Page 131 of Can't Text This

“It’s so good. So…fresh, and I love that you can get it any way you want. It’s like…like…” I snap my fingers together. “Oh my cats, I get it!”

His brows pinch together. “Get what?”

“The name! TacoWay! Like Subway, only for tacos. You can make your own concoction.”

“You’re just now getting that?”

“Stop judging me and just eat your taco.”

“I could always eat your taco.” He winks and takes another bite of his food.

I stare up at him in disbelief.

“I meant your puss—”

I slap my hand over his mouth, looking around to make sure no one heard what he just said. The other patrons pass by without a care in the world, minding their own business and doing their own thing.

He laughs against my hand and I glare.

“I know what you meant, you perv.”

“You love my perviness.”

“Sometimes. Sometimes it makes me blush so much I think I might turn into a tomato or something. I’m certain one of these days you’re going to make me blush so hard it’ll stain my cheeks and that’ll just be how I look from now on.”

“I like your blushing. It’s cute.”

“It’s blotchy and embarrassing and ugly.”

He sets his empty bowl down and stares over at me as I shove another bite in my gourd.

“What?” I ask through a mouthful of food, something that is so unlike me.

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

I chew and swallow before speaking this time. “No, tell me, please. I detest when people do that. All these thoughts of what they could be thinking run through my mind and it’s never pretty. So, please, just tell me, even if you think I won’t like it.”

He sighs. “Haven’t you realized by now that I think you’re beautiful no matter what? Those freckles you hate so much are sexy as shit. Your—”

“I thought we established that there is nothing sexy about human excrement.”

“Stop interrupting, it’s rude.”

“Sorry. Continue.”

“Anyway, as I was saying,” he jabs. “The red hair you think is ‘bright and unattractive’ is alluring. Itcallsto me. Your body, which you often complain about, is what most would call perfection. Your long legs that make you ‘look like a giraffe’? Fucking hot, especially wrapped around me. Hell, even your Casper complexion is hot.”

His words make me want to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him over and over again.

My eyes sting with unshed tears, and I do my best to blink them away.

I’ve never in my life felt like I fit in. I’ve always been that pale, ginger girl who could turn as red as a bottle of ketchup at the simplest words or comments. I’ve never felt beautiful. I’ve never felt sexy.

Until Robbie.

“Casper complexion, huh? Gee, thanks.”

“I’m saying you’re sexy as fuck, Monts, and I don’t ever want you to feel like you aren’t. I don’t ever want you to feel like I don’t want you because of your self-designated flaws. I love you just the way you are.”

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