Warped.Ryland mentally rolled his eyes at himself.He was so warped.Not to mention delusional.Like there was a hope in hell he’d be the one looking down at another man on his knees that night.
Even knowing that, logic proved a poor match for fantasy.His cock hardened further.Ryland automatically tried to bring his hands in front of his body to cover his embarrassment.The chain linking his leather cuffs rattled.His hands stayed where they were.
Muffled whispers reached him from some distant part of the room, but he couldn’t make out the words.Heat rushed to his cheeks as he realised there really was no way he could hide how much he was enjoying the lion’s touch.
The hands on his flanks slid down and settled over his hipbones.The lion’s palms were rough against his skin.It was easy to believe they had seen a great deal of work as paws.The tiny bit of air that had remained between them disappeared, and Ryland felt the lion’s body move against him with every breath.The lion was taller than him, broader, obviously stronger.
And he was just as obviously hung like…like every other lion on the planet for all Ryland knew.Strangely enough, student gossip hadn’t had anything to say on that point.It was possible that what would impress a human only represented something average to a lion.
All Ryland really knew was the cock nudging against his arse was hard and ready to play.Pre-cum smeared against his left buttock as the lion rocked his hips.Ryland’s own cock curved enthusiastically up towards his stomach in response.
Biting down hard on his bottom lip, he tried not to squirm within the lion’s hold.The grip on his hips tightened anyway, as if the guy knew exactly what was in his head.
“There are rules.”
The voice, deep and rich, just like the one in all his best fantasies sent another shudder through Ryland.He automatically leaned back against the scorching skin behind him.That earned him a pleased noise, almost like a purr—or how a purr might sound if it emanated from someone twice Ryland’s size.The lion’s lips vibrated against the skin on Ryland’s neck, pulling a moan from Ryland in response.
“Repeat what I just said.”
“I…” was all Ryland could manage.
“Rules,” the lion reminded him.
Ryland nodded.“Yes.Rules.”
“The word ‘spear’ ends it all.Until you say that word, I have the right to do whatever I want with you.Do you understand?”
Ryland nodded.
“What do you need to say?”
Ryland licked his lips.“Sp—” He cut himself off.“I don’t want to stop.”He didn’t realise just how true the words were until he’d already said them.He didn’t want this to stop.Every attempt at sensible thought scatted at the realisation.
“Good boy.”Rough palms slid against Ryland’s abs and pulled him back tighter against the lion’s skin, trapping Ryland’s hands between their bodies.The shifter felt entirely human, just very hot.Against all logic, Ryland found himself soothed by the guy’s strength rather than scared by it.
Lions!
The word screamed around inside his head, but it failed to freak him out the way he was sure it should.When the guy stepped back without any warning, Ryland clutched at the empty air behind him, scrabbling to find the lion with his limited reach.
He froze as he realised someone was standing in front of him now.There was no way to tell if it was the same lion who’d stood behind him.All he could do was stay very still and pray.
Something touched the back of his head where a buckle held the blindfold tight against his face.The strip of leather fell away.
Ryland blinked his eyes open.He’d been trapped behind the blindfold for so long, he couldn’t make his eyes focus.Rumours of the way the lions looked swirled inside his head.By the time the blur before him morphed into a clear image of a man, Ryland was half-expecting to find himself face-to-face with some sort of feline cartoon character.
When he saw the reality staring down at him, he blinked again.His mouth opened and closed several times.“Professor Arslan!”
The professor’s lips twitched into a small smile.
Ryland stared up at him for what felt like a minor eternity.An honest-to-God lion would have been a hell of a lot easier to wrap his mind around.
“Who were you expecting?”The amusement drained out of Professor Arslan’s expression.A predatory light sprang into his eyes.
Ryland had seen the professor look at students that way before, usually when someone was suicidal enough to try to argue about a rough grade.But he’d never realised how it would feel to have that look directed at him.
His breath caught in his throat as he automatically tried to pull his brain into gear, just in case a complex question about Medieval History was about to be fired off at him.His success was severely limited.Ryland couldn’t bring himself to feel too surprised about that.Professor Arslan was standing right there in front of him, hard and naked and…and Ryland’s limited historical knowledge be damned.The fact that Arslan was right there in a house full of shifters was all Ryland had room in his head for.
Part of him wasn’t the least bit worried about the absence of other thoughts.Nothing could ever be as important as Professor Arslan being there.And him being naked, the bit of Ryland’s brain that connected directly to his cock reminded him.The naked part of the equation was significant, too.
