Chapter 7

And I can't explain
Last night I saw the fireworks
The kind of pain that never hurts
The one you hate to love is made for you

Stephanie spotted him straight away. It was his unmistakable blonde hair she recognised first; that and the crazy fluttering in her chest that she seemed to develop whenever he got within fifty feet of her.

Paul was sitting on a sand dune, his thick forearm resting on his bent knee that was drawn to his chest. He was looking out at the ocean and his expression looked soft in the impending sunset with the orange and pink coloured hues emphasising his beautiful face. His long strands blew in the balmy evening breeze and in that moment, Stephanie allowed herself to take him in and admire him. She allowed herself to briefly surrender to the growing feelings she was developing for this man. It was feelings she could no longer control no matter how hard she tried to tell herself that this was wrong and completely impossible. After all, nothing could happen between them. She was married and to his father for goodness sakes. She also had her mother to think about. What she felt in her heart wasn't an option to her despite everything inside her wanting this.

God, Paul had only been in her life for such a short time yet somehow it was probably going to take her a lifetime to get over him.

And as crazy as that sounded, Stephanie knew it was the truth. Never in her life had she felt this way before. It was if Paul had flicked this switch inside her and suddenly she had come alive. All these feelings and emotions that had lain dormant for so long had come rushing at her so fast she was struggling to catch her breath. She was also struggling to make sense of it all but yet she couldn't stay away. She couldn't keep her distance from the man she knew she was falling deeply for. Yet somehow she would have to.

Letting out a slow breath, Stephanie began to cross the beach, the toe of her sneakers kicking at the sand and lightly spraying it in front of her. Her hand lifted to push back her wayward hair from her face as she quietly approached Paul. She was slightly hesitant to disturb him yet unable to leave without at least saying hello. It was only polite after all even although deep down she knew it was only a convenient excuse. The truth was she couldn't stay away and as dangerous as she knew that to be, she couldn't help herself. She needed to be close to Paul. He was quickly becoming a drug she hungrily craved.

Hooking her thumbs awkwardly over the cuffs of her red wool cardigan, Stephanie stopped just in front of him, the rushing waves of the shore disguising the beat of her heart. Paul hadn't noticed her yet and his brown eyes were focused on a group of people just in front of him. It was a family with two young children and ignoring the pang in her chest at the sight of the infants, she cleared her throat to get his attention.

Paul's head turned and his eyes widened, caught by surprise to see her standing there. In that moment she swore she saw his expression soften a little before a faint frown furrowed in his brow and the cocky smirk she had come to know so well crossed his curious face making her knees lightly tremble.

"Are you stalking me or something?"

Stephanie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his comment as her foot kicked at the sand and she took a step closer, pressing her lips together in a sarcastic smile. "In your dreams, Levesque."

"Only every night, baby." he replied, his smirk widening.

As Paul winked at her, she ignored the fluttering in her stomach at the possibility he was flirting with her and she tossed back her head, glaring at him and pretending to completely offended by his remark while inside she felt a rush of heat through her body.

"You know you're disgusting." she said.

"And yet here you are stalking me."

Stephanie narrowed her annoyed blue eyes in his direction. "I thought we already established that I am most definitely not stalking you."

Paul licked his lips raking his hands through his windswept blonde hair as he shifted his foot in the sand. "Then what are you doing here?"

"Well in case it's escaped your notice, this is a public beach. I was taking a walk." she told him matter-of-factly.

"So keep walking."

Stephanie ignored him sitting down on the sand next to him, brushing the tiny grains from her bare legs and Paul rolled his eyes dryly.

"Or sit down, why don't you."

"Well you know what they say, misery loves company." she replied straightening her legs out and flicking her hair over her shoulder.

The faint scent of her perfume carried in the salty breeze and Paul swallowed thickly trying his best not to notice how good she smelled or how her short denim skirt sat high on her thighs revealing the soft milky skin. It was skin he was suddenly desperate to touch and clenching his fingers tightly together in case they betrayed him, he sniffed and reluctantly turned his attention back to the ocean.

"I'm not miserable." he said as he stared ahead unaware that Stephanie was watching him, her hair blowing in the breeze.

"Please. You've got a face like a wet weekend and you're scaring off the kids with that brooding scowl of yours."

Shaking his head in mild amusement at her retort, Paul shifted in the sand, glancing at her. "And what are the chances of it scaring you off?"

"I would say minimal to none."

Stephanie rolled her lips together as she paused and her big blue eyes sparkled back at him, the colour reminding him of the sea and making his throat dry.

"Actually I reckon your bark is worse than your bite." she smirked.

Paul's face flickered with his amusement. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

His brown eyes looked into hers and feeling herself beginning to get lost in them, Stephanie deliberately drew herself away, looking over in the direction of the rocks where the waves crashed angrily against them. Exhaling slowly, she tried to regain her composure as she closed her cardigan over her chest.

"So you missed dinner." she said softly.

"Yeah, well I wasn't hungry."

Stephanie's expression was soft when she finally turned to look at Paul, knowing the real reason for his absence. It was the same reason why she was out here briefly escaping that house and the man inside. The air had felt stifled with him around so the minute her mother had fallen asleep, she'd taken the opportunity to breathe again and to clear her head. It looked like Paul had the same idea but she was a little reluctant to broach the subject of John. She saw how badly his father had affected him plus there was the fact they barely knew one another. In fact, sometimes it seemed like Paul could hardly stand to be in the same room as her but despite that, she wanted to be there for him. She didn't know why but Paul's sadness made her want to reach out to him. But she couldn't show him that, not in the way she wanted to. Things just weren't that way between them. They couldn't be.

Sighing softly, she tucked her brown strands behind her ear.

