Page 4 of Baby Bodyguard

“Simple.” Babe shot him a sassy grin. “You’re gonna be my little girl’s birthday present.”

Chapter 1

Noah walkedinto Sami Fontaine’s residence and straight into sheer chaos.

Men of every size, shape, and description were scattered throughout the foyer. Some were seated in a row of chairs lining the entranceway, others lounged on the wide sweeping stairway leading to the second story. And a few were even sprawled on the heartwood flooring.

Well, hell. What was this about? Noah signaled Loner to take a seat by the door while he analyzed the situation. Babe had decided Sami needed a man around the house to help take care of the place—at least, that was the excuse they’d hatched to explain his presence. It would seem Sami had come to the same conclusion and interviews were in progress.

Noah frowned. Open interviews were dangerous. Anyone could wander in posing as a prospective employee. He couldn’teven tell who was in charge, which suggested proper precautions weren’t being taken. He scanned those in the foyer. Even as he did so, he realized the sheer futility of looking for Sami’s blackmailer in a hallway full of strangers.

It could be any one of them. Ornone.

Damn it all! This wasn’t his area of expertise. What if something went wrong? What if he screwed up? If he were smart, he’d make tracks for the nearest police station and dump the problem in their lap. No doubt Babe would end up in tears and Sami would learn the truth, but at least he’d have acted responsibly. Before he could put thought into action, atall, slender man erupted from a room off to one side of the foyer.

“Lady, you’re nuts!” he announced.

A woman appeared in the doorway behind him. “My ad was quite clear, Mr. Griffith. It’s not my fault that you’re not perfect for the job.”

Sami, Noah decided. It had to be. She hovered at the threshold, an outpouring of sunshine from the room they’d vacated exploding around her, embracing the untamed golden curls that haloed a sweet, mischievous face. About the same height as Babe, her curves were a bit more generous, her looks not quite as classically beautiful. Her face tended toward a triangular shape rather than oval, with high, slanted cheekbones, large pale eyes framed by a sweep of thick lashes, and a chin that warned of a stubborn nature.

But she radiated the same fierce intensity as Babe, as if her life essence had been packed in a vessel too small to contain it. Barefoot and with a face clean of makeup, she wore blazing orange Capri slacks, the calf length showing off slender ankles and hugging womanly hips. She’d topped the slacks with an eye-watering lime green cropped shirt that gave him a tantalizingglimpse of her flat stomach and trim waist. From head to toe, everything about her expressed a delicious vivaciousness.

She shook a print off of an ad at Griffith, ahalf dozen rainbow-hued bracelets jangling on her wrist. “It’s all right here.” She stepped into the foyer, stalking the unfortunate Griffith. “What part of my advertisement didn’t you understand?”

“The part about you being crazy!” He whirled around to address the others in the hallway. “If you were smart you’d get out while you have the chance. Run, before it’s too late!”

Noah assessed his options and reached a swift decision. If he were going to fulfill his obligation to Babe, he couldn’t afford to let anyone else accept whatever position Sami advertised. Despite Griffith’s failure, the hallway overflowed with potential successes—something he’d have to deal with and fast. He gave Loner a quick hand signal, then with a practiced economy of movement, accessed the room Sami had vacated, his dog at his heels. He doubted anyone noticed. Not while a woman like Sami held center stage.

“Mr. Griffith! You’re not acceptable for the position, but that doesn’t mean one of these other gentlemen won’t be perfect. Please don’t attempt to drive off other prospective applicants just because you have a nasty case of sour grapes.” She waved toward the front door, her bracelets spinning around her wrist so fast the colors blurred. “I suggest you leave.”

“Fine, I’m going.” He marched in the direction she indicated and paused. “As for the rest of you… Don’t say you weren’t warned. She has some pretty peculiar ideas about the man she considers perfect forthisjob.”

The instant he left, Sami kicked the door closed so hard, the leaded-glass windows fronting the house rattled in their frames.Noah shook his head in wry amusement. It was a wonder she didn’t bruise her toes—toes, he couldn’t help noticing, accented with hot pink nail polish. Where did she come up with her color combinations, anyway? Maybe she closed her eyes and picked whatever hideous shade came tohand.

Shoving curls from her eyes, she turned to confront the rest of the men in the hallway, her frown blossoming into a wide, teasing grin. Noah froze. He wasn’t often taken by surprise. In fact, he took pains to ensure such an uncomfortable event happened as infrequently as possible. But that one smile astonished the hell out of him. It also transformed Sami into something beyond beauty.

The chatter died as all eyes focused on her in utter fascination. Impressive, Noah decided. Without saying a word, she commanded everyone’s attention. She possessed that magnetic a personality. She’d become a flamboyant siren, afemale Pied Piper who led willing men to their doom. Hell. It would take a unique man to resist the promise of that smile. Which meant he’d better figure out how to become “unique” or he’d find himself up to his hips in disaster.

“Okay, you’ve been warned,” she announced with a quicksilver laugh. Did she even realize the reaction her laugh stirred in the men grouped around her? Somehow, he didn’t think so. “So who’s my next victim?”

A momentary silence reigned and Noah cleared his throat. “Ready, willing, and able.”

She spun around and blinked in surprise. “Oh, Ididn’t see you there. Are you the next applicant?”

With the light behind him, Noah doubted she could get a clear look at his face. But he could see hers. Up close, he found her even more appealing. He particularly liked her eyes. Theyhad to be the palest green he’d ever seen, the irises ringed with a darker shade. He’d never met anyone with such an open, candid expression. Definitely not a woman accustomed to keeping secrets from the world.

He sighed. In other words… trouble.

“Hey! That’s not right,” one of the men in the hallway protested. “I was next in line.”

Not anymore, Noah decided. Sami was about to interview her last job applicant. “Loner, guard.”

The dog trotted from the room and planted himself in the middle of the hallway, baring an impressive set of teeth. Arumbling growl reverberated deep in his throat.

The man held up his hands and backed away. “My mistake. Imeant I came next after you.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Noah gave Loner another hand signal and grasped Sami’s arm, ushering her neatly over the threshold and into the parlor. Then he swung the door closed, closeting them in the room together.

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