by LJ Bradley
She couldn’t remember hearing those words from a man before, and the effect they had on her was instantaneous. Her body warmed to the sound of his voice, her limbs happy to obey his every command. Meg settled in her face-down position again.
Before she knew what was happening, he’d curled his fingers in the waistband of her bikini briefs and tugged them down her thighs. A thrill shot through her when he pulled the material over her toes and tossed it aside. He encouraged her thighs to part further, baring her slick skin to his gaze. “You have such a sweet ass,” he said, sliding his thumbs along the underside of her butt.
Lost for words, she lay still and waited for his next move. He dipped his hands lower to rub and tease her, nudging her intimately with an oiled fingertip. Meg let out a soft moan, each touch sending her closer to breaking point. The exquisite torture continued for long moments, like he had all the time in the world.
Jack controlled her desire, slowing his strokes each time she hovered on the edge of climax. Her hips writhed on the bed and whimpers sounded in her throat. She couldn’t be sure if she wanted to beg for an end to her suffering or make it go on and on. Jack seemed just as conflicted as her, switching between laughing softly or groaning at her reactions.
He slid his palms beneath her hips and urged her to roll over. Meg settled onto her back and looked up at him, her breath catching at the heat that passed between them. Her nipples were already erect, her body aching for more of his attention. She let out a sigh, helpless and overcome.
When Jack moved to a kneeling position, her desperation grew. She slid her hand up his thigh to give back a small amount of the pleasure he’d been bringing to her. “I need to…”
He caught her wrists in one hand, lifting them above her head to press against the pillow. “Later.” His smile had a taut edge to it, like his restraint wouldn’t last if she managed to touch him. He skimmed her body with his free hand, fingertips caressing her nipples, dipping further to swirl around her navel.
She moaned and her hips undulated. His fingers travelled over her stomach and between her thighs, rubbing her until her body rocked to meet his touch. Meg closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. Her pulse thrummed as she tumbled closer to the edge. Her lids shot open and she strained against his hold, watching him as he held her gaze. Jack pushed her, teased her, the intensity in his eyes only adding to her torment.
Meg gasped and her wrists twisted in his grip. Her breaths left her in pants, her lower body rising and falling rhythmically. Jack leaned over her and captured her lips with his, thrusting his tongue into her waiting mouth. She gasped at his forcefulness, her limbs quaking with pleasure. Her toes dug into the mattress and a climax wracked her body. It went on and on until a muffled moan sounded and the sensation finally ebbed.
Her hips dropped again and Jack let go of her. He fell back on his heels and a silent moment passed between them. His breaths were measured while he watched her, like he had to concentrate on remaining in control. Meg could only imagine what he must be going through right now. She wanted to laugh and cry, thank him and dive on him to return the favor.
She shoved her hair from her eyes and drew her knees together. “I’ve never done anything like that before.”
The corner of his mouth hitched as he stared down at her. “Anytime you want to do it again, you just let me know.”
She smiled and moved to a sitting position, shifting her attention to her discarded bikini. “How about now, with you lying on the mattress instead?” Meg felt him watching her as she concentrated on untangling the tie on her top, then he made a soft growl and pulled her to her knees. She let out a squeak and stared up at him. “What?”
His eyes were hot with desire, his fingertips a sensual distraction as they slid up and down her spine. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you.”
She curved her fingers around the back of his neck and pressed her smiling mouth to his. Meg used her free hand to sweep over the impressive bulge in his shorts then gave him a squeeze for good measure. She pulled back a fraction and nipped his lower lip. “Oh, I think I have some idea.”
His groan held a hint of laughter. Jack kissed her once more then smacked her bare ass, his hand lingering a while longer when he was done.
Chapter Five
Meg opened the bathroom door and stepped out amid a cloud of steam. With a fluffy towel wrapped around her, she hummed an Ed Sheeran song and padded across the room to choose an outfit for dinner.
She leaned over the bed and rummaged through her suitcase, smiling as her thoughts drifted to the massage she’d had that afternoon. There were a few seconds there where it looked like her holiday had taken a completely unexpected turn, but it ended up being the most erotic experience of her life. Something about Jack had her moods all over the place. One minute she was fighting not to laugh, the next she wanted to moan.
Meg set aside a strappy blue top and black skirt, feeling lighter now than she had in the longest time. He’d surprised her after the massage by suggesting she head up to her room to shower and change rather than go somewhere private with him to finish what they’d started. She wondered if he wanted to give her some breathing room and a chance to settle down. Instead all it had done was build the anticipation and make her want more.
She loosened her towel, her pulse thrumming with excitement as it dropped to the floor. The look on his face right before she left him, all dark and penetrating and promising more than she could handle, had her aching to see him again.
Meg pulled on a lacy bra and matching panties, wondering how it was possible she’d made it this far in life without experiencing a connection like the one she had with Jack. No one had left her reeling with the slightest touch or wanting more after every exchange. Just in the short time they’d known each other, he’d brought out a side of her she’d never been able to explore, a side she wanted to dive into deeper while she still had the chance.
