As soon as we left the lighthouse, Brooke let out a long, relieved breath. I could tell she felt better away from the ghost.

Her shoulders relaxing, she took off her shoes and ran to the beach.

“What are you doing?” I called, dashing after her. In my mind, I saw the dream. I saw her jumping into the water, laughing at me, driving me crazy.

Spelling me.

“Having fun,” was all she said.

Was she in a trance again? Would she jump into the ocean if I didn’t stop her? “Brooke, wait.”

She stepped on the sand and stopped. Like she had done at the lighthouse, she opened her arms, lifted her chin, and smiled, just enjoying the fresh, salty air. The orange and pink light from the sunset coming from behind us soaked her fair skin, giving her a golden glow.

She really was beautiful.

I felt a faint pull inside my chest. Yeah, yeah, it was her power, I knew that, but it had nothing to do with how I felt right now. It had nothing to do with the urge that assaulted me and made me want to run my hand through her luscious hair, that made me want to reach over and caress her perfect face, that made me want to capture her lips with mine.

Still smiling, Brooke peeked at me from under her lashes, and it was like being punched in the gut. By all that was holy, she had me wrapped around her finger, and I was sure it was without her powers.

Breaking the stare that left me speechless, breathless, Brooke looked down at her feet. She dug her toes into the sand. Shit, the sand was probably cold like ice.

“You’re gonna get sick,” I said, wrapping one of blankets over her shoulders.

“It’s not that cold,” she protested, though she held on to the blanket. “The sand, I mean, feels nice.” She sauntered to the water and dipped her toes in.

I held my breath. Whatever was happening felt too much like an echo from my dream. “Okay, now it has to be cold.”

“Just a little bit.”

I really doubted that.

I looked at the setting sun. It would be dark soon and it was best if she was at the inn by then. If she wanted—and Mrs. Finnygood allowed—I could stay with her for a little while, but I wanted her safe inside before night fell.

Willow Harbor was a nice town, but it was full of supernaturals, and some of them were affected by the night or the moon.

“Come on,” I said, beckoning her to the car. “We should go.”

“Give me a minute more. It’s so nice here.” She stomped on the water, like a kid who was first playing in the ocean. “I missed it.”

I hadn’t thought about that. She had been gone for five years, and yesterday I stopped her from going in the ocean. As a siren, the ocean made her feel better, happier, complete.

I could give her a minute more.

Brooke turned to face me and bit her lower lip. I stared at that mouth, wondering if she knew what it did to me, that she was testing my will.

She kicked the water, sending thick drops all over my pants.

Just like in my dream.

My chest constricted. “What the …” My words of pretend outrage died on my throat when I saw the huge smile on her lips. Like this, with her back to the ocean and the setting sun bathing her face, she looked like a muse from a painting. A model from a photoshoot. An angel in heaven.

My heart squeezed, and I realized once more that the pull I felt toward her, toward her power, was nothing compared to the way I really felt about her.

Which was crazy since I met her only yesterday. Well, technically, I met her five years ago, but only yesterday I started talking and spending time with her and getting to know her.

She kicked the water, and this time the drops landed on my arms and chest.

“Oh, it’s on.” I ran to her but stopped at the edge of the water. Laughing out loud, she advanced farther into the ocean. “That’s not fair.”

“Then come in.”

I snorted. “The water is probably freezing.”

“It isn’t.” A provocative smile sat at her lips. The way she looked at me, like she could touch my soul … I was a goner.

Aware I was out of my mind, I took off my shoes, folded the hem of my pants up, and lunged after her. I let out a loud groan at the contact of the icy water.

“It is freezing!” I yelled.

Brooke laughed, a happy, contagious sound.

I was in the rain, now I was gonna get wet. Groaning, I sprinted after her.

Brooke yelped and ran from me. But my legs were longer and I was faster. I wound my arm around her waist and pulled her back to my chest, lifting her from the water. She yelped and laughed at the same time, a curious sound that had me smiling.

She squirmed, making me drop her, but I didn’t lose my grip on her. I couldn’t help but wonder if my dream had gone on, would I see this? Brooke and I playing in the water? Her smiling and laughing with me? Me falling for her?

In the circle of my arms, she pivoted and looked up at me, smiling wide. Her eyes met mine and I stopped breathing.

She was too close, almost all of her body touching mine, my arm tight against her thin waist, her hands on my upper arms, and her face—her full, pink lips—only a couple of inches below mine.

It would be so, so easy to lean down and—

Brooke took three large steps back. “Sorry,” she whispered, averting her eyes.

As if she had committed a sin, Brooke marched out of the water. She kept going until she was standing by the edge of the sand, right beside her shoes.

My brows curling down, I exited the water, picked up my shoes and socks, and went after her.

“Brooke?”

She kept her back to me. “I’m so sorry.”

“About what?”

Bending down, she grabbed her shoes, then turned to me, her eyes downcast. “I didn’t mean to be so careless.”

I wasn’t following. “What are you talking about?”

She lifted her face and stared at me with a knot in her forehead. “What just happened there?” She pointed to the ocean. “You … I …” She paused, pressed her lips tight. “I didn’t mean to use my powers on you. I’m sorry.”

I blinked. “You think I was under your spell?”

“You were,” she said.

I was sure I hadn’t been spelled by her. If I almost kissed her, it hadn’t been for the fact that she was siren; it had been all on me, on the way I felt attracted to her. Without any spell.

“I wasn’t,” I said.

Her eyes widened. “But then …”

I took a tentative step toward her and did one of the things I had been dying to do. I reached over and ran my fingers down her cheek, over her neck, then down her soft hair. I could see the panic, the surprise in her wide eyes. Though I wanted to kiss her badly, I was afraid of scaring her.

I settled for slipping my hand into hers and holding tight. “Come on.” I tugged on her hand. “We should go.”