Capitol Threat

63

Christina arrived at the office at the usual time, and was more than startled to see that Ben was already there.

“Now this is a surprise,” she said. “What on earth brings you to the office at the appropriate time of the morning?”

Ben rose from his desk and smiled. “I had a lot of plans to make.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Because I’ve got a list a foot long of things you need to do. Your mother called—you forgot her birthday again. And Loving wants to take an extended vacation. Evidently he’s got a new flame, someone named Trudy. I told him he could go, but I also said I’d be pretty irritated if he got married before I did. He just laughed; don’t ask me why.” She took a deep breath. “And there is that minor matter of whether you’re going to run for reelection.”

Ben walked around his desk and clasped both her hands. “You got a free hour or so?”

“Are you joking? I don’t have a free minute. I’m supposed to meet Senator Hammond before I—” She paused. “Which reminds me. Someone told me he came to your office last night. What did he want?”

Ben barely hesitated a moment. “Nothing important. Just tying up some loose ends.”

“Nothing bad about the Wilderness Bill?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s a relief.” She glanced down at her book. “But I still have a packed morning. I’ve got to meet with the administrative assistant for the—”

Ben pulled her close to him. “How would you feel about going on a little trip?”

“Huh?”

“I thought we might go visit Tad.”

“Tad? Tad Roush? Are you crazy? The Court is in session.”

“I called ahead. He’ll be waiting for us.”

“Why?”

Ben pulled her even closer, till they were practically nose-to-nose. “Christina—how would you feel about being married by a justice of the Supreme Court?”

Christina’s lips parted. For a brief moment, she didn’t even speak. “By—what—?” She tried again. “You mean, get married to you?”

“That was what I had in mind, yes.”

“You mean—now?”

“Can you think of a better time?”

“But this is awfully sudden.”

“Is it? Seems like this relationship has been dragging on for several novel-length years.”

“I meant sudden as measured in Ben Kincaid time.” She smiled softly, then touched the side of his cheek. “Are you going to run for reelection?”

“Does it matter? No matter what we decide to do, we’ll be…partners.”

Her crystal blue eyes sparkled. “Partners?” she said breathlessly. “Really? Partners?”

He pressed his nose against hers. “Till death do us part.”