Page 32 of Hidden Hero

She smiled and shook her head. “Not at all. Granted, if I didn’t know you, I would have come inside when you kayaked nearby and would never have invited you in. But I do know you, and the invite was sincere.”

He chuckled as he dropped his gaze from her beautiful face to his empty dessert plate. “I’m glad it was because this was a fantastic meal.” He leaned closer and shoulder bumped her. “And the company was great, too.”

They moved in tandem, rinsing off the dishes and placing the leftovers back into the refrigerator.

He hated to leave but didn’t want to overstay his visit. “I suppose you can take me home now. I’ll leave my kayak on your deck if that’s okay. I can drop by sometime and pick it up.”

“It’s not in the way out there, so there’s no rush. You can get it whenever it suits your schedule.” She walked to the back door, ensured it was locked, and then moved to her purse on a small table by the front door. With her keys in hand, she waited for him to approach before they went outside.

He walked to the passenger side, and as she climbed behind the wheel of her small SUV, she said, “I wondered if you were the type of male to insist on driving. Have to say, I’m a little surprised that you’re not.”

“Damn, maybe I should be offended.” He chuckled as he clicked the seat belt.

“I apologize.” She started her vehicle and backed out of her driveway. “I’m not usually judgmental.” A sigh left her lips. “Maybe I am, but I usually keep it in. I am sorry.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Cora. Honestly? If I’m on a date, I drive. So, yeah, I probably am the kind of male who likes to be in control of the vehicle. But I figured this was a short drive, and if I got behind the wheel, I’d have to push the seat way back because of my longer legs. Then that’s a pain for you to fix it back for your shorter legs.”

She glanced over at him. “That’s… thoughtful.”

She remained quiet as he gave her directions, and it didn’t take long to arrive at his house. The radio played in the background, but he didn’t want her to retreat behind silence. Just as he was going to say something, she surprised him by asking, “What brought you out to the Shore?”

“Hunter Simmons.”

“O…kay,” she replied, drawing the word out, causing him to chuckle.

“I didn’t really give you anything, did I?”

Her lips curled upward, and he loved how the soft smile eased the seriousness he’d grown to expect from her. She pulled into his driveway as he pointed out which house was his. She parked but seemed to hesitate to turn off the engine. He shifted in the passenger seat.

“I was in the Army, then took a job with the Virginia State Police when I got out. At first, I figured I’d work near my family in the western part of the state. But I ended up in Richmond as part of their drug task force. I was a detective and met Hunter Simmons. He had an interesting background to becoming a detective and was perfect for an undercover job at the Careway Nursing Home.”

Her eyes widened. “I’ve been there several times when a patient died. There’s never been a suspicion of wrongdoing.”

“No, no, not with Careway. But an employee was dealing drugs with a whole network that was using them.”

Her teeth caught her bottom lip, and her attention focused on him. He said, “Hunter finished the job, fell in love with Belle, and decided to stay out here. Colt offered him a job as a detective with the sheriff’s department.” He shrugged and smiled. “I came out to visit, and he took me fishing and kayaking, which I loved. Then he and Belle had a small beach party, and I met many other men and women in law enforcement out here. Fucking fell in love with it.” His hands spread out. “So here I am.”

Cora nodded. “And the drug task force?”

He sighed, then turned to face her fully. “There’s no real hero story here. I wasn’t raised by someone on drugs or had a family member or friend go down that cesspool. It was an area that I felt strongly about, and I wanted to make a difference. And I get to have some more in-depth, long-term cases—the kind where we don’t end up with just one arrest of some low-level drug dealer. But we can follow a pipeline and take down higher gang members or whole networks. I find that fascinating.”

Her gaze hadn’t wavered, and he battled the urge to know what she was thinking. Did she think his career path was good? Made sense? Interesting? Or did she just see him as a hot-dogging, glory-seeker? He’d be the first to admit that he gave off a laid-back, egotistical detective air, but he never did his job to seek glory. He inclined his head toward her chest, adding, “Kind of like your shirt but in a different way. Justice and closure.”

She nodded slowly, her penetrating gaze burrowing deep inside him. Her lips curved ever so slightly. “It was nice to have the chance to talk to you this evening,” she finally said.

He grinned widely as his top teeth bit down on his bottom lip. Nodding, he agreed. “It was very nice, Cora. I really enjoyed getting to know you better.” He would have loved to have asked her to come inside. He was interested in talking more and seeing what else could have happened. That thought surprised him, but he kept his face purposely blank.

In his younger years, a one-nighter with someone he saw at work would have been pleasurable as long as they both agreed to the terms of one night only and no expectations. It didn’t take long to figure out that those nights with someone he worked with were a bad idea.

Bar pickups left a lot to be desired. The older he got, the more he hated the feeling of emptiness when the sex was over.

Trying to date someone had not resulted in a relationship making it past a month or so. Either they were too young, and he discovered they had nothing to talk about. Or they were older and commented after a few dates that their biological clock was ticking, wanting to know if he saw a future with them.

Jeremy couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent hours talking to someone and wished the night wouldn’t end. Something about Cora drew him in—not just her sharp mind or her dry wit but the quiet strength beneath her reserved exterior. During their evening together, she’d become more than just the enigmatic medical examiner he’d known at work. She was real, layered, a woman with history, family, dreams, and the kind of confidence that came from knowing exactly who she was. And damn if that wasn’t the sexiest thing about her.

But tonight wasn’t about pushing boundaries or testing limits. Jeremy wanted to do things right for the first time in a long while. Whatever right might be with her.

He stepped out of her vehicle, the gravel crunching softly under his shoes. The cool night air was bracing, carrying the faint scent of the bay. Bending slightly to catch her gaze through the open door, he placed his hands on the frame and leaned in just enough to close the space between them. The porch light behind her softly lighted her face, and her expression was warm, unguarded in a way that made his chest tighten.

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