Things That Go Hump In The Night (76 page)

CHAPTER TEN

The Real Riker

Later
that day, I found myself at a crossroads. Sitting outside the counselor’s office, I waffled over my choices.

On the one hand, I obviously couldn’t stay in the same class with Riker. I could tell it was going to mess with my focus and concentration, which meant my grades—and my career. The only problem was that most of the other life drawing classes were full, and none of the other professors had the reputation of Professor Hickory.

But at least if I switch I’ll be able to concentrate in class.

The counselor peeked her head out the door. “Mara Finn? Come on in, I’m ready for you.”

“Thank you.”

I walked into her office, which was spartan in its decor. “Go ahead and take a seat.”

“Thank you, Ms…”

“Reynolds.”

“Thanks. I tried to change classes online, but the system wouldn’t let me.”

“That’s because you’re a junior now, on your academic track.” She picked a file up off her desk, looking it over. “If you switch classes, you could wind up behind on your credits. It’s a delicate balancing act. We just want to make sure you graduate on time.”

My heart sunk. “So I can’t switch.”

Frowning, she took a look over the file. “You
can
if you want, but you’ll have to switch out of one of your other core classes, which means making it up over the summer or online. On the other hand, you
would
have a lighter class load. And looking at your schedule, that’s something you might want to consider.”

“I was planning on graduating a semester early. I
really
don’t want to change that.”

Leaning forward, the counselor folded her hands over my file. “Then I’m afraid you’re going to have to stay in that class. Unless you still want to drop it?”

Sighing, I shook my head. “I can handle the schedule. Thanks for your help.”
Or lack thereof,
I thought, gathering my things to leave.

Between the chemistry we had and the way fate forced us to see each other, getting Riker out of my life was turning out to be impossible.

There
was another office I needed to visit.

Syllabus in hand, I prowled down the hallway towards Professor Hickory’s office. It was past her office hours, but her TA was supposed to be in—and I had to talk to him. I walked like a woman on a mission, my footsteps ringing out in the hallway, my face—based on the reactions of all the other students getting out of the way—firmly set on a pissed off expression.

He kissed me,
I fumed internally.
He made me feel all these butterfly feelings in my stomach, and it’s not even fair.
The childish part of me wanted to run up, pinch him, and run away. The rest of me was going to tell him he needed to back off and let me have a normal student life.

Stopping in front of the professor’s office doors, I knocked—loudly.

“Come in,” called a male voice from inside.

Opening the door, I cleared my throat. “I want to talk to you.”

“Mara.” Riker sat behind a wide desk covered in thick sheets of paper. “I’m a little busy. Did you need help with your assignment?”

“No.” Pulling out a chair, I sat across from him. “This is about that kiss.”

Sighing, he straightened up and gave me his full attention. “Go on. But make it short.”

Mentally, I tried to call up my prepared speech, but seeing him sitting there made it next to impossible. Instead all I felt was irritation—because I wanted to kiss him again.

“I can’t keep doing… this.”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “Talking to me, you mean?”

“No, this awkwardness between us because of the other night.”

“I don’t feel any awkwardness,” Riker said. “If you do, isn’t that your problem?”

My blood pressure spiked, but I managed to stay calm. “I tried to change classes this morning, but if I do that I won’t graduate on time. But being in that class with you—all that awkwardness,
which is your fault too
because you kissed me, it’s too difficult. It’s messing with my head. No more flirting, no more kissing, and for the love of God, convince Professor Hickory not to use you as a nude model again.”

He smirked at me. “Does the sight of my bare chest make you lose control?”

I snapped, slapping my hands down on the desk. The sound reverberated through the room, shaking the papers on his desk. I was rarely so angry, but my frustration with him sent me into overdrive. “Cut. It. Out.”

Riker’s expression changed, something unsettling in his eyes. “Consider the message received.”

Studying his face, I could see that he was serious. “Thank you. I just—I just don’t want anything getting in the way of my school work.”

