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

Now they were all locked up for the night, until they ‘sobered up’ but Ciara was feeling far from giddy. Unlike her friends.

‘I’d kiss him again and again, even if it meant having to pee in front of my friends,’ Gem said, making her way to the stand alone loo in their cell.

‘Eww,’ Elle complained. ‘Can’t you wait till we get home? There are pervy looking cops in here.’

Gem ignored her and went on with her business. They stood in front of her to shield her modesty, though Gem was too far gone in an Aidan Price induced fantasy fuelled by too much bubbly to notice.

‘How are we going to get home, Elle? It’s not like we can grab a cab. We’ve been locked up!’ It felt silly to have to state the obvious, but really. One of them had to at least try and be a bit responsible.

Gem flushed, then had her second good idea for the day – just a pity she’d won the eejit award in between. ‘Call Zack. He’d bail us out.’

Elle said, ‘I don’t know the number by heart and my phone’s at home.’

‘I have his number,’ Ciara admitted and both of them turned to stare at her with wide eyes. She held up her hands. ‘I didn’t ask for it, he just scribbled it down in case we got into trouble.’

‘I’ll bet he did,’ Elle frowned. ‘But this does spell trouble, so bugger it. Let’s ask for our phone call.’

It took a lot of sweet talk to persuade the cops to let them get Zack’s number out of her bag, and then she was dialling with shaking fingers, not sure if she’d rather he was asleep already. This had to be one of those worst firsts she kept hearing about. How many people could say the first time they phoned their crush it was to ask for a bail out instead of a date?

When Zack answered, her hands started shaking.

‘Zack, it’s Ciara.’

‘Are you okay? Is Elle?’ he asked, sounding a little bit sleepy and a lot confused.

‘We’re all fine, sort of. Shit.’ How did she ask someone she barely knew to get them out of prison?

‘Ciara, what’s going on? You’re worrying me.’

Taking a deep breath, she blurted everything out, apologising every chance she got.

He listened all the way through her convoluted confession, never interrupting her and when she finished, there was a pause before he said, ‘Give me an hour.’

The line went dead. Her heart melted. He’d just dropped everything in the middle of the night to rescue them from this Hell hole.

But then she realised something worse. She was starting to feel things for Zack. Real honest to god warmth and then some.

She really was in trouble now.

Zack didn’t speak much in the car, but she supposed anyone would be fecked off at having to bail out three idiots in the early hours of the morning, then help two of the said idiots up to their rooms. Gem had long since passed out and Zack had to carry her up. Elle was dead on her feet but able to walk, so Ciara managed to get her into bed.

When her friend was tucked in, she tried to sneak along the corridor unseen but he was leaning against her room door with his arms folded and what looked like a frown marring his pretty face in the dim light. Shit, why couldn’t Elle be awake for this? She’d never wimp out of an argument with anyone.

‘I’m sorry we woke you,’ she said. It was the best she could think of.

He sighed. ‘When those two were little I took so much shit for them that our granddad threatened to send me to boarding school. I thought that would end when they grew up.’

‘We thought it would be fun to gatecrash a celeb party,’ she defended

‘And you all got carried away?’ he asked, his expression too cynical.

She scowled at him. ‘Something like that.’

Zack lifted an eyebrow. ‘So stealing a bottle from the restaurant, assaulting an actor and pouring a drink over another was all in the name of fun?’

She gritted her teeth and sucked in a breath. It didn’t help with the irritation bubbling beneath their skin. ‘Exactly.’

There was no way she was going to apologise for getting carried away. Nobu, Aiden and the Z listers were not going to press charges so really, there was no harm done.

‘I only came because you were in trouble, Ciara. A night in the cells would be a good reality check for them. Although now I think that might be the case for you too.’

She didn’t know whether to be outraged or insanely pleased that he cared enough to rescue her.

Zack didn’t allow her time to think. He came close, far too close until her chest was flush against his. ‘But I’m glad I didn’t leave you there.’

Her breath caught in her throat and the attraction she’d felt today seemed magnified in the hall. They were alone, or as good as. He smelled spicy, delicious and a lot like he’d been in bed for hours and hours. The buzz that thrummed between them had the same kind of affect as the champagne had on Gem earlier with Aidan Price, and she wanted to wrap her arms around Zack and use him for her own pleasure.

