Vince: Book Two of the Perfectly Independent Series

by Amanda Shelley

  Before I can respond, the opening lights dim, and the fans across the stadium shriek in welcoming the opening act. Instantly, Sydney and I are on our feet.

  From the corner of my eye, I see her place her thumb and forefinger in her mouth. She lets out a whistle like no other I’ve heard before, then she screams to show her excitement. One thing I’m quickly learning about Sydney—with her around, it will never be boring.

  As the opening chords of an electric guitar ring out, Sydney jumps in excitement. Energy fills the stadium, and everyone wants the show to begin. I’ll admit, the band may be good, but I get more satisfaction in watching Sydney enjoy the show than focusing on their performance. Every dip and sway as she bops to the beat makes me need to join her. Before long, I give into my urge. When she leans into me and flashes her beaming smile, I could give two fucks about being the guy who normally doesn’t dance in public. I’m here with a beautiful woman, and every fiber in my being tells me to hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

  By the time the opening act ends, Sydney and I breathlessly take our seats and reach for the drinks we’ve set aside. Gulping down the soda, I use my forearm to push away the sweat from my brow. I can’t help but notice Sydney’s flushed cheeks or the way her eyes dance with excitement.

  God. She’s beautiful.

  “What?” she asks defensively when she catches me staring a moment longer than necessary.

  I go with honesty. “You’re beautiful.”

  Her cheeks darken, and she rolls her eyes, trying to pass off my compliment. “Okay…” she draws out.

  I reach out to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear and wait until I have her attention and slowly admit, “Seriously. I’m not feeding you a line.”

  Sydney’s eyes flit from one side to the other as if she’s gauging my expression, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she reaches out and cups my cheek, making me lean into her warm and inviting hand. I’m so focused on determining the exact shade of her green eyes, I miss her cue.

  When her eyes close, and her soft lips brush against mine, I’m taken off guard and freeze—but only for a second before my body catches up. She pulls back, but I instinctually reach out and cup her face, holding it in place.

  Then I kiss her back for all I’m worth.

  Her lips part in a gasp, and I take this moment to invade her mouth with my tongue. I run my tongue along her lower lip, and she tastes of Pepsi and something uniquely her. When her tongue meets mine, I linger on her taste and let it consume me. We may be in a room filled with thousands of people, but in this moment, all I care about is Sydney.

  Unfortunately, when a male voice introduces his band, and fans fanatically scream, I’m brought back to reality. Forcing myself to pull away, I can’t help but smile at the fact we’re both breathless and have lost track of where we are. A beautifully shy grin forms on her swollen lips as she stares up at me. I quickly lean in to kiss her quickly once more before resting my forehead on hers. When the first song plays, I spin her around to hold her from behind. There’s no way I’m letting her go in this moment. When the first song ends, I lean in and whisper in her ear, “In case I forget to mention it, I’m having a really great time tonight.”

  She nods her head in return but keeps her focus on the band. When they begin their most recent number one hit, she jumps up and down, and excitement rolls off her in waves. I’ve heard Riser on the radio a million times over, but watching Sydney enjoy this concert is something I’ll never soon forget. The way she sings nearly every lyric, dances without a care in the world, and screams when her favorite songs end will never let me hear these songs again and not relive this moment. Time ceases to exist, and I’ll admit I’m shocked when they announce they’re playing their final song. Of course, it’s their greatest hit of all time, and even I’ll admit I scream right along with Sydney as the opening progression hits its famous notes. Riser is freaking amazing in concert, and these seats force you to get lost in the experience.

  My ears are still ringing as I merge my way into traffic from the parking garage. This is the only time I wish my Jeep were an automatic because having to shift in traffic forces me to let go of Sydney’s hand. After a few blocks of stop and go, to let others merge into the flow of traffic with us, I’ve never been more relieved than to shift into overdrive and be able to reach for Sydney’s hand.

  She intertwines our fingers and traces my knuckles with her other hand, sending electric pulses throughout my body.

