Suspicion At Sea - Amie Nichols Page 0,2

bed and a private bathroom. It's perfect, and totally worth putting up with the crazy lady.

“You should have everything you need, but if you are missing something just ask. You're my only guest so you have my full attention,” she says, standing in the doorway watching me as I lay my purse on the small round table in the sitting room.

“Thank you,” I tell her, going to the French doors and opening them to step out onto the deck. The warm salty air hits me and I breathe in deep. I turn around to go back in the room to ask her about the aliens, my curiosity piqued greatly, but she is gone and the door is shut.

“Okay,” I mumble to myself, looking around the room. There is a safe in the closet and I place my FBI badge, Glock and holster in it. I unpack some of my toiletries and my bag to settle in. It is late afternoon, and after my flight from DC then my drive, I'm spent.

I change into some jean shorts and a light tee. The stuffy gray pant suit that I wear to work is not vacation attire. The deck is multilevel with a lounge chair on the lower section. I grab my sunglasses and walk down the wooden steps. Standing at the railing I take in the breathtaking view. There are people on the beach, but not many. A sidewalk runs the length between the house and the sand. To the left of my position, I see the path leads to a row of docks, the boats docked there are fancy, more like yachts. In my research of the island, the side I'm on is the touristy ‘rich’ side. There's a row of shops, a few fancier restaurants, and a bar. The middle of the island has a grocery store, the department store, post office, etc. Then on the other side of the island are the fishing boats, warehouses, bait shops, and such. Houses are scattered about all over. I plan to explore this whole island during my trip.

I'm just about to sit on the lounger when something catches my eye; I mean someone catches my eye. It's a man running barefoot on the sand at the water's edge. Now this doesn't happen to me. I don't notice men like this. I wouldn't say I'm a super model, but I know I'm attractive. I have dark skin because my father was black and my mother was white. I got a mixture of them, having what some call the perfect golden brown caramel skin, with dark brown hair and eyes. And when you're in the FBI you have no choice but to keep in shape, so I have a tight body.

I get hit on all the time by attractive men. Being used to the eyes of men on me since I hit puberty has made me very good at ignoring them most of the time.

So I'm a little shocked at myself as I can't take my gaze off him as he runs with ease in the sand. His tanned, wet with sweat skin glistens in the sun. He's far enough away that I can stare without being noticed. Just as he passes the B&B, he slows and stops. As if sensing he is being watched, he turns his head my way.

I don't look away as I'm caught red-handed staring at him and a smile crosses his lips. I actually feel my heart flutter and sit in a hurry on the lounger, out of view because of the railing.

What the fuck was that, Ellie?

I've never had a reaction like that in my life. After a few minutes, I stretch my neck so I can peek over the railing. He's gone. I look up and down the stretch of beach and see no sign of him. Taking a deep breath and shaking it off, I lie back on the lounger and doze off with the warmth of the sun on my skin.

Chapter 3

Justin

I still have a huge smile on my face from the stunning, beautiful tourist staying at Esther's B&B who was checking me out. I felt her eyes on me and heat burning my skin before I even knew she was looking at me.

Climbing aboard my boat, and home, I grab a towel to wipe the sweat from my face. I usually jog in the morning, but today I volunteered at Orr's Island's YMCA, teaching CPR and basic life saving techniques. Ever since I left