24 Hours Bundle

by Jo Leigh

  His head turned, fast, and his hand darted up to hold her by the back of the neck. He kissed her. Hard.

  It was a good thing he was holding her, too, because, damn. When he finally pulled back, he smiled. “I know.”

  She pinched him.

  “Ow.”

  With a wicked grin, she headed for the dance floor. Alex followed closely. They found a spot to call their own and she began to move. It had been forever since she’d danced. Her most frequent partner was Ellen DeGeneres, but that didn’t happen often, because Meg wasn’t home when the show came on. As for partners that weren’t talk show hosts, there’d been…

  She couldn’t even remember.

  Alex moved, too. He didn’t go crazy, but he knew what a beat was and knew how to feel it. It shouldn’t have surprised her. She knew what he listened to, and if that didn’t mean he had soul, nothing would.

  He’d told her he liked to sing along with Ella Fitzgerald, but that he never sang in public because while he had the passion, he didn’t have the chops.

  It wasn’t the naughtiest of his revelations, but it was one that had given Meg a good clue as to who he was. Although she had to wonder what she truly did know about him, after today’s revelations. She could still hardly believe that he’d told her so little about his work life. Perhaps it had something to do with the amount of time she’d spent bitching about hers. That was something she’d think about later, when she wasn’t on a dance floor.

  The song was something she didn’t recognize, although she’d wager it was originally done by Earth, Wind and Fire. The horn section rocked, the whole band was fabulous and her body felt deliciously loose after the massage. But it ended too soon. She was just getting started.

  “I’ll be right back,” Alex said.

  She nodded and watched him head for the restrooms. She waited for the music to start again. When it did, she grinned. “Get the Party Started.” That one, she knew.

  Even though Alex was still away, she danced. Danced her ass off. Just closed her eyes and let it go, because this wasn’t the real world and she couldn’t have cared less what anyone thought. Despite her determination to think of nothing but the here and now, thoughts about their earlier conversations refused to leave her be.

  He talked to her all the time, even when she wasn’t there. That had been a shocker. Not just because he’d confessed to the somewhat odd behavior, but because she talked to him, too. Talked. Cried on his shoulder. Made love to him. All in her head. Only tonight it had become real, and she didn’t have to pretend at all. The reality surpassed the fantasy beyond any expectation or hope.

  She laughed as the music filled her senses and then oh, God, Alex’s hand was on hers, pulling her close.

  They moved together as if they’d done it forever. They touched, hand to hand, hip to hip, and, by the end, groin to groin.

  She felt that thing again, like when they’d had that moment in the bar. She wished they could go on like this forever, but this song ended, too.

  They stumbled back to their table to find the drinks already there. After a few breathless minutes, Alex scooted close, put his hand on her thigh. “This is good.”

  “Very good.”

  “I mean us. In person. Live and in color.”

  “Yeah, I heard you the first time.”

  His grin was crooked, and very sweet. She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.

  He didn’t keep it gentle. His mouth opened wider and his tongue dipped inside, tasting, teasing. For long moments, with the sound of the music and chatter all around, she just melted into him. Making out like they were in the backseat of an old Chevy. He moaned as his hand slipped under the hem of her dress, and she thought about how it had been have him inside her. Incredible.

  She wanted Alex. All of him. Naked and on the soft bed, with nothing to stop them from exploring every fantasy they’d ever talked about.

  She squeezed her legs together as she remembered one particularly intense late-night conversation. He’d asked her if she ever wanted to explore her darker side. She’d never told another living soul that she even had one, but he’d confessed some pretty dark stuff himself, and, well, she did wonder about things.

  Not that she necessarily wanted to try them for real. But maybe, with someone like Alex, she could dip her toe into the water.

  That whole spanking thing. It wasn’t something she thought a lot about. When she did, though, she imagined herself tied and helpless. Very exposed. Very aroused.

  She moaned, her legs parting for his fingers. But when he touched her inner thigh, she came back to herself. To where they were. She pulled away.

  He stilled. “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Sorry.” He brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Truth is, you make me forget myself.”

  “I know what you mean. But I think I’ve gotten that exhibitionist streak out of my system. In fact, I’m thinking it might be nice to do some private things.”

  “Dammit.” He looked away, his jaw set and his mouth tight.

  “You have an objection?”

  He looked back at her. “Are you kidding? I’m dying to do all kinds of private things, but I did something.”

  “Now you’re starting to scare me.”

  “Not a bad thing. Just one that’s going to keep us here for a little while.”

  She couldn’t imagine what he was talking about.

  “I’ll see if I can cancel—”

  The band was back and the singer was at the mike. “This one’s for Meg,” he said.

  Her eyes widened. “Me, Meg?”

  Alex got that crooked smile again. “You, Meg.”

  “Cool.”

  The music started, and then she really got it. The tune was “In the Mood,” the Glen Miller standard, which they both loved to pieces.

  “Can you do it?” Alex asked.

  “Oh, yeah.”

  He stood, held out his hand, and they went to the middle of the dance floor. The problem was her dress. It was too tight to do this properly. But the hell with it. After all, she’d been dancing to this music since she was a little kid.