“And I’m a distraction. I understand.” Suddenly Riker seemed cold, distant. “Speaking of distractions…”

Motioning to his desk, he made it clear that he expected me to leave so he could grade homework.

“Thanks for understanding.”

Riker’s eyes didn’t meet mine. “Of course.”

I felt like there was something hanging unsaid between us, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Clearly my little temper tantrum upset him, but it also seemed to have worked. He wasn’t going to bother me anymore—and wasn’t that what I wanted? So I got up and left him to his work.

His
hands were shaking.

When Mara slammed her hands against the desk, he felt her anger—smelled it, even. Something about her set Riker off, whether it was his attraction to her or just her tendency to get on his nerves. So the feeling of her rage as she sat right across from him set the panther to snarling.

And he was still here.

Hands curling into fists, lips peeling back, he fought the creature inside him that wanted to
take
her. He couldn’t tell if it was angry
at
Mara or angry
with
Mara, but either way he couldn’t risk exposing himself here.

“Cut it out,” he muttered aloud, his voice a guttural growl. “Not here.”

Snarling, he threw himself out of the chair and paced around the room. His bones began to snap and twist inside him as the panther fought its leash. There was only one way to make it go away: give it what it wanted or hurt it.

So he punched his hand against a glass picture frame on the wall. Blood spurted out, rooting him in reality. The panther roared inside him. It was focused now, not frenetic and confused. Riker had just reminded it who was in charge.

This is
my
body,
he thought, staring at the red blood, stark against his fist. The pain anchored him to his skin. Human—he was human, nothing more.

At least for now.

But he could still smell her nearby, and so could the beast inside him.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Office Hours

I
couldn’t help loitering outside the office, my thoughts a mess. For some reason there was a part of me that felt a little guilty for being so
direct
in there. Slamming my hands down on the desk had been a childish display of anger on my part—but I couldn’t help it, I was just so frustrated with men these days.

Maybe I should apologize,
I thought, raising my fist to the door and hesitating.
But I don’t want him to think this means I’m interested and start flirting in class again.
I didn’t know what I wanted, not really.

There was a sound from inside the room, something strange and deep. I backed up a step, suddenly afraid for some deep, primal reason I didn’t quite understand.

A moment passed and I calmed down.
Just my imagination.

Then there was a crash—loud, violent. And another sound.

Without thinking I threw the door open, alarmed.

“Are you okay?”

Riker stumbled back from a broken picture frame, cradling one fist in the other hand. I rushed towards him, gaping at the blood dripping from his clenched hand.

“What the hell happened?”

“I’m fine,” he said, but he refused to turn his face towards me. “Don’t worry, just a stupid scratch.”

“That’s not
bleeding
like a scratch.” Glancing at the picture frame, I noticed the spray of bright red blood across broken glass. “You must be some kind of idiot to punch a glass picture frame.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

Reaching out, I pulled his wrists towards me so I could see the wound. Riker turned his face finally, his eyes flicking up at me. They were
yellow
—not amber, not brown, not green with flecks, but pure yellow. His eyes met mine, the strangeness of their unnatural hue sending a shiver up my spine.

“Let me clean this up. Sit down over there—you’ve got some glass in it.”

Though he grumbled, Riker followed my directions. I pulled a lamp over to his chair, the halogen lights illuminating his torn red skin. Gently, I unfurled his fist and leaned over close to it.

“I just don’t get why you did it,” I said, delicately pulling out a piece of glass with my fingernails. “I mean, I get that you were pissed or something…”

“I wasn’t pissed,” he said, his head bowed. “Just hurry up, okay? I’ve got to get back to work.”

“Sure thing. Where’s the first aid kit?”

“Right side, bottom desk drawer.”

Leaning over, I rummaged through professor Hickory’s things until I found it. Thankfully there was antiseptic and bandages inside. “Alright, this is gonna hurt a bit.”

“I’ll be fine.”

