“He didn’t have much to say other than he agreed with just about everything I said about you. Of course he has no way to know what kind of wife you really are. If he did, well... Let’s just be glad he doesn’t know what he’s never going to get to experience firsthand because he’d be so bummed.”

Even though her entire body went hot for reasons that had nothing to do with fever or the flu and everything to do with his ridiculous possessiveness, she couldn’t let him know that it turned her on. “I’m going to kill you, and I’m going to make it hurt.”

“Sweetheart, I’m surrounded by Secret Service agents. I’d like to see you try.”

“You’re not surrounded by Secret Service when you’re sleeping.”

“Ah, duly noted. Will sleep with one eye open from here on out.”

“So basically you had Avery Hill all to yourself for two hours and you tortured him.”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it torture. I’d say it was more of an information session.”

“You’re a dead man.”

“You won’t kill me. You like the sex too much.”

“It only took one year of marriage to create a monster.”

“You love me.”

“I don’t love you having a ‘talk’ with Avery.”

“It was a good thing. We cleared the air.”

“What would his side of the story be?”

“I imagine he’d say the same.”

“Let me ask you something.”

“Anything you want.”

She glanced over at him, not sure if it was wise to ask the question that had been on her mind since he appeared in Knoxville the night before. “Why did you come to Tennessee? Was it because I needed you or was it because I was alone in a hotel room with Avery?”

Nick’s eyes went wide with surprise and then narrowed with anger. “Are you really asking me that?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“I came there,” he said in a tight, furious-sounding tone, “because you were sick and needed me.”

“And not because Avery was taking care of me?”

“That had nothing to do with it.”

Sam remained skeptical but kept her thoughts to herself, as they arrived at home, where they were greeted by Secret Service Barbie, who was working the door. Of course she was.

“Good morning, Mr. Vice President, Mrs. Cappuano.”

“Good morning, Melinda,” Nick said with a polite smile.

Sam swore the woman all but swooned from being on the receiving end of that smile. She was only human, the poor thing. “Maybe I need to have a ‘talk’ with her about the greedy way she looks at my husband’s sexy ass,” she whispered as he hung their coats in the closet. “I could tell her how big your dick really is. Give her something to fantasize about.”

“Or not.”