Page 37 of Heart of a Hero

“No, there are others, but I’m the one who goes in first. I even get a chance to help in other ways.”

Her face lit up, and he loved hearing her enthusiasm as she continued. “There’s an older man I see at the mobile home park, and two little kids live next door to him. They are so sweet, but I’m not sure they’re looked after by their mom or her boyfriend. When I visit Roscoe, I take the kids some treats and make sure they have good food. I gave them my number in case they need it because I’ve met the mom’s boyfriend.” She scrunched her nose while shaking her head. “He’s mean.”

His intuition and protectiveness kicked in. “Mean?”

“I know what you’re thinking, but I’ve asked the kids if he’s done anything to them, and they say he hasn’t. They do avoid him, which makes sense. And I don’t see any evidence of abuse or neglect. Mostly, they just seem to like to hang out with Roscoe and now look forward to my visits as well.”

Mark listened with interest, loving the smile on her face as she talked about her job. Beautiful, smart, and kind. He smiled, not wanting their conversation to end. “You mentioned traveling around the county,” he said. “I hadn’t thought about it in terms of what I do, but it’s nice to have a job where you’re not stuck in a cubicle.”

“Yes!” she nodded emphatically. “I have an office, but the door is always open, and most of the time, I’m on the phone, or computer, or meeting with my staff. And then, I get to walk outside, get in my car, and visit a patient. It feels freeing.” She tilted her head to the side as she continued to peer up at him. “You made a career switch not too long ago, too.”

“Oh yeah. A police officer or deputy’s main function is to uphold the laws. Being a detective was something that I always thought about, but I was honestly satisfied with my former job.”

“What changed?”

They had finished dessert and pushed their plates to the side. She leaned forward and faced him, resting her elbow on the table, her head resting in her palm. He stared into her eyes, feeling the warmth fill him. Her sincere interest in him shone through, also providing warmth that swirled around them.

Mark shrugged. “Nothing really changed… not like a major life event. Colt had been after me for a while to prepare for and take the detective test. I knew I could do the job, but I still held back for some reason. I remember one night, Benji and I were watching a movie… age-appropriate, of course,” he added, and she laughed. “But there was a detective, and Benji asked me what they did. We started talking about it, and I explained the difference between that job and what I was doing. He didn’t say anything in particular but just listened. And then he said, ‘That sounds like a really cool job. You’d be good at that.’ Then he looked back at the TV for a moment before turning to me again and saying, ‘You think I could be a detective when I grow up?’”

Chuckling, he shook his head while still holding her gaze. “It was weird… Benji didn’t care what job I had. Hell, he loved my deputy uniform. But somehow, hearing him say that I’d be good at it and that he thought about how he’d love it… I don’t know, Karen. I suddenly felt like I wanted to go for it. I was thirty-eight years old at the time, but I went for it. And after passing the detective exam, it felt like some more pieces of my life clicked together.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he winced at how he must have sounded.

Her head lifted from her hand, and her eyes widened. “Oh God, Mark… yes. I get it! Pieces click together.” Her hand slid over the top of the table and landed on his before she wrapped her fingers tightly. “After Jeffrey died, I felt like I was either going through the motions of just living or was making changes because of what had to happen for the girls. However, when I took the job at ESHH and changed my working environment—even though I was still a nurse—it was just like a click. Something that moved me forward.”

Nodding, he turned his hand up so that their fingers linked. “You do get it.”

They stared for a long moment, the world still turning but not existing for either. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to do a lot more than kiss. He wanted to claim this woman who had slid into his subconscious and now was firmly entrenched in his conscious thoughts. Unable to speak what he was thinking, he simply held her hand, wondering if she felt an inkling of what was filling his mind. Her gaze appeared full of what he thought was hope.

“Do you want to go upstairs?” he whispered.

Her chest depressed as a sudden intake moved past her lips. Nodding slowly, she said, “Yeah. Absolutely. More than you can know.” Her lips twitched, then curved until her smile beamed.

Once again, he felt her warmth. Standing, he held her hand, and she stood with him. Leaving the table with dishes still around, he walked backward, and she followed. He halted at the bottom of the stairs and looked at her, wanting to be sure she was ready for this step in their relationship. He dipped his head to stare into her eyes. “Are you sure? I need you to be sure.”

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lip, then she nodded. “Oh yeah, I’m sure.”

With that, he turned and hurried up the stairs with her hand still in his. And his smile was as wide as hers.

18

Karen eagerly followed Mark as they ascended the stairs. The evening had been perfect. She’d fussed over her appearance after the girls left, having already received their fashion advice and excited smiles about her date. Then she’d nervously driven to his house, anxious to see him.

The flowers he’d bought were a special touch. And when his gaze traveled appreciatively from her toes to her head, she’d wanted to forgo dinner and drag him upstairs straightaway.

But the dinner was delicious and had given them a chance to connect even more. She loved hearing about his life and felt he’d really listened and understood hers. As the connection built between them, she wanted more. For the first time since Jeffrey had died, she was really ready.

Entering his room with her hand still in his, she stopped and turned, suddenly having no idea what to do. Looking up at him, she giggled and then snorted. She slapped her free hand over her mouth as her cheeks burned. “I can’t believe I just giggled…and snorted.”

He grinned widely and stepped closer until the toes of their shoes were touching. Her head leaned way back to hold his gaze.

“I love that you giggle and snort,” he said.

Rolling her eyes, she huffed. “My seduction skills have a lot to be desired.”

He lifted a hand and gently tucked her hair behind her ear, then wrapped his palm around the side of her neck. Leaning down, he slid his nose along hers. “Your seduction skills are just what I crave. Real. Honest. Spontaneous. Authentic. You.”

His breath puffed over her cheek, and she closed her eyes as his mouth descended to hers. Their lips sealed, and as soon as his tongue plunged into her mouth, she needed to be closer. Unlinking their fingers, she lifted both arms to wrap her hands around the back of his neck. His free arm banded around her back and pulled her until her breasts were pressed against his chest. The kiss sent tingles down her spine and through her nerves. Her legs felt weak, but his arms held her in place, keeping her steady.

He plundered her mouth, and she reciprocated. Barely able to catch her breath, she didn’t care as long as she could breathe him in. The fresh-air scent that permeated him was already recognizable, as though her senses were attuned to him, claiming him.

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