The Day He Kissed Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 3)

Mac strode across the dock and spied Jake and Raine near the boat, anchored a few feet away. The two of them melted into each other as if they were one person, Jake’s hand buried in Raine’s hair as his other palm cupped her butt intimately. Mac glanced away, feeling as if he were witnessing something he had no right to see, a private moment between two of his best friends—two of his best friends who were now together.

Shit, was that it?

Sometimes he felt as if he was spinning his wheels when everyone else was moving forward. Cain had Maggie and a baby on the way. Raine and Jake had finally moved past all the bullshit and gotten together.

And Mac…

He shoved his hands through his hair and rolled his shoulders, clearing his throat so the two lovebirds knew they weren’t alone.

Mac was fine just where he was, dammit.

“You stick your tongue down her throat again and I just may throw up,” he said with a grin as he moved forward.

Jake snorted. “Whatever, Draper. You bring the beer and burgers?”

Mac set his cooler down and nodded. “You bring your mama’s potato salad?”

Raine jumped into the boat, her slim figure barely covered by a deep-blue bikini top and cutoff jean shorts. “We’ve got it,” she said. “Along with hot dogs and the portable grill.”

Mac glanced around. “Where’s Cain and Maggie?”

Raine shook her head and made an exaggerated sad face. “They’re not coming. Maggie wasn’t feeling well and Cain didn’t want to leave her alone.” She shrugged. “It’s just the four of us.”

That got Mac’s attention.

“The four of us? Who else is joining?”

His heart began to beat faster as he pulled his aviators down over his eyes and skimmed the beach behind him. He didn’t see anyone.

“Lily,” Jake answered.

Jake hopped off the boat and strode toward Mac, though he too was looking behind Mackenzie.

“You didn’t get a chance to meet her yesterday,” Jake said, “other than when you went to move your car.”

“The blond.”

Jake nodded, his eyes narrowed. “Yeah. The blond.”

Mac didn’t much care for the warning in his buddy’s voice. “You trying to tell me something, Edwards?”

“No,” Jake said, a slow grin creeping over his face. Funny, the grin didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“She’s a good friend is all and…”

“And?” Mac said, his eyebrows arched in question.

Raine stepped between the two of them, her hand on Jake as she planted a kiss on his lips. “Jake thinks that Lily is some fragile creature.” Raine tweaked Jake’s nose. “What he doesn’t know is that she’s a big girl and can look after herself. Besides…” She glanced at Mac. “It’s not as if she’d go for someone like Mac anyway.”

Okay, that pissed him off. What was with the tag-team thing the two of them had going on?

“And why would you say that?” he asked, trying his damnedest to not let his irritation show.

“Because you’re a player and she’s not.”

He stared at his two friends for several moments, not really knowing what to say. Partly because it was true and partly because he was pissed off and didn’t want them to know it.

“Whatever,” he muttered and shoved past Jake and Raine. He doubted Boston would come, not after the way she’d hightailed it out of the barbecue yesterday.