Page 40 of Baby Bodyguard

“Oh, no!” Hot color washed into her cheeks and she closed her eyes with a groan. “Oh, no, no,no.”

Noah leaned closer, not cutting her any slack. “That’s right. Iheard.”

“You heard what?” she asked with a hint of bravado. No doubt she hoped he was stringing her along and hadn’t actually caught that part of her conversation with Sylvester.

“That you called me perfect.”

She covered her face with her hands. “Crud.”

“Mind explaining what qualifies me as perfect daddy-making material?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact I do mind. That’s between me and whomever I finally choose to father my baby.”

No. She had to be kidding. “That’s a sick joke, right?” he bit out. “You’re not serious?”

She dropped her hands and glared at him. “Of course, I’m serious,” she retorted. “My list of qualifications is confidential. You’re just one of a… of a slew of possibly perfect daddies-to-be. Others could have the right qualities, too.”

He fought back a bellow of frustration. “I’m not talking about your damn list! I’m talking about your plan to have a baby. Ican’t believe after what happened today that you’re still intent on conducting more interviews.”

She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “That was an isolated incident. It won’t happen again. Next time I’ll pay attention. The minute he starts unbuttoning or unzipping or—”

“I have a solution to your baby problem.” He had no idea where the words came from, or how or when he’d formulated his plan. But he was about to plant his size twelve shoe across another ethical line. Across? Hell, he planned to vault straight over it and several others, besides.

She eyed him warily. “What?”

“Continuing these sorts of open interviews is dangerous. Next time you could get hurt.”

“I’m not giving up on having a baby!”

“That isn’t what I was going to suggest.”

“Then what?”

“I have two suggestions. Either go to a clinic and have it done in a safe environment.”

“Or?”

He fixed her with a determined gaze. “You told Sylvester you’d found the perfect man. Why don’t you consider asking him to father your baby?”

Chapter 7

“The perfect man?But… but that’s you,” Sami sputtered.

Noah nodded, his gaze steady and unflinching. “Standing right here in front of you, sweetheart. Mr. Perfect.”

She caught her lip between her teeth in an uncharacteristic display of uncertainty. “I don’t understand. Why are you offering to do this?”

“Would you believe a whim?”

She shook her head. “Not even a little.”

He didn’t bother pursuing that line of defense. No point. Keeping her safe remained most imperative, more important than any other consideration. To do that, he needed to sell her on whatever logical argument she’dbuy.

With luck, he’d gain her agreement to his crazy suggestion. Not that he had any intention of following through with his offer. He simply needed to stall her—without arousing her suspicions—until he found her blackmailer. “Okay. Then, would you believe I don’t want you put at further risk?”

“Sure. Ican accept that excuse. Maybe.” She studied him anxiously. “There’s only one problem. You’ve always been opposed to my plan. Ifind it hard to believe your concern for my safety would outweigh your objections. There has to be another reason.”

He took matters one step further. “Another reason and a condition.”

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