Modern Girl's Guide To Vacation Flings (26 page)

He may have panicked a little, and was using work as the excuse. The fact that he couldn't go twenty-four hours without walking past her room a dozen or so times, hoping they'd casually run into each other may have caused him to retreat even more. It didn't matter that they'd just met days ago, Matt couldn't stop thinking about her.

At dinner last night, he wondered what Beth was doing. During his conference call with Simon, he wanted her there, waiting for him to finish. Even this morning in the shower, Matt remembered how her slick, wet skin had felt rubbing up against his and he could hardly stand another minute away from her.

All that after just one day apart. Matt knew what he wanted now, and he wasn't going to waste another minute of their time on the ship together.

If he hadn't promised his mother he'd come to this stupid class this morning, Matt would have gone first thing this morning. But it seemed luck was on his side and he didn't have to wait.

However, this was far from the best place to have his discussion. Beth still wouldn't look at him. She picked up the cutting board and dumped the veggies into the pan, doing her best job ignoring him. As if she was taking her frustrations out on the pan, Beth stirred the veggies and meat with increased intensity before turning and pointing the spatula at Matt.

"I thought you understood what I wanted. If you can't deal with our arrangement, that's fine. Just don't jerk me around."

Matt plucked the spatula from her hand again and set it down. He stepped forward and pinned her hips against the counter. "I know you want to keep things casual. This last week has been great. But we never talked about what I want. I want to see you after this cruise is over. I want to take you out on a real date. I want to see if this can be more."

He could see the argument start to form on her lips and Matt leaned in for a kiss to stop her protest. The kiss was supposed to stop the argument and be a quick apology, but she relaxed against his chest and let out a soft sigh. With her soft body pressing into him, all polite kissing was over.

Matt teased her with is tongue and she parted her lips, letting him deepen the kiss. Normally, their kisses had been fast and direct, but this was the slow, languid kiss of lovers reacquainting themselves with each other's rhythm and pacing.

All the fight left her. Beth laced her hands through his hair and pulled him down harder, urgency in her embrace. Their bodies spoke to each other and said all the things neither of them had been ready to say aloud. They could have been standing there for minutes or even hours, kissing, when a voice broke through the lust filled fog.

"For fuck's sake, Matt. I realize your girlfriend is hot, but try not to burn the place down," Jason yelled from across the room.

Matt pulled away and looked behind Beth. Everyone in the class was staring at them. Everyone. Sure, they may have taken the kiss a little too far, but a little public display of affection shouldn't have created this big of a stir. His mom, two tables in front of them coughed and nodded her head to the table in front of him. He still wasn't sure what everyone was staring at. It was the instructor who finally clued him in.

"Sir, your chicken is burning."

"Shit!" Matt reached around a giggling Beth to turn off the burner. She hid her reddening face with both hands as Matt tried scraping the black bits of chicken out of the pan.

"I'll have someone help you." The chef waved over one of his assistants. "Most of the class is almost finished with this recipe, so I don't think you'll be able to catch up if you start over. If you and your partner would like to join another group—"

"No, I think we've done enough damage." Matt looked down at Beth, who was now beet red and trying hard to control her laughter. She was breathtaking, and Matt was again regretting every second they'd spent apart. "I think we should leave."

From the other side of the room, Kitty said, "But Matt, I thought you were coming…"

He and Beth were out the door before Kitty could finish her objection. Not that it mattered. Nothing she had to say could have kept him from taking Beth back to his room. He'd lost two nights because of his stupidity, and he was ready to make up for lost time.

Chapter 15

Modern Girl Tip #6: Keep the Conversation Light—You're enjoying each other's company. The sun is setting over the ocean. The breeze is warm and soft. Then suddenly you launch into a tirade about how your ex's rejection has blossomed into your debilitating fear of intimacy. Sexy? No, not really. Keep things light. This is not the time to root through all your emotional baggage.

"Oh my God, that was so embarrassing," Beth said, laughing as they made their way down the hall to the elevator. "I mean the way the instructor was glaring at us, you would have thought we were having sex right there on the table. It was as if he'd never seen two people kissing." She shrugged and let out a nervous laugh. "Then again, I'm not sure if he was more upset about us making out in the middle of his class or the fact that we burned the chicken. I bet it was the chicken. But I'd do it all over again, just to see that look on Kitty's face. I thought she was going to swallow her tongue. But your parents and your uncle saw, too. What must your mom think about me now?"

Beth was babbling. She had let her body override her best intentions back there, and now she wasn't sure where they stood. She meant to tell him to stop. Really, she did. But his kisses were like a drug and she was hopelessly addicted. Did this mean he still wanted to continue their affair? Did she?

He had admitted that he'd been an inconsiderate ass for not calling, but that didn't make everything right. They still needed to clear up a few things before she was willing to pick up where they'd left off.

"It will be fine," Matt said and kissed her again.

Seriously, there was something magical about his kisses. She leaned into him and pushed aside her doubt. By the time the doors opened, she'd completely forgotten about the debacle at cooking class. They stumbled into the elevator, giggling like children only to find the elderly couple, the same ones from that night at the club, already onboard. This time, Matt smiled at the old bat, like the cat who swallowed the canary, and settled an arm around Beth, as if challenging anyone to say anything. Smiling, he pushed the button for his floor.

