“Not gonna lie, I’m actually really good in groups,” Gem said cheerfully, his many, many fingers wiggling. “Lots of hands.”
From behind Dex, someone chuffed a laugh. It was quick and quiet, more of a hissing snicker, an idea of a laugh rather than one fully formed. But Dex heard it. He turned and caught the tiniest flash of a smirk on Cya’s face. It was gone just as quickly, replaced with an almost scolding frown, like they were reprimanding Dex for noticing them.
“Oh my gods, Cya just laughed at something I said,” Gem squealed, bringing an end to the chaos. “They just acknowledged my existence.”
Cya crossed their arms over their chest, their jewelry chiming, and Gem clasped several hands in front of his stomach.
“Are we friends now?” Gem asked hopefully.
“No,” Cya deadpanned.
“They responded with a word and not a noise of disgust.” Bouncing on his toes, he beamed at Rusty, Oliver, and Toni. “Progress!”
“I’m gonna go back to Quin’s office now,” Oliver whispered, wiping a hand down his shell-shocked face.
“I need a fucking cigarette,” Rusty muttered morosely.
“I wanna go home,” Toni whined.
“Is it always like this?” Dex asked.
Cya rubbed the space between their eyes and sighed. “Unfortunately."
Beside Toni, Glyma appeared, lilac hair secured in a messy bun, flour smeared across a light purple cheek. She wore an apron over a pastel blue dress, legs covered in yellow tights that looked warm and soft. The fabric of the apron shaped her full bust, the ties fastened under her thick belly that Dex imagined—for only a second—burying his face in. A thin tail endingin a fluffy purple tuft serpentined behind her as her hot-pink eyes scanned each of them in turn before settling on Dex.
“Dex, how wonderful that you’re here,” the Succubus said with a dazzling smile that knocked the wind from his chest.
He wasn’t usually speechless, but Glyma was probably the hottest woman he’d ever seen in his life, even if she was nearly old enough to be his mom. Not that he was ageist or anything. He liked MILF porn just fine.
Oh shit, he couldnotthink about porn right now. Popping wood for his boss on his first day was so uncool. And probably misogynistic somehow.
“Hey, Glyma, super excited to be here. Sorry about thinking inappropriate thoughts about you just now. It was an accident, and it won’t happen again because I respect you as my boss and as a woman,” Dex blurted, and her eyes went wide.
“Unholy shit,” Cya said.
“Whoa, he just put it right out there,” Rusty said.
“I mean, we’ve all kind of thought it,” Oliver said.
“Even me, and I’m literally the gayest,” Gem said.
“Kinda gotta respect it,” Toni said.
Glyma blushed, hand fluttering over the base of her throat. “Oh, uh, well…”
“Sorry,” Dex said again.
Gem gave his shoulder a pat. “Don’t sweat it. The first time she touched my arm, there were several seconds where I considered being bisexual for her.”
Inhaling through his teeth, Rusty shook his head. “Not helping,caryd.”
“Damn it, did I do another workplace-sexual-harassment?” Gem shot Glyma an alarmed look. “Please don’t tell Quin. She’ll make me watch the compliance videos again, and they’re so boring!”
Waving a hand, Glyma wiped away the conversation. “Let’s just… Come on back to the kitchen, Dex. I’ll show you around and get you better acquainted back here.”
“Okay.” With a nod, Dex brushed past Gem, Rusty, and Oliver, and followed Glyma and Toni through the swinging doors.
Chapter five
