The Sweetest Fling Ch. 12

Meg ran the zip around the edges of her packed suitcase and glanced at her phone. Only fifteen minutes to go until her journey back to the real world began. Her stomach flipped at the thought of leaving paradise and Jack behind, but she ignored it and scanned her room one last time to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

When it looked like she had nothing left to do but wait, Meg padded across the room and opened the double doors that led to her balcony. She stepped outside and rested her elbows on the railing just as she had all those days ago.

The breeze ruffled her ponytail and pressed her tank top to her chest, the air still warm even though the sun had almost set now. Her gaze swept over the gardens below, her mind slipping back to the afternoon when she'd spotted Jack walking out from beneath the trees.

The sight of him took her breath away then, and she'd only become more attracted to him in the days that followed. Generous, affectionate, funny, and quick to forgive, he'd grown on her so fast, she couldn't remember why she was ever nervous about talking to him in the beginning.

And last night... Meg would never forget what it had felt like having him at her mercy and playing with him until he almost lost his mind. Yes, she'd needed to apologize for jumping to conclusions about his character, but he had some making-up of his own to do for allowing things with Anna to ever reach that point--and he'd kept her awake until the early hours of the morning pleasuring her and ensuring she'd forgiven him.

Meg watched two kids racing down the path under the lamplight, followed closely by a couple of harried-looking parents. A Balinese man was carrying a tray of food toward one of the rooms on the ground floor, while another led a group of new arrivals to their accommodation.

Meg took in the comings and goings, realizing how much she'd miss this place. It was strange thinking that life would go on as normal after she'd left, as if her incredible connection with Jack had never happened here.

A knock sounded behind her. She turned and went inside, an expectant smile on her face as she opened the door.

Jack stood in the hall wearing shorts and a fitted tee, and as she looked him over, Meg felt the familiar jump in her pulse.

His dark hair was still damp from his shower, and he hadn't bothered shaving a couple of days' worth of stubble from his jaw. He reminded her of warm beds and tousled sheets, late mornings, and lazy sex. She hoped it wouldn't be long before they could experience that again back home.

Meg moved aside to let him through, laughing when he pulled her against him and curved his hands over the rear of her white shorts to give her ass a squeeze.

He dipped his head and pressed his rough cheek to hers, rubbing softly until she arched her back and strained to get closer to him. "Ready to go?" he asked, his voice tinged with humor.

Meg had been looking forward to getting home so she could put her plan of less work and more play in motion, but her heart thumped at the thought of leaving the hotel because it would take her one step closer to separating from Jack.

She swallowed and pulled back from him a fraction, telling herself to get it together. "I think so."

"Cab's waiting downstairs."

~ * ~

Meg stood outside the hotel while the taxi idled in the circular driveway. Jack had already loaded her bags into the boot, and the driver was now waiting for them to say their goodbyes.

Her stomach churned with the uncertainty of what lay ahead. She hoped diving back into reality and routine wouldn't kill what they'd worked so hard to establish in these early days, and she was thankful living in the same city at least took away one complication.

Jack interlaced his fingers with hers, using their joined hands to pull her close. Meg tilted her head to look up at him in the darkness, wishing he could come home with her, but his flight didn't leave for another twenty-four hours.

His blue eyes travelled over her features, and the edge of his mouth lifted. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

Her throat ached but she shoved down the emotion. They'd arranged to meet for dinner on Saturday night, so she didn't have long to wait until she saw him again. "I already miss you, and I haven't even left yet."

Jack let go of her hands and rubbed her upper arms. People wandered by, and traffic noise drifted in from the street, but she couldn't pay attention to a single thing with the weight of his gaze on her.

"At least you're going back to family and friends," he said. "What am I supposed to do here without you?"

"Not her, that's for sure."

A smile hovered at his mouth. "Not my type. I need someone who looks more like you so I can play pretend while you're gone."

Meg bit back a smile and gave his chest a half-hearted shove. "Too soon, Jackie."

He laughed and drew her into a hug, surrounding her with his warmth. "If you want to punish me again like you did last night, I'm down."

