Jackson pulled the old laptop out of his locked desk drawer. He had changed the lock himself from the standard one it had come with. The computer booted quickly and he sat down logged onto the Department of Defense mainframe to try and find some answers.
He was surprised to find a file on his very first search query. Things weren't usually that easy, but he clicked on it anyway. It was a series of orders for a Blake Madison to be on top secret orders to Afghanistan. As a linguist, it wasn't that strange of an order. But then Jackson looked at the location. The Kandahar district. There was no reason for a low-level Dari linguist to be in a Pashto majority-speaking area. Add on the ease of which he had just found this 'top secret' document, and he smelled something fishy.
He paused, his fingers poised over the keys to type in another search, but he paused. Maybe if Chloe thought that her brother was in Afghanistan, she would give up her search into the Lycan gene. Perhaps, he could even convince her that he was going to go look for her brother. It wouldn't be that difficult to convince the Army shrink that he was 'cured' and ready to go on another mission. He knew a colonel stationed in Kandahar that would be more than happy to have him on his team.
The idea of lying to her made Jackson's stomach twist. He would have to tell her that he didn't think the orders were real, but he hoped that maybe she would believe them anyway. He just wanted her to be safe. More than anything, he wanted her to be safe from the people looking for her and the animal within him.
He typed in a quick search to find more on the men who had attacked them. He couldn't find anything, but that didn't mean much. The only thing he found on the tattoo was a unit named "Phoenix" that had been under the command of Colonel Bronn at one point. They were a rough group, but it probably just meant that a superior officer has tasked the men with getting the girl by any means possible. He'd seen some violent things in the name of state security.
He closed the laptop slowly and put it back in its drawer. For a moment, he considered going back to the motel. His pulse quickened at the prospect of seeing Chloe's face brighten as she opened the door for him. Maybe she would even kiss him, her lips warm against his after the cold of the night air...
He snarled and slammed his hand on the desk. A small dent appeared in the shiny metal surface. Jackson groaned. At least it wasn't hand shaped, but his brand new desk wasn't new anymore.
He couldn't go back to the motel. He shouldn't be with Chloe. She deserved so much better than a broken soldier with nightmares and the strength to break desks. He was dangerous and she already had too much danger in her life. He had to figure out a way to get away before he hurt her.
Jackson glanced at a stack of paperwork waiting to be filed. He didn't feel like looking at the intelligence reports right now. He felt like howling at the moon with frustration. He couldn't do that right now either. So instead, he unfolded the ancient cot in the corner of the room and moved a few boxes to create a little bed. Pulling his uniform jacket up over his shoulders, he closed his eyes and prayed he didn't dream of fire.
Chapter 17
Chloe found herself back in the red velvet room. Her lover wasn't there yet, so she sat and waited on the bed, playing with the buttons on her shirt. It was only a matter of moments before Jackson strode through the door. He wore a tan t-shirt and his military camouflage pants that accentuated his perfect ass. Elation went through her as she flew into his arms, savoring the feeling of his muscles wrapping her up.
He kissed her as though he hadn't seen her in months. It started slow and sensual with deliberated softness. His tongue searched deliberately for hers, finding her mouth and filling it with exquisite sweetness.
His hands were warm on her skin as he pulled her into him, deepening the kiss. Her body pressed into his, feeling his strength. He was hot to the touch and she knew it was because he wanted her. He needed her. She pushed her h*ps against his, feeling him harden against her. She wanted him so badly it was making her shake.
With a delicate hand, she slid her fingers down his chest, down to where the bulge in his pants was growing. He sucked in a breath, raw hunger filling his face. She could see the muscles in his jaw tighten and his brown eyes darken with pure want. Chloe knew her face reflected the same desire.
Jackson leaned forward, sliding his lips along her jawbone, down the arch of her neck. Soft nibbles and gentle flicks of his tongue sent shivers of delight down her spine as he worked his way down to her collarbone, his hands going to her br**sts.
Her clothes faded. So did his. She had a hard time not staring at the perfect male specimen before her, his hands cupping her br**sts like they were treasures. A low growl of want escaped his throat and Jackson went back to kissing her shoulder, his thumbs strumming her n**ples into sensitive nubs.
Slowly, so slowly she thought she might go mad with desire, Jackson kissed down her chest, kneeling before her to put her n**ples at mouth level. Warmth enveloped her as he took her nipple into his mouth, massaging it with his tongue. She gasped as he bit down, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to send electricity straight into her core. It caused only pleasure, not pain; she knew he would never hurt her.
Jackson's hands were hot on her h*ps as he sunk lower on his knees, kissing his way down her stomach. With him, in this place, she wasn't self conscious or nervous of her appearance. She was beautiful in this dream world because that is how he saw her. He looked up once, a smirk crossing his face before kissing her delicately on the apex of where her legs came together.
Chloe's knees threatened to buckle beneath her and Jackson's low chuckle filled the air. He turned her h*ps with his hands, guiding her onto the edge of the velvet bed. The cool, slippery fabric was the perfect contrast to Jackson's hard and hot muscles. He pushed gently on her knees, spreading them apart and positioning himself between them as she lay back on the bed.
