The Summer Flings Travel Club

by Aimee Duffy

  He laughed. ‘You’re probably right.’

  ‘Do you want to know what I think?’ she asked.

  ‘It couldn’t hurt.’

  ‘You’re so lucky to know what your dream career is. I haven’t a clue what I want to do with my life and that’s scarier than the thought of having no money. If it was me I’d go with my heart and try to make it work.’

  ‘I don’t think you follow your heart as much as you should,’ he said. ‘But I know you’re right. Walking away from the business is a huge step and not something my parents would have wanted, which is what’s making it harder to decide.’

  She took his face in her hands and kissed him softly. ‘I’ll bet your parents are proud of you whatever you do.’

  ‘Thank you. I think I needed to hear that.’

  He kissed her this time, slowly and softly but with purpose. Threading her fingers through her hair, she kissed him back, switching the gears until she was panting and the fire in her veins smouldered through her like a drug.

  She didn’t care if it was a chemical reaction or whatever Gem called this, it felt right and exciting and she never wanted it to stop.

  When his lips left her mouth in favour of her neck she shivered again.

  ‘Do you want to get out of here?’ he asked.

  She shook her head. Then remembered she hadn’t asked what his granddad wanted him to do other than run the business.

  He didn’t give her time to mull it over long. Sliding his hands under her dress, he set her skin on fire with his touch and she did the same with him, exploring his abs, chest and sides until she got so hot she forgot where they were and why, only that she was with him.

  Making quick work of his buckle and zipper, she freed his erection and squeezed it until he gasped. Zack used his thumb to press against her clit until pleasure spiked through her.

  ‘Please tell me you brought condoms,’ she panted while he went to work on her.

  In response, he pulled a foil package from his pocket and she snatched it off him, making short work of the task.

  He grinned. ‘Always impatient.’

  ‘It feels like it’s been years, not hours,’ she said, then tugged her knickers to the side and slid down on him.

  She rode him fast while the pressure built unbearably quickly. Just a little longer and she was having her cry swallowed by Zack’s mouth. Though she was limp, he wasn’t done and rolled them over so her back was on the sand and she didn’t care that she’d be uncomfortable for the rest of the night. Not when she was clinging on as he fucked her like he couldn’t get enough of her.

  As the pressure built again Zack jerked with his own release and she couldn’t keep the disappointment from showing. Gutted was an understatement.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said, between pants. ‘Give me a sec and I’ll make it up to you.’

  But as she took all his weight as his chest heaved with hers, she didn’t mind so much. They were still joined together and she felt closer to him than she’d ever been.

  Zack was obviously determined to keep his word because he disposed of the condom in a tissue and then kissed his way down her stomach.

  ‘You can’t do that after we’ve just—’

  He didn’t listen, nor did the idea seem to ick him out. He pulled her knickers down to her knees, hiked her legs over his shoulders and then swirled his tongue around her clit in a way that made her writhe on the sand – hair and dress forgotten about.

  ‘Oh, feck that’s good.’

  Good wasn’t what he was going for though. Soon he added a few fingers to the mix, rubbing gently against both of her g-spots at the same time. The waves of pleasure crashing through her body made her unable to hold back her screams when she went into spasms. Not even when he rung the last aftershock from her trembling body.

  ‘Better?’ he asked with a grin.

  Ciara just closed her eyes and tried for a nod. Her muscles felt jelly-like. Moving anytime soon was not going to happen, that was for sure.

  ‘Thankfully there’s no one around or that could have gotten us in trouble.’ He righted her dress then lay down on the sand beside her.

  His face was illuminated by the moonlight and to her, he looked more gorgeous than ever.

  ‘I got a bit carried away,’ she admitted.

  ‘It’s like that for me every time I’m with you,’ he said and linked his fingers through hers.

  Side by side, they both looked up at the stars shining above them. Even if she got the feeling back in her legs anytime soon, she just wanted to lie there with him for as long as they could. It was just a pity that her time would be up before she was, but she was done dwelling for now.

  ***

  The next day she hit the shops with Elle and Gem, getting her ear chewed off by one for not keeping her moans and groans to herself that morning, while the other went through her failed seduction with Dave Call trying to figure out where she’d gone wrong.

  Ciara took the earful from Elle and even managed the odd apology with a promise not to be so loud again while encouraging Gem to try for someone else. By the time they’d stopped at a café to order some lattes, her mind had drifted back to Zack.

  She’d left him working on a contract for the company and could tell his heart hadn’t been in it. She was sad to think he hadn’t made up his mind yet and wondered again what else his granddad wanted him to do that made Zack so upset.

  Because despite him saying it was nothing, he did look genuinely upset when he arrived the day before.

  ‘Are you going to keep pretending your listening to us or are you actually going to join in with the conversation,’ Elle asked, sounding more and more miffed every time she spoke.

  Well her friend wasn’t the only one miffed. She remembered the comment about Ciara needing a reality check yesterday and she didn’t care if her friend found out she’d been eavesdropping.

  ‘Get off your high horse, Elle. Maybe you should start by telling me why you think I need a reality check?’

