Beside Him

Chapter 27// Sharing Is Caring

"Oh, shut up." I said to Archer as he wiggled his eyebrows when I put a pack of pads into the trolley.

"Wait, why don't you use tampons? Isn't that what you girls use?" He asked, looking slightly lost.

"Oh, Archie, you don't have to use me as an excuse," I said, picking up the packet of Tampax tampons. "Please by all means, princess, buy and use away." I gave him a salute as he rolled his eyes and threw the tampons away to the floor. I laughed and picked them up, placing them back on the shelf.

"Wait, wait." I said standing in front of him, so he couldn't move the trolley.

"What?"

I smiled sweetly. "Can I hop in?" I asked. He rolled his eyes but gestured nevertheless for me to sit in the trolley.

I struggled to get my leg through and nearly fell twice before huffing and giving up. Why are the damn trolleys as tall as mount Everest?

His lips quirked up. "Need help?" he asked cockily, and I narrowed my eyes.

"No, actually, I don't." I said and then once more tried to put my leg through. The asshole I was with suddenly moved it forward causing me to lose my balance and, alas, fall with an 'umph' to the floor with only my ass to gather my weight.

I groaned as Archer burst out laughing. I rubbed my bottom to try and let the pain go away but I was fighting a smile, seeing Archer lean his head onto his arms, which were placed against the handle of the trolley. His shoulders shook with laughter and I rolled my eyes.

"Twat." I said, flicking his head with my hand. He wiped the fallen tears from under his eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that over the sound of a dying whale." He said, still chuckling and I did that obvious fake laugh before thwacking his head with my forefinger. He groaned and rubbed his forehead, wincing.

"What just happened?" he asked, looking adorably confused as he rubbed his forehead which was now gone a tad bit red where I'd flicked him. I laughed evilly.

"Let me get in, jackass." I said, and he smirked, taking full advantage to affect me. He leaned in, placing his hands on my waist tightly, pressing his front into my back.

"Why don't you let me get in?" he asked, and the double meaning was not lost to me. I shivered as his scent invaded my presence. He nibbled slowly on my ear and a tingle ran all the way down my body as I pushed my shoulder up reflexively. His chuckle reverted through my body. "You ok?" he asked, obviously referring to my previous fall. I nodded closing my eyes as his lips went to my shoulder, covered by my clothes. "Good." He breathed out before suddenly, before I could realise my surroundings, he'd lifted me up and put me in the trolley.

I blinked as he went back behind the handle, pushing the trolley with ease. "You don't like peanut butter, do you?" he asked casually as if the past moments hadn't just happened. I blinked.

"Erm- no." I replied, blinking away whatever it was that was happening to me. "It tastes like sand."

He laughed. "Agreed. What do you like then?" he asked, stopping in the junk food isle. I opened my mouth to speak but he'd leaned into my ear again, somehow cutting off my access to my vocal chords. "Apart from me, of course."

I rolled my eyes. "You wish," I said then thought about it. "I like berries."

"Berries," he muttered under his breath, turning the trolley so suddenly that I felt dizzy before stopping again at the fruits. He picked up strawberries, holding them up in question. I nodded. He put in blueberries, blackberries and grapes before retreating. He held up a piece of paper for me to take and I did, reading Lolly's handwriting.

"Bread." I said, and he went to get it. "Butter." Again, he went and got it, this process happening again and again before we'd ticked off everything on the list.

I held up my hand backwards and he clapped it. "Teamwork." I said, standing up in the trolley to push all the items off my lap. I held up my hands like a spoilt kid for him to come and pick me up again and he did. He held me to him longer than needed before placing me back on my feet. I grinned, thinking whether there was anything else needed.

"You wanna come over today?" I asked, walking to the crisps isle. He shrugged.

"Sure." He muttered eyes elsewhere and I followed his gaze to see him glaring at a guy who was watching me. I rolled my eyes and pulled on the trolley to get his attention.

"Ignore it, King, I'm here with you, Aren't I?" I asked and he smirked.

"I never did like sharing what's mine." He said and then picked up the caramel popcorn and tossed it into the trolley.

I rolled my eyes at his once again double meaning. "Shut up, Archie." I said, leaning up to try and reach the chocolate covered popcorn that, albeit more expensive, were absolutely bomb.

"Let me get that for you." He said, the cockiness ever present. I rolled my eyes as he easily, without even having to lean on his tiptoes took the packet and put it into the trolley.

"Lamp post." I muttered and he laughed.

"You know what, you little gremlin? I can't even see you hating from all the way down there." He mocked after we'd gotten the choc drops that I was currently obsessed with and, of course, some nerds.

I narrowed my eyes and put my hands on my tilted hips. "I will tie your god damn shoe laces together, you mountain. Don't test me." He laughed, patting the top of my head and then we both made our way to the till.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek before suddenly removing one hand from the trolley and taking mine in it.

My eyes snapped to his, which were directly straight ahead. I couldn't help but smile.

I didn't say anything and neither did he before we stopped at the cashier's desk. I really couldn't be arsed scanning all these items myself and, from the looks of it, neither could Archer.

The girl at the desk was absolutely gorgeous. Like, to the point where even I had to do a double take. Her chocolate kissed skin glistened in a way that looked like it was from the movies. Twilight in particular.

Her bright brown eyes were sharp and angled, her smile gorgeous. Her name tag read Ava.

Archer gave her a small smile and she returned it, doing the same to me.

"Good morning," She said, looking between the both of us. I smiled.

"Good morning."

"Oh my god, your accent," She fawned and I laughed slightly at her expression. "British?" Her own sounded Aussie.

I nodded. "You?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation long.

"Oh, I'm from Adelaide." She said and I raised an eyebrow, having no clue where that was. She laughed. "Australia. I'm from Australia."

"Ahh, Yeah, you've got a lovely accent." I smiled and she shook her head, her string of brown curls bouncing along.

"Oh, all you Brits are so posh." She looked at Archer and grinned between us two. "You two are a really cute couple."

I looked away to the sweets section, whistling awkwardly. Archer laughed. "I know." He said and I rolled my eyes, flicking his ear.

Ava smiled. "Well the total is $94.56. Are you paying by card or by-"

"Card's fine." Archer suddenly said, pulling out his wallet. He frowned when I slapped his hand away, pulling out my own purse. "Oh, come on, River you don't actually believe I'm gonna let you pay do you?"

I gave him a unbelievable look. "Dude, it's my groceries!" I yelled and he rolled his eyes.

"Go wait in the car, sweetness." He cooed and I swear I nearly slapped him so hard he'd have felt it for years to come.

I laughed incredulously. "Alright ,jackass, you're not Jesus and you're not paying for my groceries. I can pay myself and Lolly would literally bury me under this spot if she found out I let you pay."

He smirked. "Alright, gorgeous. Pay away." He said, holding up the card to me. I narrowed my eyes and snatched it from him, noticing Ava's smirk as I did.

I punched in my code and frowned when I realised it was wrong. "What the hell?" I said to myself, typing it in again.

Archer took my hand in his and bought it gently to his lips, his other hand going to the machine type in a series of numbers that weren't mine, successfully distracting me with his lips on my skin.

"That's my girl." He said and I didn't even have it in me to glare at his sarcastic comment but instead released a breathy sigh and practically melted into him.

God, whatever I was feeling for him was one hundred percent unhealthy.