She threw on her clothes and slipped into the bathroom again. Meg bit her lower lip and peered at her reflection as she worked her hair into a braid. If she could just figure out a way to get what she wanted with minimal damage to either of them at the end of the week, she could test every limitation she’d ever placed on herself.
Meg licked the remnants of chocolate mousse from her spoon and leaned back in her chair. She closed her eyes and sighed. Dinner had been amazing, the conversation funny and enlightening. The only thing that could top it off now would be if Jack took her back to his room to remind her why she’d had so much trouble leaving him the last time.
“You look like you’re about to orgasm right there in the chair,” he said from the other side of the table.
She opened her eyes and let out a breathy laugh, sweeping her tongue over her lower lip to check if there were any leftovers. “It was so good I almost did.”
His mouth twitched as he watched her, his gaze hovering on the spot she’d just licked. “Want me to take care of that for you?”
Meg smiled and glanced around the restaurant, wondering too late whether she should be embarrassed. “I really want to say yes, but I think I’m all set now.”
“Don’t say I didn’t offer.”
The amusement in his voice drew her attention to him again, and the warmth in his eyes… God, it just did things to her. He’d been this way with her all night. Friendly and laidback. Never too pushy or obvious. Even then she’d still picked up on the sensual undercurrent, leaving her no doubt he wanted to get her naked again. She just wished the hours between now and whenever that turned out to be would move a little quicker.
One day in the company of a near stranger and her whole outlook on casual sex had changed.
With their plates emptied and the wine long gone, Jack settled the bill and pulled her to her feet, keeping a hold of her hand as they made their way across the room. As soon as they stepped out onto the street, the wall of humidity stole her breath.
Spicy aromas drifted from the food vendors’ carts, mingling with t
he ever-present incense in the air. Tourists moved to and from the nightclubs and eateries, some looking festive while others were plain old hammered. The constant sound and movement created a beautiful, colorful kind of chaos, pulling Meg’s attention one way and then another.
As they set off in the direction of the hotel, Jack’s thumb swept over the back of her hand, keeping her aware of his presence even when her focus had shifted elsewhere. They walked in silence for a while before either of them spoke. “Are you planning on running away from me again tonight?” he asked.
His words were nearly lost amid the raised voices, but she couldn’t miss the teasing note there. Meg looked up at him and shook her head, realizing for the first time that it hadn’t even crossed her mind. The thoughts that had made her decision so difficult last night had gone quiet now.
He slanted her a look.
She laughed and bumped his shoulder. “I won’t.”
A dozen or so women were headed their way, the blonde in the middle wearing a veil and a bride-to-be sash. The moment the group set eyes on Jack, a couple of the more vocal members let out whoops to try to get his attention. When he merely spared them a smiling glance and pulled Meg off to the side to avoid the crush, her fascination with him climbed to a whole new level.
He slipped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, apparently using the pause as an excuse to get close to her. The hard muscles of his chest pressed against her back and his palms flattened low on her tummy. His body shielded her from the commotion around them, tucking her away in a world where just the two of them existed. “You didn’t answer my question earlier today,” he reminded her, his voice right beside her ear. “Why’d you sneak out last time?”
He was holding her in a way that could be classified as platonic, yet it felt so intimate Meg wanted to melt against him. Her heart raced and her breathing turned shallow. “I don’t know,” she said. It may not have been the truth, but it was easier than trying to sort through her thoughts while he calmly went about setting her skin on fire with his touch.
Jack let out a low laugh and rubbed his stubbled cheek against her smooth one. He couldn’t possibly know what that did to her, but it seemed as if he’d figured out her turn-ons and planned to use every one of them to his advantage. “Pretty sure you do.”
She trembled and his hold on her tightened. Images from last night came flooding back, sabotaging her effort to stay in control. And really, why did she care? Tonight might be the last night they ever spent together. Why did she feel the need to hold back? Meg drew a shaky breath and blurted without thinking, “I didn’t want to leave you. I wanted to stay until morning but I just… I couldn’t handle the idea of saying goodbye to you.”
There. Her heart might have been thumping madly but at least it was out in the open. Now she just had to wait and see how he took her confession. For someone who didn’t like relationships or connections that went beyond the physical, he could be the one doing the running tonight.
Jack’s arms relaxed around her and he turned her to face him. When she looked up at him he didn’t appear shocked or worried. No confusion or panic in his eyes either. All she saw in that far too appealing face of his was the calm acceptance of a man who’d grown used to women finding him irresistible. “You should do that more often.”
Meg frowned, thrown off track for a moment. “What’s that?”
“Say exactly what you’re thinking.”
The way he looked right at her and held her gaze stirred something deep inside her. She needed her hands and mouth on him, to be somewhere secluded so she could make the most of that gorgeous body. His muscles were just going to waste out here in the middle of the street. “I don’t think you really want that.”
A hint of a smile touched his lips. He cupped her elbows, drawing her in until their bodies were pressed together. “Try me.”
