Page 22 of Knot Just Their Nanny
“So, what’s up?” Ben asks, turning to face me and crossing his arms, almost defensively, like he expects me to launch at him.
“My contract is up on my flat next month, and Vic isn’t renewing it.”
He frowns. “Oh, shit. Do you know why?”
“He wants to sell it and needs me out so he can get it up to code, or whatever.”
“Is he allowed to do that on short notice?”
Well, fuck. I don’t fucking know. Damn you, Henry!
“Uhm, well, the notice is four weeks…”
“That doesn’t seem like a lot,” he says, his frown increasing.
Okay, this is spiralling. “Regardless, I need a place to stay while I find something else. He’s got people coming over and all sorts of crap I don’t need.”
I mentally roll my eyes at myself. This wasn’t a well-thought-out plan.
“Well, I don’t suppose I blame you. So you’re looking for a place now?”
“Yeah, I wondered if I could move in here temporarily, you know, just while I find something.”
“Here?”
“Yeah, you’ve got the space, I need somewhere to live that’s not going to have contractors crawling all over it for the next month and I’d obviously help with the bills and shit.” I shrug.
Benjamin rubs the back of his neck, looking pensive. “Well, I guess we could arrange something,” he finally says with a shrug, though there’s a hint of hesitation in his voice. “Might be good to have another pair of hands around here anyway.”
“Thanks, mate,” I say sincerely. “I appreciate it. It’s just until I sort shit out.”
“No worries.” He claps me on the shoulder, the gesture firm and reassuring. “It’s not like we don’t have the room. But...” He frowns again. “Zara. Don’t complicate things with her, please.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were flirting with her yesterday. Don’t. I don’t want her mooning over you when she’s supposed to be watching my daughter.”
Every alpha cell in my body wants to tell him to get fucked, and that he doesn’t dictate to me who I can and can’t see,butthe problem is, I know where he’s coming from, so I nod. “Of course.”
“I mean it,” he growls. “Stay away from her.”
I chuckle and hold my hands up. “Promise.” It’s a lie. I know it is. I intend to insert myself into Zara’s life one way or anotherbecause I’m infatuated with her on a level that makes my cock stiff but also makes my heart jump. I’ve never had the heart thing before, so I think it has to mean something.
“I’ll leave it to you to tell Zara we’ve got a housemate,” he says and grins, the first real smile I’ve seen on his face in months.
“Nice, I’ll remember that.”
He waves me off and picks Mia up again as I make my way back downstairs.
Ben’s warning is like a neon sign flashing in my head, but it might as well be background noise. I can already feel the pull toward Zara, some magnetic force that doesn’t give a shit about anything but drawing me into her orbit.
She’s still fussing over breakfast like she’s head chef at some fancy restaurant. She looks over her shoulder and gives me a half-smile that does funny things to my stomach. “Hey.”
“Hey. So, it looks like it’ll be breakfast for four tomorrow.”
“Huh?” She wrinkles up her nose as she stares at me.
“I’m moving in. Gotta get out of my place, and Ben said I could stay here until I sort something out.”
