Page 85 of Shadows of Obsession

Emboldened, I stepped closer and placed my hands at the hem of his shirt. Slowly, I lifted it over his head. The way he raised his arms without hesitation made me smile. It was such a small thing, but it spoke of growing comfort and trust. He was letting me set the pace.

I gathered his shirt and my shorts, then slipped into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind me. My hands trembled slightly as I leaned against it, trying to steady my breath.

I changed quickly, splashing cool water on my flushed cheeks before pulling on the shorts and slipping into Jaxon's shirt. The fabric smelled like him and it hung loose on my frame, brushing mid-thigh. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed. She looked happy. Hopeful.

When I returned to the room, Jaxon was already in bed, lying on his side facing the bathroom door. The sheets were pulled to his waist, his jeans folded neatly on the bench in my reading nook.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw me in his shirt. His gaze lingered, taking in the way the fabric draped across my shoulders, how it skimmed my skin. The look in his eyes made my heart race, my breath catch. I could tell he liked what he saw.

I slipped under the covers beside him, the sheets cool against my bare legs. Reaching over, I turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into soft darkness. Only the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains illuminated his face.

Jaxon moved closer right away, his arm sliding under my pillow as his other hand caressed my cheek. His touch was tender, his thumb brushing lightly across my skin He leaned in and kissed me once more, soft and unhurried, before wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close.

I turned toward him, tucking myself against his chest, my head fitting perfectly into the curve of his shoulder. My hand rested over his heart, feeling its steady rhythm beneath my palm.

As he rested his chin atop my head, his slow, even breathing calmed mine. The quiet intimacy between us felt like a soft hum, a wordless reassurance that neither of us had to bealone anymore.

CHAPTER 25

Anna

It had been three days since the cookout, and everything felt deliciously different, a thrilling shift that settled warm and welcome deep in my core. Something pivotal had happened between Jaxon and me that night, an intimate connection sparking to life like a smoldering flame that refused to go out. Everything had changed, and I didn't want it to change back.

While we both seemed to bask in the glow of this new dynamic, I knew we'd eventually have to put these tantalizing feelings into words, preferably before Connor returned, so we could present a united front against his overprotectiveness and inevitable objections. I was certain there would be objections.

I was currently leading a chestnut mare back toward the pasture after a leisurely ride, hyperaware of Jaxon's gaze scorching a path along my sweat-sheened skin. The afternoon sun was warm on my back, my shirt clinging to me with perspiration, and I could feel his eyes on me with every step I took.

That insistent watchfulness was another profound change. He'd appointed himself my constant, though respectfully distant, shadow. While I rode, he either leaned against the weathered split-rail fence, eyes roving shamelessly over me, or lounged on the porch, never letting me stray too far from his line of sight.

I should have felt stifled beneath such relentless scrutiny, should have rebelled against it. The echoes of my past with Daniel, whose controlling ways had nearly suffocated my spirit, were still too fresh, too raw.

And yet, Jaxon's heated looks ignited no sense of discomfort or caged desperation. Quite the opposite. His presence seemed to wrap around me like a sensual, protective warmth, chasing away the chill of bitter memories. He watched me with quiet intensity. Not as a jailer, but as a guardian. The difference was profound, unmistakable. I knew he watched because he cared, because he wanted to, not because he needed to control.

As I secured the pasture gate, the metal latch clicked into place with a satisfying snap, and my gaze drifted to where Jaxon lounged against the porch railing. All broad limbs and tanned skin, worn denim clinging to his hips in a way that made my mouth go dry. He raised one corner of his mouth in a slow, provocative smile that liquefied my bones and set my pulse thrumming.

Heat flooded my cheeks as I responded with a tremulous curve of my lips, warmth blooming in my chest and spreading outward until I felt flushed all over. The way he looked at me was intoxicating.

Yes, we would need to give voice to this rampant yearning, to define whatever this was before it consumed us both. Connor's imminent return might complicate things, but I felt ready to face whatever came next.

As I made my way up the porch steps, each footfall sent tingles up my spine beneath Jaxon's unwavering gaze. I could feel him tracking every movement. The sway of my hips, the rise and fall of my breathing, the way I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. A flush crept up my neck before I even reached him, my skin prickling with awareness.

He had moved to sit on the weathered wooden bench, his eyes darkening as I approached. The fabric of his worn T-shirt stretched across his chest, emphasizing the breadth of his shoulders and the strength in his arms.

Rather than sitting beside him, I started to move past, intending to head inside,but Jaxon leaned forward, and suddenly his hands skimmed up the backs of my thighs.

I trembled at his heated touch, goosebumps erupting across my skin despite the summer warmth. His fingers traced slow, deliberate patterns upward, the calluses on his palms rough against my jeans, sending electric shivers straight to my core. When he reached my waist, his grip tightened, and he tugged me down abruptly onto his lap.

I gasped at the sudden movement, my legs instinctively straddling his firm thighs. I could feel the solid strength of his muscles, the heat of him seeping through the thin fabric of my pants.

"Jax—" I began, intending to protest that we were outside, anyone could see, but his mouth claimed mine before I could finish, stealing my words.

His scent surrounded me, his arm wrapped around my lower back, palm splaying possessively against my spine as he pulled me flush against his chest. The hard planes of muscle pressed against me, drawing a muffled groan from deep in my throat, the sound vibrating between our joined lips.

My hands fisted in the soft fabric of his shirt, anchoring myself as desire coursed through my veins like wildfire. His mouth moved over mine with an intensity that stole my breath, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips until I yielded, opening for him. Despite my desire, I knew we really shouldn't be doing this out here.

Finally, I tore my lips away, though it took more willpower than I wanted to admit. I rested my flushed forehead against his, fighting to catch my breath. My heart hammered against my ribs, every nerve alive, aware of every place our bodies touched.

"We can't do this out here," I panted, my voice breathier than I intended. "Someone might see."