Indigo Spell

by Rachel Carrington

  “He sounds magical.”

  Tess curled her feet beneath her and nodded. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  “And he said he would see you again?”

  “That’s what he said in the note but here’s the thing, he didn’t say when and when I called directory assistance, he wasn’t listed. So I have no way of getting in contact with him.”

  “You wouldn’t call him anyway.” Belinda paused. “Then again, I didn’t think you’d sleep with him either. He must have really done a number on you to get through those concrete walls of yours.”

  “I’m beginning to think he doesn’t really exist. I mean the man was, well, I can’t explain it. He took my breath away and no man has ever done that before.” Tess propped her chin in her hands and stared at the logs stacked inside the fireplace. The image of silver-gold eyes filled her mind and she couldn’t will away the vision any more than she could the memories of his touch, his scent, his very existence.

  “Wow,” Belinda extolled again. “It doesn’t sound like you’ll be forgetting him anytime soon.” Her double chin bobbed in time with her head. “You’ll see him again. I just know it. I feel it in my heart.”

  “Belle, there’s something different about him.” Something she couldn’t explain, even to herself. Being with Jaxon was like walking on a high wire without a safety net. But the element of danger didn’t overshadow her desire to be with him. Even now she craved him, wanted to feel him again. No man had ever touched her in quite the same way.

  “I’ll say.” Belinda tipped back a bottle of soda, took a long slurp and then lowered it, cupping it in her hands. “And just think. You have me to thank for this.” She jumped a little when the lights in the room flickered. “Hey, it’s not storming out there, is it? I swear, you couldn’t hear a cannon shot inside this house.”

  Pushing herself to her feet, she ambled toward the window to inspect the elements. “The wind’s picking up. I’d better be getting home before Ed starts to worry. I told him I wouldn’t stay long.” Returning to Tess’ side, she kissed her cheek. “Call me if Bachelor Number Four calls you. I mean immediately. Right after. Understand? God, this is better than a steamy romance novel.”

  Tess smiled and escorted her to the door, partially walking on air. But for her own sanity, she managed to reply in a slightly droll tone of voice. “Don’t let your imagination get carried away with you. Jaxon Richards is just a man with an intriguing personality.” And a touch finer than a master violinist’s.

  “Yeah, and my size sixteen body is just an illusion.” Belinda rolled her eyes and tugged open the door. “I’ll pray he’ll call tonight.”

  Tess shoved her out the door. “Good night.”

  Waving her fingers over her shoulder, Belinda dashed through the sprinkling rain toward the battered pickup truck her husband Ed used for his plumbing business.

  Tess closed the door and leaned against the solid wood, a smile playing about her lips. An intriguing man? She laughed in the quiet of the room. If Belinda only knew…

  Maybe Jaxon was just a figment of her imagination. No real man could whip her body into a frenzy of desire and need simply by whispering to her…at least she hadn’t thought so. And with every touch, he’d become more and more real.

  She tried to move away from the door and found her legs wouldn’t cooperate. Her palms were damp, her respirations quick and uneven. Her eyelids drifted down, rested against her cheekbones. He was with her now. She couldn’t understand it, couldn’t explain it but she could feel him. Could even smell the scent of his cologne. Her body warmed, pressed toward the hard wood.

  Warm wet lips moved along the line of her throat, drifted down to the pulse beating strong beneath her skin. This isn’t happening! Yet trying to convince herself was futile. Her head bumped against the door, falling back to allow soft kisses to bathe her neck.

  Her hands clenched into fists as invisible fingers caught the zipper of her jeans and began to tug it downward. She could only stare as the denim material opened and her panties became visible. She didn’t need to move.

  Though she was totally alone, she felt the brush of his body against hers, the heat of his skin. Phantom hands took hold of her jeans and pushed them down her hips along with her panties.

  The coolness of the wood against her ass startled her and Tess lurched forward, meeting a resistance she couldn’t see. “What’s going on?”

  Silence was the only reply and, as invisible hands traveled over the flat expanse of her abdomen, lower and lower, her teeth sank into her lower lip. I’m going insane.

  A soft wind began to stir her hair, lifting it from her shoulders, confirming Tess’ belief in her own lack of sanity. No windows or doors were open. She was having a daydream. That was the only explanation.

  Calloused fingertips took hold of her hand and she jerked in surprise, crying out and trying to loosen the hold. “Jaxon, is this you? You have to say something because I’m feeling a little bit crazy right now. I have to know!”

  “Shhhh.” The whisper filtered through the air, offering reassurance.

  The panic subsided. Tess stifled a nervous giggle. “Oh my God. I’m imagining you.”

  Her own hand moved without her permission, reaching between her legs and as Tess’ fingertips parted the lips of her pussy, she sucked in a sharp breath. She hadn’t intended to touch herself but he was guiding her, urging her on. As much as it didn’t make sense, it was the only explanation she had.

