FIC: "Aiding and Abedding" (Veronica/Lamb) R
Title: Sigma Epsilon Chi V: Aiding and Abedding
Author: angel_grace
Rating: R
Pairing: Veronica/Lamb
Word Count: 4246
Spoilers: Makes reference to one of the confirmed S3 mystery arcs. All details of that mystery are completely AU.
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars and the characters depicted here were created by Rob Thomas. They are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profit is being made from their use.
Summary: The 5th (and probably final) part in my "Sigma Epsilon Chi" series, this will probably make more sense if you read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 first. As Veronica starts her second semester at Hearst, she and Lamb are in relationship limbo, and the rapist is still at large.
Veronica massaged her temples with her fingertips, and tried not to scream. Second semester had only been underway for a week, but the professors hadn't wasted any time piling on the work.
It was Thursday night, and she was working the late shift at the library, while trying to get some of her own work done.
"Excuse me, Veronica?"
She looked up. The guy standing at the information desk was familiar, not to mention cute. "Yes?"
"You probably don't remember me, but I'm in your criminology class." He stuck out his hand. "Kevin Yeats."
She smiled and shook his hand. "I thought you looked familiar. So how can I help you?"
"Actually, I was hoping maybe we could work on the assignment together. You seem to have a better grasp of the material than most of the people in the class."
"And what do I get out of the deal?" she asked with a grin.
"The pleasure of my company?" he offered hopefully.
It had been a while since anyone flirted with her, and it felt nice. Lamb mostly just stuck his tongue down her throat--among other places. "That sounds fair."
They worked on the assignment for several hours, until finally the library closed. As they walked out of the building, still talking and laughing, Veronica didn't notice Lamb standing on the other side of the quad, waiting for her.
By the time Friday evening rolled around, Veronica was tired. She'd actually taken it easy over the holidays, and getting back into the rhythm of the semester was proving harder than expected. On top of that, though she hated to admit it, she missed Lamb.
After they'd resolved their differences before Christmas, they'd seen each other nearly every day. They spent most of New Year's Eve naked, turning the sex into a game as they tried to time their orgasms to the stroke of midnight. After practicing on the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones, they had it just about perfect when 2007 dawned in California.
With school starting back up, Veronica hadn't seen Lamb all week, and it bothered her. All she wanted was to spend the night with him, maybe relax in his ridiculously decadent jacuzzi tub, and then have sex until she collapsed from exhaustion.
The odds of that happening didn't look good when Lamb answered the door with a scowl on his face. "Veronica. I wasn't expecting you."
She stared up at him, confused. "What are you talking about? I told you I'd probably come by."
"I thought you might be too busy," he told her, bitterness evident in his tone.
She slipped past him into the apartment. "Did I miss something?"
Looking at her, he realized she genuinely had no clue why he was upset. Which probably meant he was overreacting. He didn't really want to tell her that he had gone from "fuck buddy" to "potential stalker" the night before. Rubbing his hand over his face, he said, "No, it's just been a shitty week. I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"Sounds like we could both use a little stress release," she said, winding her arms around his neck and pressing her body close. "I was thinking of taking a nice hot bath. Care to join me?"
He grinned. Naked Veronica made everything better. "Wouldn't miss it."
Forty minutes later, Lamb leaned back against the wall of the tub. Veronica sat between his legs, reclined against his chest. They had washed each other from head to toe, touching and kissing and exploring. It was a slower pace than their usual mad dash to OrgasmLand. They hadn't even tried to have sex in the awkward confines of the tub, choosing instead to use the experience as extending foreplay.
As he absently caressed her breasts beneath the water, Lamb said, "I thought about calling you last night." Which wasn't exactly a lie.
"Probably good you didn't--I had to work closing at the library."
"Sounds boring."
"It wasn't too bad. I ended up working on an assignment with a guy from my crim class. I guess it's about time I got to know some of the other students."
Lamb felt the last remnants of jealousy drain away. "I'm glad you're here tonight," he said quietly.
She turned over in his arms, sloshing water over the side of the tub. "So am I," she replied, leaning in to kiss him.
They left a dripping trail down the hallway, bodies already tangling together, and it made it to the bedroom, although not the actual bed. Grabbing a condom from the nightstand, Veronica practically tackled him to the floor, rolling it on and straddling him with practiced ease.
He couldn't help chuckling at her enthusiasm. "What do you have against the bed?" he asked, reaching up to guide her hips with his hands.
She didn't break their rhythm. "Maybe I just like variety," she gasped out. Or maybe, the voice in her head whispered, the bed makes it feel too much like you're a couple, like there are actual feelings involved, like maybe you could fall for him, and that is definitely not allowed.
"Then who am I to argue?" he replied, rolling them over and driving into her until she came, crying out his name.
They settled into a routine as the semester wore on. They didn't see each other much during the week, but every Friday night she turned up at his apartment. The sex was always fantastic, and if either of them wanted more, they never brought it up.
Veronica continued to study with Kevin, and as time passed, they seemed to spend more and more of it together. He lived in a quad with three other guys, and she got to know them as well. It felt good to have new friends, particularly ones that were hers, and not just extensions of Wallace or Mac.
