Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“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 to your butt. 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 fucking dying to 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?
Who was Robbie benefiting with this speech?
“He left when you said you missed me.” He searched her eyes. “Did you mean it?”
“Yes.” Nine avenues of thought merged into a traffic jam. “Wait, I have so many questions.”
“About last night? Ask.” He dropped his hands from her face and backed up, straightening his shoulders as if swearing on a Bible in court. “Ask me anything. I recorded my drive on my GPS so I could show you I was on the road. Not partying—”
“No. No, I believe you about that.”
His slow grin could have powered the entire state of Rhode Island. “You do?”
“Yeah.” She opened her mouth, closed it. “What reason do you have to lie?” Saying the next part felt . . . oddly like a lie, but she couldn’t figure out why. “You don’t owe me an explanation. We’re not actually together. It’s . . . just for show. Right?” One after another, strings pulled taut in her chest. “Which is why I’m wondering why you said all that when Madden wasn’t even standing here.”
“Oh my God. Okay.” He dragged both hands down his face. “Here’s a lesson for you, Rocket. A guy doesn’t choose to spend a week with a girl’s deranged family unless he’s into her. Like, really fucking into her. Maybe I lied to myself about doing this for noble reasons—and yeah, fine, that was part of it. I wanted to show you and myself I’m not a tool.” He took a shuddering breath. “But at the heart of it, Skylar, I wanted so badly to be with you. I was afraid of not seeing you again. And now?” He laughed without humor. “Now, I’m petrified of that. I couldn’t actually do it.”
The superhighway of her mind had become a ten-car pileup. “I . . . what?”
Robbie grabbed her shoulders, leaned down until they were eye level. “I want to be your boyfriend. I don’t want to be the reason Madden pulls his head out of his ass and notices you. I want to be the reason I pull my head out of my ass.”
“So much butt talk this morning,” she said, dazed.
“Just a cheeky little coincidence. Did you hear anything I said?”
“Yes, I’m trying to decide if you need medical attention.” Gently, she took him by the elbows. “Exactly how hard did you get punched in the face last night?”
He stared at her with incomprehension.
Even though her heart was heavy and racing from the effect of his words, she pasted on an incredulous smile, because no. No, she couldn’t just accept them at face value. Even if he truly meant them right now, he would regret giving up his lifestyle. He’d look back and claim he was in a fugue state. “You’re just going to give up clubs and women and whipped cream—”
“You heard that, did you?” he asked, weakly.
“You’re going to give that up for one girl. Who doesn’t even know how to give head.”
“Ready and willing to work on that, Sky. Right now, if possible.”
A light bulb went off. “Maybe that’s what this is about. You’re not used to delayed gratification and I’m the one putting you through it.” She nodded sagely, positive she had the issue all worked out, although not so sure anymore she wanted a cut-and-dried explanation. I got a speeding ticket on my way back to you. “I’m sure if we sleep together, you’ll get over this fleeting interest in being my boyfriend.”