"That's not why." His fingers slid between her legs, teasing and stroking. "Tell me the truth."

"I'm trying not to be afraid. I'm trying really hard."

"I must not be doing a good enough job getting your mind off it. Clearly, I need to work harder," he said, punctuating his words with searing strokes of his tongue over tender, sensitive tissues.

Sam fisted his hair to hold him there as one big hand clutched her bottom to anchor her for his fierce possession. Using fingers, lips and tongue, he reduced her to a trembling, needy, orgasmic disaster area and managed to wipe all worries and fears from her mind, one stroke at a time.

And then he withdrew his fingers and forced one of them past the tight barrier of her anus and sent her reeling into the strongest orgasm yet, crying out from the sheer power of it. She came back to herself to find he'd entered her again, surging into her over and over and over again, until he found his release deep inside her.

Sam wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding him as close as she could get him.

His lips moved softly against her neck, whispering words she couldn't hear but understood just the same. "I'll come back to you, Samantha." This was said so she could hear it. "I promise. I'll never leave you."

She blinked back tears and strengthened her already tight grip on him. "I'm sorry to be this way. I suppose I deserve it after what I've put you through over the last year."

"Yes, you do," he said, making her laugh, which of course had been his goal. He raised his head and looked down at her, his hazel eyes searing her with their intensity. "Anytime you feel afraid while I'm gone, I want you to remember I'm with the best protected person on the planet. They won't let anything happen to him, so nothing will happen to me either. Okay?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

"You have my heart and soul, Samantha, no matter where I am in the world, I belong to you. Only you."

Raising her hands, she caressed the face she loved more than any other. "I belong to you too, body and soul and heart and everything else I've got. If you'd asked me two years ago if I would ever say something like that to anyone, I probably would've sneered before I punched you. But you've laid me low and stripped me bare."

He pressed his hips against her, letting her know he was still lodged deep inside her-as if she needed any reminder. "I like you best stripped bare. I love you best when you're not afraid to tell me how you feel."

"They haven't yet invented the words to adequately tell you how I feel about you or how you make me feel when we're together like this. You turn me into someone totally different than I've ever been with anyone else."

"That's the most incredible thing you've ever said to me-in a year of incredible things."

"I didn't want you to leave with any doubts about what's waiting for you at home."

"I never have any doubts where you're concerned. From that first second on a crowded deck, you've been mine. Always mine."

She realized he was moving inside her again, fully recovered from the explosive release. "Turn over," she said.

"Not this time."

"You got your turn, now I want mine."

With an exasperated growl, he managed to turn them and move them into the middle of the bed without losing the connection.

"I don't know how you do that," she muttered when she recovered her senses. "You must've had a lot of practice." She knew almost nothing about the other women in his life, which hadn't bothered her until recently, until she'd learned he'd done things with at least one of them that he hadn't done with her.

"I don't remember anyone but you, the only one who has ever mattered."

Sitting astride him with his substantial erection throbbing and growing inside her, she couldn't take the time to wonder about anything other than how best to drive any thought that didn't include her right out of his mind. She raised herself up and slid back down on him slowly and torturously.

His fingers dug into her hips, and she knew he was resisting the temptation to take over.

She did it again and again until his head was thrown back and his throat exposed, making it too easy to lean down and sink her teeth into his pectoral, adding some suction so he would take her mark with him.

His hoarse shout was followed by a surge of heat deep inside her as he came violently, his hold on her hips ensuring he'd left his own marks, which was fine with her.

Sam collapsed onto his chest, sweaty and spent and sore and aching at the thought of him flying away from her in a few short hours.

He combed his fingers through her long hair, over and over again, until she started to drift off, still joined with him in every possible way. "We need to unlock the door in case Scotty needs us," she said.

"I'll do it."

The next thing she knew, he was kissing her awake.

As his cologne filled her senses, she opened her eyes to find the bathroom light bathing them in a warm glow. He was fully dressed in a sweater and jeans. A garment bag sat on the bed next to him.

Sam's heart beat fast and hard as she realized he was leaving. She wanted to cry and beg him not to go, but she did neither of those things. Rather, she reached up to caress his freshly shaven cheek.

He turned his face into her caress, his lips warm and soft against her palm.

"Be careful out there," she said, stealing his usual line to her.

His smile was quick and perfect and so totally him. "Always am."

"That's my line."

"You're my girl." He gathered her into a tight, fierce hug, followed by a hot, erotic kiss intended to tide them over until he got back. "Love you, babe."

She clung to him and had to force herself to let him go when her every instinct was telling her to hold on for dear life. "I love you too. Be safe and hurry back. I won't be able to breathe until you're home again."

"Scotty and work will keep you too busy to worry."

That wasn't true, but she kept the thought to herself because she didn't want him carrying the weight of her worries with him.

He kissed her once more and got up to shut off the bathroom light. "Go back to sleep for a while."

"I will."

"See you soon."

"I'll be right here waiting for you."

"Counting on that." He came back for one last kiss, lingering as if he didn't want to go any more than she wanted him to.

"Go on. You can't keep the president waiting."

He squeezed her tight and released her.

She wished she could see in the darkness so she could watch him leave the room. Rather, she listened to him go down the stairs and rattle around in the kitchen. She heard the front door open and the rumble of his deep voice as he greeted his Secret Service detail. And then the front door closed, and the silence descended.

