Free Beyond the Sea by Emily Goodwin Page A

gymnasium filled with children?” he asked.
    “She takes Tae Bo lessons there.” Peter shoved food in his mouth. Peter wasn’t a good liar either. “With Jamie Forester.”
    “Nikki Forester’s girl? Oh, she’s a nice girl. A bit odd, though she doesn’t do anything stupid like party,” Sue stated and picked up her glass of wine. And that was all that was said about Melia.

    *

    Peter could hardly concentrate on his homework. He couldn’t get Melia out of his mind. The way her dress hung on her body, the way her sequin eyes sparkled, the way she smelled…Peter was intoxicated. He liked how she ordered an extra scoop of ice cream and ate it all. She was different than the stuck up girls he usually associated with. She seemed compassionate and caring, not selfish or materialistic in any way. That surprised him the most, a girl with a millionaire father, not preoccupied with the finer things in life.
    He couldn’t tell if she had fun. She eagerly talked to him, always paying attention and laughing when he tried to joke. She reminded him of a kitten, easily distracted by anything around her. She was curious about everything, and simple things seemed to entertain her. He went over their conversation in his head, dissecting every part to decipher what she could have meant.
    After wasting half an hour, Peter stopped himself.
    “Get a grip,” he said aloud, shaking his head. Peter didn’t like that a girl he’d hung out with twice had this effect on him. It has to be because she is the hottest girl I’ve ever met , he thought. And she was. Peter pleasantly remembered Melia in her wet dress Saturday night. The soaked, thin material clung to her breasts, transparent enough to make him happy.

 
    -Chapter 4-

    “Do you feel like we’re being watched?” Melia peered out at the ocean.
    Jamie followed her gaze. “For the second time, no.”
    “Ok, I guess it’s nothing then.” She frowned but turned back to Jamie.
    “So, tell me everything!”
    “We picked up his little brother and sister. They are really cute! You know I love kids and can’t wait to have my own!”
    “You didn’t tell him that, did you?”
    “No, I paid attention during your ‘human boys’ feelings on children’ talk.”
    “Good. Continue.”
    “Well, after he saw them inside, we got back in the car. He opened the door for me!”
    “Awwhhh,” Jamie swooned.
    “He had me listen to the music he likes, alternative I think he called it. It wasn’t very pretty but the words were ok.”
    “Lyrics,” Jamie corrected.
    “Thanks. We went to that ice cream place that has the pink and yellow umbrellas. We got the ice cream, and yes—he paid!”
    “See, I told you it would be a date!”
    “We sat outside and talked about people at school and the storm. And he asked me if I had plans this weekend.”
    “I hope you said you didn’t.”
    “No,” Melia said, completely serious. “I told him we were going faery hunting in the woods.”
    “What?!”
    “I’m joking!” she laughed.
    Jamie swatted her arm. “I believed you! So, did he kiss you?”
    Melia shook her head. “I think he wanted to. I had the fish in my stomach when he walked me to the door.”
    “He walked you to the door? That’s so—wait, fish?”
    “You called them butterflies, but I think they feel like fish.” She walked over to Wolfy, who was sleeping on his dog bed on the balcony. “This doggie here was barking, so I couldn’t really hear what Peter was saying. I remember telling him that I’d see him at school.”
    Jamie squeaked. “I think he really likes you!”
    “I hope so, because I—I think I like him.”
    After Jamie left for the night, Melia took Wolfy down to the shore. The feeling of eyes on her was stronger and Peter’s words, “it’s probably not safe for a girl as pretty as you to be out alone at night” echoed in her mind. Where was this feeling coming from? Behind her? She whirled around. She didn’t see anything.
    “What about you,