“Were you able to help her?”
“I made a few phone calls, but I had to be careful since she wasn’t one of my constituents. We were able to get her a three-month extension, and I put in a good word for her with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. I asked them to reconsider her application. That was all I could do without arousing suspicion.”
“And did she appreciate your help?”
“Very much so.”
“Did you rekindle your romantic relationship?”
A look of sheer torture came over his face. “You have to understand…my family is everything to me, but when I was with Regina, it was like I became someone else. I couldn’t resist her.”
“How many times were you intimate with her?”
“Too many.”
“Ten? Twenty? Thirty? More?”
“Thirty or more, I guess. We were together just about every day for the last month.”
“Where did these liaisons occur?”
“Most of the time at her apartment, but a few more times in my office—with the door locked.”
“Why not your apartment?”
“With a wife and five kids in Sedona, I can’t exactly afford a place here too,” he said, seeming embarrassed. “I sleep on the sofa in my office.”
Nick’s hunch had been spot-on. “Was she involved with anyone else?”
Lightfeather’s eyes widened. “Of course not. She wasn’t promiscuous.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Yes, I’m sure!”
“When was the last time you were intimate with Regina?”
“Earlier today. I was over there for lunch and we made love afterward. I was there for a couple of hours before I left to do some work in my office. I tried to call her a little while later on the cell phone I’d given her. When she didn’t answer, I became concerned and went back to her apartment. There was so much blood. At first I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, and then, when I saw her on the floor…I started screaming for help but no one came. That’s when I called Nick. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You could’ve called 911.”
He looked right at her. “I’m a married United States senator who just found his mistress murdered in her apartment. If you were me, would you call 911 or would you call your friend whose fiancée is a homicide detective?”
“So you weren’t so upset about your dead lover that you didn’t take a moment to think about your family and your career before calling for help for her?”
He slapped a hand on the table, startling her. “I was horrified that someone had harmed this beautiful, sweet woman, and I wanted the best cop in this city to find out who did this to her. She was,
and is
, my first thought.”
Something about the way he said that triggered a new realization for Sam. “You were in love with her.”
“Yes,” he said, breaking down again. “God help me, but I was in love with her, and I have no idea how I’ll ever live without her.”
“Get over to the Capitol and get me a security guard, a junior staffer,
anyone
who can put Senator Lightfeather in that building late this afternoon,” Sam said to Detective McBride. “That place is crawling with cameras, so get me video on his movements all day yesterday and fill in the timeline on the murder board. I also want Regina’s cell phone dumped and while you’re at it, dump Lightfeather’s too.”
“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?”
“All 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.”