THE FIFTH WITNESS

HARBOR ILLUSION

Life at the Seaside Harbor was everything I needed and then some. A quaint community where nobody asked questions and you could come and go as you please. This life was suited for Amanda Collins and I was loving every moment of

With my canvas bag bouncing against my hip and the early sun creating golden lines over the crosswalk, I hurried to the post office to pick up a check that I would cash at the harbor for a small price.

We collided in the center of the crossroad because I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice the man getting off the sidewalk.

"I'm so sorry!" I said hurriedly as my backpack flew, strewing drawing pads and pencils all over the sidewalk. I began to pick up my things without looking up.

"No harm done, here, let me help you,” his voice was warm with a hint of amusement. But when I looked up, my breath caught in my throat.

I was met with the most stunning gray eyes I had ever seen.

"You're an artist," he remarked, passing me a sketch pad. I cleared my throat and took it.

"Graphic designer, actually. I'm Amanda" I introduced myself as soon as we were off the road.

"Paul." He held one of my pencils while he stood elegantly. "Paul Wright. I don't believe I've ever seen you around the harbor."

"I keep a pretty low profile." I said to him, my tone unconsciously defensive. Paul's smile in response.

"Astute policy in such a setting. If you're not used to small communities, you may find them overpowering. Are you settling in okay?” Paul said to me as he handed me the rest of my supplies, his fingers touched mine.

I felt my cheeks redden but I answered,

"Getting there, it's quiet, I like it.”

"Quiet can be good." Paul said to me.I should have been worried by the intensity with which Paul's gray eyes examined my face, but I wasn't.

"But it can also be lonely." I blinked up at him but the trance was broken when we were both pushed out of the way by other pedestrians that wanted to use the crossroad.

An awkward chuckle and then we both headed towards where Paul gestured which was coincidentally the way to the post office.

The silence between us was easy and comforting with our hands occasionally brushing against each other.

"Well, Amanda the graphic designer, I'm hoping to run into you around town. And I swear to keep an eye on my whereabouts the next time." Paul said as we arrived at the post office.

"I'll try to do the same. How did you know that this was my stop?" I asked him with a smile even though I wanted to know the answer.

“You had mail in your purse,” Paul said to me with a smile that made my heart skip a beat.

“Fair enough, thank you for the company,” I said to him as I closed the door of the post office behind me, my cheeks were on fire!

While Rory Bennett thought of this as a carefully laid out trap, Amanda Collins was steadily developing a crush on this stranger.

In the weeks that followed, I started to see Paul Wright everywhere. On Tuesday morning he was at my favorite coffee spot, on Thursday I saw him across the street from my supply store and on Sunday I came down to the bakery to find him ordering breakfast.

“Are you stalking me?” I asked him with a face void of expression and Paul looked genuinely alarmed at my question.

“I always get my Sunday breakfast here, what about you? I have seen you at too many places this week alone,” Paul said to me but now his smile was back and I found myself laughing.

“Well, I live here,” I said to him and gestured towards the staircase. His eyes widened in realization.

“That explains a lot, I guess I am the stalker in this situation,” Paul said and I rolled my eyes before placing my order and paying with cash.

“Do you want to have lunch together later today? I feel like we should settle down and explore this attraction between us," Paul said to me and I felt my mouth go dry at his directness.

“I'll like that,” I said to him, I felt my cheeks redden under his intense gaze.

“Great, it's a date, I'll come by around noon, wear something comfortable,” Paul said to me with a wink before he took his order and left the cafe, leaving me feeling like a school girl with her crush.

Lunch became breakfast in the morning before work and soon random dinners joined in our plans.

What started as casual hangouts turned into me hanging out at his construction job and him watching me work on my computer. Then one evening with the sea to our backs, Paul pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply on the lips.

“Jeez! I've been wanting to do this since the first time I met you!” Paul breathed those words against my lips when he broke the kiss. I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck and taking his lips with mine.

It didn't take time for the kiss to turn heady and Paul's hands disappeared under my shirt. His touch was electrifying and exactly what I needed at that moment.

“Your house or mine?” Paul asked me but my mind was too foggy to give him an answer.

“I don't care!” I moaned out as I took his lips with mine and wrapped my leg around his waist when his hand grabbed my butt.

When Paul finally rolled off me in the motel that we found along the shore line, I was beaming from ear to ear as I tried to catch my breath.

As Paul pulled me into his arms my eyes caught a drawing on the ‘V’ of his body that had my blood running cold.

It was a tattoo of the Blackwood crest.