I dabbed the antiseptic on his wound, spreading it thinly over his skin. Then I double checked his hand for more glass, and wrapped the bandages around his knuckles.
He’s being so silent,
I thought as I taped the edges down. Peering up, I looked into his downcast eyes.
His irises are still yellow. I don’t understand the first thing about him.

“You should go.” Riker’s voice was low as he muttered at me. “Just go, now.”

Frowning, I let his hand go and stared at his inscrutable expression. “Why?”

“Because all I want to do is kiss you.”

A long moment passed as I let his words sink in. In truth, I wanted nothing more than to press myself against Riker and feel him inside me once more. It was foolish; it wasn’t what I wanted, in the long term.
You should go
, I repeated his words to myself, a thousand reasons why circling in my head. Instead I reached out and touched his cheek.

His skin was warm and rough, stubble pressing against my fingertips. The feeling of my hand against his face seemed to ignite something in him, and before I knew it he’d pulled me between his legs without leaving the chair. Lips pressed against mine, Riker showed me a little glimpse of the lust he had inside.

Abruptly
, he pulled away. “Like I said,” he murmured, his eyes still a glowing yellow, “you should go.”

“No.” I traced the line of his jaw with my fingertips, our mouths so close that our breaths were one. There was no way I could tear myself away from him again. This thing between us—it had to play out one more time. “I want to stay. But it’s just physical—this one last time.”

“To get it out of our system,” he said, supplying a reason to give in to this fiery passion between us.

“Like a smoker with a nicotine patch.”

“We can keep it separate from class entirely.” Standing up, Riker brought me with him, his legs braced around mine. We kissed as we backed up towards the desk, our tongues dancing in each other’s mouths.

“Strictly physical,” I said, leaning back and bracing my hands against the heavy wood desk.

“Just fucking.”

He pushed all his papers off to the floor with one outstretched hand. I watched them swirl towards the carpet, a smile tugging on my lips. “So you think I’m going to have sex with you on a
desk?”

“I know you are,” Riker growled, pushing me roughly up and onto the hard surface. “This is what you came back for.”

I held onto his shoulders, my knees open wide as he stood between them. He wasted no time taking off my clothes, his hands slipping off my shirt and practically tearing off my bra. I gasped as he kissed my neck, my shoulder, and finally my breast. The feeling of his mouth on my nipple—especially without any alcohol in my body—was visceral and heated.

“Fuck,” I cursed, pulling his head down with my hands in his hair. “Keep going.”

“Take your pants off.”

I bit my lip at the tough, commanding tone of his voice. Grasping my hands in his good one, he pushed my fingers towards the waistline of my jeans. I unbuttoned them, his eyes staring at me intensely.

“You too,” I said, pushing him back a step. “Get naked. We don’t have much time before your office hours are over. We could get caught.”

He smiled, his teeth sharp and predatory. “Exciting, isn’t it.” It was a statement, not a question—and he was right. I
was
excited at the thought that we could get caught.

Riker didn’t bother with his shirt, simply pushing his jeans open and pulling down his boxers. His pants pooled at his knees, his cock hanging out in the open air. Stepping forward, he pulled my jeans down roughly, his good hand probing between my legs.

I gasped and groaned as his fingers entered me all at once. “Uhh—that feels good.”

Pushing me back onto the desk, Riker stood between my thighs, his cock rubbing up against my bare skin. “You’re wet for me already. I can feel it.”

Biting my lips, I pulled him closer by the collar of his shirt. “You’re so hot. I could barely take it, watching you strip yesterday.”

He grinned. “I knew that turned you on.”

“Stop teasing and get down to business.”

In response, he growled that growl again—a sound that was starting to turn me on like nothing else could. His lips met mine, consuming and not at all gentle in their passion. As he kissed me roughly, Riker pulled his fingers out and teased me with the head of his cock. His member was wide and warm, bare skin pressing against bare skin. I thanked every god in the universe that I’d taken the pill this morning, because I knew there was no way we were fumbling around for a condom—again.

