When the animal reemerged, Saylor gasped.
Professor Ryan Paulson stood in the shallows. Soaking wet. Stark naked. And hung.
Chapter Four
Professor Paulson was a were-bear? Saylor thought.
She took in his appearance from her vantage point. The starlight reflected off his wet skin, highlighting every ridge of his muscles. His arms and shoulders were huge, cut and stacked. He ran a hand through his soaking hair and she sucked in a breath as every muscle became visible.
His skin was smooth, flawless and tan. No tan lines were visible, certainly not a worry of someone who explored the outdoors in a fur coat or no clothes at all. There was a bit of winter pudge that clung to his stomach, but he did sport chiseled abs. Even his legs were muscular, thick thighs tapering down to solid calves.
I'll ask him if he played sports in college or high school, Saylor thought. He looks like he could tackle all the players on our football team.
At the thought of tackling, Saylor felt a familiar heat pool in her lower stomach. God, that man on top of her would be more than she ever imagined. He could probably throw her down and hold her with those beefy arms. Maybe she should run out there and beg that he have his way with her.
She was wet now, embarrassingly. Saylor shifted, trying to ignore the need growing in her panties. But then, she let herself take in his penis.
It was magnificent. It was long and thick, at least eight inches. Or, that's what she thought it looked like with her limited experience with cocks and the many yards between them. Even so, she never wanted to ride someone harder than she did with her... professor?
Her nipples hardened. Suddenly, Saylor was overcome with tempting naughtiness. Jasmine was right, it was wrong to have feelings for your professor. Bad, even. This thought only exacerbated her wetness and the heated pooling between her thighs.
Stifling a moan, Saylor slipped her hand down her body, rubbing herself through her jeans. She watched as Professor Ryan waded a little further into the lake, splashing water over his body. Her hips moved against her hand as she imagined running her tongue down his chest and the way his cock would feel in her hand. Her pussy practically radiated heat when he turned around, giving her a great view of his toned ass and back.
She bit her lip as another moan threatened to escape. She imagined how it would feel to kiss him, let his hands wander over her body. He was so tall and sturdy, she knew he would be able to handle all of her womanly curves. Saylor slipped her free hand under her shirt and bra, tweaking a nipple. Her rubbing increased its urgency as she pictured Professor Ryan playing with her nipples and pressing his erection against her.
The man turned to face the forest again, stretching his arms up so she got a good look at his cut body and his cock. Dark curls, just as unruly as the ones on his head, sprung up around his shaft. Saylor imagined how they would feel as she stroked him, were they soft or coarse?
Saylor could hardly stand it anymore, she unbuttoned her jeans and slid her hands into her underwear. She rubbed and teased as she pictured the calloused, more experienced, hands of Professor Ryan on her. How would it feel if he teased her to the brink? Would he groan as he pushed his hard cock into her? Would he go down on her?
Leaning her weight on the tree next to her, Saylor ran her fingers in tight circles around her clit. She could feel the rush of pleasure building up inside her. She imagined Ryan's mouth between her legs, sucking and flicking at her lips, her entrance, her clit, dark hair bobbing between her thighs. She imagined running her fingers through his hair and pulling,
Saylor breathed hard, twisting and pulling on her nipples. Her fingers twisted and rubbed at the sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs, carrying her closer and closer to relief. She imagined Ryan catching her, eyeing her up and down, then shoving her back against the tree. He would sense her need, rip of her clothes, and fuck her hard. He would bite her neck and suck on her nipples, grab her ass and hold her hard against the rough bark of the tree. He would fill her with his hard shaft and punish her for having such inappropriate thoughts about a teacher, pumped into her until the sun rose and she was left satisfied in the forest.
Saylor came, body convulsing against the tree. She moaned as her toes curled, fingers getting in a few final rubs before the sensation became too much. Her orgasm rolled over her body in waves, lapping all her muscles calm and drawing her throbbing need back into her mind. She was relieved.
When she opened her eyes Professor Paulson was looking right at her.
Or, not at her exactly. In her general direction, but she was still protected by the cover of trees. Saylor froze, one hand down her pants and one hand under her shirt. What if he came over here? How could she go back to class? Oh god, this was a terrible idea.
The man shifted quickly, the grizzly bear letting out a roar before turning and running back into the forest, far away from where Saylor stood. Relieved, Saylor buttoned her jeans and fixed her shirt. She walked out of the forest and on to the beach. Looking at her phone she saw the time, a quarter to two. Swearing under her breath, Saylor followed the shoreline, wondering if she would tell Jasmine what happened.
Morning came much too quickly for Saylor's liking. She skipped her first class, choosing to dream of were-bears, sexy professors, and taboo relationships. When her alarm went off again at ten, she forced herself to abandon the warm cocoon of sleep and face the day.
Chapter Five
Saylor dressed carefully, picking out a violet sweater that brown out the honey brown tones in her eyes and fitted dark jeans. She decided she would go see Professor Paulson during his office hours and tell him, well, tell him that she knew he was a were-bear. The alternative was not to discuss it and hope that he never found out. But, if she had been the one worried about strangers in the forest, she would want to know.
