by LJ Bradley
Meg huffed out a laugh, giving their surroundings one final check before she reached again for the tie on her top. She tugged at the one beneath her shoulder blades and the material slackened across her chest. Jack lay back on his towel and clasped his hands behind his head. Her stomach quivered with excitement as he watched her, her body warming beneath his appraisal.
“One down,” she said as the tie came free. Her fingers trembled but she couldn’t decide if it was from fear or desire.
“One to go.”
Meg smiled and lifted her arms to tackle the tie at the back of her neck. “Not only are you pretty but you can count, too.”
His low laugh travelled right through her. “Just so you know, I’m also counting your digs at me and I’ll be punishing you for them later.”
She raised her brows, getting into the playful mood right along with him. “For future reference, punishment should consist of things that aren’t enjoyable and don’t make me leave those little marks on your back.”
His eyes darkened and Meg suddenly wondered if she’d gone too far. Her attention dropped to his pale blue board shorts where the beginnings of an erection stirred against the material. Seeing the evidence of what she’d done to him with a few simple words sent a thrill streaking through her.
“If we weren’t in public, I’d have you on your back before you could say take me, big boy.”
She didn’t know whether to laugh or whimper. A shiver passed over, her but she refused to let on how much he affected her when his voice turned all deep and dark like that. “Well, we’re out in public so you’ll just have to suck it up, big boy.”
Meg pulled the final tie free. The fabric slithered down her chest and puddled between her crossed legs. She held her breath as his gaze flicked to her bare breasts. The heat in his eyes alone made her nipples harden.
Jack pulled his hands from behind his head and scrubbed his face, groaning like he was in pain. “Meg, I swear… you get to me.”
He’d always been so quick with his comebacks, it floored her to hear him admit defeat. Meg bit her lip and watched him. It shouldn’t give her pleasure seeing him so aroused when neither of them could do anything about it, but knowing he’d take it out on her later somehow made it okay.
She leaned over him and rested her palms either side of his body, waiting for him to take his hands from his face. When he did she bent down and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek. “You do the same thing to me, Jack.”
His arms came around her and he pulled her down on top of him. Her bare breasts flattened against his chest and he hugged her tightly, letting out a growl as he nuzzled her throat. “I’m seriously considering throwing a towel around you and doing it right here.”
Her heart beat a little faster at the idea. “You wouldn’t.”
Jack grabbed her thigh and tugged her knee across his body until she was straddling his hips. One of his hands slid up her spine while the other clamped her hip and ground her against his erection. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. “How about I open my fly, tug your bikini bottoms to the side and slide nice and deep.”
He was messing with her, but the temptation to call his bluff grew stronger with each second. She kept her tone cool just to mess with him right back. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
He chuckled against her neck and said softly, “You’re so going to get it later.”
A tortured moan sounded in her throat and she wished it could be later right now. She gave up on pretense and turned her head to plant a long, tongue-filled kiss on him, desperate to show him what his words were doing to her. Jack seemed shocked by her intensity at first, but he had no trouble at all keeping up.
When she finally came up for air Meg felt drunk and disoriented, and she couldn’t put the blame on chardonnay this time around. Her heart raced and it took a few minutes for her to catch her breath. While she waited for the world to stop spinning, her fingers stroked through Jack’s hair and she gazed down at him.
His lips were reddened from their kiss, his mouth partially open as he pulled in a long breath. His eyes lingered on hers and something changed in his expression, turning it softer, less guarded. He let out a gruff sound and pulled her against him, his roughness surprising her.
He didn’t say anything—neither of them did—but she’d always found people’s actions spoke volumes, and the fierceness of his hug had one question playing over and over in her mind.
Were they getting somewhere here?
“As much as I love having you on me,” Jack said a short time later, “I’m hard and you’re not exactly helping the situation.” He urged her back onto her own towel, keeping his hands on her waist until she’d found her balance.
Meg suppressed a smile and leaned back on her palms, making sure she was facing him as she settled into a cross-legged position. The breeze coming off the water hardened her nipples to tingling points and a flutter of excitement filled her stomach. No one could see her being all daring like this, but she didn’t care. Putting herself on show for Jack thrilled her no matter where they were or who could see.
“Is this acceptable?” she asked, noting how closely he was watching her.
“Yeah, that works.”
While his eyes dropped to take in the view, Meg studied the man she’d come to adore. She felt such a great affection for him, and she loved knowing she’d played even a small part in putting the relaxed expression on his face. He’d only told her about Catherine yesterday, but he appeared lighter now, as if his hold on the past had loosened from a death grip to a softer clasp. She wouldn’t kid herself into thinking it meant he was ready to move on yet—specifically with her—but it was a step in the right direction regardless of what happened next.
Jack’s attention shifted to her face again. When he busted her checking him out, a faint smile teased his lips. “Uh oh.”
“What?” Meg looked behind her to make sure she hadn’t gathered an audience.
“You were frowning,” he said, “which means you were thinking… or more to the point overthinking.”