One night, after finishing a particularly grueling assignment, Kevin said, "I'm glad I got to know you this semester."
Veronica looked up from her notes and smiled. "I am too."
"So I was thinking...maybe we could do something together. On Friday night."
"You mean like a date?" she asked cautiously.
He glanced down nervously. "Yeah, like a date."
"Oh. Look, Kevin..."
"If you're not interested, that's fine," he hurried to tell her. "I just thought it might be fun."
"I'm sure it would be. It's just...I kind of have plans for Friday. Can I think about it?"
"Sure, whatever you want."
Lamb hadn't expected to see Veronica that night, and when he opened the door, he knew something was wrong.
"Kevin asked me out tonight," she said without preamble. "For Friday night."
"What did you tell him?" he asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"I told him I'd think about it."
Oh God. He was losing her. Not that he really had her. "Look, if you want to go, you can come here on Saturday instead."
"Don..." When she said his name, he knew it was over. "I can't go on a date with Kevin and then have sex with you the next day."
"Then don't go out with him," he said feebly.
"But I want to. I want to go on a real date, Lamb. I want to be with someone that I don't have to hide. I can't spend the rest of my life having meaningless sex with you."
He felt like he was going to throw up. "Meaningless but mind-blowing," he corrected with a forced smile.
She managed a small smile of her own. "Okay, meaningless but mind-blowing. But still meaningless. Right?"
Was he imagining the hesitation in her voice? Should he tell her that, no, it hadn't been meaningless for a while now, and if she wanted to go on a real date, he'd gladly face Logan's fists and Keith's service pistol? But all he said was, "Right."
"Well, then...I guess this is it."
He nodded. "I guess so. I'll see you around, Veronica."
"Yeah. See you around."
Going on a date with Kevin, Veronica learned, didn't mean going on a date with just Kevin. He and his roommates were inseparable, and Veronica found herself on a quadruple date Friday night.
"So I hear you're the star of the criminology class," Brian, one of the roommates, commented to Veronica.
"I wouldn't go that far, although I do enjoy the class. I guess I've just picked up a lot from my dad--he used to be the sheriff."
"I guess I'd better watch my step around you, then."
"Most people do."
After dinner, the couples finally split off from one another.
"So you guys got pretty lucky, finding four roommates who get along so well."
"It wasn't really luck," Kevin admitted. "We've all been best friends since grade school."
"Wow. And you all decided to go to college together?"
"Hearst had something we were all looking for. In the end it just made sense."
They reached the movie theater, where Kevin insisted on paying for the tickets. Veronica nearly laughed--she just wasn't used to someone so...normal. She was used to sex on every available horizontal--and some vertical--surface, and maybe that wasn't the best basis for comparison, since Kevin hadn't even kissed her yet.
The movie was stupid, but funny, and when it was over, Kevin drove her home. As he walked her to the door, he said, "This was fun. I hope we can do it again."
"I'd like that."
He leaned in to kiss her, and it wasn't toe-curling or spine-tingling, but it was...nice. Nice was good. It was normal. And God knew she could use a little normal in her life.
Her dad was still awake when she went inside. "Hey, honey. Did you have a good time?"
She nodded. "It was...nice."
"I'm not really up on the lingo these days--is 'nice' a good thing or a bad thing?"
She laughed. "It's good. Normal. Uncomplicated."
"And you're okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Just asking. I'm glad you had fun."
"Yeah. Me, too."
Lamb woke up in a shitty mood on Saturday morning. He'd spent the night before thinking about Veronica on her date and drinking too much beer. All he had to show for it was a headache and a mental image of Veronica having sex with another guy.
The phone rang, and he picked it up with a snarl. "This is Lamb."
"Sheriff, it's Sacks. There's been another rape at Hearst."
He felt like someone had just doused him with ice water. "What's the victim's name?"
"Tara Finnigan. She's a freshman, and she was at a party at the Omega Chi house last night."
"Okay. Finish up on campus, and then meet me back at the station."
"You're not coming here?"
"No, there's something I need to take care of first."
Within twenty minutes, he was dressed, out the door, and on his way to Veronica's apartment. Even though he knew nothing had happened to her, he still needed to see her.
When she opened the door, looking bleary-eyed and wearing pajamas, he was tempted to yank her close and kiss her.
"Lamb? What are you doing here?"
"There was another rape last night."
She was instantly awake. "Same pattern?"
"As far as I know. She went to a fraternity party. Were you on campus last night?"
She shook her head. "We went to dinner with his roommates, then a movie. But Brian and Cara mentioned going to a party on campus. I can ask them about it."
"Okay, but don't take any unnecessary risks."
She laughed. "I hardly think talking to Kevin's roommate qualifies as risky."
"You manage to make everything risky."
"Aw, are you worried about me?"
He looked down at her. "Should I be?"
"I can take care of myself. Even my date last night was PG-rated."
"Good," he said shortly, trying not to sound like a jealous ex. "Let me know if you find out anything."
"I will. And Lamb..."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for worrying."
Veronica and Kevin had been dating for a month, and it was still...nice. He opened doors, and held her hand, and hadn't even tried to take her bra off yet. It was a little unnerving.
