The Summer Flings Travel Club

by Aimee Duffy

  The amount of heads Zack turned with his beautiful torso was startling, but she reckoned some of the guys were giving her a once over too. Some maybe even twice.

  ‘I love the bikini, but I don’t love the way every boy here is drooling over you,’ he said, squeezing her hand.

  ‘They could be ogling you, ya know.’

  Zack laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. ‘There. Now they’ll have no doubt who I’m attracted to.’

  ‘I’m not sure. That felt more like a friendly peck than a lust fuelled snog.’ She sipped at her drink.

  He pulled her to a stop then dropped her hand. ‘This should change their minds.’

  With his free hand he grabbed her bum and pressed her so close their sun cream was all that stood between them. The kiss he treated her to was long, a little frantic and had a lot of tongue on both sides.

  Lost in the moment, she let go of her slush in favour of the muscles covering his ribs and clung on until he’d worked her into a passion fuelled frenzy. It didn’t matter that she’d had him less than an hour ago. She wanted him again, right there and didn’t care who saw.

  Luckily Zack had a bit more sense and pulled away with a grin. ‘I think that’s enough or we’ll end up giving them a show they didn’t bargain for.’

  She pouted and he swooped down for another, gentler kiss.

  ‘I can’t wait to get you back to the hotel,’ he said.

  ‘I vote you take me now.’ She was still clinging to him, tracing the ridges of his muscles with her fingers and thumbs. But there was so much more to touch, that was just a teaser.

  ‘Ciara!’

  Gem’s shout snapped her mind out of the gutter.

  She turned to see her friend waving a flyer around a few meters away.

  ‘Later,’ Zack promised and took her hand again. They started towards her friends. ‘I take it you weren’t a fan of the slush?’

  Ciara’s cheeks flamed. ‘I had better things to hold.’

  He laughed and the deep, happy sound made her smile. Whatever had happened in Munich was clearly forgotten about for the moment and, though she was glad he was in a better mood, she still worried about what happened.

  But Gem and Elle’s obvious excitement distracted her.

  ‘Look!’ Gem said, shoving the flyer into her hands.

  It was advertising a British magazine’s competition for the next Ibiza Top Model. The grand prize was a private party with other models, a few top photographers in the industry and David Call would be there too.

  ‘We’re so entering. Three chances are better than one,’ Elle said.

  ‘What? I’m not entering.’ She may look sexy in her new bikini but she was not model material.

  ‘Cia you have to. One of us should win and we’ll get to meet Dave!’ The way Gem turned his name into a sigh was impressive.

  ‘I’m sure you and Elle will manage without me.’

  Zack squeezed her hand and she looked away from Gem’s disappointed pout and into his dark eyes. ‘I think you should.’

  ‘Come on! I’m not embarrassing myself when there will be gazillions of gorgeous, stick thin girls.’ Despite being trimmer than normal, she didn’t have the lean, petite frame to pull it off.

  ‘You’re stunning and incredibly sexy. There’s no reason why you can’t win it.’ Since Zack sounded serious and her friends didn’t immediately laugh like he was joking, she wondered if they’d all lost their grip on reality.

  ‘He’s right, you know,’ Elle said.

  She turned to Elle, completely speechless. If any of them could go by stunning it would be her.

  ‘Of course I’m right, and you’re not just beautiful with make-up, you’re naturally gorgeous,’ he added.

  Her face burned so hot she swore it was on fire.

  ‘Obviously, I’m going to win.’ Elle said with a smile. ‘But if for some unknown reason they don’t love me, then you and Gem will be in with a chance.’

  ‘Modesty isn’t your strong suit, Elly.’

  Gem giggled and Elle frowned. ‘I don’t see anything wrong with stating the facts. Anyway, how was Munich?’

  His hand squeezed so hard on hers that her bones creaked. ‘Ow, Zack!’

  He loosened his hold and brought her hand up and pressed it against the cold slush. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Guess that answers that,’ Elle said and Zack’s expression got hard like he was going back to the place he’d been earlier.

