Modern Girl's Guide To Vacation Flings (28 page)

But was that what she wanted? Could she really give up the work she was passionate about for a man, even one she thought she might be falling in love with? She didn't want to end up like her father, bitter and stuck in a job he hated. But maybe…

Lying naked in Matt's arms wasn't the right place to contemplate that choice.

Neither of them had spoken for a long time while Beth mulled over their future. Matt was the one who finally broke the silence by asking her a question she wasn't expecting.

"Does your decision have anything to do with Robert?"

It was like Matt could read her mind. "What? Why would you think that?"

"This morning, in your long speech about not doing relationships, you said your job came between you and Robert. Did you leave him because he wanted you to take the Director Job?" Matt held up a hand to stop her from answering and continued. "It would be great if you were in Chicago full time. I've already told you I want this to be more than a one time thing. But I understand your passion. I'd never ask you to make that choice. Even if you're gone for months at a time, I want to be the guy you come home to."

"Matt, you don't know what you're asking." Beth shook her head, suddenly tired of fighting about the subject. Maybe, if he knew what happened with Robert, he'd understand why a relationship wasn't a good idea. "To answer your question, no. I hadn't been offered the job when Robert left me."

"Then are you still in love with him? Is that why you don't want to see me when we get back home?"

"In love with Robert?" Beth laughed, dismissing the idea. "I'm not pining away for some guy I use to date. Honestly, I don't think I ever loved Robert. I liked him. What we had… I'm not even sure what to call it. It just happened. Neither of us had time for anything serious. We met as undergraduates. I tutored him in Chemistry and we became friends. I finished off my Masters and he went on to medical school. Then one night, I was home from an assignment and we had dinner, and it ended up back at his place. He was a resident at the time and worked insanely long shifts at the hospital. I was gone for months on site. What we had wasn't love. It was convenience."

"But you were with him for three years. It had to be more than just convenience."

"In hindsight, I guess things lasted so long because neither of us really cared. If I was there, great. If I wasn't home, there was always a million other things that kept him occupied. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed each other's company, but it lasted because it was easy."

"What changed?" Matt asked.

She shrugged, starting to feel a bit awkward talking about her ex-boyfriend with her current lover. "We grew apart. Grew up. Had different goals in life. I don't know," she said, hoping that would end the subject.

Beth rolled over to face Matt. He was stretched out beside her, naked. The setting sun casting a golden hue over his lean form. She was done talking. She reached out and stroked a finger down his chest.

She continued her exploration, caressing and trailing her fingers along the plains of his muscular body. Her hands ached with muscle memory as she recalled her fingers digging into his flesh as she climaxed while straddling him.

"Beth?" She looked up to catch the knowing smirk spread across his face. "You didn't answer me. What changed? Those are all good reasons to break up, but after three years, something must have changed between the two of you that ended the relationship."

Beth sat up and tucked the sheet around her, feeling for the first time uncomfortable. "What's with the sudden interest in my ex? Things ended well over a year ago. It was probably over long before then. I just didn't notice. I don't see how it matters why we ended it."

"I'm trying to understand you, Beth. I want to know what happened with this Robert guy that has you closed off. Did he cheat on you?"

"No. It wasn't like that." She flopped back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. This day was a rollercoaster of emotions. "The simple truth of the matter was he wanted more. He wanted a wife and a family. He was ready to settle down and didn't need the convenient lay anymore."

"Fuck. Is that what he told you? If that's what he thought about you, then he didn't deserve you."

"He didn't say it, but it's still the truth. But trust me it was mutual."

Matt pulled her into his arms, as if trying to shield her from the pain. The fact that he was so outraged on her behalf was nice. And in that moment, with Matt holding her, the past hurt a little less. The more she reflected on their relationship, the more she knew it wasn't meant to be. Sophia and Robert would be happy together. Sure, Thanksgiving was going to be awkward since her sister's new husband was a man she used to sleep with, but maybe if she let someone like Matt in, Beth wouldn't have to face it alone.

"He did start seeing someone else. Actually, I was the one who encouraged him to start taking her to hospital functions and events when I couldn't make it home." She relaxed back against his chest. If Matt wanted the truth, she was going to let him have it all. "I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he eventually asked Sophia to marry him."

"What? Sophia, your sister? The one who's getting married in a few weeks? Married to you ex-boyfriend?"

"Yep, that's the one." There, it was out in the open now, and Beth was surprised how relieved she was to tell him the whole sordid tale. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her. "Sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it? I wanted to be mad at first, but they're perfect together. She really is his better half."

"And you're going to the wedding?"

"I'm even a bridesmaid. You remember that blue dress I wore to your parents' party? It's my bridesmaid's dress. I hope I can get that thing cleaned or Sophia's going to kill me."

It was Matt's turn to roll onto his back and stare at the ceiling. He seemed to be digesting all the information she'd spewed out there. And as the silence stretched out between them, Beth was dying to know what was going on in that head of his. Fearing the answer, she didn't dare ask. But as the seconds ticked by, she couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Holly told me you've never brought a girlfriend home to meet the family. I'm surprised. I can't believe a sexy guy like you has never had a girlfriend." She leaned up on her elbow to look him in the eye and gave him her best knowing look, trying to lighten the mood again. "Let me guess. You were the love 'em and leave 'em type. There are probably a string of broken hearted women back in Chicago."

