Page 16 of My Orc Nanny

“You’re a great mom, Hannah. You’ve just had a lot to handle. And I’m here to help now, okay? I’ll get Joshua out and about, we’ll make friends, and I won’t let him grow up to become emotionally stunted or whatever. And he’ll be potty-trained before college.”

It was a silly vow, but I grinned in relief. “Promise?”

He squeezed my hand. “Promise,” he whispered. He didn’t release me, but I felt him pressing the pad of his thumb into my palm. It felt so good, I almost moaned. Instead, I allowed the muscles in my fingers to go slack, and he continued to rub, even as he glanced down at his notes.

“This week, once you’re home, I’m going to try to set up some tours of rentable homes in the area. As long as you’re okay with that? I think I’d feel better if I had a place in the neighborhood, to be close by if you need me.”

Why didthatmake me go all warm and gooey inside? Maybe it was his touch.

“Uh…yeah. Wh-where are you living now?”

His grin was rueful as he shrugged, his fingers still making me melt. “The four of us who moved to Eastshore last month got an apartment together, because that’s all that was available. Ahkmin moved in with his Mate recently. My brother shares a room with me when he deigns to visit the island, with Tarkhan in the spare.”

Three orcs in one tiny apartment? “I can see why you’d want to move out.”

Aswan hummed. “I just hope I can find a new place to rent.” He glanced around my home. “Surely there are smaller houses than this?”

“Oh yeah,” I assured him, inching closer, hoping he’d continue the little palm massage. “Most of Eastshore’s houses were built at the same time, in the same design. Living space across the front, two bedrooms and two baths across the back. Some have additions.” I tipped my chin to point toward the stairs. “A second floor is rare, so when this one came on the market when the kids were little, Ijumped on it. I wanted them to all have their own space, without having to worry about building an addition.”

He was studying me. “Your ex wasn’t particularly handy?”

“No,” I said flatly, glancing away. “He wasn’t.”

“Well, one of the smaller houses would be more than enough. I just need a bedroom and a kitchen to be happy, really, although a huge bed would be a plus.” I peeked at him to see him wink. “The double beds we’re in now aren’t long enough.”

Oh. Orc malesweremuch bigger—in all directions—than humans. I found myself flushing again as I wondered how much bigger he was inotherplaces.

Maybe he guessed the direction of my thoughts, because Aswan abruptly dropped my hand and stepped back, clearing his throat. “So, I’ll start looking?—”

I don’t know why I said it. I don’t know what I was thinking of. Maybe I was imagining him trying to sleep in a double bed, or thinking of that empty king-sized bed upstairs. Maybe I just didn’t want him to leave yet. Either way, before I could stop myself, I’d blurted it out.

“You can stay here.”

He blinked, and I hurried to explain. “We have an empty room upstairs. It’ll fit you—I mean, it’s nice and roomy. You’d be like…the live-in nanny.”

Aswan was still staring at me, his expression carefully neutral, and I plowed ahead, talking with my hands the way I did when I grew uncomfortable. “Only if you were okay with it, I mean. I’d have to look at the contract again because I guess it would mean your hours could be longer—although obviously we’d arrange your time off logically—but with room and board included?—”

“You mean it?” he finally rasped, his voice sounding almost painful.

I snapped my lips together and met his eyes. His dark eyes were…I swear I saw a desperate sort of hope there.

“Yeah,” I whispered. Then I licked my lips and tried again, louder. “Yes, if it’s suitable for you. We could take it on a monthly basis and reevaluate often. Once school starts, if you want to find a new place or a new job, I’ll understand?—”

I bit off my words again when Aswan thrust out his hand. “Thank you, Hannah. I would be grateful for the chance to be your live-in nanny.”

Moving automatically, I placed my hand in his, his large fingers enveloping mine once more. As if they belonged there. As ifIbelonged there.

“Good,” I whispered, staring down at our hands, and trying not to think of what those hands would feel like on my skin.

Shit. Maybe Ididhave a fever.

“I’d be happy to handle the grocery shopping,” he was offering, but I couldn’t focus. “I’ll order a car seat for my SUV, and a booster for Tova. We can go to the mainland for the better deals on the days they don’t have classes at the rec center. I’ll make up some menus—including healthy breakfasts—and we can work through them together.”

Vaguely, I had some realization that he was saying my kids’cereal addiction wasn’t healthy, but I was too dazed to really care.

Aswan had just…stepped up. Steppedin, and not taken over, not really, but stepped up beside me. He was offering suggestions and thoughts andhelp. He was offering help when I needed it most.

I wondered if I was getting teary-eyed.

---