Free Pulse 2 (Pulse Series) by Rhea Wilde Page B

more and not just because I didn’t have to watch Cheryl feed Rafael the entire time. It felt like I was actually on vacation.
    I looked around at the other people sitting next to us . They were just as young as us, if not younger. College coeds who looked like they were on an off-schedule spring break. It wasn’t that long ago when I was in college. It reminded me of what I was like just a few months ago. But I wasn’t in college any more. The classes and that lifestyle was something I had to put behind me. Wesley and Travis weren’t two guys I was on vacation with. Instead, they were colleagues. I almost felt out of place among everybody else.
    “ Alice.”
    I shook my head and looked at Wesle y.
    “ So, what do you think?” he asked me.
    “ What?”
    “ You weren’t listening to a word we were saying, were you?”
    “ No. I… I was just thinking. Sorry.”
    “ That’s all right. It’s easy to get lost in a place like this. Travis and I were just figuring out what to do for the rest of the night.”
    “ Oh…”
    I turned away from Wesley and looked out toward the ocean. The waves in the water were hypnotizing. It accentuated an already beautiful night.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “But I’m sure something will come to us.”
    “ Yeah,” Wesley replied. “You’re probably right. To be honest with you, I’d be just fine doing nothing at all and just sitting in the sand.”
    Nothing sounded better than Wesley ’s suggestion. The last thing I wanted to do was be alone with my thoughts. But if I did it tonight, I would at least have the beach there to keep me company.

    Chapter 10
    Sitting on the beach was even more comfortable than standing in it. I dug both of my hands into the sand. I looked down at the trail of fingerprints I left on the ground and smiled at the peace I felt at the moment.
    After enjoying our dinner, we all decided to just relax for the rest of the night on the beach. Everybody seemed to have the same idea and there was more than enough space for all of us. I sat there and watched as Wesley failed miserably at trying to flirt with all of the women who passed by. Travis enjoyed the scene even though it was hard to tell how amused he was exactly. Even though Wesley struck-out with every girl, he didn’t seem too upset about it. All three of us were too caught-up and distracted by the gorgeous scenery.
    “ I think I’m going to go in the water,” Wesley said.
    “ You’re going swimming?” I asked him.
    “ Yeah, why not? You can’t tell me that water doesn’t look inviting.”
    “ It does but… I think I’m just going to relax and let the food settle in my stomach for a moment.”
    “ Right. You don’t want to get any cramps. But if you feel like changing your mind, you know where to find me.”
    Wesley turned and raced toward the water. He screamed the same way a c hild does when he’s chasing after the ice cream man. He splashed into the water and waded around underneath the waves.
    “ How about you?” I asked Travis, who was sitting right across from me. “Are you going to join him?”
    “ I’m a little tired of being attached at his hip, to be honest with you,” he replied. “But I don’t remember a time when I had the chance to swim in the Pacific.”
    “ Well, here’s your chance.”
    “ Right.”
    Travis stood-up then peeled his tank-top off. He tossed it onto the ground and eventually ende d-up in the water. While Travis floated in the water, I saw Wesley making his way toward a couple of girls who were splashing around. I would have joined them if I wasn’t already comfortable.
    I stretched my arms out and fell onto my back. The soft sand aga inst my skin was firm and flexible all at the same time. I looked up at the night sky for a few seconds before closing my eyes. My chest rose and fell to the rhythm of the waves. I once again noticed how much easier it was to breathe out here. Alone with my thoughts, I enjoyed the peace and quiet. But there was