Not as unnerving as his roommates, though. They were always around, and Veronica was continually struck by how close they all were. Kevin explained that they were more like brothers than best friends, but Veronica still found it unsettling.
Also unsettling was the fact that she was having near-nightly dreams about Lamb. Sure, the sex had been great and she hadn't had any since, but the dreams were getting ridiculous. Aside from the expected erotic ones, her subconscious kept casting him in the role of white knight, coming to the rescue and telling her he loved her.
She didn't need to be rescued. And Lamb didn't even know what love was.
She doubted Lamb even missed whatever it was they'd had. There had been two more rapes on campus, and still no suspects. Short of DNA-testing every male on campus, there wasn't much they could do. There was a patrol car on campus twenty-four hours a day now, but Veronica wasn't sure it was doing much good.
There was a criminology exam that Friday, and she and Kevin had spent three hours at the union studying for it. He'd finally left for an intramural volleyball game, but Veronica kept working.
After a quick bathroom break, Veronica came back to the table and took a sip of her coffee. It was long since cold, and she wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste. Ten minutes later, she gave up completely. She couldn't focus, and she was exhausted. Gathering up her books, she headed out of the union towards the parking garage.
As she walked, her head started to swim. At one point, she put a hand out to steady herself against a wall. Pulling out her cell phone, she fumbled with the buttons and managed to call Lamb.
"Veronica? Are you okay?"
"Feel...funny," she managed to say. "Something...in my drink."
"Where are you?"
"Parking garage...Hearst."
"Get in your car, lock the door, and wait for me. I'm on my way."
"'k."
"Stay on the phone, okay? Try and stay awake."
He kept talking to her as she slowly stumbled to her car. Digging for her keys, the phone slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground. "Veronica? Veronica!" But she couldn't hear him anymore.
Siren screaming, Lamb made the ten-minute drive to Hearst in less than seven. The tires squealed as he turned the corners in the parking garage, frantically searching for Veronica. He finally spotted her car, her still form on the concrete beside it.
He was by her side in seconds, and he was relieved to see that it didn't look like she'd been attacked. Her clothes were intact, her head unshaved. Gathering her into his arms, he placed her gently in the passenger seat of the squad car, and headed for his apartment.
When Veronica woke up, she was in Lamb's bed. She didn't know how she had gotten there, but she was still fully clothed, so it couldn't have been very much fun. Turning her head, she saw Lamb watching her. "What happened?"
"You were drugged, probably by the rapist."
There was panic in her eyes. "But...but nothing happened?"
"No. I think I got there in time."
"Thank you," she whispered, and he could tell she was struggling to keep it together.
Reaching out, he pulled her close, keeping his arms tight around her when her body started to shake. "Shh," he soothed, "you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."
How far we've come, she thought as her tears made a damp spot on his shirt. She believed he honestly wanted to protect her, even though she would swear up and down that she didn't need protecting--despite all evidence to the contrary.
It felt good to be back in his bed, in his arms. She liked Kevin, but she had missed Lamb--and not just the sex.
After a little while, when her tears had stopped and he'd started to wonder if she'd fallen asleep, he pulled back slightly. Her eyes were wide open. "Why don't I take you home?" he asked.
She wouldn't look him in the eye. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked quietly.
"Of course."
He didn't try and stop her when she unbuttoned his shirt, didn't hesitate to kiss her back. He didn't point out that her hands were trembling, and when a tear slid down her cheek, he caught it on his lips. He let her set the pace, and even after all the times before, somehow this felt like a first.
By the time it was over, her tears were long gone, and her body was trembling for much more pleasant reasons. They fell asleep tangled together beneath the sheets, and twice during the night she woke him with her mouth on his skin.
As they showered together the next morning, Lamb said, "I think we should tell your dad."
She looked shocked. "Are you crazy? If he finds out I was drugged, he'll never let me leave the house."
"Not about that. I think we should tell him about us."
"You really are crazy."
"It's a character flaw. But I'm serious, Veronica."
"What do you want to tell him? That we've been screwing each other's brains out for months? Do you want to get shot."
He winced. "No. But I think he should know I'm dating his daughter."
"But we're not dating."
"Maybe we should be."
Her blue eyes were wide, the lashes wet and spiky. "You're serious?"
"Yeah, I am. This past month sucked. I...I missed you. And when I thought something had happened to you last night..."
"I missed you too," she admitted softly.
"So what do you think we should do?"
She wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands sliding over his wet skin. "I think I should break up with Kevin. And then I should probably take all the bullets out of my dad's guns."
"You really think he'd shoot me?"
"Not if he doesn't have any bullets. And we probably shouldn't mention the shower sex."
He grinned. "There's shower sex?"
"Oh yeah."
When Veronica went to Kevin's room, Brian answered the door. "Hey Veronica. What's up?"
"Is Kevin here?"
"No, he's still in class. He should be back in about fifteen minutes, if you'd like to wait."
"Thanks, I think I will."
She talked to Brian for a few minutes, and then asked. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"No, go ahead."