  Elle paled to the point even her tan looked peaky. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I heard you and Zack in the kitchen yesterday. What is he hiding and don’t say “ask him” because he told me about the ultimatum.’ Just not all the things their granddad wanted him to do.

  ‘You know what they say about eavesdroppers, don’t you?’ Elle said calmly and if it wasn’t for the forced poker face Ciara might have believed she was being silly.

  ‘Since you think it affects me, I have a right to know.’ She tried to take a deep breath to calm down but it was tough since Elle didn’t look like she was going to budge.

  ‘What’s this about?’ Gem asked. ‘Ciara why are you getting angry?’

  She unclenched her fists and pulled her hands under the table. More deep breaths.

  ‘It’s not my place to say,’ Elle hedged. Ever the evader.

  ‘You’re both my best friends. If I knew something that could hurt you I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you both. Please, Elle.’

  ‘Spit it out, Elle,’ Gem added.

  ‘Cia seriously, do you think I’m doing this to be a bitch?’ Elle asked.

  She shook her head, though she wasn’t so sure.

  ‘I know things have changed for you. I can see it in the way you look at Zack. What I meant by reality check is that I wanted him to tell you himself. That way you might get over this stupid fear of what your mum did and take a chance for once.’

  Elle reached across to touch Ciara’s shoulder but she shifted away. ‘It’s not stupid. It’s who I am.’

  ‘You’re being ridiculous!’ Elle folded her arms. ‘Seriously, you are the most loyal person I know. You’d never walk out on anyone when the going got tough, you’d work hard, deal and get through it.’

  ‘I think she’s right,’ Gem chimed in. ‘And I think you need to face what’s really going on between you and Zack before one or both of you end up hurt.’

  That was going to happen either way, but she didn’t bother telling the
m that. Even if she could get past the idea she might one day hurt him, there was still the distance between them. He lived in London and she suspected he was going to go back to work regardless of what she said or did.

  ‘He told me once that your granddad took him in and that everything he does is because he wants what’s best. I don’t think Zack could let him down and the thought of living without the security blanket of an income is putting him off too.’

  Not that she thought he was all in it for the money, that wasn’t him at all. But there was no doubt he was used to the good things in life. The switchover would be tough for anyone.

  ‘Maybe, but Granddad wants him to be happy too. Ciara, if anyone can show Zack that living on a budget doesn’t mean he has to be miserable, it’s you. And I don’t mean that in a bitchy way.’

  Elle was right. She did know how to watch her spending but there wasn’t much time left and she hated wasting what little they had as it was.

  ‘He will tell you, I’ll make sure of it but you have to be honest too. Let him know why you won’t commit and maybe then he’ll have a fighting chance of showing you how wrong you are,’ Elle said.

  If only he wanted her that way, but she couldn’t be sure. She supposed Elle was right though. And she couldn’t expect him to be completely honest when she wasn’t.

  ‘I’ll try,’ she said, not able to promise more than that.

  ‘Glad we got that sorted,’ Gem said. ‘Now let’s talk about tonight! I think it’s time we got in some serious clubbing.’

  The lighter, less touchy subject got her mind off what she was going to do about Zack. At least now she better understood why he’d rather forget about it than deal. Wasn’t that what she was doing when it came to going home?

  ***

  Zack stayed in the hotel that night saying he had urgent stuff to deal with and an important call to take later. Despite being in a tee-shirt and shorts, he looked every bit the serious businessman who was no doubt as good at his job as he was at designing buildings.

  But what played on Ciara’s mind all night, even after they’d bumped into Kieran and hit Amnesia, was the look in his eyes when she’d left him. It was almost like he’d given up hope that he could make a go of things for himself, either that or the guilt for letting down his family had won over his happiness.

  Gem and Elle tried to ply her into having a good time, buying her shot after shot and dragging her onto the dance floor when a song they recognised came on. But every time she let her guard down and started to enjoy herself, she got a dose of the guilts herself.

  Then later, just as the DJs changed over, the place transformed completely. As well as strobe lights they were surrounded in bubbles that would no doubt stain her dress, and since she’d opted for the Givenchy number she was not letting it get ruined by a club still stuck in the 90s. Or so she told Elle and Gem when she left them there.

  Really, she just wanted to see Zack.

  The hotel was quiet when she got in but then a phone rang and Zack answered in fluent German. Amazing how many languages he and Elle knew. No wonder their business did so well internationally.

  She couldn’t understand the words but could see the frustration creasing his brow when she found him on the sofa. His half smile was all for her and it melted her heart. He offered his free hand and when she took it, he pulled her over so she was sitting beside him.

  Zack’s words were clipped and dry to whoever he was speaking to and every now and again she squeezed his hand, just to check he was okay. Each time he’d smile at her and roll his eyes but it seemed like an act.

  She decided a massage might do the trick and climbed over the sofa, ignoring his puzzled look. While the brisk conversation continued, she rubbed his bare shoulders, kneading the muscle with her fingers and when he rested his head on the back of the sofa, she bent down and nibbled his earlobe.

  His breath hitched and the next time he spoke he sounded much more polite to the caller. Ciara decided she liked this game and walked around to stand in front of him. His eyes were hooded and dark as he took her in from head to toe, and his grin was too seductive to resist.