  What the fuck is she doing to me?

  I’ve never reacted to anyone like this, and I’m completely in uncharted territory. Sure, I’ve dated—but why do I feel as if whatever is going on with her could be so much more than the casual dates I’ve been on before? This is only our first date for crying out loud.

  Shaking my head, I must catch Sydney’s attention because she asks, “Everything okay?”

  There’s no way I’m jumping into this rabbit hole this early in a relationship.

  Fuck… did I just say relationship? Date. We’re on a date, dummy. Not making commitments or anything.

  Though she did agree to a second date…

  “I… Uh… am just thinking about what type of date could top this?”

  Well, it’s not technically a lie. I am thinking about taking her out again… I’m sure neither of us are ready to talk about what crossed my mind… stick just with safe subjects, Vince.

  “This is one hell of a first date, and it will definitely be hard to top,” she admits. “I honestly don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like this.”

  I pretend to let out a breath of air I’d been holding. “Good thing I don’t have to worry about a first date again then, so the pressure is off.”

  When her tinkling laughter fills the car, it hits straight at my heart. Damn, I love seeing her happy.

  “Whew… pressure’s off,” she says dramatically as she pretends to wipe her brow with her free hand. “But it does have me thinking…”

  “That sounds dangerous,” I tease.

  “Well…” She looks up to the darkened ceiling of the car as she draws out the word. “Since you’ve already gotten me to agree to a second date, I am curious as to where you’ll take me. I mean… the bar is set pretty high…”

  “That’s no pressure or anything,” rolls off my tongue in the casual banter I’m learning to enjoy with her.

  She doesn’t disappoint. “Well… now there’s these expectations…” she teases.

  Trying to figure out what we could do to top this, I rack my brain for possibilities.

  Unfortunately, she mistakes my silence as being offended. “You know, Vince, I really don’t care what we do. I’m a pretty low-maintenance girl and don’t need a lot of fanfare or to spend a lot of money to have a good time.”

  I squeeze her hand and quickly smile in her direction before returning my focus to the road. “I’ll keep that in mind. If you must know, I was trying to find something to top this. This is by far one of the best dates I’ve been on and knowing I want to spend more time with you, I didn’t want you to grow bored of me.”

  “I’m totally a just hang out and watch a movie girl, as well. So, please don’t think you have to do something extravagant to impress me.” I see her cringe and shake her head before she continues, “Honestly, I’ve been on a string of shitty dates lately. You’d just have to not be a prick, and it would already top the rest.”

  It sounds like there’s a story but not wanting to ruin our evening, I keep it simple. “Good to know. But you can go ahead and set that bar a little higher because I have no intention of being a prick. Sometimes, I can be a dumbass because… well… I’m a guy. But I’ll never intentionally be a prick. I can promise you that.”

  7

  Sydney

  Ohmigod, why am I trying to sabotage this perfect date? This date tops all others, and I’m sure it has nothing to do with the concert and everything to do with the guy in the driver’s seat. Hell, I don’t even want this
night to end.

  Why the hell did I tell him I basically have no standards and that he just has to not be a prick to make the date better than my previous ones?

  Because it’s true?

  Shit… I have to rectify this.

  “So, I have a rare Saturday night off next weekend, would you want to do something then?”

  A sexy grin pulls at Vince’s lips. “I think that can be arranged. Mind if we do something during the day? I should be free after one.”

  “That works. I work the night before and sleeping in is always welcomed.”

  Vince shakes his head and grunts. “I wish I could sleep in. I’ll be lucky if I sleep past six tomorrow.”

  “Wow. That’s rough.” But I’m not letting him off the hook this easy. “Any idea what we’ll be doing? So… I’ll know how to dress—not to put any pressure on you,” I tack on to clarify.

  God, I probably just made things worse. Shut up already, Sydney!

  “Knowing I won’t be able to top third row concert tickets… what do you say we grab some lunch? But before I make any further suggestions, I need to know… are you adverse to being outdoors?”

