The Sweetest Fling Ch. 10

Meg thanked her taxi driver and handed over a generous tip before waving goodbye. His genuine friendliness and knowledge of Bali had made her day unforgettable.

She'd hired him to take her to Ubud, a village just over an hour's drive north of Kuta, that she'd heard was a popular shopping destination for tourists. Once they'd ventured outside the city limits, her eyes had opened to the breathtaking beauty of the island as well as the poverty.

She'd taken several photos and short videos, but most of the time she wanted to be still and take it all in.

When they arrived in Ubud, her driver left her there with the promise of meeting up again three hours later.

Meg made the most of the time browsing antique stalls, display cases filled with silver jewelry, and stunning fabrics in the textile shops. She even bought a couple of lengths of batik with the intention of framing them when she got home.

Now she was back in the familiar surroundings of her hotel after spending the day without Jack.

Her thoughts drifted to him often during the hours they were apart, and she sent him a selfie when her driver stopped in front of a rice paddy field. They had no other contact apart from that, and although she enjoyed her time alone, she couldn't wait to see him again.

Meg trudged up the front steps, dodging two women who were sitting in the middle blocking the flow of foot traffic. She carried a bag in each hand, ignoring the ache in her calves and the rub of her shoes, determined to get back to her room and wash off the heat of the day.

As she stepped through the open foyer and out into the hotel grounds, Meg felt proud of herself, and she knew Allie would be, too.

No matter how much she wanted to be with Jack, the idea of leaving her comfort zone and exploring the island on her own was too important to her.

Some people took it in stride travelling by themselves in unfamiliar countries, but for her it had been an achievement straying outside the familiarity of the area around her hotel.

Meg looked up from the flight of stairs she'd just climbed and smiled, not realizing she'd been heading to Jack's room this whole time instead of her own.

Her pace slowed as she tossed up whether to visit him now or come back later when she'd showered and changed. Just in the seconds it took for her to make up her mind, his door swung open, and the decision left her hands.

Meg stood a few rooms back from his with an expectant smile on her face. She tried to come up with something witty and clever to say when she set eyes on him again, but the man she'd been missing all day didn't come out into the hall.

A brunette woman left his room instead. Topless. The woman Jack had already run into more than once, the one he'd said he had no interest in--and yet here she was again.

Meg's smile crumbled and her heart thudded in her ears. The door shut with a firm thud, and Jack remained on the other side out of sight. She didn't even get to see the expression on his face when he found her standing out in the hall.

Meg blinked in surprise and frowned. It was then that she realized she'd been clenching the handles of her bags so hard her fingers were throbbing.

The other woman headed her way as she fastened her top in place. Wearing a matching sarong and cute sandals, she fluffed her hair as she strolled toward Meg with an exaggerated sway to her hips.

Everything about her seemed calculated, as if she'd figured out how to wrap men around her finger and intimidate women all at the same time--and she had no qualms about using those skills to her advantage.

Meg willed away the dampness in her eyes, torn between sprinting far from here and swinging her bags in the hope she might hit something. She wanted to scream to release some of the despair churning inside her.

The woman gave her a dismissive look that set her nerves on edge. "I'm done with him if you want a turn," she said, continuing down the corridor. She paused to call over her shoulder, "but he might need a nap first."

The wave of fury came on so strong it almost blocked out the hurt. Meg's cheeks heated as she watched her leave, torturing herself with the rear view of a woman she never had a hope of matching up to physically.

All this time she'd been with Jack, his words, his touches, the way he'd looked at her, had convinced her she was enough. Now reality had barged in to show her how deluded she was, and what a fool she'd been.

She wanted to run but her feet wouldn't move. A sob stuck in her throat, and she pressed her lips into a hard line to stop them from trembling. No matter how much she tried to placate herself with the fact that Jack didn't technically owe her any loyalty because they weren't officially together, Meg wanted to cry and stamp her feet at the unfairness of it all.

He'd agreed to be exclusive with her while they were staying here together. How could that have changed so quickly? Was it just a case of out of sight out of mind? One day away from him and it had all fallen apart.

