“It was hurting you,” Jennifer said bluntly.

Steve sat back, blinking and digesting what she said. “You keep referring to the killer as it.”

Jennifer nodded.

“Why?”

“What I saw wasn’t human,” she answered.

“There were no animal tracks. We checked,” He refrained from telling her there were no tracks at all.

It was Jennifer’s turn to sigh. “I don’t know what it is,” she answered, her eyebrows creased with uncertainty. She shook her head, closing her eyes. “How could you think it was me?” She opened her eyes, the pain shining through.

“It’s my job to think that way.”

“Your job sucks,” Jennifer replied.

Steve smiled. “Sometimes it does.” He stood and went behind her, releasing the handcuffs. He stepped around and took the seat again, putting the cuffs on the corner of the table.

Jennifer rubbed her wrists but didn’t move. “How can you think you love me and at the same time think I am capable of murder?”

He leaned back. It was a contradiction he couldn’t explain to her. His job demanded him to look at all possibilities, however remote and unlikely. The facts she presented him with at the restaurant warranted his actions. He shrugged.

Jennifer swallowed hard. “Are you really falling in love with me?”

Her breathy question broke through the barricade surrounding his heart and he slowly nodded. “Yes, but I don’t want to.”

A wave of emotion caught her breath in her throat. “Why not?”

“Because I just fucked up any chance I had with you.” He stood and left the cottage crossing to the dock steps. Sitting, he scanned the water and the mountains beyond. “Stupid idiot,” he muttered.

Jennifer found him on the steps a few minutes later and took a seat next to him.

Neither of them spoke. Time passed and they looked out at the lake, each lost in their own struggle of thought.

Steve finally looked at her. “Why are you still here?”

She sighed, keeping her gaze on the water. “Because I’m in the same boat you are.”

He gently took her hand but didn’t dare look at her. He could feel the electricity flowing between them and if he looked, he would act. “It’s only been two days.” He was going to say they could cut their losses, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Yeah.” Her reply was barely a whisper and cutting to the chase, she said, “But I can’t leave now.”

His grip on her hand tightened and he turned his head, ripping his gaze away from the lake to look in hers. The same need sweeping through every fiber of his being reflected in her eyes and he reached for her. His mouth found hers and all else was forgotten. The lake watched neutrally as he carried her back to the cottage.

Chapter 11

Steve heard the thunder rumble in the distance as they lay spent next to each other. He went to close his eyes and suddenly sat up in the bed, startling Jennifer.

“What’s wrong?”

“Rain,” he answered as he pulled his pants on. “Where are your keys? I’ll put your windows up.”

“In the kitchen in my bag.”

“Be right back.” He bolted out of the house feeling the first raindrop as he started his car, pushing the button to retract the convertible top back in place. He secured it and rolled the windows up. He trotted over to her car and slid the keys in the ignition, putting the windows up just as the sky opened, dumping buckets on him as he fled for cover. Steve laughed, walking back inside, soaked to the bone.

“I’m okay; I just got caught in the rain. The movie was good. I’ll head out just as soon as this downpour stops. Don’t wait up for me.” Jennifer closed the phone, smiling at his dripping form. “You got there just in time.”

She had dressed in the shorts and t-shirt she arrived in, much to his chagrin. “Yeah.” He shook his head, spraying water everywhere. “Who was that?” He ran his fingers through his hair, approaching her.

“Tracy called. She was worried. I told her I went to grab some food and ended up going to a movie.”

Steve pulled her to him, getting her clothing wet in the process. “Stay.” He kissed her.

“I should go.” She tried to push away, but he was insistent.

“Stay long enough to watch the storm with me,” he clarified, not letting go, his blue eyes sparkling in the light of the hurricane lamp.

His heart thumped under her hand placed on his wet bare chest. She looked into his eyes, his wet hair dangling, sending droplets of misplaced rain onto her upturned face.

“Stay,” he implored and slowly bent down. His lips grazed hers lightly. “Please,” he said against them. He pulled away just as slowly.

The effect on Jennifer was complete. He owned her, as much as she didn’t want to admit to it, he owned every fiber of her being and there wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for him. She nodded, because words were not enough.

He stepped away and headed into the bedroom, grabbing his shirt and slipping it on, returning with it unbuttoned. Steve took her hand, leading her to the bench under the picture window. When he settled on the bench, she scooted between his legs, leaning against him, safe in his arms. They watched the lightning storm brew over the lake.

“I love thunderstorms,” he whispered, and kissed the back of her head.

“Me too.” The lightning danced on the lake.

The thunder cracked overhead and Jennifer jumped. Steve chuckled and squeezed a little tighter. He felt her relax again.

“What are we going to do about your roommate?”

“I can’t pretend anymore,” Jennifer replied under the rumble.

Steve nodded. “Do we just tell them outright?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Steve looked at her reflection in the window and smiled. She was looking at him, not the storm. He shifted his gaze back outside, his smile faltering as a lightning bolt split a big oak in the yard. The half facing the lake slowly bent into the water, like an elegant ballet. The other side of the oak stood fast. “I’ll have to cut that down eventually,” he said.

“Mhm.” She closed her eyes, listening to the rain and the thunder rock the little cottage, drifting to sleep on his chest.

Steve alternated between watching the storm and watching her face in the reflection of the window. What am I going to do with you? He sighed, kissing the back of her head and watching the storm. She began to snore lightly and he closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall.

Chapter 12

The ringing of a cell phone brought both of them out of a sound sleep. Steve groaned. His leg had fallen asleep and he almost crumpled to the floor when he stood. Jennifer, on her feet, alert but confused, looked around the cottage, her eyes landing on the bright scene outside the window. The sun was out.

“Shit.” She bolted to answer her phone and Tracy’s voice rang through the small cottage.

“Where are you?” Tracy asked.

Steve clamped his mouth shut, hopping around the tiny cottage trying to wake up his useless leg. He bit his lip at the amused expression on Jennifer’s face, turning away as she answered her roommate.

“I headed out early.”

“I didn’t hear you come in last night,” Tracy replied.

“I’m sorry. It was very late and I assumed you were with Billy. I’ll talk to you after classes,” Jennifer said.

Steve turned back to her shaking his leg and allowing a smirk to grace his lips at her answer.

“I have to go.” She hung up without waiting for an answer and crossed her legs, pointing toward the bathroom. “Does the plumbing work?”

Steve nodded. “It should.” He continued limping around the cottage, his leg hurting from the pins and needles prickling through his waking skin. He glanced at his watch and his eyes went wide. “Oh Shit!” He stumbled toward the bathroom. “Jen, it’s after nine,” he said to the closed door.