Her brow relaxed and she rolled her shoulders to loosen up, surprised he’d been able to read her so easily. The movement drew his gaze to her breasts, and although it hadn’t been her intention to distract him it at least gave her a few seconds to compose herself. “Something just occurred to me, that’s all.”
He rested his hand on her knee, his thumb sweeping slow strokes back and forth. “Are you planning on sharing it with me or keeping it to yourself?”
Meg watched his chest rise and fall with steady breaths and her own breathing slowed in response. She had no idea how he could excite her one minute and have her feeling totally calm the next. His influence over her should have been unsettling, but she’d never met a better man and she wanted to enjoy this ride with him for as long as possible. “I like you so much,” she told him, her voice almost lost amid the sound of the waves pounding the shore. “No matter what happens after Bali, I’m just really glad I met you.”
She didn’t know if her confession had surprised him. He closed his hand around her knee and kept up those maddeningly restrained sweeps of his thumb as if she hadn’t said a thing. His gaze flicked briefly to her breasts then wandered over her face, taking in her features as if he had all the time in the world.
Her heart pounded but she kept up a patient façade instead of filling the silence with nervous rambling. When it seemed obvious he wasn’t going to reply—and she didn’t even want to contemplate the reason behind that—Meg snagged her bikini top from the towel and fastened it in place. Her eyes darted in his direction to find him watching her with a barely there smile on his face. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I like you, too. You’re an amazing woman.”
Meg felt as if she’d stumbled back in time to her teen years. Warmth rushed over her, along with the impulse to clarify whether he liked her or like-liked her. Her cheeks grew hot and she shifted her gaze. She should have
been annoyed with him for drawing out the moment and torturing her like that, but she figured she deserved a little payback for the way she’d teased him earlier.
“I like it when you blush.”
Her eyes shot back to meet his. The tender expression on his face had a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. Meg took in his laid-back pose, the way his fingers lay lightly curled behind his head on the towel. His other hand swept over her calf, grazing her skin as if he wanted to remind her of his touch. She’d expected a conversation like this to put him on edge, but he didn’t look tense or uncomfortable in the slightest.
“You surprised me,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”
“But you liked hearing it?”
Meg nodded, twisting her fingers in her lap.
“Is that what the digs were for earlier? You think I don’t care, that I’m just using you?”
“No…” She shook her head and watched an older couple walking hand in hand along the foreshore. The decision to throw her bikini top back on couldn’t have come at a better time. “Not using me,” she said, looking in Jack’s direction again. “I don’t think that way at all. It’s just… the more time we spend together the harder it is for me to not get attached to you.”
Jack reached for her wrist and pulled her down on his towel, encouraging her to stretch out beside him. Meg laid her head on his chest and let out a heavy breath.
“I do care about you,” he said, caressing her upper arm. A long beat passed, and his voice sounded more cautious when he spoke again. “I didn’t mean for this to go anywhere,” he told her. “It was supposed to be a casual thing. We’d have a good time together and go our separate ways at the end of the week.”
Exactly like Ally had predicted, Meg thought. She’d known from the beginning he didn’t want anything more involved than that, but after the fun they’d had together it still hurt hearing it out loud. The anguish of a loss she hadn’t even experienced yet made her desperate, and she launched herself to a sitting position again. “It’s not like that, though. We share three meals a day, we sleep together every night. It’s as if we’re—”
“Don’t say it,” he warned, only half-joking.
“Married,” she finished.
He groaned and covered his eyes. “Jesus, Meg. You said it.”
“See!” The ridiculousness of the conversation suddenly hit her and she snorted. “Just the word terrifies you. You’re scared of commitment or anything too deep but during all the time we’ve spent together you’ve been acting like a committed man. That might work for you but it’s not fair on me. Do you know what I—”
Jack pushed her onto her back and moved over her. Meg gasped and the words died on her lips, the swift change in position leaving her breathless. His body aligned with hers and he used his bent elbows to keep from crushing her. He leaned down until his mouth almost touched hers then said softly against her lips, “Shhh.”
Meg didn’t know whether to feel indignant at his way of silencing her or turned on by his strength and the heat in his eyes. Before she could think too much about it, he lowered his head and his mouth came down on hers.
Every time… every time he kissed her she lost herself in him and forgot whatever had led up to that moment. Her arms lay boneless beside her head, her position one of complete submission. She remained still and let him explore, sighing against his mouth as his tongue swept over hers. When he pulled back it appeared to be with reluctance, and he only moved far enough away so he could look in her eyes. “I like seeing you this way,” he said with a half smile.
“What way?” she asked, hearing the huskiness in her voice.
“Quiet.”
Laughter burst from her and she shoved at his shoulder. She wished they were back in one of their rooms so she could make him regret that comment.
He smiled along with her, and when his humor faded a thoughtful look took over. “You’re right.”
Meg blinked, confused. “I’m sorry?”
He gave her a patient smile. “You heard me.”
