Page 88 of The Perfect Love

The dinner we were cooking together is in the oven, and I need him to understandwhythis is bothering me.

I shove him onto the couch and climb on his lap, jamming my finger into his chest. “How would you feel if I didn’t tell you when my birthday was?”

The cocky little half smile appears. “Technically you haven’t.”

“We’ll get to that in a minute. But seriously. How would you feel if you found out from my friends a week before my birthday and I just hadn’t told you?”

He drops his head back against the couch. “Crappy.”

“Exactly.” I run my fingers through his hair, drawing his attention back to me. I’m not really mad at him, just frustrated. “I know you say it’s not that important to you, but it’s important to me becauseyouare important to me. You would bend over backward to do anything for me. You’re patient, and the way you care for me is unparalleled. But I want to take care of you too.” He opens his mouth, but I hold up one finger. “Not because I feel like I have to or to pay you back. Because I want to. I’m your girl. That’s why you want to take care of me. It’s why I’m sure you’ll want to spoil me on my birthday. You’re my person, Trev.” I suckin a breath to keep my voice from breaking. “I want to take care of you and spoil you. It’s my right as your girlfriend.”

He stares at me, his hands running up and down my back. “I’m sorry. For the record, just being with you on my birthday is more than enough for me, but I get your point. I’m yours to spoil.”

“And take care of,” I say pointedly because I see the ways he holds back. He might not even realize he’s doing it, but in his desire to take care of others, he hides his own pain. I see it, though, and I’m not letting him get away with that shit.

“I guess I could agree to that.”

I lean in and brush my lips over his. “You better.”

“Sounds like a threat.”

“Could be.”

Pressing my lips to his, I rake my fingers through his hair. Thankfully, he’s learned to stop holding back and to give in when I kiss him like this, and soon our tongues are tangled, and we’re getting lost in each other.

Suddenly, he pulls back. “You’re supposed to be telling me when your birthday is.”

I lean back a little, but he keeps his hands on my back, holding me in place on his lap.

“Mm. I think you should guess.” I give him my sweetest smile.

He groans. “What am I supposed to do? Go through every day of the year?”

“You could guess based on my star sign.”

“Yeah, because astrology is one of my favorite things.”

I shrug. “I could see Hyla making you learn it.”

He cocks a brow. “Have you been talking to Hyla?”

No, but that makes me want to. Plus, she sounds like a lot of fun.

“No. But from the way you and the girls have described her, it seems like something she’d be into and force you to learn about.”

“She’s tried,” he grumbles under his breath.

“Fine. I’ll give you a hint. It’s right around my favorite holiday.”

He tilts his head. “Okay, I’m guessing either Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day?”

“One of those.” I smile sweetly.

“I’m ruling out Christmas. I feel like it would’ve come up if your birthday was near there. But then… maybe that’s true of Thanksgiving too. Okay, Valentine’s Day?”

“Ding ding, we have a winner. Now you have to figure out the day.”

“Valentine’s Day is your favorite holiday?”

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