Interest sparked in his eyes.“Oh yeah?”
She lifted a shoulder.“There’s more of us than you think.”
“Who?”
“Well there’s Desiree and Josie.You probably know them.”
Jaxon nodded and grinned.“Ah, yes.Desiree owns Raven’s Nest, right?That little shop on Main Street?”
“Yup.Although she’s a bit bolder with her interests.She sells the most beautiful items.Tarot cards, crystals, candles, you name it.”
“Sounds intriguing.I’ve heard about Josie Ryan, too.Didn’t she just lose her spouse?”
Sadness closed in around McKenna and she nodded.“Yeah, Liam.He worked for Whistlemore Logging and the accident happened while he was on a job.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”He stretched his fingers out to catch the pendant around her neck.“Josie makes these right?”
McKenna smiled down at the copper-wrapped amethyst.“Yeah, she gave me this one for my birthday, but I bought these off her.”She lifted her wrist, dangling the bracelets.
“What do they do?”
“Well, the black stones are orgonite,” she said, turning her arm to show him the ones on her bracelet.“They block EMFs caused by radiation, cell phones, and Wi-Fi.They also protect against negative energy.”
“And the pink ones?”
“Those help me clear my mind, stay grounded, and focus on my practices.”
“What other things do youwitchesdo?”
She gave him a sly smile.“I can’t tell you that.”
“C’mon.Tell me all your secrets.”The mischief in his voice sparked a fire inside her.He took another bite, nearly swallowing half of the sandwich.Her belly tightened and she watched, transfixed, as his tongue swiped up some hummus from the corner of his mouth.
Electricity buzzed along her skin.She’d never ached for a man like she did for Jaxon.From the moment he’d shown up on her porch, she’d been intoxicated by him.Well, if she was going to be completely honest with herself, her attraction to him had begun the day he sidled up to her booth and bought three bottles of her kombucha.
She finished the last bite of her sandwich and busied herself putting the food away, even though it would likely rot in the fridge overnight.Too bad storing anything on the porch would attract wildlife.
“Please.”Jaxon’s gentle word brought her back to the present and the last question he’d asked her.
She propped her hand on her hip.“If you expect me to tell you I have a stash of voodoo dolls and that we resurrect the dead and torment people’s dreams, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”
He settled his arm on the back of the chair, facing her.“I know you’d never hurt anyone.I want to know what interests you.If you trust me enough to tell me, I’ve got nothing but time.”
Her insides fizzled at his words.She couldn’t get too attached to Jaxon’s words, but damn her heart that swelled at his focus...as if she were the only person in the world.“The idea behind thewitcheryI practice is self-healing and protection.Josie, Dez and I hold midnight gatherings during full moons.We set our intentions, put out positive energy, and recharge.We do things like burn sage to clear negative energy, burn bay leaves to reduce anxiety, and set up crystals and charge them in the moonlight.”She shrugged.“That’s about it.It’s something we take comfort in.It brings us peace and helps us feel connected to ourselves.There’s nothing sinister about it.”
His gaze sparked with appreciation.“That sounds really powerful.”
Delight spread through her with the blast of a solar flare.She wasn’t used to telling people about her gatherings.She’d always anticipated that the information would be met with disdain and a whole lot of misunderstanding and misconceptions.
“It is,” she said.“It offers me a lot of space for emotions and introspection.It helps me keep myself in contentment.”
He caught her fingers.She drifted closer and he kissed her palm.“You’re an amazing woman, McKenna.I feel like I’m only scratching the surface of all the interesting things about you.”
He turned his head and coughed.She rubbed her hand over the top of his shoulder.“I never got to cup your back.Your cough sounds much better, but it might be a good idea to clear some of that out.”
He lifted one side of his mouth.“I can’t wait to try it.”
CHAPTER 11