She tucked her face into the curve of his neck and wrapped her arms around him, breathing in his masculine scent. "I think that's the most fun I've ever had."

He hummed in agreement and held her a little tighter for a moment.

Meg didn't want to go anywhere, but the taxi's presence reminded her she needed to get moving. As if sensing her thoughts, Jack released her. "Better hurry or you'll end up stuck here."

She sighed and rose on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Don't tempt me."

He looked her over, and in that low, deep voice she'd come to love said, "Have a good flight, Meg."

"I'll try." She pressed her lips together so he wouldn't see them tremble, and told herself to stop being ridiculous. They were catching up again in two days. It had taken her almost thirty years to find him. She could make it through to the weekend without becoming an emotional wreck. "'Bye, Jack."

Just as she made a move to turn away, he grabbed her elbow and dragged her against him. His hands cradled her face, and his mouth pressed to hers for one final, breath-stealing kiss.

Every memory from their time together came rushing back and overwhelmed her with feeling as he held her. Meg gripped his shirt and kissed him back, matching his heat and hunger, wishing it could go on and on.

When their mouths finally parted, they were both breathing hard. Meg touched her fingers to her lips and stared up at him. Her legs were shaking, and she had to lock her knees in place to keep her balance. He could turn her into a quivering mess in record time.

Jack swept his thumb over her cheek and said softly, "'Bye, sweetheart."

Oh, God. Her heart couldn't take this anymore. She had to leave now, or she never would.

Meg waved and opened the taxi door. As she climbed into the backseat of the cab, she glanced over her shoulder one last time, feeling a lot like she was leaving her heart behind.

~ * ~

Jack lowered himself to the sand and rested his elbows on his knees. He only had an hour to go until checkout, but he preferred spending it at the beach instead of holed up in his room.

There were people everywhere. Couples and families waded into the water closer to shore, while surfers rode the swell farther out. Umbrellas and towels dotted the sand, the nearest one was occupied by a woman in a white bikini who reminded him of Meg.

Jack considered texting her to let her know he'd found her replacement, but he doubted she'd appreciate him teasing her with so much physical distance between them.

She'd been gone almost twenty-four hours, and he'd barely stopped thinking about her. He kept remembering the look she'd given him just before she got into the cab, like the idea of separating caused her physical pain. His stomach clenched as he watched her go, and when he woke up on his own this morning, he felt lonely for the first time since he'd been in Bali.

He dug his phone from his pocket and browsed through the photos he'd taken during his time here, stopping on his favorite one of Meg from the butterfly park.

Her gray eyes were directed right at the camera, her mouth forming one of those playful smiles that always made him think not-so-playful thoughts.

She'd acted all cute and cocky that afternoon, like she was proud of herself for talking him into her friends-with-benefits idea. Jack huffed in amusement, wondering if she'd had any clue how it would turn out between them. In his experience, women were always smarter about the subtleties in relationships.

Jack exited the album before he could get too sucked into the memories. He shifted his attention to his contacts list instead, his thumb hovering over the name he'd contemplated calling and half-convinced himself he shouldn't. He went with his initial impulse and touched the screen, feeling the rapid thud of his heart as he waited for her to answer.

Catherine picked up after a few rings, her voice sounding rushed. "Jack! Hi."

He smiled and grabbed a handful of sand, watching the grains sift through his fingers. "Cat, how's it going?"

"Good, good. Just making the most of my last day off work. Aren't you supposed to be on a flight?"

"Just about," he said. "I'm heading to the airport in an hour. Josh around?"

"He's playing golf." A long beat passed then she asked, "Why did you call me if you want to talk to him?"

He'd done the hard part by dialing her number. Now they were talking, he wanted to tell her everything--to know what it finally felt like to be free of this burden and move on with his life. "Have you got a minute?"

"Always, but why do I feel like I need to sit down?"

He heard the whir of the sliding door in the background and figured she'd stepped outside onto the deck, a shady oasis surrounded by ferns where she often went for quiet time. "Don't worry. It's nothing bad."

"If you say so." She took a minute to settle in then picked up the conversation again. "Have you had fun there by yourself?"

