Ryan nodded, mock seriously, "I've heard your professor is very strict."
Saylor leaned back, angling her phone up toward Scorpius, "Oh yes, he's the worst. Assigned us homework that takes all night. I can't believe anyone stays in his class."
She felt warm when Ryan's laugh hit her ears. She loved that she was able to make such a beautiful man laugh. She snapped a few pictures of the sky and was struck by how small she truly was in the universe. How strange it was that she and Ryan ended up on the same planet, in the same country, the same state, the same city, the same university, the same class. It felt fated.
This realization made her dizzy. Then it made her stumble. Shit, how close was she to the edge?i
Saylor answered this question as she felt her foot slip off the side of the bluff. She was going to die. She worked so hard for this stupid university and now she was going to die without even getting a degree.
"Saylor!"
There was an arm around her waist. A strong, warm, masculine arm. Ryan pulled Saylor into him, stepping away from the edge. Saylor buried her face in Ryans chest, hiding from the embarrassment and the certainty of death.
He smelled like fire wood. Fire wood and pine trees. She breathed him in, savoring their closeness. He was so solid. Her mother would say he was 'built to last,' reliable like the forest.
"Thank you," she said into his chest.
He pulled his arms around her, holding her closer. She let him feel her in a way she never let any man, allowing him full access to all the curves and lumps of her extra large body. She felt safe.
"I wasn't going to let you fall off the bluff," he said into the top of her hair. She could feel his breath against her forehead, hot and damp. She closed her eyes, imagining how his mouth would feel against hers. Her pulse quickened, a familiar heat building in her veins. Was he feeling this too?
She looked up, their mouths barely apart. If she moved a hair's breadth they would be kissing.
He stared down at her through eyelashes too full to be allowed on a man. He had to be thinking this too. Their breathing matched, every inhale and exhale taken together. Saylor tilted her head, ready to take the step that would change their relationship.
Ryan pulled back.
The wind filled in where his body had been pressed against Saylor. She shivered, wrapping her arms around her stomach.
"Sorry," said Ryan, turning away, "I am still your teacher. We shouldn't... I shouldn't..."
He trailed off and they stood in uncomfortable silence for a few moments.
"Hey," he said, "let's go down to the beach? The chance of death decreases the closer we are to the beach."
"Is that a fact?" said Saylor, twisting her mouth into a small smile. She was not going to let what happened ruin the rest of her night.
"You can trust me," said Ryan with a wink, "I'm a scientist."
Chapter Seven
They walked to the water's edge, water lapping just in front of their feet. It was cooler here, closer to the water. Saylor drew her arms around her and thought wistfully about the violet sweater she left behind. Even in the spring it was cold just before midnight.
Ryan gestured to a spot a little further up the beach.
"Let's sit for a minute."
Saylor sank into the sand next to him, it was impossible to sit gracefully in the sand. The beach was cool and slightly damp. Saylor stretched her legs in front of her and Ryan leaned forward on his knees. His hair was windblown and his nose was tinged pink from the chill. She wanted to lick it.
"See there?" Ryan pointed.
Saylor followed his gaze to the sky. A constellation hung in the night sky, directly above them.
"Ursa Major," she said, "The Big Bear. That one I can remember."
"And there?"
"Ursa Minor. The Little Bear."
Ryan nodded, his pink lips turning up at the corners.
"You're lucky you never had to grow up as a shifter," he said, his voice heavy. "It got easier in 2009, but it still sucks. There is a lot of prejudice in this world you might never have to deal with. People feel they can't trust you. That you aren't in control of your emotions or your body. That you will try to turn them or hurt them. It's all bullshit."
"Can't you turn people into weres?" Saylor asked. "By biting them or something."
Ryan shook his head. "No, that was a rumor started to keep people afraid of us. You're either born a shifter or you're not. There are more of us now because shifters and humans have children together. My dad is a human, my mom was a shifter."
