The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 185 Mission
Morning light streamed through the gaps in the blinds, casting warm golden stripes on the floor.

The air still carried the lingering scent of last night's red wine and the warmth of passion.

As always, Eric woke up first. He lay on his side, his arm still loosely wrapped around Tifa's waist. He looked at the woman in his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, her long brown hair scattered messily on the pillow and in his arms, with a few strands even playfully sticking to her slightly parted lips.

A night of passion stripped away the sharpness and focus that Tifa had when she was working.

At this moment, Tifa appeared exceptionally soft, relaxed, and even a little childlike.

Eric looked down, a sense of indescribable satisfaction filling his heart.

It was indeed this emotional connection that made him feel truly integrated into this parallel world.

Otherwise, with the added bonus from Deep Blue, he would probably be some kind of killing god or pervert wandering the world, or a machine without any emotions.

Suddenly realizing this, Eric's eyes widened slightly, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He suddenly thought of something interesting: Tifa was his psychiatrist at the time, so maybe she noticed his condition.

Then, for some kind of experimental purpose, in order to save him, he threw himself into the tiger's den?

But after thinking about it, Eric felt it didn't seem likely; if it were, he would have noticed it long ago.

Eric carefully tried to pull his arm away so as not to wake Tifa.

However, the slight movement still made Tifa's eyelashes flutter a few times, and then she slowly opened them. Those eyes, which were so insightful when she was awake, were now still hazy with sleepiness, like amber covered with a thin mist.

She blinked blankly for a moment, then focused her gaze on Eric's face, which was so close to hers. A languid and sweet smile bloomed on her lips, like a flower blooming in the early morning.

"Good morning," she said, her voice hoarse from just waking up, like a kitten purring.

"Good morning, you can sleep a little longer." Eric's voice also became deep and gentle as he lowered his head and placed a light kiss on Tifa's smooth forehead.

Tifa sighed contentedly, snuggling closer into his arms, her cheek rubbing against his strong chest, absorbing the warmth and reassuring scent she had longed for.

She recalled the undeniable strength and tenderness in Eric's arms as he carried her towards the bedroom.

This man can not only fight alongside her on a spiritual level, but also provide her with such a solid and warm haven.

"What time is it?" she asked vaguely.

“It’s still early. You can have breakfast first before going to work.” Eric glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table and smoothed Tifa’s messy brown hair.

Last night, Tifa endured the full impact of his attack; it was tough for her.

After combing Tifa's long hair, he was about to get her breakfast to repay her kindness when Tifa suddenly grabbed his hand.

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“Hmm?” Eric raised an eyebrow in response.

“It’s nothing,” Tifa looked up at Eric, who looked puzzled, and released his hand, her smile widening.

"I just feel...it's so good to have you here."

"Don't worry, there will be more times like this in the future, just don't kick me out of bed." Eric shook his head and chuckled.

Tifa understood the underlying meaning, rolled her eyes, then rolled over and obediently closed her eyes.

Sometimes, studying those bizarre cases and immersing oneself in the chilling psychological characteristics of criminals can have many negative consequences.

For example, anxiety and insomnia are common occurrences.

But as long as Eric is around, all these aftereffects disappear, so she wants to take advantage of Eric's presence to get a good night's sleep and rest.

Eric stared at Tifa for a second or two, pursed his lips, and turned to leave. How could he not know that Tifa's psychological state was a bit off? Criminal profiling may seem like it's just based on facts, but in reality, you need to immerse yourself in the killer's shoes and put yourself in their shoes to analyze their psychology more deeply.

Moreover, to make progress, one must put in the hard work to study various cases and all kinds of abnormal murderers, because in psychology, the psychological characteristics associated with certain behaviors are universal.

The idea that you are gazing into the abyss, and the abyss is also gazing into you, is essentially the same thing.

If it's just one or two cases, it's nothing, and she can usually adjust quickly. But Tifa is a workaholic.

"Just how many cases has this girl investigated at the BAU?" Eric couldn't help but wonder.

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When Tifa woke up to a faint smell, and after washing up, she made her way to the living room, the kitchen was already filled with an irresistible aroma.

She looked over and smiled knowingly.

Eric stood in front of the stove, skillfully flipping the eggs in the frying pan, while bacon sizzled in the pan beside him, and something simmered in the cast iron pot.
As the rich aroma of meat mingled with the sweet scent of some root vegetables filled the air, the air was already thick with the rich fragrance of freshly ground coffee beans.

"It smells amazing!"

Tifa's voice carried the languor of someone who had just woken up. She walked into the kitchen, wrapped her arms around Eric's waist from behind, rested her chin on his shoulder, and looked at the food in the pot.

"Darling, I feel like I was summoned directly from the bed by the scent."

Eric turned his head and kissed her forehead, smiling slightly. "Special edition wake-up service? The coffee's almost ready, why don't you go pour a couple?"

Tifa released him as instructed, walked to the coffee machine, and skillfully began to operate it.

The two had a natural understanding of each other, each with their own things to do.

Before long, the two were enjoying breakfast quietly in the morning light, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones, sharing their views on the news or some lighthearted topics.

It was a rare, easy morning for both Eric and Tifa.

After breakfast, Tifa changed into a well-fitting casual suit, neatly tied up her long hair, and instantly transformed her demeanor from a gentle, homely woman to a capable working professional.

At the door, Eric straightened her collar and said softly, "Be careful on the road. If you have any problems, contact me anytime. I'm always here for you."

“You too,” Tifa said, picking up her briefcase and car keys.

"See you in the afternoon."

Eric nodded and watched Tifa get into the car and drive away, then turned back.

Tifa has her own things to do, and he has his own things to do as well.

Of course, his situation was different from Tifa's; he was taking Tifa's parents on a trip as a future son-in-law.

Yes, this was agreed upon by the two of them yesterday; it was a task assigned to him by Tifa.

After all, Tifa still has to go to BAU; she's too busy with work.

There's no way around it.

Moreover, Tifa's parents were still angry because Tifa had tricked them into coming to Quantico under the pretense of being sick.

So much so that Tifa's parents, Geor and Nadi, stayed at a nearby hotel after arriving in Quantico, out of anger.

This also affected the young couple, Genos and his girlfriend.

This is why Tifa is currently living alone in her rented apartment.

(End of this chapter)