"I don't think so," Beth said, and pushed the button to her floor. Despite his stupefying kisses, she wasn't ready to fall back into bed with him yet. The needed to settle a few things, and she wanted to be on her own turf when they did. "We need to talk first."

Matt kissed her. Quick and hard.

"We can talk later," he said, and pushed the button to his floor again, as if could cancel out her selection.

"No." Beth pushed her floor again to stress her point. "I want to talk now," she said under her breath, trying to keep their conversation private.

"We'll talk later. I promise." Matt grabbed her hips and pulled her into his body, pushing his hard cock against her ass, and whispered, "I don't think I can stand another minute without touching you."

"Damn it, that can wait," she hissed, trying not to let his wandering hands derail her. She wasn't going to cave on this. No matter what her disobedient body thought.

Thankfully, the door opened and the other couple got out, but not before the old woman caught her eye and gave her an encouraging nod. Little did she know that Beth had every intention of riding him hard until neither of them could walk, but she appreciated the show of womanly support. When the doors closed, Beth moved to the other side of the elevator to give her room to breathe. "We need to reestablish boundaries and expectations, so no one gets hurt."

"Beth, I'd never hurt you. And as far as boundaries…" He gave a little shrug as though the whole idea was suddenly a foreign concept to him. "I think we're making this more complicated than it needs to be. We like each other. The sex is good. I've let you know what I expect after the cruise is over. But that's a chat for another time. For now, let's see how the rest of the week plays out."

"You were the one who said things were moving too fast. What happened to slowing things down?"

"Did I really say that? You know what? Fuck slow. I've decided fast is a great speed." He inched closer, and put his hand over his heart. "I'm really sorry, Beth. Not calling you was a prick thing to do. I was wrong and it kills me that you were hurt by my insensitive actions," he said with enough sincerity to melt the last little bit of her resolve. "Now, can't we just move past this and enjoy the rest of the cruise? Preferably naked? I know I can make it up to you."

He took another step closer, but Beth put a hand on his chest to stop him from actually getting in her space. "I'm sorry. What was that?"

"We're complicating things?"

"Not that. The last thing you said."

"I'll make it up to you with some naked begging?" He said, a wicked smile lighting up his face.

"No, right before that."

He tilted his head to the side with huge smile and those damn dimples, acting as if he had to recall the conversation that took place a few seconds ago. "Hmm. Do you mean the part where I was a prick or the part about being wrong?" he asked.

"Yes. That was it. I do appreciate you admitting that." Beth slowly closed the distance between them and traced a finger along his jaw. "But I want to clear the air. I can put up with a lot of things, but not silence."

Just then, the doors to her floor opened and Beth slapped his cheek several times with a firm pat that stung.

"Don't do it again," she said, and walked out.

She was several steps down the hall when she shot a look over her shoulder. He was still standing in the elevator, holding the door open. By the look on his face, Matt really thought he could just say he was wrong, flash those cute dimples, and all would be forgiven. No, she was going to make him work for it.

"You coming?" she asked.

He looked back at the empty elevator and shook his head. "I guess I have to," he said in a resigned voice.

They navigated the halls to her room. But if she thought being in her room was going to make him cool his jets, she was wrong. Matt was all over her before she could even start the conversation.

As soon as the door closed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She let out a shocked yip of surprise at his sudden aggressiveness, but fuck, if it didn't make her wet.

With his hands plunged into her hair, Matt proceeded to ravish her mouth. She slid her own hands up to his shoulders and for a second he tensed as if he was waiting for her to push him away, not that the thought hadn't crossed her mind. She'd wanted to talk and he had practically jumped her the second they were alone.

But there was no use fighting their attraction. Beth yanked him closer, pressing every inch of her body against him, and rose up to meet his lips, her tongue wrangling with his.

She moaned her appreciation as he pushed her against the door. And instead of insisting they talk again, she slipped her hands into the back of his pants and squeezed his ass, pulling him forward to grind against his rock hard erection. It was his turn to groan his appreciation.

Matt trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at the throbbing pulse point in her throat. Then without warning, he snapped the strap on her left shoulder, pulling the top down to expose her breast.

"God damn it, Matt this was one of my favorite dresses."

"Mmmm," he hummed, eyeing her now bare chest. "Mine, too. I've wanted to do that all morning."

He bent down and found her nipple, sucking it into his mouth. The sensation shot right to her clit and Beth could feel her body tightened in anticipation. It had only been a day, but she felt like a woman starved while he was an all-you-can-eat buffet.

"Matt…" She tried to gather her foggy thoughts. They should wait, but damn his mouth on her felt so good. "Matt, we should talk. I want us to be on the same page with what's going on here."

"Well, right now I'm enjoying these fine breasts of yours," he said around a nipple. "Then I'm going to taste your pussy. And after that I want to fuck you until neither of us can move. Are we on the same page now?"

He went back to sucking, and she forgot for a second what she'd asked. But no matter how much she wanted to throw him down on the floor and ride him, Beth needed a better explanation. After the sucktasic day she had yesterday, she deserved at least that.