As she closed the bathroom door, her finger caught on a sliver of wood. Wincing, she opened the medicine cabinet, hoping to find a pair of tweezers. Electric clippers sat on the bottom shelf, and a knot of fear settled in her stomach as she noticed several long blonde hairs caught in the blades. Her hand was shaking as she picked up several of the hairs, wrapped them securely in some toilet paper, and stuffed it in her pocket. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, she flushed the toilet and ran the water in the sink before hurrying back out.
"I actually need to get going after all," she told Brian. "Can you tell Kevin I stopped by, and have him call me?"
"Sure, no problem."
She resisted the urge to break into a run the second she was out the door. Her mind was racing as she walked to her car. In a weird way, it made sense. The unnatural closeness between the four guys, a bond that wasn't as simple as friendship. The targeted drugging of her drink, when all the other attacks were linked to frat parties.
Her heart was racing as she drove to the police station, only starting to slow when she reached Lamb's office. She was safe here.
When she walked in, Lamb looked up in surprise. "Hey. I didn't think I'd see you this afternoon. Did you talk to Kevin?"
She shook her head. "He wasn't home, but one of his roommates let me in. I went to use the bathroom, and I opened the medicine cabinet. There were clippers inside, and these were caught in the blades," she said, holding out the neatly folded toilet paper.
He unfolded it carefully, looked at the hairs inside. "You think one of his roommates is involved with the rapes?"
"I think all of them are. Targeting frat parties is a cover. These guys are closer than brothers, Lamb. It's not normal."
"I'll get these to the lab, and then I think we need to go talk to your dad."
"Why?"
"Because I want you to stay with me until this is over. Kevin knows where you live."
She nodded. She didn't want to believe that Kevin or his friends would actually hurt her, but the drugs in her drink told her otherwise.
They found Keith in his office at Mars Investigations.
"Sheriff Lamb. What brings you by?"
"Veronica, actually."
He glanced at his daughter. "What are you accusing her of now?"
"Nothing. Actually, we've...reconciled our differences."
Keith's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, really?"
Veronica took a deep breath. "Dad, Lamb and I have kind of been...seeing each other." Naked. In several positions not covered in the Kama Sutra.
She could tell her father was struggling to remain calm. "What about Kevin?"
"Lamb and I were...together before I met Kevin. And we just got...back together."
"I see. Veronica, I need to talk to Don alone for a minute."
"Are you going to shoot him?"
"No, I am not going to shoot him."
Reluctantly, she left the room.
When she was gone, Keith stared down Lamb. "She's nineteen."
"I know. Look, Keith, I didn't plan for any of this to happen. I know things haven't been great between us for a while now, but I didn't set out to fall in love with your daughter."
Keith looked stunned. "What did you say?"
Shocked at what he had admitted, Lamb didn't answer.
"Does she know you're...in love with her?"
He needed a drink of water. Or whiskey. "I haven't mentioned it, no."
"So why are you telling me?"
"I have reason to believe that she will be the next target of the Hearst rapist, and the suspects know where she lives. I'd like her to stay with me until arrests are made."
"You think you can keep her safe?"
"I'll stake my life on it."
Keith nodded. "Fine. But Don..."
"Yeah?"
"If you hurt her, or God forbid get her pregnant, I will shoot you."
"Understood."
Two days later, Lamb and Veronica were curled up on the couch watching TV when the phone rang. After talking for a few minutes, Lamb smiled and hung up.
"Kevin and his roommates have been arrested. The DA thinks it will be an open-and-shut case."
"Good. I can't believe I dated him," she said with a shudder.
"If you hadn't, we might not have cracked the case."
"I guess that's true." She leaned her head against his chest, her fingers toying with one of the buttons on his shirt. "It's probably safe for me to go home, then."
"Yeah, probably."
She tilted her head to look at him. "You know, you never did tell me how you convinced my dad to let me stay here."
His hand stroked up and down her back, and he hesitated before answering. "I might have told him that I was in love with you."
The hand on his button stilled. "Did you mean it?"
"Yeah. Is that okay?"
"It makes things easier."
"Why's that?"
"Because I love you, too," she whispered.
"That is convenient," he agreed with a smile.
"You know what else is convenient?" Her nimble fingers slipped the button through the fabric.
"What's that?"
"The couch. It's so much closer than the bed." Another button popped free.
"We really need to get you past your bed phobia."
The button on his fly came undone. "I don't know. That might take a lot of work. We might have to keep trying over and over...and over..."
His hand found its way beneath her shirt and skimmed over her stomach. "They do say that practice makes perfect."
Her hand was inside his pants, and she grinned at his sharp intake of breath. "You know, my dad probably won't hear about the arrests until tomorrow morning."
"It seems silly to disturb him tonight, then." He had her shirt off, and he quickly released the clasp on her bra.
"And I haven't even started packing yet." With her free hand, she undid the rest of his shirt buttons, and pushed it off his shoulders.
"You have class tomorrow, too, don't you?" He palmed her breasts in his hands, his thumbs grazing her nipples.
She nodded, her mouth occupied exploring his chest.
"It makes sense for you to just stay until the weekend, then." He slid his hands down her sides, and pushed her shorts off her hips.
She abandoned his chest and his cock, and started working down his jeans. "I should really study for midterms this weekend."
He didn't answer until they were both naked. As his fingers slipped between her thighs, he said softly, "Maybe you should just stay, then."
