North (A Robert Downey Jr Fanfic)

"You are the Only Exception"

"Jesus Christ, get off of me!" Robert pushed Dawn away, "look, I've tried to be polite and nice because Vanessa considers you a friend but it's time to be direct now. I'm not interested in you, Vanessa is my girlfriend. End of story."
"But--but--"
"Nothing. There's nothing else."
He moved away from her, grabbed the towels he went inside for in the first place and ran after Vanessa. She'd run to the bottom of the hill and he spotted her on the shore, looking out over the lake, arms crossed at her chest.

"Hey," he said cautiously.
"Hey," she didn't look at him.
"That was definitely not what it looked like. She was in there already, I don't know why--she just came out--"
"I know," she still didn't look at him.
In her peripheral she spotted Dawn slinking out onto the pier. She held up a hand and approached her before she got out onto the dock, cutting her off at the pass.

"Vanessa, I--"
"Listen Dawn, I thought we were friends..."
"I didn't--"
"Shhh. I'm going to talk now. It's plain to see that you're keen on Robert and normally I wouldn't be so mad, but he's important to me," Vanessa narrowed her gaze and looked Dawn square in the eye.
"I have something really good with him, and nothing...nobody is going to get in the way of that. If you can cool it and just be my friend, great. If that's going to be too difficult for you, then you can leave and I'll bring Taylor home tomorrow."

"You think you can just have it all, don't you? This place? All of the things you have? Him too? It's not fair...it's just not," she huffed loudly before trudging back up the hill. Vanessa was surprised there wasn't a cloud of smoke billowing behind Dawn as she left, she was so miffed. Vanessa turned around triumphantly and Robert was right there waiting where she'd left him. Thankfully Penny and all of her friends were out of earshot, way out in the water.

"Is it strange that that really turned me on, just now?" Robert quietly said with a grin as he came to her side, "I think we have something really good too, just so you know."
Despite his attempt at levity, she took off her sunglasses and looked him straight in the eyes. They were dark and intent...she meant business.
"One thing you need to know...people don't come between me and something important. Not anymore."
"I'd like to come between you and that swimsuit," he sad huskily and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply.

After the party guests had dispersed, Penny and Taylor retreated to Penny's room and hid themselves away. Vanessa took a shower and washed off all of her layers of sunscreen and sweat from the day. She felt human again, amazed at what a little soap and water could achieve. She put on a short, white jersey knit dress and a white lace bra and underwear set underneath it that she'd been saving for the right occasion. She hoped that that night that right occasion but for all she knew, Robert had retired to his cabin and promptly passed out in bed.

"Pen, I'm going to go clean up the downstairs. Is there anything I can get you girls?"
"No Mom," her voice was muffled by the music they were playing and the closed door of her bedroom.

Vanessa plugged her phone into the stereo and turned on her music to accompany her kitchen cleaning.

"When I was younger I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind.
He broke his own heart and I watched
As he tried to reassemble it.

And my momma swore
That she would never let herself forget.
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist.

But darling,
You are the only exception.
You are the only exception."

She had her hands in the soapy sink water and suddenly he was behind her and a ghost of a kiss landed in the curve between her shoulder and neck.

"You are the only exception.
You are the only exception."

Goosebumps crept along her skin as Robert's hand brushed her hair away from her upper back as he kissed the nape of her neck and all across her shoulders.