Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
She held on tight to his arm as the Secret Service hustled them inside. Every step hurt, but she gritted her teeth, determined to get through this for him. He did so much to support her career. Tonight, it was his turn.
“Did I mention that I got to invite some of my favorite musicians to play tonight?”
“No, I don’t think you did. Who’d you ask?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
The moment they stepped into the ballroom, they were surrounded by people wanting to greet them, to hear about what’d happened earlier, to take photos with them, to be part of them.
Overwhelmed by the crush, Sam held on even tighter to Nick’s arm.
Apparently sensing her dismay, Nick put his arm around her and she immediately felt better.
“I’m afraid I owe my wife a dance,” he said to the leaders of the Democratic National Committee. “We’ll catch up with you later.” He took Sam’s hand and walked through the crowd of cheering revelers to the dance floor. “Look,” he said as he took her into his arms.
She turned her head toward the stage, and Jon Bon Jovi waved to her. “Oh my God! You did not!”
“I certainly did, too.”
Like he had at their wedding nearly a year ago, Bon Jovi played an acoustic version of their wedding song, “Thank You For Loving Me.”
“Nick,” she said, overwhelmed all over again, this time by the amazingly thoughtful man she’d had the good sense to marry.
“I’ve never been more thankful that you love me than I have in the last couple of months since I tipped our already crazy lives completely upside down.”
“I love you so much, and I always will.”
Right there in the middle of the dance floor, with the whole world watching, he kissed his second lady.
They were home two hours after they left, having made brief appearances at two other inaugural events. Shelby was watching TV when they came in, and jumped up to greet them.
“How was it?”
“Fun, actually,” Sam said.
Shelby placed her hand over her heart. “I saw Bon Jovi on the news. Very well played, Mr. VP.”
“I know the way to my wife’s heart.”
“Jon kissed me this time.” Sam pointed to her cheek. “Right here. I’m never washing that spot again.”
Nick threw her a look that had Shelby laughing.
“Not even you can compete with Bon Jovi,” Shelby said.
“Believe me,” Nick said, “I know. Thanks again for hanging with Scotty tonight. He wanted to go to the balls, but he has school tomorrow.”
“I’m always happy to hang with him, and you’ll be glad to know I held my own with Call of Duty even if he still kicked my booty.”
“If it makes you feel any better, he kicks mine, too,” Nick said.
“That does make me feel better. I’ll see you in the morning.” Lowering her voice, she said to Nick, “Everything is ready.”
“Thanks for the help.”
“My pleasure.”
Wondering what they were taking about but too tired to ask, Sam said, “Have a good night, Shelby.” She headed for the stairs, dying to get out of the dress and the shoes so she could stretch out her aching legs.
“Keep going,” Nick said, steering her past their room to Scotty’s room where they nodded to Darcy and went in to check on their sleeping son. “Come with me upstairs,” Nick whispered after they’d both kissed Scotty.
“Not sure I’ve got the loft in me tonight, babe.”
“Come with me anyway?”
Because she’d go anywhere he asked her to go, she took his hand and followed him up the stairs.
Candles cast a warm, romantic glow over their special place.
A table had been set for two and covered dishes had been left for them.
As the scent of something delicious reached her nose, Sam realized she was starving.
“What’s all this?”
“Our own private celebration of the inauguration and the closing of your case.”
“How did you do this? When did you do it?”
“I asked Shelby to help me out, and she called in a favor from her favorite wedding caterer. I know you’re sore and tired, so what do you think about dinner in bed?”
“That sounds lovely.”
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“Not right now. I took a pill earlier. I’m okay.”
He helped her out of her clothes, wincing at the sight of the angry bruises on her side. “I hate to see you hurt. I hate it so much.”
“I hate how much you suffer when I’m hurt.”
Nick was so gentle as he tucked her into bed with a pile of pillows behind her. When she was settled, he delivered her dinner and a glass of champagne. “Can you have this with the pill?”
“A little won’t hurt.” She glanced up at him. “You planned this whole thing, and I messed it up by getting hurt again.”
“You haven’t messed up anything. You’re still here with me. That’s all I need.”
Sam raised a brow. “So you didn’t have plans to ravage me?”
“I never said that.”
“Haha! I knew it.”
Laughing, he stripped down to his boxers, and Sam enjoyed every decadent second of the strip show. “Quit your gawking and eat your dinner.”
“I’d rather look at you.”
“You can do both.” He brought his plate to the bed and stretched out next to her.
“This is so good.” The tasty meal consisted of teriyaki chicken, pineapple, crisp red peppers and rice.
“I remember how much you loved teriyaki chicken on our trip.”
“You remember everything,” she said with a sigh. “Your lame wife is lucky to remember what happened yesterday.”
“My wife is not lame. She’s the perfect wife for me, and the perfect mother for our son. We love her just the way she is, and we’ll keep telling her that until she believes us.” He put his plate on the bedside table and reached for his glass of champagne. “Mmm, that’s good.”
“We need a toast.”
“You’re absolutely right. Let me see…” He rubbed at the sexy end-of-the-day stubble on his jaw. “How about… To you and me and Scotty and the next four years in office. May we and all the people we love be blessed with health, safety, happiness, prosperity, success and love. Lots and lots of love.”
“I will most definitely drink to that.” She touched her glass to his and then leaned into his kiss, looking forward to all the years ahead as long as she got to spend them with him.