She wrapped her legs around him, urging him closer, faster. "Maybe I will."
Author: angel_grace
Rating: R
Pairing: Veronica/Lamb
Word Count: 4246
Spoilers: Makes reference to one of the confirmed S3 mystery arcs. All details of that mystery are completely AU.
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars and the characters depicted here were created by Rob Thomas. They are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profit is being made from their use.
Summary: The 5th (and probably final) part in my "Sigma Epsilon Chi" series, this will probably make more sense if you read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 first. As Veronica starts her second semester at Hearst, she and Lamb are in relationship limbo, and the rapist is still at large.
Veronica massaged her temples with her fingertips, and tried not to scream. Second semester had only been underway for a week, but the professors hadn't wasted any time piling on the work.
It was Thursday night, and she was working the late shift at the library, while trying to get some of her own work done.
"Excuse me, Veronica?"
She looked up. The guy standing at the information desk was familiar, not to mention cute. "Yes?"
"You probably don't remember me, but I'm in your criminology class." He stuck out his hand. "Kevin Yeats."
She smiled and shook his hand. "I thought you looked familiar. So how can I help you?"
"Actually, I was hoping maybe we could work on the assignment together. You seem to have a better grasp of the material than most of the people in the class."
"And what do I get out of the deal?" she asked with a grin.
"The pleasure of my company?" he offered hopefully.
It had been a while since anyone flirted with her, and it felt nice. Lamb mostly just stuck his tongue down her throat--among other places. "That sounds fair."
They worked on the assignment for several hours, until finally the library closed. As they walked out of the building, still talking and laughing, Veronica didn't notice Lamb standing on the other side of the quad, waiting for her.
By the time Friday evening rolled around, Veronica was tired. She'd actually taken it easy over the holidays, and getting back into the rhythm of the semester was proving harder than expected. On top of that, though she hated to admit it, she missed Lamb.
After they'd resolved their differences before Christmas, they'd seen each other nearly every day. They spent most of New Year's Eve naked, turning the sex into a game as they tried to time their orgasms to the stroke of midnight. After practicing on the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones, they had it just about perfect when 2007 dawned in California.
With school starting back up, Veronica hadn't seen Lamb all week, and it bothered her. All she wanted was to spend the night with him, maybe relax in his ridiculously decadent jacuzzi tub, and then have sex until she collapsed from exhaustion.
The odds of that happening didn't look good when Lamb answered the door with a scowl on his face. "Veronica. I wasn't expecting you."
She stared up at him, confused. "What are you talking about? I told you I'd probably come by."
"I thought you might be too busy," he told her, bitterness evident in his tone.
She slipped past him into the apartment. "Did I miss something?"
Looking at her, he realized she genuinely had no clue why he was upset. Which probably meant he was overreacting. He didn't really want to tell her that he had gone from "fuck buddy" to "potential stalker" the night before. Rubbing his hand over his face, he said, "No, it's just been a shitty week. I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"Sounds like we could both use a little stress release," she said, winding her arms around his neck and pressing her body close. "I was thinking of taking a nice hot bath. Care to join me?"
He grinned. Naked Veronica made everything better. "Wouldn't miss it."
Forty minutes later, Lamb leaned back against the wall of the tub. Veronica sat between his legs, reclined against his chest. They had washed each other from head to toe, touching and kissing and exploring. It was a slower pace than their usual mad dash to OrgasmLand. They hadn't even tried to have sex in the awkward confines of the tub, choosing instead to use the experience as extending foreplay.
As he absently caressed her breasts beneath the water, Lamb said, "I thought about calling you last night." Which wasn't exactly a lie.
"Probably good you didn't--I had to work closing at the library."
"Sounds boring."
"It wasn't too bad. I ended up working on an assignment with a guy from my crim class. I guess it's about time I got to know some of the other students."
Lamb felt the last remnants of jealousy drain away. "I'm glad you're here tonight," he said quietly.
She turned over in his arms, sloshing water over the side of the tub. "So am I," she replied, leaning in to kiss him.
They left a dripping trail down the hallway, bodies already tangling together, and it made it to the bedroom, although not the actual bed. Grabbing a condom from the nightstand, Veronica practically tackled him to the floor, rolling it on and straddling him with practiced ease.
He couldn't help chuckling at her enthusiasm. "What do you have against the bed?" he asked, reaching up to guide her hips with his hands.
She didn't break their rhythm. "Maybe I just like variety," she gasped out. Or maybe, the voice in her head whispered, the bed makes it feel too much like you're a couple, like there are actual feelings involved, like maybe you could fall for him, and that is definitely not allowed.
"Then who am I to argue?" he replied, rolling them over and driving into her until she came, crying out his name.
They settled into a routine as the semester wore on. They didn't see each other much during the week, but every Friday night she turned up at his apartment. The sex was always fantastic, and if either of them wanted more, they never brought it up.
Veronica continued to study with Kevin, and as time passed, they seemed to spend more and more of it together. He lived in a quad with three other guys, and she got to know them as well. It felt good to have new friends, particularly ones that were hers, and not just extensions of Wallace or Mac.
One night, after finishing a particularly grueling assignment, Kevin said, "I'm glad I got to know you this semester."
