Page 121 of Shadows of Obsession

My fingers tightened in his hair, tugging slightly. He made a low sound in his throat that sent heat flooding through me. One of his hands came up to cradle the back of my head, angling my face for a deeper kiss that stole my breath and scattered my thoughts.

Yes. I needed this. I neededhim.

I could feel his heart hammering against my chest, matching the frantic rhythm of my own. My hands roamed over his shoulders and down his back, mapping the muscles that flexed beneath my touch. When my fingers slipped beneath the hem of his shirt to find bare skin, Jaxon's breath hitched.

"God, Anna," he murmured against my lips. "You're—"

The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat, and the heavy thud of a bag hitting the floor, shattered the moment like glass.

I gasped, tensing in Jaxon's arms as my entire body went rigid with surprise and a spike of irrational fear. In one fluid, protective motion that spoke of his military training, Jaxon spun around, his body instantly becoming a shield between me and the perceived threat.

My mind registered the danger, the threat, then corrected itself.No—wait—

My heart pounded against my ribs as adrenaline flooded my system, and I had to fight the instinct to scramble away, to hide, to run.

Then I saw who it was.

Connor stood in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest and a deep frown etched on his face. His gaze flicked between Jaxon and me, sharp and assessing, and I saw the exact moment recognition and understanding dawned.

Oh God.

The air crackled with tension, the weight of his unexpected presence pressing down on the suddenly too-small kitchen. My face flushed hot with embarrassment. I was acutely aware of how we must look. Me perched on the counter, legs still loosely around Jaxon's waist, both of us flushed and breathing hard, caught in a moment that wasn't meant to be seen.

"I guess I don't need to offer you one of the guest cabins while you fix your place," Connor said dryly. His voice was gruff, laced with sarcasm. He raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of surprise, resignation, and something that might have been concern.

I knew he was upset. He was angry. He was going to lecture us.

I slid off the counter quickly, nearly stumbling as my feet hit the floor. Jaxon's arm immediately came around my waist to steady me, and I was grateful for the support, my legs felt distinctly unsteady.

Trying to gather myself, I took a step toward Connor. "What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you for a couple of days."

Connor sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, a sure sign he was stressed. "We left the show early. I didn't need to be there any longer, and after hearing what happened…" His eyes found mine, softening with concern. "I wanted to be home. So we packed up and drove straight through."

He'd driven twenty hours straight to get here.

Guilt twisted in my stomach. He'd left the show early because of me, because of what had happened.

Jaxon moved closer, his arm still around my waist in a gesture that was both supportive and slightly defiant, given Connor's expression. He squared his shoulders, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.

"Connor, I won't apologize for how I feel about Anna," Jaxon said evenly. "My feelings are real, and they're not going away."

My breath caught. The directness of it, the honesty, the refusal to hide or make excuses, was so quintessentially Jaxon that my heart swelled even as anxiety knotted in my chest.

The silence stretched taut as wire. I held my breath, waiting for Connor's response.

To my surprise, his expression softened. The hard lines around his mouth eased, and a small, understanding smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I don't want you to apologize, Jaxon," he said quietly. "As long as you treat her right and don't hurt her, I'm okay with it. I just want Anna to be happy."

Relief washed through me so powerfully my knees nearly gave out. "Connor—"

But he wasn't finished. His eyes found mine again, filled with that familiar protectiveness. "I do want to talk to both of you, though. About what happened, and about where things stand."

Of course he does. He needs to process everything.

I crossed the distance between us and pulled Connor into a tight hug. He was solid and familiar, smelling of hay, leather, and the road. Tears stung my eyes. "I missed you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm so glad you're home."

Connor returned the embrace, wrapping me in his strong arms and pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. "I missed you too. And I'm sorry for barging in like that. It's just… after everything that happened, I was worried about you."