She let out a surprised laugh. “Right now?”
He nodded but refrained from saying anything more. People sidled by and voices drifted from the open door of a nightclub. A yell went up in the crowd nearby. Meg barely noticed her surroundings. The longer he looked at her the more the heat between them intensified, building until she wanted to scream her thoughts into the night just to ease some of this unbearable tension.
Jack dipped his head and spoke to her in such a teasing, seductive way the sound seemed to stroke between her legs. “Why don’t you whisper it to me?”
Push and pull—the essence of their connection from the moment they met. He said something to throw her off balance, she retaliated to show she could give just as good as she got. Meg hadn’t been around a man who liked to challenge her, who wouldn’t treat her as if she were fragile or try to put her on a pedestal. She could easily get addicted to being considered his equal.
Her thoughts weren’t exactly PG rated around him, but he’d thrown the idea out there and speaking her mind didn’t faze her like she’d expected it would. When it came to anything of a sexual nature, Meg knew she’d have to put some serious work into shocking him, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy trying. She flattened her palm against his cheek and rose on her toes, soaking up his masculine heat as she said softly, “All I can think about is you holding me down and fucking me so hard I can’t remember my own name.”
He growled. Actually growled. She felt the rumble against her chest before his forehead pressed to hers and he breathed out one word: “Woman.”
The huskiness in his voice made her ache. A whimper sounded in her throat as the impulse came over her to strip off her clothes and beg him to do her right here in the crowded street. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Oh, you should definitely have said that.”
Meg heard his smile before she lifted her head and saw it for herself. Desire lingered in his gaze but he didn’t seem to be having the same kind of trouble with control as she was. “If you haven’t already noticed I get a bit carried away around you,” she told him.
He snorted and draped his arm over her shoulder as they set off walking again. “Do you hear any complaints from me?”
She shook her head and leaned into him a little. “It’s mostly your fault anyway. You’re a bad influence.”
He laughed for real this time and gave her a squeeze. “Goes both ways, you know.”
She wanted to disagree, because surely it took a more experienced woman to influence someone like him, but a rowdy group of people stumbled from a nightclub and pushed their way onto the already hectic street. The spike in noise level killed any chance of talking so she let it go.
Meg walked with him from the bustling center of town. They bypassed the entrance to their hotel and kept going until the streetlights were stretched farther apart and the traffic was no longer congested. Soon enough they were turning onto the boulevard running along the waterfront, greeted by the sound of crashing waves and the tang of saltwater in the air. Headlights pierced the darkness to her left, then a car cruised by followed closely by a couple of scooters. Once the hum of the last motor faded, they made their way across to the beach.
Although the glow from the streetlights barely touched the sand, Meg could still make out numerous figures moving around in the shadows. She’d been here on her own during the day but hadn’t ventured this far from the safety of the crowds at night. With Jack by her side she could relax without having to look over her shoulder every few seconds.
He led her to a group of people who’d formed a circle around a fire spinner. Meg came to a stop on the periphery of the gathering, a tremor of excitement working its way through her as she rose on her toes to get a better view. The performer’s hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, the flickering light dancing across his features as he entertained the crowd. His movements were so fast each twirl of the stick looked like one continuous ring of flames.
Meg hadn’t seen anything like it back home, which only made the distance between her real life and current dreamlike existence seem even bigger. Only a week ago she
never would have imagined herself standing here with a man who’d made her feel more in two days than she had in her entire dating history. Her connection with Jack felt foreign and natural at the same time, like she’d known him much longer but couldn’t begin to fathom how that might be possible.
She glanced up at him as he took in the show, mesmerized by the play of light and shadows across his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out they’d be spending the night together. His body language and the way he couldn’t seem to stop touching her told her he wanted it just as much as she did. But after that… when the physical ache was gone and they were both able to think with clear heads, Meg wondered if he’d want to see her again or if he’d view the suggestion as one of those commitments he appeared to dread.
She couldn’t picture herself letting him go just yet. Not with almost a week still up her sleeve.
The show’s sudden end interrupted her thoughts, which was just as well since she’d been about to give herself a headache. Meg released Jack’s hand and clapped her appreciation along with everyone else. A shower of rupiahs dropped into the man’s basket and the crowd began to disperse.
Jack indicated a more secluded area of the beach where only a handful of people were scattered. They headed in that direction and she lowered herself to the sand, dropping her bag by her feet. Rather than taking the spot beside her like she’d expected him to, Jack settled in behind her and rested his elbows on his bent knees. With his thighs cradling her body and the solid wall of his chest supporting her back, Meg leaned against him and took in the view.
The ocean moved before them like a dark, angry thing, the breeze coming off the water raising goosebumps on her skin despite its warmth. Faint snippets of conversation drifted toward them, the sounds low and intimate in the darkness. All the while the silence stretched on between her and Jack, but Meg didn’t want to ruin it with constant, mindless chatter. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been content just enjoying the peace with someone. Even when she was around Ally, who she’d known most of her life, all they ever did was talk.