Chapter 24
24
Cora had moved back to her chair, her coffee cup in her hand. Her house exuded a calmness that felt like a balm to his often chaotic life. Though the rental had initially struck him as impersonal, it now bore unmistakable traces of her. Smiley-face magnets clung to the refrigerator, pinning up snapshots that hinted at a life he hadn’t yet fully glimpsed. Her mismatched coffee cups, some emblazoned with darkly humorous mortuary quips, told a story of a sharp wit lurking beneath her composed exterior.
He couldn’t help but wonder how she might decorate a home of her own—a place she could claim as hers entirely. The thought spiraled, and suddenly, he was picturing them decorating together. The idea startled him, as did the warmth that accompanied it. Her voice broke through his musings before he could examine the thought further.
“Tell me,” she asked, her tone light but her eyes keen. “What were your past girlfriends like?”
The unexpected question jolted him, and his head snapped up to find her watching him intently, her lips quirked in a teasing smile. Her expression was half curious, half playful. He reached for his napkin, stalling as he considered how to answer. The last thing he wanted was to paint himself in an unflattering light, though he figured Cora had already formed her opinions back when she hadn’t thought much of him at all.
A dry laugh escaped as he dropped the napkin to the table. “Honestly, you’ve probably thought worse of me than anything I could say right now.”
Her brows lifted in amusement, but she stayed silent, waiting.
He cleared his throat. “Okay, here goes. I had a girlfriend in high school, but after that? Not much. When I joined the military, I never let things get serious. And when I moved into state police work, I was too young, cocky, and laser-focused on my career to even think about settling down. Maybe I’d date someone exclusively for a few months, but I always knew it wasn’t going anywhere. At that time, a long-term relationship didn’t fit my plans.”
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 a very short 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.
“Me, too,” she whispered.
Standing quickly, he pulled her close. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened the kiss. She jumped, and he caught her as she swung her legs around his waist. The kiss grew wilder and hotter, and his steps staggered slightly as he turned and headed down the hall to her bedroom.
They barely reached the bed without tripping over Max, who darted between his legs. Laughing, he tossed Cora onto the bed. She bounced and laughed as she looked up at him. With clothes flying and tossed all around, they were ready for the next round.