You’re the Reason, стр. 41

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 room. I giggled as the door closed behind us and Chase leaned in, pressing his mouth to mine.

I arched into him and deepened the kiss, feeling it all the way down to my toes.

He pulled away much too soon and linked our hands, leading me to my bed. He sat first, pulling me onto his lap so my legs dangled off one side. “I haven’t given you your present yet.”

“There’s more?”

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small black velvet pouch.

My heart fluttered. “What is it?”

He smiled. “Just open it.”

I nodded, eager to see the contents. I reached my fingers inside and grasped something small and delicate. When I pulled my hand out, a sparkly silver necklace dangled from my fingers. I held it up so I could examine it, noticing the mason jar charm hanging on the chain. “Oh my God. I love it.”

“I saw it and thought it was meant for you.”

“Here.” I handed it to him. “Would you put it on me?”

He took it from me and clasped it behind my neck, examining it on me. “Perfect.”

“Hold on.” I attempted to climb off his lap, but he held onto me. “I’ll be right back,” I explained. “I’ve got something for you.”

“It’s not my birthday.”

I cocked my head, my silent plea to be released.

He relented.

I slipped off his lap and kicked off my heels, padding over to my closet and digging in the back. I unrolled the jeans where I had stashed my mason jar and walked back over to Chase.

He looked at the jar. The one he’d seen in the coffee shop that began his wish-granting mission.

I nudged him over. “Let’s lay on my bed so I can show you.”

He smirked. “I like where this is going.”

He kicked off his shoes and we both sat against my pillows along the wall with our legs outstretched in front of us. I unscrewed the top of my mason jar and held it out to him. His brows shot up. “You sure?”

I nodded.

His eyes lit up as he