“Nothing is going to happen, sweetie,” I say quietly, trying to reassure him. And I know what this is about. He’s thinking about Danny Pierce and the child his mother lost. “Nothing is going to happen to them or to me. We’re all safe and happy.”
My new husband has become so overprotective of me since learning that I’m pregnant. Even going so far as to insist on honeymooning in the States so that we would be within easy reach of American hospitals if anything were to happen. His paranoia completely dashed my hopes for a romantic trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast but, he was just so adorable when he was begging me to honeymoon in the States, I couldn’t say no. At this rate, he’ll probably cover me in bubble wrap while we’re in Fiji for Lucas and Karen’s wedding in February.
He smiles at me and lightly kisses my lips before he gently pulls out of me and rolls over onto his back. “You know what I love about honeymooning?” he asks with a smile, and I giggle at him as I roll over to him.
“What’s that?”
“We really can spend the entire day in bed together. In fact, it’s practically expected when you’re on your honeymoon. It’s like … the rules or something!”
I giggle at him once more as I curl up in his arms. And soon we are both fast asleep.
I’m not sure exactly how long we nap but, I wake slowly, my eyes fluttering open, and I’m greeted by the bright blue gaze of my incredibly handsome husband. This is the third day of our two week honeymoon in Hawaii, and I keep waking up to find that he’s been watching me sleeping. I giggle at him and shake my head.
“You have to stop doing this,” I smile at him.
“It’s your own fault,” he says softly, smiling back at me as he leans, propped up, on his elbow. “If you weren’t so unbelievably beautiful I wouldn’t be so compelled to sit and stare at you all the time.”
I giggle at him some more and lightly run my hand over his cheek in a sweet caress. “You’re a smooth talking devil, Sergeant Pierce.”
“I’m just a man who’s completely in love with his wife, Mrs. Pierce.”
Swoon! I swear, he says the sweetest things sometimes. I melt as he leans down to kiss me, slowly and tenderly, and I feel his hand travel up my thigh and over my hip. It comes to a rest at my belly and he looks up at me and into my eyes.
“How are the three of you feeling this afternoon?”
“We feel hungry,” I answer softly and he laughs at me.
“You’re always hungry these days! Jeez, you’d think you were eating for three or something,” he jokes, and he is so adorable.
“I can’t help it if your kids inherited your huge appetite,” I smile at him and he laughs again.
“No more nausea?” he asks, growing serious suddenly. He’s well aware that it’s been slightly severe at times.
“No, not for a couple of days now.”
He smiles at me and slowly slides down the bed, positioning himself at my tummy. He kisses my tiny baby bump lightly, and I know what’s coming next. It’s time for another ‘daddy/babies’ chat.
“Hello in there. It’s Daddy again,” he begins in his soft, deep voice, and I can’t help the huge grin on my face. He is so freaking adorable and sweet. He has quickly made a habit of talking to my belly, sometimes holding long, one-sided conversations with the babies. He reads to them from his Guitar Player magazines, and he tells them all about the world they’re about to enter, giving them advice about what to expect, telling them that Mommy and Daddy love them already and can’t wait to meet them. And he’s been having great fun describing each of their family members to them. That part is hilarious to listen to.
“Listen, I just wanted to tell you two thanks for letting up on Mommy a little bit,” he continues, gently caressing my bump. “You’ve been giving her sort of a rough time of it there for a while, and she’s been a real trooper because she loves you. But it’s nice that you’re starting to ease up on the morning sickness now. Mommy and Daddy really appreciate it.”
He kisses my tummy once more and smiles up at me, then he frowns. And I smile at him as I wipe the tears from my face.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, smiling tearfully at him. “Pay no attention to me, it’s just hormones. But, honestly, Josh. Why were you ever worried about what kind of father you’ll be? You are already such an amazing dad.”
He blinks at my words and then I am treated to his slow shy smile. And he even blushes a little bit. God, I love this man! He moves back up to the head of the bed and kisses me once more.
