The Summer Flings Travel Club: A Fun, Flirty and Hilarious Beach Read

‘So where in Ireland did you grow up?’ he asked.

A quick glance at the bikini top to make sure the triangles were still in place – check – and she felt a tiny bit better. ‘Blessington. Not too far from Dublin.’

‘I’ve never been, but keep meaning to. The accent is adorable.’

There goes the flame again, heating her face all the way to her scalp. ‘It’s a great city.’

Time to move away from him before she tripped up and fell through one of the windows or something worse. Pulling up the case, she turned to go but Zack lifted the whole thing off the floor like it didn’t weigh more than she did.

He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Compared to Elle and her mum, you definitely travel light.’

‘Thanks,’ Ciara said, not sure what else to stay.

Following him down the corridor she tried her best to keep her eyes level with his shoulders. But they were wide and strong looking, and this really wasn’t going to help keep her mind off him like she’d promised she would.

At the end of the corridor next to yet another set of stairs, he opened the door and led her in. This suite didn’t look the same as the others. It had too much space, a walk in wardrobe she’d never be able to fill with all the clothes she’d owned from birth to now and what looked like a massive ensuite.

This had to be the master bedroom, and since Zack had lain her suitcase on a bed big enough to sleep ten people, she guessed he was giving it to her.

‘I can’t take this,’ she protested.

‘Why not? Elle thinks I’m here anyway.’ He headed for the door but she blocked the way.

‘I’d rather not fight with Elle. I’ll just take another.’

He grinned and his eyes glowed, honey-like and melting. ‘Relax, Ireland. My cousin’s bark is worse than her bite.’

‘Ciara, not Ireland and I’m not coming into my friend’s house and taking the best room from her.’ If he wanted to fight with Elle he could go right ahead but she wasn’t being piggy in the middle.

She grabbed the case, pulled it off the bed and narrowly avoided crushing her toe.

‘Give me that,’ he said, not as friendly as he’d seemed before. ‘Go pick a room before my poor arms break.’

She reckoned it would take a lot more than her luggage to bend those biceps but didn’t point that out. She found a room quickly and let him place the case on a more reasonably sized bed.

Before he left, he said, ‘Enjoy LA, Ireland. And don’t let Elle bully you.’

Her eyes narrowed at the empty doorway for a second but she couldn’t stay annoyed for long. She kind of liked that he’d given her a nickname.

And she decided to take the first part of his advice. These were her last eight weeks without worries so she was going to make the most of it if it killed her.

Chapter Two

Gem let out a low, star struck squee. ‘Don’t look now, but Shakira’s behind you!’

Ciara turned anyway, pretending to dig something out of her bag and saw the same thing Gem did. A woman with a mass of gorgeous blonde hair ordering a smoothie at the outdoor café they’d taken a break at. And there was no mistaking who it was – those hips didn’t lie.

‘I love LA,’ Elle said. ‘There’s pretty and celebrity everywhere.’

There definitely was. Elle and Gem had dragged her around the designer shops all afternoon and they’d spotted movie stars, an opera singer and the host of a reality TV show. But the high was mixed with anxiety when Elle got an outfit that probably cost more than her house back home and Gem’s wasn’t far off. Part of her wished her friends hadn’t scored tickets to the premiere later, but when would she ever get the chance to go to something this amazing again?

‘You know, you can get a new outfit too, Ciara,’ Gem said, waving her father’s plastic Amex around. It was as tempting as the double fudge and raspberry sundae they wouldn’t let her order (they had dresses to squeeze into later, after all). ‘I don’t have a limit.’

‘I told you, I don’t want to spend your money,’ she insisted, again.

They didn’t understand, since technically neither had paid their bills ever. One of the only things that frustrated her about her friends was that they hadn’t a clue how much money was worth – and how hard it was for the normal people in the world to get it.

They didn’t get how tempting it was to ditch her morals and let them get her the prettiest dress, shoes, handbag and jewels in all of LA, either.

But they got the important stuff. The first night she met them she was studying in the library at uni and it had hit her hard that she was really alone. At school she’d always gone home to her da and been able to tell him about her day but all bets were off in England. That’s when Gem and Elle had found her.

She’d escaped to a quiet corner in the library when the waterworks started. They’d cheered her up, comforted her and made her feel like she had other people in her life who cared. People she could rely on.