  She slipped the strap off her shoulder and unzipped the side of the dress until it slid down her body to the floor. Though it wasn’t sexy, she picked up the prettiest dress in the world to make sure it stayed wrinkle free, but soon got back to her pose, sliding her fingertips down the front of her knickers.

  His throat worked as he swallowed hard, watching her so carefully he actually sputtered out his next sentence.

  Feeling brave, Ciara slid one hand up her stomach slowly until she was cupping her breast. The fact that he was watching made the space between her legs throb and she gave into the urge, sliding her other hand all the way down and rubbing herself.

  The way his whole body tensed like he was struggling to hold himself back made everything that more intense. She squeezed her nipples, revelling in the sharp bursts of pleasure/pain while building up to an orgasm that would take her lip off if she had to hold the cry in.

  ‘I need to go,’ he said, switching to English. He ended the call and then turned back to watch her. ‘Fucking hell, Ciara.’

  ‘Zack,’ she said on a gasp, just as the pressure burst and pulsed through her body.

  He didn’t give her a chance to recover, pulling her down on his lap into a kiss that was furious and desperate. It didn’t take long to rip off what little clothes they had left and the second the protection was in place, he took her hard and fast on the sofa.

  She cried his name over and over again as she clung onto him and took his powerful thrusts, one after another until her second orgasm blended into her third or was that her fourth?

  He didn’t stop once, not even after his body jerked and he panted her name like little oaths. The sofa hit the wall before they were both through and she didn’t care how sore she’d be in the morning, not when she felt this incredible now.

  Gem really was onto something with the super endorphins.

  A little while later when they’d caught their breath, Zack broke the silence. ‘Not that I mind, but why are you back so early?’

  She looked into his eyes, wishing she could promise him so much but she wasn’t sure it was what she wanted and there were no guarantees she’d be able to keep them. Well, accept one.

  ‘Don’t make up your mind just yet. I want to show you how good life can be, even on a budget.’

  His frown and the way his eyes narrowed made her wonder if she’d gone too far into his business.

  ‘Why would you want to do that?’ he asked.

  ‘Because I hate seeing you sad and I think you always will be if you don’t follow your dreams. If I had any, I’d do everything I could to make them a reality.’

  After a deep breath, he said, ‘Okay, I’m in.’

  She grinned, so happy he was letting her help out that she couldn’t stop herself. ‘As soon as we land in Florence we’ll start.’

  ‘Well, since we’re still in Ibiza and technically I’m still employed, is it safe to give you something?’ he asked.

  Ciara bit her lip. ‘What kind of something?’

  ‘Relax, it’s not a dress or a pair of designer shoes.’

  He let her go and crossed to their room. A minute later he returned with a box just a bit bigger than what a watch would go in. She frowned, thinking watches were awfully expensive.

  ‘Open it,’ he said, holding it out to her.

  She lifted the lid to see a bronze cuff with pearl markings and a diamante in the middle. It was so pretty and unique, she’d never seen anything like it. ‘I love it.’

  ‘A local jeweller makes one of a kind trinkets. I saw it walking by the store and thought of you.’

  Her eyes got a little blurry and she had to blink so she could see him properly. ‘Thank you, Zack. It’s beautiful.’

  Not to mention it was something she would always have to remember him by. Instead of embarrassing herself with that mush, she went for teasing inst
ead. ‘But remember in Florence, trinkets aren’t allowed.’

  ‘I’m sure I’ll manage to get by without them,’ he said with a grin and she laughed.

  ‘I’m positive you will.’

  Florence

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘This is much, much better,’ Elle said as she led them through the door of another of the Muirs’ luxury properties.

  Ciara realised that the Hollywood mansion in LA, the beach house in Miami, the townhouse in Paris and the spectacular multi-levelled house in Santorini were only a taster of their family’s wealth.

  Everything here was marble and gold with Renaissance art in the form of statues and paintings she’d have thought would be in museums, not in someone’s entrance hall. Again there was a spiral staircase and she could see their granddad’s style in the structure, or maybe Zack had helped with the design.

  Either way, now she knew why Zack was worried about giving all this up. It must be terrifying to go from having everything to nothing. Not to mention the fact he thought he’d be letting so many people down.

  ‘Elly, you’re talking like you’ve spent the last few days in a Travelodge,’ Zack teased.

  Travelodges were perfectly fine accommodation in Ciara’s opinion. The five star hotel they’d just left was stunning.

  ‘A hotel never has the same comforts,’ Elle said and on that note a woman dressed in black wearing a white apron came to greet them.

  Unsurprisingly, both of the Muirs spoke perfect Italian – or at least she assumed it was perfect by the unfaltering string of words delivered with confidence. More staff appeared and Elle must have instructed them to take the luggage upstairs because that’s what they did.

  ‘Okay, I say we get showered and then hit the bars. The sun’s going down and I don’t want to waste a night stuck in here,’ Elle said, then turned to the stairs assuming everyone would agree instantly.

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with a quiet night,’ Ciara protested. After all, her funds were running low and she’d promised Elle she’d show Zack he could have a great time without spending a fortune.