Page 21 of Bargains with her Naga Boss

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No, Niles, you’re… Ilikeyou.” She reached out to pat his arm.

But at her touch, they both jerked back.

“No, you don’t,” he said with a little laugh.

“I do,” she said. “Actually, I really do. We wouldn’t be the way we are at work if we didn’t…” And then she didn’t finish the sentence.

“I like you, too,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever liked a person the way I like you.”Wait. What? Take that back, Niles Chaudhary. That’s not a thing you say to a girl, not unless you want her to get ideas about you. And don’tgiveher those ideas because you can’t make any kind of promises. Ever.

She snorted. “You’re just saying that because I let you have anal sex with me.”

“You didletme? That was very consensual?” He held up both hands. “Don’t answer that. It’s very fresh right at this moment. If you change your mind and you want to, um, whatever you want to do. I deserve it.”

“Very consensual,” she said, giving him a small smile. “And it feltgood, and anal never has felt that good before, so I don’t know what you’re…” She gestured. “Whatever it is, it works for you.”

His stomach turned over. Wait, what? What? “Come back to my place with me?” he blurted. Then he shook his head, flinching, picking up his beer. “Sorry, I don’t know why I—”

“Okay,” she said.

He drank the beer and gaped at her. He set it down. “We probably shouldn’t do that,” he breathed.

“Oh,” she said, looking down at his scarf, wrapped around her skin.

“Just…” He lowered his voice, trying to make it sound reasonable and reassuring. “Just give it overnight at least and see how you feel in the morning. How, uh, how we both feel.”

“Idon’tthink you violated me.” She gave him a withering look.

“Well, how much have you had to drink?”

She sighed. “Fine.”

“I’m older than you. I’m your fucking boss.”

“I realize this.”

He licked his lips, gazing at her. When he first saw her, he had taken her skin to be a sort of grayish color, but upon further inspection, he’d realized it was a shade of lavender. She had dark hair and elven eyes and graceful limbs and long, luscious legs and…

Truth was, he’d had it bad for her for a while now.

“So, not telling Tommy,” he said softly.

“No,” she said.

“Why not?”

“Well, it’s none of his business,” she said.

“Uh huh.”

“He doesn’t tell me about histhings,” she muttered.

“Right,” Niles said. Was he revenge, then? Was he just some way for her to even the score with her jerk of a boyfriend who treated her like trash?

Maybe that’s what this was. It made much more sense than her trying to prove she could stand up for herself, after all.

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