She could have gone crashing into his room to demand answers, make him explain why he'd bothered getting to know her if he intended to push her aside as soon as something shiny and new came along, but she couldn't bear to watch him lie to her.

Meg marched off to her room instead.

~ * ~

She couldn't stand it anymore. Jack had dropped by her room three times, knocking quietly on the first visit, banging with a little more force the second time around. His calls and texts had come through often enough that she'd lost count now.

Each message alert had her clutching her phone and closing her eyes while she fought off the urge to answer.

When he spoke through the door the last time, the concern in his voice had been so real she'd almost given in, but if she talked to him now while the hurt was new and her need for him as strong as ever, it would be too easy to get dragged back in for more of the same treatment.

She let out a slow breath and listened to his most recent voice message--Meg, honey, I don't know what's going on, but call or text me to let me know you're okay. Just tell me you're safe--then turned off her phone and shoved it into the bedside drawer. If only she could hide her feelings in there, too.

Once the temptation was gone, she rummaged through her suitcase to find the one and only indecent piece of clothing Allie had sneaked in while she was packing for her trip. A sparkly black minidress with a halter neck that dipped so low in front she couldn't wear a bra underneath. Perfect for the sticky heat.

Meg stepped into the dress wearing only a black thong and left her long hair down. She threw on a pair of heels and grabbed her evening bag, then shot a glance at the drawer containing her phone, tempted to take it with her. It would only take one or two drinks to have her texting or calling Jack when she had no business doing either.

She stuck with her original plan, grabbed her room key and headed for the door.

Two cocktails and one nightclub later, her intention to take it easy had disappeared. Escaping the hotel had made her feel energized for the first time since she'd seen the woman sashaying from Jack's room. The lively atmosphere pulled her in, the laughter and raised voices helping her unwind and take her mind off Jack.

It turned out to be just what she needed.

She nudged her empty glass aside and pushed off the barstool she'd been occupying for the better part of an hour. Meg weaved her way through the sea of tables, heading toward a packed dance floor to make the most of her minor buzz before it disappeared. She shimmied through the crowd and stopped when she found a spot somewhere near the middle.

The tang of sweat hung in the air and the crush of bodies made her feel less alone. The music swept over her, her body swaying to the beat without a care about how she looked.

Only a week ago, she never would have imagined herself enjoying a moment like this, but as one song slipped into the next, she became weightless and free, completely at ease among strangers.

She only came back to herself when a slow song took over, the kind more suited to couples who wanted an excuse to grind against each other in public. Since she no longer appeared to be a member of that club, Meg decided to head back to the bar and top up her fading buzz.

She'd barely turned and taken her first step when a pair of strong hands clasped her hips from behind and pulled her back against a hard, male body.

Her eyes widened and her heart pounded. Despite having almost convinced herself she didn't care about Jack anymore, a deep longing took hold of her, and she turned expecting to see him there.

A tall man with sandy blonde hair filled the space instead, his hazel eyes sweeping over her in an assessing way. Strands of hair were plastered to the sweat on his brow, and he'd left too many buttons open on his shirt. He was attractive on a physical level, but his cologne overpowered her, and his smile didn't reach his eyes.

While she tried to come up with the politest way to discourage him, he bent his head and said close to her ear, "I've been watching you. Confident women are very sexy."

He dragged out the word 'very' until it sounded dirty and obscene. His accent sounded Dutch, and his breath reeked of warm beer. She leaned back to avoid the worst of it and gave him a non-committal smile as she scanned the room. "Oh. Thanks."

"Wanna dance?"

She'd already been doing that and handling it just fine on her own. "No, I'm a little overheated," she said, fanning her face. "I need a break--and a drink."

Meg hoped he wouldn't see it as an invitation to join her at the bar. She didn't want company, and his attention made her feel more claustrophobic than flattered.

He trailed his fingers down her arm as if he intended to grab her hand. "Let me buy you one."

Even if all he wanted to do was lead her from the dance floor, the idea of him trying to touch her like that irritated her enough to step out of his reach. "I'm good thanks. I always buy my own drinks."