Veronica looked up from her notes and smiled. "I am too."
"So I was thinking...maybe we could do something together. On Friday night."
"You mean like a date?" she asked cautiously.
He glanced down nervously. "Yeah, like a date."
"Oh. Look, Kevin..."
"If you're not interested, that's fine," he hurried to tell her. "I just thought it might be fun."
"I'm sure it would be. It's just...I kind of have plans for Friday. Can I think about it?"
"Sure, whatever you want."
Lamb hadn't expected to see Veronica that night, and when he opened the door, he knew something was wrong.
"Kevin asked me out tonight," she said without preamble. "For Friday night."
"What did you tell him?" he asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"I told him I'd think about it."
Oh God. He was losing her. Not that he really had her. "Look, if you want to go, you can come here on Saturday instead."
"Don..." When she said his name, he knew it was over. "I can't go on a date with Kevin and then have sex with you the next day."
"Then don't go out with him," he said feebly.
"But I want to. I want to go on a real date, Lamb. I want to be with someone that I don't have to hide. I can't spend the rest of my life having meaningless sex with you."
He felt like he was going to throw up. "Meaningless but mind-blowing," he corrected with a forced smile.
She managed a small smile of her own. "Okay, meaningless but mind-blowing. But still meaningless. Right?"
Was he imagining the hesitation in her voice? Should he tell her that, no, it hadn't been meaningless for a while now, and if she wanted to go on a real date, he'd gladly face Logan's fists and Keith's service pistol? But all he said was, "Right."
"Well, then...I guess this is it."
He nodded. "I guess so. I'll see you around, Veronica."
"Yeah. See you around."
Going on a date with Kevin, Veronica learned, didn't mean going on a date with just Kevin. He and his roommates were inseparable, and Veronica found herself on a quadruple date Friday night.
"So I hear you're the star of the criminology class," Brian, one of the roommates, commented to Veronica.
"I wouldn't go that far, although I do enjoy the class. I guess I've just picked up a lot from my dad--he used to be the sheriff."
"I guess I'd better watch my step around you, then."
"Most people do."
After dinner, the couples finally split off from one another.
"So you guys got pretty lucky, finding four roommates who get along so well."
"It wasn't really luck," Kevin admitted. "We've all been best friends since grade school."
"Wow. And you all decided to go to college together?"
"Hearst had something we were all looking for. In the end it just made sense."
They reached the movie theater, where Kevin insisted on paying for the tickets. Veronica nearly laughed--she just wasn't used to someone so...normal. She was used to sex on every available horizontal--and some vertical--surface, and maybe that wasn't the best basis for comparison, since Kevin hadn't even kissed her yet.
The movie was stupid, but funny, and when it was over, Kevin drove her home. As he walked her to the door, he said, "This was fun. I hope we can do it again."
"I'd like that."
He leaned in to kiss her, and it wasn't toe-curling or spine-tingling, but it was...nice. Nice was good. It was normal. And God knew she could use a little normal in her life.
Her dad was still awake when she went inside. "Hey, honey. Did you have a good time?"
She nodded. "It was...nice."
"I'm not really up on the lingo these days--is 'nice' a good thing or a bad thing?"
She laughed. "It's good. Normal. Uncomplicated."
"And you're okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Just asking. I'm glad you had fun."
"Yeah. Me, too."
Lamb woke up in a shitty mood on Saturday morning. He'd spent the night before thinking about Veronica on her date and drinking too much beer. All he had to show for it was a headache and a mental image of Veronica having sex with another guy.
The phone rang, and he picked it up with a snarl. "This is Lamb."
"Sheriff, it's Sacks. There's been another rape at Hearst."
He felt like someone had just doused him with ice water. "What's the victim's name?"
"Tara Finnigan. She's a freshman, and she was at a party at the Omega Chi house last night."
"Okay. Finish up on campus, and then meet me back at the station."
"You're not coming here?"
"No, there's something I need to take care of first."
Within twenty minutes, he was dressed, out the door, and on his way to Veronica's apartment. Even though he knew nothing had happened to her, he still needed to see her.
When she opened the door, looking bleary-eyed and wearing pajamas, he was tempted to yank her close and kiss her.
"Lamb? What are you doing here?"
"There was another rape last night."
She was instantly awake. "Same pattern?"
"As far as I know. She went to a fraternity party. Were you on campus last night?"
She shook her head. "We went to dinner with his roommates, then a movie. But Brian and Cara mentioned going to a party on campus. I can ask them about it."
"Okay, but don't take any unnecessary risks."
She laughed. "I hardly think talking to Kevin's roommate qualifies as risky."
"You manage to make everything risky."
"Aw, are you worried about me?"
He looked down at her. "Should I be?"
"I can take care of myself. Even my date last night was PG-rated."
"Good," he said shortly, trying not to sound like a jealous ex. "Let me know if you find out anything."
"I will. And Lamb..."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for worrying."
Veronica and Kevin had been dating for a month, and it was still...nice. He opened doors, and held her hand, and hadn't even tried to take her bra off yet. It was a little unnerving.
Not as unnerving as his roommates, though. They were always around, and Veronica was continually struck by how close they all were. Kevin explained that they were more like brothers than best friends, but Veronica still found it unsettling.
