Page 17 of Knot Just Their Nanny
She giggles but sobers up quickly. “I will.”
With that, she turns away from me, heading up the stairs with an unhurried grace that leaves me standing in the doorway, feeling like maybe the odds are stacked in my favour.
Chapter 10
Zara
Feeling Liam’s eyes on me as I walk up the stairs is unnerving. It’s different to the way Benjamin looked at me. His was scrutiny, sizing me up as a caregiver to his daughter. This is… heated. I won’t deny it sends a thrill rushing through me. His scent notwithstanding, I findhimattractive. He is fun and cute and the total opposite of Eddie. He wants to build, not break. But two things are holding me back, and one of them is currently standing at the changing table, cooing to his baby daughter. The other, well, let’s just say I’m gun-shy after being gaslighted for all those months. Even though in my head I know Liam isn’t Eddie, my heart just can’t take another knock. It’s already taking it all it can from Benjamin’s brusqueness.
“I’ll make her up a bottle,” I murmur as I step into the room.
Benjamin only nods and carries on with his undivided attention to Mia. I set about prepping the bottle and watching as the hot water gushes into it, followed by the longer cooler water. This really is a marvel machine. Prepping by hand hours in advance is a real ball ache, truth be told.
Twisting the top on, I hand it to him as he settles into the armchair with her.
Benjamin’s eyes flick up to mine for just a moment as he takes the bottle, and there’s something there, something unreadable that makes me pause.
“About Liam…” he starts and stops as I give him a curious stare.
“What about him?”Oh God, does he know Liam asked me out?
“Take what he says with a grain of salt.”
“What does that mean?”
“When he was talking about showing you around. Don’t expect it. He’s?—”
“What?”
Benjamin glares at me for making him say it, but I need more information than he is currently providing.
“A serial dater.” His gaze hardens when he finally meets my eyes. “I don’t want you thinking there’s anything to his flirting.”
I press my lips together, desperately holding onto the laugh that needs to come out. “Thanks,” I choke out. “I can take care of myself.”
“It’s more for Mia’s sake. I don’t want him driving you away.”
And there it is. He’s not jealous, but he knows he has a good thing going here with me.
“I’m not going anywhere, and, for the record, it’ll take a lot more than a few flirty comments from a cute guy to send me packing.”
Something flicks across his face, but it’s gone before I can see what it is. He nods and drops his gaze back to Mia. That’s my cue to beat it.
“I’ll get dinner on. Spaghetti Bolognese, okay?”
“Yes.”
I roll my eyes and turn to the door.
“Thanks.”
Snickering at the afterthought, I stick my thumb up, but don’t turn back around. “No worries,” I chirp and hastily make my way back downstairs, contemplating his remarks about Liam. They’re not off-putting in the sense that I refuse to date alphas who like the omegas. There are things to consider, like the rut. It’s not likely a single alpha is going to sit around and suffer through his rut, needing a knot when he can find a willing omega to stick his cock into. I wonder briefly about Benjamin’s rut and how he plans to deal with that now that he has been rejected. But then I find this train of thought a bit weird and shake my head, gathering up the ingredients for the Bolognese.
The sizzle of the onions as they hit the pan is oddly satisfying. I focus on the task at hand, dicing tomatoes and adding them to the pan. Cooking is therapeutic, and soon, the smell of the sauce is making my mouth water. Stirring it gently, I put a pan of water on to boil before adding the spaghetti and glancing at the clock. Benjamin should be down soon.
When more time passes, and the spaghetti is ready, I chew my lip. He’s still not come down. Draining it off, I throw it in the sauce to keep it from ruining and head up to the nursery.
The sight that greets me makes my stomach do a flip-flop. Benjamin is fast asleep in the armchair, his shirt unbuttoned, and Mia’s chubby little cheek pressed against his chest while she sleeps. The skin-to-skin contact is adorable, and the fact that he knows what his daughter needs is heart-warming.
