Page 16 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

Scotty, who’d become bored with hiding from the kissing, was looking at his phone. “You want to know what people are saying?”

“No,” Sam and Nick said together.

“I want him to sleep tonight,” Sam said. “Let’s worry about that in the morning too.”

“Good plan,” Nick said.

His insomnia was a bitch at the best of times. Nick wondered if he’d sleep at all over the next three years. Ugh, three years… Don’t think about it, or you’ll never sleep again.

They pulled up to their house on Ninth Street a few minutes later and were escorted up the ramp and inside. “The detail seems to have expanded,” Nick said to Brant.

“Tripled, sir.”

“Are you able to go home at some point?”

“Shortly, sir. I’ll be back in the morning, and the director will want to meet with you in the next few days. They’ll want to assign more senior agents to your details.”

“Wait, what? So you won’t be my lead agent anymore?”

“Probably not, sir.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening. I’ll take care of it.”

Brant cracked a rare smile. “If you say so, sir.”

“I say so. I’ll see you in the morning. Go home. Get some sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So hot and commanding,” Sam whispered, loving the way his face flushed with embarrassment.

“Hush and get your butt in bed. I’ll be right there.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. President.”

His low growl had her laughing all the way up the stairs.

Chapter Four

After pouring himself a glass of bourbon, Nick went upstairs and saw that Scotty’s door was open. When he stopped in the doorway, he found his son shirtless in the middle of the room, wearing a pair of Washington Federals pajama pants. For the first time, Nick noticed that Scotty’s chest was filling out and taking on the contours of a young man. That was happening far too quickly. “You all set, bud?”

“I will be when I can find a T-shirt. I forgot to fold the laundry that Shelby left for me to do, so she took it back and hid it.”

Nick made a mental note to compliment Shelby on the passive-aggressive parenting. “That’s what you get for not doing what you’re told.”

“I know. I guess I’ll have to freeze my balls off as a result.”

“Your mother would tell you not to talk that way.”

“I’m not saying it in front of her.”

“I’ll take mercy on you this one time and let you borrow one of my shirts. But next time Shelby tells you to fold your clothes and put them away, get it done, okay?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. President.”

“Cut that bullshit right now.”

“Swear jar!”