Page 152 of State of Alert

“Don’t you dare throw that Harvard degree in my face.”

That smile of his was devastatingly sexy, even when she was pretend-arguing with him. “Okay, I won’t.”

“And I’ll remind you that I have amaster’sdegree, and you donot, so maybe you should be the diabolical one.”

“It just comes so much more naturally to you.”

She headed for their room to change. “Oh, those are fighting words, mister.”

“Are they untrue?”

“I refuse to dignify that with a response.”

“You’re very sexy when you’re refusing to dignify me.”

“Not as sexy as you are in those glasses, or when you flex your power muscles. Did you talk to Jennings?”

“I did, and he told me to do what I felt was necessary, that the NCIS case is solid against Goldstein on the coup scheme,and they’re still piecing together the secondary plot to murder Juan.”

“I need to talk to Joe before we say anything publicly. He’ll be on the hook for this, too.”

“You said he’s attending the funeral?”

Sam went into the walk-in closet to get dressed. “As far as I know.”

“Well, you can talk to him there, or maybe call from the car?”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. The funeral will be packed. I may not get to talk to him there.”

Sam put on her engagement ring, the key necklace he’d given her for their wedding as well as the bracelet and other jewelry he’d given her. “Will you zip me?”

“I’d love to, but for the record, I much preferunzipping you.”

“How did I know you would say that?”

He nudged her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck. “Because you know me.” When she was zipped, he gave her a soft pat on the bum and went back to finish packing for his trip.

“We had a dog when we were kids who’d literally moan when the suitcases came out,” Sam said. “I feel like that right now.”

“It’s two nights. I’ll be back so fast, you won’t have time to miss me.”

“That’s true.”

“Really?”

Sam laughed. “Got you.”

“Yes, you did,” he said with a chuckle.

“You know I’ll miss you every second you’re gone and be counting down until you get back. Nothing is the same when you’re not here.”

“There’s nowhere else I want to be but wherever you and our kiddos are.”

“Speaking of the kiddos, any word from Andy?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to call him from the car. Let’s get going.”

They went down the stairs hand in hand to where Brant, Vernon, Jimmy and the rest of their details awaited them.

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