  “I’d be up to an outdoor adventure.”

  “I’ll have to check the weather and get back to you for sure. Do you mind waiting ‘til Thursday to finalize plans? Either way—just dress casually, and we’ll figure something out.”

  He pulls into my apartment complex and finds a place to park.

  Knowing I likely sound like an uptight, pretentious brat, I nod my head in agreement then try to take some pressure off him. “I’m sure we’ll have fun in whatever you decide.”

  He turns off the engine and looks to see me better. His grin is infectious when he admits, “I am open to suggestions if you think of something you’d like to do. I really am a go-with-the-flow type of guy. I don’t plan out every moment. So never feel like I’m putting pressure on you, okay?”

  His hazel eyes are dark in this lighting, but I can make out his dimple on his cheek. His smile is sexy as hell and has me wanting to kiss him again. “I’ll keep that in mind,” slowly comes out as he reaches out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear.

  Holy hell—I consciously have to force myself to breathe normally under his seductive gaze.

  His thumb brushes my cheek, and his hand rests at the base of my neck.

  I’m not sure who initiates it, but the next thing I know, the gap between us is closed, and I’m kissing him once again.

  The moment our lips touch, a fire sets off inside me. Heat explodes in my body like bursts of fireworks dancing across the sky, and I just can’t get enough of him. Reaching out to pull him closer, I run my fingers through his amazingly soft hair as he controls our heated kiss by guiding me from the base of my neck. Being with Vince is the perfect combination of push and pull, give and take, and each and every movement he makes has me wanting more.

  But when the cabin of the car is suddenly fully lit up by an oncoming car, we pull apart, panting for our next breath of air and sadly remembering we’re not really alone.

  Vince runs a palm down his face as he rests his arms on the steering wheel. “I… uh… had better get you inside. It’s late and while some of us may get to sleep in, I have an early day tomorrow.”

  The expression on his face clearly doesn’t match his words, but he’s right. As he gets out of the Jeep and walks slowly around the back to help me out, I gather my things from the floorboard. Taking a few deep breaths, I settle myself, so I’m prepared to meet his handsome face when he opens the door for me.

  Damn, Vince is gorgeous.

  Instead of reaching for my hand, Vince surprises me by stepping between my legs with his intentions clear. “I’m not done kissing you yet,” he growls as he takes possession of my mouth in the most delicious way. You’d think I’d be desensitized by now, but his sexy cologne puts my senses into overdrive, and it takes every ounce of conscious effort not to wrap my legs around his body and climb him like a tree.

  Damn, Vince Larson can kiss.

  When another car enters the drive, I can tell it’s an effort for him to stop.

  When he pulls back, a sly grin fills his face as he holds out his hand. “Why don’t I actually walk you to your door now. It’s late and getting cold out here.”

  I think I could be standing in a blizzard but if this man were kissing me, I’d still be nuclear hot. But I manage to form words and agree. “Sounds good. Besides, you can kiss me again at the door.” Waggling my eyebrows, I bounce down from the Jeep. Thankfully, Vince is there to steady me because my equilibrium is off-kilter, and I’m fairly certain I’m completely drunk from his kisses.

  When we get to the door, it’s not an awkward goodbye. When I turn to face him, he asks, “Do you mind if I call you tomorrow? I’m not sure I can wait to see you Tuesday in class.” The sincerity in his tone has my heartstrings tightening.

  I play it off the best I can—though I can’t control my grin when I say, “I think I’d like that.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Vince leans in and gives me a much more controlled kiss goodbye. Before I can lose my mind completely, he manages to pull away and kiss me on the forehead. “Thanks for a wonderful evening.”

  “I had a great time, too.”

  Just then, a burst of wind picks up, causing me to finally feel the cool spring air, and I shiver involuntarily.

  “Let’s get you inside. I’ll wait until you lock up before I leave.”

  I can’t even remember the last time—if any has anyone cared about my safety.