Meg took off before he could stop her, pushing her way through the crowd while she kept her attention locked on the bar.

"You just got even hotter," he shouted from behind her.

She suppressed a shudder and ignored him, but she could feel him pushing in behind her and getting too close again.

"Where are you staying, sexy? We could meet up later."

Meg stopped and turned to face him. They hadn't even exchanged names and he'd started making plans for the rest of the night. She maintained eye contact with him and kept her voice steady to avoid any misunderstandings. "I'm not interested. Take the hint and leave me alone."

She spun around without waiting for a response, heading straight for the one unoccupied stool at the bar. Meg squeezed between two men who were involved in conversations on either side of her, their shoulders encroaching on her personal space.

Not her idea of comfort in an already overheated room, but it made her new admirer's job that much more difficult. She hoped he'd take the not-so-subtle hint and shift his focus to someone who welcomed the attention.

Meg leaned over the bar to order a white wine, but then thought better of it and sat back down. If there was even a small chance of him following her to the hotel later, she'd need to have her wits about her when she left here.

She stared at the bottles lining the shelves, listening to the pounding bass and raised voices around her. As the emotional upheaval of a too-long day caught up with her, Meg's shoulders slumped, and exhaustion swamped her in an all-encompassing wave. She wanted to rest her forehead on the bar and let out the deluge of tears she'd been too stubborn to cry.

She wanted Jack.

How could something so good end so suddenly? Just letting go of the idea of him felt like the first stage of grief. Shock and sadness. Disappointment. If only she had the chance to do the day over and spend it with him. Sure, it may have only delayed the inevitable, but at least their time in Bali would have ended on a positive note.

Just when she'd made up her mind to go back to her room and wallow in private, a hand wrapped around her upper arm, fingers biting into her flesh hard enough to draw a yelp from her.

Meg tried to swivel on her stool to confront the person, but his other hand gripped the back of her neck and gave a firm squeeze.

Her heart thundered.

Her adrenalin spiked.

Then he spoke and her senses went on high alert. "Don't you know it's rude to ignore someone when they're fucking talking to you?"

~ * ~

Jack tossed his phone on the bed and rubbed a hand over his mouth, trying to work out what the hell was going on. The longer the silence dragged on the more his concern and frustration grew. He'd stopped by Meg's room and called her enough times now to classify himself as a stalker.

Nothing in return.

Not even a simple text other than the cute, smiling selfie she'd sent him hours ago.

The cab company had confirmed her drop-off around five o'clock, so he knew she'd made it back to the hotel. Almost two hours had gone by since then though, and he still had no idea why she'd disappeared or what had prompted the silent treatment.

He never would have pegged her as the type to play mind games, but he wondered if he'd been reading her wrong this entire time.

Jack pulled on a short-sleeved shirt and khaki shorts to head off and continue his search. He wouldn't be able to sleep tonight until he knew she was safe.

And on top of his complications with Meg, he'd had a bizarre exchange with Anna that had left him questioning why he'd ever bothered talking to anyone here.

He'd gone down to the smaller of the two hotel pools earlier in the day, snagging a sun lounge at the far end to give himself some privacy from the other guests.

Meg had come to Bali to find herself, but Jack had been looking for the exact opposite when he tacked the extra week onto the getaway with his family.

He'd wanted to lose himself in the nothingness of no routine and no place to be, especially after what equated to emotional torture watching Catherine renew her vows with Josh.

Just as he'd stretched out and closed his eyes, someone stopped beside the lounge and blocked out the sun. He peeked from one half-opened lid and almost groaned out loud when he found Anna standing there.

"Hey," he said.

"Hello, yourself." She must have taken his greeting as an invitation to join him, because she sank onto the neighboring sun lounge and sent a waft of her perfume floating his way.

He had a good thing going with Meg, and he'd never risk it by doing something stupid, but that didn't stop him from giving her a sweeping glance.

