Page 165 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“You dreamed about me?”

“All the time. It was torture. I’d wake up, hard as a rock, thinking you were here, and it was crushing to realize it was only another dream.”

She reached up to put her hands on his face and drew him into a kiss that nearly made him whimper from the need that overtook him. “Does that feel real to you?”

“As real as anything has ever been.” He lifted her into his arms and walked into the bedroom, putting her down next to the bed. As they kissed and laughed and pulled at clothes, Eli realized he was truly happy for the first time since the last time he’d seen her. Yes, he was still dealing with heartbreak and grief over the senseless murders of his father and stepmother, but with Candace back in his life, even that became easier to manage.

She made everything better, like she had from the first day he met her. She was just as he remembered her, only curvier. Her breasts were fuller, her body that of a grown woman now, and as he’d been before, he was dazzled by her.

They landed on his bed in a jumble of arms and legs that quickly sorted themselves into perfect alignment for what they were both dying for.

“Shit, I need a condom.”

She stopped him from getting up. “I’m on long-term birth control. I did it two weeks ago. We’re covered.”

“How could you do that when you weren’t eighteen yet?”

“I lied.”

Smiling, he kissed her with three years’ worth of longing and desire. “This might be quick.”

“Who cares? We can do it anytime we want now.”

They skipped most of the preliminaries to get to the main event, and with his body joined to hers, Eli felt as if he’d died and gone straight back to the paradise he’d found with her long before either of them was ready for it. “Oh God, Candace… This is just how I remember it, only better.”

“Yes.”

He closed his eyes and surrendered to the bliss, hoping that this time, it would last forever.

In the morning, Sam woke early to find Nick curled up to her, his arm around her waist. He’d been called back to work again the night before to contend with yet another issue with the North Koreans and their missiles.

She covered his hand with hers, floating in the predawn moments before another frantic day began. This one would end with a remembrance of their beloved Detective Arnold, killed one year ago already. How was that possible? While the year had gone quickly, it felt like forever since she’d last seen the endearing young detective who’d been so eager to please.

“What’re you thinking about?” Nick asked in the gravelly early morning voice that only she ever got to hear. She loved that voice.

“Arnold. A year today.”

“God, that’s right. Hard to believe it’s already a year.”

“I was just thinking how I feel like I haven’t seen him in much longer than that.”

“It’s been a rough year all around.”

“Sure has, but we got through it.”

“Because we have this,” he said, holding her closer as his erection pressed against her back.

She squeezed his arm. “I don’t know what I’d ever do without this.”

“Same.”

“My hip is feeling much better if you want to attempt some old-school morning fun.”

“Oh, old school, you say?”

“Three cheers for good old missionary.”

“Hip, hip, hooray.”