Read Online Unafraid (Beachwood Bay) by Melody Grace - Free Book Online Page B

my stomach is tied up in knots and my heartbeat skips from the nearness of him, he still finds some way to put me at ease at the same time; my insecurity over not dating now just a memory as he slings an arm around my shoulder and steers me through the crowd.
    “ OK, the way I see it, a good date is like an extreme sport.” Hunter begins, looking deadly serious.
    I giggle, silently thrilling at the touch of his body close to mine. He smells of soap and sweat and horses from his time in the paddock, and the scent is unfamiliar. Intoxicating.
    “ What, you could die at any moment?” I reply, wondering where he’s going with this.
    “ With you, only of happiness,” Hunter quips.
    I groan, shoving at him playfully.
    Hunter laughs, pulling me back in. “No, seriously though, dating. You’ve got to be prepared. And I’m not thinking of that ,” he adds quickly, “Although I was captain of my Boy Scout troop, so I’m ready for anything.” He winks, and I can’t help but giggle. Other guys would sound sleazy. Like they’re assuming stuff about me, but to Hunter, it’s all part of his easy charm.
    “I’m talking about planning. Options.” he continues. “Like here, for example: I don’t know much about you yet, so I had to make sure there’d be something you liked. Maybe you’re a stroll around chatting kind of girl, or maybe you like to cheat death on the rides, or stuff your pretty face with junk food. Scratch that, you definitely like the junk food.”
    “ Hey!”
    “ You’re right, I’m sorry, I should have said, stuff your beautiful face.” Hunter corrects himself. I roll my eyes. “ Point is, all options are open.” Hunter gestures, like this entire fair has been staged for me. “Whatever you want to do.”
    Looking at him, the way he’s put so much thought into what I might like, what I want is to drag him behind the nearest stand and kiss him until there’s nothing else in the world, but part of me is curious. What’s it like, to do this––date, be normal––with a man like him?
    “ All of it.” I decide. If this is my one glimpse of perfect, then I’m going to make the most of it. “Walking, and rides, and all the junk food. I want to try everything.”
    “ As you wish.” Hunter winks.
    “ The Princess Bride !” I exclaim, surprised. “That’s one of my favorite movies.”
    “ Really?” Hunter gives me a thoughtful look. “See, I’m learning new things about you already.”
    “ You don’t know anything.” I point out.
    “ A tragedy which I’m doing my best to rectify.” Hunter drops his arm from around my shoulder, but before I can feel disappointment, he takes my hand instead, and tugs me gently in the direction of a rickety Tilt-a-Whirl. I feel a shiver, a bolt of lightning running up my arm from where our fingers are intertwined. “Come on, you can hold on tight and tell me what you’ve been doing your whole life.”
    “ That could take a while,” I point out, still holding fast to my sarcasm in the face of all Hunter’s charm.
    But even that’s no defense when Hunter flashes me a smile that takes my breath away.
    “ Baby, I got all night.”

 
     
    We stroll the fairgrounds until sunset, and, as promised, Hunter does everything he can to make this the ultimate date. We try out rides, eat hot dogs, watch prize ribbons get awarded to pies and piglets alike. I know I shouldn’t let myself be fooled by all this innocent fun, but slowly, I feel my defenses slip. I let the laughter and crowds wash over me, sinking into the simple joy of the moment and Hunter’s fingers twisted casually in mine.
    Is this what it’s like? I wonder. For normal girls, like that blonde Trey ditched me to marry. For the first time, I’m walking in their shoes, and the simple, safe, happiness of it is almost overwhelming. Do they get to feel this way all the time, like the center of the universe, and not some lazy afterthought?
    Imagine how different like would be with someone