Once he understood that she would not tell anyone his secret maybe he would be more at ease. And then, well, then maybe he would help put her at ease. Saylor rolled her eyes as she applied her make-up, she wasn't even sure what that meant and she thought it!
"Come on in, Saylor!" Professor Ryan greeted her as she stood, uncertain, in the doorway of his office. "What can I do for you?"
"Um," said Saylor, glancing over her shoulder. The hallway was empty, it was now or never. She sucked in a breath, stepped into the office, and closed the door behind her.
There were pictures on the walls, Ryan laughing and smiling with men his age in front of the sign for the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Pictures of him and an older version of himself, his dad, smiling and holding up big fish. Ryan and a beautiful dark haired woman posing in front of Old Faithful at Yellowstone. Saylor's lip curled up, he loved his friends and family. She turned back to him.
"I was hoping we could talk about... last night."
The older man furrowed his brows and pursed his lips.
"Don't tell me you didn't do the assignment! That's not like you."
"Um, it's not that Professor Paulson," Saylor paused and collected herself. "I did the assignment."
"Well how can I help you?"
Saylor sat down across from the man. There was a window behind him, and the late morning sun left leafy patterns across the desk. The sun shining through Ryan's hair made some of the strands look lighter, more golden. She could see the resemblance to the bear she encountered the night before.
"When I was doing the assignment," she began, "I got a bit lost and I... I found myself by Lake Superior."
The professor's expression was frozen, green eyes darkened with... fear? Saylor continued.
"There was a bear on the shoreline. Or, I thought it was a bear, and I was worried about getting eaten and not being able to finish my assignment."
Saylor forced a laugh. Ryan laughed too, stilted and too empty.
"But then... I saw that the bear was actually... um... it wasn't a bear it was..." Saylor struggled to find the words.
"Me," said Professor Paulson.
Saylor nod
ded, focusing on her hands. She didn't feel good about this admission, the tension in the room was too great. She should have kept it to herself.
"What do you want?"
Saylor flinched, Ryan's voice was tight and angry. She made herself meet his gaze, she was not a child, and his eyes had gone forest green with anger.
"I don't want anything," she said, trying to keep tightness out of her voice.
"Then why did you tell me?"
"I thought you'd be worried about who was in the woods!" She said, harsher than she intended. "I didn't know what to do, I wanted to wait until you went away, but I made a noise and I thought you might have seen me. I had to tell you it was me and that I don't care. I'm not going to tell anyone."
The man sighed, running a hand across his face.
"I knew this would happen eventually. I was careless, I shouldn't have been out the same night I assigned the class to do field work. It was foolish."
"The class won't care!" Saylor said. "We love you! We don't mind."
Professor Paulson dropped his hand and quirked an eyebrow at her. Saylor felt heat rush to her cheeks.
"You're a great teacher," she said, hoping he didn't misinterpret her words. Unfortunately, from the smirk on his face, he clearly had.
"Thank you," he said, leaning back. He wore a charcoal sweater today, no tie, white dress shirt underneath. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing tan, muscular forearms. Saylor licked her lips, remembering his soaking wet, naked body last night. She wondered if his skin was as soft and warm as it looked.
"I appreciate you keeping quiet about this," he continued, "but I am sorry you have to bear this secret. Officially, the university has no problem with shifters on staff. Unofficially, there is no way they would be ready to accept me. Even if I was tenured – and that's decades off – they would try to find some way to oust me."
"Do you really think so?" Saylor asked, "I thought our campus was a bit more progressive than that."
"You students, of course," he smiled at her and Saylor couldn't help but smile back. "The dean isn't as accepting, I'm afraid. I could make a case against him if this got out, but that would take a lot of time and resources."
"You never know," said Saylor, "you might become the poster boy for diversity here at NMU."
He rolled back his head and let out a roar of laughter. Saylor laughed with him, her light giggle meeting his deep voice in harmony. When he finished laughing, Ryan ran a hand through his hair and grinned at her. He was so boyish, sharp cheekbones, chiseled jaw, brilliant smile. He was like a lumberjack on an ad for men's deodorant.
"That would be too good," he said, still chuckling, "My job would be secure if that happened. But I thank you for your secrecy in this matter."
Saylor sat for a moment. That's it? That's all he was going to do?
"I also had a question about the assignment," Saylor blurted, before she knew quite what she was saying. "With all the excitement last night, I, uh, I didn't see all the constellations on the list. I got turned around in the woods, and I don't have any friends in class to go with me."
The Ryan nodded, "I know, with big lectures it's hard to make friends. So many people, but no one wants to talk to each other. I had the same problem."
"Do you think you could help me?" Saylor asked.
The professor smirked at her again. "You mean go with you?"
Saylor blushed, was that what she meant?
"Yes," she said. "You clearly know the woods better than me, and the material, I was hoping... unless that crosses boundaries... or..."
"I'll help you," he said, his voice low. "It's field work, not a date."
His gaze was intense, pulling at her. When he said "date," Saylor could have sworn she heard extra emphasis on the word. Like she was supposed to read between the lines. Was it a date? Had she asked him out?
"Great," said Saylor, cursing her lack of eloquence around the professor. She knew so many words and all she could think to say was "great?"
