Page 12 of Baby Bodyguard

Sami grimaced. Noah struck her as the type of person who’d prove himself right more often than not. How annoying, particularly when it happened at her expense. “She might offer her opinion on the matter.” Loudly.

“Got it.” His smile appeared far too smug. “Then I gather you’ve decided to accept your mother’s birthday present?”

“That’s blackmail!”

He folded his arms across his chest. “So it is.”

She stewed for a whole two minutes. “I gather I don’t have any choice?”

“None. Igave your mother my word that I’d do this job and I don’t go back on my word. Not ever.”

He was dead serious. Everything about him communicated that fact—from his set expression to the implacable tone of his voice to the tensed muscles ridging his jaw and shoulders. She considered her options. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad to have around. He appeared strong. Capable. Intelligent. Maybe he could help with the interviews. She brightened. It might be fun to have a personal assistant. And it would make her mother happy. That alone made up for the inconvenience of having the opinionated Mr. Hawke in her life for a while. They only needed to iron out one tiny detail.

“Will you do what I tell you?” she demanded.

“I’ll be your employee, if that’s what you mean.”

As an answer, it left something to be desired. Amusement vied with irritation. “You haven’t done this for long, have you?”

He eyed her warily. “What do you mean? Done what?”

“You seem to have trouble taking orders.” Suspicion dawned. “Is this your first man Friday job?”

He hesitated a split second before a wry smile eased the hard set of his face. With that one change of expression he switched from cool and remote to dangerously appealing. “Is it so obvious?”

Well, good grief! It was his first job. “Now don’t you worry,” she said, exuding compassion. “I have every confidence that you can handle it. No wonder you’ve been acting strangely. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

A dangerous light sparked in his eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“I didn’t think so.” She swept aside his concerns. “But that’s not a problem. You can consider this on-the-job training.”

He started to say something, then paused. “Does that mean you’re going to let me stay?”

Did he doubt it? Poor man. “Absolutely. How can I turn you away knowing this is your first job? You should have explained that right off. I’d have been much more sympathetic.”

He seemed to have trouble breathing. “Let me get this straight. If I’d been experienced at this, you’d have gotten rid of me. But because I’m totally inexperienced, you’re keeping me on.”

She beamed, giving his arm another pat. “Exactly. Tell you what, why don’t you take the day off? Relax and try not to worry too much. You can start tomorrow.” She walked to the door and tugged it open. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Ihave more interviews to conduct.”

Noah followed her to the door and checked the hallway. “Make that interview.”

She gazed at him in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Interview, singular. Not plural. Your prospective daddies seem to have taken off. All but that one gentleman who’s climbed on top of your highboy.” Noah slanted the man in question an amused glance. “You might want to reconsider him. He doesn’t strike me as too promising a candidate.”

She looked in the direction Noah indicated, her mouth dropping open. “Come down from there,” she demanded of theman.

He shook his head. “I’m not moving. Not until you get rid of that wolf!”

Sami watched in interest as Noah silently signaled Loner to back away. The two worked well together, their obvious attachment a delight to witness. She returned her attention to her final interview. “Okay, he’s out of the way. You can get down now.”

“He’s harmless,” Noah offered.

“Harmless!” The man gave a short, humorless laugh. “He chased everyone out of here. Growled at them, licked his chops, bared his teeth. If I hadn’t climbed up here, heaven knows what would have happened.”

“Exactly what did happen. Nothing.” Loner dropped to the floor and rested his head on his front paws. Heaving a sigh, the animal closed his eyes and began to snore. “See? Harmless.”

The man scrambled off the highboy, edged around Loner and scampered for the door. “Wait a minute,” Sami protested. “What about the interview?”

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