“What did you say about handcuffs yesterday afternoon?” He dangled them from his index finger.

“Oh no you don’t! I’m still pissed at you for chaining me to the chair.” Jennifer started to back away from him toward the bedroom.

“You were adventurous enough to come inside.” He went after her, catching her easily, tossing the cuffs on the bed and stripping her shirt and bra off.

Jennifer laughed when he picked her up and put her on the bed.

He grabbed her wrist and slid the cuffs on lightly. He threaded the cuff through the bars on the headboard and secured her free wrist, grinning down at her.

His blue eyes sparkled and the smile on his face made her tremble. “Are you going to interrogate me again?” Her voice slightly shook.

He ran his hands gently from her wrists down her arms, slowly, touching her skin with his fingertips. “Oh yes,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss her. “Every inch of your lovely body.” He kissed her neck and nibbled on her ear, chuckling softly at the shiver coursing through her. He ran the tip of his tongue down her neckline, gently stroking her breast in his hand. Moving his mouth to her nipple, he ran his tongue around it playfully. He continued his interrogation of her body with his hands and mouth, loving her like she never thought possible.

Wave after wave of ecstasy coursed through her at his hands, making her gasp and shiver, moan and climax over and over until she begged for him.

He slid inside her, his eyes wild with passion, his face flushed with heat, but he took his time, moving his hips slowly, watching her face as she peaked again, this time, calling his name. He closed his eyes and let the passion sweep him away arching into her with his own internal explosion, her name on his lips. He trembled, his muscles shuddering into relaxation. “My god,” he breathed and reached for the keys on the dresser, unlocking the cuffs.

Jennifer slid her arms around his neck. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

He nodded. “Yes, exactly what I was looking for.” Steve allowed his slow sexy smile to form and ran his fingers across her lips. “I want to hear you call out my name like that for the rest of my life.” His eyes lingered on her lips before they locked with her eyes.

Jennifer’s eyes widened at the admission and the underlying commitment he was offering. The thought cascaded a waterfall of emotions, elation and a fear she couldn’t fathom.

Steve closed his eyes and rested his forehead on her shoulder. He gave her a squeeze and pulled away. “I need a shower,” he said and rolled off the bed. He glanced at her and headed into the bathroom.

Jennifer pulled on her clothes and headed out to explore the yard. She glanced at the lake and around the property, her gaze falling on the path in the woods. The flip-flops she wore were not the ideal footwear for the woods, but she decided to screw it and go for a hike following the meandering overgrown path. When the woods opened up, her breath caught in her throat. The sun shone down on the most glorious outlet, making it sparkle like diamonds. Wild flowers grew on the edges of the water, the sweet smell drifting on the gentle breeze. The large flat clover-shaped rock jutted out over the water, making Jennifer smile. “Paradise cove.”

A gentle field of lush moss covered the ground surrounding the water and Jennifer slipped her shoes off, stepping onto it. She was rewarded with the feeling of stepping on a cloud, and let out a small sigh of pleasure. Tentatively, she stepped onto the rock and took in the mirror like water. She saw her own reflection and laughed at the wonder in her eyes. She glanced around again. A bug landed on the water, causing a rippling effect, and she watched with interest as the ripples caused the image of her face to change.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” he asked, making her jump.

Jennifer turned. “Yes, it is.”

Steve stepped onto the rock behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

Jennifer wrapped her arms around his and looked at the reflection of the two of them in the water. He was watching her in the reflection. “What are you thinking about?”

“The future,” he said and smiled. “Maybe there is a bit of truth to that old legend after all.”

She turned in his grasp, meeting his sincere gaze. “You think?”

He gave her a shrug and glanced at his watch. “I have to go. We have a meeting at the fraternity tonight.”

“I have a class from seven to ten anyway.”

Steve frowned. He didn’t like the idea of her walking through the parking lot on campus in the dark. “Come by afterwards, all right?”

“Sure.” She smiled up at him. “Have you ever walked on that moss with your bare feet?”

“Yes, feels like you’re walking on a cloud.”

Jennifer laughed. “That’s exactly what I thought when I took my shoes off.”

He took her hand and waited while she slipped her shoes on.

“Where does that go?” She pointed to a narrow path of running water heading into the thicket out of sight.

“Nowhere.” He started to lead her back towards the cottage.

“It has to go somewhere,” she said, following him.

He paused. “My grandfather said it goes nowhere. It dries up in the bed of black cove.”

“Black cove?”

“Yes, it’s just a big sink hole deep in the woods.” He pulled her along.

“Have you ever seen it?”

“No, there’s too much undergrowth in the forest to get back there.” He turned and smiled. “I tried several times as a kid, but couldn’t get through.” He started to laugh. “My grandfather blew a gasket when he found out.”

Jennifer looked at him with that curious look that made him want to snare her in his arms.

“The state forest starts back there and if I had gotten lost…” Steve trailed off and stopped walking, his grandfather’s tirade echoing in his head. “If I had gotten lost he might never be able to get me back.” He tilted his head. “Funny, he never used the word find. He ranted about getting me back, not finding me in the woods.”

“Where did they find that little girl?” Jennifer asked.

“In the state forest.” The hairs on the back of his neck twitched. He shook his head and continued down the path, coming out into the clearing of the cottage.

“We never talked about the notebook,” she said as he led her across the lawn.

“I know. We made love instead.” He looked back at her. “And one of us better start thinking about taking precautions, otherwise there will be a big surprise nine months from now.”

Jennifer blushed.

He turned away. “Not that I wouldn’t mind,” he said, too low for her to hear.

“Are you always this reckless?”

“In my job, yes, in my private life, no.” He looked back at her. “Until yesterday.”

“Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel any better.”

He disappeared into the house and when he came out, he had the garbage bag in his left hand and his gun, cuffs and keys in the other. He threw the bag in the trunk and shuffled the gun to his right hand, slipping into the car.

Jennifer gasped. “Why do you have that?”

Steve laughed. “Don’t worry, the safety’s on.” He put in the holster attached to the bottom of the seat. He purposely didn’t answer her question.

“Why do you have that?” she repeated, recoiling a little in the seat.

“Jennifer, I’m a cop,” he reminded her as he dropped the cuffs into the glove box and locked it. He started the car, meeting her gaze. The terror in her eyes gave him pause and he turned the car off. Reaching under the seat, he pulled the gun out and walked around to the passenger side of the car. He motioned for her to get out, opening the door for her. “Come on.” He took her hand and brought her into the woods near where he’d parked. They walked a few hundred feet to a small cleared area. Targets stood at the far side of the clearing, flanked by multiple bales of hay. “My grandfather’s shooting range,” he said and stopped at a metal cabinet opening it and taking out a pair of earplugs, sliding them to Jennifer and taking a second pair for himself. He smiled and showed her how to put them in her ears and then moved her in front of him. “You are getting a private shooting lesson from one of the FBI’s best.”