The Day He Kissed Her

by Juliana Stone

  Mac didn’t give a crap if Hubber was the president of the United States, the guy was homing in on his woman, and damned if he was gonna stand by and let the slick son of a bitch win.

  Jake gave him a strange look. “Is this thing with Lily gonna bite all of us in the ass?”

  “Nope.”

  “It better not.”

  Again with the warning. Mac turned to Jake and pinned his buddy with a look that said “don’t fuck with me.”

  “Lily’s a big girl, Jake. She doesn’t need you looking over her shoulder.”

  Jake took another sip of beer. He paused a few seconds before answering. “It’s not Lily I’m concerned about.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Jake shrugged. “It means that you’ve never met a woman like her before, and let’s move past the physical aspect. I’m talking real-life stuff. Lily can take your shit and shovel it right back in your face. She’s no pushover. If you think you can get involved with her and have no problem walking away from that, then good. I don’t know many guys that could.”

  Christ. Jake was getting all philosophical on him, which irritated the hell out of Mac. Just because his buddies had found “true love” and were happy to settle down with one woman didn’t mean that Mac had any of that in his future.

  And it sure as hell didn’t mean that he wanted it either.

  “Jesus, Jake. I just wanted to come out for a drink and chill. What’s with the Dr. Phil?”

  “I’m just looking out for you,” Jake replied, raising his mug in the air.

  Mac did the same. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m good.”

  He took a swig of cold beer and glanced back over to the bar. Jake was right about one thing: he needed to dial it down. He needed to come up with a plan.

  He needed to figure out how to get under her skin.

  With a grin, Mac settled back in the booth and, for the first time in hours, relaxed.

  Chapter 13

  Lily wasn’t exactly sure what Sal and Blair were saying. Were they still talking about the staff needed for the following weekend? Or had they moved on to decorations?

  No. Sal had nothing to do with decorations—he was donating his staff for the evening. Decorations were on Lily’s list, and they’d already discussed them.

  Okay. Focus.

  The mayor’s gala was less than a week away, and with so much to think about, