Page 93 of Shadows of Obsession

Moving slowly, deliberately, I raised my shaking arms to wind around his neck. My fingers laced at his nape, and I used that grip to pull myself impossibly closer. We were aligned from chest to thigh now, no space for secrets left between us.

The slick slide of bare skin against skin sent heat unfurling lazily in my belly, chasing away the lingering chill that had nothing to do with temperature.

A low, wordless sound of pained relief rumbled up from Jaxon's chest, vibrating against my oversensitized skin like the purr of a jungle cat. Then he was banding his arms fully around me, enfolding me in his fierce strength until I couldn't tell where I ended and he began.

The protective cage of his body shielded me from everything beyond the small haven we'd created, and I wanted to burrow into him until the rest of the world disappeared completely.

"Are you here to give me a good bang session?"

Oh my God.

Jaxon's brow arched as he echoed Harper's earlier remark, his tone teasing but edged with something deeper. Beneath the playful lilt was a current of tension, emotion simmering beneath the surface.

My eyes widened, mortification and disbelief colliding inside me. I quickly pressed my forehead against Jaxon's chest, hiding my face from his knowing gaze.

The question caught me off guard. Heat flared in my cheeks as the memory of Harper's well-meaning but completely inappropriate advice flashed through my mind. The warmth of the shower did nothing to cool the embarrassment burning through me, if anything, it made it worse.

The water streamed over my bowed head, threading through my hair and flowing in steady rivulets down my back.

Jaxon's chest rumbled with a quiet chuckle, his body shaking with restrained amusement. The sound carried a note of relief, as though he welcomed the brief levity. It vibrated through me where our bodies met, and despite my embarrassment, a reluctant smile tugged at my lips.

Sobering, he tightened his arms around me, the gesture a silent reassurance.

"You heard us?" I asked softly, turning my head just enough so my words wouldn't be lost against his skin.

He hesitated. I felt the faint tension in his muscles before he finally exhaled. "I heard enough," he admitted, his voice threaded with remorse that made my heart ache. "Anna… I'm sorry if I hurt you."

The apology was quiet but sincere, heavy with regret.

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze as my arms loosened around his neck. Water streamed down my face, but I didn't care. "Then stop distancing yourself, Jax," I said gently but firmly, the words spilling out before doubt could silence me. "Things were going so well. Why did you start pulling away?"

Pain flickered through his expression—haunted, raw. "Losing Nikki…" he began, voice rough. "The way she died… it all came rushing back after the break-in."

Realization hit me like a wave, stealing my breath and making my knees weaken. Nikki had been murdered during a robbery. Just like the break-in at Jaxon's cabin. The connection was glaringly obvious now, and guilt twisted in my stomach for not seeing it sooner.

Empathy swelled in my chest, heavy and aching. His distance hadn't come from doubt or regret, it was grief resurfacing, memories clawing their way to the surface. He'd been trying to handle it alone.

I cupped his face, brushing my thumbs along the tense line of his jaw. "Jaxon, I'm so sorry," I murmured, letting every ounce of compassion I felt color the words. "I should've realized how much it would affect you."

He turned his head to press a kiss into my palm, his eyes closing as though the contact offered him peace. The tenderness of it made my throat tighten.

"You couldn't have known," he said softly, his voice low and sincere as his gaze found mine again.

Shadows of pain lingered in his eyes, but there was something else there too, fragile hope, reaching for me through the wreckage.

I saw the silent plea in his expression, the desperate need for reassurance, and I understood. This moment mattered. What I said next could either pull him back from the edge or let him fall deeper into it.

"You're not alone in this," I promised fiercely, locking my gaze with his. "I'm here, and we'll get through it together. Just… don't shut me out."

His answering smile was small but real, the tension in his body loosening like a weight lifting off him. He bowed his head until his forehead rested against mine, the gesture intimate and grounding.

Then his lips brushed my temple, soft and reverent, before tracing a slow path along my cheek and down the line of my jaw. Each touch felt like a thank you—for understanding, for staying.

When he reached the curve of my neck, he lingered there, breathing me in. I felt his chest rise and fall against mine, the warm whisper of his breath ghosting over my skin.

Then, moving with quiet care, he turned me so I was facing away, gathering me against the solid expanse of his chest. His arms wrapped securely around my middle, holding me close in a cocoon of heat and safety.

He eased me back until the shower's stream flowed over my shoulders, cascading in soothing waves. I closed my eyes, letting the water wash over me as I leaned into the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.