“After I graduate, I’m heading to New York to try to get established. I’m thinking about starting with the stage and then transitioning to television and film, but we’ll see.” She gave him a small kiss. “Who knows, I might end up being another cliché; poor and taking odd jobs while I wait for my big break.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, besides I like New York,” Steve said and smiled.

Jennifer bit her lip. “That could be complicated.”

“How so?” Steve said.

“The spotlight doesn’t work well for an undercover cop.”

Steve leaned back a little as her words sunk in. He wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, he ran his hand through his hair and let himself slowly fall back on the bed. She was right—the kind of publicity that came with stardom was not good for undercover work. His face would be as recognizable as hers. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“Still want to continue whatever this is?”

Steve let his eyes drift back to her; but he didn’t answer her right away. “Come here.” Jennifer climbed on top of him. He brushed the hair away from her face so he could see her green eyes and he leaned up and kissed her. “Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I still want to be with you.” His blue eyes sparkled and he slowly smiled. “I don’t have to do undercover work.” He rolled and kissed her, running his hands down her bare skin.

Jennifer reached down and grabbed his wrists, rolling them back over as she brought his hands up next to his head. “I believe I was in the middle of showing you reasonably sure.”

“Oh, by all means,” he grinned.

Jennifer slowly ground her hips in a circle over him, feeling him immediately respond. “Do you have anything this time around?”

“In the pocket of my shorts. I stopped on the way home from campus.”

Jennifer let go of his wrists and retrieved his discarded shorts, fumbling through the pockets until she found the package of condoms. “You only bought five?” She tore one from the rest, peeled her underwear off and climbed back up on top of him.

Steve shrugged and put his hands behind his head.

Jennifer put the condom on him and slid him inside her as she tossed the package away. “We could go through five in one night,” she teased, riding him playfully, running her fingertips over his chest.

“True.” He smiled as he pulled his hands out from behind his head and ran them up her thighs. He grazed her skin with his fingertips before she grabbed his wrists again, pushing his arms down gently on the mattress above his head. Her hair tickled his face. She threw her head back to get it out of the way and kissed him hard.

Jennifer melted into him as they kissed, releasing his wrists and allowing him to wrap his arms around her as they made love.

Steve brushed the hair away from her face as she lay on his chest exhausted from their exertion. “I love you,” he whispered and closed his eyes.

Jennifer kissed his chest. “I love you too.” She listened to his heartbeat and drifted into a light sleep.

Steve’s eyes went wide. She’d finally spoken the words he wanted to hear and he kissed the top of her head. As he listened to her soft and even breathing, his mind drifted back to the case, analyzing the scene outside the fraternity. He kept coming back to the way Bill looked at Jennifer. He shivered unconsciously and she shifted, rolling off him and onto her side on the bed. Steve pulled his arm out from under her and found his underwear and shorts. Pulling them on, he wandered into the bathroom. When he came out of the toilet stall, Tracy was leaning against the door to the dressing room.

“You didn’t waste any time, did you?” Tracy’s eyes drifted over him, taking him in as he walked back toward Jennifer’s room.

Steve stopped in his tracks, the surprise on his face genuine.

Tracy laughed lightly as she stepped into the room approaching him, batting her eyes and licking her lips in a way that sent an uncomfortable warning across his skin.

“Actually, it’s really none of your business what I do with Jen.”

Tracy tilted her head. “She didn’t tell you? We share everything.” She moved in front of him and put her hands on his bare chest. “Everything.” She stepped closer, looking up into his eyes.

Steve took her hands and stepped back. “Not everything.” He stepped around her and into Jennifer’s room, shutting the door on Tracy. He stood with his back against the wood, looking at Jennifer sleeping peacefully on the bed, wondering how the hell he was going to tell her that her best friend came onto him.

Chapter 20

Sunlight broke through the window and Jennifer squinted, turning her head into the pillow with a low groan. She glanced at the clock and the numbers blinked, changing. It was five fifty-six in the morning and she hadn’t closed the mini-blinds last night like she usually did.

“Mhm,” Steve mumbled, squeezing her tighter against him. “Morning sunshine.”

“Morning,” she answered, rolling towards him.

“I need to get moving.” He glanced at the clock, sitting and rubbing his face. “We need to be in the student center pub at noon on Friday.” He threw his legs over the side of the bed.

“Why?”

“My boss wants to meet you.” He gathered the clothing on the floor. He hated to put her on the spot, but he knew Murphy. “I need you there at noon sharp,” he said, “Otherwise Murphy will haul both our asses in.” He pulled his shirt on.

Jennifer sat on the edge of the bed and glanced over her shoulder at him. “You told your boss about me?”

“Yes, it’s relevant to the case.” He offered her a shrug.

“Ah.” She grabbed her bathrobe out of the closet. “I’ll be right back.” She headed to the bathroom, relieving herself, splashing water on her face, and brushed her teeth. Stopping and opening the pantry on her way out, she scanned the contents and grabbed one of the extra toothbrushes, heading back to the bedroom. “Here,” she said, handing it to Steve.

“Thanks.” Steve plucked it out of her hand, heading to the bathroom. He came back a few minutes later and wrapped his arms around her, planting a minty kiss.

“Want some coffee?” Jennifer asked.

“That would be great.” He let go and followed her into the kitchen.

Jennifer started a pot of coffee and tossed Steve an apple. She shined hers on her bathrobe and took a bite.

“I thought I smelled coffee,” Tracy muttered, interrupting their quiet morning together.

Steve’s gaze shot from Tracy to Jennifer, then down at the counter. He didn’t seem to know where to look now that Tracy was in the room.

Jennifer noticed his sudden nervous energy and started to laugh.

Steve shot his eyes in her direction.

“Tracy, you didn’t,” Jennifer said, looking at her roommate.

“Yeah, I did. And he passed,” she said, pulling a second cup down and putting it on the counter. She smiled and turned toward him. “Sorry, but I had to make sure you were for real.”

Tracy grabbed an apple and tossed it in the air before she shined it on the lapel of her bathrobe. “You hurt her and you will have to answer to me.” She leaned against the counter, crossed her legs and took a crisp bite of the granny smith apple. “Understand?”

Steve let out a little laugh, looking between the two women. “You freaked me out last night,” he said to Tracy.

“And yet you didn’t say anything to Jen.” She took another bite.

He didn’t meet Jennifer’s eyes right away. “Yeah, well, I couldn’t figure out how to tell her that her best friend came on to me.” He shrugged. “If you’d done it a second time, I would have said something.” He watched Jennifer pour two cups of coffee, handing one to Tracy and bringing the other to him. “How many have you done that to?” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder.

Tracy smiled. “Quite a few, including Tom. He was the only other one who passed the test.” She sipped her coffee. “You see, I protect my friends.”