The Summer Flings Travel Club Read online

  At least someone was having fun.

  Matt took her hand off the table and held it in two of his. ‘You don’t seem into this.’

  He sounded surprised. She had to bite her lip before she asked if he was kidding. Instead she shrugged. ‘It’s been a long day.’

  He moved closer until she could smell the beer on his breath. Eww. ‘It could be a long night too, if you want.’

  She leaned back and tried to remove her hand from his clasp but it was useless. ‘Let’s take it as it comes.’

  She heard the metal gate slam shut, even over the sound of the music blasting out the glass sliding doors and turned around. Zack stood just inside the garden with a holdall slung over his shoulder, scowling at her and Matt. Everyone turned to look and she used Matt’s distraction to free herself.

  The music cut off and Elle shouted, ‘What are you doing here, Zack?’

  Elle’s eyes were blue fire, but Ciara was having a different reaction. A more visceral one. Her heart took off full speed and she struggled to get breath into her lungs. He was mad, that was easy to see. But even beneath the crazy attraction she felt just seeing him, she couldn’t find guilt. Yet.

  ‘Let’s do this inside, Elle,’ Zack said, storming past her to the house.

  Elle’s pulse beat at her temples, then she stormed in after him and shut the glass door so hard it vibrated.

  ‘We should have brought popcorn,’ Gem said, then giggled.

  The guys looked confused, but the glass was soundproof so they couldn’t hear Elle shrieking at Zack like she had back in LA. They could see her face turn red though, and could see Zack pull something up on his phone and show it to her as he shouted right back.

  Oh God, the photos Elle had taken. She’d forgotten to check them. No doubt they were awful.

  ‘Who’s this clown?’ Matt asked.

  If a lump the size of a golf ball hadn’t formed in her throat, she’d have treated him to a number of insults that would be sure to put a chip in his continental ego.

  Gem was more polite. ‘Elle’s cousin. This is their family’s condo.’

  Just then Elle came out of the house, sliding the door shut in Zack’s frown. ‘Sorry, my cousin is staying here too. How about we go out for dinner and a few drinks?’

  Both Gem and Elle had changed into sun dresses while she’d chucked on a pair of shorts and a vest. ‘Let me put something else on.’

  ‘You look okay, babe,’ Matt said.

  She didn’t take his stellar compliment well. Not now Zack thought she really was a slut, jumping from his bed straight into the arms of pretty boy. ‘I’ll feel better if I wear something else.’

  ‘Well hurry up. I need to get away from him,’ Elle said.

  Ciara jogged across the terrace and slid the door open. She couldn’t see Zack anywhere and didn’t know whether she was disappointed by that. Probably better she didn’t have to face him now, after what he’d seen outside.

  She darted into her room, pulled a baby pink summer dress off the hanger and slipped on a pair of gemmed flip flops. Her hair had gone wavy after letting it dry naturally earlier which made her look like a hippy but there was no time to do anything with it. Elle would come in and drag her out if she wasted time with straightening irons.

  Poking her head out of the door she saw the hall was clear, so made for the exit. Her flip flops slapped against the marble tiles and she cussed the Muirs for their expensive tastes. What happened to a good old fitted carpet?

  Zack was waiting for her in the kitchen, his arms folded across a chest she remembered with too much detail. ‘So you’re bedding that poser tonight?’

  The anger that swiftly burned through her wasn’t at the insult to Matt, it was the fact he thought she was easy. ‘Not that it’s any of your business, but no. We just met.’

  It was the wrong thing to say. She’d jumped into bed with Zack not long after they’d met too. Talk about leaving herself open to insults!

  Zack smiled, then crossed the room. He tilted her chin and the anger evaporated under his touch. It was like his fingers sent little currents into her skin, sweeping down to tremble in her belly.

  ‘Maybe it isn’t my business.’ He slid both hands up the side of her face and into her hair. Her eyes rolled back as he massaged her scalp. ‘I promise you this, Ireland. If you stay with me I’ll make sure you have a hundred times more fun than you would with him. I’ll even show you what I can do with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and my tongue.’

