Hustle (Book 1 in The Hunted Hearts) - SYTYCW Winner #action #comedy #romance

Hustle | Chapter 16

He stood still for a moment, listening to the sound of his soggy clothes dripping water onto the floor. When he was certain he hadn't been detected, he hurried to the wheelhouse, quickly checking the cabinet on the wall behind him for the gun. It was still there. He checked that it was loaded and the safety was on before slipping it into his belt.

Well, at least she isn't armed. Thank God for small mercies.

He glanced around the wheelhouse. Most of the cabinets were open with items lying on the floor as if they'd hurriedly been ransacked. She'd obviously cleaned out the boat for supplies. He picked up the remains of the first aid kit. Half of the items were missing. She'd literally split the cache, leaving him half of the first aid kit.

He sighed and grabbed a duffle bag off the top shelf. He shook his head and began filling the bag, throwing in the gun, first aid supplies, tools and anything that would be useful to him on the island. He didn't do it quietly, feeling certain that she was no longer aboard the boat.

He glanced on the dashboard, looking for his cell phone. It wasn't there.

Great, I get the gun, and she gets the phone. Shit!

He pocketed the keys to the boat after clearing the room of useful contents. Then he headed below decks to try to find some more clothes and a clue to where she'd gone to on the island.

Jumping down the hatch, he hurried into the small cabin. He felt a moment of sorrow upon seeing the empty bed. Much as he hated to admit it, he'd liked seeing her when she first woke up. Her eyes glowed green when she first opened them. It was the strangest thing. Most of the time, her eyes were dull green with golden flecks in them. But when she first woke up, they shone like emeralds.

He narrowed his eyes.

Great, write her a fucking poem about it, why don't you?

He banned all romantic thoughts from his mind as he hurried into the cabin. He threw the duffle bag onto the bed before walking into the small bathroom. He pulled off his wet clothes, leaving them on the bathroom floor and stepped into the shower.

His muscles were sore from swimming, and his skin was icy to touch. He turned on the hot water and relaxed under the steamy spray while he warmed up. He quickly rinsed off the saltwater, thankful to be warm again.

Jacob didn't plan to stay in the shower for long, but his body needed a minute to heat up, so he threw some shower gel into the palm of his hand and began soaping his chest.

Just a couple of minutes in here, and I'll be ready to go and get her.

***

Ellie widened her eyes as she watched Jacob strip out of his clothes. She had meant to leave, but she found herself frozen to the spot as she watched his tanned body step into the shower. Her eyes followed the line beneath his bulging thigh muscles up to the curve of his perfect ass.

Drool more, why don't you?

Okay, enough staring, time to get out of here, she told her feet, but they didn't move. He was sleek and powerful. Just watching him made her skin heat up.

She'd meant to be long gone before he got to the boat, but he'd swum a lot faster than she had thought possible. When she'd seen him sneak aboard, she'd stuffed her bag under the bed, and rolled under there after it.

Come on! Get out of here.

She suspected there was something wrong with her brain because rather than hurrying off the boat, she tilted her head sideways with her eyes locked on Jacob's alluring form.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She'd seen naked guys before, sure, but none of them had ever made her pulse race like he did. It was crazy. Just looking at him made her want to strip off her clothes and get into the shower with him.

Jesus, woman! Get your shit together, will you?

Fighting the primal needs of her body, she stepped back, away from the tantalizing view. She shook her head, snatching her bag off the bed.

She hurried onto the deck, ignoring the small lifeboat that was tied to the starboard side of the craft and running towards the bow. She pulled off her boots and dropped them into her bag before climbing over the railing and jumping overboard. As she landed in the surf, cold azure water splashed around her bare knees. She hurried towards the shore, holding her bag over her head.

Sharp shells dug into her bare feet, but she ignored them, rushing to get as far away from Jacob as she could. The cold water splashing her thighs should have been the perfect cure for any thoughts of his hot naked body, but unfortunately his tawny skin was all she could think of, and her own skin remained in heated state.

Remind me to get laid more often when this nightmare is over—or, you know, at least once.

She hurried across the white sand beach into the jungle. The island was shadowed by craggy rocks and mountains with thick trees filling the center. Uninhabited and home to a dormant volcano, it was awash to overgrown flora and a maze of caverns and jagged cliffs. She gripped her bag.

It'll be okay. This time I'm prepared for anything.

***

Jacob frowned when he heard a loud splash outside the boat. He quickly rinsed off the soap and dashed out of the cubicle, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist as he hurried topside.

He ran to the bow and stared around. There was no one there. A flash of movement to his left caught his eye.

The sunlight glinted off her chestnut locks as she hurried into the jungle. Jacob tightened his hands on the towel he held around himself.

She was here while I was in the shower. I can't believe I missed her again!

He clenched his jaw and turned on his heel, racing for the cabin. She wouldn't get far before he caught up to her.

Gripping the doorframe for balance as he slid on the wet floorboards, he dashed into the cabin. He ripped open the closet, grabbing some clothes out of it. He stuffed the clothes into the duffle bag, finally letting go of the towel and allowing it fall to the floor around his ankles.

He froze when the bag started ringing.

What the hell?

He pulled out the clothes and peered into the bag. It wasn't his. There was no gun in it, but there was his cell phone.

She took the gun!

He snatched the phone out of the bag and stared at the screen. A photo of Bill smiled at him as it rang.

He answered the phone, holding his breath.

"Hey, just a head's up. If you're near the island, back up. Meyer's boat just passed me. He's close."

"I'll call you back!" Jacob said before hanging up.

Shit!

He threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt before stuffing his boots and the clothes back into the bag. Dropping the cell phone into his pocket, he ran out of the cabin and onto the deck before jumping into the surf to follow Ellie. The last thing he wanted was to be around when Meyer showed up.

He glanced at the duffle bag as he raced through the waves towards the shore.

I hope she doesn't pack like a girl.