  She closed her eyes and circled her clit with her index finger. An unspoken command pushed her to the floor. She dropped to her knees, her finger still moving across her clit with slow, languorous strokes.

  Those same unseen hands urged her backward, adjusting her hips and her thighs as if to set the stage for a perfect viewing. Tess was beyond caring now. Her body had heated to an unbearable level and all she could think about was the orgasm waiting for her.

  She slid three fingers of her left hand deep inside the opening of her body. Her pussy contracted around the digits and she moaned low in her throat, arching off the floor.

  Something gripped her hand and for a brief moment Tess was sure she’d seen the outline of fingers. The thought should have sent her racing up the stairs to seek the sanctuary of her bedroom. Instead she simply lay there, watching her hand being guided to her mouth. The scent of sex reached her nostrils and a warmth much like the caress of a palm, brushed over her cheek.

  Instinctually she parted her lips and licked the moisture from her fingertips, tasting the salty musk of her body’s own juices. She shivered a little before lowering her hand back down to her pussy.

  Though no words were spoken, she knew every action she was supposed to take and followed every silent dictate. Pinching her clit with just the lightest amount of pressure, Tess sighed with pleasure. Her nerves extremely sensitized, she tossed her head left and right, arching her back as the sensations intensified.

  “Jaxon, if you’re really here, if you can hear me, touch me.”

  Jaxon didn’t need a second invitation. He’d been watching and waiting long enough until the thick flesh between his legs had grown so painfully hard, he knew explosion was imminent. Keeping his presence cloaked, he took his own pleasure by sliding his finger between the plump petals of her pussy.

  Her clit was swollen and if he pressed his thumb against it, he was sure he would be able to feel the blood throbbing beneath its pink hood. Tess began to whimper, her back lifting off the floor to push against his fingers in silent urgency.

  He had to taste her. The need compelled him to slide down the length of her body, allowing her to feel just the barest brush of his skin. When his hands abandoned her pussy, she protested but he gripped her hips, reassuring her he hadn’t gone anywhere.

  The sweet smell of womanflesh reached out to him, drawing him closer. His mouth hovered over her mound for several seconds, blowing soft puffs of air over the puckered lips.

  Tess gasped and reached into the air b
ut her hands came up empty. She could only feel what he would allow her to feel. And for now he wanted her to feel his lips, his tongue savoring the delicious flavor of her creamy pussy.

  He lowered his head, his tongue moving around her clit with sensual strokes before his teeth nibbled her pink flesh ever-so gently. She moaned his name, her palms slapping against the polished wooden floor.

  His hands held her thighs open while his tongue worked up and down the slick valley, drinking her juice and lavishing her with hot, wet strokes. His teeth caught the edge of her clit and he heard the quick, sharp intake of her breath and her pleas for release. Her hips bucked, pressing his tongue deeper into the opening of her body. His strokes became faster, harder, and he slid the fingers of his left hand inside her, using his thumb and mouth to bring her to a shattering climax.

  Tess screamed and jerked, her buttocks bumping against the floor as the orgasm caught her in its magical thrall. Her body shuddered with the aftershocks, her heart racing. Finally she managed to pull herself up, using the doorknob for leverage.

  The warmth faded, leaving her alone once more, but as she made her way to the stairs, the whisper of his voice told her he would return.

  * * * * *

  The wind blew the hair away from her face, settling it back around her shoulders in wild disarray as Tess stood on the balcony overlooking the water. The moon hung high in the sky as crickets and tree frogs battled it out in concert. It was a beautiful night, the kind she loved in Charleston. Balmy, breezy with just a slight touch of salt in the air, the scent of the ocean just beyond her window.

  Leaning her arms across the railing, she could just make out a lone figure walking along the sands of the beach. The waves slapped against the shoreline and the night winds increased in tempo, stirring the air. The figure moved into the streak of yellow lighting provided by the floodlights outside her house. She caught her breath and quickly stepped back into the shadows of her balcony. It was him.

  Jaxon was right below her and even in the distance that separated them, the darkness that shielded her face from his eyes, she knew he’d seen her. And she’d seen his eyes. Which was damned near impossible but she’d seen them nevertheless. They’d been trained on her, watching her. Glowing almost. Tess should have been afraid but it wasn’t fear coursing through her veins. It was anticipation. Need. Just like last night.

  With a slight smile, she edged back closer to the balcony ledge, her body singing. “I thought you lived in Mount Pleasant.” Her voice was light, musical almost.

  He tipped his head back, the wind caressing the silky strands of his hair. “I do but I felt like a walk on the beach.”

  “I happen to have it on good authority that Mount Pleasant borders the coastline. I would imagine it would be close to beaches.” Her eyes twinkled as she leaned over the railing to smile down at him. Could anyone else hear the music in the air, the call of his body to hers? It was impossible but happening just the same.

  “I’ve been spoiled by this one, now that I’ve seen one of its inhabitants. Why don’t you come down and take a walk with me?”

