“Oh, I believe you started it.”

“Great. He’ll kill me.”

Claudia laughed, coming to a stop outside her door. Her laughter melted into a smile. “Thanks for making me feel better.”

“You’re my family. I hurt when you hurt.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Dude!” She shook her head as she unlocked her door. “This mascara is not waterproof!”

The door slammed shut in my face and I burst out laughing. “Good night, then!” I moved slowly to unlock my own door.

Once inside, I felt the butterflies come back to me with a vengeance. Fighting through the nerves, I hurried to set up my laptop on my desk, plugging into the hardline Internet connection. My Skype page opened and I sat on the narrow bed in front of my desk to wait.

Eight years ago I earned the nickname “Supergirl” from my entire town. When the people of Lanton, Indiana, heard the name Charlotte Redford, that’s the first word that popped into their heads. However, I’ve never felt as brave as people tell me I am. I certainly didn’t feel brave as I waited to face my kryptonite—my parents.

There was nothing I hated more than disappointing Jim and Delia Redford. My parents had always been loving and supportive, and my sister Andie and I almost felt like we owed it to them to be good, obliging kids. But my mom and dad hated the idea of me becoming a cop from the moment I mentioned it to them. I think they might’ve been okay with it if they thought I had any intention of settling for a deputy job in Lanton. There wasn’t a whole lot of crime in my hometown. But nope. They knew I had every intention of hightailing it to the Chicago Police Academy in the hope that I would one day join the illustrious ranks of the Chicago PD. My sister’s fiancé, Rick, happened to be a detective in the city. And I wanted to specialize—possibly work the homicide division—so I understood their reservations, their desire for me to go to law school instead.

It was Jake who pushed me to realize I was sick of compromising for them…

Four days ago

“Is it possible to die of sex exhaustion?” I panted, collapsing in a sprawl across Jake’s sweat-dampened chest.

He lazily stroked my spine. “I’m thinking yes.”

“That was…” I groaned at the feel of him inside me.

“Mind-blowing?” he offered with a suspicious amount of smugness. “Told you it would be.”

I bit his shoulder gently. “Cocky.”

“I dare you to leave teeth marks.” Jake cupped my ass. “I’d love explaining it to people.”

“What people?” I mumbled. “You’re inside the only person who should be seeing you shirtless, mister.”

He chuckled and I burrowed deeper against the sound in his throat. “The guys and I don’t really care about walking around the apartment shirtless.”

Despite my exhaustion, I found the energy to jerk away from him, my hands pressed to his chest as I scowled down at him. “In other words, you’d love to explain those marks to Lowe.”

Inured to my glower, Jake tucked my long hair behind my ear before following the wavy strand of platinum down over my breast. “It would make a point.”

“A point he is well aware of. The traitor dumped me in your hands last night.”

Jake offered me an unrepentant grin. “That’s true.”

Before I could respond, he took me by surprise, wrapping his arms tightly around me as he sat up. Our lips almost brushed as he brought us chest to chest. Sensing I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, I shifted off my knees and wrapped my legs around his waist. Jake’s eyes darkened with the movement.

“No way,” I said. “You can’t possibly…”

“Not yet.” He crushed me against him, whispering the words across my mouth. “Anyway, we have stuff to talk about.”

I instantly wanted to pull away but Jake cupped his hand around my nape, forcing me to look at him. I jerked against his hold.

“Good, we’ll start with that,” he muttered darkly. “Why do you keep pulling away from me?”

“I told you I don’t like it when you hold me by the neck. It’s not a big deal.” It was so a big deal. And Jake knew it was. He just didn’t know why.

The truth was he used to hold me like that when he wanted my entire focus. It was kind of intense and more than kind of sexual, and I thought it was something he just did with me. However, I’d once witnessed him holding his ex-girlfriend Melissa in the same way, and as stupid as I knew it was, it bothered me. A lot.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Next question,” I sighed, tugging his hand off my neck.

Jake didn’t look happy but he relented. “When are you thinking about telling your parents about us?”

“Well,” I wriggled on him with a cheeky grin, “I was thinking we should uncover the plot of some evil mastermind and you can save the world first. There’s no way they won’t be happy for us after that. It would be petty.”

Kneading the muscles in my lower back, he said, “I’m trying to be serious and I can’t do that when you’re sitting on me naked, acting cute.”

“Then I guess my work here is done.” I kissed him hard. Jake’s arms turned to steel around me as he hauled me closer, deepening the kiss with a groan that reverberated through me in such a delicious way…

I wrapped my arms around him. Jake broke our kiss, grabbing my upper arms to push me gently back.

He scowled at me. “Play fair.”

I slumped. “Why should I? You’re not.”

“How is trying to have a conversation with my girlfriend not playing fair?” He narrowed his eyes. “How did I become the chick in this scenario?”

Laughing, I ran my fingers through his hair, loving the way his lashes lowered over his eyes in pleasure at my touch. “You did that all by yourself.”

“I’m being serious.” He turned to kiss my wrist. “I’m not asking you to tell your parents. I’m just asking you if you’re planning on doing it at some point. We can’t,” he exhaled heavily, eyes locking with mine, “we can’t move forward until you tell them.”

“I know. I will. Just… it’s hard. Give me time.”

“And while you’re at it, tell them about the police academy.” He crushed me close again, his breath hot on my lips. “Please. This is your life, Charley. Live it how you want to. Four years ago, you were solid in your decision. I don’t know if it was because of me, if I made you doubt yourself somehow, made you doubt your ability to make the right choices…” He tilted his head back, looking at me with such belief and love, I wanted to melt all over him. “Stop compromising who you are. They’ll love you. They’ll understand.”

As the chat-request bubble popped up on my laptop screen, I sucked in a deep breath and kept Jake’s words with me as I clicked the answer button.

West Labayelle, August 2013

Although I’d been worried about leaving Mom and Dad when our relationship (my relationship with my dad, really) was in limbo, I could breathe a little easier now that Claudia and I had settled into our old apartment in West Lafayette. The apartment was in a picturesque red-brick building with whitewashed balconies. It looked over a green, and had a communal pool and gym. The apartment itself was big, contemporary, and we each had a good-sized bedroom and bathroom to ourselves. It cost Claudia’s parents a small fortune in rent every month. However, they could afford it and Claudia couldn’t give a crap if she milked them for all they had, considering money was the only currency they offered up in terms of affection.

“Well, I think I’m finally unpacked,” I announced, walking into the open plan living room and kitchen area. Claudia was playing Carrie Underwood on her laptop while she—“Why are you rearranging the furniture?”

She stood from pushing the sofa, wiping sweat from her brow. “New year, new everything.” She grinned as if that was an answer.

“Watch your back, okay?” I said, eyeing the brown leather couch dubiously. “It’s not exactly a poodle you’re pushing around there.”