She had to tilt her head to keep eye contact. Even with just the moonlight from the massive windows at either end of the hall, she could see him and he was too gorgeous. And, mad as it might be, she was just pleased that he’d helped them out for her.

‘Are you going to kiss me now?’ she asked.

Maybe it was the intense look in his eyes drawing out delicious anticipation, or maybe the champagne had blasted her patience and inhibitions, but she couldn’t hold the question in. Or regret asking him.

‘Do you never wait for a man to make the first move?’ he asked, stroking her cheek with his finger.

Little jolts zapped from his touch, all the way under her skin and shivered down to her belly. She wanted more. She needed more.

And why couldn’t she have more? She’d spent so long worrying about this trip, what happened after, her future. She’d already missed out on having fun. And she’d miss out on having him if she let it continue.

No more.

‘Life’s too short.’ And she was only here two more nights. Whatever the reason for not asking him sooner had fled her mind, if there ever was one. Right now it was just him and her, about to kiss – she was sure.

‘Some things are worth taking your time over.’

His breath swept her face, warm, tickly and far too teasing. His finger outlined her lips, making her breath hitch a little and her stomach flip.

‘Maybe,’ she whispered in the darkness. ‘But not things with a time limit.’

Instead of waiting, she pushed high on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Zack didn’t pull away or admonish her for the assault. He pulled her flush against him, taking control of the kiss until her blood hummed and her knees got a little bendy.

He opened the door, dragging her into her room and still not taking those taunting lips off hers. When she parted her lips his tongue breached her mouth and she did the same to him, eager to taste. And it still wasn’t enough.

Ciara wanted to feel that defined body against hers, without the silky dress or his cotton shirt in the way. But the only problem was she didn’t want to stop kissing him either. He was definitely a hottie and lacked the washing machine technique she’d been treated to more than once by the guys from uni.

With the two warring urges – getting him naked and refusing to stop kissing him for a second – strong, she fisted her hands in his hair, ground her hips into his erection and let out a frustrated groan.

Zack made the decision for her, pulling away with a smouldering grin. ‘We need to get naked for the rest to work.’

Ciara went straight for his belt, ignoring his chuckle. He whipped the shirt off then helped her shove his jeans down, pausing to remove a foil package from his pocket. She grabbed his dick, thrilling at the thickness of it and growing more and more impatient to have it inside her. He groaned, the sound vibrating through her right to the spot between her thighs that ached for him.

He must have been impatient too, because he whipped her dress over her head, forcing her to let go of him. But that was better. Now they were naked and she raked her hands all over his torso, feeling every line of muscle beneath the tanned skin and wanting more and more.

Zack kissed her again. She barely heard the tear as he suited up for round one of many, or so she hoped. When she was sure he was ready, she dragged him back onto the bed, aligning her hips to give him easy entry and he took the offer.

This wasn’t slow and delicate or short and furious either. They fucked their way to the top of the bed, got twisted up against the headboard but that didn’t stop either of them. So many new sensations flooded through her that she wondered if she’d been slipped something at the party or maybe it was just Zack.

By the time her second orgasm built and exploded, he followed her over the edge with a few jerks that had her head hanging off the side of the bed.

He kissed down her throat, making her shiver with mini aftershocks and relighting the heat in her lower belly.

‘I know one more thing about you,’ he said.

She jerked up, instantly on the defence. ‘What, that I’m a slut?’

He laughed, kissing her frown. ‘No, definitely not that. I was going to say impatient.’

All the blood had rushed to her head anyway, so the blush came swift. She was getting paranoia around this man. ‘Waiting isn’t one of my best qualities.’

She didn’t think she’d ever get used to his smile. It was so far from mopey that she wondered if Elle had been exaggerating.

‘Round two we’re doing my way,’ he insisted.

Since the mad rush to rip off his clothes and have him any which way had ebbed, she could allow him that. ‘Deal.’