Ryan leaned back, laying completely on the sand. Saylor followed suit. The sky unfolded above them, pinpricks of light looking down on the earth.
"When I was little," Ryan continued, "my mom would take me out star gazing. She would take me into the woods, we would shift, and then we would run through the forest. We used to live up Minnesota. It's almost as wooded there as it is here, safe for us."
"After we made it to a good spot we would lay for hours and she would point out the different stars. We went all year round so we could see everything. But Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are always visible."
He paused, glancing over at Saylor. Saylor held his gaze, not even pretending she was still looking at the sky.
"Should I be taking notes?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ryan pulled a face at her then turned back.
"You should have already known that," he said, "but I'll let it slide."
"Oh thanks," she said.
"My mother told me," Ryan said, ignoring her, "that the bears in the sky were shifters. They were a mom and her son. That every time I felt bad about who I was or doubted my place in the world I should look up and remember that we were in the stars for a reason. I still look at them now, when times get really bad, and it gives me hope."
"Your mom sounds really sweet," said Saylor.
"She was," said Ryan. "She died about ten years ago, right before I left for college. It was hard on me but I think it was harder on my dad."
"I'm so sorry," Saylor said. She reached out, found his hand in the dark, and clutched it. When Ryan did not pull away she intertwined their fingers.
Ryan rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
"That is the reason I studied astronomy and then went into teaching. I hoped to make someone else feel that way I felt when my mom taught me about all the stars in the sky."
"You're a wonderful teacher," said Saylor.
Ryan looked at her. "I've only been teaching for a couple years now, I haven't mastered it. But I will."
They stayed there, looking at each other and holding hands in the sand. Ryan stared at her, tracing Saylor's face with his eyes. She ignored the embarrassment she felt at being examined so closely and forced herself to stay his gaze. His eyes were bright and he kept smiling as he took in the line of her nose, the curve of her lips, the graceful arch of her eyebrows.
"I'm happy you saw me shift yesterday," he said, voice soft so Saylor had to lean in a little to hear him.
"You are?"
"I haven't been able to tell anyone who I really was since I left home. Shifters weren't allowed to attend UW - Madison when I went, but my dad isn't a shifter and my mom had passed away so she wasn't on any of my paperwork. I was able to slip in under the radar. But it was so hard to be careful, I couldn't even trust my best friends with this information."
"That must have been awful," said Saylor, her voice low. Her heart fluttered when Ryan leaned in the hear her.
"It was, but it was good too. I enjoyed being treated as a full human, no more of the second class citizenship. That was why I decided to come here instead of go back to teach in Minnesota and live with my dad. I wanted to keep that freedom for a little while."
Ryan sighed and rubbed at the stubble growing on his chin.
"I sometimes felt like I was running too far away from my problems. I couldn't have a real relationship with anyone, let alone a romantic relationship, but now you're here."
&nb
sp; He locked eyes with Saylor and she stopped breathing for a moment.
"I can trust you, right?" He asked.
"You can always trust me," she said. She reached forward and stroked the side of his face. Her fingers tingled as she ran over his warm skin and the rough stubble. He leaned into her touch.
"I really like you, Saylor," he said, reaching out and tracing her lips with his finger tips. Saylor's heart was pounding out of her chest.
"Is this okay?" He asked her. "I am your professor."
"I don't mind," she said, smiling. "I have a thing for older guys. As long as this doesn't get us in trouble."
He grinned, "I'm very good at keeping secrets."
Ryan leaned forward, closing the gap between their lips. The kiss was light, his lips soft against Saylor's. It was like nothing she ever imagined and somehow perfect. Saylor leaned into the kiss, letting all the tension and nerves she felt earlier melt away. They were here, on this perfect spring night, kissing.
Saylor moved her hand to the side of Ryan's face, tracing the side of his face. Under the stubble, and the slight baby face, his cheekbones were high and sharp. His jaw was strong and square, like a superheroes, and his lips were so soft against hers.