Jack hadn't planned on telling anyone about Meg until after he got back. He wanted a chance to get to know her better on home turf first, and he'd never dated anyone long enough for his family to get their hopes up. Once they caught wind of it, he'd be bombarded with questions. "I've had a good time, but I haven't been on my own."

"Oh?"

He pictured the frown line between her brows and smiled. "Her name's Meg."

"Wait. Huh? I've never heard you say a woman's name like that before. 'Her name's Meg'," she said, in a poor imitation of his voice. "Does that mean this is serious? How can it already be serious?"

Now he'd experienced the difference between a deep, mutual attraction and a one-sided infatuation, there was no going back for him. "Do you remember when we met?"

She laughed, unfazed by the change in subject. "Chemistry--no Economics class. You were sitting next to me."

"Mm. That wasn't the first time I saw you, though. You were running through the courtyard in a hurry to get somewhere. You had this worried look on your face, and you breezed right past me." He debated whether to tell her the next part, then decided it wouldn't hurt anyone now if he did. "I wanted you from the second I saw you," he said out loud for the first time in his life. "It was instant--like all these feelings just slammed into my chest."

The heavy silence would have unnerved him if he'd been hoping his feelings would be reciprocated. Now, it was more of a confession; the outcome didn't matter.

"Jack." Her voice had gone quiet. He wished he could have seen her face while they were having this conversation, but if she'd been sitting here in front of him or they'd connected via video call, he might not have brought the subject up.

"Do you remember when you met Josh?"

For a while, her measured breaths were his only answer. He wasn't in too much of a hurry though, so he watched the waves and waited.

"At your parents' place," she finally said. "He walked outside while I was climbing from the pool."

Jack smiled. "I was chasing you."

That got a soft laugh out of her. "You were always chasing me."

He wondered if she'd been pulled back through time to that moment as well. The smell of chlorine in the air, the fluffy beach towels, the sun warming their damp bathing suits. "I planned on kissing you when I caught up to you."

He heard her quick, indrawn breath, and finally, twelve years later, he knew with absolute certainty that she'd never been aware of how he felt about her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jack knew all along he could have shared his feelings and made her choose between him and his brother, but there would have been no point. Trying to finish first in a competition where the winner had already been decided would have ruined his friendship with her as well as his relationship with his brother--and he liked the girlfriend-stealing golden boy for the most part.

"You know it wouldn't have made any difference," he said. "He's always been the one for you."

Jack followed the progress of a surfer who'd just gained his feet, watching as he dropped in on an impressive wave. He felt lighter after spilling his decade-long secret, and the tension that used to simmer beneath the surface disappeared.

"I'm so sorry."

Emotion turned her words thick and heavy, and guilt seeped in to take some of the shine off his happiness. Jack sighed and rubbed his forehead. "There's nothing to apologize for, Cat. That's not why I called you."

"There is. My God, I was thinking about what it must have been like for you to watch us get married all those years ago, and then go back to Bali last week to see it happen all over again--and I've cried to you so many times about the fertility issues Josh and I have been having."

He glanced around as if other people might be able to hear their conversation, then dipped his head and said in a low voice, "I didn't want to upset you. None of this is your fault. I'm telling you now because it's over. I'm good. Fucking great, if you want to know the truth--and I want you to be happy for me."

She let out a loud breath. He had no idea if he was just imagining it, but he thought he detected a touch of relief in the sound. "And it's because of Meg?"

Jack picked up another handful of sand, watching it slide through his fingers as his thoughts switched to the woman in question. "Yeah. You'll like her."

"If she's not your usual type, I bet I will. Does she know about me... and you?"

"Uh-huh." He stood and took in the view before turning his back on it for the last time. "I used the sob story to get her to have pity sex with me."

"You did not!"

He laughed as he made his way across the sand. "No, I didn't."

"So... you really don't have those feelings for me anymore?"

Jack didn't have to be in the same room with her to know she had a hopeful look on her face. He wished he could have wrapped his arms around her and given her a platonic hug. "It's safe to say my focus has shifted elsewhere, which means I can stop coming up with ways to get Josh permanently out of the picture."

