Page 24 of The Minotaur's Nanny Bride

Torven doesn't stop there. "If you ever need a night off from all this work, I'd be more than happy to take you somewhere nice."

Something hot and tight coils in my chest. I don't even realize I've stepped forward until I see Torven's eyes flicker up to me, cautious. Suddenly aware there's another minotaur in the room—one with significantly broader shoulders and a look that could curdle milk.

"She said she's busy," I say flatly, my voice a low rumble. Ellis stirs against my chest, sensing the tension in my body.

Torven raises his hands in mock surrender, chuckling as he backs off. "No offense meant, friend. Didn't realize the lady was spoken for."

The bundle of fortisia in my hand is completely crushed now, the pungent scent filling the air around us. Maya's eyes dart between us, a slight furrow appearing between her brows.

"Dex is helping me with the shop while I help with his nephew," she explains, though she doesn't owe him any explanation. "And I'm not 'spoken for.' I'm just busy, as I said."

I set the crushed fortisia down on a nearby table, flexing my fingers to release the tension. Maya shoots me a look that clearly says we'll discuss this later. Great. Something else to add to my growing list of failures.

The rest of the afternoon passes in strained silence after Torven leaves. Maya keeps herself busy with customers, and I occupy myself with restocking shelves and minding Ellis when he wakes, hungry and disgruntled. By the time the sunset paints Karona's white stone buildings in shades of amber and gold, my neck feels tight with unspoken words.

"I think that's everything," Maya says, tying a string around a bundle of dried zabilla. "Unless you want to crush more of my inventory with your bare hands."

I grunt, adjusting Ellis in his carrier. "The fortisia was already dry. It would have been ground up anyway."

"Mm-hmm." She doesn't sound convinced.

We lock up the shop and head toward my house, walking the cobblestone streets of the merchant district. The evening air carries the scent of salt from the harbor, mingling with spices and smoke from cooking fires. Craftsmen and merchants are closing their shops, nodding respectfully as we pass—to Maya as much as to me, I notice. She's earned her place here despite being human in a predominantly minotaur city.

Ellis babbles against my chest, tiny fingers reaching for one of my horn rings. I gently redirect his hand, stroking his tawny fur. He's finally putting on weight, looking less fragile than he did two weeks ago.

"He's going to be reaching for everything soon," Maya observes, her voice softer now. "You'll need to move anything breakable to higher shelves."

"I'll add it to the list," I sigh. "Right after 'figure out how to be a father overnight' and 'stop terrifying potential customers.'"

Maya's quiet for a moment, then I catch her looking at me from the corner of her eye, a smirk playing at her lips. The streetlamps are being lit by city workers, casting her in a warm glow that makes the silver of her hair shine like actual precious metal.

"You were jealous today," she says, the declaration landing between us like a challenge.

I exhale sharply as we turn onto my street, the familiar shape of my house coming into view. Two stories of white stone with a red-tiled roof and arched windows—modest by Vakkak standards but spacious for a merchant. A house that suddenly feels too empty and too full at the same time.

"I wasn't." The denial comes automatically, my ears flicking back in irritation.

She tilts her head, studying me like I'm one of her herbs that isn't behaving as expected. "You growled at him, Dex."

My jaw works. "He was annoying."

The words sound pathetic even to my ears. I've faced down shipping rivals and negotiated with ornery trading partners from every corner of Milthar without flinching. Yet here I am, fumbling for words like a schoolboy caught passing notes.

Maya steps closer as we reach my front door. Close enough that I can smell the faint scent of herbs on her skin—rirzed and zabilla and something else uniquely her. Her gray eyes seem to see right through me, past the bluster and bravado.

"If you want something, Dex, you have to say it. No one can read your mind." Her voice is teasing, but there's something beneath it—something challenging. An invitation, maybe. Or a dare.

I don't move, don't look away. My jaw clenches, hands flexing at my sides. I want to deny it. I should deny it. Maya's made it clear from the beginning that this arrangement is temporary. She's helping with Ellis until I find a permanent solution. Getting attached would be foolish for both of us.

But standing here in the fading light, with Ellis warm against my chest and Maya looking at me like I'm a puzzle she's determined to solve, I can't bring myself to lie again.

I stand there, stuck to the spot as Maya turns away toward the door. Ellis picks that moment to squirm against my chest, making soft cooing noises that break the tense silence between us.

"We should get him inside," Maya says, her voice practical again. "He needs to be fed and put down for the night."

I exhale slowly, fishing for my keys in my pocket. The weight of what just happened—of what almost happened—settles over us like an invisible fog. My fingers feel clumsy with the lock, the simple task suddenly requiring all my concentration.

"Right," I manage, finally pushing the door open. "After you."

---