  ‘Elle, enough,’ Ciara said, glaring at her friend.

  Though Elle’s chin dropped for a second, the surprise vanished under that pity look she hated. Now she knew about Vanessa, she could relax a bit because if it was commitment that was his problem then that was fine by her. They weren’t permanent or anything.

  The thing was it felt like a problem, especially with the way her lungs tightened when she thought of going back to Dublin without him.

  ***

  Becoming Ibiza’s Top Model wasn’t as easy as Gem had told her it would be. Later that day they found a rep who put them through their paces snapping them in different poses, checking how they strutted their stuff and there was even an inspection for flaws that he called ‘skin snakes’.

  Like having stretch marks weren’t bad enough, he had to go and call them something uglier.

  Eventually he was satisfied with their bodies and put them through to the next round. Where Elle and Gem seemed to burst with excitement, Ciara hung back and felt more objectified than anything else.

  While they waited by the pool at the Ibiza Rocks hotel with a dozen other gorgeous girls, Zack pulled her onto his knee and rested his chin on her shoulder.

  ‘You don’t look happy to be here,’ he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  ‘I just wish it was over already.’ She looked around at all the women preening in the sun, feeling alone with her wish. Even Elle and Gem were fixing their hair and applying subtle make-up.

  ‘Every other girl is eating up the attention but you’re shying away from it,’ Zack said, sounding confused like he couldn’t figure her out.

  ‘I was the ultimate geek growing up. My classmates teased me all the time and the fact I dressed like a boy didn’t help much either. I liked my baggy jeans and loose jumpers.’ She smiled as she remembered how horrified Elle and Gem had been when they discovered she’d never owned a dress.

  ‘What changed?’ he asked, sounding more curious than put off.

  ‘Me, I suppose. Elle and Gem helped a lot too. I was done being the brainy outsider and going to Oxford meant I was in similar company. Instead of being a geek, I was just another statistic.’

  He kissed her shoulder. ‘You don’t have a high enough opinion of yourself.’

  ‘I’m honest. There’s no point pretending to be someone I’m not.’

  ‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he said.

  She wondered if he was referring to working with the family business instead of following his dreams, or remembering how he broke up with his girlfriend.

  Since he didn’t know she knew about Vanessa and her friends were well out of ear shot, she decided to pry a little.

  ‘What about you?’ she asked, relaxing back into him. ‘I thought a stud like you would have been snapped up years ago.’

  He laughed, holding her close. ‘My parents. Granddad always said how much they loved each other. Even though he had someone else lined up for my dad, he accepted my mum into the family.’

  It was old fashioned to think about arranged marriages this side of the century but her upbringing had been so different. She’d thought her parents were in love till her ma did a disappearing act. Her da hadn’t found anyone else. It was like his heart and trust had both been shattered beyond repair.

  ‘Still, you didn’t answer my question,’ she pressed.

  Zack paused for so long she was sure he wasn’t going to answer, but then he said, ‘There was a girl I thought I loved. When it came down to it, I knew we were all wrong for each other.’
r />   She wished she could see his face because the calm tone of his voice sounded too forced.

  ‘That must have been rough for both of you,’ she said, linking her fingers through his over her stomach.

  ‘Mmm,’ he said, but it didn’t sound like an agreement. ‘What about you, since we’re sharing? Has no one tried to solder a ring onto your finger?’

  Shaking her head, she said, ‘Geek, remember?’

  He hugged her closer. ‘Cutest geek I’ve met by a long shot.’

  As they watched photographers and journalists appear from the hotel, Ciara reckoned her chance to find out more would have to be later.

  ‘God, I hate getting my picture taken,’ she grumbled.

  ‘Maybe we should have practiced in private. You know, to help you get over your embarrassment,’ he said.

  ‘I think this is a little different than those kinds of pictures,’ she said, imagining posing in inviting positions while Zack snapped her with his phone.

  ‘Much less fun though,’ he said.

