Three Years Earlier
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I let you drag me here!" I yelled over the loud music. It was my sister's eighteenth birthday today, and she thought it would be fun to come to the Vineyard and try to hook me up with her boyfriend's brother. I barely remembered him from high school. Then there was the loud music and dancing, none of which seemed appealing to me.
"Oh, come on. You can't act like this. It's my birthday."
She pulled me across the dance floor to a table she had reserved, thank goodness, or I would have been done in less than an hour with these heels she made me wear. I sat down and immediately kicked them off.
"Really? You're ditching those killer shoes already? They have studs," she exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, you just expressed enough enjoyment for both of us." I laughed.
"It's called shoe porn, Bay, and those have that written all over them."
"Wow, you have taken this to a whole different level, Tess."
She jumped up. "There's my man." She leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him passionately.
Grady was definitely not bad to look at, so I imagined those kisses were well earned by both. They had been together since Tessa was a freshman. I never really looked at him that way, although we had become really close friends. In fact, I was there for him more than once when Tessa broke up with him. They had both been conspiring to get me to meet his stepbrother ever since he moved back. I had successfully avoided the dreaded blind date for three months, but I couldn't avoid her birthday party, so here we were, and here I was about to meet the guy. I twirled my hair nervously, but I didn't see anyone with Grady. He came over to the table and scooted in next to me.
"Hey, Bay. You look great."
Generally, I would argue, but tonight I had put a lot more effort into my appearance than normal. I had done my eye makeup, put on lip-gloss, and wore a tight black dress that left little to the imagination. "Thanks. So, where's this supposedly to die for stepbrother of yours?'
"I don't know if he's to die for—"
Tessa jumped in, "Ummm…yes, he is. Sorry, babe, but your brother's hot."
"Fine. He's to die for." Grady succumbed to the peer pressure. "He's running late. He had to finish up work."
"Oh, okay." It was hard hiding my disappointment. I was actually kind of excited to meet him now, and I wanted to just get it over with so the nausea in my stomach would subside. After being subjected to Tessa and Grady's make-out session, I retreated to the outdoor patio.
The view was spectacular, and it was quiet. Well, quieter, at least. I could still feel the base of the music under my heels. There were a few kids smoking in different corners, and from the smell, it wasn't just cigarettes. I had never understood the appeal of drugs and alcohol, but I also didn't judge. I knew Tessa smoked pot from time to time, but she always promised me that she would call me if she needed me for anything. She was a pretty responsible kid, and I was proud of her. She wanted to get into Stanford right out of high school, but it wasn't in the cards for her, so she was at the local community college. She was going to be an earth scientist. Totally fitting for her. She'd always been the environmentalist in the family, keeping us all in check. I, on the other hand, hadn't decided on a major, and I was the older one. My parents never pushed me because they knew I was the artist. They wanted me to find something I loved like Tessa, but what I loved wasn't practical, so I struggled to commit to anything. I finished my credits at a community college as undecided and still hadn't applied to any universities.
I leaned on the railing that overlooked the lights of the city below. We used to joke that the lights were the stars, because it was always too bright in the valley to see that many in the sky.
Somebody came and stood next to me. Great. I rolled my eyes. I wasn't in the mood to be hit on by some frat boy. Maybe he wouldn't be drunk since this was eighteen and over night. He would more than likely be high, though.
"Do you mind if I stand here? You stole the best viewpoint."
I had to turn to see who was attached to that voice. It was deep and charming and had probably melted the panties off many girls.
I made eye contact and my breath hitched. He was as gorgeous as his voice and he held out his hand.
"Hi, I'm Brandt."
Grady's stepbrother. I was internally kicking myself for avoiding those eyes for three months. My heart immediately ached.
"Hi. Baylor." When I reached for his hand, he took it and brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. His warm breath sent chills racing up my arm.
"You found her!" Tessa shouted with Grady following behind.
"Of course, I did."
They crowded the little viewpoint.
"Don't act like you have some secret FBI powers, Brandt." She spoke to me next. "We showed him a picture."
"Aw." I smiled.
"Wait, you mean you didn't insist on seeing a picture before you met me? You're way braver than me."
"I guess I like living on the wild side." I winked playfully.
