Page 158 of State of Denial

“Good night, Mother,” he said disdainfully as he led Skippy downstairs to go outside.

They tucked in the twins, read them one story and kissed them good night.

“Hope you feel much better in the morning,” Sam said.

“Do we hafta go to school?” Aubrey asked.

“Nope,” Sam said. “We’ll take the rest of the week at home and then the weekend to rest and recover.”

“Will you be home with us again tomorrow, Sam?” Alden asked.

“I’m not sure yet, but we’ll let you know the plan in the morning, okay?”

“Okay,” Aubrey said as she popped her thumb in her mouth.

Nick gave her hand a gentle tug. “We’re not sucking that thumb anymore, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” she said with a smile as she removed her thumb and stuck that hand under her pillow.

“That’s my big girl.” He kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, loves.”

In the hallway, Sam gave him a hug. “You know I love you all the time, right?”

“I sure hope so.”

“I do, but I love you ten bazillion times more when I see you in dad mode. You’re so great with them all.”

“They and you are the best thing to ever happen to me.”

“Are we still on for some loft time tonight?”

“It’s the only thing I’ve thought of all day.”

“That can’t possibly be true. The leader of the free world certainly has other things he should be thinking about.”

Nick rubbed his erection against her belly. “He thinks about you more than anything else.”

“Don’t let that get out,” she said, smiling at him. “It’d be another scandal.”

“That’s one I’d welcome because it would involve my lovely wife.”

“I’m already a sure thing. You know that, don’t you?”

He kissed her with a whole day’s worth of desire.

Sam curled her arms around his neck and fell into the sexy kiss that was interrupted when Scotty and Skippy returned from their trip outside.

“For the love of God and all that’s holy, would you two please knock it off?”

“He’s gonna get a girlfriend soon, right?” Nick asked against her lips.

“Or a boyfriend,” Sam said. “Either is fine.”

“It’d be agirlfriend,” Scotty said with the disdain that was becoming more frequent since he’d turned fourteen, “and I’ve got no interest in any of that stuff right now. I have much more important things to focus on, such as hockey.”

“We’ll see,” Nick said with a grin for his son.

“Whatever. Good night.”