by LJ Bradley
He sputtered out a laugh. “I’m a financial advisor—and what the hell do you mean by all this?”
She smiled at his incredulous expression, happy she’d been able to throw him off balance for a few seconds. “You’re one of those men who keeps popping up in women’s fantasies. Too good to be true, but you’re sitting right here in front of me. You’re physically flawless, decent and funny. It’s disturbing… and kind of annoying. Why can’t you burp or be an ass?”
Jack looked at her steadily, his expression filled with surprise and affection. His gaze dropped to her lips for a fraction of a second before his mouth curved in a barely-there smile. “Stick around for long enough and I’m sure you’ll get to see my bad side.”
Hmm.
She wouldn’t get her hopes up but it sounded like an invitation to see him again, maybe after tonight. Meg smiled and lifted her brows. “So… you’re alone, too?”
Jack emptied his glass and sent her a sidelong glance. “Now? Yeah. My brother and his wife got married here five years ago. They came back last week to renew their vows and a few of us tagged along. The rest of the group headed home yesterday but I’m here for another week.”
She’d be seeing him around the hotel grounds the whole time she was here. Depending on how tonight went it could turn out to be a blessing or a complete disaster. “Was it romantic? The ceremony, I mean?”
He gave her a quick, tight smile. “If you’re into that kind of thing.”
His expression roused her curiosity, but she didn’t know him well enough to delve any deeper. “I am,” she said. “Hopeless romantic right here.”
Jack’s gaze moved over her, openly taking in every detail. She almost cheered when his tension eased and lightness took its place. “How do you feel about holiday romances?”
Meg could have joked along with him but she didn’t want to give him the wrong impression or lead him on. “Not for me. I’m more of a relationship kind of girl.”
“Shame.” His eyes were still warm despite the regret that tinged his voice. “We could have had some fun.”
She didn’t doubt that for a second. His attractiveness and the relaxed vibe about him screamed holiday fling, but the idea of getting intimate with a man she’d just met didn’t sit right with her. She hadn’t done it in the past and had no idea how to go about making it happen now. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this but it’s possible to have fun just being friends with a woman.”
“For some I’m sure. Not me. I’ve tried and sex always gets in the way.”
Meg didn’t know if it was her imagination, but he seemed to linger over the word sex. It slid off his tongue and hung in the air like a promise, filling her mind with a myriad of images that only added to her confusion.
She wanted him; that part she’d known from the beginning. Watching him emerge from the cover of trees back at the hotel had her fingers itching to touch him. Now he was close enough to do just that the temptation had only gotten worse. If she stayed near him any longer she’d have no choice but to take it to the next level—unless she wanted to bail on him and kick herself for being a coward all the way back to her room.
The door to the restaurant swung open behind her and a raucous group of people entered. Meg waited for the noise to die down, and Jack took the opportunity to order fresh drinks. She watched him interact with the bartender in that self-assured way of his and a languid heat seeped through her that had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. She hadn’t worn a bra tonight, and the sensation of her nipples brushing against her top didn’t help at all.
She couldn’t go there. Definitely… probably not. Meg barely knew anything about him. He could have a girlfriend back home, or maybe he indulged in so many one-night stands it classified as a hobby. “Are you in a relationship?” she asked out of the blue. “Engaged, girlfriend, friends-with-benefits…”
Jack turned in his seat to face her, his gaze never once wavering from hers. She loved seeing him take her question seriously instead of giving her one of those teasing looks that muddled her thoughts and stopped her brain from working properly. “No to all of the above. What about you?”
Meg let out a relieved sigh. “Nope.”
A comfortable silence fell between them. She took in the stubble lining his jaw, the warm glow of his skin. He looked so healthy and full of life, she wanted to lean in and nuzzle the spot where the pulse beat in his throat. Discover his smell, his taste. God, she needed to stop drinking. Meg tipped her glass and swallowed half the contents in one gulp.
