Chapter 18
18
Jeremy hadn’t expected anything unusual when he walked into the pub. A quick takeout meal, a few minutes of banter with the owners, Aiden and Brogan, and then back to the solitude of his evening. But everything shifted when his gaze swept over the room and landed on Cora.
She sat alone in a cozy corner, her head tilted slightly as she read something on her phone. A faint smile played on her lips, her hair catching the warm light from the pub’s vintage sconces. The sight of her tugged at something in his chest—a pull he didn’t fully understand but couldn’t ignore.
Initially, he thought she must be waiting for someone. A friend, maybe. Or worse, a date. He told himself to let it go, to stay in his lane and wait for his order. But as the minutes ticked by, no one joined her. The temptation to cross the room grew too strong, and before he fully realized what he was doing, he was making his way to her table.
Her expression shifted from surprise to curiosity when he stopped beside her, but she didn’t shoo him away. That was all the encouragement he needed. Jeremy pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, a grin tugging at his lips as he flagged down a server to place his order. “Don’t stop on my account,” he said, gesturing to her plate. “Keep eating. I’ll catch up.”
Cora hesitated momentarily before resuming her meal, and soon, they settled into an easy rhythm. Their conversation ebbed and flowed, punctuated by comfortable silences. It wasn’t forced or performative, which caught him off guard. Most of his dates—if he could even call them that—were laced with an undercurrent of expectation. They knew the score, and so did he. Dinner was usually a prelude, a thinly veiled formality before the inevitable.
But this? This was different. He found himself stealing glances at her when she wasn’t looking. Her profile was striking—the gentle slope of her nose, the curve of her cheek, the way her lips quirked as she chewed thoughtfully. She wasn’t dressed to impress—no carefully curated outfit meant to draw attention—but she was beautiful in a way that made his chest ache.
And it wasn’t just her looks. Cora’s presence was magnetic. She was intelligent without arrogance, inquisitive without prying. She had a way of listening that made him feel like he was the only person in the room.
When she’d revealed it was her birthday, he was consumed with wanting to celebrate with her. Sharing the cake turned out to be the beginning of discerning that his blossoming interest wasn’t one-sided.
Suddenly, he wanted their time together to be memorable. Something out of the norm for her birthdays. On his last birthday, he’d come to the pub with friends for a drink and games of darts. As soon as the idea was born, he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the dartboard at the end of the bar. She’d protested, but he held firm. He wanted her to give in to being vulnerable but was aware of not making a spectacle of her. He respected her boundaries while wishing to prolong their time together.
Showing her how to stand and hold the dart had started as instructional, then quickly turned sexual. He’d placed his hands on her hips to make sure her stance was correct, but as soon as his fingers wrapped around her, the electricity sent tingles up his arms. He’d leaned close so that his words could be heard over the background bar noise, but he caught the delicate scent of floral wafting from her, recognizing how different it was from the hospital antiseptic scent he smelled when she was there. It dawned on him that perfume would interfere with her ability to use her sense of smell when analyzing a crime scene or body. So this night was memorable, even if she had come alone.
But here, on her birthday, when all she’d planned to do was have dinner, she’d gone all out with a little makeup, beautiful clothes, and a touch of perfume. Now his senses were on overload, trying to memorize everything about her.
As he instructed her how to hold the dart, each word became a sexual innuendo, and his cock pressed against the zipper of his jeans. He made sure not to have his body against her back, or she would know precisely how affected he was by her presence.
When she finally flung the dart forward, and it landed somewhat wobbly into the dartboard’s outer ring, her joy was palpable. The almost childlike jump filled his chest with an equal amount of happiness.
When she turned her beautiful smile up toward him and asked if they could do it again, the breath left his lungs, and he wasn’t sure if he could draw in enough oxygen to remain standing. All he could think about was wanting to keep her smiling at him. They stared at each other, and the world disappeared. It was as though they were the only two people in the bar… or maybe the universe. He leaned closer, and she lifted slightly on her toes. Her mouth was so near, and her lips called to him like a beacon. His arms tightened around her, and their first kiss was only a whisper away.
Then the shout of his name from behind broke the spell. She jumped back and turned away, hiding the blush he’d seen grace her cheeks. The instant his fingers lost their purchase on her hips, he felt the loss strike his chest.
Turning, he plastered on his trademark smile at the sight of Hunter walking toward them with Belle tucked under his arm. “Hey, Hunter. Belle.” He shook Hunter’s hand, then bent to kiss Belle’s cheek. Belle laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Charming as ever, Jeremy.”
Hunter’s attention moved to Cora standing off to the side, and Belle approached. “Cora, good to see you.”
Cora stepped forward, her smile warm. “Belle, you look wonderful, as always.”
Jeremy glanced down at Cora, a sliver of surprise moving through him. He knew she wasn’t a cold person but had never seen her so at ease. She was genuinely pleased to see Belle.
Belle’s gaze shot between him and Cora, and her smile widened. “You two are playing darts?”
Cora laughed. “He was trying to teach me, but I’ve only thrown one dart?—”
“Yes, and she hit the board on her first try!” Jeremy finished.