"Tell the truth. You just didn't want to sample my burnt offerings." she said jokingly and was met with Paul's amused snort.

"You burned dinner?"

She shook her head ignoring the way his grin made her heart melt. "Why did I know you would take great pleasure in that?"

"Well your misfortunes are a constant source of amusement to me."

She pretended to glare back at him as his laughter carried in the wind.

"Anyway your father was less than impressed." she told him as her fingers toyed with the sand beside her.

She immediately noticed Paul's smile fade and downturn into an angry frown, his whole demeanour shifting at the mention of John.

"Let me guess. He snorted in disgust and after making it perfectly clear how disappointed he was with your less than stellar talents in the kitchen, he retired to the study with the explicit instruction that he wasn't to be disturbed."

Stephanie raised her brow in surprise. "Sounds like you've been there before."

"More times than I would even want to mention. My father can be an evil old bastard."

Chewing down on her lip thoughtfully, she decided to take the opportunity now the subject of John was out in the open. Shifting on the sand, she licked her lips tasting the berry taste of her lip gloss.

"I sensed you and John don't exactly get along."

The black glare in his angry brown eyes made her breath catch in her throat as he snapped back at her.

"I don't want to talk about it."

His deep tone matched his menacing build as he stood up from the sand and got to his feet. Stephanie silently cursed herself for bringing the subject up and as she watched his massive frame disappear into the sunset, she smacked the sand in annoyance and let out a loud, surprised scream when she felt the pain.

Biting down on her lip and lifting her palm, she saw the crimson trail of blood trickling towards her wrist.

As she bent closer, inspecting the cut, she felt his presence above her casting her in a dark shadow as Paul momentarily blocked out the sun.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She slowly nodded her head somewhat touched by the obvious concern in his deep tone. "There must have been glass in the sand. I've cut my hand."

"Here, let me take a look."

Paul knelt down in the sand in front of her. As his warm fingers wrapped around her forearm, Stephanie swallowed thickly feeling the delicious tingle at his touch making her forget about the throbbing in her hand. Her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly raised her head and her blue eyes settled on his face, mesmerised by him as he inspected her palm.

"It's pretty nasty but it doesn't look too deep. We'll need to get it cleaned up though. You don't want an infection."

As Paul reached into his pocket with his left hand, he tilted his head in her direction and his brow crinkled with his curiosity as he looked at her through his blonde strands.

"What?" he asked.

Realising she must have made it completely obvious she was staring, Stephanie gave him a smile and quickly looked down before he could see her flushed expression.

"Nothing. You just sound pretty experienced with cuts, that's all." she said as she glanced once more at her palm.

"Well I do know first aid."

Stephanie lifted her head to watch Paul pull a clean white cotton handkerchief from his pocket and raising her brow in surprise, he chuckled in embarrassment, shaking his head.

"My Mom always made me carry one. I guess I just never got out of the habit."

His soft hand took hers in his and Stephanie felt the blood beat in her ears as his finger lightly caressed her knuckles before he slid the handkerchief over them. His hands were so big yet his touch so gentle. She could also smell his cologne and she breathed him in as he took the end of the material and lightly dabbed at the cut, cleaning it and staining the cotton red.

"You're pretty good at this." she said admiringly.

Paul glanced up at her lifting his shoulder in a shrug. "It comes with the job."

"Oh yeah and what kind of job is that?"

As his fingers lightly knotted the two ends together it applied pressure and Stephanie's face flickered with the pain.

"Ouch!"

"I'm sorry. Here. Elevate your hand."

He lifted her hand into a vertical position as he adjusted the handkerchief on her hand, his fingertips lightly tracing her skin and making her catch her breath once more.

"If you must know, I'm a paramedic."

Her blue eyes instantly widened. "Really?"

"Try not to sound so surprised." he chuckled as he knelt back in the sand and Stephanie's skin felt cold as his fingers fell away. She instinctively wrapped her own hand there, trying to seek out his touch while she offered Paul a grateful smile suddenly desperate to find out more about the man who was slowly but surely creeping into her heart.

"So why a paramedic? You always wanted to save lives?"

His smile seemed almost melancholy as he nodded his head. "Something like that."

"So how long have you been doing it?"

"What? Saving lives?"

Stephanie nodded.

"It's been about nine years now."

Just then there was a playful scream from the ocean and briefly turning his head, Paul watched over for a moment before looking back at her and smiling.

"Let's get you back to the house and fixed up."

His tone was surprisingly gentle as he got to his feet and lightly gripping her arm, he helped Stephanie to hers. As she steadied herself, she met those incredible brown eyes and she was absently aware of the sound of the ocean as she looked into them. Suddenly she felt herself falling into them and before she could think, before she was even aware of what she was doing, she reached up and curled her good hand around his face, her heart pounding in her chest as she brushed her lips over his cheek.

"Thank you." she breathed into his ear.

Her lips lingered there for a second reluctant to move away. Her whole body was tingling and every fibre of her being wanted to kiss him right now. She ran her tongue across her bottom lip subconsciously as she imagined what it would feel like. God, Paul was so close. She could feel his warm breath dancing across her skin. All it would take was for her to move just a fraction closer. How she wished she had the courage just to capture his mouth with hers. To not think of the danger and kiss him deeply and show him just how much she cared for him. She couldn't deny it, not any more.

Stephanie's head moved closer, her nose nuzzling against his cheek. Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breathing as she inhaled the clean smell of his hair.

"Stephanie." whispered Paul. His face turned a fraction towards her. His mouth was practically touching hers and for a second she forgot to breathe. Everything around them seemed to disappear as his lips caressed hers so, so softly and she melted into him as Paul began to kiss her.