“He’s beautiful. I’ve never been around a rottweiler until you came to the White House. Does he live at your place when you two aren’t on duty?” She had to remember he was probably as distrusting as she was. Most people in law enforcement were.
“Yes. All the dogs in the Capitol K-9 Unit stay with their partners when off duty.”
“I’ve never had a pet even as a child. And now I work all the time, so it wouldn’t be fair to leave an animal alone so much.”
“I had any pet I wanted.”
There was a tone in his voice that indicated there was more to that statement than what he was saying. “So what did you have as a child?”
“A dog named Butch and a horse called Dynamite.”
“So you rode, too?”
“Yes, I lived on a farm in Maryland growing up. I’d go riding whenever I could and Butch always followed.”
His childhood was vastly different from hers. She’d grown up in Washington, DC, in the area that wasn’t technically slums but close. “What did your family grow on the farm?”
“Nothing. They had some horses and that was about it.”
“Some? How big was the farm?”
“Two hundred acres. In some people’s book it was more an estate than a farm, although Thoroughbred horses were raised there.”
“But not you?” Again she sensed an underlying tension in his voice and saw the stiffening of his shoulders.
“The house I grew up in was a mansion. A person could get lost in it. But to me it was only a place to sleep at night.” A touch of bitterness laced his words.
Definitely a far cry from where she’d lived as a child. The biggest apartment she ever lived in was three rooms, if you counted a bathroom she could barely turn around in. “You didn’t like your home?” she asked before she could snatch the question back. She had no business prying into his past. She told no one about hers.
“It wasn’t a home. My family’s business was a large import/export company. My parents were rarely there. Their work took them all over the world.”
When her mother had been gone, it was because she was drinking and would disappear for days. “You never got to travel with them?”
“No.” His mouth snapped closed, and he averted his face, staring at Max sniffing around the yard. “I noticed your flat-screen TV and laptop are still in the house, so what would someone be looking for? Do you have any other valuables?”
“Not much. I’ve poured all my money into this house. I bought it last year and have slowly been fixing it up the way I want. It’s the first place I’ve really called home.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She quickly added, “I lived in apartments while going to school and my first couple of years working in the White House,” as though that would explain why she’d never felt at home anywhere before she’d bought this place.
“That’s how I feel about my house in Burke. As a Navy SEAL I traveled a lot and lived on base, but now that I’m working for the Capitol K-9 Unit, I can put down some roots.”
“Do you have to do much traveling? I know you come and go at the White House, but I figure you’re working on a case.”
“Although I’m assigned to the White House, I’m at headquarters for briefings, coordination with other team members, running down leads and training sessions with Max.” Nicholas took a sip of his coffee, his gaze connecting with her over the rim of his mug.
“The locksmith changed my locks last night, so why did you and Max stay?”
“It was late when Mr. Lamb left. By the time I went home, I’d probably only get a few hours’ sleep before coming back here this morning.”
“But you had to be uncomfortable on the porch.”
“As an ex–Navy SEAL, I’m used to sleeping on the hard ground. I slept great because I was on your porch. If I’d left you, I’d have worried about you and probably not slept at all. It’s traumatic for a person to discover her house was broken into. I wanted to make sure you were okay and whoever did this didn’t come back. As I mentioned yesterday, I’d recommend getting a good alarm system today. Mr. Lamb put on sturdy locks, but they only go so far. Having a dog wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.”
She smiled. “Will you loan me Max?”
“Sorry, we’re an inseparable team,” he said with a chuckle. “But a dog like Max would be perfect.”
Although she’d never had a pet, the idea interested her. “How would I get one trained and as well behaved as Max?”
“He’s trained specifically for guarding, apprehending suspects and searching for bombs. You don’t need that, but I can help you if you want.”
“Let me think about it. I don’t want to get a dog if I can’t give him the attention he needs.” If she accepted Nicholas’s help, she would be spending a lot more time with him. That could be dangerous because she couldn’t deny her attraction to him.
His dark brown eyes gleamed. “Not all pet owners feel that way. They buy an animal and then ignore it most of the time.”
Selena downed the last of her coffee. She could get used to his presence; she needed to end this. “I appreciate your concern last night, but I think I’ll be all right today. The break-in was a shock, but it takes a lot to rattle me, so on second thought, I don’t need your help cleaning up.” She rose. “I’ll look into an alarm system since I’m off for a couple of days. But my main concern is righting my house and seeing if anything was stolen. At first glance, nothing is missing, but if that were the case, then why did someone risk breaking in?”
“Looking for something?” He pushed to his feet.
She frowned. “I don’t keep anything related to my White House job here. That’s why I often stay late at night. I try to leave my work at my office. When I come here, it’s my downtime.”
“Good way to be. I need to do that more myself.”
She started for the back door. “It’s probably harder because Max stays with you.”
“That’s not it. I’ve never been a person who can just relax and do nothing.”
“So no vacations?”
“Not lately. Max and I have gone camping a few long weekends.”
“I work hard, but I play hard, too. Maybe I could teach you how if you help me get the right dog.” Here she went again. When was she going to learn? His help would come at a price.
“If you decide to have a pet, you’ve got yourself a deal. Are you sure about not needing any help cleaning up?”
“Yes, I’m sure you have work today. I hope you let me know if you find the person who drugged Tara Wilkins.”
“I will.” Nicholas turned toward Max. “Come.”
His dog trotted to Nicholas’s side, and they trailed her into the house. She was again greeted with the chaos, and dreaded the day before her. She released a long breath and realized the only way the cleanup would get done was to start and keep going until she was finished. She wouldn’t go to bed tonight until she’d righted her house.
Selena walked with Nicholas and Max to the front door. “Thank you for your help yesterday at my office during the Easter Egg Roll.”
He arched a brow. “So my help wasn’t so bad, after all.”
“Okay. I was a little miffed at you for thinking I’m harboring a suspect.”