Page 25 of Shifted Desire

I can tell from Nathan’s frown and how he’s anxiously rubbing a hand across his low cut hair that I’ve got him on the ropes.

He hits me with his final, last-ditch defense. “Samantha, I held you as a baby.”

Okay, so that part is pretty gross if you focus on it.

If we were in any other situation, and Nathan’s sexual interest hadn’t clearly awakened only after we accidentally fucked and he wasn’t oblivious to me being a potential sex partner before then, despite me throwing myself at him, it’d deter me.

“Everyone was a baby at some point,” I shrug. “And let’s be real. You held me as a baby once, during your yearly visit. You were a minuscule presence in my childhood, all things considered. Barely even a blip. So quit aggrandizing your presence in my life or overthinking this.”

He knows he’s beaten. I can see it in his eyes. In the way his throat works.

I applaud him for his valiant effort, but it’s rare that someone can go toe to toe with me in an argument and win. I really should’ve been a lawyer, but I hated school. Granted, that had less to do with the actual learning and a lot more to do with being a teen succubus surrounded by horny dudes.

“Why are you fighting so hard for this when you were ready to run out of here the moment you found out we’d accidentally had sex?” Nathan finally meets my eyes, and there’s a desperate hunger there that makes my breath hitch. “What’s in this for you?”

“Other than a job that will pay me enough to get me back into my own apartment?”

“We didn’t discuss payment,” Nathan grumbles.

“I know how much other assistants in comparable roles make. I figure with my being overqualified—your words, not mine—we can start 50% more than that and then negotiate a salary increase after a performance assessment period.” I wink at him.

“Gods, don’t say it like that. You make it sound like I’m going to be grading you on how well you get me off.”

“I would never!” I place a hand on my chest in mock affront, loving how it draws his eye to the faint hint of cleavage peeking from the neckline of my top. “Unless you’re into that. Could be fun.”

He glares at me, and a thrill runs down my spine. Ooo, I like stern Nathan a lot.

“The ethics of this are abysmal,” he says with a grimace. “I can’t hire you and use you for sex. There’s too much of a power imbalance.”

“Oh, come off it, Nathan. Not everything has to be so damn serious. I’m offering, without any coercion from you, to do this.”

“Yes, but you’d never have offered if you weren’t desperate for the job!”

“Fine. Don’t give us both the solution to our problems because you’re too caught up on what’s ‘right.’” I shove my notepad back into my purse, pretending to be upset.

The truth is, I already know this is going to happen. He just needs to make it known to both himself and me that he tried to be upstanding. He can only sleep at night, knowing he’s fucking his best friend’s daughter, if he’s looked at all the angles and tried to ward me off.

“Gods, I should’ve known better than to offer this to a corporate drone who’s never done anything fun or reckless in his entire life,” I grumble, slinging my purse over my shoulder as I stand.

I only make it one step before he breaks.

“Wait.”

I turn, glaring at him as I internally do a celebratory dance.

He’s going to give me the job.

1.5 times the monthly salary of an assistant at this level is more money that I made in half a year at my old job. I won’t just be able to move out of my parents’ house. I’ll be able to put money aside in savings. I’ll be able to live a little without the constant threat of financial ruin.

If that weren’t exciting enough, my succubus blood thrums with delight. All the sex I could want, with one of the best fucks I’ve ever had, no strings attached? No chance of unwanted romantic entanglements because we need to keep this a secret from my parents? It feels too good to be true.

“I know how to have fun,” Nathan says defensively.

That’s the part that got him?

A derisive laugh falls from my lips. “Then prove it.”

His nostrils flare and I can tell by how he’s gouging the desk with his supernaturally sharp nails that he’s fighting not to leap up and grab me.