“It’s okay, I’ll manage,” Nat said. “If you fire me, I’ll have time on my hands.”
“I’m not firing you.” Duke scowled.
“You’re really sure about that.”
“Yes. You’re good with the scheduling, even if your mouth gets ahead of you sometimes.” Duke cracked a smile. “You’re good with the kids too. And...” He wet his lips.
“The sex?” Nat guessed, covering Wanda’s ears.
“Yes. I can’t stop thinking about you,” Duke said lowly. “All day yesterday, I kept remembering you beneath me. Taking me like you were meant to be mine.”
Nat blushed. “No one’s ever said that to me.”
Duke looked offended on his behalf. “No one?”
Nat shrugged. “People think I’m plain, or fat.”
Those golden eyes flashed. “You’re not plain, Nat. You’re smart. Good. And I like that there’s so much of you to hold.”
Was that something a boss should be saying to his employee? Nat didn’t think so. But he was going to soak up every last bit of Duke’s admiration, when so little else in his life had gone right.
“I’ll have Hubrie write up an additional contract, to make sure all your needs are taken care of.” Duke reached over, gently stroking Nat’s plump belly with the back of his finger. “If—If you do conceive, you probably won’t show for a while.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Duke gave a half-shrug. “I’m... I’m tempted to make sure that youdoconceive.”
Nat’s face burned so red, maybe all he needed was a pair of horns, and he could be a demon too. “How did the condom break, anyway?”
“Fuck if I know. I’ve never had one break on me before.” Duke reached into the nightstand drawer, pulling out the condom box. He turned it in all directions until he found what he was looking for. “It... It expired threedaysago. What the fuck?”
Nat checked the date too, but Duke was right. “Things don’t usually go bad a few days after the expiration date.”
“Unless it’s milk,” Duke said dryly. “Then maybe it goes badbefore.”
“That’s because you trusted the corner shop,” Hubrie yelled from elsewhere in the mansion. “I told you not to!”
Nat cringed and wished he could hide his head under the pillows. “Has he been listening this entire time?”
Duke sighed. “He’s paid to listen to everything around the house. Security,” he added at Nat’s incredulous squeaking. “Nothing beats a true shapeshifter’s hearing range. It’s why each of my friends employs a Butler Brother, even though they have the strangest ideas about pickup lines.”
“All you need is something from 699 Pickup Lines, and you’ll win Nat’s heart,” Hubrie yelled back.
“Shut up, Hubrie,” Duke growled.
Nat blushed and decided not to think too hard about Hubrie’s words. He changed the subject. “Why are your condoms expired, anyway? Don’t you just... go through them?”
“I haven’t had time to jerk off, much less find a bed partner,” Duke said dryly. “My past self was optimistic. Well,Hubriewas optimistic. He bought me the box and opened it, and I haven’t had a reason to use it. There’s a forgotten pile of condom boxes in my closet, mostly full.”
Secretly, Nat was glad to hear that. “It’s also because of Teddy and Mallie, isn’t it? You don’t want to bring anyone here because you don’t want to put them at risk.”
Duke’s smile was slow and pleased. “Yes. You understand.”
Nat looked down at Wanda, who was drooling all over a mouthful of sheets. “It’s why I don’t, either. My friends and I... we have too much to risk at the apartment. Even the one we were living in, back in Colorado. So we don’t bring anyone home.”
Duke brushed his fingers through Nat’s hair. “Who takes care of your needs, then?”
Nat shrugged. “No one?”