All I wanted was for Tessa and Grady to disappear already, but they were glued to our sides for the rest of the night, and my eyes were glued to Brandt's for eternity.
Since Brandt had driven separately, he managed to convince them to let him drive me home. It was hard not to jump up and down, because that was exactly what the stupid, giddy, little girl inside me was doing. I had a couple of boyfriends in school, but nothing serious, and none that made me feel like this. This was different. This was more.
And, on top of it, he drove a really nice car. It kind of made me drool a little.
"You want to drive it?" he asked.
"Ummm, yeah, if you don't mind." I was dying inside. I loved cars. I didn't know why, but driving down a quiet road with the music blasting and the windows rolled down always brought on an overwhelming sense of freedom.
He held the driver's door open, and I hopped inside happily. He laughed as he shut the door. As soon as I saw the stick shift, I frowned. The passenger door opened, and he slid inside and watched me glare at the stick.
"Not a stick driver, huh?" he asked. I shook my head sadly. "Well, I guess we are going to have to change that, aren't we?"
I couldn't hide the fact he had just made my night. "Really? I don't want to break your car. It's so pretty." I petted the leather console separating us.
"Yes, it is quite the beauty, and, yes, I'm sure. You won't break my car. I'm more worried about you breaking my heart."
I blushed. From any other guy that would have been the cheesiest line on the planet, but it sounded so natural coming from those lips. And honest. If he was alluding to me breaking his heart, then he must have at least seen himself with me past tonight, which raised pebbles all over my skin.
"You ready?" he asked.
"Are you?" I responded.
He shot me a seductive smile, revealing his hidden dimples and melting my willpower.
Getting out of the parking lot was a bit tricky and required me learning not only first gear but also reverse. After many tries, we made it out. It was not a smooth start, either, but after we hit the main road, I was doing much better. I had to ditch the heels, so I was driving barefoot. My dress was barely covering my underwear since it was so short, and I caught him staring several times. I liked Brandt. I was willing to go as far as saying I fancied him even a little more than that.
"I don't live that far from here," I commented.
"Do you mind if I keep you out a little later?"
Did I mind? No, I didn't mind. I never wanted to go home again. "Sure. Where are we going?"
"My favorite spot."
He gave me directions up into the rocky hills. I had heard of people going back here, but I had never been here myself. It was a dirt trail, and being a newbie stick-shift driver, I was a little nervous, so we switched seats. The cliffs hugged either side of us, but once we got through the pass, it opened up to a pitch-black sky filled only with stars. No city lights could be mistaken here. It was breathtaking.
He parked off to the side. My heart was racing. I was excited to be here with Brandt, but I was also terrified on the cliff’s edge. I had always been scared of heights.
"Are you scared?" he asked as he placed his hand on mine that was resting on the center console.
"I was." We sat for a few silent seconds. "This place is unbelievable." I looked over at him as he stared out the window. "I bet you bring all the girls here."
"Actually, you're the first."
Yep, I was a goner.
"There. Look. A shooting star." He pointed excitedly.
I caught the end of the blazing trail. "Make a wish."
"It already came true," he replied, squeezing my hand.
I didn't think I ever wanted to let go. His hand just fit so perfectly with mine, like our hands were meant to be together. We were meant to be together. I rolled my head to face him while still resting on the headrest. "I like you, Mr. Brandt."
Instead of answering me, he leaned over the console, causing serious eruptions in my blood, and as he got closer, the anticipation of my first kiss with him had my chest heaving deeply. He reached out and took a lock of hair next to my cheek and stroked it slowly, never losing eye contact. His eyes were a combination of hazel and green, and his lips only inches from mine were a supple red that screamed for mine. His thumb brushed my jawline, causing me to shiver inappropriately, and then he rested his forehead to mine, sucking in a labored breath.
"I'm going to kiss you, if you'll let me." He restrained his whisper.
I couldn't take my eyes off his lips. I managed a barely coherent "uh-huh" to slip out as he let go of my hair, gripping the back of my neck desperately, and grazed his lips on mine. A gasp escaped me.
His lips finally devoured mine and we kissed for hours. He was slow and sweet and was turning out to be the man I had been holding out for all these years. What the future held for us was still unknown, but if it was anything like this moment, it was promising.