“Hey, Micah,” Spike said suddenly, loud enough that Micah heard. “Come look.”
The TV volume increased. Micah frowned, grabbing his walking stick.
“Congress has passed a bill to allow student-professor relationships in colleges across the United States,” the TV anchor said. “With sufficient relationship evidence, professors are no longer subject to having their teaching licenses revoked. Further debate...”
That... sounded too good to be true.
Spike angled a significant look at Micah. Micah met his eyes for a brief second, and looked away, his face burning. Does he want this to be official?
“But what if they’re sleeping with the profs for grades?” York asked. “How are they gonna prove that it’s not happening?”
“What if they’re not sleeping with the profs for grades, but because the profs are just really hot?” Spike shot back.
“Profs are so not-hot,” York retorted, whirling around to look at Micah. “What do you think, Dad?”
Micah froze, his skin prickling under all three stares. “I, uh. I don’t know. There aren’t very many attractive professors that I know of.”
“There’s a couple of good ones around,” Kai rumbled, his lips pulling into a smile. “They’re not all boring people.”
Micah got the distinct feeling he knew who Kai was talking about. His ears scorched.
York looked at Kai in horror. “Not you, too.”
“I mean, there’s your dad,” Spike said nonchalantly.
“What?” York’s eyes almost fell out of his face.
“I’m already getting straight A’s,” Spike said. “Theoretically, if I were to sleep with your dad, my grades wouldn’t change.”
Micah choked. Why did you have to say that in front of York? He headed for the kitchen, fumbling when his walking stick slipped and clattered to the floor.
“What the fuck do you mean by that?” York spluttered, lunging at Spike.
They fell to the ground in a wrestling heap. Micah crouched awkwardly to pick up his walking stick.
But Kai got there first. He handed Micah the stick, then offered his hand to pull Micah back to his feet.
Micah blushed. That was nice of Kai. And even better yet, when it cost Kai hardly any strength to set Micah upright again. “Th-thanks.”
Kai didn’t let go of Micah’s hand.
“You okay?” Kai asked, looking over Micah to make sure he was fine.
“I am.” Micah ducked his head, their earlier conversation ringing in his mind.
“I’m not doing this for grades, by the way,” Kai added in an undertone, a wry smile on his lips. “Despite what Spike might suggest.”
Micah chuckled, his fingers twitching in the warmth of Kai’s hand. “I know. And we have many more consultations to go.”
Kai broke into a smile, sweet and handsome. Despite being an athlete, Kai didn’t seem to mind Micah’s bad leg. Micah’s heart pattered. He wanted to step close, and breathe Kai’s scent off his skin. I can’t be feeling this for him, too.
“I-I’m headed to the kitchen,” he blurted, terrified by the intensity of what he felt. One brother is already too many. “I’ll see you later.”
“I can walk you there,” Kai said.
“It’s just the kitchen. It’s a few steps away.” But the longer Micah stayed here with Kai, in front of York, the more incriminating it was. So he allowed Kai to take his hand, following him into the kitchen.
“I’m leaving you here,” Kai said then, meeting Micah’s eyes. “Gotta break the fight up before York kills Spike.”
A laugh bubbled through Micah’s chest. “I appreciate it.”
Kai nodded politely, almost gentle. Except Micah knew the sort of hunger that lay slumbering in him. And he wondered what other facets of Kai there were, how much more there was to Kai Ventura that he didn’t know yet.
Micah retreated deeper into the kitchen, his skin tingling when Kai glanced at him with a smile.
With Kai and Spike living with him, it felt as though he was getting into deeper trouble every single day.
* * *
Later that night, there came a soft knock on Micah’s bedroom door. His heart quickened into a patter; his blood rushed south.
It wasn’t the first night, or the second, or even the third, that this was happening. He should have gotten used to it by now.
Except the bedroom door eased open, and a shadow stepped in, shutting the door silently. He locked the door. Micah’s throat went dry.
Spike padded through the dark room, pulling his shirt off, then his shorts. Clothing rustled to the floor. Then he prowled onto Micah’s bed, all muscles and bare skin, and Micah’s breath escaped his lungs.
“Been waiting long?” Spike murmured.
“No,” Micah said, his voice thick. He’d been struggling not to touch himself before Spike got here.
“Sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have instigated York.” Spike huffed, a note of laughter in his voice. “I was curious. He’s still not okay with this.”
Micah sighed. “No, he isn’t.”
Spike planted his hands on either side of Micah’s shoulders, his knees straddling Micah’s waist. This pinned the covers down around Micah, so Micah couldn’t move. And Micah had never felt safer with anyone else.
“But enough of that,” Spike whispered, his breath hot on Micah’s cheek. He leaned in, his lips searching. Then he found Micah’s nose, pressing soft kisses down Micah’s skin, until their lips met.
The first kiss was chaste, sweet, like a greeting. The second was all tongue, Spike tasting Micah’s mouth, exploring him inside like he didn’t already know every inch of Micah’s body. Micah sighed and arched toward him; Spike peeled the sheets down, trailing kisses down Micah’s throat, to his shoulders. Every kiss felt like a brand on Micah’s skin.
Micah trembled beneath him. His body hungered, and his heart yearned. He wanted more of Spike. It felt like he could never have enough of this alpha. I can’t believe I like him this much.
Spike paused at Micah’s scent gland, sucking lightly on it, scraping his teeth against that sensitive spot. Pleasure whispered through Micah’s veins; he writhed, and Spike kissed down his chest, sucking Micah’s nipples into his hot mouth, one at a time.
Every night since Spike and Kai moved in, Spike had been visiting—Spike had done this in complete darkness, on Micah’s
