Indigo Spell Read online

  “You’re nuts. Certifiable.” But Tess had never doubted that her friend only had her best interests at heart. While her mother’s teachings were compelling her to run for the nearest door, her own instincts were telling her to remain put, that her life was about to change, even if briefly.

  “Maybe so but after you see this guy, you won’t think I’m so crazy after all. I don’t know where they found him but I’d take him home in a heartbeat.” Belinda winked and scooted lower in her chair. “Besides, take a look around you. All of these women are here to find out if they won and they knew what type of auction it was in advance. So I wouldn’t worry too much about that pristine reputation of yours if I were you.” The lights dimmed as Belinda’s gloat ended.

  Suddenly the stage swirled with lights and Tess cringed, placing her hand over her eyes as the host’s voice began an excited introduction of the first man leading the meat market parade. Her fingers, of their own volition of course, parted to catch a brief peek.

  All muscle and sinew, the bachelor danced from one end of the stage to the other, wearing a buttoned-down white dress shirt, opened to display a wide expanse of his smooth chest, and black trousers which did little to hide the definition of his thighs or the package nestled between his legs. His hair was long and black, tied back in a ponytail, his eyes just as dark and when he smiled, Tess was sure Teensy fainted behind her.

  “I’m going to kill you for this,” Tess hissed behind her hand.

  “Will you just relax and enjoy the show? Where in the world are you going to see this many good-looking men all in the same room unless you’re at a gay bar? Now just hush.”

  Tess might hush but Belinda was going to pay. Right after Tess watched the rest of the show, of course.

  * * * * *

  Jaxon Richards adjusted the tool belt around his hips and planted his booted feet squarely in front of his friend’s unrepentant form. “You do realize of course that once this is all over, I’m going to kick your ass. I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” He could only imagine the looks on his brothers’ faces.

  Harry grinned and shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re so upset. You knew what you were getting yourself into when I told you about this. Now all of a sudden, I’m the bad guy?”

  Jaxon dropped a gaze to the open vest, which covered little of his pecs and nothing of his abs. “You left out the part about parading around half naked in front of a bunch of panting society matrons.” He was beginning to doubt his own sanity. Maybe there was something to be said for staying in your own world. “I assumed my skills were up for auction not my body.”

  Harry continued to grin in his irritating manner. “Well, some women would say they’re one and the same. And besides, not all those women out there are matrons and you’re not half naked. You wear less than that to the beach.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, those aren’t sand dunes out there, pal.” Jaxon adjusted the crotch of his jeans. “And could you have at least bought the jeans in my size?”

  The older man’s face colored a little. “Well, I didn’t buy them. I just gave your sizes to Mallory Whitcomb.”

  “Who in the hell is Mallory Whitcomb?”

  “She’s the organizer of this event. She was supposed to provide you with the proper sizes.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jaxon shifted. No doubt Ms. Whitcomb had dropped down a size so she could get a good ogle. “So let me get this straight. Those biddies out there are bidding on which one gets to take me home for the evening and you’re going to sit back here and watch me sweat? Does that about sum it up?”

  “Yeah, but it doesn’t have to be tonight. You can pick which night.” Harry grimaced. “Or, she can, rather.”

  “And suppose I end up with some lunatic?”

  Harry scrubbed the back of his neck and coughed a little. “Well, then I’ll come looking for you.”

  “Actually,” Jaxon leaned in closer to lower his voice to a deathly growl, “you’ll be taking my place.”

  Harry’s head shot up and his eyes widened. “Are you kidding? Sadie would kill me! I told her I was coming with you tonight to offer moral support.”

  “Yeah, and you didn’t feel the need to warn the only friend you’ve got that his ‘skills’ were going to be on display for an hour either.”

  Waving a hand in dismissal, Harry shrugged. “It’s not an hour, more like ten minutes and it’s for a worthy cause.”

  Jaxon tugged at the jeans once more, the tools jangling against his hip. “If you say that one more time, I’ll kick your ass right now.”

  Harry backed away, hands extended in a placating gesture. “You’re up next. Don’t forget. Give ‘em your best smile and give ‘em hell.”

  Jaxon could only think of one person he was going to give hell to and that was the man with two working brain cells who was grinning like a simpleton as he passed through the curtains to take the stage.

  “Now, ladies, the next bachelor I’d like to introduce to you makes his home in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. At just under six-four, Jaxon Richards is a contractor who can build your wildest fantasy.”

  Tess didn’t miss the look the bachelor shot the host as he walked from one end of the stage to the other. And she didn’t miss the bachelor. The host hadn’t been lying about his height. And where the three bachelors before him had been lean, this man was brawny, with taut skin bronzed from long hours in the sun and a dark, dangerous edge to his face. Tess leaned in for a closer look as Teensy gasped behind her.

