by Marie Force
“You got it, LT,” Jeannie said, gesturing to her partner, Detective Will Tyrone.
After they left the pit, Sam returned to her office and ran her hand through hair still sticky from the product the stylist had loaded it with before the wedding. She glanced at her desk and did a double take at how neat and orderly it was.
Nick approached her from behind, resting his hands on her shoulders and massaging the tense spots. He knew exactly where her stress collected, and it was all Sam could do to remain standing as his talented fingers hit all the right places. “It’s getting late, babe.”
“Did you clean up my desk again?”
“Maybe.”
“It’s a sickness. You have a sickness.”
“Guilty as charged.” He laughed softly and planted a kiss on her neck. Desire rippled through her. She was so easy where he was concerned, and he knew it. “What’s up with Henry?”
The facts of the case ran through her mind like a silent movie. “Until I get Lindsey’s report, I’m at a standstill.”
“Then let’s go home.”
Back in the day, Sam would’ve waited all night—if necessary—for the autopsy report and lab results. Now, though, she had a good reason to go home. She looked up at him. “Sorry for letting work invade our day off. Maybe one of these days we’ll succeed in actually scoring a full day off.”
“We can dream.”
She let him help her into her coat and lead her from the office. “I know you really needed the break.”
“Not your fault, and besides, I did get a day off from campaigning, so it’s all good.”
“We missed out on our early Valentine’s Day,” she said once they were in the car.
He reached for her hand, laced his fingers through hers. “Every day with you is Valentine’s Day.”
Sam smiled at him. “Even if we end up on different sides on this case?”
“We may not always agree, Sam, but we’re always on the same side.”
She relaxed into the heated leather seat and enjoyed the companionable silence. That was one of her favorite things about her relationship with Nick. Even in the quiet spaces between words, she was always in tune with him. In the past, when she’d been unhappily married to a manipulative man who wanted to control her every thought, she’d often been lonely even when he was sitting next to her on the sofa or lying next to her in bed. She had never once felt that way with Nick.
“What’re you thinking about over there?” he asked.
“I’m thinking about us.”
“What about us?”
“Could I ask you something and will you tell me the truth?”
He glanced at her. “Of course you can and of course I will.”
“When we’re together, do you ever feel lonely?”
“Lonely?” He released a short laugh. “That is one thing I never feel when I’m with you.”
“Good,” Sam said, relieved. “That’s good.”
Nick parallel parked on Ninth Street, killed the engine and turned to face her, reaching out to caress her cheek. “What’s that all about?”
“Sometimes, well…a lot of the time when I was with Peter, I remember being lonely even when he was right there with me. I was thinking that I’ve never felt that way with you, and I was hoping you hadn’t either.”
“I’ve never felt that way, and I’m glad you haven’t.” He reached for her, and she leaned into his embrace. “If you’re ever lonely, will you tell me?”
She nodded. “Will you?”
“I promise.”
“I doubt it’ll ever be an issue between us. Everything about this is different.”
“Yes,” he said, kissing her. “It is. Come on, let’s go in.”
Inside, Nick hung their coats in the closet.
“Would’ve been quicker to toss them on the sofa,” Sam said. She loved goading him about his anal-retentive neatness.
“That’s not where they go.” He followed her upstairs and took advantage of the opportunity to smack her on the ass.
Sam laughed and took off running, knowing he’d give chase. He caught up to her in the bedroom, and they tumbled onto the bed. “You can run,” he said, attempting a menacing look, “but you cannot hide.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Mmm,” he said, capturing her mouth for a deep, sensual kiss.
Sam pressed against the tight hold he had on her hands. “Let me go. I want to touch you.”
Nick released her hands and removed her sweater.
Sam shivered from the cool air hitting her warm skin.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“No.” She freed the onyx studs from his tuxedo shirt, dropped them into a pile on the bed and pushed the shirt off his broad shoulders. “Too many clothes,” she said, tugging at his undershirt.
Nick laughed and pulled it over his head. “Better?”
Sam ran her hands over his muscular chest. “Much.”
He gathered her into a tight embrace and rocked against her.
She caressed his back. “What?”
Releasing a long deep breath, Nick pressed his lips to her neck. “Marry me, Samantha.”
“I believe I’ve already agreed to that. Remember the Rose Garden?”
He raised his head to meet her eyes. “Soon. I don’t want to wait.”
She reached up to run her fingers through his hair. “I thought you wanted a nice wedding.”
“We can’t have a nice wedding soon?”
“How soon are we talking?”
“I don’t know. A month?”
Sam laughed. “Weren’t you there earlier when I was plunged into another complicated case? How do you expect me to plan a wedding and contend with that at the same time?”
“I’ll plan it. Leave everything to me.”
As much as she’d love to turn the whole thing over to him, their wedding was too important for her to be totally removed from the planning. “I thought we’d plan it together.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I figured that’s what you’d want.”
“I want to be married. That’s all I care about.”