  He pulled her onto the floor and immediately into a spin. It was just like dancing with her father, only a million times better because Alex moved like a born hepcat. And it was Alex.

  Despite the tightness of her dress, she didn’t do too badly. In fact, the other folks made room for them, and some even stopped dancing just to watch.

  Meg felt as if she were in a movie, and that Alex was the sexiest, most wonderful leading man ever. When the song finally ended, they were both panting and laughing from the pure exhilaration of it all.

  He looked into her eyes. “Happy?”

  “More than I could have ever guessed.”

  His gaze darted across her face as he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I know.” He kissed her gently, then smiled. “Let’s go home.”

  13

  THEY’D TAKEN the golf cart to the restaurant instead of walking, and after dancing, Alex was grateful. He wanted to get back to the bungalow, back to bed.

  For the lateness of hour, the traffic was crazy. Nothing, it seemed, closed at the hotel, or even the spa, if the lights were any indication. He wondered how many people it took to run a place like this. And where the locals lived.

  “That was a wonderful treat,” Meg said. “I’m surprised they knew the song.”

  He touched her hand as he maneuvered past couples on the path. “I was, too, but they did a great job. You sure can cut a rug.”

  “I loved it. Did I tell you my parents won a dancing contest when they were dating? They got a trophy and everything.”

  “Oh, shit. Hang on.” Alex jerked the cart into a hard right, then another, narrowly avoiding a palm tree, steering them back toward the hotel.

  Meg squealed as she grabbed on for dear life, but Alex could only spare her a glance as he weaved his way among the bicycles and pedestrians.

  He f
elt sure Charlie had spotted him, and he wished there was a rearview mirror on this thing so he could see if Hanover had turned to make chase.

  Making sure there was no one immediately in front of him, Alex kept his foot on the pedal as he looked behind him. Although his quick glance didn’t let him see the man’s face, he did see a cart speeding after them.

  “Is it him?”

  Alex nodded. “Dammit, I don’t want to do this. I’m going to try and lose him.”

  Meg held on to the side panels of the door with both hands. “Maybe I could talk to him. Let him know that I’m pretty damn good at the whole gelding thing.”

  “That sounds like fun, but no,” he replied. “I don’t want you to talk to him. He’d hammer you until you told him something you didn’t want him to know.”

  “That’s ridiculous, Alex. I can turn around and walk away.”

  “You’re brilliant, Meg, but you’ve never been subjected to anything like Charlie Hanover. He’s brought heads of state to tears. Seriously, it’s not worth it.”

  “It’s an island, Alex. Where is there to go?”

  “We’ll find out.”

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  He deftly passed a slow-moving cart, making sure no one had to step on the brakes. “Enjoying being chased all over an island in an electric cart with a gorgeous woman at my side? Naw.”

  Meg laughed, and for that he was grateful. If she’d been pissed, he’d have ended the game, told Charlie to go to hell, and, if he had to, gotten security to ensure their privacy. But, as Meg had so astutely noticed, this was much more fun.

  He drove as if he were at the Grand Prix, only at about fifteen miles per hour. Meg got into the swing of things by shouting warnings at those up ahead. She even took point, looking back to mark Charlie’s progress in the chase.

  Finally, way past the brightest lights of the hotel, they came to a crossroads. Alex turned off the lights and veered left, toward the sea. He had to slow down, but there were fewer obstacles than they’d faced on the other end of the path.

  If he remembered correctly, this would lead them to the cove. He had no idea whether Charlie was following and Meg couldn’t tell. She’d shifted in the seat so she could look for him, but if he was on their tail, he’d doused his beams, too.

  They drove on, getting yelled at a couple of times for driving without headlights. Alex didn’t mind. He liked it even better when Meg scooted closer, abandoning her lookout, and took his hand in hers.

  The full moon made it possible to keep going until they neared the cliffs. The path ended there, and Alex didn’t want to do something bad to the electric cart, so he pulled off the road. When he cut the motor, they just sat for a few long minutes, waiting.

  In the quiet, the sound of the waves washing against a hidden shoreline made him forget about Charlie, newspapers, the rest of the world. The only thing that mattered was the woman next to him, who’d slipped her hand from his grasp to his thigh.

  He pulled her into a kiss, letting himself sink into the soft heat of her mouth. Time slowed as her tongue teased in the most leisurely fashion, even as his heart beat urgently.

  She pulled back suddenly with a sound of distress.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “This isn’t the back seat of a stretch limo.”

  “I’m pretty sure we’ve lost him. Let’s go back to the bungalow.”

  “He’s probably waiting for us to do just that. We still have the towels in the back, don’t we?”

  He leaned to kiss her again. “Why, Ms. Becker, I do believe you’re a genius.”

  “Not quite. We don’t have other necessary accoutrements.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “But making out is fun.”

  “It is, indeed.”

  CHARLIE LOOKED AT his watch one more time. His eyes burned with fatigue, his butt hurt from sitting in the damn cart, and not one vehicle had come this way for at least a half hour. “Screw it.”

  He turned around and headed back to the hotel. He’d found Alex once, he’d do it again. In fact, he was sorry now he hadn’t just gone with his original plan.

