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“You never said anything,” Jake said quietly.
“It wasn’t any of your business,” she answered abruptly.
“Huh.”
Lily glanced at Jake and knew she’d offended him. Tugging a few loose strands of hair from her eyes, she tucked them behind her ear and leaned into Jake. “Don’t take it personally, sweetie, but I don’t tell you everything.”
“Yeah,” Jake said. “You do.”
Okay, he had her there.
“Look, I had no idea he was your friend, and he didn’t know who I was until yesterday.”
“You guys spent the night together but didn’t bother to exchange names?”
“Honey, we were busy doing other things, and I left before he woke up.”
“Jesus.”
She glanced at him sharply. “Don’t get all judgmental on me, Jake. Guys pick up women all the time. They get a pat on the back and a wink, wink from their buddies, and the girls think he must be great in the sack, so they flock to him, wanting to be the next in line. Just because a woman chooses to have sex with someone she just met doesn’t make her a slut. As long as she’s careful and in control, there’s no difference.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Good. Because that’s all it was. Sex. I wanted sex, and he was there, and it was just…sex.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
Jake shrugged. “I just…you’ve never really been interested in anyone before and, Lily, you barely tolerate a hug.”
“Jake,” she said carefully, “I’m not interested in Mackenzie, not in that way. I might not be the most physically affectionate person you know, but sometimes that itch needs scratching.” She shrugged. “He was there. He was convenient. And he scratched it. End of story.”
Keep telling yourself that, she thought.
Jake’s eyes narrowed again, and his lips thinned when he glanced over to where Mackenzie was chatting up Lori the hairdresser. Lily had to work hard to keep the distaste off her face as she watched the two of them.
She didn’t know Lori all that well, but she knew the type—newly single, with a nice figure and a need for validation. The woman had dated her way through a hefty number of Crystal Lake’s eligible guys. From the looks of it, she had her sights set on Mackenzie.
She was preening like goddamn peacock, her crimson and black hair tousled, her trim body barely covered by a super-hot, pink bikini. The man with Lori looked impatient as his “date” flirted outrageously with Mackenzie.
Something curled in Lily’s gut. Something hard and hot. Something maybe a little ugly and green.
“I love Mac like a brother, Lily, but I have to tell you, he’s got some hard-core issues.” Jake shook his head. “He’s not a forever kind of guy. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
“Hurt?” She turned to Jake in surprise. “Hurt would imply that I care for him. I don’t know Mackenzie at all, and I have no plans on getting to know him.” She bristled. “I’m not looking for a forever kind of guy. New Year’s Eve was a one time thing, and I’m sure he feels the same.” She frowned and bit her bottom lip, eyebrows pulled tight. “He didn’t say anything to you did he?”
“Say anything?”
Lily nodded. “About New Year’s Eve. About meeting someone.”
Jake shook his head. “No. This is the first I heard.”
“Oh.” Somehow she thought Mac would have shared the fact that he’d scored New Year’s Eve. Lily wasn’t sure if she should feel relieved or annoyed. Or both.
“So that’s why you practically ran from my parents yesterday.”
Lily tore her gaze away from Mackenzie and glared at Jake. “I didn’t run.”