“Did you ask because you’re planning on propositioning me?”
She almost choked on her wine, and had to press the back of her hand to her mouth to make sure none came out. “No,” she said as soon as she’d recovered. “I mean yes. God, I don’t know what I’m saying anymore.”
His rumbling laughter helped lighten the mood. Meg appreciated it since it wouldn’t take much of a push to have either of them heading into dark and dangerous territory. “You’re all wound up,” he said. “Maybe you should kiss me to help break some of the tension.”
She shook her head and tamped down her humor. Her skin warmed to the invitation in his tone. Meg downed another sip of wine and imagined her mouth exploring his, their bodies pressed together while the world went on around them. The crowd in the bar had grown since her arrival but she’d barely noticed the increase in noise level.
“If I did you’d probably take over and try to rush me into bed.”
The smile that touched his lips would have looked innocent on anyone else. “I’m not in the habit of rushing anything when it comes to sex, and I wouldn’t push a woman into something she didn’t want to do. Ever.”
Aaannd they were right back to that question she’d asked earlier. Why couldn’t he be an obnoxious egomaniac? She could have turned him down without a second thought and moved on with her life. Much easier than dealing with this madly racing heart and feeling as if she’d given up control of her own body.
At least she knew one way to get some of that control back. Meg narrowed her eyes and slid her drink on the bar, intending to call his bluff and see if she could ruffle that calm exterior again. He’d mentioned sex, but while they were here in the bar she didn’t need to worry about that. It was just a kiss—and kissing him didn’t mean she had to take the next step.
With a glance around the room, Meg rose from her stool and moved into the space between his thighs. She cradled his jaw, her pinkie fingers coming to rest on the pulse in his throat—a pulse that appeared to be anything but steady. He might have radiated a quiet self-assurance, but it gave her a confidence boost knowing he might be having some struggles of his own.
Her fingers delved into the hair at his temples and she took in his features. Just one look and Meg knew she’d could get herself into all kinds of trouble. The wicked gleam, the warmth, a touch of amusement. His personality shone through without him having to say a word. And those lips. Surrounded by dark stubble they looked softer somehow, sensual and inviting. So, inviting she couldn’t hold back for another second.
She leaned in to press a lingering peck beside his lips, breathing in his warm, clean scent, reveling in the low sound of pleasure he made. His hold on her hips tightened, but he held back and let her do her thing. It was strangely erotic the way he kept his desire in check. At the same time she wanted more, just a preview of what she might miss out on if all they ever ended up being were two strangers kissing in a bar.
Meg went a little further, giving his lower lip a soft lick to push the boundaries. The contact earned her a growl and he clutched her more firmly against him, his hold on her almost rough. “Keep playing games and see what happens.”
Those words should have come across as threatening, especially in that deep, rumbling voice of his while he had her trapped against his body, but when she looked in his eyes there was so much pleasure mixed in with the hunger there it only left her feeling wildly turned on. “Okay.”
&nbs
p; Jack shook his head and laughed. “You’re going to be a handful,” he said, sounding anything but annoyed by the idea.
She wanted to be that woman, the one he desired but wasn’t sure if he could handle, the type who kept him on his toes and had him wondering what she’d do from one moment to the next. And wasn’t that the purpose of a solo holiday? The freedom to be who you wanted to be around people you’d never met?
With a thundering heart, she dipped her head and said softly beside his lips, “I think we should find out, don’t you?”
The moment her mouth touched his, her whole body sighed. Soft lips, strong arms. A solid chest to lean against. She’d been craving this—not since laying eyes on him earlier this afternoon, but for months now. Maybe years. Meg had no idea how much she’d needed this kind of simple connection with a man until he crossed her path.
Jack groaned his appreciation, taking the lead from the outset like she’d hoped he would. He didn’t dive in and devour her, though. He took his time exploring with long, lazy kisses, smiling when he broke away then going back for more as if he couldn’t help himself.
