Page 33 of Protect and Serve

And yeah, dusting for fingerprints could at least rule out an intruder and make her feel at ease. He knew how disorienting it could be to think someone had intruded on your personal space.

“Hey, Claire,” Cody said. “What do you think about Charlie staying with you this weekend while we’re away?”

She gaped at her brother and then flicked a look at Charlie.

Oh crap. Her expression went from annoyed to mischievous in a heartbeat. But when she turned back to Cody, she adopted an utterly disinterested mien. “Okay. I suppose. As long as he doesn’t eat all Lisa’s cookies while he’s here.”

“I do love cookies,” he said, infusing the words with a double entendre. “I may eat them all.”

Claire bit her lip to keep from grinning.

“I’ll make extras,” Lisa said in a cheery voice, and it took everything in him to hold back his laugh. Judging from the quiver of her chest, Claire had the same issue.

“Do you really think someone came into your room and went through your underwear?” Porsche asked when everyone else had tromped from the room to continue discussing plans for the weekend, though Claire had no idea what kinds of plans they needed to discuss. It seemed pretty clear-cut to her.

They would all leave.

She and Charlie would be alone.

Naughty things would happen.

All weekend long.

End of story.

And though she hated to see him leave—he was on duty, after all—she was delighted that he’d come.

“I know it, Porsche.”

“Could it have been Molly?”

Claire snorted. “I don’t let Molly do my laundry.” She loved their housekeeper, but the woman had a tendency to wash reds with whites, which was why her brothers often wore pink skivvies. “And she wasn’t here while I was in the hospital.” She was visiting her daughter in Houston.

“Do you think maybe a teenage boy snuck in to check out the infamous Stud Ranch and wandered into your room? Found your undies?”

“First of all, gross. Second of all, there were no signs of a break-in.”

Porsche nodded, but it was clear she was still thinking of scenarios. Claire really didn’t want to hear any more, or think about it anymore.

“It hardly matters,” she said. “Charlie will stay with me this weekend, so I feel safe.” And what a thrill that sent through her.

She didn’t understand Porsche’s reaction. She narrowed her eyes and looked pointedly at Claire. “Yeah. Charlie. Don’t you think he’s a little…?”

“What?”

“Tall for you?”

She glared at Porsche. “All men are the same height lying down.”

Porsche’s eyes went wide. “Wait. What? You mean… You’ve… You? And him?”

Heat crawled up her cheeks. “I was speaking metaphorically.”

“Were you?”

“Yes! We’ve only had one date!”

Porsche shrugged. “What does that mean? Lots of people do it on a first date.”