To her pleasure, Pierce smiled. “The best. He was a good kid. Generous and helpful, always trying to get me out of trouble.” He met her gaze steadily. “He was a better kid than me and for a long time, I believed that if anyone should have died, it should have been me. I suspect my parents felt the same way.”
“But you wouldn’t have died because you would have had an exit strategy.”
He almost laughed. “True.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Pierce.”
“I know that, but I haven’t believed it.” He put down his coffee and reached for the last frame. The picture was exactly the right size, probably by his plan, and he cleaned the glass, put the picture in the frame, his movements deft and efficient. Then he moved to hang it in that last space. Jacquie warmed up his coffee and came to stand beside him before his gallery. Pierce sipped his coffee then set it aside. He drew her into his embrace, standing behind her. It felt so right to be in his arms, to be with him, to have him murmuring in her ear. Jacquie couldn’t imagine life without him.
“Introduce me to your ghosts,” she invited and he did.
He named his team members in the various pictures, told her about a tree frog that wouldn’t leave their barracks, told him about Simon and his cards, then about Sam and his French cigarettes. She smiled and listened, knowing he’d never confided so much so easily before.
He’d changed so much. He’d unlocked his past and shared his secrets—and he’d done it because she’d asked him to. Jacquie’s heart swelled that he’d more than met her halfway.
“Who are they?” she asked when he fell silent, pointing to the couple dancing.
“Farah’s parents. The prince and princess,” Pierce said and she heard admiration in his tone. “They had that sizzle.”
Jacquie leaned back against him. “You and your sizzle,” she teased.
“I’d never seen love like that before. It was a tangible force. It wasn’t just lust and it wasn’t just sex. They were crazy about each other.”
“And you wanted that.” It wasn’t really a question. Jacquie turned in the circle of his arms to look at him.
Pierce nodded. “It seems to me that if you’re going to commit to a lifetime with one other person, there should be that magic between you, something to spark the rest of your days and nights.” He swallowed and looked down at her. “It’s a worthy goal to wait for the best.”
“How long had they been married?”
“It was their fifteenth anniversary.”
“Did you have a crush on her?” Jacquie asked lightly. “She’s very pretty.”
Pierce laughed. “No.” He nodded at the picture and swallowed. “This was the night I realized that was what I wanted. No compromise. No half-measures.” He touched the picture. “This or nothing.”
“It’s not like you can order it up.”
“And you don’t get it for free. They worked at it. They made time for each other, and they were kind to each other. They nurtured what they had and made it stronger.” He met her gaze steadily and his eyes were very green.
Jacquie knew that she and Mitchell hadn’t had anything like this. They’d been in love, but kids and financial strain had diminished that emotional bond. Their marriage had become a habit. “That’s not easy to do. They had money and staff. Most people don’t.”
“I’m not saying it’s easy. I just found it inspiring.”
“And you still do, if you want this picture in your collection.”
“And I still do,” he agreed. “They never took each other for granted. They treated each day like a new opportunity to fall in love again. I’ve never seen a couple so considerate of each other.”
Jacquie nodded, understanding. “They defended the sizzle.”
“They did.” Pierce looked down at her, his eyes alight. “I wasn’t just saying it last night, you know. I love you, Jacquie. You’re the one, the only one, and I’ll do anything for you.”
Her breath caught. “Even defend the sizzle.”
“Especially that.”
Jacquie turned to look at the picture of Farah’s parents, inspired by his words. “Do you think anyone can do it?”
Pierce’s voice was a low rumble in her ear. “Absolutely. Do you want to find out?”
Jacquie took a breath. She turned to face him again, winding her arms around his waist. “Yes.”
Pierce smiled with undisguised satisfaction, then took off his glasses and put them on the counter. “Then let’s get started,” he murmured before bending to capture her lips with his own.
She would have told him the truth in her heart, but his kiss drove every sane thought from her mind, and she just kissed him back.
Fourteen
Pierce was surprised when his phone rang and he saw that it was Farah. “Good morning, Princess,” he said when he answered. “Heading home?” He and Jacquie had just gotten out of the shower and he was enjoying the view of her wearing just one of his shirts. She was barefoot in the kitchen, her hair twisted up, as she got the eggs out of the fridge.
Looked like he was going to have her signature meal for breakfast.
“Always cutting right to the chase, Pierce,” Farah replied with a laugh that sounded a bit nervous.
He straightened immediately. “What’s wrong? Are you still in London?”
“Yes, but there’s an issue. We’re supposed to be coming home today, but the pilot is having troubles filing his flight plan. They don’t like my Alghenian passport. He says there are more restrictions in place, and more coming.”
Pierce straightened. That virus. “You could go back to Paris, stay with your mom.”
“But Daphne and the girls want to get home to Boston. I was hoping you could fix it, Pierce.”
“Okay, let me talk to the pilot. Maybe I can find a way to make you an exception. It’s been done before.” Pierce was booting up his laptop, his phone tucked under his ear. He sent a message to Jimmy and another to Mack, asking them to help. They both
