Page 46 of Adepts and Alchemists

“I... I wanted kids. Rodney was the one who was infertile. I guess I thought I was past that stage in my life. I’m perimenopausal.”

He shook his head. “You’re half succubus now. You can get pregnant if you want to.” He looked away for a moment, trying to hide whatever he was feeling. I had the intense urge to turn his face and plant a wet one right on his mouth. “Do you... do you want to?”

Have a kid? I had Bluebell now. She was family. Flighty and eccentric family, but family nonetheless. She’d been beside herself when she learned what had happened to me while she was spending a weekend away with Astrid. It had taken me the last two weeks just to get her to calm down and act normal again.

“Maybe in a few years,” I answered after a lengthy pause. “But I want time with you before that. Kids make having fun like this harder.”

I slid off the desk and into his lap, ignoring the pile of paperwork I displaced. Angelo didn’t seem to care. His hands found my hips automatically, steadying me before hauling me closer.

“Oh, Mr. Stedham,” I said with a girlish simper. “I’m afraid I’m late on my rent. I was wondering if I could... convince you to give me an extension.”

Angelo didn’t beam, but it was a close thing. There was definite pleasure in his eyes when he leaned closer, capturing my mouth in a single, scorching kiss before murmuring, “I’m sure we’ll work something out, Miss Morton.”

The End