" He took a steadying breath. "You see, I'd always thought of life as a series of target practices. A man had to approach them with a clear head and a fine pistol. He saw the target and he shot, and if he had a steady hand and a gun that shot true, he hit what he aimed for."
She stared at him, nodding as if she understood.
"And love was the sun that blinded him when he prepared to shoot, a dangerous distraction." He shook his head at his own foolishness. "But I forgot one very important thing--without the sun, he can't see to aim. By blocking it whenever it dared to shine, I missed what I was aiming for--security, duty, family. And for the past two years, I've missed the mark over and over. So what did I get? The very thing I wanted to avoid--setting disasters in motion."
He reached out and took her hand, then squeezed it.
But yesterday when you said you loved me, the sun cut through the clouds. Now I see things clearly. Without love, I have no security, duty is a pointless exercise, and family an empty comfort. Without your love, I might as well put this pistol to my own temple and fire, because I'm not going to hit anything else I aim for in life. "

― Sabrina Jeffries , After the Abduction (Swanlea Spinsters, #3)