Treasured by Crystal Jordan Read Free Book Online Page B

her shoulder. Hard.
    That was all it took to shove her high, up and over the edge of orgasm. She cried out, her back arching and pussy fisting on the length of his cock.
    He slammed his mouth over hers and caught the sound of her screams. His tongue pushed past her lips and she met his hard kiss. She tasted the coppery metallic tang of blood, but she didn’t know if it was his or hers. She bit him, letting the kiss go wild. His fingers dug into her hips as he rode her into the mattress. His hips pounded forward. One, two, three slapping thrusts and he shuddered over her, in her. His come filled her in a hot rush and her pussy clamped down on him again to milk his dick. They both groaned.
    Dropping his forehead onto her shoulder, he panted. The muscles in his arms shook as he tried to hold himself up to keep from crushing her. Their breathing steadied slowly, the sweat cooling on their bodies. She shivered as he pulled out of her, and the pearls shifted deep inside her.
    He gently pulled the strands from her anus. One at a time. He went slow. Excruciating. Exquisite. She bit her lip to stop from moaning at the feel of it. He tugged the pearls from around her neck and let them fall to the floor beside the bed.
    He bent and sucked her nipple deep in his mouth, nipping at the tight tip. Her fingers lifted to fist in his long black hair. It had come free of the leather thong that usually held it back and the thick strands were soft against her palms.
    “I do love those pearls on you. They bring out your…color.”
    She felt a rush of blood heat her cheeks. “ James .”
    He just laughed down at her, and her heart tripped at the sight. His smile made his handsome face gorgeous, perfect. His white teeth flashed against his bronze skin, and his striking pale blue eyes danced with mirth. They even crinkled at the sides.
    “You should laugh more often.” Where had that come from? Regret sliced through her when the smile slid off his face.
    “There’s not much to laugh about.”
    “Life is ridiculous sometimes. That’s worth laughing at. I don’t know.” She glanced away, feeling foolish for saying anything. What was she thinking telling a man who lived through a war only to be literally branded a pirate that he should look on the bright side? She shifted on the mattress, rolling onto her side to face away from him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just…like it when you laugh.”
    “Mmmm…” He made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat and brushed a light kiss on her shoulder. His big body curled around hers, enveloping her in his heat. She sighed and closed her eyes, snuggling back into him. It felt so good just to lie with him. Too good. Her eyes opened again. She should examine that thought, analyze it like she usually did. But she couldn’t. Her mind went hazy and soft when he stroked her body from shoulder to hip. Soothing. Sweet. Perfect.
    Exhaustion washed over her. She couldn’t fight it, and her eyes slid closed. A pang hit her chest. When she woke up, she would be back at the museum with nothing but a painting to remind her of her amazing time with him.

Chapter 3
    Almost a fortnight had passed since she’d saved him from being stabbed in the back. In that time she’d showed more passion than he’d ever seen in her. He scanned the horizon with his spyglass and saw nothing but clear blue sky meeting clear blue water. Excellent. He frowned, turning the glass to watch Rebecca spar with Willy.
    “Enjoyin’ the view, Cap’n?” Boyd’s voice came out flat and even, but James felt the back of his neck heat just the same.
    Damn. Caught staring at a woman like a foolish boy after his first bit of skirt. And she was his wife . He lowered the spyglass and met Boyd’s smirk with a glare. Boyd cleared his throat and focused on his duties at the helm. The sun beat down on them, and James swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. They weren’t enjoying much of a breeze today,