but the make and model were right. It was a new, gray Honda.
'Who is it?'
He shrugged. 'I told Theo I needed transportation. The police will be looking for my car, and I figured you didn't want them to
hold us until the FBI took you into custody.'
'The FBI wouldn't do that unless they had my permission.'
He snorted. She assumed that meant he didn't agree. 'They would not trample all over my rights as a citizen.'
'Sure they would,' he said. 'And they'd tell you that they were only doing what they felt was best for you.'
She wasn't going to get into a full-blown argument about the Bureau now. Besides, deep down, she was
concerned that there was a kernel of truth in what he'd said. She wasn't willing to risk it.
'Theo drove all this way from Louisiana?' she asked.
'No,' he answered. 'He wanted to come, but I talked him out of it. I reminded him that he's going to be a father and that he's
a lousy shot. If he gets himself killed, then I'll have to become the kid's father figure. Said I'd raise his son or daughter to be
just like me.'
'And that gave him chills?'
'Yep,' he replied. 'And like I said, he's a lousy shot. He'd probably shoot himself getting his gun out of its holster.'
'And you don't want him to get hurt. You better watch it. You're beginning to sound nice.'
He squinted against the sunlight trying to see the driver. 'Theo said he knew someone who could keep quiet and help. Who wouldn't mind breaking some rules. Ah, hell,' he groaned when he finally saw who was behind the wheel. 'Not him. That son
of a…'
'Who?'
'Theo. My brother-in-law has a sick sense of humor.'
'John Paul, what are you talking about?'
'Theo sent him,' he snapped, stabbing at the air with his finger.
'Who?' she demanded. She was beginning to feel like an owl.
'Clayborne. He sent Noah Clayborne.' He spat the name out as though it left a foul taste in his mouth.
She was thoroughly confused by his attitude. 'But you called Noah from the spa. I heard you on the phone. Why are you angry now?'
'Yes, I did call him, but I didn't think I'd have to see him,' he muttered. He turned to her, gave her a quick once-over from head
to toes, and barked, 'Put some damn clothes on.'
She looked down at herself. Yes, there were clothes. White tennis shoes, navy shorts, white T-shirt. 'What's the matter with
what I have on?'
'Too much skin showing. Ah, hell, it wouldn't matter if you were dressed like a nun. He's still gonna hit on you. Then I'm gonna have to shoot the bastard.' He stomped to the door, all but pulled it off the hinges when he opened it, and went out onto the
porch. 'Just see if I don't.'
Oh, brother. 'He's bringing us a car.' She called out the reminder. 'Stop complaining about him.'
'Yeah, you're right,' he called back. 'We'll make him stay here or take my car. He doesn't need to go with us.'
Avery stepped back to the window. John Paul had made her curious about Theo's friend. She knew Noah couldn't possibly be
as obnoxious as John Paul had implied. No one could be that awful.
The car stopped in front of the house, and Noah Clayborne opened the car door and emerged into the sunlight.
Avery felt like whistling. Tall, broad-shouldered, with sandy blond hair, the man was dressed casually in jeans and a gray T-shirt. He wore the old-fashioned shoulder holster and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. John Paul scowled at him, but Clayborne smiled back, as though the joke were on Renard. The man had a dimple and definitely oozed sensuality.
She wasn't interested in him, of course, not in that way. John Paul was sexier-everything about him appealed to her-but Noah, in appearance anyway, could be a close runner-up. Of course, her analysis was strictly clinical. She had never taken the time to notice such things about a man before, or if she had, she hadn't been able to admit it to herself. Had finally having sex again
turned her mind into mush?
'I'm going to need therapy when this is over,' she whispered. 'Big-time therapy.'
Straightening her shoulders, she went outside to meet him. He'd reached the steps but stopped when she walked onto the porch.
John Paul's social graces definitely needed work. She waited a couple of seconds for him to introduce her, then realized he wasn't going to. She would have stepped forward, but John Paul put his arm around her shoulders and jerked her close to him.
Noah's response to the ridiculously possessive action was to widen his grin. He removed his sunglasses and looked directly at her. Blue eyes. The man had intense blue eyes. Bet he breaks a lot of hearts, she thought, as she felt John Paul tighten his hold.
Was he married? She hoped not because she could think of at least three friends to fix him up with, providing, of course, he
wasn't just a body without a mind. Margo wouldn't be bothered by that, but Peyton, her childhood friend, would definitely want
a man with a brain.
'What the hell are you staring at, Clayborne?' John Paul barked.
She put a stop to the pissing contest. She pushed his arm away and walked to the edge of the porch.
'Thank you for coming,' she began. Extending her hand, she added, 'My name's Avery Delaney.'
Noah came up the stairs and shook her hand. He didn't let go as he introduced himself and then said, 'I gotta know.'
'Yes?'
He glanced at John Paul and said, 'How'd a sweet thing like you get hooked up with him?'
'She's lucky,' John Paul snapped. 'Now let go of her.'
Noah smiled at Avery and continued to hold on to her hand. He was enjoying himself by deliberately provoking John Paul.
He seemed to know what buttons to push to get John Paul riled. Come to think of it, it didn't take much.
'We appreciate your help, don't we, John Paul?' She had to elbow him to get him to answer.
'Yeah, sure.'
'Please, come inside. Are you thirsty?' she asked as she led the way into the cabin.
'If he's thirsty, he can get his own damned drink,' John Paul said. 'You don't have to play hostess, Avery.'
She whirled around. 'Stop being a jerk,' she ordered. 'I was being polite, something you know precious little about. Now stop acting like a rooster and get rid of the attitude.'
He immediately backed down. 'Yeah, all right.'
Noah tried not to laugh.
John Paul looked a bit sheepish as he said to Noah, 'She's got a temper.'
'Uh-huh,' Noah drawled.
'Look, it's not what you-'
'Yeah, it is. Never thought you'd fall. Hell, I never thought any woman would want-'
