His head cocks. “Make me.”
Jesus. Obviously, I could. But for as physical as hockey can get, I don’t fight off ice. And because I’m both older and have always been bigger than Anders, I don’t lay hands on him. Even when he’s asking for it.
Which is all well and good, except the little shit knows he’s safe and isn’t going anywhere.
When the last of the guys are out, I turn back to him. “What?”
He winks. “Hey, Nora, you look wiped. How about Axe and I handle Otto a while, and you take a break.”
My jaw drops. He does not get to tell Nora to take a break. No matter how good an idea it is. I’m the one who tells her to take a break. Or the whole night off. Me.
He smirks, leaning in to give me a light sock on the shoulder, followed by a pat to Otto’s back. “Yeah, take a couple hours. Or the whole evening. Axel’s good.”
Nora snickers from where she’s putting the water bottles the guys left in the kitchen into the recycling.
“Hey, you don’t need to do that.” I follow her in and take a bottle out of her hand. She holds up the recycling bin and I drop it in for her.
“Wow, Axe. Dude, you’re such a gentleman, helping her with that bottle she was already holding.”
I shoot my brother a shitty look, but yeah, I’m an ass.
I clear my throat. “Nora, Anders is right. You want to get out of here for a break?”
She plants her hands on her hips, thinking about it with her mouth twisted to one side of her face.
Cute.
“You know, I’ve got that interview coming up. Maybe I will run out and see about picking up something to wear.”
Anders asks about the position, making all the appropriate noises a normal person would. But he’s not a normal person, and I know exactly what he’s doing. Working her.
I’m trying to figure out if it would be weird to offer to pay for her new clothes when he reaches out and— motherfucker —slides an arm around Nora’s shoulders, pulling her in close to his side for one of his “entry-level” hugs.
Fucking Anders. I know his game, and, based on the smirk he shoots me, he knows I know it too.
“Enough of that. Hands off the nanny, bro.”
Laughing again, like she thinks we’re joking around, Nora holds up her hands. “Okay, I’m going to scoot out for a couple of hours. Call if you need me.”
I nod, then feel my heart do something I’m not used to when she steps in close, resting her hand on my arm as she drops a light kiss on Otto’s cheek. It takes everything I have not to wrap my free arm around her and pull her in for a hug of my own. But again, I stop myself.
“Have fun and shoot me a text with what sounds good for dinner.”
Anders steps to my side and lifts Otto’s arm to wave at her. Then, making his voice higher than I could ever get mine, he sings, “Bye-bye, beautiful Nora. I wuv yooooou.”
Just. Count. To. Ten.
A few silent and strained minutes later, she’s out of the apartment, and I turn on my brother, who looks like tempting my wrath is his favorite pastime.
“Stop using my baby to flirt with Nora. She’s off-limits.”
“Is that what I was doing?” He takes Otto out of my arms and takes a sniff of his head. “Where’s the ‘new baby’ smell chicks are always talking about? He smells like sour milk.”
I blink. “The hell—”
I break off, shaking my head while I rein in my temper. “Fine, let’s give him a bath and change his outfit.”
“Sure. Whatever.”
I get Otto’s bath-time setup in place and start stripping him down. I’ve got a towel to cover him and a dish with warm water and a bit of extra-gentle, organic baby bath. Dipping the washcloth in, I run it under his neck and pits. Across his tiny little ribs, watching his expression shift and sharpen as I methodically clean him up.
When he’s clean and fresh, his wispy blond hair sticking up in a single spike because I can’t resist doing it, Anders nods to the whiteboard behind me.
“You know you can’t hook up with her.”
My jaw tightens, and I tamp down the impulse to hand Uncle Anders his nephew, sans diaper. Free the wee fire hose. Knowing my brother, he’d wait for Nora to get back and then start stripping his pee-soaked shirt off in front of her. Ask for some help getting cleaned up.
I hate him. “I’m not hooking up with her.”
“Not yet. Obviously.”
Obviously? I want to ask him what the hell that means, but he’s already going on.
“And don’t bother denying you want to either. The only time your eyes aren’t on your kid, they’re on her. Shit, every time I talk to you, you tell me some new, fascinating tidbit about her. You’re completely obvious.”
“No. I like her. But there’s a line.”
He snorts. “Axe. You can’t have her. It’s the whole power-dynamic thing. You’re the boss. It’s not an equal playing field.”
Ha!
“I’m going to stop you right there. Let’s put aside the fact that I’m not trying to hook up with her. But so we’re clear on this power-dynamic thing… You’re right. Sort of. It’s not equal. But if you think anyone is in the power position besides Nora, you’re nuts. That woman holds all the cards.”
“Oh sure. So, it’s your salary she’s controlling?”
“No. But I’m not controlling hers either. I’ve already paid her for the month. She could decide not to come back tonight, abandon us, and it wouldn’t cost her more than the twelve things she owns.”
Anders gapes. “Jesus, it’s worse than I thought. Are you in love with this chick? What the hell’s the matter with you? What if she did exactly that? What if she bails?”
Holding up my hand, I stop him. “I’d be screwed. But this is Nora we’re talking about. Rule-following Nora.”
“Fun-wrecking, know-it-all Nora.”
“Yeah.”
“Dude, do you hear yourself?” He chokes. “You practically sighed.”
“Did not.”
“Did too. Dick.”
“Whatever. The point is, Nora’s the one with nothing to lose. But it doesn’t matter because as good as she is with Otto and as much as I like her, in two weeks’ time, she’s done here. This is not the life she’s after.”
Even if I wish it was.
Chapter 10
Nora
Stepping out into the brisk November air, I glance over my shoulder at the glass and steel monolith I will most definitely not be working in. The bus stop is at the corner, and when I get there, I check my phone.
Axel: How did it go?
Me: Bust. Still crossing my fingers for the interview tomorrow.
But not holding my breath.
Axel: Tell me about it when you get home.
Me: Deal. See you soon.
I spend the ride expanding my job search criteria and turning down a rooming offer because it’s looking more and more like I’m going to have to reevaluate my budget for housing. By the time I get back to the apartment, I’m wound tight, anxious about my options or lack thereof, and all I want is the soothing comfort of holding Otto for a few minutes and Axel making me laugh.