“That’s not what you said the other night when my sisters were grilling you about what kind of wedding you wanted. You said you want the bells and whistles. What changed?”
He framed her face with his hands and leaned in to kiss her.
“Nick? What is it? Why the sudden urgency?”
“It’s just…listening to Henry talk about Regina. I could relate to how he felt about her. I can’t imagine what he must be going through.”
“You’re awfully certain he’s not responsible for her murder.”
“You heard him, Sam.” Nick kissed her nose, both cheeks and then her lips. “He was in love with her. He doesn’t know how he’ll live without her. I understand how he feels.”
She curled her legs around his. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. There’s no need to rush our wedding. You’re only going to do this once, right?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Then you ought to do it right. The way you want it.”
“What about what you want?”
“I already had that. This time can be all about what you want.”
“No, babe,” he said, shaking his head. “This time has to be all about what we want.”
The idea of planning another elaborate wedding made Sam feel slightly ill. She’d do it for him, but she’d much rather call in a justice of the peace and be done with it. “What I want right now,” she said with a saucy grin, “has nothing to do with cakes or flowers.” She reached between them to free his belt and unzip his pants.
Nick gasped when she curled her hand around his erection. He gripped her hand and held her still. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“Why do we need a deal? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a sure thing.”
He laughed and then moaned when she stroked him. “Do you want to hear my deal or not?”
“Al
l right.” She released her hold on him. “Shoot.”
Bending over her, he pressed his lips to her belly and then turned those potent eyes up to meet hers. “If I can make you come three times in the next half hour, you’ll let me set a date—any date I want.
Sam raised an eyebrow. “And if you can’t?”
“I’ll wait for you to set the date.”
“You won’t mention it again?”
“Not until you do.”
She never came three times. Ever. “Okay. You’re on. Do your best work.”
His smile was nothing short of predatory as he kissed his way down her body.
Twenty-eight minutes later, Sam hovered on the brink of a third orgasm as Nick pumped into her from behind. Determined to hold it off, she jolted when he reached around to coax her. Damn it, she was powerless against that combination, and he knew it. Lesson learned: Never make a deal with the guy who knows you better than anyone. His fingers moved urgently over her most sensitive place as he went deep again, sending her tripping over the edge into yet another climax.
This time, he joined her. They fell into a heaving pile on the bed. He kissed her back and then her shoulder. His lips brushed against her ear.
“March 26.”
Sam’s first thought the next morning wasn’t of the murder she needed to investigate. No, her first thought was of the deal she’d made with the devil himself. How would she ever manage to plan a wedding while in the midst of another complex investigation? And during his campaign. She sighed. Then she remembered how he’d gotten his new house put together in just under a week, in time to entertain his Supreme Court nominee friend. If anyone could pull off a classy wedding in just over a month’s time, her fiancé could.
She glanced over at him, asleep with one arm thrown over his head. The sprinkle of whiskers on his usually smooth jaw only made him more appealing to her. At the end of one crazy month and a half, he’d be her husband and they’d have the rest of their lives together. Surely she could get through whatever she had to in the next few weeks to have forever with him. Right?
He shifted onto his side and reached for her in his sleep.
Smiling, Sam snuggled into him. No, she never felt lonely anymore. Even when he was asleep, he was still right here with her and he truly loved her. Of that, she had no doubt at all.
He tightened his hold on her. “What’re you thinking about?” he mumbled.
“Our wedding.” She shifted onto her back so she could see him. “What do you want me to do?”
“Dresses for you and your sisters, flowers and the cake.” He still hadn’t opened his eyes. “I’ll take care of everything else.”
“I’ve finally figured out how you get so much done. You work while you’re asleep. That’s the only possible explanation.”
He chuckled softly. “I wish.” His knee bumped her leg. “You need to get going.”
“I know.” Before she got up, she turned into his embrace and breathed in his warm, clean scent. “After I close this one, we’re taking a day off. I don’t care what we have to do, but we’re getting our day.”
“March 26.” He finally opened his eyes as he kissed her. “We’ll take that day off for sure—and the whole week after. The Senate goes into recess until mid-April.”
“Won’t you need to campaign?”
“I’ll let Christina know I’m unavailable that week. I’ll be on my honeymoon.”
“And where will that be?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere that isn’t the District of Columbia.” Sam looked up at him. “You know, March 26 is only three months since we got back together.”
His eyebrow arched. “Do you need more time to be sure you’re doing the right thing?”
Sam thought of the six years she’d spent missing him after one unforgettable night together. “No.”
His fingers spooled through her hair. “Neither do I. So we’re on? March 26?”
“Yes,” she said, kissing him. “We’re on.”
“Well, that’s a first.” Sam closed her cell phone and put it in the back pocket of her jeans.
“What is?” Nick asked as he stood before the bedroom mirror to knot his tie.
“Gonzo called in sick the day after we caught a hot case.”