A car started up outside and pulled away, leaving more stillness and silence in its wake.

Sam stared at the red glow of the clock on the bedside table, which read two o'clock. Despite her fierce will, tears flooded her eyes and wet her pillow as she breathed in the scent he'd left on her hand. She saw every minute that passed until the alarm went off at six.

Sam felt like a fool for nearly forgoing a shower so she wouldn't wash his scent off her hand. "You're acting like a lovesick teenager," she muttered as she got up and dragged her aching, tired body into the shower. Everything she had hurt, more so than usual after a night of love with Nick.

Her back ached, her boobs hurt and her lips were raw and swollen. Overall, she was a mess. She stood under the hot water, letting it ease her aches. However, nothing could ease the pain in her chest that had started right around the time he left, and would probably remain until he returned.

Despite feeling ridiculous about her reaction to his departure, tears slid down her cheeks, washed away by the shower. She was determined to get them all out now before she woke Scotty and before she had to be at work. It was bad enough that she'd been a total wreck with Nick, but she wasn't about to inflict her fears on anyone else, especially Scotty.

She rinsed the conditioner out of her hair and glanced down to find the water tinted with pink. The realization was another shot to the heart, but at least it explained the excessive aches and pains as well as the tears that flowed more freely now that she knew another month would pass without conception.

Not for the first time she wondered if the baby she'd lost in February had been her last chance. And then she remembered what their doctor friend Harry had said about it taking months after the birth control shot wore off for conception to occur. It had only worn off a month ago, but now she could admit that she'd hoped to defy the odds and get pregnant again right away.

She yearned for Nick, the only other person who'd feel the same acute disappointment that she did. Finished with the shower, she wrapped a towel around her body and another around her hair, took care of the period situation, went to find her phone and was elated to find a text from him.

Slight delay but on the way now (3:45). AF1 is astonishing. Can't wait to tell you all about it. They're taking our phones until we're on the way home. If you need me in an emergency, call Derek. He'll know how to get word to me. Love you always. N She sat on the bed, reading and rereading the text. He had to give up his phone. She couldn't tell him about getting her period until he got home. Until then, she'd have to bear the disappointment alone. The lonely feeling that overtook her reminded her a lot of the years she'd spent unhappily married to Peter when she'd thought a baby might cure what ailed them. Now she knew that nothing could've fixed them-not when she was meant to be with Nick.

Exhausted from the lack of sleep and feeling like she was wading through quicksand, she got dressed and went to wake Scotty. He was grumpier than usual, which made for a complicated hour together before Shelby arrived.

"Ready to go, sport?" Shelby said, full of cheerful enthusiasm. Today's pink sweater was accented with sparkly pink rhinestones. She'd yet to pick up on Sam's cranky mood but had tuned right into Scotty's.

Scotty put down his cereal spoon and pushed the bowl away. "I'm not feeling good. I think I should stay home."

Sam and Shelby reached for his forehead at the same time.

Shelby smiled at Sam and withdrew her hand.

"No fever," Sam said. "What're your symptoms?"

"My stomach hurts. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

Sam took the seat next to his and waited until he looked right at her. "Is this because you're afraid to see Nathan?"

He wilted under her scrutiny. "Maybe. A little."

"It's going to be tough to face him after what happened yesterday."

"What happened?" Shelby asked, taking one of the other chairs.

Sam nodded to Scotty, wanting him to say it in the hope that speaking the words might help him.

"I got punched in the stomach because I defended Willie Vasquez when the other guys were calling him a loser."

"Oh my God!" Shelby's blue eyes flashed with fury that made her a friend forever in Sam's world. She looked at Sam. "What're we doing about it?"

"I took care of it."

Shelby's smile was full of catty satisfaction. "I'll bet you did."

"That's what he's afraid of." Sam reached for Scotty's hand. "Here's what to do. If he says anything to you, give him the death stare. Do you know how to do that?"

He shook his head.

Sam narrowed her eyes and zeroed in on Scotty, making him retreat a bit in his seat.

"Wow. I hope you never do that to me for real."

"With you there, sport," Shelby said.

"Works wonders on guilty scumbags in the interrogation room. Now let me see you do it."

Scotty scrunched up his face, but nothing about his stare was deadly.

"No, like this." Sam went for her most sinister, intimidating glare. "You have to put some hate behind it."

"Mrs. Littlefield says we don't hate anyone."

"You hate what he did, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Focus on that then. Let's see it."

Scotty's stare had a lot more menace behind it this time.

"There it is! Excellent. Now what will you do if he hits you again?"

"Hit him back?"

"That's right. You're allowed to defend yourself. But I don't want you to ever throw the first punch. You got me?"

"Yeah. I can see the difference."

"Now, give me a fist."

He rolled his fingers around his thumb and held up his hand.

"Dude, that is the fastest way to end up with a broken thumb. Like this." She manipulated his hand into a fist. "Lead with your knuckles."

"What if he comes at me from behind?"

"Stomp on the top of his foot," Shelby said. "Then spin around and clip him under the nose."

Sam nodded in approval. "Someone's had self-defense classes."

"When you're barely five feet tall and living in a city, you can't be too careful."

"Is your belly feeling better?" Sam asked Scotty.

He nodded, showing more of his usual enthusiasm. "Thanks for showing me what to do."