  “Was that your master plan?” She could already feel herself being pulled in the direction of his voice.

  “That would be a pretty poor master plan. Master indicates something major, large, overwhelming even. Don’t you think even a poor contractor could come up with something a little bit more substantial to entice you besides a walk on the beach…especially after last night?” He held out his hand and she felt the tingle, almost as if he’d touched her with that outstretched hand. Impossible, yes? But so were his hands and tongue stroking her by the front door. As much as she tried to deny it, her imaginary lover had been real. She didn’t need to be told that Jaxon Richards had a few things up his sleeve besides those bulging biceps.

  Tess cupped her chin in her hands, her elbows digging into the wrought iron railing. “I’m thinking that maybe I should be just a little afraid of you.”

  For a brief moment his eyes seemed to glow. “No, Tess. You never have to be afraid of me.” Then the serious tone disappeared and his teeth flashed in a grin. “Now are you going to stop shouting at me and come down here or do I have to come get you?”

  She heard the teasing in his voice, the light, casual note and she held up one hand. “Give me one second. The last thing I need is you climbing my banister and breaking your neck.”

  “I’ll be magnanimous and give you five seconds. Then I’m starting to climb.”

  Jaxon knew he should listen to Falcon. Deep down in his heart he knew Tess couldn’t live in his world. And he didn’t know how much longer he could live in hers before duty called him back. He’d spent too much time and energy constructing a believable life, the life of an ordinary man with friends, a normal job and family. But he knew that anyone looking beneath the veneer would see the poorly constructed reality. Plain and simple, he didn’t belong in this world, yet he was fighting like hell to stay in it. Especially now.

  He lifted his eyes toward the balcony, watching the shadowy outline of Tess’ figure as she rushed to her bedroom door. On the breeze, he caught the scent of her perfume. His senses were attuned to her. Every breath she took. Every whisper of the clothing against her skin. He knew he was treading into dangerous territory. And he was taking Tess with him.

  This evening after her friend had left, he’d ached to touch her and the strength of his magic had enabled him to be with her, to further explore the secret places on her body. She’d been thinking of him, trying to understand his existence. He couldn’t battle the desire to caress her again, to see her face as the release washed over her. His touch had brought her immeasurable pleasure and damned him to a restless walk along the beach, his own body hard and painful. He hadn’t intended to approach her but sensing her presence, his body had a mind of its own.

  Jaxon heard her approaching behind him and he turned slightly to welcome her with a smile, an outstretched hand. “I’m glad you decided to join me.”

  “You left me few options.” She slipped her hand into his, a natural movement. She’d changed into a blue cotton sundress that swished around her ankles when she walked and dipped low enough over her breasts to cause him to swallow hard.

  He threaded their fingers and walked toward the shoreline. The winds had increased in strength, carrying their words away, whipping their clothing around their bodies. With a flick of his wrist, Jaxon gentled the breezes. Suddenly the night grew still. Even the crickets seemed to sense the difference. The thick, balmy scent of the air swirled around them, wrapped them in a cocoon of sensuality. The darkness seduced them, enhancing the restless feelings stirring within them both.

  Tess shivered a little. “That was kind of eerie.”

  Jaxon shared a look with her. “What?”

  “The winds and then the sounds. Didn’t you notice?”

  He smiled into her upturned face. “It’s difficult to focus on anything else with you beside me.”

  She ducked her head but not before Jaxon caught the slight upturning of her lips. “Your charm must get you out of a lot of tough spots, Mr. Richards.”

  He stopped, turning her in his arms. Heat flowed from his body and melded into hers. He felt her leaning into him, accepting his strength. His power. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and just breathed. Her scent. The tang of the air and the beach. He could spend forever wrapped just like this. His eyes popped open at that thought. His forever greatly differed from Tess’.

  “Is that what you think I’m doing then—charming you?”

  Tugging her hand free of his, she rested both of her palms against his chest. “Last night…I’ve never…that is, never on the first…” She broke off, her brow furrowing before she tried again. “I felt you earlier. How is that possible?”

  “You might be surprised what things are possible if you only open your mind.” He lowered his voice to a rich, seductive rasp, wanting to reassure her.

  Tess blinked up at him, her head tipped back, the night
winds blowing her chestnut hair around her shoulders. He liked the way it was flowing freely much more than the dignified way she’d worn it last night.

  “Jaxon?”

  He focused his attention on her face. “Yes?”

  “I didn’t know men like you existed.”

  He captured a strand of her hair. Sifting it through his fingers, he held onto her gaze. “Maybe I’m one of a kind.” It wasn’t too far from the truth.

  “I can believe that.”

  “Walk with me.” Jaxon wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her close against his side. His cock responded with a quick hardening. Did Tess even know how beautiful she was? Did she know how much his body ached for hers? After barely a day of knowing her and one night, his entire being was wrapped up in hers. He could only imagine what an eternity would be like with this woman.

  “You were hoping to find me awake when you came out here tonight.”