  She had to agree.

  ***

  To no one’s surprise, Elle scooped the title of Ibiza’s Top Model 2014 and would be featured in not just the magazine, but in advertisements for clubs and other things over the coming year. She got a healthy cheque for her troubles too, but Elle had her eye on the biggest prize.

  A section of the beach was being closed off for the private party and Elle managed to get them all invites – to Gem’s delight. So they were back at the hotel for a quick bite to eat, shower and change.

  When she’d finished with the room service meal, Zack said, ‘How about that shower?’

  Elle scowled at them. ‘The walls are paper thin. If you make me bring up my dinner I’ll kick you both out.’

  Gem was the one who jumped to their defence. ‘You only know that because of the racket you made last night. I think it’s our turn for payback.’

  ‘Too much information,’ Zack protested.

  Since a frisk in the shower would be weird with her friends listening in, she told him to go first. Though he looked disappointed, he did and when her friends cleared out for their showers, Ciara went to her room and lay on the bed until he’d finished.

  Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of the shower pelting down on him and though heat stirred in the pit of her stomach imagining him all naked, wet and soaped up, she couldn’t get into the fantasy.

  Talking about her childhood brought back things she didn’t want to worry about, like what she was going to do with her life and how she’d feel saying goodbye to Zack for the last time.

  Then there were her friends. Both would be returning to their corners of the UK which was further than a few doors down in their college. She’d been so used to having them close for years, the ocean separating them would make it feel like she was on the other side of the planet.

  Rolling over she pulled a pillow over her head and tried to drive out the thoughts. All stuff that would happen weeks from now, not straight away. But then she sat up, checked her mobile and the date hit her hard.

  It was August already. Where had the time gone? They only had one more stop left, just a few measly days spread out between here and there. It wasn’t weeks at all.

  Her hands started to shake and the screen blurred as tears formed in her eyes. Eight days and she’d have to say goodbye to Zack and the two best friends she’d ever had. If she thought she’d felt bad in Paris, the thick, dark cloud surrounding her now made that look like a stroll in the park.

  ‘Ciara, what’s wrong?’ Zack asked.

  She hadn’t heard the shower stop or see him come into the room but then her gaze had been glued to the date on her phone. The bed dipped under his weight and his solid, shower fresh body brought out another wave of sadness.

  As tears streamed down her face she struggled to wipe them away, dropping the evil phone onto the covers.

  He pulled her into his arms and let her cry on his shoulder until she had no tears left.

  How could she leave him?

  ‘Are you sad because you have to go home soon?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, and no. I’ll miss you all like mad but it will be good to see my da and get home.’ She was lying about the last bit. Of course she wanted to see her da but the home part hadn’t been happy for a long time. Everywhere there was a constant reminder of who was missing from their little family and that was almost as painful as never seeing Zack again.

  ‘I’m sure it’s not the end of your friendship. My cousin is far too stubborn to give up on someone she cares about,’ he said, pulling back to see her face.

  What about you? she wanted to ask, but the lump in her throat stopped her.

  ‘Instead of being upset, why not choose to make the most of what time you have left?’ he asked.

  ‘That’s a change of attitude from earlier.’ He’d been the miserable one just hours ago, now it was her on the bed looking like nothing could lighten her mood.

  ‘And it was you who cheered me up. I’m returning the favour.’

  She rubbed her eyes until they were dry and a little sore. ‘I should get a move on before Elle comes in to drag me out.’

  He looked at her in that way Elle did when she wanted to say something she knew she shouldn’t, except Elle would have barrelled on anyway. He just kissed her head and told her he’d wait in the kitchen.

  She rushed through her shower, feeling guilty for shunning Zack the way she did. He was right, she had to start focusing on the now or she’d ruin what little time they had left.

  Keeping the towel wrapped around her, she darted through the suite until she got to the kitchen. Elle’s voice stopped her dead, but only because it was more like a whisper. When she heard Zack’s name she stayed behind the partition and waited like the sneaky eavesdropper she was.

