Fall For Me by Melanie Marks Read Free Book Online Page B

well, come to think of it, since my dad died, Finn and I hadn’t been alone much. Or “dated” much. I liked having my family near me these days. Had Finn complained to Riley about that? Suddenly, I had the sinking feeling he did.
    But maybe that wasn’t it.
    Maybe it was just Riley’s way of asking me to get lost, so he could hang out with the kids but still get lucky later with Ava. Only, I was at the fair for the kids—that’s the only reason I came again, since we’d just been here a couple days ago. But the kids wanted to hang out with Riley, and Riley couldn’t hang out with me … it seemed.
    So, Riley got his way, that day.
    But …
    A few days later was a bright, beautiful Saturday. So, of course, Justin and Jillian wanted me to take them to the beach. I called Finn, practically begging him to come with us.
    “Zoey, I can’t,” he said, sounding out of it. “I’m so beat. Last night I didn’t get home from the fund-raiser at the pool until after two, and I have to work this afternoon at one. I just want to sleep.”
    “Okay,” I said, trying to be a good girlfriend, understanding and all that.
    “Have fun, though.” Finn yawned, then added, “Park at Riley’s. You’re not going to find a spot anywhere else—not on a day like this.”
    That’s what I was afraid of. Still, I drove around a long time looking for a parking spot before I finally gave up and parked at Riley’s. Ava’s car was in his driveway where his dad usually parked, so I knew she was there. I made the kids promise not to knock at Riley’s door or make ourselves known or anything. Only, once we were settled into our spot on the beach, a thunderstorm came from out of nowhere and it was suddenly pouring.
    And as we were running for the car, Jillian said she had to go to the bathroom, right that second. So, with no other choice, we knocked on Riley’s door.
    He didn’t exactly look thrilled to see us. He muttered under his breath, “You’re killing me, Jones.”
    I sighed, wary to tell him, “I’m so sorry to bother you—really—but Jillian needs to use the restroom.”
    “Oh,” he said, opening the door for her, like Of course, by all means, come in .
    Jillian padded off to the bathroom, Ava scowling after her from the hallway.
    “She has to use the bathroom,” Riley explained.
    Ava didn’t stop scowling. Witch.
    “We were at the beach, but it started pouring,” Justin told Riley. “Can we use your hot tub?”
    “Justin!” I scolded, having warned him time and time again this afternoon not to dare ask.
    “Sure, you can use the hot tub,” Riley said, and when Ava shot him a dirty look he said, “What? It’s pouring.”
    The kids gleefully piled into the hot tub and it was my cue to politely leave—with the excuse of shopping to do—only I heard Ava whine to Riley that the kids were “ always around.”
    So, instead of leaving, suddenly I decided to stay. Defiantly, I took off my cover-up.
    Normally around Riley (and all of Finn’s friends, actually), I wore my cover-up, always—just cuz. So Riley never saw me in my bathing suit—until now. I watched him look away from Ava, his eyes suddenly glued to me.
    “Riley, come get in with us!” the kids shouted.
    “Either they go, or I go,” Ava said through gritted teeth.
    Still feeling Riley’s eyes on me, I stepped into the hot tub.
    “I can’t make them leave,” Riley said.
    “Fine. Then I’m going.”
    Riley and I watched her storm out of the house, not saying a word. Then silently Riley looked at me again, his eyes all hungry and I-want-you . It had my heart fluttering and my stomach dancing and suddenly, I was feeling as though I wanted to use my Free Pass. Really bad.
    I mean, Finn’s words still said he loved me these days—they did—but his eyes seemed to say otherwise. His actions too.
    But Riley’s eyes, they had that spark in them now as he gazed at me. That spark I had talked about earlier—the one he had for Ava. And his