They’d grown so close over the years they even knew her worst fears and insecurities – mainly that she’d end up like her ma.

But, more importantly, they knew how much she hated charity.

‘Okay, so if you don’t want to hit our plastic, but you’re miserable about having nothing—’

‘I’m not miserable and I do have something,’ she said, cutting Elle off.

‘That’s why you’ve been all smiles since we left Gucci?’ Gem asked.

‘Is this pick on Ciara day?’ She wasn’t budging, or spending enough to buy her da a house for one party. It was madness. Wasn’t it?

Elle relaxed back into her chair with a calculating gleam that kept Ciara sharp, despite her wavering. After sipping on her ice tea, Elle said, ‘Okay, so you rent. You can afford that, surely.’

‘Rent?’ she asked.

Gem clapped her hands. ‘Yes! Why didn’t I think of that?’

‘Because I’m trained to see every angle and you’re trained to see whatever’s in front of you,’ Elle suggested.

Before a fight erupted about business management verses biological science, Ciara jumped in quickly, ‘How do I do that?’

‘Exactly how Shakira does it!’ Gem said too loudly. Ciara hoped the woman was out of earshot. ‘You don’t think they really buy all those red carpet dresses to wear once, do you?’

Ciara did, and also thought it was a bit of a waste when you could do so much more with the money, but she didn’t say that to her friends either. They wouldn’t get it. She was just the poorest point in their triangle who always dressed plain and had such a thick accent when she got worked up that it was hard for anyone to understand her. But she was pretty and funny at times too, so the other girls had taken her under their wings, styled her hair and taught her about make-up and boys.

More than that though, they’d been there for her when she needed them. More than she could say for her ma who’d walked out on her without saying goodbye.

‘Which shops do that?’ she asked.

Elle slipped her Ray Bans off and leaned over the table. ‘We flash this, and we’re good to go anywhere.’

The little rectangle of plastic was black, no doubt limitless in its spending potential but she couldn’t take money from her friends. It was bad enough her da had worked fourteen hour days to send her to Oxford and she was done owing people she cared about.

‘Elle—’

‘Before you start, this is just to wave at the sales assistants so we have their undivided attention. You can give me back the dollars if it makes you feel better.’

It definitely did.

Elle hadn’t been kidding. The second she flashed the black credit card at the Louis Vuitton counter she had three sales assistants eager to give her anything she desired. Ciara had even wondered if they’d go out to get her lunch if she asked, but according to Gem and Elle they wouldn’t be eating anything after three in the afternoon so they could look slim and sexy tonight, and by the time they’d got to the shop it was closer to four.

And after she’d been brought a zillion dresses, stripped and dressed in the middle of the biggest dressing room she’d seen surrounded by her friends, sales people and far too many mirrors, they’d picked the perfect dress – or so Elle and Gem said. Personally, she liked it. It had a high neckline and focused more on the simple slit all the way up her thigh, almost to the right of her belly button. Knickers would be out, but the deep blue looked great with her dark blonde hair, which the sales assistants said had to be put up.

Gem agreed, planning the perfect style all the way home and now it was 6pm they had mere hours to get ready (which according to Elle, was not enough time). While her friends hectically showered, buffed, fake tanned and buffed again, Ciara snuck off to the kitchen to find something to ease the grumbling in her stomach. She didn’t care if she burst out the dress, she just wanted the starvation pains gone.

Jackpot. There was cheese, like honest to god full fat cheddar cheese and a loaf of British, thick cut bread. Heaven. Firing the grill up she hunted for a knife and got to work shredding thin slices of cheddar, hoping Gem and Elle didn’t catch her fatty carb on carb pig out.

When one side of the bread was nice and toasted, she flipped it over, layered on the cheese and slipped it back under the grill.

‘So you won’t steal a room but you’ll steal food?’

She whirled around, her hand over her heart to stop the thumping – like that would work. Ciara just hoped it was shock and a little bit fear rather than think Zack brought this reaction out in her.

Then something clicked. Elle had barely nibbled on a carrot stick since they’d arrived – there was no way she’d eat bread and cheese when they were hitting the beach in a few days. She dived for the tray, whipping it out before the lovely, orange stuff even managed to bubble.

