Page 17 of Military Daddies' Nanny

She plays along perfectly, her quickfire quips volleying effortlessly back at me in a way that keeps me on my toes. The woman is whip-smart along with being gorgeous—a rare and deadly combination.

Before long, we have a whole spread of dishes prepped and set out on the dining room table, from the simple soup and bread to some kind of complicated pasta bake that smells incredible.

Nancy lets out a satisfied hum as she surveys our handiwork, looking for all the world like a painter admiring her latest masterpiece.

"Well, maestro," she says, turning that bright smile my way again, "I do believe our work here is done. Thank you for your help."

"The pleasure was all mine, miss," I reply easily, reaching out to tuck a stray tendril of hair behind her ear.

My fingers linger perhaps a beat too long against the soft skin of her neck, that flirtatious spark crackling between us for a charged moment.

Her breath catches in her throat, those green eyes locked intensely on mine. Then, just like that, the spell is broken by the sound of Drew and the kids clattering through the front door, shattering the tension.

Nancy blinks rapidly, almost seeming to shake herself back to reality as she steps back, tucking that tendril of hair behind her ear again nervously.

"I, uh...I should go get them settled for dinner," she murmurs, barely meeting my gaze before practically fleeing the dining room.

I watch her go, grinning wolfishly to myself. I have a feeling I'm going to really enjoy getting to know this new addition to the household better.

Provided Drew doesn't completely scare the poor woman off first.

Speaking of the devil, Drew enters the dining room a moment later, looking harried from the effort of wrangling his sullen preteens into the house, apparently. He is trailed by his kids, a towheaded little boy and a teenage girl who look like they have perpetual storm clouds over their heads.

"There you are," Drew says gruffly, barely even acknowledging the meal Nancy and I have prepared. "Did you rile Nancy up again while I was gone?"

"Me? Never," I reply, all mock innocence. "We were just getting better acquainted in the kitchen is all. Nancy's quite the chef."

Drew grunts in response, which I take as his version of grudging acceptance. The man has all the social graces of a bull in a china shop most days.

"Whatever. Just don't go harassing the poor woman, you hear?" he says gruffly. "She's here to do a job, not deal with your nonsense."

I hold up my hands in surrender, hiding my grin. If Drew only knew the kinds of thoughts I've already been entertaining about his new, feisty nanny, he'd probably be hurling me right back out the front door.

Nancy, who had slipped out when I was speaking with Drew, returns to the dining room. She manages to get the kids settled at the table, though they still look like a couple of rain clouds in desperate need of some sunshine.

"All right everyone, let's dig in before it gets cold!" Nancy announces in a bright, cheerful tone completely at odds with the sullen vibes radiating from the children.

She starts piling food onto plates, portioning out healthy servings for the two kids. Drew watches in silence, his arms crossed over his broad chest, clearly appraising her every move. I sidle up beside him, keeping my voice low.

"She's good with them, isn't she?" I murmur. "You can already see how she's gonna turn those gloomy babies into bright rays of sunshine before too long."

"Hmm," is Drew's noncommittal response, but I see that pensive look in his eye that says he is weighing my words, whether he wants to admit it or not.

"You've gotta learn to loosen the reins a little,hermano," I advise, slapping him companionably on the back. "Those kids need some fun in their lives just as much as they need rules and discipline. Let Nancy give them that, yeah?"

Drew shoots me a sideways look at that but doesn't respond, turning his focus to the table instead. The kids are digging in, likely mollified by Nancy's home-cooked comfort food if nothing else, while she herself is chattering lightly and keeping the conversation flowing. I lean back against the wall, content to observe her in action.

She really does have a warmth about her, an ability to put anyone at ease it seems. Even Drew's moody daughter has cracked a hint of a smile at some quippy comment Nancy makes about school or whatever they are discussing.

Her energy is nothing but positive, a stark contrast to the tense awkwardness I'm used to seeing between Drew and his kids. As if she can feel my eyes on her, Nancy's gaze flicks up suddenly, catching me staring.

Rather than being abashed, she merely flashes me a quick wink and a grin before turning her attention back to the kids, seamlessly pulling them into another conversation without missing a beat. I feel heat stirring low in my abdomen at the cheeky move, a slow smile spreading across my own face.

I shake my head, smiling secretly. I can already tell she's not going to make things easy for my buddy Drew.

Not that I'm complaining. I've got a feeling I'm going to thoroughly enjoy watching the fireworks between those two hotheads. And who knows, maybe I'll even get to enjoy a little more up-close appreciation of Nancy's finer qualities along the way.

Yeah, this woman is going to keep things very interesting around here, that’s for sure.

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