Page 64 of Tenure

“You could never be boring, baby,” he says, not really paying attention as he puts his arm on the back of my seat, turning around to check behind him as he backs slowly out of the parking space.

“I think we should talk about what an actual relationship is going to look like beyond my ass dripping with your cum, James.”

“Whatever you want,” he says, and I roll my eyes.

“I’m being serious.”

“So am I.”

He turns to shift the car out of reverse when—

SCREEEEEEEEECH! The car is jolted, hard, my chest flying against the seatbelt which locks up tight, keeping me in place.

“What the FUCK?!” I shout, adrenaline spikinghard.

“Are you fucking KIDDING ME?!”James is shouting. A crappy, beat up looking Honda Civic has just reversed out of its spot full speed without looking and smacked into the rear passenger side of the car.

“Are you okay, Kiernan?” he asks me frantically.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I take a deep breath. It wasn’t a crazy hard impact, not even enough for the air bags to go off, but he leans in close to check me over, check my side of the car, check where the seatbelt crushed my airway for a hot minute . . .

“I’m really fine,” I say firmly. “You’ve cut off more air supply than that did.”

His lips twitch. “This isn’t funny.”

“Take your frustration out on whoever just hit your car. I’m too sore for a hate fuck today.”

He turns his attention to the civic, the passenger door of the car opening and someone ambling out.

Probably still drunk from last night. Good job.

“Oh forfuck sake,”James snaps. “It’s a fucking student. Goddammit, Graham . . .”

As James gets out of the car and slams the door, alarm bells go off in my ether.Graham . . . Fuck . . .

I hear the muffled sounds of James’ bossy, short-tempered voice half-yelling at someone and almost feel bad. But as I slowly turn around to look out the back, my palms instantly break into a sweat.

Graham.Fucking asshole Cheetos tongueGraham. I stare straight ahead, hyperventilating a little.Nothing happened.You’re fine, Kiernan. Nothing happened and you’re perfectly okay. He left you alone. He was just being a drunk dick.

Except he didn’t leave me alone. He only left because I was on the phone, because Imanagedto answer my phone. James’ phone.

I hear James reaming Graham out but can’t concentrate on the words. Eventually it gets quiet, and I see him walk around the front of the car and open my door.

“I need you to get out for a minute, Kiernan,” he says gently.

I shake my head. “I’d rather stay here.”

He sighs. “Just for a minute.”

But I don’t move, staring at my thighs, and I can see him frown out of my peripheral vision.

“Are you hurt?” His voice is worried. “What’s wrong?” He squats down to get a better look at me, reaching up with his hand and touching my temple, my cheek, my shoulder, feeling all over for signs of injury.

“I just want to stay in the car.”

He looks really worried and opens his mouth to speak, but Graham interrupts. “Kiernan?”

He has wandered over to us, bags under his eyes from an obviously heavy night of drinking, worry written all over his face as he glances at the rear end of the car.

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