‘This is yours, isn’t it? Sorry.’ She switched off the grill, thinking it was a bit late since she’d already wasted his food.

He sauntered over to the tray and poked at the cheese on top of the bread.

‘It doesn’t look done.’ Zack then switched on the grill and shoved it in. ‘You don’t have to apologise for being human. I’ll bet Elle has you all on a fast for your party tonight.’

Ciara smiled. He knew his cousin well. She wondered why Elle never talked about him. ‘I’m rubbish at diets. I like food too much.’

He nodded. ‘I can tell.’

‘Did you just call me fat?’ she asked, shocked that he wasn’t more polite. And she certainly was not.

Zack laughed and squeezed her hip. ‘No, you’ve got curves and that’s not a bad thing at all. Sexy, but not bad.’

Instead of fawning over the fact he found her sexy, sputtering incompetently because he’d touched her, she checked the grill to see the cheese starting to bubble. Her poor, empty stomach groaned at the delicious smell.

‘I was referring to your choice in snack. You’ve got good taste. But let me show you how to make it even better.’ He opened the cupboard door, pulled out some Worcester sauce and handed it to her.

‘I didn’t think you’d have this here!’ Ciara pulled the tray out, splatted a few drops on top and then shoved it back in. ‘Amazing.’

‘Enjoy it, and tonight,’ Zack said, then turned to leave.

‘Don’t you want a slice? It’s your food, after all.’ Her stomach growled out a protest at the threat of having to share, but she didn’t want him to go.

He grinned. Her heart started to race.

‘Sounds like you need it more. Oh, I almost forgot.’ Zack pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

Ciara opened it and her lips parted on a gasp. ‘Is this your number?’

‘I know how Elle can be. If things get too wild or out of hand tonight phone me and I’ll pick you all up.’

Oh, so it wasn’t just for her. He was worried about his cousin.

‘And Ciara?’

‘Yes,’ she answered, trying not to hope.

‘Your grilled cheese is burning.’

With more make-up, hairspray and designer clothes/accessories than she’d ever had, she made her way down stairs five minutes before the taxi was due. Elle wasn’t anywhere to be seen, but Gem was in the kitchen making short work of a glass of pinot grigio.

‘You’re going to be smashed before we get there,’ Ciara pointed out.

‘It’s for Dutch courage. C, you won’t mind if I can’t come on the rest of the trip, will you?’ Gem asked.

‘What’s happened?’ she asked, thinking about hugging her friend but not wanting to mess up the pretty, fire red ringlets or the dress that cost an arm and a leg.

‘Oh, nothing yet.’ Gem grinned. ‘But if Aiden asks me to stay I’ll have no choice.’

She refrained from rolling her eyes, but said with mock outrage, ‘What happened to chicks before dicks?’

‘Some dicks can’t be resisted.’

This time she did roll her eyes.

‘Not a conversation I want to hear.’ Zack. His deep voice made her shiver, and feel a bit more aware of her underwearless state.

‘Depends what kind of dick you want to be,’ Gem replied, smooth as silk.

Why couldn’t she be like that?

He laughed at Gem and reached over to ruffle her hair. It was the wrong thing to try on a girl who’d just spend three hours perfecting those ringlets. He was met with a scowl that put the shits in her, never mind poor Zack.

‘So you’re that kind of dick,’ Gem said, 100% serious.

Ciara wondered if she’d have to referee an argument, but Zack just laughed. ‘Gemma, you should take a leaf out of your pal Ireland’s book and chill out a bit. Looks aren’t everything.’

‘So earlier you called me fat and now you’re calling me ugly?’ Ciara demanded, stung by his comment.

‘Girls,’ he mumbled shaking his head. Then he came closer, put his hands on her shoulders and turned her all the way around, too slowly. ‘I like what it hides, better than what it shows.’

He winked at her, then turned back to Gem. ‘You better drag Elle away from the mirror or you’ll be here all night.’

With that he was gone. His clean cut, slightly expensive scent still lingered, making her feel a bit dizzy.

‘Should I go up for her?’ she asked, when Gem just stared.

‘Oh. My. God. Elle’s hot cousin is totally into you.’ Gem’s voice was just a whisper, but her cheeks flamed when she thought of him hearing.