Anna took her time positioning herself, pushing out tits that didn't move in a bikini top that looked a couple of sizes too small. The wrap she'd tied around her waist split down the middle to reveal toned, tanned legs and a flash of the blue bikini briefs hidden beneath.

She was hot, no question.

Jack wondered if he would have been tempted to go there if he hadn't met Meg, but that was as far as his interest went.

Since checking her out more thoroughly would have only got him in trouble, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. The glitter of triumph in her eyes suggested his passing glance counted as a win no matter how he felt about it.

Anna returned the favor, her attention wandering over his bare chest the same way it had days ago, only this time it lowered and came to rest on the front of his board shorts.

He already knew this wouldn't end well. Anna was the type of woman who'd grown used to getting her own way; she'd only put up with so many rejections before she unleashed on him somehow.

She ordered a cocktail from a passing waiter, and when it arrived, she took a sip and looked him over again. "So, Jackie, what have you been up to since I saw you last?"

The conversation started out harmless enough. Jack told her about the places he'd been and asked about her girls' trip. They stayed on safe topics, and since she didn't ask about Meg or mention other women at all, he relaxed enough to stop looking for an escape route.

He didn't even mind hanging out with her despite her doing ninety percent of the talking.

It was only when she'd ordered her third drink that the mood shifted, and her comments began to take on more of a suggestive tone. Her eyes lingered a beat too long on various parts of his body, and she trailed her fingertips between her breasts as if she wanted to remind him that they were there.

When she emptied her glass and motioned to the waiter for another, Jack grabbed his opportunity to leave. He swung his legs over the side of the lounge and gave her a quick smile. "Thanks for the chat, Anna. I'm going to head off now."

"Wait." She blinked and looked up at him in surprise. "Why don't you stay a while longer?"

Jack doubted she'd have to work very hard to get a guy's attention let alone keep it, but he didn't want to give her the impression this had the chance of going anywhere. "I can't. I've got somewhere I need to be. See you later."

He took off for his room, assuming they were done, and he'd only just shut the door behind him when a knock came from the other side. There was a small chance Meg had come by to share the details of her day before they headed out for dinner together, but he knew better.

Jack blew out a breath and braced himself.

He opened the door to find Anna standing in the corridor, hands on hips with a confused smile lifting one side of her mouth. "What the hell, Jackie? We were chatting."

"Yeah, then I thanked you for the conversation and said goodbye."

"But... I thought we were getting along?"

"We were, and now I have other plans."

She lifted her brows. "Is this about that scrawny redhead?"

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and refused to take the bait. Meg was a stunner, and jealousy had never been an attractive trait. "No, it's about me not being into you."

She rolled her eyes and stood on her tiptoes to peek over his shoulder. "Give me thirty seconds, and I'll change your mind about that."

As if his rebuffs were mere stumbling blocks she could easily overcome.

She ran her index finger under the edge of her bikini top while she checked out his room, pulling it absently to one side to reveal her nipple. It hardened right in front of his eyes, and the caveman part of his brain reacted before the rational side could kick in.

He needed to get her out of here now before he did something really fucking stupid.

Jack shifted to the side to stop her from looking into his room. Not because he had anything to hide, he just hated her sense of ownership after they'd only shared a couple of conversations. "Can you put that away?" he asked.

Anna wouldn't be deterred, though. She sidled past him--into his damn room--and Jack turned to watch her scan a space that showed several signs of a female guest.

Meg had left her black bikini top draped over the back of his chair. Her sunhat rested on the desk and a pair of her shoes were tucked under the bed. He'd gotten a kick out of seeing her things scattered around his room, but now he wanted to protect them as if they were an extension of her.

"Is this where the bikini tops go?" Anna asked, facing him as she tugged the tie free at the back of her neck.

Before he could stop her, she whipped the thing off right in front of him and ran her hand over her tanned, bare tits, then squeezed one of them to get a reaction out of him.

Real or not, they were spectacular, and he was a man operating under extreme duress. "You need to go," he said.

"Oh, come on. Have some fun," she said in a sensual, teasing tone. "She'll never know. It'll be our little secret." Anna smiled sweetly and twirled her bikini top around one finger.