Free Unafraid (Beachwood Bay) by Melody Grace Page A

my mind, Hunter winks, teasing. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe?”
    But who’ll keep me safe from him?
    “Fine.” I agree, not seeing a way to say no without revealing my feelings. Better we’re up there in a tiny carriage than down here on solid earth, surrounded by dark corners to pull him into, and solids walls to get pushed up against… “Let’s do it.”
    The line is short, and soon, Hunter is helping me into the small two-person seat. He chats to the operator for a moment, shaking the guy’s hand, and then settles beside me, pulling the safety rail down into place.
    “ So you were really serious, about the ranch thing,” I say, as the wheel jerks, and then lifts us smoothly into the air. “I saw you, with that horse before... I didn’t know you could do that.”
    “ My grandpa taught me, before he died. I always just had a way with them.” Hunter looks bashful.
    “ So you bought her? The chestnut.” I ask.
    “I couldn’t resist. She’s a beautiful animal.” Hunter nods.
    “She looked kind of wild to me.”
    He nods, but with an affectionate smile. “It’s nothing. They left it too long to break her, so now she’s skittish even taking a lead, but once I’m through working with her, she’ll be good to work, compete, whatever.”
    “ I never pictured you out on a ranch,” I say thoughtfully. “I figured you’d go be a lawyer or doctor or something.”
    Something fancy , I silently add.
    “ You and my parents both.” Hunter laughs shortly, but I can hear a bitter note in his tone.
    “I can imagine,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. “A Covington, up to his elbows in horseshit. At least your brother is doing something respectable, right? He was always the good one.”
    “ Something like that.” Hunter looks out at the view, the fairgrounds slowly getting smaller as we climb higher in the arc. “What about you? I saw your designs, the dresses. You’re really good.”
    I fidget with the teddy bear, awkward. “Thanks.”
    Hunter scooches a couple of inches closer to me, slinging his arm around the back of the seat. “You ever thought about going to design school, or sending your work out to any designers?”
    I shrug. I don’t want to tell him about my stack of rejections, and what a failure I really am. “Maybe, one day.” I say instead, like it’s not my biggest dream. “I like to do my own thing.”
    Hunter chuckles. “ You don’t say.”
    I shrug again, not sure how to take that, but Hunter adds quickly. “It’s a good thing. Most people, they just do whatever anyone else wants. But you always go your own way. I like that about you.”
    I feel myself blush again, and look down. We’re nearing the top of the Ferris wheel’s arc now, the fairgrounds twinkling below us. I force myself to let out a breath of tension, and relax.
    You’re on a date. You’re on a date with Hunter, and you haven’t screwed it up yet.
    I repeat it to myself for reassurance, trying to ignore the fact we’re pretty much alone now. I’ve kept it together so far, I just need to make it to the end of the night without doing anything stupid, and everything will be fine.
    Suddenly, there’s a shudder. The slow movement of the wheel comes to a stop.
    “ What’s happening?” I ask, a note of panic creeping in my voice. I look down at the cars below us, but we’re all suspended, swinging gently in place.
    “ Relax.” Hunter settles back, unconcerned. “Probably just a glitch. They’ll have us down safe in no time.” He casually drops his hand from the back of the booth, and starts stroking soft circles on my bare shoulder.
    The sensation that sparks through me is out of this world. If he’s trying to distract me, it works; suddenly, the frozen wheel is the last thing on my mind, not with the soft sweep of his fingertips sending a delicious ripple of electricity across my skin.
    I shiver with longing.
    “You’re cold.” Hunter notices my shiver. “Damn, I didn’t bring a