Ryan moved his hand over her body, cupping her cheek. She leaned into the touch, the warm hand and slight callus of his palms. Heat pooled between her thighs, something she now associated with Ryan. God, this felt so good.
His hand moved from Saylor's cheek and down her neck, stopping where her shirt gapped open. Her nipples pebbled, turning hard as rocks at just the whisper of his hand on her breasts. Her heartbeat quickened.
Oh my god, she thought, please touch me there. Oh my god. I can't take it.
Ryan deepened the kiss, sweeping his tongue across her bottom lip. Saylor gasped, opening her mouth, letting him enter her. Their tongues flicked together, gently stroking their tender organs. Saylor wanted to climb on top of him and rip off his shirt. Instead, she turned on her side, angling her body toward him, running her hand up his strong arms and wide shoulders.
"You're gorgeous," Ryan said, breaking to take a breath.
Saylor grabbed his head and pulled him back into the kiss. He teased the soft skin at the top of her breasts with the pads of his fingers. Goosebumps broke out wherever he touched her. Saylor felt her hips move, on their own, against Ryan's thigh in a light grind. He bit down on her lower lip. She moaned.
Saylor grabbed Ryan's hand and led it under her shirt. In that moment, she did not care that she was heavier than she wanted to be, that she was embarrassed by the bumps and curves of her body, or that this was the first time she had male attention since high school. All she cared about was the feeling of Ryan's hand, red hot against her wanting flesh.
He deepened the kiss, turning to meet her body. They faced each other in the sand, his leg pressing between her thighs, hips to hips, mouth to mouth. Saylor good feel Ryan's erection against her leg. She moaned as he slipped under her bra. She was impossible wet.
Ryan moved his hand around the curve of her breast, running his thumb slowly across her pert nipple. She gasped, hips bucking forward, hands tightening around Ryan's shoulders. He chuckled low, against her lips, pinching the sensitive flesh.
"You make me want to do so many dirty things to you. I can hardly control myself."
Saylor's whole body blushed at those words. The sexiest man she had ever seen, a were-bear, and her professor, was losing his control because of her? In a moment of daring, Saylor moved her hand low, rubbing Ryan's cock through his jeans. He let out a low moan that sounded like a growl. She wanted his pants off, now.
"Don't then," she said, impressed by the sultry tone to her voice.
She moved her hips, gasping as Ryan moved back, grinding against each other. Ryan pulled her into him, as close as they could be, still stroking and tweaking her nipple. His other hand grabbed at her ass, kneading the flesh and giving her a little tap. She laughed.
"You have a great ass," he said.
She reached over and gave his butt a little smack. It was taught, firm, but still enough to grab.
"So do you," she said with a giggle.
Their lips met again, hips moving together, the friction building heat in Saylor's body. She was wet and wanting, her body shuddered and screamed for the touch of Ryan all over. His cock was hard and thick through the jeans. She wondered what it would feel like in her hands.
Ryan moved his hand from her backside to the front of her jeans. With a devilish smirk her rubbed between her legs in a smooth stroke. Saylor's hips bucked into the hand and she moaned at the pressure. He rubbed again and again, teasing her, turning her own, barely reaching the clit. She wanted him.
"More," she whispered against his lips before crushing their mouths back together.
He complied, cupping her through her jeans and rubbing over and over against her sensitive area. The rough fabric and the heat of Ryan's hand was making her lose control. She stopped being self conscious about her wetness, about her wanting, and lost herself in the feeling of pleasure between her legs.
She rubbed his cock more in response. She smiled every time Ryan's breath caught against her lips. He enjoyed this as much as she did.
Emboldened by her response, Ryan unbuttoned her jeans and slid his hand inside. The contact of his flesh against her velvet wetness. He ran a thumb around her clot before running his fingers over her lips. She gasped and bucked as his fingers teased at her entrance, then worked back up to her sensitive bundle. He teased her clit, tweaked her nipples, and rubbed her. Hard.