She loved it. She hated it. The longer it went on the more his relaxed pace had the opposite effect on her. She’d asked him for slow and easy, but Meg had no idea it would lead to this insane yearning for hard and rough. His hand cradled the back of her head, tilting it to get a better angle. She strained against him and made an embarrassing sound of need in her throat.
Jack kept up his languid attack for a while longer then pulled his mouth from hers and pressed soft, damp kisses along her cheek. He made his way to her temple at a pace so leisurely it pushed her desperation to new levels. “You can barely contain yourself,” he said, his voice low and husky beside her ear. “I knew you’d be a firecracker. You have no idea how much I want to high-five myself right now.”
Meg laughed and dragged his mouth back for another peck, feeling strangely proud of herself. She loved his teasing remarks, the way he could turn a heated moment into a playful one with a few simple words. The more time she spent with him the more she wanted to go beyond a kiss. Her thumbs stroked his jaw while she scanned the room to make sure they weren’t drawing too much attention. When her eyes met Jack’s again the twinkle of amusement in them only made her decision that much harder. “This is getting out of hand,” she said. “I don’t know why I thought it could stop at a kiss.”
His hands slid up and down her spine, his gaze steady as goosebumps exploded all over her body. “Remember what I said?”
“You won’t push me into anything, I know. But what if I…” It was tempting. So, so tempting. Her body longed for his touch. The thought of all that masculinity unleashed in the privacy of her hotel room made her skin tingle. One look at his eyes and she could see it all right there. Tangled sheets, tired limbs, stubble-grazed skin…
But it was too much. Too soon.
She had to go with what her rational self would do instead of relying on her lust-addled brain to make important decisions for her.
Meg drew a deep breath and steeled herself against the feel of his warm, roaming hands. Kissing him was all well and good but sex within an hour of exchanging names just wasn’t her thing.
She sighed, already kicking herself for her decision.
“I can’t do this with you,” she said. “I just… don’t feel right about it. I’m so sorry.”
Chapter Two
Several hours later sleep still wouldn’t come. Meg flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She listened to the hum of the air conditioner in the quiet, wishing there weren’t so many long, lonely hours to go until morning. If it had been closer to dawn she at least could have walked off her frustration on the beach, but at this hour all she could do was lie here and think too much.
Why did Jack have to tell her his room number before she left? If he’d let her go without a word she could have been asleep by now instead of repeating the number one-three-eight in her mind on a constant, maddening loop.
By the time she made it back to the hotel, Meg had convinced herself putting the brakes on with Jack had been the right thing to do. She didn’t want to take it any further than a kiss, he had no interest in a platonic friendship. There was no reason for either of them to waste each other’s time.
She scrubbed her hands down her face and let out a sigh. So why did the right decision have to feel so wrong?
Meg threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She flicked on the lamp and made her way across the room, pushing through the French doors to wander outside to the balcony. She wrapped her arms around herself and glared at the darkness, listening to the crickets chirping below, the beat from a nightclub thump-thumping in the distance. A conversation was taking place on the next balcony along, the deep, male voices reminding her of Jack. Meg wondered if he was having trouble sleeping too, or if he’d forgotten about her and carried on with whatever plans he’d made before she came along.
Maybe he’d met someone new and taken her back to his room instead. Maybe they were together now doing all the things she’d only imagined.
Her stomach turned at the thought, but the twinge of jealousy made her feel ridiculous because she’d been the one to run away from him, too chicken to even contemplate doing something impulsive for the first time in her life.
Meg took in the half-moon partially hidden behind the clouds, wishing a man she barely knew would stop taking up so much room in her head. She remembered the way he’d looked at her, the regret in his eyes right before she left him. As she turned to walk away he tugged her back and murmured his room number in her ear, telling her to come find him if she changed her mind. The peck he left on her cheek had been so innocent compared to their previous kiss, but the softness of it sent her heart racing.
