Page 50 of Magic in the Woods
I looked down at my feet. Maybe my face was redder than I’d thought.
Gideon wrapped his arms around me, pulling my entire body against his. I held my muscles tight, my body tense as our chests touched each other’s. Even though I was stiff, he didn’t let go. I took a breath in through my nose, inhaling his mossy scent. I let it settle in my nose, breathing out of my mouth, my lungs collapsing along with the rest of my body. Gideon held me vertical as I leaned against him, my body a perfect fit in his arms. Here with my face buried in his chest and his arms wrapped around me, I felt safe and protected. It was quiet and dark—it finally felt like I had the ability to quiet my mind.
There was a knock on the door to our dorm, and Brooke rushed over to open it. “Oh…hi…” She leaned on the doorknob, with her mouth open wide as a man with blond shaggy hair ducked through the door, his eyes wide as he scanned the room, only stopping when his eyes landed on me.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked. “The kitchen staff said something about an incident a couple days ago, and I just found out you were a part of it.”
“She’s fine,” Gideon said, ending our hug and pushing me around him until I was tucked behind his body. His hands never stopped touching me as they moved, finally stilling, each gripping one of my forearms. My nose brushed against the back of his shirt. I closed my eyes, allowing myself a small inhale of his mossy scent through my nose.
“Dafni?” Luke asked, taking a step toward us as Gideon pulled me even closer against his body.
“I’m fine, Luke,” I said, peeking my head out from behind Gideon’s arm. I was sure I didn’t look all thatfine. My hair was like a mane around my head, and I knew my face was still blotchy and red.
“You know him?” Gideon asked, turning his head, his eyes meeting mine.
“Yes, I know Lu—” I snapped my mouth shut, immediatelyrealizing my mistake. I was supposed have come from living with human parents, presumably from far away.
“Her grandparents are old acquaintances of my mom’s,” Luke bluffed. He’d said the lie with such confidence, even I believed him. I supposed it was plausible someone two generations removed from me had known his mother at some point.
Gideon grunted, believing him too.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to see her—just to make sure she’s okay.” Luke moved, trying to peer around Gideon’s frame.
“You just did,” he growled.
“I only saw a part of her face…probably half of it. I know my mother would feel better if I saw with my own eyes that she was okay.”
“She’s fine—I promise,” Brooke intervened.
“Still, I’d like to see her.” Luke planted his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. He was tall, and his body honed from working manual labor around the Coven and helping his mother and sister around the trailer.
Gideon stood still for a moment, the two men staring at each other. I couldn’t see Gideon’s, but Luke’s face was stoic. He wasn’t going to leave without seeing if I was okay with his own eyes.
Gideon must’ve realized the same thing. It wasn’t worth the fight. He shuffled me over to the closet, where he grabbed my green sweater off the hook and passed it to me where I still stood behind him.
“Thank you?” I questioned.
He kept his gaze averted, motioning with his head to the sweater.
I looked down, following his eyes. I was in my Academy-issued nightgown. Brooke must’ve changed me out of the muddy clothes I’d been wearing when Petunia had knocked me unconscious. The gown was thin, the darker hue of my nipplesshowing through the fabric. My face heated as I quickly shrugged on the sweater to cover myself.
Once the sweater was over my shoulders, Gideon turned around to face me, brushing my hands away so he could fasten the buttons. He went slowly, his knuckles brushing against my stomach and then my breasts as he pushed each opaque button through each hole.
I couldn’t breathe as he buttoned my shirt painfully slow. His knuckles drifted across my skin, lingering as if his touch was intentional…like he’d wanted to feel that part of my body.
I liked it. I liked how his fingers felt on me, how my sensitive skin reacted to the heat of his. How there was a pulse between my legs that made me want to bring his fingers to touch me lower… How my torso tilted toward his as if it was begging him to slide his…
Luke cleared his throat from across the room.
Gideon turned, stepping to the side to reveal me. “Satisfied?” he asked, giving a lively flourish with his arms.
Luke glanced at me up and down, nodding.
“Great. You can go now,” he said, crossing his arms, mimicking Luke.
Brooke hung onto the doorknob, staring at Luke. “Or he can stay. He probably wants a break from work…”
“No, he can go,” Gideon snapped.