  ‘I spoke with him, Zack. He told me everything,’ Elle said.

  He cursed under his breath, or she assumed it was a curse. ‘Why can’t you stay out of my business? I don’t stick my nose in yours.’

  ‘Because what you choose to do now affects my friend and I won’t let you lead her on like this, it’s not fair.’ Elle sounded so angry her voice rose a few octaves.

  All the while Ciara’s body temperature dropped. He was leading her on?

  ‘I’m not leading anyone on. I care about Ciara.’

  ‘So stop fucking about and make a choice!’ Elle obviously wasn’t as mollified as she was.

  ‘It’s not that easy. He clearly didn’t tell you everything.’ Zack’s voice was starting to rise too, he sounded more frustrated than she’d ever heard him.

  ‘He’s pissed off but he’ll calm down. You need to tell Ciara.’

  She bit her lip, preparing for the refusal that would cut her deep.

  ‘I can’t put that on her, it’s not fair.’ He sighed.

  ‘Fair or not, she needs a reality check whatever she decides to do. If nothing else it will make your decision easier.’

  She wondered if Elle was talking in riddles because she knew Ciara was listening in and wanted to pay her back. But the reality check comment pissed her off more than the riddles. Why couldn’t they just spit it out?

  ‘Nothing about this is going to be easy, either way I have to give up something I can’t imagine living without.’ The sadness in his voice brought tears to her eyes.

  ‘If that’s true then you have to decide what means more to you,’ Elle said, then Ciara heard the sound of footsteps on the tile floor and bolted to her room.

  Chapter Seventeen

  She’d been expecting more gloom from Zack when she’d finished getting ready, but instead he treated her to a tummy flipping grin and compliments about how sexy she looked in her little blue dress.

  The taxi to the beach party was full of tension though. Gem was blissfully unaware, telling them about her plans to chat up Dave Call but Ciara didn’t miss the pointed glances Elle kept throwing at Zack.

  He was doing a good job of pretending no
t to notice and after a few drinks surrounded by gorgeous people, he seemed to have forgotten the conversation she’d listened in on altogether.

  But Ciara hadn’t. She wondered what it was he didn’t want to ‘put on her’ and couldn’t seem to relax and enjoy herself. Until Zack took her hand and led her down the beach, away from the bright lights and loud music.

  ‘Why are we out here?’ she asked.

  ‘You didn’t seem into the party,’ he said, then sat down pulling her with him until she was straddling his hips. ‘I really love that dress on you.’

  ‘I got it in Miami,’ she said, smoothing it down over her legs.

  The breeze coming off the sea made her shiver a bit until he bent his knees and rested his forearms on her shoulders. Like this they were intimately close but the dynamic between them wasn’t just sexual. It was so much more.

  ‘We can go back if you’re cold,’ he said.

  Ciara shook her head. Freezing or not, he had that look again that said he had something to say but was still hesitating.

  She decided a little push was in order. ‘I can read you as well as I can read Elle, you know. You have that look again that says you want to say something.’

  His lips pulled up at one side. ‘Can’t get anything past you, can I?’

  ‘We geeks can be intuitive.’

  ‘Earlier, when I first got here, you asked what was wrong. That disagreement with my granddad was more like an ultimatum.’ He played with a strand of her hair, avoiding her eyes.

  ‘That’s awful,’ she said, placing her palm on his cheek. ‘Why would he do that?’

  ‘He wants me to do things I don’t, I want to focus on architecture instead of the business. He said I’d be on my own if I decided to go that way.’

  ‘What? He’d just give up on you?’ She’d never been so mad at anyone as she was at his granddad right then.

  ‘No, but he’d cut me off. I’d be financially on my own. I mean, I have savings but without the income I’m getting now they wouldn’t last as long as they’d need to.’

  ‘Your savings would probably last someone else a year or two.’ She knew the Muirs could spend and he was clearly no different, thinking nothing of jumping on a flight to Paris a few hours after he was asked to go.