“It’s not what’s screwing me up on Sinclair. None of the pieces fit. I keep trying to make them fit, but they don’t. Now Julian’s brother Preston has gone missing, too.”

“That’s weird.”

“Tell me about it! First Julian is shot and it looks like it’s connected to the Supreme Court nomination, but then when his nephew and the nephew’s roommate are shot, too, where’s the connection? No matter how I spin it, I can’t see how anyone would have a beef with both of them.”

“So you don’t think Julian’s murder is related to the nomination?”

“Not if the same shooter did his nephew.”

“How soon will you know that?”

“We’ve put a rush on the ballistics report. In the next day or two, I hope.”

“Did you hear that the family postponed Julian’s service?”

“No, but I figured they would.”

“The nephews were planning it. Graham called earlier to let me know that Austin wants to wait until Devon recovers.”

“If he recovers. It sounded pretty bad when I was at the hospital.” She paused, contemplating how this changed her plans for the weekend.

He massaged her shoulder. “Since you’re waiting on ballistics and now we don’t have to go to Boston, maybe you could take some down time to recharge?”

She smiled up at him. “I thought that’s what I was doing.”

“I mean real down time. An actual night off with a full eight hours of sleep and everything.”

“I need to get in some computer time after dinner.”

“That can be arranged.”

Pressing her lips to the soft skin under his jaw, she said, “How was your day?” She didn’t see so much as feel the change in him, the tensing of previously relaxed muscles.

“Fine.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“And what else?”

Laughing softly, he hugged her even closer to him. “I should be freaked out by how well you read me.”

“Likewise. Spill it.”

“Let’s talk about it after dinner.” He helped her to sit up and located her bra under the blanket. Handing it to her, he watched her put it on.

Her cheeks heated under the intensity of his stare. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Why?”

“Because. It leads to trouble.”

One minute she was attempting to hook her bra, the next she was once again spread out beneath him.

“I love your brand of trouble,” he said, capturing her mouth in a deep, sensual kiss that started her motor running all over again.

She sighed against his lips. “At this rate, I’ll never get anything done tonight.”

“You’ll get me done.”

Sam laughed. “I thought I’d already checked you off my to-do list.”

Smiling, he kissed her nose and then her lips. “Consider this an encore.”