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Salty lips covered his, and her tongue exploded into his mouth. Her hands gripped his head, holding him to her. This was no soft, sweet kiss. This was CC giving her all. This was what he needed. His hands were on her butt, lifting her higher up his body, across his reaction to her. Without breaking the kiss, she wound her legs around his waist and hovered over his throbbing need.
Twisting his mouth away from those lips, he croaked, ‘No sex, babe.’
‘Stupid rule. I’m breaking it.’ Low and sexy laughter highlighted her intent.
Relief nearly dumped him underwater. Words dried in his mouth. So he went back to kissing while trying to hold Olivia and shove his boxers down his thighs all at once.
Suddenly a small hand pressed between them, her fingers splayed on his chest. ‘Wait.’
‘Wait?’ His voice was hoarse with longing. If she’d changed her mind he’d lose his permanently.
‘That massive bed. The bure. The Fijian experience. I want that.’
This time relief had Zac sinking into the water, taking Olivia with him, so that she sat over his point of desire. ‘Since when have we been one-act-per-night types?’
Her answer was to slide over him, taking him deep within her, her head tipped back, her body quivering as she came fast. Four nights of restraining himself exploded in one deep thrust into her heat.
*
Dragging themselves up the beach, they scooped up their clothes and, holding hands, raced to the bure. Except I’m not running. Olivia grinned. I’m skipping. I am over the moon with happiness. ‘What a goddamned waste. Four nights and we didn’t do it. Are we idiots or what?’
Zac swung their hands high. ‘There are plenty of words out there we could use, but I’d rather concentrate on getting you to beg me to make love to you in that bed we’ve been pretending we haven’t shared.’
‘Good answer.’ Her shoes and dress slipped out of her hand at the doors leading inside. ‘Let’s hit the shower first. I don’t usually season my sex with salt.’
‘The outside shower.’
‘Is there any other?’ A quick sluice off and she dried Zac as he fumbled with a towel to do the same with her. Impatient, she tossed the towels aside and grabbed his hand, pulled him into the main room and leapt into the bed, taking him with her so that they tumbled into a heap of arms and legs. Not that Zac had needed any persuasion. He was already showing interest in her, in the way only men could.
Goddamn. She grinned and shook herself. This had to be the most wonderful, magical, fabulous way to end their stay on the island. Maybe waiting those long, tension-filled nights had been the way to go, had added to the tension and wound up the orgasmic relief. ‘Zac,’ she whispered. ‘Long and slow.’ As she trailed kisses over his chest she continued, ‘We’ve got all night.’
‘Yeah, babe, not leaving until ten tomorrow.’
Some time after four in the morning, as the sun began to lighten the bure around the edges, Olivia snuggled her exhausted body against Zac’s and traced a line across his chest with a fingertip.
‘This is unlike other times for us.’
‘Yeah, you’re talking too much, for one thing.’
‘I feel different. I guess lying in bed together afterwards has something to do with that.’ In fact, she was shocked at how much she was enjoying lying here with Zac, knowing neither of them would shortly leap out of bed and head home, or to work, or anywhere. ‘This is taking it to a whole new level.’ As if there was a depth to making out with Zac she’d never known before. She should be scared. She wasn’t. Not right this moment, with Zac’s body wrapped around hers and her muscles feeling deliciously sated.
The hands that had been working their magic on her back stopped moving. ‘Regret not zapping that rule earlier?’
Locking gazes with him, her heart pounded at a ridiculous rate. He didn’t look unhappy about what she’d said, more cautious. ‘Not at all.’ Having fun doing other things together had added more to their relationship. ‘I have had the most amazing holiday with you.’ I want to have more of them.
‘Aw, shucks.’ He pulled the sheet up to their necks. ‘You say the nicest things. In case you’re wondering, I’ve had a wonderful time doing some great things with you too. Now let’s fall asleep in each other’s arms for the last few hours of our holiday.’
Yep, soon reality would return in the form of Auckland, work and her mother. And in thinking where to go with this new relationship with Zac. Her eyelids drooped shut. She would not think about that now. Not when his strong arms held her as though she was delicate. Not when she could breathe in the scent of their lovemaking and Zac’s aftershave. Not when… She drifted into a dream-laden sleep filled with images of the man sharing the bed.
