Page 39 of Vince
Sydney
Somehow,by the time Saturday rolls round, Vince and I manage to steal some time together every day. Through texts, talking on the phone, and the short time before, I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. The only night we didn’t see each other was last night, when I went to the basketball game with Abby which thankfully CRU pulled off a win, so they’re in the next round of playoffs.
Somehow, I’ve managed to keep up with my homework, but to keep from a heavy load this weekend, I’ve spent the morning working on a paper due next week.
Usually, Saturdays are meant for sleeping in, but knowing Vince and I will spend the afternoon together, I work hard to free up more time with him. Just as I’m going through a final read through, my phone buzzes with an incoming text.
Vince: Vanessa just got home. Mind if I pick you up early?
Me: You still haven’t told me what we’re doing…
Vince: Just dress casually, wear sneakers and bring a sweatshirt. It’s been chilly, even though it’s March.
Me: You still haven’t told me.
Vince: Can’t it be a surprise?
Me: Fair warning - I suck at surprises.
I laugh at my response as I await his reply. It’s true I suck at waiting, but I’m sure he’ll make me do it anyway.
Vince: I’ll be at your place in ten minutes. I’m loading my Jeep now.
Loading up his Jeep? Where the hell is he taking me?
Knowing I need to be a good sport, I quickly tap out my reply.
Me: I’ll be ready. But I can’t promise I’ll be patient.
Vince: Relax. It’ll be fun. Promise.
Instead of replying, I use this time to quickly make use of the bathroom, run a brush through my hair, and brush my teeth. I’m just grabbing a sweatshirt from my dresser when I hear a knock at the door.
Knowing Abby’s studying, I rush to the door so I won’t disturb her. I call out, “I got it,” as I rush to Vince.
It seems that no matter how many times I see Vince, he still manages to take my breath away. Avoiding the Spanish Inquisition with Abby, I quickly grab my purse that I’ve left beside the door and step out onto the porch. “I’m ready.”
He leans in and kisses me until I’m breathless.
When he pulls back, his expression’s almost shy. “I know it’s only been two days, but is it weird to say I’ve missed you?”
I stare at him, wondering if he’s able to read my mind. “Not at all,” I agree, as if he has taken the words right out of my mouth. He reaches for my hand and leads me toward his Jeep. “Still won’t tell me where we’re going?” I ask in a vain attempt to get him to crack.
“Nope. Patience—young grasshopper. Good things await you.”
Okay—I’ll admit it. I’m completely impatient. As Vince drives us off campus, I mull over a million places where we could go in this direction. When he takes the highway leading out to the gorge again, I look him over quizzically.
The man’s a freaking vault and gives nothing away. He simply pats my leg and winks. Gah… I hate surprises. Hopefully, he’ll learn this soon, so I’m not tortured like this often.
After about ten minutes, Vince takes me by surprise when he turns off a side road I’ve never been down. I swear he’s taking me out to the boonies as we follow this winding road. Instead of speaking my mind, I force myself to bite my tongue. Of course, this also means I can’t bring myself to talk about anything casual either. Let’s face it, I don’t trust myself to not ask the impending questions that will flow from my mouth when I let it go.
Eventually, Vince pulls off the road and parks. Then he reaches in front of me, opening the glove compartment, and places a pass on the rearview mirror. Only then does his gaze meet mine, and the sexiest smile forms on his face. “You’re not too mad that I haven’t told you, are you?”
“No, but I totally deserve a medal fornotasking about it,” I snark. “I’ve literally been biting my tongue to stop myself. This isn’t fair.”
Looking around the heavily forested area, I don’t see any other cars around. Without a word, he gets out of the Jeep. Instantly, I hear a river running close by. Before he walks away, his eyes pin mine. “I promise, I have good things planned.” Then a flash of something resembling doubt crosses his beautiful face before sincerity becomes the dominant feature. His voice is low when he says, “Thanks for being a good sport and going along for the ride. Give me a second to grab my backpack, and I’ll help you out.”
It takes him no time at all to open the back of the Jeep and sling a backpack onto his shoulder. From the size of it, it’s hard to tell what’s in it. It could be hiking gear or something else but either way, it warms my heart that he’s gone to great efforts to plan this date. I should give him some slack. Maybe it’s the planner in me, but I don’t like feeling out of control.