  The one thing he knew now that he didn’t before was that Alex hadn’t come here alone. Was the woman behind his decision to spill the beans? Charlie would have to do some more digging. He hadn’t recognized her, although admittedly he hadn’t gotten a good look, but something told him she was involved. Which made his journalistic heart skip a beat.

  Adding sex to the mix was a fantastic bonus.

  MEG STEPPED OUT of the cart and up the stairs to the bungalow, not waiting for Alex. Talk about foreplay. For an hour, they’d spread out on the beach, comfortable on the two towels, and made out like teenagers. She hadn’t done that since forever, and it had been heaven.

  Just kissing him was something she could do for a living. She’d always loved to kiss, but she’d never met anyone who met her high standards as well as Alex did.

  His hands and hers had wandered, but they’d never unzipped anything or snuck under anything, which somehow had made it all sexier.

  Now, she dashed into the bathroom to get herself ready for phase two. It was late, but she didn’t care. Every one of her erogenous zones screamed for immediate attention.

  It took her only a few minutes to brush her teeth and her hair. She thought about undressing, but decided to see what Alex was up to.

  She walked out to find him bent over the bed, wearing nothing but boxers, pulling down the comforter. Her eyes widened as she saw the lump under the covers that was her vibrator. He hadn’t noticed it…yet. She cleared her throat and when he turned, she unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor.

  His moan made her whole body tremble.

  HE WOKE, not remembering when he’d fallen asleep. Meg was still curled in the crook of his shoulder, her leg over his, her softness pressed against his thigh. He was grateful the light was still on so he could see her like this.

  What he felt…Okay, so this was unexpected. Maybe not. He’d built up this meeting for a long time. It was natural that he’d brought a lot to the bedroom, a lot of fantasies.

  The night breeze fluttered the gauzy white curtains, giving him glimpses of the darkness outside. He had no idea what time it was, which was somewhat disorienting.

  In D.C., he always knew the time. His watch, the clock on his nightstand, the time stamp on his computer. Time ruled him in the real world. Time and deadlines. The weekly column that he’d wanted so badly he’d have killed for it had turned into something he’d never expected. He’d also had ideals back then, a naiveté that felt astonishing. Of course, there had been perks. Politicians curried his favor. He had access, he had power, he had privilege. All of which had hidden the poison apple he’d been only too happy to bite.

  He tried to remember the last time he’d truly relaxed. Even when he was on vacation, work was always there. He never went anywhere without his cell phone, his computer, his contacts. He’d been consumed with his insular world, giving only half an eye to anything outside. It didn’t matter if he was in Cannes or Sundance, the scenery mattered only in his search for a relay tower so he could get reception on his phone. Some life.

  This week was all his. He’d left everything he’d been obsessed with behind, and it was only natural that he’d glommed on to Meg as the avatar of all that was freedom and release.

  On the other hand, holy shit.

  He looked back down at the sleeping woman. Her hair was all over the place, and he pushed back a thick strand resting on her cheek, careful not to touch her, because if he did, he wasn’t sure he could stop.

  It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman who stirred him like Meg. As much as he’d cared for Ellen, they didn’t exactly have fireworks in the bedroom. The other women he’d known had been good, fine. He’d had no complaints.

  Meg was different. The only problem was, he wasn’t sure if the difference was real.

  Which was probably a good thing. H
is life was waiting for him, right where he’d left it. The good, the bad, the chaos. And whether he’d land on his feet or his ass was uncertain until he returned.

  He reached for the lamp on the table, and just as he turned it off, Meg shifted. He froze, not wanting to wake her.

  “Alex?” she said, her voice fuzzy from sleep.

  “It’s late. Go back to sleep.”

  “’Kay.”

  He tucked her closer, then reached across her body and grabbed the comforter. Now that the light was off, he didn’t mind covering her up, especially since he could feel so much of her.

  “Alex?”

  He smiled. “Yes?”

  “I was thinking,” she murmured.

  “About?”

  “This is the best vacation ever.”

  “I’m glad.”

  She sniffled. Moved her leg higher up his thigh. And that was it. The end of the conversation. He could feel her slow, steady breaths brush his chest, and he realized that sleeping with Meg was better than anything he could think of. It was the best vacation ever. And way, way too short.

  MEG WOKE BEFORE ALEX DID. She quickly reached under the covers and got her vibe, which lay exactly where she’d left it. It was going into her suitcase, not the drawer, because she really didn’t need it now. After making sure Alex was still asleep, she snuck into the shower, hoping she wouldn’t wake him. She wished she could have slept longer herself, but she was used to waking with the sun.

  Her shower made her aware of some interesting aches, and also a couple of hickies on her neck. Hickies! She hadn’t had one since seventh grade. Now all she needed was the prune skin to go with it. She’d never had so many showers in such a short period of time.

  As she stepped out of the spray, Alex opened the door. “You done?”

  “It’s all yours.”

  “Good, because breakfast is going to be here in about ten minutes,” he said.

  “Here? Seriously?”

  “They have golf carts that have small ovens in the back, so they can bring hot meals to the bungalows.”