitate to be physical with her. So confidentshe’d want it—and she did. Mouth so good. Good, good mouth. Mmmm. “You didn’t answer me before. Did you miss me?” Robbie asked.
“Yes.”
“Good. Now ask me the same question.”
“I forgot the question.”
“Ask me if I missed you.”
“Did you?”
“I got a speeding ticket on my way back to you.” His fingers threaded into her hair, gently tilting her head and slanting his lips down in the opposite direction, groaning into a slow, thorough kiss that turned her legs to mush. “I hassled someone into punching me to distract me from missing you and it didn’t even work.”
Goose bumps. Everywhere.What is happening to me?“That’s a shame.”
“Look at me. Look.” He framed her face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. “After practice, I raided the BU campus bookshop for merch. After that, I went to my apartment and Mailer was having a party. But I left, Skylar. I saw a couple of random butts and I left right away. I didn’t even appreciate those butts. I just wanted to get back here toyourbutt. You believe me, right?” Not waiting for a response, he rolled their foreheads together. Kissed her hard once, twice. “I slept in my car at the end of your driveway. I didn’t want to come in and wake you up. Actually, that’s a lie. I did want to come in and wake you up, but I was feeling some kind of way, missing you like that, and I would have ended up on top of you. I’m fuckingdyingto be on top of you, Skylar. You dying for that?”
The fog parted momentarily. Madden. Oh my God.
Was he still standing there, hearing all this?
Skylar’s head swiveled right.
They were alone. How long had they been alone?
