Goody Magic Academy, Year Three

Chapter 20

Chapter

Twenty

W e stared at each other intently, our gazes locked together in the dim room. The guest quarters were quiet, the silence broken only by the soft whisper of our breathing. Moonlight streamed through the window, bathing Jaxon’s skin with a soft, ethereal glow. The only sound I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears, its rhythm quick and insistent.

Jaxon gently played with my braid, his touch sending sparks across my scalp. He shifted on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. “Peyton—” His voice was low and rough.

I cocked my eyebrow saucily, a mix of anticipation and nervousness fluttering in my stomach. “What, are you going to make excuses now? You don’t want me?”

He leaned his broad body over mine, pinning me to the bed. The heat of his skin seeped through our clothes, sending a tremble down my spine. His familiar scent enveloped me. “Of course I do,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. “The minute you walked into Goody Magic with Professor Eastey that first time, I knew. Every fiber in my being wanted you, and I knew no other girl would ever satisfy me. Just you.”

My breath caught in my throat, my skin hot where his body pressed against mine. I reached up, tracing the line of his jaw with trembling fingers, feeling the slight roughness of his stubble. Desire pooled in my core, my pulse roaring in my ears as I waited for his first move.

Jaxon’s gaze softened as he reached out, his calloused fingers gently grasping the end of one of my braids. He twirled it around his index finger, the slight tugging sensation sending shivers down my scalp. “Do you ever undo your braids?” he asked. His voice was low, curious.

A frown creased my brow, uncertainty fluttering in my stomach. “You don’t like them?” I asked, flustered. I could feel heat rising in my cheeks, a mix of self-consciousness and anticipation.

“I like them just fine—they’re you—but I’d also love to see you let go a little.” His words trailed away, and I watched, mesmerized, as his deft fingers began to work, slowly and gently unraveling first one braid, then the other.

As my hair came free, I felt a sense of vulnerability wash over me. Jaxon’s fingers combed through the loose strands, sending little electric shocks down my spine with each touch. The scent of my shampoo, eucalyptus and lemon, wafted up between us.

He fanned my hair around my shoulders, his fingertips grazing my skin and leaving goosebumps in their wake. To have my hair unbound felt foreign yet liberating. Jaxon’s eyes darkened as he took in the sight, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

“I like you like this,” he murmured, his voice gravelly with admiration. “Wild and free.”

His words sent a rush of warmth through my body, settling low in my belly. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, feel my breath quickening. As Jaxon’s hands continued to play with my hair, I leaned into his touch, craving more of the intoxicating sensations he was stirring up within me.

Jaxon bent his dark head, his eyes fluttering closed as he leaned in, his spicy masculine scent awakening something in me. His lips pressed against mine, soft yet insistent. The kiss deepened, slow and exploratory, his tongue gently seeking entrance. I yielded, a quiet moan escaping me as his taste—cinnamon and wickedly Jaxon—flooded my senses.

Time seemed to bend and stretch, the world narrowing to the points where our bodies connected. His one hand cupped the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my loose hair, while his other arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close against him. With our bodies pressed together, I could feel the warmth emanating from him like a smoldering fire, turning my blood hot. His heart beat a rapid tattoo against my chest.

When we finally parted, it was with a soft, shuddering sigh that came from both of us. My lips tingled, swollen and bruised from his kisses. I blinked up at him, my vision slightly hazy, my breath coming in quick, shallow pants.

A war raged within me. Every logical part of my brain screamed to push him away, to protect myself. Everyone’s warnings that he would break my heart echoed in my mind. But my body had other ideas. I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, the pull almost physical in its intensity. The heat pooling low in my belly was a delicious ache that spread through me. He might end up hurting me, yes, but in this moment, I wanted him with every fiber of my being.

My resolve crumbled like sand. Boldness stirred me as my hands crept up his arms, reveling in the delicious feel of his muscles shifting beneath my touch. My fingers traced the strong line of his shoulders before linking behind his neck. I parted my mouth wider beneath his in silent invitation.

