Chase

It's been a few weeks since T.J. moved back to his place. The apartment feels a lot lighter since he moved back. I like the guy; I really do. It's just insane the amount of tension there was between him and Taylor. We still have no idea what exactly went on while we were gone, but I've stopped asking questions. Maybe it's better that we don't know.

Instead, I've been trying to focus on much more pressing matters- planning Lindsey's birthday. I know I want to do something big for her, something special. I have an idea, but I'm worried it will backfire. The rooftop garden was our special place. It was where some pretty amazing memories were made, but thanks to Val, I feel like it's been tainted.

I'd really like to fix that- to take it back and turn any negative feelings Lins may have about that place back into positive ones. It's our place, and I don't want anyone to rob us of the happy memories associated with it. Taylor told me I have to trust my gut when I ran the idea by her. She said it might be risky to take Lins back there after the shit Val pulled, but if my gut tells me it's the right thing to do, then run with it.

That's what I'm going to do. I refuse to let Val and her cronies ruin such a fantastic memory. And I need Lins to know that the garden is just for her. I'd never dream of taking anyone else there, ever.

I know I have to pull out all the stops if I take her back there. It has to be spectacular. So, I start to make a list of all of her favorite things and plan the biggest night of my life. She'll either be blown away, or I'll be left in the dust. Let's hope this doesn't come back to bite me.

~

The days leading up to Lindsey's birthday were nerve-wracking. I think I have everything in place. I'm pretty confident I thought of every little detail, but I'm nervous as hell. What if she hates it? What if she hates me for taking her back there?

Fuck! I can't think like that. It's going to be fine. She's going to love it. Everything will work out just like it's supposed to. I just keep repeating these things over and over until I calm down.

I steady myself with a deep breath as I take one more look inside the velvet box in my hand, checking that everything is perfect. It is. It's just as I ordered- every stone in place, everything bright and shiny, and the engraving exactly how I worded it.

Tonight's the night! It's not just the night we reclaim our special place, but it's the night I plan on telling her those three little words. So, yeah, I'm kind of a mess right now. I just want everything to go perfectly. And I'm trying not to overthink.

I've never actually said those words to anyone outside of family, though. Then again, I've never felt this way about anyone before. Lindsey came into my life and shook me to my core. She awoke things inside me that I never knew were there. The guys call it whipped; I call it love.

That's what it is between us- love. I'm so in love with her; it's crazy. The thought of losing her hurts more than anything else. My career could end tomorrow, and nothing else would matter as long as I had Lindsey. She's become the most important thing in my life, and I plan on telling her that tonight.

Taylor and Lins have been in Taylor's room for the last couple of hours, getting Lindsey ready for tonight. I put the finishing touches on my outfit, then head out to the living room to wait for my girl. Liam is lounging on one of the couches, watching a movie as I make my appearance.

He looks up and gives me a once-over. "You just had to steal the thunder, didn't you?" He smirks at me.

He and Taylor threw Lins a surprise party for her birthday, and the entire team showed up to celebrate. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett even came to surprise her. They wanted to make sure she had a great time and felt loved and supported. Lins was so thankful to them for doing that for her, but Liam knows I have something huge planned for tonight. Something that will hopefully blow the surprise party out of the water. So, he's getting his digs in while he can.

I smile at my best friend. "You know I can't half-ass this. And she deserves nothing but the best."

He nods. "You're right about that."

Before I can respond, I hear a door click open. When I turn to look, I'm met with the most glorious image I've ever seen. Lindsey is dressed to the nines in a royal blue dress with a deep V-neck and a high slit up to her thigh. Her toned calves are accentuated by the black stilettos she's wearing, and her gorgeous face is framed by long loose waves of blonde. My girl looks incredible.

It takes all I have to refrain from backing her up against the wall and wrapping her around me. But we have an audience and a romantic dinner date to get to. So instead, I kiss her cheek and tell her how stunning she looks. Then, we're headed out the door and toward my romantic surprise.

......

The closer we get to the building, the more I can feel my heart hammering in my chest. Lindsey's hand in mine is the only thing grounding me right now. She was blindfolded last time we came here, so I doubt she's figured out where we're going.

Please, please, please, don't let this blow up in my face.

The car stops in front of the building. Lindsey is looking at me, eyes full of confusion. Here goes nothing. I give her hand a quick squeeze before helping her out of the car. We walk into the building and toward the elevator. The security guard inserts his key and presses the button for the top floor.

