Page 75 of Demon Boss' Baby Load

“Oh. That’s just large enough for a few drinks and snacks.” Duke opened the mini fridge—it was stuffed with pie, rice pudding, yogurt, juices, chocolate milk, and a jar of pickles.

“I’m really not going to look in your mouth,” Nat said.

Duke raised an eyebrow. “My mouth?”

“Gift goat.” Nat froze. He lifted Wanda so he could hide his face in her belly. “Fuck! I didn’t—I meant to say...”

“Wa!” Wanda said excitedly.

Duke snorted. “I think she might be trying to imitate you. Especially your swear words.”

“Fuck my mouth,” Nat muttered. Then he froze, peeking at Duke.

Duke smirked.

“That’s totally not what I meant,” Nat groaned. “I suck as a dad.”

“No, you don’t. You’re a lovely dad.” Duke began to install a fan next to Nat’s desk. He installed the space heater next, before showing Nat their remote controls—so he wouldn’t have to walk over to adjust the temperatures himself.

“You’re spoiling me,” Nat blurted.

Duke grinned. “When you have a spare moment, come into my office. We’ll go through the pregnancy contract together. This is all part of it.”

“I never thought being pregnant would lead to this many gifts. It’s crazy.”

“This is what you deserve.”

“Is this all because I’m your employee?”

Duke sighed, but he looked patient again. “You’re carrying my child. I’m courting you, Nat.”

Nat’s heart stuttered. “What?”

“You heard me.” Duke’s ears turned pink. “You’re capable, and you’ve shown great compassion toward Teddy and Mallie. I would like you to join my family.”

“This is moving a little fast, isn’t it?” Nat squeaked.

“You are very valuable and precious, Nat. And I’m going to offer you a place at my side before someone else steals you away.” Duke looked intently into his eyes.

It wasn’t love. It was... a good decision, Nat realized. Because then Duke would have someone he trusted around his children.

Just that Nat secretly wanted to be loved; he wanted to be someone’s most precious person in the world.

Being Duke’s trusted person was close enough, he decided.

“There are pickup lines hidden everywhere,” Hubrie whispered helpfully.

“There arenot,” Duke growled, shooting his butler a glare. “Remove them before I remove you.”

Hubrie scoffed. “You only wish you could write pickup lines like Dicky Mems’.”

Dicky Mems was the author of an extremely questionable book. Over the course of his stay at the apartment safehouse, it had become common knowledge that the Butler Brothers worshipped a particular pink book: 699 Pickup Lines For Your Wriggly Heart Muffin.

It contained the cringiest, most terrible pickup lines known to mankind; they were so terrible that they made Nat’s brain freeze up. No one could possibly think those lines wereromantic.

And yet.

A slip of pink paper fluttered onto the floor when Duke shook out a fluffy blanket.

---