The last of the steam she’d come in with dissipated. “Nick…” She resisted the powerful urge to walk around the desk and embrace him. Clearing the emotion from her throat, she said, “His parents are coming in at six. They want to see him. Do you think maybe you could come, too? It might help them to have a familiar face there.”

“Of course.”

“I could take you and bring you back later so you don’t have to deal with the parking situation over there.”

“Sure.” He stood up and reached for the suit coat that was draped over the back of his chair.

Sam’s mouth went dry as she watched the play of his muscles under the pale blue dress shirt he had worn without a tie. His hands were graceful as he adjusted his collar. She remembered the way those hands had felt moving over her fevered skin so many years ago. The memory shouldn’t have been so vivid, but there it was, as bright and as real as if it had happened only yesterday.

He caught her watching him. “What?”

Her face heated. “Nothing.”

Without looking away from her, he came around the desk and stopped right in front of her. He reached out and ran a finger over her cheek. “I think about it, too. I never stopped thinking about it.”

“Don’t.” She wondered how it was possible that he had read her mind so easily. “Please.”

“Even in the midst of everything else that’s going on, even as I plan my best friend’s funeral, even as I deal with a traumatized staff and John’s parents, I want you. I think about you, and I want you.”

“I can’t, Nick. My job is on the line. My whole career is riding on this investigation. I can’t let you do this to me right now.”

“What about later? After it’s over?”

“Maybe. We’ll have to see.”

“Then that’ll have to do.” He gestured for her to lead the way out of his office. “For now.”

Chapter 10

“What’s the plan for the funeral?” Sam asked Nick as they sat in heavy traffic on Constitution Avenue.

“He’ll lie in state at the capitol in Richmond for forty-eight hours, beginning on Friday. The funeral will be held at the National Cathedral on Monday with burial at Arlington a week or two later. It takes a while to get that arranged.”

“I didn’t realize he was a veteran.”

“Four years in the Navy after college.”

“If possible, I’d like to attend the funeral with you in case I need you to identify anyone for me.”

“Sure. I’ll do what I can.”