  Tousled brown hair, combed with fingers, no doubt, fell over his forehead and even from a distance, his eyes made her shiver with anticipation. She couldn’t quite make out the color but they were magnetic, a draw for any woman. A model of perfection, the contractor was a combination of male beauty and raw masculinity. And Tess couldn’t stop herself from staring any more than Teensy could prevent herself from hyperventilating.

  Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Tess felt her panties grow damp while her heartbeat accelerated. This was ridiculous! She didn’t even know the man!

  “He makes you cream, doesn’t he?” Belinda made a slurping sound.

  “Will you knock it off?” But she couldn’t take her eyes off the jeans that seemed to mold to his cock like a well-favored hand. Oh, to be denim. The decadent thought brought a smile to her face.

  Jaxon walked to the edge of the stage, his jaw clenched. With almost radar perception, those mesmerizing eyes zeroed in on her face and Tess shrank back a little against the heat of his gaze. He looked straight at her, probably hadn’t missed the smile either. Dear Lord, he probably thought she was interested in him. Which wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

  But to dispel the notion, Tess sat back against her chair and folded her arms, pasting a bored expression on her face. “When is this thing over, Belinda?” She was careful to keep her gaze lowered, away from the contractor, but he stayed in her peripheral vision.

  Belinda nudged her. “Will you be quiet? This one is looking at you.”

  The collar of her silk blouse tightened. Why was it so stuffy? The organizers of the event could have at least ensured that the airflow was set at a decent level. They should have prepared for the possibility that with all these women in the room there was going to be some hot air flowing. Especially with all the heavy breathing. Mrs. Barnsworth alone was panting like a sheepdog in the middle of summer.

  “And now.” The host tore open the winning bid with a flourishing wave of his wrist. “I give you the winner of tonight’s auction for Bachelor Number Four, Ms. Tess Montgomery. Ms. Montgomery, claim your prize!”

  Tess sat staring in open-mouthed shock, her neck turning slowly toward Belinda. Her eyes narrowed as Belinda poked and prodded her to her feet with a healthy dose of cheering and whistles. Tess had never been more mortified in her life. Or more excited. As her high heels sank into the plush carpeting, she made her way slowly, reluctantly down the aisle toward the stage while butterflies danced in her stomach.

  Sh
e was really walking toward him, approaching a man who oozed sex, a man who, no doubt, could make her forget everything she’d ever learned about manners. Her feet moved without her consent, drawing her ever closer. She was getting hotter—and wetter. Even now the lips of her pussy hummed and Tess’ breath caught in her throat.

  When was the last time any part of her body had hummed?

  Jaxon Richards didn’t move. He simply stood in the middle of the stage, his arms folded across his impressive chest, his chin thrust upward at a challenging angle with a smirk playing about his lips. It was almost a dare and Tess had never been one to back down from any type of challenge.

  Shoulders back, head held high, Tess headed toward the steps leading up to the stage. She was almost there when strong hands clamped around her upper arms and amidst cheers of approval, Jaxon lifted her to stand in front of him. Her mouth open, she stared up into steely silver eyes ribboned with gold. Her heart jumped between her breastbone and her stomach.

  Good Lord! The man had picked her up as if she weighed no more than a sheet of paper. Heat emanated from his body and her nipples peaked against the fabric of her blouse. She saw the contractor’s eyes drop and then lift. He gave her a sexy, lopsided grin that told her he’d seen.

  The heat in the room inched up a degree.

  “Well, Mr. Richards, as host of this event, I feel I should tell you that your company for one evening came at an exorbitant price, one Ms. Montgomery was more than willing to pay. In fact she outbid over seventy-five women for one night alone with you.” The host beamed as the fluorescent lighting threw his red face into bold relief.

  Tess wanted the floor to open wide and swallow her. And then she wanted it to open up beneath Belinda’s feet so she’d have someone to pummel in the basement. The contractor’s hands still held her arms and he continued to look at her, making her chest too tight and her mouth dry. The silvery gold eyes studied her, much like she was the one on the auction block.

  He swept a look from the top of her head, taking a leisurely journey down cream linen, resting on the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips, before finally returning to her face. And Tess felt like she’d just been stroked with a hot, wet tongue.

  She couldn’t think of one appropriate thing to say. But she really didn’t blame herself. This wasn’t the type of situation one was prepared for in the all-girls’ school she had attended. In fact she wasn’t sure Ms. Emily Halston, the headmistress of the school, would even know the proper etiquette for greeting a man whose company you had just purchased for the evening. And Tess’ remaining years in Charleston society certainly hadn’t prepared her for a bachelor’s auction. Her mother had made sure of that.

  The room fell silent.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Montgomery.” Jaxon’s voice was thick with a southern accent. He released one of her arms to slide his arm around her waist, thick muscle pressing against silk. “Now I can think of only one proper greeting for a lady who paid so much for me.” Before Tess could guess his intention, Bachelor Number Four dragged her closer to his frame and dipped his head to claim her lips in a stolen kiss.

  And Tess immediately forgot her own name. Heat spiraled through her, warming her from the inside out. Her hand, clenched in a fist intending to push him away, flexed against the wall of his chest, settling over his pecs.