Catherine did the breathy little laugh that used to turn him on, but now it only made him smile.

When she finally spoke again, her voice sounded husky and soft. "I know you said you don't want an apology, but I'm sorry for everything. If I'd had any idea what I was putting you through, I honestly would have been crushed. I never wanted to see you hurt. You're my best friend."

In the past when she'd called him that, it had been like a knife to the heart. Not because he didn't appreciate her friendship. It just hadn't been enough.

"Everything worked out in the end," he said. "We're exactly where we're supposed to be." Jack stepped up to the curb and watched the steady stream of traffic, waiting for his chance to cross. "I'll see you in a few days, okay?"

"Okay, and Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He smiled and told her he loved her, too.

It lifted a weight off his shoulders knowing he could exchange those words with her and not have any hidden meaning behind them.

~ * ~

Meg tidied up the workbench in the backroom, collecting the offcuts from the yellow roses she'd used to create Mrs. Tilly's bouquet. The heady perfume from the flowers filled the air, clashing with the lemon-scented cleaner Allie had been spraying around like a maniac.

She tossed the scraps in the bin and pulled a pen from her apron pocket to check the name off her worksheet. Her delivery guy had been in and out of the shop all day taking out a record number of phone orders and walk-ins for Mother's Day.

Although it had been hectic, everything had run smoothly, and Meg was just about ready to call it a day.

She looked up as Allie walked into the backroom wearing jeans and a black City Blooms t-shirt. Her dark hair was in a topknot, and she'd tucked an orange gerbera in the side for decoration. The woman had worked like a trooper staying on top of the heavier than usual workload.

"The shop's finally empty," she said. "Thank God. Today was completely nuts."

Normally they closed at noon on a Saturday, but that rule went out the window on the Mother's Day weekend. Meg tugged off her apron and shoved it under the bench. "Let's get the hell out of here while we can."

Allie smiled. "Any chance this eagerness has something to do with needing to pretty yourself up for Mr. Wonderful?"

Jack was stopping by her apartment to pick her up for dinner tonight. Meg only had an hour up her sleeve to work some miracles on her face and erase the exhaustion of the day. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Partly, but I'm also seriously tired."

Allie slipped her apron over her head and tossed it on the bench. "That's because the most strenuous thing you've done over the past week is apply sunscreen."

Meg smiled and launched a piece of curling ribbon at her. "I'll have you know I was out doing something every day."

"Something?" Her eyes widened. "Or someone?"

"Ha. How about you focus on your own love life instead of poking around in mine."

Allie scrunched up her nose. "Because living vicariously through you is way more entertaining than wading through the dating pool. Have you seen what's out there these days?"

Meg had been in the same position herself only a week ago, so there wasn't a whole lot she could say to that. Sometimes it was easier being single than wasting time chasing after the wrong men.

She pulled the elastic band from her ponytail and shook her hair free, hoping the kinks would have a chance to settle. She wasn't sure she'd have time to run a straightener through it before Jack came over. "I get it, I really do. I can't believe how lucky I was to find him."

"You like him a lot, don't you?"

It should have been a straightforward answer. She liked him, yes, but it had gone beyond that, too. Meg had no idea what the stage was called between like and love, or how to explain it in a way that wouldn't make her sound crazy. She almost cheered with relief when the tinkle of the bell over the main door saved the day.

"Did you flip the closed sign?" she asked.

"Not yet," Allie said. "I'll take care of it. Just answer my question first. How do you feel about him?"

Meg had no hope of winning a battle of wills against the most stubborn person she'd ever met. It would be quicker to give in and get it over with, so they could both move on. "I'm falling for him. After a week--one week!"

Maybe it wasn't so hard to explain after all.

Allie grinned, whether pleased with her persuasiveness or the answer itself, Meg had no idea.

"Cute," she said. "There's no rule you have to wait a certain amount of time before you feel something for someone--and spending an entire week with a guy has to be equal to a month or more of dating in real-world time." She flicked a glance over her shoulder and frowned. "I've got more questions for you, but they'll have to wait."