THE BABY CONTRACT – Barbara Dunlop
Billionaires and Babies Series
Harlequin Desire #2396
ISBN: 978-0-373-73409-2
September 2015
Contemporary Series Romance

Washington, DC – Present Day

Billionaire security company owner Troy Keiser prides himself on running a tight ship with the best men in the business, and this means no women are hired as security experts. He views women as incapable of providing protection services—the bread and butter of his company—no matter how skilled (or beautiful) they are. Mila Stern is out to prove him wrong…and convince him to hire her. But into Troy's life walks his half-sister who is in need of protection from a possible stalker. She also has a baby in tow. Troy could provide one of his men, but Mila (who happens to be there) offers her services as a way to prove to him that she can be a valuable asset to his company. Troy reluctantly takes her up on the offer.

Mila comes from a family of successful overachievers and feels she needs to prove to her family that she can achieve something important, namely hiring on with the best security protection firm in the business. Mila sometimes acts desperately in her attempt to persuade Troy she is capable, but it is her sure touch in dealing with his sister and soon-to-be nephew (his sister is adopting the baby of a dead friend) that she could be a valuable asset to his company. It soon becomes clear his sister does have a stalker, and with Mila's adept skills, she helps Troy and his employees narrow in on who the suspect is. With Mila and Troy's close collaboration on the mission, a sexual attraction soon begins, but getting involved is seen by both as a potential mistake.

Mila is no shrinking violet when it comes to going after what she wants. Obtaining a job at Troy's company, which is seen as the best out there, is important even if it means going up against his bias against women. Part of the ongoing competition by Mila in THE BABY CONTRACT is an intricate obstacle course that she just never seems to conquer. Troy tries to convince her to stop trying, but it only fuels her drive. They go toe to toe and are soon locking lips. Getting sexually involved with a potential female recruit is a recipe for being accused of sexual harassment. Yet Troy and Mila can't keep their hands off one another.

Troy hasn't been close to his half-sister, but he can't turn her away when she shows up asking for his help. With a fledging singing career, he wonders why she's adopting an infant because of the time she'll be touring. When she tells him about the possible stalker, he will not only put her and the baby under 24 hour protection, but launch an investigation into finding who is responsible. Mila's brain smarts soon have her on top of things. Of course, this means interacting more with Troy and their attraction to each other is intensified. Avoiding one another is not an option, but will getting involved lead to problems?

With the search for the mysterious stalker, Barbara Dunlop has penned a somewhat suspenseful story in THE BABY CONTRACT. There is even a bit of twist late in the book that even I didn't expect and for this reason I highly recommend this intriguing tale. Troy and Mila's sparkling banter also prove to be a highlight, with their tense sexual chemistry helping to make THE BABY CONTRACT a must read.

Patti Fischer