Page 25 of Protect and Serve

“Tell them they’re not invited.”

As though that would work.

He whipped a bouquet of flowers from behind him. “I brought you something.” Oh, tulips. Her favorite. “And this.” With the other hand he presented a box of chocolates.

“Am I supposed to choose?”

He laughed. “No. But if you had to, which would it be?”

She stared at the gifts for a long while, then pointed at the chocolates. “But only because I can pick my own flowers.”

“Good to know.”

“Hello. What’s going on out there?” Cade ripped the door from her death grip and set his gaze on Charlie. “Whoa. You clean up nice.”

“Yeah,” said Cody, leaning over Cade’s shoulder. “Who’da thunk it.” His gaze flicked to the flowers. “Oh. Are those for me? You shouldn’t have.”

“Now, now, you two. Enough.” Thank God for Lisa. She pushed forward and took the flowers. “I’ll put these in water,” she said. And then she grabbed the chocolates as well. “I’ll take these for you too.” Her smile was far too innocent.

“Don’t eat them,” Claire said.

“Oh, I would never do that,” Lisa quipped.

“Me either.”

Claire glowered at Cade.

Cody smirked. “I would.”

“There’d better be candy left when I get back.” She hoped her growl was menacing enough. Probably not, because as they closed the door in her face, all their attention was on the gold box with the pretty red ribbon.

Claire frowned. “Vultures.”

Charlie chucked. “If that’s all it takes to get you to myself, I’ll bring chocolates every time.”

Every time? Her heart lifted at the reference to future dates. Future anything. “Raw steaks would work too. We could throw them into the fray and escape while they were distracted.”

His chuckle became a laugh. “They are a bit like slavering dogs.”

“I noticed.”

He held out an arm. “Are you ready to go?”

“And how.”

He was a gentleman, opening the car door for her and making sure her dress didn’t get caught when he closed it. When he slid into the driver’s seat, he smiled. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

“I see you shaved.”

“And showered.”

“So civilized.”

“I was covered in body glitter and goo.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know why they do that. I don’t think glitter is manly in the least.”

“I am gratified to hear it.”