"Should I meet you here?" she asked, gesturing vaguely around his office.
Professor Paulson nodded, "Sure, that'll work. Let's meet at ten, I'll leave the building open for you. It will be dark enough then."
"Okay," Saylor said, standing up. "I'll see you tonight."
The professor was already looking at his papers as she walked toward the door. When she turned, she did her best to mimic the way Jasmine walked, moving her hips in a way that drew attention to her toned ass. She was no Kim Kardashian, but she had a tight, round, bubble butt. These jeans looked great on her.
When she turned the corner, she caught Professor Ryan staring at her over his paperwork. She beamed.
Chapter Six
"The trick is," said Professor Ryan, "that you find Polaris when you're lost. You'll always know where north is if you can find the North Star. If you can do that, you'll never be truly lost again."
"Mmmhmmm," said Saylor.
She paid little attention to what Professor Ryan was saying. He distracted her in his, actually, pretty stylish clothing. Instead of too tight khakis and sweater, he wore dark jeans, black hiking boots, and a loose flannel shirt. He had buttoned the shirt three-quarters of the way up so Saylor could see a few curls of his chest hair poking out of the top of the buttons. He hadn't shaved, and Saylor could see dark stubble growing around his jaw. He was very "mountain man." She was smitten.
Saylor wore a similar outfit, the same dark jeans she wore earlier. If that man stared at her ass once, she was going to work hard to make it happen again. She borrowed one of Jasmine's flannels, blue and black checked. It clung to her waist, giving the appearance of an hourglass figure. She wore a black tank under the shirt and let the buttons of her breasts remain open, drawing attention to her cleavage.
"What trouble did you have last night?" he asked, pulling Saylor out of her reverie.
"I couldn't find a good clearing," she lied.
The professor nodded and started walking. Saylor followed.
"I like to stand by the lake when I go star gazing," he explained. "It's a little brighter there, but it gives me the best big-picture view of the sky."
He looked back and grinned at her, "I'll take you to my favorite spot."
They walked in silence for a few moments, listening to the wind rustle the leaves and owls hoot. Saylor breathed in, savoring the smell of the forest. She felt so much safer tonight, happy to have such a knowledgeable guide.
Yet, she was still not built for the woods. Saylor caught her foot on a root and stumbled. The professor caught her hand and helped her catch her footing.
"Thank you, professor," she said. His hand was soft and warm in hers. His skin was smooth, palms callused. She resisted the urge to twine her fingers with his.
"You can call me Ryan," he said, voice soft in the dark of night. "I think you know me better than most of my colleagues after yesterday."
Saylor flushed, hoping he couldn't tell in the night.
"Okay, Ryan."
He laughed and gave her hand a squeeze.
"You're cute," he said, helping her around the roots. When she was on stable ground, he cleared his throat and dropped her hand, realizing what he said.
"Maybe this will help," he pulled a flashlight out of his back pocket. "I don't endorse using a flashlight for star gazing because your eyes don't adjust to the dark. But this will help us get safely to the shore."
They picked their way through the woods. When they crossed the tree-line, a cool breeze hit Saylor, mussing her hair. Ryan looked over and laughed. She pulled a face at him.
"You can't laugh at me if your short hair doesn't get accosted by the wind! You can't judge."
Ryan reached forward, brushing hair out of her face. Saylor tilted her head, reveling in the feeling of his fingers against her cheek.
"Come on," he said, "My spot is up ahead. Do you see that bluff? It's up there. I'll help you climb it."
"It's so different up here," said Saylor, taking in the view from the
top of the bluff. The wind churned up small waves from the surface of the lake. The white caps danced across the water, blending in the with reflection of the stars.
"I know it's silly, but the height makes me feel closer to the stars," said Ryan, rubbing the back of his head. Saylor snuck a peek, the man looked up at the stars, almost in awe. She smiled, to be this enraptured by the heavens after studying them for years, that was something special.
"You are passionate about astronomy," said Saylor.
Ryan looked at her, his green eyes almost luminous in the dark. Saylor couldn't look away, he was gorgeous.
"My mom would always point out constellations when I was growing up, you don't really grow out of memories like that."
Saylor nodded, "My dad would read to me, that's why I'm studying literature. We shared a love of stories."
Ryan smiled, "I didn't know you were an English major. What's your favorite book?"
Saylor rolled her eyes, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Everyone asks you that when they find out you're studying literature. It's so annoying! You have to think of a good answer so they find you literary, but it's almost never your real favorite book."
Ryan quirked an eyebrow. "What is your literary answer?"
"'The Great Gatsby.'"
"And your real answer?"
Saylor brushed back her hair, "'Wicked.'"
"That's a good book! Very literary."
She shook her head, "No, people want you to pick a book that is more than fifty years old. It's weird."
"Well," said Ryan, "I won't tell anyone your secret either."
Saylor couldn't remember the last time she smiled this much. Her cheeks were going to hurt.
"I should probably work on the assignment," she said, reaching into her pocket for her phone. "My professor will definitely know if I don't get my work done today."
Bearly Passing: Saylor and Ryan Page 2