  How could a girl refuse an offer like that? Why would she even consider refusing? She was lost in his eyes, his slightly spicy aftershave and the way he was touching her made her whole body tingle.

  ‘Ciara hurry up!’ Elle shouted from the garden. ‘The taxi’s here.’

  Her friend’s voice snapped her back to her senses and she pulled away with a boat load of regret. Zack’s jaw ground hard and she whispered an apology before she bolted to the door. He was too much temptation and the last thing she wanted to do was to hurt her friend’s family by leading him on. It was better he was disappointed now than years down the line when it was too late.

  Chapter Six

  At Elle’s suggestion, they hit a bar on the beach so she could top up her tan. Ciara lost hope that dinner was on the cards the second Gem and Elle said they weren’t very hungry and more cocktails were served.

  She was too busy remembering the way Zack looked when she left to care too much about what Matt was saying, but tried to at least look like she was paying attention. He took a swig of a creamy looking cocktail that left a white moustache on his smooth upper lip.

  Smiling, she picked up the napkin and wiped it off imagining his horror at looking anything other than perfect.

  ‘So does this mean you’re back with me?’ he asked.

  Maybe he wasn’t completely self-involved and had noticed her lack of interest. She forced a polite smile. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘No problem, babe. I know how you can make it up to me.’

  His wicked grin was the only warning she got before her mouth was assaulted by his. Matt wasn’t gentle about his seduction – or patient. His tongue filled her mouth before she had a chance to slap him away for his assumption.

  She shoved his chest hard, till he had to grab the table for support. ‘Are you mad? What made you think I wanted to kiss you?’

  Elle and Gem were gaping at her but she was too miffed to care. Matt had crossed the line. She hadn’t given him a hint that she wanted him. In fact, she’d been ignoring him all night!

  ‘Well you’re friends seem happy having a holiday fling, I figured you would too,’ he said with a shrug.

  ‘A fling?’ she said through her teeth, but then the anger ebbed. A fling. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of that?

  ‘Cia, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of fun once in a while,’ Gem added. ‘You’re young, you’re single. Why not?’

  Elle smiled and nodded. Brandon frowned at Elle. Hmm, he didn’t look happy about just being a fling.

  Would Zack be happy? It would be the perfect solution to all that temptation.

  Something fun for both of them with a time limit to stop things spiralling out of control. They were leaving for Europe soon, why not enjoy a few days with someone she actually wanted. Ciara picked up her sex on the beach and downed half before she turned to Matt.

  ‘You’re gorgeous and I bet you can have any woman in here you want. But you’re not for me, I’m sorry.’

  Gem smirked. ‘The man for you probably has a private investigator following us and making sure we don’t get into any trouble.’

  ‘Define trouble,’ Rye said, squeezing her closer – if that were possible.

  ‘Ugh, Ciara. Really?’ Elle asked.

  Her cheeks flamed and she nodded.

  Elle sighed. ‘Well, Matt. Looks like we’ll have to find you some company.’

  Matt didn’t seem too put out by Ciara’s rejection. Then it clicked and she blinked. Had Elle really given her the ‘all c
lear’ to go seduce her cousin?

  Gem giggled and since Ciara couldn’t see Rye’s hands, she didn’t ask why. ‘Have fun, C. Don’t wait up for us.’

  ‘Have a good night guys.’

  ‘We will,’ they said, giggling.

  ***

  The taxi journey took forever during rush hour but the jitters in her stomach made it feel like no time at all. She hadn’t even planned what she was going to say when the car pulled up at the condo and she was handing the driver a note, telling him to keep the change.

  Her legs were unsteady as she made her way up the path to the pool. She wondered if he was still there since the place was tidy and all traces of their afternoon beers were cleaned up. But when she slid the doors open the sound of a familiar English band filled her ears. She hadn’t pegged Zack as an Arctic Monkeys fan, though she didn’t really know much about him did she?

  Maybe she shouldn’t. Weren’t flings supposed to be on a need to know basis? She wished she’d asked Gem and Elle.

