Ravenous (The Finn Factor 4)

Holding up a finger, he continued, “So rule number one of this class. Personal sexuality—yours and mine—will not be up for discussion during the lectures. This is to protect you and your privacy. In your written work, I’ll welcome disclosure, though it’s not required. I will, however, expect insight and empathy. In return, you can expect me to always respect your privacy. I will be the only one to read your work, unless you choose to share it outside of class. If anyone has any difficulties or a personal emotional response to our selected topics, my office hours are in the syllabus and my door is always open.”

Jen could easily imagine the waiting line to his office after that speech. At least ten girls in class—a couple of the guys too—looked like they’d be having a personal, emotional response as soon as humanly possible. Hell, she was having one right now.

She swirled the cap of her pen in her mouth and bit it again in frustration. She’d really been looking forward to this. Now she’d have four months of listening to that voice and watching him move, wondering what it would be like to have a private study session in her bedroom. She wouldn’t need him to respect her privacy at all.

This class would be torture. If only she hadn’t promised not to go back to the club after she’d been sentenced with community service. She definitely deserved a good, hard spanking right about now.

Declan Kelley wasn’t doing well. He knew his opening lecture by heart, could give it in his sleep, and that was the only silver lining he could find for this hour that wouldn’t end.

Jennifer Finn. He’d heard her introducing herself to a student named Ira as she crawled on her hands and knees at his feet, gathering papers. He was surprised he’d heard anything at all, because from the moment she’d bent down, all he could see was a delectable ass in form-fitting jeans, her sexy little tattoo and that hair. Beautiful red and gold hair that he wanted to take out of that ponytail and run his fingers through.

Touching her had been a mistake, but no one had stopped to help her up and he felt compelled to step in. It was the gentlemanly thing to do.

Liar.

He hadn’t wanted to let go. It was disturbing, how difficult it had been. When he caught her staring at his mouth, he’d nearly forgotten where he was and pulled her closer.

That didn’t happen. Not to him. He wasn’t used to the instant desire being near her created. The fact that she was a student made it unacceptable, but that didn’t bother him as much as the intensity of it. He’d just been thinking about the only other person who’d engendered that particular response when his day went from bad to…

Trick Dunham. His old lover was sitting a few rows below the redhead, watching him with far too much interest and amusement.

Declan’s heart started pounding in his ears and he forced himself to look away.

Why was he here? Why today? Declan had been in Europe last semester—had Trick stopped by to welcome him home? And how could he call Trick his “old lover” if he took the man back eagerly whenever he showed up at his door? He’d gotten multiple degrees and spent hours with his head buried in books just trying to figure that particular dysfunction out.

He needed to think of something else or the hands in his pockets wouldn’t hide his reaction. He just had to think it through rationally. Trick didn’t come to campus—not in all the years he’d been here. He’d never shown any interest in Declan’s field of study, unless it pertained to research in the bedroom.

Jennifer Finn. He glanced at her again, curious. What were the odds that a student named Finn and Senator Stephen Finn’s old friend and P.I. on retainer would be in his class at the same time?

What were the odds they’d both get you so hard?

Disappointment helped put a lid on his arousal. Trick wasn’t here for him. He was working and so was Declan. He had a lecture to give and he couldn’t be distracted by memories of rough, dirty sex and…

His thoughts trailed off as Jennifer Finn slid the cap of her pen in her mouth while she watched him. Then she wiggled in her seat and, after a moment, crossed her legs tellingly when she realized he was looking.

He’d never wanted to be a seat so badly in his life.

Dirty old man.

Someone asked a question and he grasped it like a lifeline, grateful when others followed their lead. He took his time answering each one, no matter how inane. Yes, the papers would count for a third of their grade. No, they would not be watching porn or that movie about BDSM. Absolutely, they would be discussing women’s sexual roles in culture and the media.