Also unsettling was the fact that she was having near-nightly dreams about Lamb. Sure, the sex had been great and she hadn't had any since, but the dreams were getting ridiculous. Aside from the expected erotic ones, her subconscious kept casting him in the role of white knight, coming to the rescue and telling her he loved her.
She didn't need to be rescued. And Lamb didn't even know what love was.
She doubted Lamb even missed whatever it was they'd had. There had been two more rapes on campus, and still no suspects. Short of DNA-testing every male on campus, there wasn't much they could do. There was a patrol car on campus twenty-four hours a day now, but Veronica wasn't sure it was doing much good.
There was a criminology exam that Friday, and she and Kevin had spent three hours at the union studying for it. He'd finally left for an intramural volleyball game, but Veronica kept working.
After a quick bathroom break, Veronica came back to the table and took a sip of her coffee. It was long since cold, and she wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste. Ten minutes later, she gave up completely. She couldn't focus, and she was exhausted. Gathering up her books, she headed out of the union towards the parking garage.
As she walked, her head started to swim. At one point, she put a hand out to steady herself against a wall. Pulling out her cell phone, she fumbled with the buttons and managed to call Lamb.
"Veronica? Are you okay?"
"Feel...funny," she managed to say. "Something...in my drink."
"Where are you?"
"Parking garage...Hearst."
"Get in your car, lock the door, and wait for me. I'm on my way."
"'k."
"Stay on the phone, okay? Try and stay awake."
He kept talking to her as she slowly stumbled to her car. Digging for her keys, the phone slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground. "Veronica? Veronica!" But she couldn't hear him anymore.
Siren screaming, Lamb made the ten-minute drive to Hearst in less than seven. The tires squealed as he turned the corners in the parking garage, frantically searching for Veronica. He finally spotted her car, her still form on the concrete beside it.
He was by her side in seconds, and he was relieved to see that it didn't look like she'd been attacked. Her clothes were intact, her head unshaved. Gathering her into his arms, he placed her gently in the passenger seat of the squad car, and headed for his apartment.
When Veronica woke up, she was in Lamb's bed. She didn't know how she had gotten there, but she was still fully clothed, so it couldn't have been very much fun. Turning her head, she saw Lamb watching her. "What happened?"
"You were drugged, probably by the rapist."
There was panic in her eyes. "But...but nothing happened?"
"No. I think I got there in time."
"Thank you," she whispered, and he could tell she was struggling to keep it together.
Reaching out, he pulled her close, keeping his arms tight around her when her body started to shake. "Shh," he soothed, "you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."
How far we've come, she thought as her tears made a damp spot on his shirt. She believed he honestly wanted to protect her, even though she would swear up and down that she didn't need protecting--despite all evidence to the contrary.
It felt good to be back in his bed, in his arms. She liked Kevin, but she had missed Lamb--and not just the sex.
After a little while, when her tears had stopped and he'd started to wonder if she'd fallen asleep, he pulled back slightly. Her eyes were wide open. "Why don't I take you home?" he asked.
She wouldn't look him in the eye. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked quietly.
"Of course."
He didn't try and stop her when she unbuttoned his shirt, didn't hesitate to kiss her back. He didn't point out that her hands were trembling, and when a tear slid down her cheek, he caught it on his lips. He let her set the pace, and even after all the times before, somehow this felt like a first.
By the time it was over, her tears were long gone, and her body was trembling for much more pleasant reasons. They fell asleep tangled together beneath the sheets, and twice during the night she woke him with her mouth on his skin.
As they showered together the next morning, Lamb said, "I think we should tell your dad."
She looked shocked. "Are you crazy? If he finds out I was drugged, he'll never let me leave the house."
"Not about that. I think we should tell him about us."
"You really are crazy."
"It's a character flaw. But I'm serious, Veronica."
"What do you want to tell him? That we've been screwing each other's brains out for months? Do you want to get shot."
He winced. "No. But I think he should know I'm dating his daughter."
"But we're not dating."
"Maybe we should be."
Her blue eyes were wide, the lashes wet and spiky. "You're serious?"
"Yeah, I am. This past month sucked. I...I missed you. And when I thought something had happened to you last night..."
"I missed you too," she admitted softly.
"So what do you think we should do?"
She wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands sliding over his wet skin. "I think I should break up with Kevin. And then I should probably take all the bullets out of my dad's guns."
"You really think he'd shoot me?"
"Not if he doesn't have any bullets. And we probably shouldn't mention the shower sex."
He grinned. "There's shower sex?"
"Oh yeah."
When Veronica went to Kevin's room, Brian answered the door. "Hey Veronica. What's up?"
"Is Kevin here?"
"No, he's still in class. He should be back in about fifteen minutes, if you'd like to wait."
"Thanks, I think I will."
She talked to Brian for a few minutes, and then asked. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"No, go ahead."
As she closed the bathroom door, her finger caught on a sliver of wood. Wincing, she opened the medicine cabinet, hoping to find a pair of tweezers. Electric clippers sat on the bottom shelf, and a knot of fear settled in her stomach as she noticed several long blonde hairs caught in the blades. Her hand was shaking as she picked up several of the hairs, wrapped them securely in some toilet paper, and stuffed it in her pocket. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, she flushed the toilet and ran the water in the sink before hurrying back out.