“Come on, dart-virgin Cora. Let’s see what you’ve got!” someone shouted from behind the bar. Aiden MacFarlane grinned as he tossed his dishrag over his shoulder. His brother, Brogan, walked closer, now interested in the activities.
Jeremy shot his friend a glare as others in the pub turned around to watch Cora. Several people leaned or stood to see what was happening.
Cora looked up at him, and while her smile remained and her expression didn’t change, he could see the stiffness of anxiety settle on her face. “You don’t have to do this,” he whispered. “Fuck ‘em. I know this makes you uncomfortable.”
“No. It’s okay. But maybe you’ll need to talk me through it again.” She leaned closer. “Although, not quite so… suggestively.”
He lifted a brow and smirked, and he breathed easier seeing her shoulders relax. “Damn, Cora. That was half the fun.”
He turned back to the gathering, now seeing several of their friends who he knew would be supportive. “Remember, folks, we’ve only had one lesson,” he joked.
He stepped behind her again, only keeping his hands to himself with great difficulty. Talking her through the steps, she flung the dart, once more hitting the board and making it even closer to the center. The crowd cheered. She threw three more, getting better with each throw.
By the time she finished, she turned and smiled, her gaze on him. He threw his arm around her and pulled her to his side as they walked back toward the others. His gaze landed on the newcomers standing next to Hunter—Mark and his wife, Karen. Ryan, the captain of the local Virginia Marine Police, and his wife, Judith, had also entered the pub and immediately headed over.
Cora greeted Judith, and as Jeremy looked on, he realized that the four women were connected through their careers in the medical field. And, of course, the men all were in law enforcement.
He grinned, thinking that if he had to choose a group of people that Cora would feel at ease with while throwing a dart, this would be the group. So with encouraging words said once again, Cora stepped up to the line, and Jeremy moved directly behind her. He barely needed to whisper instructions as she held the dart perfectly, then pulled back and tossed it, once more hitting the board.
Their friends clapped, and she laughed as she executed a curtsy. Jeremy loved the look on her face, especially when she beamed her smile his way. She stepped closer and stuck out her hand. “Thanks for the excellent teaching.”
He eagerly took her hand in his, warmth moving through his body once more. “Anytime, Cora.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “And I mean that sincerely. I like spending time with you, so I’ll come running anytime you call.”
Her eyes widened as they stayed locked onto his. “I’ll remember that.”
He wished they were alone, but with an audience, he turned to face the others while maintaining hold of her hand.
They continued chatting with the group of friends. Hunter assisted Belle in sitting at the bar, making sure she was resting while they waited for their takeout. Mark, Karen, Ryan, and Judith chatted while waiting for the server to clear off a table for four.
“Have you already eaten?” Judith asked, her gaze on Cora.
“Oh yes, I came in early and had dinner. Jeremy joined me.”
It was on the tip of Jeremy’s tongue to tell the others it was Cora’s birthday, but he remained quiet, completely against his norm. He often shouted out things or kept group conversations going with a witty remark or even a smart-ass comment.
But around Cora, he wanted to do better. She was a confident woman, and if she wanted to share that it was her birthday, she would. And since she remained quiet, he decided it wasn’t his place to make that announcement. And, in truth, he liked that they had shared it all themselves for the most part. Dinner. The carrot cake. Him teaching her how to throw a dart. All of that was now his alone.
As the gathering began to break up when the server had the table ready, and Brogan handed over a bag containing Hunter and Belle’s dinner, Jeremy turned to Cora. “Do you need to head home?”
Her brow furrowed as she pondered his question, and he waited to see what she’d say.
“I don’t have to go now,” she admitted. “You were so nice to buy me dinner and dessert and teach me darts. Would you like to share a drink?”
Thrilled, he glanced to the side to see the bar was now filled, with no seats available.
“Actually, I didn’t mean here,” she said. Leaning closer, she lifted on her toes so that her mouth was closer to his ear. “It’s been lovely to see friends, but when it gets this noisy, I can’t hear myself think.”
“I’d love to go somewhere else with you,” he said in haste as he tried to think where they could go that wouldn’t be crowded. “Did you have a place in mind?”
“Actually, I thought of my place.” She shrugged as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I know it’s not very exciting to hang out with me and two cats.”
For a few seconds, he held back the urge to grab her hand and race out of the bar. From her modest dress to her quiet confidence, no one could accuse Cora of being forward. Certainly not like the practice flirts or all-out propositions he’d received in his life. Managing to keep his expression straight, he smiled. “I’d love to have a drink with you at your place.” Wanting to ensure she was comfortable, he threw his hands up and grinned wider. “And I promise to keep my hands to myself and no hanky-panky.”
She slipped on her coat and pulled her purse strap across her shoulders. Then she looked at him and, with an equally straight face, replied, “I didn’t say that hanky-panky wasn’t allowed.” With that, she turned and started to walk away, leaving him standing there with his mouth hanging open, his heart pounding, and his cock deciding it was time to get over the drought.