Page 173 of Something Rad
“Absolutely not,” Robbie deadpans. “You’re much more of a Veruca Salt.”
My mouth falls open, and I almost have to stifle a laugh. “How dare you!”
“Hey, I like Veruca,” Robbie says, holding a hand up in defense. “She’s got a fire in her. She wants what she wants and she doesn’t take no for an answer. Not many girls have the guts to be a Veruca. We need more of them in the world. They’d keep us honest and make life a hell of a lot more interesting.”
My face slowly relaxes as I take in Robbie’s statement. “Oh…” I mutter, not sure how else to respond to the most odd and roundabout, yet maybe the best, compliment I’ve ever received.
Robbie lets out a sigh, leaning down and grazing my nose with his from top to bottom. “It’s okay, Cooper,” he whispers against my lips. “I’ll let you fantasize about how my eyes look like chocolate.”
“Oh, will you now?”
Robbie nods, then catches me off guard, kissing me deeply enough that I nearly need to gasp for air when he pulls away. He rolls his lips into his mouth, looking down at me. “It’s only fair since I’m going to be dreaming about how you taste like candy.” He runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “How am I supposed to think about anything else every time I look at you now?”
My heart feels painfully heavy in my chest all of the sudden. I swallow against the lump in my throat, trying to buy time to form a coherent response. When nothing comes to me, I impulsively bite down on Robbie’s thumb. “Sounds like a personal problem to me,” I say.
Robbie’s eyes narrow at me at the same time a smirk spreads across his face. “You’re a little shit, Cooper. You know that?”
He pulls his hand away from my face, reaching down and digging his fingers into the side of my waist, tickling me. I let out a strangled giggle, trying to twist away from him, but it’s useless. He’s fully got the upper hand in this situation.
Several seconds go by before Robbie finally relents, collapsing on top of me with a chuckle at my expense. When his weight shifts on top of me, a wave of his scent crashes over me so hard that it makes my mouth water and causes me to let out an involuntary groan that Robbie crushes with his lips against mine.
“You smell so good,” I mutter between kisses.
“Me?” Robbie asks coyly.
“Mhmm,” I hum in response. I’m realizing that every press of Robbie against me just clouds my brain more and shreds away further at my filter, but I’m too intoxicated by it all to care. “Spicy and sweet and woodsy and warm,” I continue. He kisses me again. “Like Christmas morning.” His hand traces lazy circles across the sensitive skin of my neck. “Or a walk on the beach.” His teeth tug at my bottom lip. “Like sitting by a campfire and toasting marshmallows.”
Robbie lets out a rough chuckle against my cheek. “Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
“I think about you a lot,” I confess. I don’t think my brain even processed the words before they were out of my mouth.
Robbie stiffens, and when he pulls back to look at me, all traces of humor are gone from his face as his eyes flick between mine. He brushes a rogue strand out hair away from my face and lets out a gentle sigh. “I think about you too, Cooper. More than I care to admit.”
Silence stretches between us as I take in Robbie’s words. Though I haven’t responded, I know the effect they’re having on me is showing all over my face, in my flushed cheeks and glossy eyes. Just when I think I may be down for the count, Robbie absolutely knocks me out with his next words.
“You’re so beautiful like this,” he breathes, shaking his head and tracing his fingers across my features. “You know that, right, Cooper? That you’re beautiful? So damn pretty that it hurts?”
I bite down on my lower lip, stifling the smile that comes to my face. “I mean, I knew I wasn’t entirely repulsive.”
Robbie breathes out a laugh. “Yeah, try the exact opposite.” He tilts his head, surveying me. “You’re so fucking beautiful all the time. And I’m sick of it.” He tries to feign a look of irritation, but breaks, grinning at me and making me laugh in response. Robbie leans down, nipping at my neck and making me giggle more. His lips drag up the side of my neck, leaving my skin pebbling in his wake before he goes for my earlobe, tugging on it with his teeth.
And with that one action, things suddenly don’t seem so funny anymore as heat rushes to my skin and a heavy feeling settles low in my belly.
My hands reach up to cup the back of Robbie’s neck as he continues his assault on my neck, moving slowly down and across my upper chest. I find myself arching into him, my toes curling in my Keds at the sensation his mouth on my skin creates. “You know,” I manage to mutter, “you’re not too bad yourself.” Robbie plants featherlight kisses across the neckline of my blouse, resting his nose in the exposed place between my breasts.
“Yeah?” he breathes. “I think that’s gotta be a glowing review coming from you, Cooper. You really mean that?” A shiver runs down my spine and causes a groan to escape me as Robbie’s teeth graze my collarbone. He sits forward, returning to eye-level with me, and I find my hands fisting in the fabric of his shirt.
“Every word,” I confirm. “Has anyone ever told you that you have pretty nice hair?”
Robbie shakes his head with a mischievous grin, and I can’t take it anymore.
I need him closer.
I have a feeling Robbie feels the same by the way that he responds immediately when I trail my fingers up his chest to push his jacket off of his shoulders.
Now free from the extra restriction, it’s like Robbie becomes an entirely different person. He practically lunges for me, adjusting his position so that his knee is settled between my legs, not touching me, but just close enough that I can feel the heat of him. He moves up slightly, forcing my thighs to spread just a fraction and my body to soften with awareness.
The moment Robbie’s lips are back on mine, my skin comes to life, a pressure settling low within me that nearly bursts at the seams as Robbie moves closer, his knee pressing into the spot between my legs. I utter a deep cry against Robbie’s mouth at the foreign euphoric feeling, not knowing exactly what I’m experiencing but knowing that I want more of it. Robbie seems to understand the signal, rubbing harder against me at the same moment his tongue intertwines with mine. I squeeze my eyes tight, unlatching my mouth from Robbie’s to gasp for the air I so desperately need.