‘Get real, Gem. He’s way out of my league.’ And then some. But there had been a little flirting, hadn’t there? He did say her curves were sexy, her accent was adorable then sort of complimented her tonight. She got a glass out the cupboard and poured a mouthful of wine to distract herself.

‘You didn’t see the way he checked out your arse. I swear. He’s probably away to relieve himself with that image ingrained into his retinas.’

Ciara wrinkled her nose, but really. The thought of Zack on his bed, all naked and pleasuring himself to visions of her arse wasn’t off putting at all.

‘Don’t give me that, you’d totally nail him.’ Gem just wasn’t going to quit.

‘I wouldn’t, actually. If he was a random guy we met in a bar, I’d probably go back to his place but Zack is Elle’s cousin.’

Gem poured another drink. ‘Cousin, not brother and anyway it shouldn’t matter. We’re here for another day. Why not spend the night with him? You might learn something.’

‘I know plenty,’ she protested, smiling. ‘But it feels… weird.’

‘What does?’ Elle asked.

They both turned and, though Ciara was used to being outshone by Elle’s elegant, snow princess beauty, this time she was stunned. The dress Elle picked hugged her all the way to mid-thigh, where it broke off into strappy things that had studs on the ends. She looked like she should be walking down the red carpet with the other stars of the show, not arriving five minutes early to be escorted in the side entrance.

‘Zack’s got the hots for Ciara, and she wants him too.’

She was going to kill Gem.

‘Eww,’ Elle said. ‘Zack’s disgusting.’

Since Elle then rushed them to the door, Ciara didn’t think there would be any repercussions for lusting after her cousin. And during the limo ride they sipped champagne, listened to Rita Ora, reassured Elle that leaving her phone at home because it was out of charge was not the same as being without her liver, and debated over which of the actors would show up stag (of course Gem knew Aiden would). There was no mention of Zack, no change in the way Elle spoke to her and Ciara decided to forget Gem’s slip up, friend’s cousins she shouldn’t be thinking about and enjoy the fuzzy effects of the bubbly.

‘How fun would it be to show up late and walk down the red carpet? I bet E! would dig our dresses.’ Elle sighed.

‘I think we should stick to the plan. I don’t want to spend the night in jail,’ Ciara said, more because the thought of being on the red carpet with all the attention and flashing lights filled her with icy dread.

Gem and Elle grinned at each other, no doubt finding it funny because she was the only one out of the three of them that couldn’t afford the bail fee. ‘I mean it. I don’t want to repeat Easter Break.’

They burst into giggles, no doubt remembering the donkeys they ‘borrowed’ in Brighton to get back to the hotel instead of walking the extra half mile to the taxi rank in high heels.

‘Easter break was tame compared to what I have planned this summer. Relax, Ciara. We’ve just finished university after studying for the best part of our lives. We’re due some fun before we start real life,’ Elle said, reassuringly.

Ciara didn’t disagree. If only she could just go with the flow and stop worrying about the future.

***

‘Wait for it,’ Gem said to Elle.

Ciara would bet the rest of her savings on this latest scheme falling flat on its face but Elle and Gem were too determined to move onto the after party to be talked round.

‘Okay, go.’

Gem and Elle linked arms with her and pushed their way through the crowds of superstars to the weakest link – a group of supporting actors with minor roles. They were young, their eyes gaped when they saw the three of them and Ciara tried to hold her face in an expression Elle had assured her was sexy.

‘You were amazing,’ Elle purred in the oldest guy’s ear – though he couldn’t have been older than 19, 20 at a push. ‘Much better than that Aiden what’s-his-face. Sexier too.’

‘You girls English?’ the low-grade actor said. ‘That’s hot.’

And that was Ciara’s cue to keep her mouth shut. She didn’t have that well-bread, smouldering, Lady of the Manor thing going. She nodded with Gem.

‘We are, and we wondered if you three wanted to join us for a drink? Maybe go to a club?’ Elle asked, just like they’d planned.

‘Can’t,’ the gangly, younger looking guy said. His face was clearly plastered in make-up, giving a baked bean effect. Better than showing off the red spots, but not by much. ‘We’re heading to the after party but you girls are welcome to come with.’

