“Christina, his chief of staff,” Sam said. She should be the one offering comfort to Nick, but for some reason he didn’t want it from her.

Nick’s front door swung open, and they watched as Christina held the storm door open, urging him out ahead of her. He had changed into a suit, but hadn’t bothered to shave.

Sam, Skip and Celia watched them come down the stone stairs.

“What are you still doing here?” Nick asked Sam in a dull, flat tone.

“I sent Gonzo to Florida.”

“Oh.”

“We’re going to the Capitol so he can be there for the opening of the new session and to vote on O’Connor-Martin,” Christina said.

“I’ll catch up to you after,” Sam said.

“Talk to Senator Cook,” Nick said, still wearing a far-away expression on his face.

“Why?” Sam asked.

“He made a comment to me about Julian,” Nick said. “That he should watch his back because someone might take a shot at him.”

“I’ll talk to Cook.” Sam went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “That helps. Thank you.”

Christina ushered Nick into her car, and they drove off.

“Wow,” Skip said. “You weren’t kidding.”

“What do I do?” Sam said. “I don’t know how to help him through this.”

“You love him,” Celia said. “You just love him. That’s all you can do.”

Freddie awakened from a deep sleep, his body languid and replete after an all-night sex fest. With his hand tucked into the soft lushness of Elin’s breasts, he wondered if there was any special morning-after stuff he should say or do.

As he pondered that question, she stirred, her muscular ass brushing against his groin.

His dick actually ached from what he’d put it through during the night. It was a good thing he had to work this morning. Otherwise, he might be expected to perform again, and he wasn’t sure he could.

Stretching his stiff muscles he raised his arm to check his watch to see how much time he had before his cell phone alarm would tell him it was time to get up. “Shit!” He sat up so fast that Elin almost fell off her side of the bed.

“What?”

Freddie bolted from the bed and ran for his coat, which Elin had put in the living room the night before. Rifling through the pocket, he found his cell phone and stared at it in stunned disbelief. It was off. He never shut off that phone. Ever. “Did you shut my phone off?” Returning to the bedroom, he powered up the phone.

Still half asleep, she muttered, “Hmm?”

“Elin! Did you shut off my phone?” It went crazy beeping with messages. “Sonofabitch.”

“You were off duty,” she said without opening her eyes. “I wanted you to relax.”