*
Josaia and all his family were standing on the beach when Zac and Olivia turned up to board their float plane.
Olivia hugged Lauan. ‘I’m so glad we met you and your family.’
Lauan was crying openly and shaking her head. ‘No, it is us who are glad.’
‘We’ll be in touch very soon, I promise.’ Leaving these wonderful people wasn’t as easy as she’d expected. Zac nudged her out of the way to have his turn hugging Lauan. ‘We’ll schedule Josaia’s surgeries as soon as possible.’ He was repeating what they’d all discussed yesterday afternoon.
Donny stepped up and said, ‘Josaia has something for you both.’
‘Dr Zac, this is for you.’ The boy handed over a bright blue sulu with all the gravity of a ceremony for royalty.
Zac took the carefully folded cotton cloth that Fijian men traditionally wore tied around their waists at special times.
Josaia stepped in front of Olivia. ‘This is yours.’
She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Josaia, a yellow sulu that could be wrapped around her body like a strapless dress in her hand. ‘Thank you so much. I’ll look after it, I promise.’
Once inside the plane Olivia leaned forward to wave goodbye. Suddenly the plane was racing and bumping across the sea and finally lifting into the sky.
She’d had the most amazing five days, and now she didn’t know what was ahead. Hope rose, hope for a future they could share. The hope backed off. She couldn’t make a full commitment to Zac. Her mother made sure of that. There just wasn’t enough of herself to go round. She wasn’t going to try to spread herself too thin. That’s how people got hurt.
Zac lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. ‘Stop overthinking things.’
Did he know what was going on in her mind? Of course not. He didn’t know the half of what went on in her life.
She gripped his hand and turned to stare outside, absorbing every last moment of Fiji.
*
Olivia shivered as she clambered out of the taxi outside her house. ‘Why does the weather have to be wet and cold tonight of all nights?’ she grumbled.
Zac only laughed. ‘Bringing us back to earth with a thump, isn’t it?’
Grabbing her case, she ran for the shelter of her covered veranda. That’s when she noticed lights on inside. Then the steady beat of music reached her. And her stomach dived. No. Not tonight. Not when I’m so happy.
‘You going to open that door?’ Zac asked.
Not while you’re here. She waved frantically at the taxi driver. He had to take Zac away. Now. Not after that coffee she’d suggested when they’d turned into her street. ‘Wait,’ she yelled.
‘Too late,’ Zac muttered. ‘You don’t want me coming in after all?’
‘I’ve got a headache.’
Zac dropped his case and reached for her. ‘That sudden? I’m picking it’s because there’s someone inside you don’t want me to meet.’ His hands were gentle on her upper arms, his thumbs rubbing back and forth in a coaxing manner. ‘I thought we were better than that, had moved on from the quick visits to something more real.’
So did I, until reality slapped me around the ears. She’d been an idiot to think there was a way around the problem on the other side of her front door
. ‘I’m sorry.’ She didn’t want his sympathy—or worse, was afraid of seeing a look of horror in his eyes when he saw how far gone her mother would be.
The sound of her front door being unlocked sent a wave of panic through her. ‘You have to go. Now.’
‘Olivia, darling, there you are. I’ve been wondering where you’d got to and when you’d be back. They wouldn’t tell me anything at the hospital.’
Olivia was a dab hand at interpreting the alcohol-laden slur. One glance at Zac and she knew he was also right up to speed on the situation. Anger—at her mother, at Zac for learning her truth—rolled up and spilled out. ‘Mum, what are you doing here? You know I don’t like you in my house when I’m away.’
A firm hand on her arm stopped her diatribe. ‘Olivia, it’s okay.’
‘No, it’s not. You don’t get it. This is my mother, Cindy Coates-Clark. Mum, meet Zachary Wright, a friend—’ No, damn it. ‘Zac and I have been in Fiji together. We have had a wonderful time and now we’d like to wind down from our flight home. Alone.’
