Page 39 of Tenure

At seven minutes, I throw caution to the wind and get out of the car, walking up to the front porch. Just as I raise my handto the doorbell the front door flies open and she barrels into my chest, not looking where she’s going.

I stumble backwards a step, gripping her shoulders to steady her, and can’t help but grin.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hi,” says another voice, a skeptical looking blonde stepping out onto the porch with us, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.

Kiernan glances nervously between me and her friend before reaching for my hand, but I pause for a moment, wanting to get this right.Kind of.It’s been a while since I’ve had to charm anyone. I can’t really remember the last time I met the friends or family of anyone I was seeing.

I hold out my hand to the blonde, and her eyebrows hit the roof.

“I’m James,” I say. “You must be . . . SJ?” I glance at Kiernan for confirmation. She nods once, looking a little dazed.

SJ takes my hand, and we shake as I slide my other arm around Kiernan’s waist and drop a kiss on the top of her head.

“You smell good, baby,” I murmur.

I drop SJ’s hand as her mouth drops open.Yeah. I’m not fucking around.“It was nice to meet you,” I say, steering Kiernan gently towards the car.

She seems to be in a daze the entire time, SJ staring after us as I open the door for her and wait for her to get in before closing it and getting in the driver’s side.

“Put your seatbelt on,” I gripe as she stares dumbly out the window at her friend.

“I’ve never seen SJ speechless before,” she says. “Just . . . give me a minute, please?”

“You can have a minute after you put on your fucking seatbelt on.”

“You’re sobossy.Jesus.”

“And you’re a fucking pain in the ass. So here we are. Put. On. Your. Seatbelt.”

She sighs and drags it across her chest, clicking it into place, and I almost sigh with relief, but then shesticks. her. tongue. out. at. me.

I take a sharp right, pulling into an empty parking lot beside a park. It’s getting dark, and we’re alone, and she has the wherewithal to look fuckingnervous.

I undo my seatbelt and get out of the car, walking slowly around the outside, staring at her through the windshield as I do.

I open the passenger side door and nod my head.

“Get out. Now.”

She scrambles out of the car immediately. “I’m sorry,” she says, her voice a little squeaky. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be standing on my porch. Or to talk to my friend. There’s no way she was expecting it either. I thought . . . I thought this would have to be a secret thing, and I wasn’t thinking and I’m really sorry—”

I put my finger to her lips, and she stops talking.

“Too late, Kiernan.” I grip the back of her neck and spin her around, shoving her down so she’s bent at a ninety-degree angle, her forearms on her seat. I run my hand up the outside of her thigh, grabbing a fistful of the soft material of her pretty dress.

“You look beautiful tonight,” I say softly, and then I shove her dress the rest of the way up, pull back my arm, and spank her.

32

Kiernan

JesusfuckingChrist.

It smarts like a bitch, my whole body jumping at the contact, but I can also already feel my nipples tightening. I’m instantly wet for him. Wet for this.

SMACK.

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