All Chapters of Tenderness is a Dangerous Thing: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

“You are going to spoil me like this. Pretty soon I am not going to want to leave this spot unless it is to drag you back to my bed,” Zack says with a smile that is mostly audible in his relaxed posture. “Well, you know stress and lack of sleep is bad for tests,” Anna said thoughtfully. “So, relax a bit, sleep if you can. I will watch over you.” Zack’s lips twitch into a smirk at her practical reasoning, though the underlying sentiment– her willingness to guard him even in sleep– means a lot to him. “Stress and lack of sleep are definitely bad for tests,” he concedes, his voice growing heavier with relaxation under her skilled massage. “But I have a feeling you are more worried about my grades than I am.” His eyes remain closed as he savours the feeling of her hands working magic on his shoulders. The warmth of her palms on his shoulders seeps through the material of his shirt, melting away years of tension he has carried without realizing it. “If I fall asleep, you better wake me u

Mr. Fren leans forward with both hands pressed firmly on his desk in front of him, shoulders squared as he waits for students to take their seat. His desk is neatly arranged, with a small nameplate reading “Mr. Fren– History” on it and a stack of books besides the nameplate, including titles such as The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction, The Silk Roads, Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, and The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan. A black mug with the phrase “History is written by those who survive” sits nearby, alongside a pen holder filled with pens and pencils.Once everyone is settled in, Mr. Fren starts handing out the test papers. The history test paper slides across Zack’s desk with a quiet scrape of paper against wood. He glances down at the cover sheet, noting the usual instructions– answer all the questions on the paper; read through the assignment before starting; number your a

“Plain black is fine,” she conceded. “But you have to admit the image of you carrying around a barbie phone for your girlfriend is funny.” Zack’s jaw drops comically at her suggestion, his expression shifting from threatening to utterly horrified. “Barbie phone?! Are you inside?” he points an accusing finger across the table at her. “I am not walking around with some plastic-pink disaster that plays music when you open it. Forget it.” His indignation is clearly performative– the corners of his mouth keep twitching upward despite his attempts to look offended. The image of himself carrying such an obviously feminine accessory clearly mortifies him in a way that is endearingly masculine. “You are evil,” he declares dramatically. “Pure evil for even putting that idea in my head.”Anna laughs happily at his reaction. Zack’s dramatic indignation falters under the assault of her happy laughter

“But for real, Anna– you deserve to hear it more often. Even if it makes me sound like some sappy idiot.” The car turns into the electronic store parking lot, but Zack does not make any move to shut off the engine immediately. Instead, he kills the ignition and turns fully toward her in his seat. “Let me make it up to you tonight,” he says quietly, his competitive nature surfacing again in the form of a challenge. “You don’t sound like a sappy idiot,” Anna says firmly. “You sound like a loyal amazing boyfriend.” Despite having heard the word ‘boyfriend’ from Anna’s lips several times before, the word still stirs something in Zack. His entire body goes still for a moment, processing the casual way she claims him so definitively. The possessive part of his roars in triumph while the vulnerable side feels exposed and terrifyingly happy.“You are right,” Zack says finally, his voice rough wi

“As much as that thought turns me on...” Anna says breathless with anticipation. “How about we skip the porn career and just go straight to the fun part.” Zack’s entire demeanour shifts the moment he recognizes the familiar landmarks signalling his house is just blocks away. The aggressive driver melts away, replaced by frantic impatience as he navigates the final turns. “Skip the porn career?” he echoes with a short laugh that sounds more like a gasp. “Anna, if you keep talking like that, I am going to crash this car and carry you upstairs over my shoulder.” His hands shake slightly on the steering wheel as he guides them into his driveway. The car barely rolls to a stop before he kills the engine and unbuckles his seatbelt with violent urgency. “Get out,” he orders hoarsely, already climbing out of his side to meet her at the front bumper. “Forger the bags, forget my dad’s stupid rules about keeping thin