“Speaking of amazing fathers,” he begins somewhat bashfully, “I’ve been thinking … when these guys are old enough … that I would maybe take a page out of your dad’s playbook. Do the whole ‘daddy date’ thing. Or ‘boys day,’ or whatever.” His big, blue eyes seem to search mine apprehensively and questioningly. As if he’s seeking my approval or something. “You think that would be good?” he asks almost timidly, and I think my heart might actually burst open.
“Oh, Josh,” I whisper tearfully, caressing his face with my hand. “Whether it’s two daddy dates or two boys days or one of each … I know that they will both love having their own special day when they each get to have you all to themselves for a few hours!”
He gives me his shy smile again, and I can see the relief in his eyes. I swear, he is the sweetest man alive!
“What would you like to do today, wife?” he asks softly, deliberately changing the subject.
I giggle at him. “Well first, husband, I’d like to eat something!”
“Well, I guess the days of sex before food are over for now,” he laughs at me. “Do you want to order room service or should we venture out for lunch?”
“Hmm…, We could get into our swim gear and go down to the cabana,” I suggest. “We can order from there and eat our lunch on the beach.”
“Whatever you want, baby,” he whispers and smiles.
We get up then and get dressed, and I pull on my black bikini with the lime green polka dots and examine myself in the mirror, feeling immediately discouraged.
“Okay, maybe we should just stay in,” I pout at my reflection, and Josh embraces me from behind.
“Maybe we should,” he whispers, kissing my temple. “You have never looked sexier than you do right now, baby,” he says watching my eyes in the mirror as his hands run lightly over my baby bump. “I will enjoy having you all to myself today if you don’t want to go to the beach.”
Is he for real? I mean, I know my bump is still rather small but, I clearly don’t look as good in this bikini right now as I should. But he is looking at me with such carnal appreciation and his words make me blush. How does he always manage to make me feel so sexy?
My confidence bolstered by my husband’s frank approval, I tie my cover-up around my waist and we head out to the beach. We eat a lovely lunch in our private cabana as we watch the water and the people milling about. And after lunch, we walk, hand in hand, down the beach as the waves lap and play at our feet. And I have never felt such peace and happiness in my life. I don’t know where life is going to take us but, I do know with certainty that as long as we’re together I will always have this safe contented joy that Josh brings. His warmth, his intelligence, his confidence, and his love just wash over me like the waves of the Pacific washing over our feet right now, and it lifts me and strengthens me and gives me what I need to continue on. Joshua is my rock. I smile at that thought, because it is so true. He is my very best friend, my lover, my incredibly handsome husband. He’s my world.
We spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach, lounging in our private cabana, and I sketch for a few hours while Josh either naps or flips through the pages of the book he’s reading. From what I can gather, it’s a collection of true stories written by law enforcement officers from around the country, and Josh seems completely engrossed in it at times.
Setting my sketchbook aside, I reach out and lightly run my index finger down his cheek, and he turns to look at me.
“Are you flirting with m
e or just trying to get my attention, Mrs. Pierce?”
“Maybe a little bit of both, Sergeant Pierce.”
“Hmm. Well, now you have my undivided attention,” he says softly, setting his book down and smiling at me. “What can I do for you?”
“Well…,” I drag that word out and let it dangle for a while, as if I’m deep in thought over his question. “First, you can take me back to our beautiful honeymoon suite and make love to me.”
“Mmm. I like the sound of that,” he murmurs. “What else?”
“Then, after that, you can take me to the luau for dinner this evening.”
“Oh, I can?” he asks with raised eyebrows.
“Mm hm.”
“You are so demanding, Mrs. Pierce,” he smiles as he leans in and kisses me, long and deep.
We venture back to our suite then and spend the next several hours making love and cuddling as we talk, and by early evening, we have both worked up an incredible appetite. We shower together and I pull on a lovely flower-printed halter dress, perfect for an island getaway, and Josh dons a pair of beige colored linen pants and a Hawaiian printed shirt that brings out his gorgeous blue eyes. I smile at the fact that, even here in paradise, he never leaves the room without his sidearm. He takes my hand as we leave our suite and head down to the luau.