“What do you want?” he asked, pulling back from the kiss, his cock in his hand as he made little circles around my pussy.

“I want you to fuck me,” I said, pressing closer to him. “I want you to push me down on this desk, thrust your big hard cock inside me and fuck me until I can’t see straight.”

“Good girl,” he purred, and then he grabbed me with both hands and
threw
me down onto the desk. He climbed up after me, his hips spreading my legs open, his hands braced against the wood. “Your wish is my command, princess.”

His cock was wide and hard as he
thrust
it inside me, pushing me back on the smooth surface. Moaning, I threw my legs around his waist and held on as our bodies met. He wasted no time, fucking his cock deep inside me until his full balls were pressed against my skin.

“Aahhh, fuck,” I cried out, burying my face against his neck. “Yes, yes! Keep going.”

Riker pulled me to him with his hands, his fingers bruisingly hard against my rib cage. He worked his hips and moved inside me, pulling his cock out and thrusting it again
hard.
I gasped as he hit just the right angle to brush against my G-spot.
God, he feels so good,
I thought, warm feelings moving through my whole body.

Fingers curling, I met the rhythm of his thrusts with my hips. Our bodies slipped and slid across the surface of the professor’s desk as Riker fucked me harder and faster. He wasted no time, and soon enough I was whimpering and writhing beneath him.

“Oh god.” Panting, I twisted up towards him, my body trembling as I clenched down on his cock. “I’m going to come.”

“Then do it.” His voice was low, primal even, a strange sound rumbling in his chest. He aimed his thrusts in just the right places, rubbing up against me with precision. “Come for me, baby.”

I obeyed, gasping and bucking beneath him as hot, fiery pleasure descended on me. My toes curled, my fingers dug into his skin, and my pussy contracted again and again around his hard cock. He continued to fuck me through it, his thrusts so deep he pushed us half off the desk.

“Ugh, fuck.” His mouth was warm against me as he buried his face in my neck, his hips working double time. “Ah, princess. So warm and wet. Fuck, I’m gonna come.”

“Do it.”

Then he
slammed
inside me and came, spilling hot wetness into my unprotected body. Sighing, I came down from my own orgasm slowly, every muscle in my body content, every nerve pleased. Riker trembled and twisted in my arms as he pumped his load deep inside me, his cock spurting again and again. Every inch of his skin was pressed against mine, my insides trembling at the feeling of him filling me up.

I could almost swear I heard him
purr.

We panted together for a few long moments, relaxing inch by inch. He kissed my shoulder, then swung his legs off the desk, his member falling out of me. I felt contented, if a little embarrassed by what we’d just done.

Pulling me up, he stared deep into my eyes. Puzzled, I observed that his irises were no longer yellow, but somewhere between amber and green once more. It didn’t seem possible, but I filed that fact away to contemplate later.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

Standing on my tip toes, I kissed his mouth, our lips suddenly chaste, even after what we’d just done—again. “I had an idea,” I said, “but thanks for reminding me.”

Awkwardly, Riker pulled up his pants and belted them, and I got dressed as well. We were more relaxed than last time, neither of us hurrying, even though we could get caught at any moment.

“Nicotine patch, hmmm?” Riker mused aloud.

“One last time to get it out of our system,” I reminded him as I pulled on my shirt. “But this can’t happen again.”

Amusement glimmered in his eyes. “Of course. We’ll be strictly professional from now on.”

Prowling towards me, he swept an arm around my waist and kissed me passionately. His lips worked mine, his arm bending me back at the waist, my hands braced against his chest. I tried to push him off, but half-heartedly—and he pulled back slowly, a soft smirk on his lips.

“Just one last kiss,” he said, letting me go and leaving me feeling cold, “ma’am.”

“I didn’t mean
that
professional. I’m not old.”

“Mademoiselle,” he corrected. “Now get out of my office. I need to clean up.”

Reluctantly, I walked out the door for the second time—but part of me stayed behind with him.