Nick turned to her. “That’s odd. Christina called, too. She was supposed to go to Richmond with me today, but she said something came up.”
Sam scowled. “They’re probably lolling about in bed while we’re giving up yet another Sunday to work.”
“Or maybe they’re actually sick.”
“Hungover is more like it. He was putting away the scotch yesterday.”
Nick came over to her and kissed her forehead. “We were all drinking. Don’t be too hard on him.”
“It’s just not like him.”
“He’d probably say it’s not like you to hang out at home longer than necessary so you could have breakfast with your fiancé when you’ve got a body chilling in the morgue.”
Sam replied with another scowl.
Nick laughed and cuffed her chin. “I’m just saying. People change. Life happens. And no one, not even you and me, can work all the time.”
“We have been lately.”
“A week off, coming soon. Can you take the full week?”
“I have like eight weeks of vacation built up, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Just make sure you remember to ask.”
She rolled her eyes at him even as the thought of an entire week alone with him made her heart race with anticipation. “Yes, dear. So what’s up in Richmond today?”
“A rally at VCU,” he said, referring to Virginia Commonwealth University, “a visit to one of the state homes for kids and then a fundraising dinner. I won’t be home until late.”
She went up on tiptoes to kiss him. “Me, too, so I’ll catch you when I catch you.”
When she started to draw back from him, he brought her in for a better kiss. “Mmm,” he said several minutes later. “That oughta hold me until you catch me.”
Smiling, she patted his freshly-shaven face and kissed him again. “See ya.”
“Hey.”
Sam turned back to him.
“Be careful today.”
“Always am.”
Chapter 5
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to just show up without calling first?” Gonzo asked Christina. He eyed the nondescript white town house that might—or might not—house his son.
“I’m sure. This way she doesn’t have time to pull any crap. She’s not expecting you, so you gain the upper hand.”
He glanced over at her. Even after a nearly sleepless night, she looked fresh-faced and polished. Sometimes he still wondered what the heck a classy woman like her saw in a rough-around-the-edges guy like him. “This is why you’re so good at your job.”
“It’s called strategy,” she said, smiling at the compliment. “You gotta have one.” She leaned over to kiss the dimple in his chin that she’d once told him was ridiculously sexy. “Remember, you’re just going to tell her you want to see the baby and talk about what you can do to help out. Keep it all friendly. We’ll let the lawyer get into the DNA business with her. It’ll be better if that doesn’t come from you.”
“Okay.” He took a deep, fortifying breath. “Here goes nothing.”
Christina squeezed his arm. “It’ll be fine. You haven’t done anything wrong, Tommy. Just remember that.”
Grateful for her calming presence, he nodded and reached for the door handle. At the last second, he stopped and turned to her. “Come with me.”
“I thought we decided it would be better if I waited here.”
“I don’t care what we decided. I want you with me when I see him for the first time. It wasn’t like I had a long relationship with her. How can she be put out if I have someone else now?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’ll feel better if you�
�re there with me,” he said, startled to realize it was true. He always felt better when she was around.
“Then let’s go.”
On the front stoop, Gonzo rang the bell. Would he know right away that the child was his? Would he be able to love a child he hadn’t even known about? What if he couldn’t love the baby, even if he was his?
The door swung open, and Lori gasped when she saw him. Her brown hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in days and her oversized red T-shirt was stained with what might’ve been breast milk. Gonzo tried to recall what he’d once seen in her, but she had changed so much he barely recognized her.
She pushed open the storm door. “Tommy? What’re you doing here?”
He swallowed hard. “I’ve come to see my son.”
Lori’s gaze shifted from him to Christina and then back to him.
“This is my, um, girlfriend, Christina.” He was surprised he didn’t choke on a word he usually went out of his way to avoid. “Christina, this is Lori.”
The two women sized each other up for a long, long moment. Finally, Christina said, “Nice to meet you.”
The sound of a baby wailing from inside ended the awkward moment. “Come in.” Lori gestured them into a space cluttered with baby paraphernalia and piles of dirty clothes.
Gonzo eyed the overflowing ashtray on the coffee table with dismay. The place reeked of smoke.
“I’ll just, um, go get him,” Lori said, darting from the room.
When they were alone, Christina reached for his hand.
“How does he breathe in here?” Gonzo whispered.
“I was wondering the same thing.”
When they heard Lori’s footsteps on the stairs, Gonzo released Christina’s hand.
She came into the room carrying the baby. The first thing he noticed was the baby’s dark hair. Not that he knew much about babies, but he seemed to have a lot of hair. Gonzo’s nephew Joey had been born with a similar head of hair. His stomach dropped as Lori handed the baby to him.
Gonzo and Christina gasped at the prominent dimple in the baby’s chin.
He stared down at the puckered little face and fell instantly in love. Big eyes stared up at him, open and trusting, and it was all Gonzo could do not to weep. The immediate tidal wave of love that surged through him left him defenseless in its wake.
