The Captain I Married by Chance novel Chapter 212

Nathan glanced up at her. "Not really. Back in the academy dorms, whenever we saw a roach, we just stomped on it and scraped our boots off outside."

The vivid mental image made Nora burst into laughter.

Nathan finished wiping down the floor and stood up. "All done."

Nora handed him a sanitizing wipe. "Here, clean your hands."

He took it and thoroughly wiped his fingers. "Is this acceptable?"

Nora nodded approvingly. "For now. Make sure you wash them properly when you get back."

Nathan let out a low, amused laugh. Her strict hygienic standards made him feel like if he had caught the bug barehanded, she would have told him to amputate the offending limb.

His laughter made Nora feel a little self-conscious. She did have a lot of quirks. Aaron used to tell her she was too high-maintenance. He would constantly mock her, saying it was ridiculous for someone whose daily job involved dodging bodily fluids during autopsies to act so squeamish at home. He accused her of putting on an act just for him.

At the time, Nora had been deeply offended. Dissecting bodies was her profession, her calling. To her, a corpse wasn't something disgusting; it was a sacred piece of evidence. The victims offered their bodies to help law enforcement find the truth. If she found that repulsive, she would be insulting her own life's work.

And who made the rule that a medical examiner couldn't be a neat freak at home?

Looking back now, Nora realized there had always been countless little moments proving she and Aaron were fundamentally incompatible. She had just been compromising to keep the peace, ignoring the cracks until they shattered the relationship entirely. Now that she refused to settle, Aaron was out of her life for good.

"Actually, you don't have to wash them right away if it's too much trouble," Nora added, suddenly worried Nathan might find her annoying too.

"It's fine, I'll wash them," Nathan replied easily, his tone light. "Next time, I'll remember to bring gloves for the body removal."

Nora's eyes fluttered at his teasing. "There won't be a next time. My apartment will be bug-free from now on."

She turned to walk him out, but her eyes landed on her closed front door, sparking a sudden realization. "Wait. How did you know my door code?"

Her birthday was public record in the police database, but the exact day she started her career as a forensic doctor? How could Nathan possibly know that? How could he know her so well?

"I actually—"

Before Nathan could finish his sentence, the doorbell chimed.

Nora gave him a long, searching look before sighing. "That's probably the stylist my father hired. Thank you for earlier. You should probably head back."

Nathan nodded. He walked over and pulled the door open. Standing in the hallway were two individuals dressed in incredibly avant-garde, eccentric fashion.

Nathan swept a critical gaze over them, deciding their aesthetic was far beyond his comprehension. He hesitated, not entirely wanting to leave her alone with strangers. "Are you sure? I can stay and double-check for more bugs."

Nora stared at him flatly. Could he come up with a worse excuse?