“Tracy told me something before I went to class.” She shifted in the seat.

Steve’s stomach growled and he pulled into Joe’s, the local burger joint on the corner across from the university’s main campus. He ordered a burger, fries, and a milkshake, and looked over at Jennifer. “You want anything?”

Jennifer shrugged. “A chocolate shake?”

He ordered her a chocolate shake and drove up to the window to pay and collect their food. He handed the bag to her, pulled into one of the far parking spaces, and put the car in park. “Go ahead,” he said as he took the food. “Tell me.”

“Tracy said the initiation for the pledges is the same thing every year. They tell the pledges about the legend of Paradise Cove and send them there. They’re supposed to get a picture of their reflection. That’s all that is required to get in, but there is a bonus as well. If you follow the stream and get a picture of where it ends, you don’t have to pay dues.”

Steve processed this information. That could explain some of the disappearances, but it still didn’t explain the girl they found this summer.

“Tracy told me to tell you not to do it if they make you go through initiation.” She offered him a sip of her milkshake and he shook his head.

“If they ask, I’ll go. It’s part of the cover.” He shrugged. “Was Tom in the fraternity?”

Jennifer nodded. “Yeah.”

Steve offered her a french fry and she declined with a shake of her head. “So he must have gone through the initiation.”

“That’s what Tracy said. I know Tom didn’t do the second part because he bitched about the dues to me for two years.” Jennifer looked out the window. She wasn’t comfortable discussing Tom in the same context of devil worship. “Billy still pays dues, according to Tracy.” She looked back at Steve.

Steve nodded as he crumpled the empty fry container, dropping it in the take out bag, and crumpling that as well. He pulled himself up and tossed it into the garbage barrel in front of the car, raising his arms in victory as it circled the rim and fell in. He grinned at Jennifer and started the car.

Jennifer finished the remainder of her milkshake, crumpled the cup and tossed it at the barrel as he pulled forward. She turned and offered a smug grin as her garbage went in without hitting the rim. “Nothing but net.”

Steve laughed. “You’re something else.”

They pulled into the apartment parking lot and Jennifer waited while he put the top up on the convertible. “No more work.” He escorted her in. “I’m done for the night.”

Jennifer smiled. “No interrogations?” she teased as the elevator doors closed.

The slow sexy smile appeared. “I didn’t say that.” He pulled her to him and kissed her. “I didn’t say that at all.” The doors opened and he pulled away, stepping out of the elevator ahead of her, looking both ways out of habit.

“Looks like you’re still working,” Jennifer said in relation to his less than casual inspection of the hallway.

“Old habits die hard.” He shrugged. “And they happen to keep me alive.” He fit her keys into the door and swung it open.

Tracy jumped when the door swung open. What Lies Beneath played on the screen and she sat alone in the dark.

Jennifer looked at the television and then back at Tracy. “You are one sick girl.”

“You know I like scary movies.”

“But alone in the dark?” Jennifer asked, leading Steve into the room further.

“That’s the best way to watch them. Are you gonna watch the rest with me?” she asked, glancing between Jennifer and Steve, her eyes lingering on him before returning to Jennifer.

Steve shook his head and he looked at Jennifer. “I’ve got an eight o’clock class.” He scanned her with his eyes, immediately conveying his desires.

“I think we’ll pass,” Jennifer said, leading Steve back to her room. She flipped on the light and closed the door behind her.

Steve looked around. An amused smirk found its way to his lips.

“What?” Jennifer said, following the path of his gaze.

“Girly,” he remarked, and walked to the second door leading to the dressing room. Closing it, he flipped the lock, smiling back at Jennifer.

“Girly?” She looked around.

He nodded, approaching her. “Satin and lace.” He stopped in front of her. “Silk and cream,” he said, his voice smooth and raw at the same time, his eyes hungry for her. He ran his hands down her bare arms.

Jennifer tilted her head back and closed her eyes as his touch igniting her. Her breath quickened at the fire rising inside her, fanned by his hands running over her bare neck, slowly pulling the straps of her dress off her shoulders.

Steve reached and flipped the light off, then moved her toward the bed, peeling his shirt off and discarding it on the floor. He kissed her and pulled away as he gently pulled the dress over her head. “Reasonably sure?” he asked in a low, sexy voice. He kissed her neck, unhooking her bra and dropping it to the floor at their feet. “Show me reasonably sure,” he whispered, and flicked her ear with his tongue before finding her mouth again.

Jennifer ran her hands up his chest and around his neck as she kissed him, feeling his smooth skin against hers. “How would you like me to show you?” she asked against his lips as he leaned on the edge of the bed.

“With your sweet mouth.” Steve licked her lips and took her hands. He put her index finger in his mouth and pulled it out slowly. “And your soft hands,” he whispered, tilting his head and flashing a brief smile. He moved his hands lazily over her bare torso. “And your delectable body.” He yanked her to him, crushing her with an insistent kiss.

Jennifer reached down and found the button on his shorts. Flipping it open, she unzipped slowly, the clicking of his zipper overpowering the brush of their skin. She smiled under the pressure of his lips, running her thumbs under the waistband of this underwear. She shifted away from his insistent mouth, running her tongue down the strong arch of his neck.

He leaned back against the bed, his chest rumbling, purring his approval as she kissed her way down his bare chest, slowly removing his shorts. He kicked the shorts aside and his eyes closed, his hands running through her silky hair. He got lost in the heaven that was her mouth. Sweetly inexperienced, she coaxed him, teasing by licking his length before taking him in her mouth, flicking her tongue over the sensitive tip before sliding her lips down his shaft, sucking gently, repeating this slow seduction until he wanted to scream. He plunged his hands in her hair and moved her more fervently up and down his throbbing member, aching for release. “Oh god,” he groaned, his hips gyrating in time with her mouth. She sucked harder with each plunge until he arched with an eruption he felt through his entire being.

Jennifer sat back on her heels and wiped her mouth, her wide eyes visible with the light of the moon filtering through the window.

Steve sat on the bed, dropping on his back, his arms out wide and his breath heaving in his chest. “God damn, girl,” he whispered in awe, propping himself on his elbows. He sat up and reached his hand out tugging her into his arms. Steve looked into her eyes and traced her face with the tips of his fingers. “You have no clue what I’d do for you, Jen.” His kiss was still insistent. “Please tell me you feel the same,” he said, looking more vulnerable than she had ever seen him.

“I do.”

He squeezed her a fraction tighter. “I could get used to this.”

Jennifer laughed. “So could I.” She tried to kiss him, but he pulled away.

“So, what are you doing for the rest of your life?” he asked, his voice light and joking, but his heart was more tied to the words than he wanted to admit. He could see forever with this woman, and wondered just how far he could play this without asking outright and putting her in a position to say yes or no.