Page 148 of State of Alert

“Sorry.”

“I feel pathetic for wanting to wail about you leaving for two nights, which is insane. What the hell is wrong with me?”

He tightened his hold on her. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with how much you love me.”

“It’s making me into a lunatic.”

“Um, I hate to point out that you were a lunatic long before you met me.”

Sam raised her head, planning to object, but laughed when she saw his amused expression. “I can’t really argue with that.”

“I love that you’re a lunatic.”

“Said no president to any first lady until now.”

“There’s never been a first lady quite like mine.”

She held herself up with her hands on his shoulders while he cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs over her nipples. “Speaking of your wife, the political liability, we might have a problem brewing.”

“I have my naked wife draped over me. I haven’t got a problem in the world.”

“I’m not ‘draped.’”

“What would you call it?”

“I’m sprawled at best, and we need to talk about this, so I’m going to get up.”

“Not yet.”

Sam gave him five more minutes, because she needed it as much as he did, and then she kissed him and got up to take a shower. She turned on the water and put her hair up in a clip to keep it dry since it would be done by a professional in the morning in preparation for the very public Forrester funeral.

Nick followed her into the shower, wrapping his arms around her from behind and kissing her shoulder as they stood under the warm water. “What’s on your mind, love?”

“Avery told me people are finding out Juan is alive, and hisroommate, who we interviewed that first day, is telling people I knew he was alive when I came to their place.”

Sam felt him go still behind her, which did nothing to soothe her nerves. “How would he know what you knew and when you knew it?”

“I’m not sure, but that’s what he’s saying.” Sam turned to him. “What’re you thinking?”

“You went to his apartment after you saw Juan?”

“I did because they asked me to work the case the way I always do, and my first stop was his apartment. We talked to Juan’s roommate, Isaac, who’s been his friend since the Naval Academy. He’d reported Juan missing and was distraught over the news of his murder. As you know, I felt sick about the whole thing, but I did as NCIS asked and worked the case. I was led to believe it was possible we might uncover more information that’d be useful to the overall investigation into the Joint Chiefs.”

Nick reached for the body wash and filled his hands with soap to wash them both.

After they’d rinsed, he grabbed towels, wrapped hers around her and then tucked his around his waist.

“You’re freaking me out with this quiet efficiency.”

“I’m thinking.”

“Let me know when you’re done.”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

“Guess what else?”

“What?”

---