  She wandered through the house. The lounge, kitchen, gym and every bedroom she walked past were empty. Then she stopped outside a closed door and reached for the handle.

  The thought of finding him with someone else had her snatching her hand back like the thing was on fire. This was a really, really bad idea. The cocktail she’d drained before she left the bar was weaker than the one Gem had bought her last night and she could use some courage about now.

  Then the door opened. Zack stood there in nothing but a towel and a few drops of water around his shoulders from his still wet hair. His eyes widened for a second, then narrowed suspiciously. ‘What’s up, Ireland?’

  He had to raise his voice over the music, but that made him sound angrier than before.

  ‘Can we talk?’ When he just frowned, she tried a little begging. ‘Please?’

  He came out of the room, nodding for her to go ahead of him and when they reached the kitchen he picked the remote off the breakfast bar, switched off the music and then took a seat. ‘You wanted to talk?’

  She stood at the opposite side, fidgeting with a loose gem on her purse.

  ‘Is your offer still open?’ she asked, unable to meet his eyes.

  ‘That depends,’ he said and she couldn’t keep her gaze off him any longer. He was back to folding his arms. ‘Who was that poser you were with?’

  She told him everything in a rush, the football game, the way he was too into himself and how he bored her to tears, then came the hard bit. ‘He suggested something that I never thought of, actually. He thought I was looking for a … holiday fling.’

  ‘And you weren’t?’ Zack asked, still not relaxing his rigid pose.

  Time for brutal honesty. ‘No. Not with him, anyway.’

  He put his elbows on the table, leaning forward with a slight grin. She relaxed a bit now that he had. Had he’d been jealous of Matt?

  ‘With me?’ he asked.

  Nerves made her mouth go a million miles a minute. ‘Well, I said what happened in LA was a mistake and it wasn’t, not really because I wanted it but I was scared I’d get in too deep and end up hurting you and you’re my best friend’s cousin and she’d hate me forever but I never thought of a fling, you know, something with a time limit so now I thought I’d see if it’s something you wanted.’

  He surprised her by laughing. ‘I barely understood that, you know.’

  Her cheeks burned.

  ‘But I got the gist. So, you want a short term thing with a time limit?’

  Ciara nodded. ‘We’re leaving for Paris in a few days which isn’t as easy to get to as Miami.’ Then she blurted out a question without thinking. ‘Why are you here?’

  His jaw set. ‘I saw the pictures Elle put up on Instagram. You looked smashed, Ciara. I was worried you would all get into trouble again.’

  She squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face with her hands. ‘Oh god, I knew they’d be bad.’

  He was in front of her then, pulling her hands away. His grin just made her face get hotter. ‘Hey, everyone has been smashed at some point in their lives. Don’t worry about it. Anyway, I can see you got home unharmed.’

  ‘We’re big girls you know. We can look after ourselves,’ she insisted, using irritation to hide the mortification.

  ‘Definitely grown up,’ he agreed, placing his hands on her hips and sliding them up to rest just below her breasts. She trembled, wishing the cotton dress wasn’t in the way. ‘But not big, not at all.’

  She smiled, remembering when she thought he called her fat.

  ‘And I’d like to be with you while you’re here. I have a condition though,’ he said.

  Frowning, she asked, ‘What condition?’

  ‘If I only have you for a few days, then I want all the perks of a fling.’

  She agreed straight away, happy for them to start having all those perks right now.

  ***

  ‘Some perk,’ she grumbled as Zack muscled a moped out of the massive garage.

  She assumed he’d drag her straight to his bedroom since he was half naked already, but as soon as she’d agreed he’d kissed her nose, told her to wait there and then returned from his room fully dressed, saying he was taking her out.

  ‘Dates are perks,’ he said, climbing onto the moped and handing her a helmet.

  ‘Where’s your helmet?’ If she was wearing something so hideous, she wasn’t doing it solo.

  ‘My head’s hard, just ask Elle.’

  She smiled a little, but still… ‘Unlike Elle, I can’t afford the bail money if you get busted.’