Meg touched her fingers to the spot now, her pulse kicking up again at the memory. She wondered how he’d react all these hours later if she suddenly showed up at his door.
Butterflies stirred at the thought and the pull to do something about it took hold. If she didn’t go to him tonight would the what-ifs haunt her for the rest of her days? That could lead to sleep-deprivation, desperation, and jumping the nearest man every time the opportunity presented itself. Even if she overlooked her current physical and emotional needs, giving into temptation made sense on a purely practical level.
Meg snorted. Maybe a tad dramatic, but the fact that she was even trying to justify it told her everything she needed to know. She was doing this. Tonight. Naked with a near stranger who looked like he knew exactly how to give a woman a good time.
She dragged in a breath to calm herself, but there didn’t seem to be any point. Her heart had started trying to pound its way through her ribcage the second she considered changing her mind. With a breathless laugh, she hurried back inside and all but slammed the doors behind her.
It only took her a few minutes to freshen up and throw on the clothes she’d stripped off earlier. Meg scooped up her room key and strode to the door, intent on finding him before she could talk herself out of this madness.
Again.
Meg checked the empty corridor one more time and shifted her attention to the door to Jack’s room. She hadn’t expected to be so nervous, but on the way over here her thoughts had taken a negative turn and gained momentum until she became a walking wreck. What if she’d given Jack enough time to have second thoughts? What if he had another woman in there and knocking on the door interrupted all their fun?
She heard the foyer door opening down the end of the hall. If she wanted to do this without any witnesses, now was the time to make a move. Doing her best to ignore the churning in her stomach, she curled her hand into a fist and braced herself to knock. “Just do it, you bloody wimp,” she muttered.
“Do you often talk to yourself outside the rooms of strange men?”
Meg yanked her hand away from the door and let out a shocked laugh. She held her breath and glanced in the direction of the all-too-appealing voice
. Setting eyes on Jack again—especially finding him alone and happy to see her—calmed her overthinking brain in an instant. “Oh, is this your room?”
He came to a stop a few steps away from her and smiled. “Points for the quick recovery. Did you change your mind after all?”
She thought about playing it cool instead of laying it all out there, but they both knew why she was here. Meg met his eyes and nodded, feeling that familiar longing sweep over her once more. She hoped that seeing her again had the same effect on him. “Have you changed your mind?”
“About wanting to get my hands on you?” His gaze slid over her body, leaving a trail of tingling heat in its wake. “Take a guess.”
Relief eased the tension in her muscles, and she sighed. “Okay, then.”
Jack lifted his brows, amusement clear in his features. He seemed so comfortable with himself, her, his surroundings, it almost made her envious. “Why don’t you come over here and pick up where you left off?”
Meg wanted to run to him and wrap herself around him. She smiled and took just enough steps to show she’d made some effort. It only seemed fair he had to work for it, too. “How’s that?”
His eyes filled with laughter. “Pathetic.”
She planted her hands on her hips and stared at him. “If you’re going to make me do it all I might as well go back to my room and do it by myself.”
Well, that got his attention. He wandered over to her and clasped her elbows, pulling her in until their chests met with a soft bump. “Now you’re just trying to turn me on.”
Meg tilted her chin to gaze up at him, shaken by the electricity that sparked between them. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or scowl or kiss him until she couldn’t breathe. “I don’t even know why I said that.”
His mouth quirked as he took in her features. “Maybe you like it when a man takes control.”
She wasn’t so sure about that. Her first encounter with sex had consisted of ten minutes’ worth of fumbling, apologies and shattered illusions. Her last—two, wait, no three years ago now—had involved a man who’d tried to control every aspect of her life, from ordering her food to telling her what to wear, and organizing their time together. That had grown old fast. Looking up at Jack now she wondered if she’d stumbled onto the perfect balance. A man who knew when to take the lead and when to step back, who understood when she wanted him to crowd her like he was doing now, or give her space. “You could try and I’ll let you know.”
