“I like being crushed by you.”

“Are you okay? I was a little rough...”

“I loved it, and I’m fine.” She squeezed her inner muscles, drawing a deep groan from him.

“Keep that up, and you’ll be looking at round two.”

“You’re supposed to be resting and regaining your strength, not gearing up for round two—or is it round four?”

He pushed his hips against her ass. “I declare myself fully recovered. So that’s a yes for round four?”

Sam groaned and then laughed. “When are you going to start acting like the old married guy that you are and have sex with your wife once a week like a normal husband?”

“Never,” he said, biting the back of her shoulder just hard enough to ensure he had her full attention. “As long as I’ve got the hottest wife in the world in my bed, nothing about this marriage is ever going to be normal.” He withdrew from her and turned her over. “This time I want to see your gorgeous face.” Brushing the hair back from her forehead, he gazed down at her as he entered her again.

Sam curled her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck.

“I love my wife.”

“I love my sexy husband.”

And she loved the smile that lit up his beautiful eyes. As he moved in her, she could spare no thoughts for the case, her heartbroken squad, her injured partner or anything other than the exquisite pleasure she found in her husband’s arms.

* * *

FILLED WITH ENERGY after her passionate night with Nick, Sam was up early to make coffee and pancakes for her squad. The blanket that had covered Shelby was neatly folded on the sofa, but she was nowhere to be found. Sam assumed she’d gone home.

While the pancakes cooked, she checked her email, found the DNA report from Lindsey and forwarded it to Detective Watson in Franklin with a request for notification as soon as he knew whether it was a match. She sent Watson a text to let him know about the email but didn’t mention the part about Josh currently being missing.

“What’s gotten into you?” Nick asked when he came downstairs dressed in a suit and tie. “Other than me.” He laughed at his own joke.

Sam poured him a cup of coffee. “Very funny, and why are you dressed for work?”

“Um, because I’m going to work?”

“I called you out sick for the week, so you’ll have nothing to do. You may as well stay home with me and help me figure out what the hell is going on with this case.”

Nick thought about that suggestion for a second and then reached for his tie, unknotting it and pulling it off before releasing the top two buttons on his dress shirt.