Page 103 of One Little Lie
“They?”
“The merry fucking happily ever after crew. Formally known as my brothers.” He grumbles the words, but I sense a smile behind them.
“They told you to plan an epic first date, huh?”
He nods, and I love the light shade of pink that covers his cheeks.
“Do they know we’re kind of past first date territory? I mean, you’ve been inside of me like, a lot.”
A rumble happens in his chest, and when I glance up, fire has replaced his earlier embarrassment.
“Oh, no. No way, big guy. Come on. If we don’t get out of this room now, we’ll miss our chance.”
He pounces, and I’m up against the wall before I can blink.
“We may not have an epic first date, but I can think of a lot of firsts we can still do.” His hands find purchase on my ass, and I’m lifted against his body a second later.
I’m breathless, and he hasn’t even kissed me yet. My phone buzzes in my hand, reminding me we have some place to be.
“Raincheck on the sexy firsts, okay? We have to get going.”
Hatty growls but slides me down his body. There is no missing his erection straining against his zipper.
“Oh, geez.”
A devilish grin quirks one side of his mouth.
“Later. Save that for later,” I whisper as I wiggle out of his grasp.
“Trust me. It isn’t going anywhere if you’re within reach.” His words are low and sullen. My insides do the cha-cha, just listening to him.
“Come on. I’ll make it up to you later.”
“I’ll hold you to it,” he promises as he follows me out the door.
* * *
Hatty stands in front of the canvas with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
“So, you know, as part of Easton’s revitalization plan, he’s helping Ari turn this place into a rec center for the town. Mainly, it focuses on the arts because they cut most of the programs around here due to lack of funding. She painted the mural in here.” He doesn’t even peek at the walls, so I continue, “She’s really talented, actually. Anyway, she started getting all her supplies in, and since it isn’t open to the public yet, she said we could use it tonight. I-I brought a picnic and my camera, and she said she was going to buy the charcoal anyway, so I had her get the kind you used to use. I wasn’t sure if you kept the tin I gave you on Block Island. You’ve just, I just, I see the way you look at things, Hatty. I know you miss this part of your life, and I don’t know why you won’t allow yourself to have it. After everything we’ve learned and are getting past, I-I want you to be happy. I think this will make you happy.”
“I am happy, sweetheart,” he says softly. “I’m happy with you. You’re all I need.”
His hands ball into fists, then he shakes them out, and it starts all over again. It’s like his hands literally itch to touch the canvas, but he’s restraining himself, and I have no idea why.
“I’m happy, too, Hatty. But I don’t feel like you’re whole. It’s like you’re holding back from life and from me. I thought maybe this would help.”
My shoulders slump, and now what I thought was a great idea suddenly makes me extremely uncomfortable. Perhaps I read him all wrong. Maybe I don’t know him as well as I thought I did.
“I’m not trying to hold anything back from you, Rylan. I don’t want to ruin us again.”
“Are we? An us, I mean?” The insecurity in my voice makes me cringe.
His gaze that hasn’t left the canvas flies to mine, and he’s on me a second later.
“Yes, Rylan. We’re an us. Maybe we haven’t put a name to it, but make no mistake, you’re mine.”