  Her breasts grew heavy, achy and she found herself unconsciously taking a step forward. His knee wedged between her thighs and the hard jut of his cock should have shocked her into retreat but instead Tess pressed closer with a soft moan.

  All she could think about was sex. Hot, wild sex that wet the sheets and made the mattress slide. When was the last time she’d had a good, hard fuck? Sparks of electricity danced down her back and Tess brazenly touched her tongue to the tip of his.

  He growled, a sound of hunger, and bent lower, taking her with him. This man didn’t just kiss. He feasted, suckling at her lips like they were ripe strawberries he’d just plucked from a patch. Then he nibbled, lightly biting her lower lip until Tess was drowning in a pool of liquid flames.

  His hand slipped upward, almost cupping her breast and she arched her back, wanting to push herself into his palm. Needing to feel his touch. His thumb brushed over the nipple, just lightly grazing but enough to make her jump. She was on fire, out of control, unable to think—until the room erupted in a loud burst of applause. Reality smacked her full in the face. Her face burning, she pulled out of Jaxon’s embrace and took a stumbling step backward. Chest rising and falling with each rapid breath, she swallowed with difficulty as she blinked up at him. This close, he was very tall. She had to tip her head back to see his face—a face she could look at for the rest of the day.

  Was there an inch of this man that wasn’t perfect? Certainly not one she’d touched. Her gaze dropped slightly and by the bulge in his jeans, she knew he was as affected as she was. The knowledge made her feel marginally better.

  “Mr. Richards, it was a…” What in the hell did one say in the aftermath? It was a pleasure to meet you? Not appropriate. Although it had been a pleasure. More than.

  She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’ll see you Saturday night at seven.” With cool aplomb she was nowhere near feeling, she extracted a gold-embossed card from inside her thin, gold-lined purse and held it out.

  Jaxon accepted the card, allowed his fingers to brush intimately over her hand. “I’ll look forward to it, Ms. Montgomery.” The husky tone made her breath snag in her throat.

  Tess curled her fingers into her palms as her thighs tingled, turned and tried not to scurry of the stage.

  * * * * *

  “Saturday evening. What was I thinking?” Tess lowered her head to her hands, obliterating her face. She hadn’t been thinking. That had been the problem. From the moment Jaxon Richards had touched her, her mind had gone fuzzy. Melted. And she couldn’t recall ever having melted in her life.

  “You were thinking he was a hunk and you were going to get your money’s worth out of him,” Belinda inserted cheerfully around a spoonful of Rocky Road ice cream. “I can think of all sorts of things to do with a man like him. I only hope you’re going to use your imagination and not let common sense dictate the evening. You have to live a little. He looks like he’d be up for a good, hard ride, pardon the pun.”

  Licking her fingers, the plump blonde rocked back on the stool. “Have you ever seen a more fuckable man? Was he as hard as he looked?”

  Tess lifted her head a fraction of an inch to shoot a dagger across the table. “You got me into this mess. Now you can help me get out of it.”

  Belinda blinked and replied in a bland voice, “I don’t know what I can do considering I wasn’t invited to Saturday night’s festivities. Although I will be more than happy to provide any type of recording equipment you require.”

  “Bitch.”

  A cackle rent the air. “Give me a break. If you don’t fuck that man, then there’s no hope for you.”

  “He’s a stranger, Belle! I’ve just invited a total stranger into my home.”

  “A stranger whose kiss made your knees go rubbery.”

  Tess fumbled with her coffee mug. “My knees most certainly did not go rubbery.” In fact she hadn’t been thinking about her knees at all.

  “Sure they did. Everybody in that room saw how he was holding you up.” Belinda licked her spoon. “And we were all jealous.” The silverware clinked against the bowl as she scooped up another bite. “I know I had to go home and make use of that handy little silver bullet of mine. That man could make a woman come from ten feet away.”

  Tess shoved the chair away from the table and stood up, surprised to feel the heat rising to her face. “Shouldn’t you be getting your house ready to meet Bachelor Number Seven?”

  Belinda waved a hand airily. “Doesn’t make any difference now. Ed’s coming home early. I won’t have much of an opportunity to drool.” She swallowed, sighed and smiled. “But if you tell me everything that happens
Saturday night, I could at least live vicariously, and I mean everything.” Her eyebrows waggled. “I have a bet going on with a couple of the society ladies about a certain number of inches, if you get my drift.”

  “Belinda!”

  “Look, I’m married, not blind and I have every right to look. God knows, Ed ruptures an optic nerve every time a pretty woman walks by.” She sighed heavily and dove back into her ice cream with gusto. “He used to look at me like that.”

  Tess ran water into her mug. “Like what?”

  “Like I was the last bite of an extraordinary piece of cheesecake.”

  “Ed still looks at you like that. You just don’t see it.”

  “I wish I could believe you but that’s enough about my sorry excuse for a love life. Let’s focus on yours. So what are you going to wear?”