Page 82 of Pitcher Perfect
Wipe the grin off your face, fool.
Robbie physically did just that on his way to track down Doug, dragging his palm downward over the lower half of his face. But damn, it wasn’t easy to hide the satisfaction of having finally given Skylar an orgasm. A good one, too. She hadn’t seen the intensity of it coming, if her unblinking eyes and flushed skin afterward were any indication, and all he wanted to do was get between those legs and give her more. Wanted her to chain-smoke pleasure until she was addicted to his body.
He realized he’d stopped walking halfway down the hallway, his dick telling him to go back. Go get in bed with her. With a wave of determination, though, he kept going. Because Jesus, he hadn’t lied about feeling vulnerable. Had any of the women he’d blown off felt this way about him?I hope not.It was tough business wanting to mean something to a person and not knowing if they were interested in more than sex. If they were willing to give a relationship a shot. The ache was heavy. Unrequited.
As he walked through the living area and out onto the back deck, he spied Doug sitting in an Adirondack chair, staring out at the line of trees with a frown, hands limp and resting on his bare knees. Moved to silence by the same woman for a very different reason. Robbie couldn’t help but feel responsible for forcing the family to make a breakthrough in the middle of their sacredyearly visit, although the fact that Skylar nearly drowned saved him from too much guilt.
“What’s good, Doug?”
The older man shifted, sat up straighter. “Robbie.” After a moment, he put his hand out for a shake. “It all happened so fast out there, I’m not sure I thanked you properly.”
They gripped and shook. “My mom will be glad to know junior lifeguard camp wasn’t a waste of money.”
A subdued chuckle from Doug. “It sure wasn’t.”
Elton joined them on the deck, but he had a much stronger drink in his hand than wine. Whiskey, maybe. “How is Skylar?” he asked, leaning a hip against the wooden rail.
Damn, it felt great to be the one who knew the answer tohow is Skylar?A beat-his-fucking-chest kind of great. “She’s good now. Warmed up and resting.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her shaken up like that,” Elton said.
Doug let out a breath. “Me either.”
Robbie’s pulse was starting to race, just thinking about the moment he realized she was in trouble. “Maybe I should have a drink, too.”
Elton disappeared into the house, returning a minute later with a second rocks glass holding a golden liquid, handing it to Robbie. “Bottoms up.”
They clinked glasses and tossed back the liquor.
“You know, it’s a kick in the ass to find out you’ve missed something important happening to one of your children. And Skylar might not be mine biologically, but she is my daughter.”
“And she’s my sister,” Elton tacked on. “I should have seen it, too. She needed to be encouraged. Congratulated. And all I ever do is push formore. Bigger accomplishments.” He tapped thebottom of his empty glass on the railing. “Meanwhile, my best friend is going to the Yankees and I’m sitting here inhaling his dust. Who am I to expect so much from her when my own goals are still so far out of reach?”
Doug turned in his seat. “Are you talking about Madden?”
“Yeah. He told me this afternoon. He got scouted at spring training.”
“Son of a bitch,” Doug murmured, pride arranging his features. “Good for him.”
“Damn.” As someone who knew the time and toil it took to reach the professional level of a sport—even baseball—Robbie couldn’t help but give his romantic rival some credit. Even though it burned. “Being a pro was the one thing I had over him.”
“Meaning what?” Elton said, raising an eyebrow.
Robbie coughed. “Nothing.” Although, with both men opening up about their woes, he had the strange urge to share his own. This is what happened when three men drank on a porch. “Skylar isn’t totally sold on me yet,” he blurted.
Doug turned, dumbstruck. “What?”
Elton rolled his eyes. “Yes, she is.”
“No. She’s not.” Robbie shook his head adamantly, but he stopped abruptly when Elton’s protest really sank in. “Wait. Why do you think she is? Did she say something to you?”
“She let you carry her,” Elton said, shrugging. “That’s it. That’s how I know.”
“Okay, but I’m feeling vulnerable, so could you elaborate?”
“I’m feeling vulnerable, too!” Doug announced.
“Me three,” Elton muttered.