Instead of sitting on the ground as I expected to, we are seated at a huge, square table with other guests of the resort, and Josh and I have a wonderful time sampling the traditional, exotic cuisine. The food is delicious and the entertainment is amazing, and Josh holds me close as we watch the dancers and the fire throwers in the setting sun. After our meal is over we take a nighttime stroll on the beach, hand in hand, and then we go back to our suite and make love again. I don’t remember ever feeling this content in my whole life.
When I wake early the next morning, the sun is just beginning to filter in through the windows of the suite and, as my eyes adjust, I see my much too handsome husband smiling at me. His face is just inches from my own, cradled by his pillow as we lie facing one another.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” he whispers, and I smile slowly at him.
“Are you ever going to stop doing this?”
“Nope,” he smiles. “Fifty years from now, I am still going to love watching you sleep.”
“Hmm, I bet I’ll be a sight by then, 72 and all gray and wrinkled,” I pout, and his smile gets bigger.
“You will be every bit as beautiful as you are right this moment,” he says softly, his voice full of awe.
“And you will still be devastatingly handsome at 81,” I whisper, reaching out to caress his face.
“And these two,” he says, reaching down to my baby bump, “will be grown and out of our hair. In fact, we’ll probably have grandkids … and great-grandkids by then!”
His smile is huge and I can’t help my giggle. He is so wonderful. “I want that! I want to grow old with you, Josh,” I whisper, looking into his bright blue eyes. “And wake up fifty years from now, completely annoyed that you’re still watching me sleep.”
“Well, all you have to do is be patient, baby,” he smiles at me, caressing my face. “We’ll get there.”
Epilogue
Taking a seat on a long picnic table bench, I look around at all the bustle going on about me. Cops, young and old, bringing their families out to enjoy another FOP picnic. Molly and I used to come to these things every year and bring the girls. We’d spend the day socializing with my fellow officers and colleagues, eating hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings, entering sack races with the girls and socializing with everyone. It’s usually a good turnout and always a nice day spent with both your families – the real one, and the cop one. At least, it used to be. Back when every man really felt that his fellow cops were his family. Nowadays, things are a little different. A lot of the younger cops these days just see the job as a job. Not a calling.
Oh, well. None of my concern anymore now that I’m retired. I’ll leave that conundrum for the kid to ponder. This is his legacy now. His heritage.
“Hey, partner!” I look up and Carl Turner, my old partner, is smiling at me as he sits down with a plate of food. He’s followed by a few other guys who all sit down with us and dig into their plates. I smile and make small talk with the ones I know, and shake hands with the ones I don’t.
“So, where’s that wife of yours today, Parson? You here alone?”
“Yeah, Molly’s down in Portland, visiting her sister. She’ll be back on Monday. But I’m here waiting for the kid. Told him I’d meet the family here for a couple hours today. Any excuse to see my grand-babies, you know,” I smile.
“I hear ya!”
I grab myself a plate, and sit shooting the breeze with Turner and some of the guys. As I’m eating a burger, Dave Conner wanders over carrying his little girl in his arms and shakes my hand.
“How have you been, Conner?”
“I’m good, old man! How about yourself?”
“I can’t complain,” I tell him, smiling up at the doll in his arms. She can’t be much older than one now. “And how are you, little one?” She sticks her fingers in her mouth and lays her head on her daddy’s shoulder.
“Can you tell Mr. Parson hello, honey?” Conner coos to his daughter, and she shakes her head, hiding her eyes. “No?”
I laugh at that response and Conner shrugs his shoulders. “Where’s Lindy?”
“Oh, she’s over talking with some of the wives,” he says, pointing to a nearby table. As I’m glancing over at the table, a young man walks up and greets Dave. He introduces him to me as Morgan, a rookie who’s apparently only been on the job for a few months and has aspirations of becoming a detective someday. He excuses himself to go grab a beer and Dave starts telling me all about him. From what I can gather, he’s been following Dave around like a puppy, sucking up and trying to become his new best friend.
