Duke came up behind him, a solid, warm presence that made Nat’s pulse skip a beat. “Nat.”
“Y-yeah?”
Duke squeezed his shoulder. Then he leaned in and buried his nose in Nat’s hair. “Block off some time with me today. I really want to make sure you’re comfortable with this new contract.”
His breath puffed warmly into Nat’s hair, his thumb skimming Nat’s nape.
Nat couldreallyget used to his touch. “Okay!” he squeaked.
“Ah!” Wanda said.
Duke gave her a fond smile too, squeezing the back of Nat’s neck. Then he stepped into his shoes and headed into his office, leaving the door ajar behind him.
“I guess it’s just the two of us now,” Nat whispered to Wanda. He looked around at his vastly changed work area: the tiny vase of flowers on his desk, the mini fridge humming next to him, the lush blankets under his toes. Wanda kicked and wriggled in his arms; he cuddled her and kissed the top of her head, before reluctantly returning her to her playpen.
He was about to log back into his laptop when Duke’s shopping cart rolled back into sight.
Nat smiled. “Hey. Do you need help?”
The cart flipped its wheels. Then it tried to roll onto the blankets; Nat hurried to stop it.
“Not in the nest,” he said firmly. “Your wheels have been everywhere! Just stick to the floor, okay?”
The cart lifted its flap apologetically. The action jostled the slip of pink paper that Duke had left in its cargo basket; the cart offered it hopefully to Nat.
Nat eyed the piece of paper.
It was Duke’s; Nat shouldn’t even consider touching it at all.
But Duke had said it was a draft; Hubrie had seemed certain that it was something meant for Nat.
Maybe Nat could... peek at it? And pretend that he’d never seen anything? It would certainly give him a better idea where he stood with Duke.
He glanced at Duke’s office to make sure his boss wasn’t going to step out anytime soon. Then he scooped up the piece of paper, turning it around with bated breath.
21
THE CONTRACT
There wasa single line written on the paper, in Duke’s handwriting.
Naaat, sometimes I think you don’t know what a baaad, baaad maaan I could be.
Nat stared. “Is that... Is that supposed to be like a goat saying ‘baa baa’? Oh gods, it is, isn’t it?”
He read the line far too many times. Then he imagined Duke saying it in his voice.
He giggled. And he imagined it again. The more times Nat pictured it, the harder he giggled.
He ended up on the floor, clutching the pickup line and laughing until he cried.
He didn’t notice Duke at his office door until it was too late.
“Nat? You haven’t been responding to my mess—Are you okay?” Duke was watching him in confusion.
Then his gaze landed on the scrap of pink, and he tensed.
For a full minute, they stared at each other, watching to see what the other would do.
