“So those are our children,” Nick said with a smile when they were alone in the kitchen.
“Every morning is a new comedy show.”
He rested a hand on her shoulder as he gazed down at her with the hazel eyes that were always full of love for her and their family. “How lucky we are.”
“Indeed. I still want to pinch myself that the adoption is final and Elijah and the twins are ours to keep.” Even though he was an adult, Elijah had chosen to be adopted, too, so he and his siblings would belong to the same family.
“It’s such a relief. Elijah was saying that, too, when I talked to him yesterday.” Nick tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “How’re you feeling this morning?”
“Still a little uneasy for the same unknown reason, but ready to get to work. How about you? All set for another day of world domination?”
“As ready as I ever am. Don’t forget to ask about the trip.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Now kiss me and make it a good one. It’s got to last all damned day.”
Nick did as she asked, and it was, in fact, a very good one.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Scotty said when he caught them midkiss. “I’ll need more than one cup of coffee with this going on at breakfast.”
“Our apologies, son,” Nick said with a grin. “I can’t help it that your mother is so kissable.”
“Don’t make it worse.” Scotty grabbed his lunch from the fridge. “Try to behave today. You’re the first couple. Have some decorum.”
“Despite you being a serious buzzkiller,” Sam said, “for some reason, we love you very much. Have a great day.”
“For some reason, I love you, too.”
The minute he walked away, Nick kissed her again. “That was just to spite him.”
“Any day now, some young lady—or young man—is going to catch his eye, and he’ll begin to understand.”
“It’ll be a young lady. We’ve already had a few talks that indicate his direction.”
“Well, either way. As long as he’s happy.”
“Absolutely, and with that, I must get going. I’ve got the secretary of Defense coming in for a briefing in ten minutes.”
“As fun as that sounds…”
He smiled, and her heart did a funny flip-flop… That face, that smile, those eyes… Knowing he was all hers forever and ever. He and their children made her life complete in every possible way.
“I love you.”
Nick stole one more kiss. “Love you, too. Have a great day. Text me if you can.”
“I will, and you, too.”
Sam heard him talking to the twins in the hallway before they returned to the kitchen for face, hair and teeth checks. “You did a great job.” She straightened Alden’s hair and redid Aubrey’s ponytail before handing them their lunches and kissing them goodbye. “Love you to the moon.”
“And back again,” Aubrey added.
“All the way back.”
As they skipped down the hall to meet their Secret Service detail, Sam watched them go, thankful for every second she had with them. After she cleaned up the kitchen, she went into their room to finish getting ready for work. When she unlocked the drawer where she kept her service weapon, another wave of anxiety struck, making her gasp from the queasy feeling that came with it.
She sat on the bed to get her bearings, wondering if she should’ve kept the kids home. But what reason would she have given? A weird feeling? A pending sense of doom? Saying that out loud would have everyone concerned about her, and she didn’t want or need that. She wanted the horrible feeling to go away. Closing her eyes, she took a series of deep breaths, summoning the fortitude that powered her days.
Her ringing phone interrupted the breathing exercise. She took the call from Vernon, her lead Secret Service agent. “Hey.”