“Oh, man, would you look at that. That’s a Porsche! Those things run close to $170 grand,” the rookie says as he returns with his beer. He’s looking off toward the parking lot, and Dave and I both look to see what he’s talking about. “What is it with that guy? Who the heck does he think he is; flaunting his money in everybody’s faces like he thinks he’s better than the rest of us. You know, I’ve seen him around the station, who is he anyway?”
Turning, I see Guy pull his dark blue metallic, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S into a parking space near the picnic area. The SUV was a Father’s Day gift from Samantha two years ago. And as I watch he and Sam climb out of the car and go about getting the twins out of the back seat, my anger toward the rookie who just put his foot in his mouth instantly spikes.
“Aw, shit,” Conner mumbles as I turn back and glare up at the rookie. And as I stand, I can see Conner trying to move the asshole back with one hand while holding his daughter in his other arm.
“That, you no good, piece of shit, wannabe, is one of the few officers worth his salt on the whole damn police force!” My voice is low and menacing, rising slightly as I continue, poking my finger in junior’s chest to make my point. “The most decorated, highly revered officer you will ever meet. He’s paid his dues in ways you can’t even begin to imagine, and he’s forgotten more about the job than you will ever hope to know. He’s also the Lieutenant over the Detective section that you want to be in so badly, hot shot! And he just happens to be my kid! Now you got something else you want to say, junior?”
The kid looks pale and scared shitless as I glare at him, and he starts to stammer. “Um … I’m … I’m, I’m really sorry, sir. I didn’t know that he was your son. I didn’t…”
“No, you don’t know shit! So when you don’t know shit, just keep your fucking mouth shut. And stay away from me, you got it!”
“Y-yes … yes, sir!”
I watch as he slinks off with his tail between his legs, his face turning beet red as he goes. Dave smirks and chuckles at me and I roll my eyes at him. “Fucking newbies,” I mutter. Then I turn to look bac
k over at Guy and I see the twins running toward me on their little legs.
“Grandpa!”
*****
“So how was the birthday celebration the other night?” Lee asks as we watch Leo playing in the sandbox. I smile at his question, remembering the sexy night Sam and I just spent for my 35th birthday with an intimate picnic by the fireplace in our bedroom, followed by an even more intimate dip in the Jacuzzi on the private deck. I can’t believe four years has passed by so quickly.
“It was nice,” I tell him, feeling slightly embarrassed at my carnal thoughts.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t want a party; 35 is a milestone,” Lee says.
“I just wanted a nice, quiet evening with my girl,” I explain, and he smiles at me. “Mom kept the kids overnight so we could have a little alone time.”
“How is Olivia?”
“She’s doing real good,” I answer, keeping an eye on Leo as he fills his little dump truck with sand. And I smile because I know already, at only three and a half, that he’s a gearhead just like me. Samantha and I cannot separate him from his favorite toy cars. He carries at least one of them with him everywhere he goes. He even sleeps with them! But he is such a good-natured boy, always happy and confident. I think he gets that from Sam but, she says it comes from me, along with everything else about him. And I have to admit, he does look an awful lot like my baby pictures. Mom says he’s a little carbon copy of me, except he has Sam’s emerald green eyes.
Livvie, on the other hand, is a little spark plug, just like her mother. Our little artist, always drawing on inappropriate surfaces, like the living room wall, and the kitchen floor, and Daddy’s iPad! She’s so adorable though, it’s almost impossible for me to get angry at her when she misbehaves. And she’s already learned that I’m a pushover for the cute. She looks up at me with her bright blue eyes, so much like mine – the spitting image of Samantha except for that one feature – and I am putty in her chubby little fingers. And as I think about it, I can’t help but laugh to myself.
Pierced: Pierced Trilogy Boxed Set Page 88