“Cheers” and “Happy Birthday, Lili” rang throughout the restaurant as everyone clinked glasses and sipped their drinks. I smiled for my loved ones and then turned to look at Chase.
“You looked starved, Dr. Tease.” I could play too. The promise of triple digits radiated from his pores into mine. I raised my voice several octaves. “Let’s eat, everyone.”
Chase’s sexy grin told me he knew exactly what I meant.
At a little after eleven, the party began to wind down. We said goodbye to my guests and finished loading two of the three tiers of my birthday cake into the back of Chase’s car. I had giggled when the chef at the restaurant wheeled in front of me a completely over the top three layered, for all intents and purposes, wedding cake.
The first words out of Sierra’s mouth were, “Holy hell, Chase, that’s the size of a freaking wedding cake, um ... you’re a brain surgeon right? Think you miscalculated.”
Everyone laughed at my ridiculously enormous cake. I thought it was fabulous because he picked it out.
“Did you have a fun party, baby?”
“So much fun, thank you for everything. You’re always so generous.”
He leaned me against his car—Pete was driving, of course—and ran his soft lips over my mouth.
“Ready to go? We have one stop to make before your birthday is over, I want to take you somewhere.”
“Okay.” I was dead on my feet and ready to crawl into bed, but I would go anywhere with this man. We slid in the back, he buckled me and we took off to our unknown destination. I rested my head against his shoulder; I was exhausted. “Why did you and Asher leave the party after cake?”
“Oh, just some business.”
“Hmmm.” I didn’t push him further because I probably didn’t want to know. I closed my eyes and was easily lulled to sleep by the motion of the car.
“Baby, we’re here.”
I opened my eyes to pitch black.
“Where are we?”
“At the river. Come, we drove a little further because I wanted to bring you to the area where they hold many of the rowing regattas. More grass here than in City Center.”
I stretched a little and got out of the car. I wasn’t really sure what he was talking about, but whatever. When my eyes adjusted to the dark, I focused on an illumination coming from the bank far ahead.
“What’s going on?”
He smiled, saying nothing. He encircled my hand with his, coaxing me forward.
“Kick your shoes off, baby.”
I stepped on the grass and did as I was told.
“Mmm.” It felt great to get those shoes off. I wiggled my toes in the grass and continued to follow Chase’s lead. I had no idea what was going on, but I wasn’t surprised that Chase had planned something else.
“I want you to feel the sand between your toes.”
“Sand?” I questioned. It was dark, which made it difficult to see, but the coarse grass almost immediately turned into cool, silky sand. “Chase, why is there sand?” I was so confused.
At the river’s edge, a row of small lanterns encircled a small beach blanket in the middle of this giant patch of sand. The only light was from the lanterns and the crescent moon shining in the clear summer sky. The moon reflected off the water, creating streams of light that mixed with the flickering and twinkling of the candles.
“I wanted you to feel like you were at the beach.” I looked up into his eyes. Just the glow from the small lantern was illuminating his face. He was stunning. “Sit, baby, I have one more gift for you.”
“You made this beach. You’re crazy.” I looked around. It was like we were on our own tiny island. He kissed my lips and laid me back so we were facing each other propped up on our elbows. “Chase, you don’t need to give me anything else. You’ve already given me so much. This bracelet, my outfit, the party, and most importantly, you … you are everything I need. Ever. I love you so much.”
“Well, this is a present for us. I know I’ve been a little off this past week, and I could tell you noticed.”
“Does this have something to do with why you kept leaving the room on business phone calls and rushing around the hospital acting weird? Why you left the party tonight with Asher?” His small smile was smug. “It is, huh?”
There was a small basket at the edge of our blanket with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. The yummy champagne. He handed me a glass before he reached deeper into the basket. He placed an irregularly shaped stone into the palm of my hand. It was smooth and in the dim light it resembled a larger piece of blue sea glass from my bracelet. Attached was a small silver chain and ring that held a single vintage key.