Free Pulse 2 (Pulse Series) by Rhea Wilde

sentiments. Even though it was over, I still found myself alone with my thoughts and nothing better to do. Now it was just a matter of figuring out what was next.
    “All right,” Wesley said as he worked a smile onto his face. “It’s time to do it. Finally.”
    “ Do it?”
    “ Yeah. Let’s go hit the beach. I can’t wait to get into the water.”
    “ But it’s already late.”
    “ What does that matter? There are people still out there. The water is calling out to us. The weather is still warm. We’re not back home, Alice. The beach doesn’t close like a club or a bar.”
    “ Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
    “ I know I’m right. Besides, I hear there are some things going on out there. Non-Business Conference things. It should be fun. We have the agenda for everything. If our boss wants to scold us, he can do it in the morning.”
    “ Speaking of our boss, have either of you seen him?”
    I asked them ab out Rafael’s whereabouts, curious to know if they had any clue what he was up to at this moment. They both shook their heads and shrugged.
    “ I haven’t seen him since last night,” Wesley said. “He spent the entire time with Cheryl. He seems to know a lot of people around here.”
    “ He does,” Travis added. “I’d just assume he was getting his work done.”
    They didn ’t have the answers I was looking for. I felt more uneasy thinking about what he could be up to or who he was with at this moment.
    “ Forget about him though,” Wesley interjected my moment to myself. “If he wants to talk to us, he’ll find us out on the beach. What do you say, Alice? Meet us down here in thirty minutes?”
    Wesley ’s enthusiasm was infectious. His body was almost shaking with anticipation of finally getting to enjoy the surf and sand. He was so eager to get out there that I couldn’t refuse.
    “ Okay,” I said. “I’ll change into something more appropriate and be back.”
    “ Great! Come on, Travis. You need to go, too. I need someone to stand next to so I look better in comparison.”
    Wesley raced toward the elevator and headed toward his room. Travis rolled his eyes then headed back to his own room.
    When I got to my room, I sorted through my things. My luggage wasn’t completely unpacked as I was too lazy to take everything out. I stripped out of the pair of slacks and dress shirt I sat around in all day then fingered through all of the swimsuits I just purchased with Danica. One of them was a tiny and revealing black thong bikini. I held it up in the air and examined it for a moment.
    “ Maybe they won’t notice,” I said to myself. “It is kind of dark out there…”
    I shook my head and began to laugh before tossing the skimpy swimsuit t o the side. I put on a more comfortable bikini and hopped into a small pair of shorts. A pair of flip-flops replaced the heels I usually wore then headed out to the beach for my first time on Hawaiian sand.
     
    * * *
     
    It only took a single step into the sand to decide that was enough. I pulled my feet free from my flip-flops and held them in my hand. The feeling of my toes digging into the sand was indescribable. I closed my eyes and took everything in. The smell of the salt water cleared all of the smog from the city that had built-up in my lungs. The sound of the waves crashing was a gentle beat better than anything I could hear on the radio. The night breeze was warm and relaxing as it blew against my skin. Seeing the beach was one thing. Feeling it was a completely different experience. From my head to my toes, I truly felt like I was so far away from home. And right now, there was no place I would rather be.
    “ Man, I’m going to move out here,” Wesley said, the enthusiasm in his voice louder than ever. “I’m going to fucking do it. I can’t leave this place.”
    I opened my eyes and saw him holding his arms out to his sides. He spun around in the sand and began to attract the attention of some of the beachgoers. I started