Jaxon didn’t hesitate. He immediately deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding against mine in a sensual dance. I arched into him, allowing him to explore the warmth and wetness of my mouth. His jaw clenched, a muscle twitching at its hinge. The sudden tension in his body was unmistakable: he was like a coiled spring ready to release. His eyes, usually a warm brown, darkened to obsidian, reflecting a primal intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. The air between us crackled with electricity, charging every nerve ending in my body. My skin felt hypersensitive, every touch, every breath igniting sparks of pleasure.

His tongue traced delicate patterns in and around my mouth and lips, each swirl sending jolts of pleasure through my body. I shivered beneath him, my nerves singing with every touch. His taste was intoxicating and made my head spin with desire.

Emboldened by the heat building between us, I slid my hands down the strong planes of his back. My fingers found the hem of his shirt, and I hesitated for just a moment before slipping them beneath the fabric. The feel of his bare skin under my palms was electrifying. His muscles rippled and flexed as he moved, his body warm beneath my hands. I explored the contours of his back, tracing the dip of his spine, the breadth of his shoulders.

Jaxon sucked in a sharp breath at my touch: the sudden intake of air was like thunder in the quiet room. His kiss instantly turned possessive, hungry, as if he wanted to devour me whole. His lips pressed harder against mine, his tongue became more insistent. One of his hands tangled in my hair, holding me in place as he deepened the kiss even further.

As I ran my hands over his skin, I marveled at the sheer perfection of his form. Every muscle, every sinew felt as if it had been sculpted by a master artist. He was magnificent, a Greek god come to life.

A new thought struck me then, sending a thrill of excitement and terror through my body. This beautiful, powerful man belonged to me. The possessiveness of the idea shocked me, but I couldn’t deny how right it felt. As Jaxon’s lips moved from my mouth to trail scorching kisses along my jaw and down my neck, I gasped out the word that had been echoing in my mind.

“Mine,” I whispered, my voice husky with desire.

Jaxon paused the seductive tracing of his fingers, lifting his head to meet my gaze. His dark eyes, often so guarded, now burned with an intensity that took my breath away. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face, making my heart race even faster.

“Yes. Yours,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down my spine. “And you’re mine .”

With those words, he claimed my lips again, and I lost myself in the sensations, the rest of the world fading away until there was nothing but Jaxon and the raging fire he ignited within me.

His fingers traced a tantalizing path down my body, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. I trembled beneath his touch, every nerve ending singing. When he reached the hem of my shirt, he paused, his knuckles just barely grazing the strip of exposed skin above my waistband. The brief, fleeting contact sent a jolt through me, as if I’d been struck by lightning, and the cool air whispering over my feverish skin made me acutely aware of every point where Jaxon’s body met mine.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my muscles liquefying, any tension melting away as if by magic. I felt boneless, as if I might simply dissolve under his bold touch and possessive kisses.

A heady lightness overtook me, my head spinning from a delicious cocktail of desire and anticipation. All rational thought retreated, replaced by a primal need that consumed me utterly. Some distant part of my mind warned me about the madness and potential consequences of what we were about to do, but in that moment, with Jaxon’s hands on my skin and his breath hot against my neck, I simply didn’t care.

Every cell cried out for more. The realization hit me with startling clarity: I wanted this. I wanted him. Not just his body, but all of him—his strength and his vulnerabilities, his light and his darkness. The intensity of my epiphany should have frightened me, but instead, it felt like coming home.

I arched into his touch, wordlessly encouraging him to continue. My hands found their way back into his hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands as I pulled him closer. Our lips met again, kissing deeply and hungrily with barely restrained passion.

As Jaxon’s hands continued their exploration, pushing my shirt higher, exposing more of my burning skin to the cool air, I surrendered myself completely to his touch and to the moment. Whatever tomorrow might bring, tonight belonged to us. And I intended to savor every second of it.