You're the Reason - J. Nathan Page 0,50
intense.”
“Do you believe what she said?” Chase asked.
“Well, if I did, I’d be asking you to drop me back off at the dorm since you’re hiding a big secret.”
He reached over and linked our hands. “Was it everything you thought it’d be?”
“And more.”
We shared a laugh. “So, you ready for our next stop?”
I nodded. “Definitely.”
***
“Keep them closed,” Chase said as his car came to a stop.
My hands had been covering my eyes for the last ten minutes in the passenger seat. “They’re closed.”
He parked the car and switched off the engine. “Wait here.”
“Where would I go? I can’t see.”
He opened his door and hopped out. I heard him open the back door and shuffle some things around.
“Can I open my eyes yet?”
“No.” I heard the back door close then I felt my door being pulled open. “Keep your eyes closed,” Chase said as he took one of my hands away from my eyes. “I want you to carefully turn and step out.”
I did as told.
Crashing of ocean waves nearby brought a smile to my lips. A warm ocean breeze wafted our way, and I tasted the salt in the air on my lips.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked.
“Can’t I just be happy?”
“Fine,” he relented, knowing I’d discovered our location. “Open your eyes.”
I did. We stood in the beach parking lot. Chase held a blanket, a box of pizza, another smaller white box, and two bottles of water. My smile grew.
“Come on.” He led me to the path leading to the beach. Since the sun had set, very few people could be seen on the dark stretch of sand. Chase lay out our blanket and pulled me down with him. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side. “Happy Birthday, Soph. May this year be your best one yet.”
“I can’t see how it wouldn’t be.”
He pulled back to see my eyes. “Oh, yeah?”
“I’ve got straight As, a room to myself, and I met Val.”
He frowned.
I couldn’t hide my smile for long. “And, I met this guy, who continuously surprises me.”
He smiled.
“Ryan.”
He tackled me onto my back. “Ryan? You better take that back.”
“Professor Irons?”
He growled.
“You, Chase Reed,” I relented. “I met you.”
He smiled. “That’s better.” He pressed his lips to mine for a quick kiss before sitting us back up.
I breathed in the briny night air as I reached for the pizza box.
“Nope,” Chase said, as he reached for the smaller box and opened it. A big piece of chocolate cake sat inside. “Cake before dinner.”
I cocked my head. “Valerie?”
He nodded as he handed me a fork.
I smiled, completely impressed by the lengths he’d gone to make my birthday one to remember. I dug into the cake and took a bite, savoring the fudgy taste.
“Does cake on the beach taste better than cake elsewhere?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t have known until I tried it.” I pressed my fork into the cake and held the bite-sized piece of cake out to him.
He leaned over and ate it.
“So, thanks for helping me check another thing off my list.”
He pressed his lips to the side of my head. “I like making your wishes come true.”
I smothered the grin fighting to take over. “Just tell me getting a tattoo isn’t on the list tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because not only does the idea scare the hell out of me, but I haven’t figured out what I want yet.”
“Fine. Not tonight. But this year.”
I nodded. “This year.”
***
We made our way down the hallway toward my dorm room a couple hours later. My nerves were in my throat. I wanted Chase to stay the night. I knew he was feeling serious about us. He was trying to make my wishes come true—and he wasn’t pushing me to sleep with him. Which just made me want him more.
I punched in the code, and my door unlocked. I pushed it open and before I could switch on the light, I stilled, my eyes taking in the battery-operated candles placed all around my room.
Chase slipped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder, taking in the twinkling candles.
“You did this?” I said, my mind blown.
“I had a little help.”
I spun in his arms and draped my arms over his shoulders. “Valerie?”
He nodded, his blue eyes extra clear with all the candlelight.
“This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”
He lifted a brow. “Nice?”
“Everything you’ve done for me has been amazing.”
“I like amazing,” he said, moving forward so I backpedaled into the