  Pluck, pluck, pluck—My heartstrings get pulled tighter.

  Gah. What is it about this man?

  With that, I step up onto my tiptoes to close the gap once more, and I kiss him briefly once more. “Thanks for an amazing evening, Vince. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Knowing I won’t want to stop if he continues to look at me the way he is, I turn and walk inside before he can say another word. I quickly turn the lock and lean my head against the door.

  There’s no way I’ll stay on my dating diet after a night like this.

  The next day, I’m still grinning when I think about my amazing night with Vince. As far as first dates are concerned, it was the best experience—ever. Maybe it was getting caught up with the music but the more I think about it, the more I know it had everything to do with Vince himself.

  I don’t even notice Abby until she sits with her bowl of cereal beside me at our kitchen table and says, “So, how was the concert?”

  Where do I even begin?

  “The smile plastered on your face this early in the morning tells me you had a great time. You never did tell me, who ended up going with you?”

  Not wanting her to read more into it than it is, I downplay my time with Vince. “Oh, I asked a guy from class to go. Riser was amazing, I think this was their best performance yet. They played all my favorite songs and even a few that will be on their next album. And the seats—they were freaking incredible. I’ve never been so close to the stage. Of course, that meant we had to stand the entire time, but it was so insane, Abby. I had the best time, though I’m sorry you weren’t able to make it.”

  Abby sighs, shaking her head, and shrugs apologetically. “I’m sorry, too. But I’m still not sure I’m ready for this test today, and I have a ten-page paper due this afternoon, too. I’m so glad you were able to find someone to take my place.”

  “I get it. And not to make you jealous. But I had the best time ever last night. So, stop worrying about me having to find someone else.”

  “So… this guy you went with, does he have a name?” Abby teases.

  “Vince.”

  Abby raises an eyebrow and eyes me speculatively. But I can play poker like a champ, so my feelings are clearly locked into a vault, and I’m not about to let her in… yet. Besides—things are new. When I’m ready to share more, I will.

  So, she’ll end her inquisition before it starts, I offer, “We went to dinner and th
en the concert. Unlike my recent dates, I actually had a lot of fun. But let’s not make anything of it. So, how is Drew handling being in the championship tournament?”

  “Apparently, he’s acting as if it’s just another game in the season,” Abby admits. “If it were me, there’s no way I’d be able to handle our workload and play ball at the same time. I’m sure I’m more nervous for him than he is.”

  “Somehow, I’m sure he’s used to this. At least he has two weeks before the pressure’s on. CRU’s having an incredible season. I hope like hell they can bring home another championship!”

  “You and me both.” Abby laughs as her phone buzzes on the table. “That’s Drew. He just finished at the gym and will be here any minute.” Abby shovels what’s left of her food into her mouth and quickly stands to rinse off her dish in the sink.

  “The dishwasher’s clean,” I remind her. “Just leave it in the sink, and I’ll get to it when I finish up here.”

  “You sure?” she asks.

  “I’ve got class later, but I’ve got plenty of time. Take some cookies to Drew. There’s also some cinnamon rolls in the cupboard behind you to share with him as well.”

  Abby’s face completely falls to the point it’s almost pitiful. “You mean to tell me I could’ve had cinnamon rolls instead of cereal? Just what kind of friend are you?”

  Shrugging my apology. “I thought you’d see them. Sorry. I was out of it when you came in.”

  Abby scoffs, and I can’t help but smile at her dramatics. “You can say that again. Next time, let me know before I eat cereal. You know these are my favorite. Someday, you’ll admit you used to work at Cinnabon, right? I mean, who the hell can bake those even better.”

  Seriously, she’d be disappointed to know I baked from the time I was able to reach the stove, and I am using Grams’ recipe. When baking’s the only thing to keep your sanity, you learn to get good at it. But instead of going with the truth, I tease, “I’ll never tell. Now scoot—you can’t be late for the all-mighty Drew. Make sure he takes some to his poor roommate Grey. The man needs to eat something besides takeout.”