Page 55 of Hidden Hero

She rinsed off her plate, but it was obvious she listened. Her noddings were subtle but encouraging, as though she understood exactly what he meant. That silent reassurance spurred him to continue.

“By the time I hit thirty, I’d been working with the drug task force and started wondering if maybe I wanted more. I had friends—partners—who were getting married or engaged. But no matter how much I tried, I never met anyone who… fit. Who felt right.” He shook his head, grimacing. “Christ, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all,” she said, her voice calm yet earnest. Her steady gaze pinned him, but there was no judgment in it—only understanding.

She set her cup down and leaned against the counter. “When you’re building a career, it takes all your focus. And for someone in law enforcement? Finding a person who understands the crazy hours, the unpredictable calls, the sheer dedication—it’s not easy. Believe me, I get it.”

Her words settled over him like a soothing balm. He’d never thought of himself as the type to string women along, but the fleeting connections he’d made never felt deep enough to sustain. The only women who ever truly seemed to understand his world were his colleagues, and for him, that had always been a line he wouldn’t cross.

“Thanks, Cora,” he said softly. “It’s good to hear that from someone who understands. Men like me get a reputation if we don’t settle down by a certain age, but I’ve never been anything but upfront. No games, no pretending. I made sure every woman I was with knew what I could and couldn’t offer.”

She gave a little shrug, her lips quirking as she nodded. “Makes sense to me.”

Relieved, he felt the weight of the conversation shift. “Honestly, most of the time, it was just about the moment—physical release, sure, but never anything dishonest. And when I got into my thirties, I started trying. I’d date here and there, hoping something would grow. But I could always tell when it wasn’t right, and I wouldn’t drag it out.”

He paused, watching her reaction. Her face calm but thoughtful. However, something about her quiet acceptance emboldened him, and he decided it was time to turn the tables. A slight grin tugged at his lips.

“All right, your turn,” he said. “What about you? Any boyfriends in your past worth mentioning?”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she met his gaze, and he realized he was suddenly very eager to hear her answer. “What about you?”

Now, it was her turn to snort. “Oh God. Please! I’m afraid my dating life is nothing to consider. No boyfriends or previous lovers are hanging in the wings waiting to return to declare their undying love for me.” She laughed. “It’s probably more like they were glad to move on!”

“I doubt that,” he protested.

She lowered her head and peered at him from over her glasses. “Do I look like a person who worries with false modesty?”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “No, not at all, sweetheart. But I just meant that I can’t imagine someone wanting to move on from you.”

“Yes, but think about your opinion when you first met me. Businesslike. No humor. Smiled infrequently when on the job. Cold?—”

“Stop!” he protested again, guilt hitting deep in his gut. “I was an ass,” he said with a self-deprecating sigh.

She reached over and took his hand in hers, letting their palms rest against each other. “You weren’t an ass. We have different personalities, and we didn’t know each other back then. You didn’t seem to take anything seriously, and to you, I was too serious. Now, we know each other better.”

He lifted their hands and kissed her knuckles. “You’re a good person, Cora.”

She smiled, and her fingers tightened around his. “The truth about my past relationships wasn’t much different from yours. While I didn’t exactly meet up with men in bars, there were a few I’d meet at professional conferences.” Shrugging, she added, “It might just be sex for a night or maybe last for a few weeks, but there was never anyone that I felt a longing to be with more than that. I sometimes wondered if it was in my future to have a relationship.”

Cora looked down and nibbled her bottom lip.

“Hey, what are you thinking?”

“It’s strange to be talking about something long-term when we’ve only been together averyshort time. I’m not usually so hasty to make a decision.”

“We feel what we feel, Cora,” he said, then winced. “Did that come out as cheesy as it sounded?”

She laughed, and he loved the sound of her mirth. “Nah…” She laughed again. “Okay, maybe a little cheesy.”

“It’s just that when you think about it, we’ve known each other for a while. Maybe not closely. And not intimately. But it’s not like we met in a bar or a conference and hooked up.” He held her gaze. “You know that, Cora.”

Her mouth dropped open just before the edges curled into another smile. “You’re right, Jeremy. We have known each other for a while.”

He pulled her closer again, and she leaned forward. He kissed her lightly, then murmured against her lips. “And I like what I’ve gotten to know.”

“Yeah?” she murmured in return.

He nodded, their lips rubbing against each other.

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