She could feel his eyes on her as he licked once, tasting her like ice cream. She shivered with pleasure. His tongue was warm and wet, finding her pleasure center in seconds and caressing it. Pulse after pulse of electric heat surged through her body and up her spine with ever flick of his tongue. Her back arched, forcing her h*ps to his mouth. She wanted him more and more with every passing second.
Power started to build within her, an ache that craved satisfaction. Her legs started to shake, her body taking control and leaving her mind to spin in bliss. She opened her eyes to see his, glowing with golden want, and it sent her over the edge. White hot pleasure seared through her core, spreading out to her fingertips and making her dizzy with lust. Her moan seemed far away as he kept up his relentless rhythm, forcing her to shake and spasm once again.
The ache to be filled was too great to ignore. Chloe reached down, threading her fingers through his dark hair, her eyes bright with pleasure.
I need you now. The words were never spoken but they hung in the air as if she had shouted them. He grinned, moving up onto the bed, his body only inches from hers. She licked her lips, eyes focused on the thick, swollen member positioned at her entrance. She would give anything to have him fill her. To complete her.
He slid into her easily. Her shriek of pleasure met with his growl of satisfaction as their bodies joined, writhing and begging for more. His h*ps worked back and forth, filling her again and and again, her moans of pleasure filling the air. This was heaven.
He looked down at her and grinned, cupping the back of her neck with his hand and kissing her as he spun. Chloe was now on top of him. She licked her lips, sitting up straight. Her hands went to his masculine chest, his n**ples pebbling under her palms. Using her legs, she started to bounce, sliding up and down the length of his shaft.
Jackson's eyes rolled up into the back of his head, his mouth twisting in beautiful agony. A whine of pleasure escaped his throat, spurring her on. His hands dug into her hips, guiding her motions up and down.
He opened his eyes. A fierce hunger and lust shone out, the golden glow returning and lighting his eyes as if a fire were building inside of him. Chloe couldn't look away. Knowing that she was responsible for this level of want, that she was turning him on and giving him unfathomable pleasure made the heat in her own core grow. He looked at her like she was the most beautiful and amazing creature on the planet.
His hands tightened on her hips, his manhood swelling within her. Chloe felt her body respond in kind, wanting to match his pleasure to her own. It was so easy to climb the mountain of pleasure with him, so easy to find herself ready to come with him.
Jackson's eyes went wide, his entire body arching as he groaned with release. He exploded inside of her, tipping her over the edge of her own pleasure to follow him. Her h*ps rocked against his and satisfaction she had never known before filled her.
Slowly, she remembered how to breathe again. Her heart was ready to beat out of her chest as she leaned forward, pressing her br**sts into his chest. She kissed his cheek, the stubble rough against her lips. His heart pounded against hers as they both gasped for air.
He kissed the tip of her nose. His eyes were back to brown, but they held such lust that Chloe felt her stomach flip with desire.
More? Chloe asked silently, raising her eyebrows.
He grinned, looking down at where they were still joined. She could feel him begin to harden again.
He laughed, deep and throaty, setting her world on fire again. She was glad the night was just beginning...
***
Chloe lay in bed, her eyes still closed and her cheeks flushed. She didn't know it was possible to have such vivid dreams. She could have sworn that Jackson had been in her bed, their lovemaking the real thing and not just a nighttime fantasy. Her body even felt sore in all the right places. She didn't want to open her eyes, afraid to spoil the illusion. Maybe if she kept them shut, he would walk out of the shower and tell her it wasn't a dream.
A heavy pounding on the door made her groan.
"Chloe? It's me," called a masculine voice through the wood. Jackson.
Her eyes shot open and she bounded out of bed, grabbing the gun he had given off the nightstand and peeking out a hole in the curtains and then the peephole before unlocking the door and letting him in. She flung open the door, and she almost launched herself into his arms before remembering that he hadn't actually been there for her dreams. He drew back as she stepped forward and she thought of how he had left suddenly after their kiss and left her to sleep alone. She wrapped her arms around her, more to keep herself from doing something regrettable than from the cold.
"I may have found something on your brother," Jackson said, locking the door behind him. Excitement bubbled up in Chloe's chest. Maybe his disappearing for the night hadn't been a complete waste after all.
"What did you find?" she asked, hope creeping into her voice. She handed Jackson back his gun and he carefully holstered it and then crossed his arms.
"I found some top-secret orders for your brother to go to Afghanistan."
Chloe sat back on the messy bed and ran her fingers through her hair. It was tangled from thrashing in her sleep, and so she untied it and combed it with her fingers. It gave her something to do while she digested the information.
"Afghanistan? What about the file?" Chloe frowned and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. It was still tangled, but at least it wasn't as bad.
Jackson's brows came together, emotions darting across his face faster than Chloe could register them. Finally, he sighed and dropped his arms to his side.