Page 9 of My Orc Nanny

“Ms. Woods, do you mind if I accompany you back to your house? I can help you get Joshua settled, and maybe start some lunch for you?”

“Oh, you don’t have to—” I began, but he grinned, almost shyly.

“I can help.”

It was such a small offer, but…he’d saved my butt this morning. Severely. I owed him big time, and besides…it looked like Aswan was now our new nanny, didn’t it? So I nodded mutely, and he turned us all toward the parking lot.

I used his handkerchief all the way home, and by the time I got there, my head was just a big pounding ball of snot and pressure. He was the one to lift Joshua out of the car seat, and gather up the bags of groceries—that was more than just medicine, wasn’t it?

Once inside, I oversaw the medicine choice and dosage, but I let him feed it to the semi-awake toddler, just to make sure he knew what he was doing. It was wild to see those large green fingers—capped with claws!—being so gentle and delicate.

I wondered, not for the first time, what those hands would feel like if he touchedme.

Aswan shot me a sudden glance, surprise on his face, and I flushed and looked away guiltily, wondering if he could read my mind somehow.

“Do you want to get more comfortable?” he asked in that low rumble, bouncing Joshua against his shoulder. My toddler looked so tiny compared to Aswan, whereas I sometimes struggled to hold him upright these days. “I bought ingredients to make chicken soup.”

My mind flashed to the matzo ball soup my mother used tomake me when I was younger, and my brows rose. “Really?”

“Sure. It’s good for you when you’re sick. Oh, I meant to ask—do you keep kosher? I remember Tova telling Emmy about lighting the menorah.”

My eyebrows were likely hidden in my hairline now. He’dlistened? I mean, I knew Tova could talk to a brick wall, and most adults dealt with that by not really paying attention. But Aswan had paid attention and even known the implications of lighting the menorah.

“Ms. Woods?” he prompted me, and I winced at the formality of it.

“No! I mean, no, we don’t keep kosher. My grandparents were orthodox, and my mom sort of drifted away when she married my father, and I was raised with both traditions.” I was blathering, wasn’t I? “We’re Jew-ish. Jewish-ish. We still celebrate, but we don’t like…go to synagogue or oh mygosh, Hannah, just shut up.”

It wasn’t until I saw his lips twitch that I realized I’d said that last part out loud, and managed not to sink into a puddle of embarrassment only by sheer dint of effort.

“Got it,” he rumbled, bouncing Joshua some more. “Don’t have to worry about kosher. Any food allergies?” When I shook my head, still wide-eyed in surprise that he thought to ask, he asked, “And are you a spicy sort of female?”

I couldn’t help myself; I thought of the books I sometimes found time to read, wherespicymeant something else entirely. I thought of his green skin pressed against mine, I thought of how hard and warm he’d be…and I blushed again.

Aswan’s nostrils flared, his brows lowered thoughtfully, and his gaze swept over me. “I meantpepper.”

“Yeah,” I croaked, backing out of the room. “Yeah, I like spice.”

If I’d been alone, I would have taken a long steamy shower and then changed into my favorite jammies. Since I wasn’t, I made do with yoga pants and a comfortable bra under my t-shirt. When I came back into the kitchen, it was to see Aswan chopping celery and speaking to Joshua.

“Most people don’t like the strands, buddy. They get stuck in your teeth, huh? But once we cook them, you won’t even notice the celery.”

My baby was sitting in his high chair, his eyes bleary and two spots of color high on his cheeks, watching the big orc in the kitchen. I can’t imagine they were having much of aconversation, but it was kinda endearing to see Aswan trying to include him.

So all I said was, “Smells good,” as I scooped Joshua up. “Let’s go sit down, huh?”

Without looking up, Aswan said, “Feel free to rest, Ms. Woods. You both need it.”

Oh my gosh, a nap sounded amazing, and honestly, I wasn’t that hungry. I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Okay, but I have to head to the bus stop at three, so not too long.”

Finally, he placed the knife down and lifted his gaze to mine. His eyes were two dark pools, and he slowly inclined his head in a nod of acknowledgement.

I tried not to think of how regal, howcomposedhe was, as I stumbled out of the kitchen to the living room.

Our couch is the World’s Most Comfortable Couch, and I sighed as I sank down into it, resting Joshua against my chest. I don’t even remember closing my eyes, but I promised myself it wouldn’t be for very long.

The next thing I remembered was hearing Tova’s and Benny’s voices raised in argument.

“You’re not in charge of me!” Tova screamed, stomping into the house. “You’re a jerk!”

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