You're the Reason - J. Nathan Page 0,38

roared, drinks were flowing, and people all around us were dancing.

“Let’s get a beer,” Valerie said, weaving us through the crowd.

The guy behind the bar, likely one of the new pledges, poured two cups from the keg and handed them to us. We made our way to the dance floor, laughing and moving to the music for a while. A short time later, I noticed Valerie’s eyes latch on to something over my shoulder. I twisted around and there he was, standing on the stairs, towering over everyone and searching the room. Our eyes collided.

My heart fluttered as I held his gaze, now staring across the crowded space at only me. He didn’t move to come down. He just stared, and the corners of his lips twitched. What are you gonna do now, frat boy?

I turned back to Valerie and continued dancing with her, throwing my arms in the air and moving my hips to the music.

Time seemed to stall as two strong hands grasped my hips and a hard chest pressed to my back.

Valerie’s eyes widened as she stifled a grin.

Lips moved beside my ear. “I guess you’ll just need to show up, huh?” Chase’s voice sent goosebumps dancing across my skin. Damn him.

“Oops. Was I not there?”

“No, you weren’t.”

“Well, I’m here now.”

“Yeah.” He dragged his chin alongside my neck and more goosebumps erupted. “And that makes me very happy.”

I continued moving to the music with his hands on my hips, but I said nothing.

“Have I mentioned that you naked under water last weekend did some uncontrollable things to my body.”

I clenched my thighs as heat shot to my core.

Valerie winked. “I’m gonna get another beer.” She turned away from us and disappeared amongst the moving bodies.

I spun around and slipped my arms around Chase’s neck.

His hands shifted to my back as his eyes gazed into mine, like no one else occupied that crowded basement. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Am I forgiven?”

In that moment, with the music pumping through the room, his arms around me, and his hopeful eyes anticipating my response, I could only nod.

The smile that swept across his face did crazy things to my body. He leaned in, his lips dangerously close to mine.

“Remember,” I warned. “Chantel has eyes everywhere.”

“Then let ’em watch.” His lips crashed into mine, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth. I tried pulling back but he wouldn’t have it; he kept our mouths locked as his tongue tangled with mine in a room full of people. Silence drowned out the noise around us, and all I could focus on was his strong hands holding my ass to him, his erection pressing into me, and his mouth devouring mine. This wasn’t the frantic kiss in the library. This was intimate. This was binding. This was everything I wanted in that moment—even in a room full of people.

We eventually split apart, our chests heaving as we drank each other in with our eyes, both of us wanting more.

“Let’s go back to your room,” he said.

My brows shot up.

“I want to spend time with you, Soph.” He motioned around us. “Without all of this.”

I considered his request. But I’d come with Valerie and I didn’t want to leave her alone.

“She’s fine,” he said, reading my mind and pointing her out with a group of girls drinking at the bar.

“Let me just go tell her.”

He grabbed hold of my hand and walked with me. When Valerie spotted us, she didn’t even wait for me to say anything; she shooed us away. “Go. Get outta here.”

I smiled and mouthed, “Thank you.”

“Have fun,” she called as we headed to the stairs.

“I just gotta grab something upstairs,” Chase said as we hit the main floor.

“I’ll wait.”

“Nope.” He pulled me up the stairs with him and led me down the second-floor hallway. There were people partying in their rooms. Chase stopped at his closed door and pulled out his key. I looked across the hall and saw Ryan in a room with a group of guys. A smattering of liquor bottles and prescription bottles filled his dresser. Ryan looked up and we made eye contact, then he gestured to someone to close the door.

“You did this on purpose,” I said to Chase as Ryan’s door slammed.

“What?” Chase asked as he unlocked his door and pushed it open.

“You brought me up here so Ryan could see us together.”

A smile spread across his face as he led me into his room.

“That was mean.”

He closed the door behind us. “I did you a favor. Now you don’t