***

It took her a while the next day for all the details of the night before to come back. She remembered the movie, then the party and shit, they’d been bloody arrested! She sat up so fast she swayed a little. When the room stopped tilting, she looked down at herself. Her very, very naked self.

Fuckity fuck.

The rest of the night, and the early hours, came back in a startlingly erotic and overly sensory flash, making her blush. What had she been thinking? Jumping into bed with Elle’s cousin was like a normal, more put together person jumping into bed with her best friend’s brother. She couldn’t start anything with him, she’d never been able to hold down a boyfriend before and her ma was exactly the same.

The saving grace was that Zack wasn’t here. He obviously wasn’t making a big deal out of it – just a night of fun with one of his cousin’s friends. The relief lasted about five seconds before the slice of pain to kick in. Despite knowing last night shouldn’t have happened, she was pissed off that he could just drop her like a cheap hooker.

Gem could add him to another dick list – the fuck ’em and leave ’em one.

Ciara got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She braved glancing in the mirror. It wasn’t pretty. Her make-up was a streaky, dried sweaty mess and her hair would be better suited to a scarecrow. No wonder he’d left!

By the time she looked more human and was ready to go to the kitchen in search of coffee, the smell of steamy, ground bean goodness registered before Zack did. He brought in a tray topped with two cups of black and a little jug of cream and sugar. She couldn’t be bothered dressing it up, instead took a huge gulp and ignored the burn in her mouth/throat.

‘I doubt the others will surface for a while,’ he said, with an undertone that hinted at more mind blowing funny business.

Though happy he’d come back, and with coffee, she worried he might think there was more to last night than just… God, even she’d read into more. What was it about him that screwed with her head? She didn’t even know him!

‘Zack, about last night…’

His grin was just like it had been last night, or this morning, when she’d told him she didn’t scream ever during sex and he’d proved her wrong by going down on her for almost an hour until she felt raw and exposed and the orgasm was so intense she couldn’t not scream.

Ruthlessly, she pushed the memory away and pressed on, refusing to be distracted by the thrum in her blood that insisted she take him up on his offer. Right Now. ‘I’m not looking for a relationship, or to get involved with someone I know. I’m not a stayer.’

He just stared at her with amusement glittering in his eyes. That wasn’t the least bit insulting, she thought wryly.

‘So what I’m trying to say was that last night was a mistake. I’m sorry.’

‘You really believe that, don’t you?’ he asked, placing the tray down then putting her coffee on it. ‘You really think that last night was a one off.’

He grabbed her hips, pulling her closer and her heart took off full speed. ‘It was. It has to be.’ She tried to reply firmly.

His lips brushed her ear and she shivered. ‘You’re wrong. Last night wasn’t a mistake, and this isn’t over – it’s just on hold until you realise that.’

She was about to protest but he kissed her first and she was gone as thoroughly as she had been the night before.

He pulled away, far too soon. ‘When you figure it out, you have my number.’

Ciara watched him walk away, trying to fight with her body’s urge to chase him, her urge to chase him. She stumbled to the hall, but he was already out of sight. Before she could take off after him, Gem’s door opened.

Her friend looked scarier than she had. ‘Want to come in here? I have coffee.’

‘Gimme,’ Gem said, crossing the hall with her arms stretched out like a zombie.

She was thankful for the distraction and time she’d have to give herself a good mental talking to.

***

They spent their last full day at the pool topping up their tan, going over what the hell happened last night with Gem and eventually laughing a little about their run in with the law. It was so the Easter holidays all over again, except this time their lucky escape came quicker.

Though she knew being with Zack had bad idea written all over it, she couldn’t get him out of her head. When Gem asked what he was doing there anyway, her ears perked up waiting for Elle to answer.

‘Far as I know, he wants to do some freelance work as well as working on the company properties but I don’t know why he came here. It’s not like the buildings are his style. He prefers older, run down places with renovation potential,’ she said with a shrug.

‘Eh?’ Gem asked.

‘Oh, he went back to university to study architecture a few years ago. Zack doesn’t have what it takes to run the business.’ Elle laughed.

Ciara wanted to defend him, which was ridiculous. It had nothing to do with her, she had no clue why he’d switched to architecture – or whether he would have made a good CEO. She had no clue about him at all.