Looked like Ciara would have been down her last few grand. She should never underestimate the power of Elle throwing off sex kitten vibes. They were escorted to another, bigger limo with lots more champagne. She didn’t have to worry about speaking in front of them. The guys only cared what Elle had to say anyway, and Gem seemed more interested in necking the Crystal at record breaking speed.

Her mind drifted to Zack, wondering if he was out in the city picking up gorgeous girl after gorgeous girl, just like these three actors were out to do.

But her mind was soon distracted when they got to Nobu in West Hollywood where the party was hosted. It was flashy, the outside was surrounded by paps and everyone who was anyone in the spotlight was there. Suddenly she was supremely grateful for her designer getup, and even more grateful that Elle had thought of a way to get it.

Everyone at the party dripped in designer tags, cracking hairstyles and accessories that made her drool a little. Gem scanned the crowd the second the poor escorts had slipped drinks into their hands and she couldn’t help feel sorry for them. Elle had her eye on a rock star, but her face fell when she saw him grinding against a bleached blonde.

The boys fawned over her, oblivious to her disappointment but Ciara wasn’t. She took her hand and squeezed hard. Then the three young actors noticed her.

‘Hey, if you two are bi you up for a threesome?’ one of them asked.

‘What?’ Elle asked, her hurt being replaced by her fiery temper. ‘Who do you think you are, asking us that?’

‘Lady, we’re stars. We don’t have time for teasing sluts who won’t put out.’

Ciara had a flash of what would happen next, but she wasn’t quick enough to stop her friend. The contents of her champagne flute soared through the air, splatting the middle boy and dripping down his – was that colour really gold or shiny beige? – shirt.

His face turned red and she got the feeling Elle had only just started, so she grabbed her and pulled her into the crowd. Gem didn’t follow, but Ciara didn’t have time to worry about that. Gem was the more laidback of the two and could look after herself.

She got Elle into the bathroom and the other girl whirled on her. ‘Can you believe the nerve of that Z list loser!’

‘If he tells security we’ll be thrown out. Deep breaths, Elle. Come on.’

Elle squeezed her eyes shut and did as she was told – for once. ‘You’re right. We need to get out there and have fun. Who cares if some vagina starved tween gives us shit?’

Ciara released the breath she’d been holding. ‘Exactly.’

‘Let’s go have fun!’ Elle, seemingly having done a one-eighty, linked arms with her and dragged her to the bar.

Pink champagne this time, and lots of chat with a few starlets who were not so down with the drinking – you couldn’t be too careful with the press waiting outside to snap every slip-up. Ciara was glad that would never be something she had to worry about.

A while later, she scanned the swarm of people there. ‘I wonder where Gem’s gone?’

Elle laughed. ‘Find a hot actor and you’ll find her.’

She pointed across the room to where Gem was standing close to Aiden Price, chatting away and grinning. Gem might not be coming with them after all. But then she leaned forward in what felt like slow motion, grabbed Aiden by his shirt collar and dragged him down for a kiss. He stiffened for a second, then seemed to get into it, and Ciara just had enough time to sigh in relief, before Gem clearly decided to live up to her YOLO motto and took it a step too far.

She wrapped herself around the actor like he was her personal get-off toy, grinding against him, right there in the middle of the room. Heads whipped round to stare and gossip. What made it all worse, Aiden was pushing her away but he couldn’t extract himself from her hold.

Shit.

Two security guards managed to do what Aiden couldn’t and ripped Gem right off him. Ciara shared a WTF glance with Elle before they were both putting their stilettos to work, scampering after Gem who was being carted off by two huge, scary looking men in uniform.

When she spied an unattended magnum of Moet on a table, she shared a quick glance with Elle, swiped up the bottle and they both burst into giggles.

Chapter Three

‘He was so amazing,’ Gem said, swaying a little until she grabbed onto the bar of the cell.

Police cell. They’d only gone and gotten bloody arrested. Again!

Elle giggled. ‘So worth it then?’

‘Am I the only sane one here?’ Ciara asked.

The champagne buzz had quickly died when they’d tried to stop security from calling the cops – and holding a bottle of the restaurant’s Moet didn’t help convince the man she was an upstanding citizen. They’d been asked for their invitations, to which Elle had told them the actors had invited them but of course that just made matters worse as the guy she’d doused in champagne told security the ‘crazy British girls’ had attacked them.