  Zack laughed. ‘I won’t, I have the right medical insurance policy to get away with it, but you don’t.’

  She frowned at the lumpy thing in her hands, knowing she was going to look like the biggest eejit ever.

  ‘Here.’ He took the thing and slid it onto her head. ‘Even better.’

  ‘Now that you can’t see my face. Ha. Ha.’ she said, not impressed with the joke. Ignoring his innocent, would-I-say-that grin, she climbed on the little bike behind him. ‘Why a moped?’

  ‘It’s easy to get through traffic this way and you can see the city better. You ready?’

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly and feeling the outline of his thighs between hers. This part wasn’t bad at all, actually. He couldn’t see her and she could feel every lean muscle through his cotton tee-shirt. Every single one.

  Zack patted her knee. ‘Take it easy, Ireland or I’ll end up wrapping us round a palm tree.’

  Oh, maybe stroking him like her fingers were starved for him wasn’t the best thing for his concentration. She clasped her hands over his abs and resisted the temptation to outline the ridges with her fingertips. He chuckled and the sound vibrated through her, making the spot between her legs ache.

  ‘Let’s go before I drag you back into the house,’ he said.

  She wasn’t adverse to him dragging her back, but they were off before she could tell him that. Nothing about the speed was scary at all, and she didn’t have much of an excuse for clinging to his back as tight as she did, but his smell was fabulous and she couldn’t get enough. It was better than the sights around them. After all palm trees and bars couldn’t compare to Zack.

  She was blissfully unaware of anything until Zack said, ‘Look, we’re in South Beach.’

  The sun was descending and the hotels were lit up in different colours of neon lights. They weren’t the fancy sky scrapers she’d seen from the beach, this was more old fashioned, but somehow prettier to look at. ‘Wow.’

  ‘The buildings here are mostly art deco. At night they’re illuminated and completely transform,’ he said, sounding more excited than she’d ever heard him.

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ she agreed, glad she got the chance to see this before they left.

  They kept going and this time Ciara paid attention to the scenery. Miami seemed to come alive at night and was packed with more people than were on the beach during the day. A while later
they were passing through Ocean Drive with even more lit up clubs, restaurants and hotels, but they all looked more modern than they had in South Beach.

  ‘See, much more to Miami than the posers you find on the beach,’ he said, turning again and taking them away from the pretty restaurants.

  After god knew how long, she reckoned she’d seen most of the city and her stomach started to rumble. She hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and wondered if Zack would mind if she devoured a three course meal in front of him.

  He must have heard or felt her stomach growl because he said, ‘Just a little further and we’ll stop for dinner, okay?’

  She nodded against his back and closed her eyes again, just listening to his heart beat and inhaling his delicious aftershave. It worked, taking her mind off the hunger but built up a different kind. She couldn’t imagine what he had planned when they got back. More fast and furious? Or would they start slow this time, giving her the chance to savour every inch of his body before she enjoyed him thoroughly?

  She was so caught up in the fantasies that she jumped when he said, ‘Look, Ireland. We’re here.’

  She opened her eyes in time to see a sign welcoming them to Little Havana, USA. It was like they’d driven into another city altogether. The buildings were flat roofed and reminded her of Southern America. Since most shops and take-aways she could see had Spanish names, she guessed she wasn’t far off.

  ‘What is this place?’ she asked, then noticed a wall covered in graffiti. The paintings were cool but the word ‘Cuba’ confused her. She was pants at geography but not so much that she could believe they’d gotten that far already.

  ‘This is Miami’s slice of Cuba. I know a restaurant here that serves the best seafood I’ve ever tasted. You up for it?’

  ‘Any food would be good right about now. But I do love seafood.’

  ‘I knew you had good taste.’

  She hugged him tighter but kept her eyes peeled wide so she didn’t miss a single thing.

  ***

  After a daring calamari appetiser which was out of this world, their main courses arrived. Ciara avoided the lobster even though she wanted to try it, because she was going to pay for half of the meal. It was the least she could do after he had shown her the sights.