Except that he could reduce her to a screaming, begging, hussy who couldn’t get enough. But she doubted that little bit of info would be much of a defence for his business skills.

Then Zack appeared at the edge of the garden. He must have been jogging because he was shirtless and sweaty again. She had no idea where he got the energy but was sort of glad he had it, otherwise last night wouldn’t have been half as fun.

‘How are the heads today?’ he asked.

Elle answered, ‘Fine, darling cousin. Now run along.’

‘Thank you for last night,’ Gem said earnestly. ‘That was my fault completely.’

Zack grinned at her. ‘So I heard.’

Wasn’t he even going to acknowledge her? She tried not to show how miffed she was and picked up a magazine.

‘Any plans tonight?’ he asked, glancing in her direction and she made a point of lifting the magazine higher. ‘I’m not on call again, am I?’

‘No, Zack. You can run off and do what you like. We’re having dinner later then an early night. Our flight leaves first thing,’ Elle said.

‘Probably best you have a boring night. I think you’ve had enough excitement to last you a while,’ he quipped.

She ground her teeth and tried hard to ignore him. It was so obvious he was having a dig at her.

‘We’re saving our energy for Miami, right girls,’ Elle said.

We nodded.

‘And you’re not invited, by the way,’ she continued.

‘Since LA’s a bit further than an hour drive to Miami’s local police station, you better be careful,’ he said, then took off for the house. ‘Have fun.’

Elle rolled her eyes. ‘He’s so annoying, but he does have a point. We’ll need to dial down the crazy in Miami. There will be no one to bail us out.’

Gem and Elle kept talking but Ciara didn’t hear a word. She was too busy telling herself that one night with Zack was all she was allowed.

It was for the best.

Even she wasn’t convinced.

Miami

Chapter Four

It didn’t take Ciara long to figure out why Elle had starved herself for days. On the way from Miami International Airport to yet another of the Muirs’ properties, she was treated to more styles of bikini than she’d ever seen.

And the women who wore them were thin and toned enough to be models.

The guys, on the other hand, were mostly huge, muscled up and tanned to the point she couldn’t tell what nationality they were. But they were very pretty to look at.

‘Tomorrow we’re hitting the beach,’ Gem said, her gaze glued to a group of guys that reminded Ciara of the rugby players back home, only less rough and more buff. ‘I’ve got rebounding to do.’

Ciara bit her lip to stop the giggle waiting to burst out. Elle wasn’t as subtle and her laugh had Gem whipping her head around.

‘What’s so funny?’ Gem demanded.

Elle pulled it together. ‘Come on, Gem. Hollywood megastar Aiden Price was never yours so you can’t rebound.’

Gem lifted her chin. ‘Rejection still hurts and what better way to get over him than with one of those guys.’

Elle smiled. ‘I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. I think a few nights with a guy like that would be fun. What do you think, Ciara?’

They both turned to her with scrutinising eyes. Her face flamed. She knew she should say yes, why not, let’s go grab one or something like that. But the words refused to come. Images of Zack flooded her mind instead. He wasn’t as ripped as those men on the beach, but he had definition that made her drool and she could still feel his skin under her finger tips just from remembering their night in LA.

‘I think she’d prefer someone a little darker haired. Maybe a man who likes to strip his shirt off and get all sweaty while pushing those thick, muscly thighs to the limit,’ Gem said with a sly grin.

The blood in Ciara’s cheeks burned so hot she was sure it would evaporate.

‘Who? Zack?’ Elle said, her mouth gaping. ‘Aw Ciara he’s… ewww.’

He was anything but, though she wasn’t about to tell his cousin just how hot and amazing in bed he was.

‘To you, maybe,’ Gem said. ‘But we don’t share his blood – thank God. We can perv all we like.’

Elle sighed. ‘You two have no taste.’

Actually, he was the most delicious thing Ciara had ever tasted. Again, not something she wanted to share with Elle. Despite what Zack said, their night together was a mistake – okay not quite. She’d wanted him more than she’d wanted anything and didn’t regret taking it. But it was definitely a one-time thing. There was no way she could start something with Zack when she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to stick around, and with her track record and her ma’s, the odds weren’t good.