“I know. I just wanted to hear it again. That actually kind of aroused me.”
The growl that rumbled in his chest had her grinning. “I’m trying to be serious here.”
“Sorry.” Meg wiped any sign of mirth from her face and gave him her full attention. “What am I right about?”
“The way I’ve been treating you.” He smoothed his thumb over one of her eyebrows. “And you didn’t let me finish before when you launched into that little rant of yours. I started out expecting—hoping—this wouldn’t go anywhere… but I don’t feel that way anymore.”
As far as explanations went he’d taken the easy way out by giving her something to cling to without committing to anything concrete, but the sincerity in his words made her feel more secure than she had in days. Meg stared up at him, looking in his eyes as she trailed her fingers over his stubble-lined jaw.
She could love this man. It wouldn’t take much effort at all to have her falling for him.
“Okay, then.” With his body leaning against hers and his hardness pressing in all the right places, she gave up on trying to talk and clasped his face in her hands, pulling him down so she could make use of that smart, beautiful mouth.
Chapter Eleven
Still dressed in the board shorts he’d worn earlier to the beach with Meg, Jack took a seat on the edge of the pool and dipped his feet in the water. Apart from the elderly guy swimming laps and the two women chatting over at the bar, he had the area to himself. The breeze stirred the palm trees overhead and a couple of frogs croaked in a nearby pond. Darkness had almost set in, the lights around the grounds illuminating the paved walkways now.
He braced his hands on the ledge, swirling his legs through the water as he listened to the music drifting from the bar. It was strange hanging out here without Meg. She’d taken off on her own to do some shopping and have dinner at the sushi place she’d been eyeing off for the past few days. Although she’d tried convincing him to join her, he couldn’t stomach the idea of seaweed and raw fish so he’d encouraged her to go ahead without him.
The idea of her doing her own thing didn’t bother him. He couldn’t stand the idea of living in someone else’s pocket, and spending time alone wouldn’t hurt either of them if they wanted to avoid that married feeling she’d talked about. What surprised him the most about their separation was that she’d only been gone a few hours and he already missed her. If anyone had told him last week he’d be acting this way over a woman he’d just met, he would have assumed they’d lost their mind.
As if thinking about her had conjured her up, Meg emerged from the cover of trees and walked along the path that ran the length of the pool. Jack stayed where he was for a minute just to take in the view, still able to make out her features in the fading light. She wore a pair of white sandals and a yellow sundress that tangled around her knees as she walked. Her hands were loaded down with shopping bags and she’d pulled her hair back in a long braid. She blew a few strands from her forehead and turned in the direction of her room.
He pushed himself up to a standing position and jogged over to her. If she hadn’t been carrying so many bags he would have swept her off her feet just to listen to that laugh of hers. Instead he raced up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, dipping his head to plant a kiss on her cheek. “Hey.”
Meg stopped walking and sucked in a breath. “You scared me!” she said. “And, eww, you’re all wet.”
“I know.” Jack left another kiss on her throat, his lips lingering there while he breathed in her scent. “Let’s work on getting you that way, too.”
“Nope.” Meg shook her head, her mouth caught somewhere between a smile and a grimace as she backed up to the edge of the bed. “Nuh uh. I’m not doing that.”
Jack took a step closer, drawn in by the emotions parading across her face. Shock, apprehension—some excitement in there, too. Her eyes flicked to his bare chest and her tongue slippe
d out to wet her lower lip. She flexed her fingers at her sides, her breaths coming out in soft puffs that were so fucking adorable it made him want to smile. It would only be a matter of time before she caved.
She pulled her hair free of its braid and kicked off her shoes. Her dress looked almost golden under the artificial light, her nipples so prominent he doubted she could have been wearing a bra under there. He wanted to flick the straps down her arms and find out for sure, but first things first.
Meg propped her hands on her hips and stared him down in a last ditched effort to save herself, even though it was her idea to test her limits and they both knew she had no room to argue. “Why are you insisting on this?”
Jack moved in nice and close, loving the heat that burned in her eyes whenever he crowded her. Seeing her stand her ground against his tactics turned him on even more. “You’re turning it into a big deal when it’s not. All you have to do is get naked, lie back and enjoy yourself.”
“Yeah—while you watch. I don’t think I can. It’s too personal.” Even while her eyes pleaded with him to let it go, she clutched the neckline of her dress as if she wanted to drag it over her head and get to work.
Jack hid his smile and pressed himself against her. He cradled her jaw in his palm and felt her pulse jump beneath his fingers. “There’s nothing to be nervous about,” he said. “It’s just me.”
He touched his mouth to hers and kissed her, taking his sweet time, gripping her hips and stoking the fire he’d lit with long, lazy sweeps of his tongue. She wrapped her arm around his neck and sighed, enveloping him in her warmth and softness. The feel of her slim body straining against him almost made him forget what he’d been trying to achieve here, but he delved deeper, kissed her harder. Forced a moan from the back of her throat.
