CHRISTIAN stepped back into Senator Lacey’s office in Washington, DC, with a heavy heart. He’d gotten back to town last night and had put off coming here until this morning. The disastrous trip to Miami seemed like a distant nightmare, but then he stood in the doorway and looked at Jack’s empty desk, and it all came back to him, far too real.
Senator Lacey was in Switzerland with Jill, who was setting him up in a long-term care and rehabilitation facility. She was due back in the US sometime today.
If Jack cooperated with his doctors and therapists and got lucky, he might be able to stand or even walk after a fashion in the next year or two. He would likely never speak aloud again. Swelling and an infection in Jack’s brain had finished the destruction of his speech center started by Valerie’s bullet. The therapists in Switzerland hoped that, in time, they could train other parts of Jack’s brain to produce language. Although they’d warned Jill not to pin her hopes on more than halting and limited speech at best.
As for Jill, she was going to serve out the remainder of her husband’s Senate term. And there was already talk—a lot of it—that she should run for Jack’s seat herself in two years. Money had been pouring in ever since the shooting, donations earmarked for “the other Senator Lacey.”
He had no idea if she would run for office. She was pissed off enough at her husband to do it just to spite him. Jill had attended Valerie’s funeral and made sure the woman got a decent burial, almost as if Valerie might have done her a favor. Who knew? Maybe she had.
“Good morning, Christian,” Jill said behind him.
He whirled. “I didn’t expect to see you at the office for a few days, Madam Senator. You should go home and rest. Get over the jet lag—”
“I flew back here in a private jet and got a perfectly lovely night’s sleep. And you and I have a lot of work to do. Assuming I can convince you to stay on as my personal aide.”
He really didn’t know what he was going to do. He worried that if he applied for any job in Washington right now, he’d be tainted by association with Jack and the scandalous trip to Miami.
“I got a call from the Justice Department while I was in Geneva,” she dropped casually.
His gaze snapped to hers. Was he being investigated for the mess in Miami?
“Apparently Stone Jackson forwarded your résumé to someone he knows there. They were impressed and called me to get a recommendation.”
He froze. He’d engineered a cover-up when her husband snuck off with a porn star, and he’d done it by having his gay lover impersonate her husband, thereby putting all their professional and personal reputations at risk.
“I told them you were the most outstanding senior staffer in Washington, not to mention a man of sterling reputation and ethics beyond reproach, whom they would be lucky to have on staff.”
He landed heavily in one of the chairs in front of Jack’s—her—desk. She moved around the desk and sat down at it, running her palms over the burnished cherrywood as if to familiarize herself with it.
“I guess this is mine now,” she commented.
He managed to make some inane gurgle that he hoped passed as a sound of agreement.
“Here’s the thing, Christian. I know you did most of the heavy lifting for Jack. You’re better versed on the issues, on pending legislation, on who’s who in this town, and on who’s got what dirt on whom, than Jack ever was. You have always been the power behind this particular throne.”
Every word was true, but he was wholly unaccustomed to actually getting credit for any of it.
She continued, “I would love to have you stay on, even if for a little while, to help bring me up to speed and get me settled in the job. I’m willing to shamelessly dangle a substantial raise in front of you and name you my chief of staff.”
God, it was tempting.
Funny, though, ever since Stone had walked out of that hospital and taken Christian’s heart with him, the appeal of clawing his way up the Washington ladder had dimmed. He would have been exultant over landing the chief of staff position a month ago, let alone having the Justice Department sniffing around about hiring him. Now he was only vaguely pleased. Mostly he was disappointed that he had no one to share his success with. And by no one, he meant Stone.
“Stay with me to the end of this term. And then I’ll do everything in my power to help you get that dream job as a federal prosecutor.”
It wasn’t a bad offer. Thing was, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to stay in DC. He’d been having wild fantasies about moving to London. Maybe he could hook up with Stone between jobs—
He broke off the thought. It was foolish to think about chasing after a man who’d walked out of his life without a backward glance. By the time Jack had gotten out of surgery and Christian returned to the hotel, Stone had packed up, checked out, and was long gone. A few calls had confirmed that Stone was on a plane bound for London before dawn.
“Oh, and I have one more enticement to offer you,” Jill said. A playful expression hovered about the corners of her eyes.
Oh God. What had she done?
“As you know, Tucker retired when I offered him a bonus large enough to cover the remainder of his son’s college costs. I had to hire a new chief of security. Knowing how you like the big, strong, dangerous ones, I found you one I think you won’t be able to resist.”
She didn’t understand. Stone was so much more than just a big, handsome beefcake. He’d understood Christian all the way down to his soul. He’d seen Christian’s flaws and insecurities and liked him anyway—hell, maybe even loved him a little. Stone had chased away his demons. He’d loved Stone.
He was going to have to resign. No way could he stick around here with some other guy trying to fill Stone’s shoes. He probably ought to thank her for making his decision to stay or go easier.
“Thank you for the offer, ma’am. It really does mean the world to me. But I’m going to have to decline—”
She interrupted, “Christian, meet my new chief of security.”
He stood to say hello and good-bye to the fellow standing in the doorway—
Stone.
He stared.
“Stone?” he finally choked out. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I decided I’ve had enough of bebopping all over the damned planet chasing rock stars. I’m tired of always being on the run. I’m ready to plant my butt in one place and put down some roots. I’ve got plans. I want to get a place of my own. Start a family. Can’t do that out of a suitcase.”
“But….” He looked back and forth between Jill and Stone. “You’re sure?”
Stone stepped up to him and put his hands on Christian’s shoulders. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to have you.”
His jaw dropped.
Jill chortled behind him. “I figure the best way to avoid any more scandals regarding your love life is to get you safely in a long-term relationship with a respectable man.”
He stared at Stone. “Are you really sure?”
“Positive. How about you? Are you all in?”
He didn’t have to think about it. Didn’t hesitate for a second. “Yes, I am.”
“Excellent!” Jill exclaimed. “I want an invitation to the wedding.”
“Heck, you can be our matron of honor and our kids’ godmother,” Christian replied fervently.
A slow smile of relief and wonder unfolded across Stone’s face. “Glad to hear we’re on the same page, Prep School.”
“Farm hick.”
Smiling broadly, he took one small step forward into Stone’s arms and one giant leap into their grand and glorious future. Together.