Lindsey still looks confused, but she hasn't said anything yet. My heart feels like it's about to burst through my chest. We reach the top, and the elevator dings. Before the doors open, I spin Lindsey around in my arms and bring our lips together.

I look deep into her eyes and take a breath. "I just wanted to say that this place is our special place. It's just for you and me, Lins. And I never want anyone to be able to take that from us. What we have is stronger than anything I've ever known. No one can take that away from us."

With a trembling hand, I stroke her cheek as I lean in for another kiss. Now for the big reveal. When we break apart, I slowly spin her around to see where I've brought her.

The area still has the trees that were here before and the heaters, but I've made a few changes to the space. There are candles everywhere, lighting our way instead of strings of lights. Soft music plays in the background. Vases filled with her favorite flowers- pink roses- are scattered between the trees, and petals lead to where the glass dome used to sit.

In its place is a large canopy that hugs around our pallet of cushions and blankets. The canopy is large enough to also house a small table set for two. Just before we arrived, I had someone bring up our dinner- ordered from Lindsey's favorite restaurant in the city- as well as a bottle of her favorite wine.

I wait for her to say something- anything. It feels like forever before she responds. She turns to me with tears in her eyes and a quivering lip. Shit!

"Oh, no. Babe, no, don't cry. Please, don't cry. We can go somewhere else. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought us here." I pull her into my arms and hold her close. What the hell was I thinking!?

She wiggles out of my grasp, shaking her head. "No. Please, I'm sorry. This is breathtaking. I'm just overwhelmed. How did you do all of this? It's amazing."

Holy shit! She likes it! "I pulled a few strings. I just wanted to keep this place a good memory for us. I don't want anyone to take it away."

She wipes away a stray tear and smiles at me. "Chase, thank you. I love it!"

I feel the tension finally leave my body as I put my arm around her. "Do you want to see inside?" I tilt my head toward the canopy.

Lindsey nods, and I show her down the path and into the canopy. She smiles fondly at the makeshift bed as we walk toward the table. I pull out her chair for her then take my own seat. The food is still hot when we remove the dome covers before digging in. I can't take my eyes off of her. She's so beautiful; she has me captivated.

Not to mention the sounds she's making as she bites into her food- those are going straight to my dick. She has him captivated too. I try to push those thoughts away for right now, not wanting to rush this night. We have all the time in the world to satisfy those urges. And there's something important I need to tell her.

When we finish our meal, I take her hand and kiss the top of it gently. "Will you dance with me?"

Her eyes light up, and a faint brush of pink creeps onto her cheeks. "I'd love to."

We sway slowly under the stars for a few songs as I relish in the feeling of Lindsey's head on my shoulder and my hand around her waist. As the song comes to a close, I work up the nerve to do what I've been waiting for all night.

I pull a hand away and reach into the pocket of my jacket. I pull out the small velvet box and hold it out to Lindsey. "I had this made for you, baby. Happy birthday."

She takes the box from my hand and opens it. I hear her gasp as she sees what's inside. She pulls out the diamond necklace shaped like a heart and holds it out in front of her.

"There's an engraving on the side," I tell her.

She turns the necklace to the side and reads aloud, "I will love you forever."

She snaps her head back to me, eyes wide.

I take a deep breath. This is it. "Lindsey, I've been trying to find the right moment to tell you this. I wanted to make everything special for you when I said it. You have become the most important person in my life. You came into my life when I least expected it and turned my life upside down in the best way possible. Because of you, I see a future full of love and happiness. I see my best friend, my biggest ally, my heart and soul. I love you, Lins. I'm so in love with you it hurts to even think of losing you. I know I'm not perfect, and I know I have a sordid past, but you've made me a better man- a man I can finally be proud of. And I couldn't go another day without telling you how I feel about you- how much you mean to me. I love you, baby, with everything I've got."

I stop to take a breath and gauge her reaction. Her eyes are welling up again, and she shakes her head. "I love you too, Chase. I love you so much!" She wraps her arms around me and crashes our lips together as her tears start to fall freely.

I don't know how long we stayed like that- wrapped up in one another, but when we stopped, it didn't take long for us to make good use out of the cushion bed inside the canopy. In no time, our clothes were discarded, and we spend the next hour or so demonstrating our love for each other in the most primal way.

Her hands tangled in my hair, my hands roaming her body. The sounds she makes as I roll my hips over her core over and over again. I'll never get over how perfectly we fit together. It's like we were made for one another, and I feel like the luckiest man in the world.