Page 4 of Pieces

“Nothing,” I say quickly and tear my gaze away.

“Oh my god.” Her whisper-shout drips with amusement. “You’re staring at a guy. Which one?” She cranes her neck, scanning the crowd.

“Liv, stop it,” I hiss, but it’s too late. Her eyes land on him, only because he’s staring at me again, and a slow grin spreads across her face.

“Him? Oooh, he’s cute,” she says. “Go talk to him.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not? He’s totally giving you the look.”

“What look?” My eyebrows pinch as she wiggles hers.

“The ‘I’d like to know your name and get in your pants’ look.” Liv leans in closer, trying to whisper over the noise. “Give him the signal to come here. You have nothing to lose. You’re single and that boy looks like he’d respectfully take your V-card and ruin you for all future men.”

Eyes widening, I flush, all the heat zoning in on my cheeks. “Olivia! Say it louder why don’t you.”

She laughs. “Oh, please, no one is listening. Besides, you don’t care about being a,” she pauses, looking around and ducking her head closer to me, “virgin anyway, you said so last week. Your exact words were ‘I just want someone to be respectful and give me a night to remember.’ Plus, it’s all about the future and your future has dick in it, angel.”

“Really?” I whisper-shout, while a few people around us snicker into their hands. No one listening, my ass. Liv’s never been one to sugar coat anything; it’s partly why I love her and only sometimes why I dislike her. Like right now, for example.

But the virgin part? She’s not wrong. I’m not holding on to it for any sentimental reason; I just haven’t found the right person yet. Previous boyfriends have all wanted to be with me to get to my dad, thinking he could make their athletic careers take off after high school. It’s been an endless reel of frustrating relationships, especially since all my friends were doing it in high school and the most I got was, ‘Hey, isn’t your dad a coach at Cedar Lakes? Think you could get me in with him?’ as foreplay talk. And that was always a sure-fire way to stay out of my pants.

I’ve done…stuff, and I’m a pro at using my vibrator. For me, it’s not about waiting for ‘the one.’ I don’t buy into that social construct. I just want it to feel right, to trust someone enough that I wouldn’t regret it. Even if that person happens to be a stranger. Sometimes strangers can become the most important people. Especially if they don’t know who my dad is.

When I look over to my mystery hottie again, he’s still singing along to the song, but his eyes are on me. I can’t tell the color from here, but I can’t doubt the intensity in them, and it’s making me sweat.

“Girl, please, you’re both making goo-goo eyes at each other. I’m practically melting just being in the vicinity of those looks he’s giving you.” Liv shoves me again, and I stumble slightly.

Tearing my gaze away, I look at my best friend. “I’m not leaving you. We’ve been looking forward to this for the last year. There’s no way.”

Liv smiles widely as her eyes flick over my shoulder. “Looks like you don’t have to move. Hottie McBigArms is on his way over here.”

My heart leaps into my throat, and I can’t help but sneak a glance over my shoulder. Sure enough, he’s weaving through the crowd, his broad shoulders bolstering past people. The golden stage lights catch on his hair, and I wonder what color it is. Well, he’s walking this way, so I guess I’m about to find out.

“Oh my god,” I mutter, whipping my head back toward Liv. “What do I do?”

“Talk to him,” she says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Her grin is absolutely wicked. “Or, you know, just stand there and let him sweep you off your feet. Either way, you’ve got, like, two seconds to decide.”

Shaking out my hands, I try to steady my racing pulse with a deep breath.

You can do this, Daph, you can talk to insanely hot guys.

Setting my shoulders back, I brace my body to turn, when I smell something fresh, and I already know he’s behind me. H-o-l-y shit does he smell good. Masculine and spicy, and I might melt from his scent alone, right here in the middle of the concert.

“Hi,” he says, leaning down close to my ear, his breath dusting against my skin in the most intoxicating way. The heat of his body envelops me as I look to Liv, my eyes wide, but she’s just grinning.

Turning to face him, I don’t account for how close he is. My chest brushes against his as I crane my neck to look up at him. “Hi,” I manage, a little breathless.

His grin, genuine and disarming, almost knocks me flat. Damn, he’s even prettier up close. That jawline, those eyes that I can now see are hazel... the sheer size of him.

Snapping myself out of it, I take a step back and hold out my hand. “I’m Daphne.”

He takes my hand, almost eclipsing it with his, and pulls me closer, sending my pulse into a frenzy. “Sorry, I can’t hear you. What’s your name?”

“Daphne.” I raise onto my tiptoes to reach his ear.

“Daphne,” he repeats, pulling back slightly, hand still in mine. Hearing him say my name sets a whole charm of hummingbirds off in my chest. Don’t even get me started on that sexy rasp in his voice. Is that always there, or is it because he’s been singing every single song tonight? I don’t know, but I want to find out. “I’m Hudson.”

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