"I actually need to get going after all," she told Brian. "Can you tell Kevin I stopped by, and have him call me?"
"Sure, no problem."
She resisted the urge to break into a run the second she was out the door. Her mind was racing as she walked to her car. In a weird way, it made sense. The unnatural closeness between the four guys, a bond that wasn't as simple as friendship. The targeted drugging of her drink, when all the other attacks were linked to frat parties.
Her heart was racing as she drove to the police station, only starting to slow when she reached Lamb's office. She was safe here.
When she walked in, Lamb looked up in surprise. "Hey. I didn't think I'd see you this afternoon. Did you talk to Kevin?"
She shook her head. "He wasn't home, but one of his roommates let me in. I went to use the bathroom, and I opened the medicine cabinet. There were clippers inside, and these were caught in the blades," she said, holding out the neatly folded toilet paper.
He unfolded it carefully, looked at the hairs inside. "You think one of his roommates is involved with the rapes?"
"I think all of them are. Targeting frat parties is a cover. These guys are closer than brothers, Lamb. It's not normal."
"I'll get these to the lab, and then I think we need to go talk to your dad."
"Why?"
"Because I want you to stay with me until this is over. Kevin knows where you live."
She nodded. She didn't want to believe that Kevin or his friends would actually hurt her, but the drugs in her drink told her otherwise.
They found Keith in his office at Mars Investigations.
"Sheriff Lamb. What brings you by?"
"Veronica, actually."
He glanced at his daughter. "What are you accusing her of now?"
"Nothing. Actually, we've...reconciled our differences."
Keith's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, really?"
Veronica took a deep breath. "Dad, Lamb and I have kind of been...seeing each other." Naked. In several positions not covered in the Kama Sutra.
She could tell her father was struggling to remain calm. "What about Kevin?"
"Lamb and I were...together before I met Kevin. And we just got...back together."
"I see. Veronica, I need to talk to Don alone for a minute."
"Are you going to shoot him?"
"No, I am not going to shoot him."
Reluctantly, she left the room.
When she was gone, Keith stared down Lamb. "She's nineteen."
"I know. Look, Keith, I didn't plan for any of this to happen. I know things haven't been great between us for a while now, but I didn't set out to fall in love with your daughter."
Keith looked stunned. "What did you say?"
Shocked at what he had admitted, Lamb didn't answer.
"Does she know you're...in love with her?"
He needed a drink of water. Or whiskey. "I haven't mentioned it, no."
"So why are you telling me?"
"I have reason to believe that she will be the next target of the Hearst rapist, and the suspects know where she lives. I'd like her to stay with me until arrests are made."
"You think you can keep her safe?"
"I'll stake my life on it."
Keith nodded. "Fine. But Don..."
"Yeah?"
"If you hurt her, or God forbid get her pregnant, I will shoot you."
"Understood."
Two days later, Lamb and Veronica were curled up on the couch watching TV when the phone rang. After talking for a few minutes, Lamb smiled and hung up.
"Kevin and his roommates have been arrested. The DA thinks it will be an open-and-shut case."
"Good. I can't believe I dated him," she said with a shudder.
"If you hadn't, we might not have cracked the case."
"I guess that's true." She leaned her head against his chest, her fingers toying with one of the buttons on his shirt. "It's probably safe for me to go home, then."
"Yeah, probably."
She tilted her head to look at him. "You know, you never did tell me how you convinced my dad to let me stay here."
His hand stroked up and down her back, and he hesitated before answering. "I might have told him that I was in love with you."
The hand on his button stilled. "Did you mean it?"
"Yeah. Is that okay?"
"It makes things easier."
"Why's that?"
"Because I love you, too," she whispered.
"That is convenient," he agreed with a smile.
"You know what else is convenient?" Her nimble fingers slipped the button through the fabric.
"What's that?"
"The couch. It's so much closer than the bed." Another button popped free.
"We really need to get you past your bed phobia."
The button on his fly came undone. "I don't know. That might take a lot of work. We might have to keep trying over and over...and over..."
His hand found its way beneath her shirt and skimmed over her stomach. "They do say that practice makes perfect."
Her hand was inside his pants, and she grinned at his sharp intake of breath. "You know, my dad probably won't hear about the arrests until tomorrow morning."
"It seems silly to disturb him tonight, then." He had her shirt off, and he quickly released the clasp on her bra.
"And I haven't even started packing yet." With her free hand, she undid the rest of his shirt buttons, and pushed it off his shoulders.
"You have class tomorrow, too, don't you?" He palmed her breasts in his hands, his thumbs grazing her nipples.
She nodded, her mouth occupied exploring his chest.
"It makes sense for you to just stay until the weekend, then." He slid his hands down her sides, and pushed her shorts off her hips.
She abandoned his chest and his cock, and started working down his jeans. "I should really study for midterms this weekend."
He didn't answer until they were both naked. As his fingers slipped between her thighs, he said softly, "Maybe you should just stay, then."
She wrapped her legs around him, urging him closer, faster. "Maybe I will."