He looked down at her, mesmerized as always by her piercing blue eyes and cool blonde beauty. She stole the breath from his lungs when she looked at him the way she was right now. “I want to be with you.”

She tilted her hips and tore a groan from deep inside him. “So I noticed.”

“Not just in bed. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Only in bed?”

“Everywhere.”

A surge of hope made Freddie feel more buoyant than he’d been since the last time he was with her.

“What about your mother?” Elin asked, her smile fading. “I assume nothing’s changed on that front.”

“I’ve decided I can’t live my life for her. I have to live it for me.” Sam would be proud of me, Freddie thought, as he scanned the dance floor and found his partner laughing and dancing with her new husband. Seeing her so happy, after all she’d been through, filled him with determination. He returned his attention to Elin. “And what I want more than anything is you.”

Elin flashed him a saucy grin. “How badly do you want me?”

“Bad.” Freddie bent his head and kissed her right there in front of his coworkers. He didn’t care in the least if anyone saw him kiss the woman he loved. “Very, very bad.”

“How soon can we sneak out of here?”

“Soon,” Freddie said. “Very, very soon.”

“I would like,” Nick said against Sam’s ear, “to take my wife upstairs to bed.”

Sam quivered at the desire she heard in his voice. “Your wife would encourage you to do whatever it is you wish to do.”

“Mmm,” he said, capturing an earlobe between his teeth. “I like the sound of that.” He drew back from her and extended an arm. “Shall we?”

“I’m with you, Senator.”

“Let’s make sure Scotty’s set to go with Angela.”

They found the boy entertaining Sam’s nieces and nephews.

“Are you guys leaving now?” he asked.

Sam was touched by the hint of trepidation she saw on his face.

Nick bent to meet Scott’s gaze. “We’ll only be gone a week, and I’ll call you the minute we get back, okay?”

Scotty nodded. “Thanks for letting me be here for this. It was really awesome.”

“Aw, buddy.” Nick hugged him. “Thank you for all your help with the kids.”

“You’re welcome.” Scotty released Nick and reached for Sam.

She hugged him and kissed the top of his head. “Angela and Spence will take good care of you tonight and get you back to Richmond tomorrow. Make sure you hit her up for pancakes in the morning.”

Scotty laughed. “I will. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”

“We’ll see you soon,” Nick said. “I promise.”

Tracy and Angela appeared out of the crowd to hug them, and Angela slipped a reassuring arm around Scotty.