Claiming His Treasure

Chapter Seven

Jackson woke to the sun coming in through the window.

His head pounded, and he moaned as he rolled away from the light. He was normally up before dawn, but for some reason, he was still exhausted this morning.

His arm hit something soft. Something that murmured and shifted beside him.

Immediately, his eyes flew open. He sprang up in bed.

It was morning. He'd fallen asleep next to Charlie, drifted off with his arms around her when he should have been out tracking down the rat who shot Leo.

He leaped up off the mattress. The motion woke Charlie, whose eyes fluttered open.

"What's going on?" she asked groggily when she saw him reaching for his gun on the nightstand.

"I fell asleep," he said. "I fucking fell asleep. The bastard's probably long gone by now." But it didn't matter. If the fucker was anywhere on the island, he'd find him.

Behind him, a soft sound escaped Charlie's lips. It was so quiet, he doubted she even realized she'd made it, but when he turned around, he found her sitting up, watching him with an expression in those gray eyes that made his heart hurt.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her in those moments just after waking. Her hair was a mess of waves around her shoulders. Her eyes were still cloudy and half-lidded with sleep. Both of the straps of her dress—and bra—had fallen, leaving her shoulders and upper chest bare. She looked so beautiful his mouth went dry.

He hated to leave her, but he had work to do. He bent over and put a knee on the mattress, leaning forward to catch her in a kiss.

When his lips touched hers, she reached up and slid a single hand around his neck. It was a gentle gesture, a silent plea. And in spite of all of his intentions, his body reacted instantly.

Fire raced across his skin. His cock sprang to life beneath his zipper, and this time, there was no denying it what it wanted. What it needed. He'd held back too long.

He sank to the mattress and pulled Charlie into his arms. She gasped against his mouth, but her fingers pressed harder against his neck. He tugged her into his lap, pulling her legs around so that she straddled him, and crushed her body to his. His mouth attacked hers without mercy. He wanted this too much to be gentle.

She didn't seem to mind. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, sweet and wet and teasing, and he closed his teeth around it. She moaned against his lips as her nails dug into the skin on the back of his neck.

He needed her now. Needed her bare flesh against his. Needed to be buried inside of her. His hands tore at her dress, tugging it up her hips and over her head. Her bra was next, undone with a twist of his fingers and then hurled at the wall. Her dark pink nipples were begging for his touch. He dipped his head and took one between his teeth, and she cried out as he sucked it deep between his lips. His mouth repeated the process with the other breast, suckling her until she whimpered. Another time, he might have spent hours feasting on her breasts, but not today. It had been too long.

Her panties were a complication. He'd have to slide her off of his lap to remove them properly, and he didn't have the patience for that. Instead, he took the cotton in both hands and tore it apart, shredding it beneath his fingers. The torn scrap joined the rest of her things on the floor.

She was naked against him now, bare and so beautiful he thought he might come just looking at her. Her eyes were bright with need, her skin flushed all over. Her bottom lip was bleeding from his teeth, but as he watched, she sucked it into her mouth, and her desire burned even brighter on her face.