Page 82 of Complete Me

Xander

Anxiety swamps me as I stare at the envelope in my hand. Jesus. This is it. This is my future in an envelope. Either I’ve achieved tenure, and I’ll continue to teach at the university, or I haven’t, and I need to decide if I start all over again somewhere else.

“Hell, babe, you’re killing us! Open the damned letter!”

I raise my eyes to Bjorn’s. “But what if it’s bad news?”

“Not reading it won’t make it better news.”

I glare at Kaino. “Thank you, O ray of sunshine.”

They shrug. “Facts are facts. Open it.”

I want to. I really do. But I’m scared. “Are you ordering me to open it?” Is it sad that I need them to say yes?

“Would that make this better or worse?”

Pathetically, I whine my answer. “Better?”

Kaino leans against the kitchen counter. “Then yes, I’m ordering you to open it.”

Groaning, I tear at the end of the envelope, pull out the letter and skim the contents.

Blah blah, University of Washington, blah blah, Office of the Provost...

I am pleased to inform you that you have been granted tenure at the University of Washington.

I stare at the page, not making it any further than those words before the dizziness hits, utter relief crashing through me.

“Babe?” Bjorn’s voice is tentative, and he reaches out to steady me.

I should say something. I know I should. Instead, I wave the letter at him until I find my voice. “I got it.”

His strong arms crush me against his chest in a bone-creaking hug. “I knew you would! God, I’m so happy for you.”

Kaino presses against me from behind, wrapping their arms as far around Bjorn and me as they can. “Congratulations, Xander. I’m proud of you.”

“Hey, I’m proud of you, too.”

I chuckle until it becomes a full-blown laugh, and the laugh becomes so intense that I have tears running down my face. Oh my god, I have tenure. Sure, tenure, as a system, has a whole host of issues that come along with it. I get it. But it means I don’t have to consider moving schools. I can move in with Bjorn and Kaino and not have to worry that it’s only temporary. God, I can start my life. I try to hug them back as best as I can. “Thank you, my loves. I’m so glad I came here to open the letter.” If it had been bad news, I’d have needed them even more.

Bjorn smacks a kiss on my lips and grins at me. “We’re going to celebrate this weekend and fuck like bunnies.”

Behind me, Kaino snorts. “Classy, Bear.” Bjorn just shrugs, totally unashamed.

And why should we be? Sex is fun, especially with these two. “Can we use the rope?”

Bjorn fist pumps. “Yesssss.”

I glance over my shoulder at Kaino, who rolls their eyes as they shake their head. “Kit, I expected more from you. Bjorn? Not so much.”

“What can I say? I’m feeling very relieved and a little giddy.”

Bjorn waggles his eyebrows at us and starts a slow grind of his hips against mine. “And a little horny?”

My phone vibrates with an incoming call. “Hold that thought.” I slide it out of my pocket and see a caller ID guaranteed to be a sexy mood killer. Mom. Sighing, I pat Bjorn’s hip. “I have to take this.” I swipe to answer the incoming call. “Hi, Mom. What’s up?”

Kaino drops their arms and Bjorn follows, both of them taking a step back, giving me space to take the call. I wander into the living room for some privacy. Not that I’m saying anything they can’t hear. It’s more that I know how this call is going to go, and I don’t want to be judged.

---