He moved his hips against her, forcing his hand closer and harder against her body. She groaned as he moved his fingers furiously against her. She had never felt this good, certainly not the only time she had done more than kiss.
Ryan moved his fingers to her opening, parted her, and pushed a finger inside. She pressed her hips up, taking the whole finger inside, craving the pressure. He moved it in and out of her, stroking the soft walls of her cave. His thumb played with her clitoris, teasing and flicking it.
"Is this okay?" He asked, breaking for air.
Saylor could only nod as pleasure poured over her. The world was so clear now, starlight piercing through the dark and illuminating their love, their future, their life. She could see herself with this man. She wanted to be with this man.
Ryan pushed a second finger inside her, and the pressure washed over her. She moved as close as she could, taking the fingers as deep as her body would allow. She was close. Ryan's experienced fingers took control, bringing her to the edge and pulling her back. They thrust, teased, flicked, pinched, and made her want to scream.
The orgasm came. Everything went quiet for a moment, bright and still. Her head fell back, mouth open and soundless. Then it all came in a rush, the sound of the waves on the shore, the starlight, the feeling of Ryan against her. She shuddered, muscles constricting and letting go. It was magic.
When they were over, Ryan pulled out his hand, wiping it in the sand. Saylor buttoned her jeans. The shore was silent save for the waves.
"We are definitely doing that again," said Saylor, breathless and content.
Ryan kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"If you want it," he said, smiling, his eyes lazy with sex, "you got it."
"Do you want me to..." Saylor gestured at the bulge in his jeans. Ryan shook his head.
"No," he said, "not tonight. I want you, but you have given me so much already. I wanted this to be about you."
Saylor blushed and said, "I like you... I mean like you like you. I mean... ugh."
Ryan cupped her cheek and smiled.
"I like you like you too."
Chapter Eight
They walked back to the campus holding hands. Saylor was elated, buoyant and thrilled by the turn of events. All those weeks of crushing hard on her professor, sure that nothing would come of it. Now a chance sighting in the woods and they had a hardcore make-out session on the beach. Life was crazy.<
br />
"So," said Ryan, giving her hand a squeeze, "you really don't mind that I'm...?"
"Oh no!" said Saylor, still a bit breathless from their activities. "I totally don't care that you're my professor. I mean, it would be weird if I was a science major or something, but since I'm studying English we don't even have to worry. I won't be in any of your classes."
"It's not like you're old either," she paused. "How old are you anyway? Twenty-eight?"
"Thirty-two," he said with a grin, "but I wasn't talking about being a professor. I meant that, I'm a shifter."
Saylor rolled her eyes and pulled a face. "That doesn't bother me at all. Men are always a little smelly and a lot of work. So you're a bear sometimes, I don't mind that at all."
"It's a little more than that," said Ryan. "It's not like sometimes I am a bear and sometimes I am a man. I am both at once, so I am something completely different. People are rude about it too. If they find out that you are dating a shifter, you might face some adversity. There will be comments."
"I promise," said Saylor, watching an owl swoop down into the brush after an unfortunate rodent, "I can deal with the comments. I'm fat – "
"You're not-" Ryan started to say. Saylor shushed him.
"I am! It doesn't help that you try to deny it. I'm a big girl, and that's okay. I am learning to love myself. But being fat is something that people see right away, and there are always comments. I can't pass for thin. I have a high tolerance for assholes."
Ryan pulled her into a hug.
"I'm sorry you have to deal with that," he said. His breath tickled her forehead. "I think you're absolutely beautiful, and I love that you're bigger. I don't have to worry about breaking you. Plus, it's super sexy."
Saylor batted him away, secretly pleased.
"So tell me more about this shifter thing," said Saylor, changing the subject. "I've never known a shifter before. How does it work? I know the moon doesn't have to be full or whatever. Is it like The Hulk?"
She struck a pose, crinkling up her face and lifting her hands up in claws. "Don't make me angry, you won't like me when you're angry."
Bearly Passing: Saylor and Ryan Page 3