And to make sure she wouldn’t be tempted for a second round, she left his number in her room back in LA.

‘We’re here,’ Elle said as the taxi pulled into the grounds of a massive beach condo with its own private pool.

She thought that after the shock of the previous mini-White House at the bottom of Hollywood Hill she’d be used to luxury by now, or at least learn to stop gaping. But Elle’s granddad’s beach house was like something out of the movies. One wall was completely glass and she could see right inside to the open plan kitchen and lounge area.

Outside, there were padded sun loungers galore, an Olympic sized swimming pool and a sitting area with rustic style chimneas dotted all over. This was definitely a house for pool parties that went on to the early hours. She wondered if she’d get any sleep at all before they left for Europe.

‘Come on girls, I want to start getting ready for tonight. Miami here we come!’ Elle said, climbing out of the taxi at record speed.

Ciara wondered if she should warn someone before Elle got loose.

Their pub crawl – or bar bounce or whatever Gem called it – took them to hot, sweaty places full to the brim of surfers. Ciara was gutted when she didn’t get to hear at least one ‘cowabunga dude’ but stereotyping surfers on her favourite mutant turtle was probably way off.

Or maybe the assortment of cocktails they’d picked up in each bar was going to her head.

It wasn’t all bad. In the one bar they’d found with air conditioning, Elle had fluttered her eyelashes and gotten them table service, which meant they didn’t have to brave the crowds of perspiration to get a drink.

When the young bartender brought them the next round, he handed Elle a sheet. ‘For you, angel.’

Ciara grinned. ‘You seem to be attracting a lot of tweens on this holiday.’

‘Shut up!’ Elle said. ‘Anyway it’s not his number.’

‘Lemme see.’ Gem grabbed the piece of laminated paper. The excited glint in her eyes had Ciara on edge.

‘We’re so entering!’ Gem said.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ Elle agreed.

Oh no, what had they planned this time. ‘Entering what?’

Gem slapped the sheet down in front of Ciara.

Her first reaction was to laugh. They couldn’t be serious, a drinking game? They’d get ploughed by the regulars. But then she saw the grand prize being offered to the group still standing. A limited edition Gucci beach bag – masterfully structured, the most beautiful thing she’d seen with baby pink leather. And it was practical too. But that meant…

‘We’re entering,’ Elle said. ‘I want that bag.’

Ciara quickly scanned the rules. Everyone in the group entering had to buy a massive – and it really was massive – jug of either mojito or Caipirinha. The first table to finish and still be standing would get the bag – and possibly alcohol poisoning.

‘I’ll get a mix and we can share,’ Gem said, leaping off her chair.

‘Wait,’ Ciara grabbed her arm. ‘Have you two lost it completely?’

‘Dear Ciara,’ Elle said on a sigh. ‘Gucci is calling. And anyway, we’re newly ex students and we have an Irish girl on our side. This will be a walk in the park!’

‘Or a trip to the emergency room to have our stomachs pumped,’ she argued.

Gem shook free. ‘Don’t be silly. Plus the rest of the group gets a $1,000 gift card to spend in the Aventura Mall. Even you can’t say no to that! If we win, you get to keep the voucher and Elle and I can share the bag. Deal?’

Ciara bit her lip. Bloomingdales was in that mall. The most expensive thing she’d owned had come from a high street store back home. And her friends were right, she could hold her booze. But they’d been on the cocktails for a while now and a glance around at all the new people walking in, looking fresh and ready to go, didn’t help convince her this was a good idea.

‘You’re not allowed to think about this,’ Elle said. ‘Gem, go enter us before Ciara comes up with an excuse to get out of it.’

Her friend’s azure eyes were steely now, and Ciara knew there was no point in arguing. Elle pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times and then handed it to her. It was a list of all the lovely, lovely shops in the mall, with the lovely, lovely clothes just waiting for her to pick them.

It wasn’t like she’d be able to afford something that wasn’t on sale without the voucher. If they won this competition, she could spend and spend and spend without the guilt. Which is exactly what Elle had been thinking, handing her the worst kind of temptation.