Page 204 of The Way I Hate Him
“No, starting the movies off with a bang! Patrick Dempsey sets the standard.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” He puts the movie in and presses play as he walks back over to the table. The open-concept living, dining, and kitchen combo makes puzzling and watching movies ideal. He drapes his arm over the back of my chair again, and I hand him a pile of pieces.
“Don’t miss any. We’re in no rush. Nothing makes me angrier than missing an edge piece.”
“Why does this seem like a sport for you even though you claim it’s a casual hobby?”
“I just know what I like. You’re lucky I’m even letting you help me.”
“This is a side of you I’ve never seen before. I’m not sure how I feel about it.”
I sort a few edge pieces into the edge pile. “When you love me, you have to love all of me, which means loving this side of me. I never claimed to be perfect.”
“You’re far from perfect, babe, but that’s one of the reasons I can’t get enough of you.” He leans in and kisses my neck, dragging his tongue along the column, and I swat at him.
“Stop that. We’re puzzling, and this is serious business. None of that tongue stuff.”
He chuckles. “Wow . . . okay.”
* * *
“Hattie,”Hayes says as he leans back in his chair, letting me put together the last few pieces of the puzzle . . . after I slapped his hand away, telling him I could handle it from here. “I hate to tell you this, but your sister was right. Jake Ryan is superior.”
I pause and turn toward him. “Why would you say that on my birthday?”
He chuckles. “I’m not going to lie to you. It’s the truth. Something about him just . . . makes you fall in love with him.”
“Oh please, you just like his car.”
“Yes, true, but that sweater vest also calls to me. And the beret Patrick was wearing was very off-putting.”
“It was in back then!” I throw my arms up. “Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you that?” I pick up the last puzzle piece and place it in the center, adding a finished bow tie to a stoic picture of a pigeon. For God’s sake, whoever made this puzzle needs help. “Done,” I say as I run my hand over the finished puzzle, loving the smooth feel of it under my palm. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“I could think of something more beautiful,” Hayes says, bringing his lips to my cheek.
“Cheesy much?” I ask.
He growls in my ear. “You’re spicy today. I’m not sure I like it.”
“You’ll like it later,” I say as I slip onto his lap and place my hands on his chest, asSixteen Candlesplays in the background.
His hands fall to my hips, and he lazily smiles up at me. “Why wait?”
“Because our pizza is about to be here,” I say. “And I’m starving.”
“Are you thirsty? Because I could give you something to suck on until the pizza arrives.”
“What is wrong with you?”
He chuckles. “I don’t know. I think this is what happens to me when I’m happy.”
“Yeah?” I ask, playing with the collar of his shirt. “You’re happy?”
“Insanely happy,” he says, his hands smoothing over my thighs.
“Well, I might have something that’ll make you even happier.”
“What’s that?” he asks.
