Chapter 72

Friday March 28th

Finn

Fresh out of a shower, I walk into my room and find Ace lounging on his bed, watching an episode of One Tree Hill on the giant big-screen television that has no business being in our small-ass room. It’s his newest binge show, and I’ve basically been forced into watching it with him.

“Dude! Shit is popping off!” he exclaims. “Lucas just revealed he knows who tried to kill Dan in the dealership fire!”

I kind of hate myself for even knowing what he’s talking about, but I lie down on my bed with my eyes on the television because I’m a masochist.

My phone vibrates on my nightstand, and I check the screen to find a text from Scottie.

Scottie: Can you come over to my dorm? I have a bit of an emergency.

Me: What? Are you okay?

Scottie: Yeah, I’m okay, but can you get over here soon?

Shit. I’m off my bed and sliding shoes onto my feet without hesitation. I slip my phone, wallet, and keys into the pockets of my sweats and toss a hoodie over my head.

“Where are you going?” Ace questions, but his eyes never leave the television.

“I’ll be back. Scottie needs me.”

He sits up in bed. “She okay?”

“Yeah.” I fucking hope.

I’m out the door, down the elevator, and onto the sidewalk in two minutes flat. And I basically jog the entire way from Graham Hall to Delaney. By the time I’m standing in front of her dorm room door, I’m out of breath and in a full-blown panic.

“Scottie?” I call out as I knock my knuckles against her door.

She swings it open a second later, and I just about fall on my ass when I see her standing on the other side. My girl is completely naked, and her hands hold out a cupcake with a candle in the center.

“Happy birthday, Finn,” she says, and her mouth quirks up into the cutest fucking smile I’ve ever seen. Her cheeks are flushed pink, like she’s a little embarrassed, and her teeth dig into her bottom lip. “I know it’s a little late, but I hope you’ll forgive me.”

I’m already walking into her room, gently shoving her back so I can shut the door and ensure that no assholes see my gorgeous girlfriend’s perfect body.

“Make a wish,” she says, and I don’t hesitate to blow out the candle.

My wish—let me keep this girl forever.

“Did you make it a good one?” she asks, and I take the cupcake from her hands.

“It’s the best fucking wish I’ve ever made in my life.”

Scottie grins. “What was it?”

“I can’t tell you that. I need that wish to come true more than I need fucking oxygen.”

She looks at me curiously, but I’m already moving her back toward her bed. Once she’s lying down on the mattress, I take the cupcake and smash the fucker all over her perfect tits and stomach.

“Finn!” she squeals, and I just grin up at her.

“I think it’s time to eat some cake.” I dive right in, licking my tongue across her breasts and sucking each nipple into my mouth. The cupcake is good, but it’s no match for Scottie.

She moans and her hips squirm, and my cock is already so hard I could hammer fucking nails.

I lick the cake off her body, letting my tongue make a path from her breasts and down her belly, but when something black catches my attention in my periphery, I lift my head to look down at her left hip.

Finn.

My name. Tattooed on her perfect skin. Right below her panty line. It’s small and delicate and so fucking perfect I don’t even know what to say.

“It’s not real,” she says on a rush, and I lift my eyes to meet hers. “But I don’t know…the more I look at it, the more I want it to be real.” She smiles then. “I know I’m like six months late, but… Happy birthday, Finn.”

I told her I wanted her for my birthday. And this is what she did.

I climb back up her body, not caring that cake is now being smashed against my clothes, and I press my mouth to hers. “I love you so fucking much.”

I don’t know what I did to deserve this girl, but I know I’ll never stop loving her. Never stop protecting her. Never stop trying to be the man that she deserves.

Never.