He laughed. "Nothing so nefarious. I've been focused on my work, and before that, school. Sure, I've had my share of flings, but it's always been mutual."

"Kind of like us?"

"No. Not like us." His voice was strained, laced with emotion he no longer attempted to hide. He reached up and pulled her into a slow demanding kiss that stole her breath. When he pulled away, breathless, he held her in his dark gaze. "Christ, Beth, you have to know that this hasn't been just a fling for a while now."

Before she had time to catch her breath, he flipped Beth over on her back and kissed his way down her belly, lingering to nibble at her navel while his fingers stroked and caressed her sex. When his mouth joined his dexterous fingers, Beth nearly came off the bed. With merciless intent, he probed and lavished every secret, wet, and tender place until she was ready to burst open and spill all her pent up desires.

He devoured her, giving her his undivided attention. It made her feel worshipped, adored. It took her a minute to realize that the keening sound that filled the room was coming from her own throat as she lost the ability to speak. And, as if she wasn't already in too deep, Beth felt another piece of her heart melt.

They dressed for dinner. After their talk, there was an unspoken agreement not to bring up the past or the future. At least for now. They only had three more nights together, and Matt wanted to spend every second of them with her.

And he was still determined that they wouldn't be the last. The day spent naked with Beth in bed only solidified his resolve. Everything about her was perfect, from the way she melted in his arms to her passion to her humor. He was going to convince her to give them a chance; it was just a matter of how.

"We don't have to go to dinner." Matt grabbed the waistband of Beth's jeans and pulled her into his arms. Kissing her still bare shoulder, he whispered, "We could order room service. Maybe get some whipped cream."

She closed her eyes for a second and let out a hum of approval. Then shook her head, as if trying to clear her mind, and pulled out of his grasp. "While that sounds fun, we really need to do something that doesn't involve a bed."

"The sofa looks sturdy."

Beth pulled on a shirt and turned around, frowning. "God, you're insatiable," she chided. "Let's have dinner. Maybe see the show. After that, we can go back to your room for a little dessert."

She started to head toward the door, but Matt stepped in her path. "One condition," he said. "We can leave the room, if you stay with me tonight."

"Matt, I—"

He stopped her words with a kiss. Pulling back, he cupped her face in his hands and looked into her dark, questioning eyes.

"I heard you today. You're unsure about taking this beyond this trip. But that's why I want you to stay. We don't have much time left, so for what little time we do have left, let's act like a real couple. Not for my family, but for us. Then when the time comes, we can talk about where we want to take it. Give it a chance, Beth. We've got nothing to lose."

Nothing except his heart. Matt still wasn't sure if this was the right move. But the time away from her made him realize one thing, if he just walked away, thoughts of what might have been would always haunt him. He was going all in, even if it backfired.

They made their way down to dinner, silently. After all the revelations that afternoon, the silence was nice. Holly greeted Beth with an uncustomary amount of enthusiasm, and patted the seat next to her. They started in on a discussion about the spa treatment Holly had scheduled, and Matt moved around the table to take the seat directly across from them, between his mother and Uncle Terry.

Noticeably absent were Jason, Bridget, and Kitty.

He bent down and kissed his mom and nodded to the open chairs. "Where's everyone?"

"Jason and the girls took the earlier seating. Something about a show," she said, giving a little shrug. "It's not like we have to be together for every meal. There are only a few more nights left. I told them to go have fun. Anyways, this gives me more time to spend with you and Beth."

Terry leaned over and whispered, "After your little make out session this morning, you have to know your mother is hoping for a spring wedding."

"Don't even go there," Matt said and elbowed Terry. Hell, at this point he'd be satisfied if she'd just agree to a date. If his family started talking about weddings, Beth would likely run for the hills and never look back.

Dinner continued on in its usual chaotic manner. Even with a smaller crowd, it seemed like twelve conversations were going on at once. It was usually this point in the meal when Matt started to sink into the background, unable to deal with the whiplash inducing back and forth.

But tonight he was mesmerized by Beth. She navigated the conversations with the skill of a seasoned ring master, participating in several conversations without missing a beat and even prompting him occasionally for comment. And that was it right there. With Beth, it wasn't just the sex or the adventurous woman who'd caught his eye, it was the whole package. As corny as it might sound, she was a perfect fit for him.

Beth got up and helped Holly take the twins to the bathroom to clean them up before dessert. He watched her go, holding his nephew in his arms, and Matt could see the next ten years play out in his mind. Every minute included her.

"She's a wonderful girl," his mom said in a low voice when she caught him staring.

"I think so, too."

"Does that mean you're going to see her after this trip?"

He looked around the table quickly to see if anyone else heard, then turned back to his mom. "I don't know what you mean. Beth's my girlfriend."

"I wasn't born yesterday, dear. I know she's not your girlfriend."

"Mom, I— "

"Don't. I don't care. But I was hoping she would be around after this cruise. I've never seen you this enamored with a young lady before. She's good for you. Don't let her get away."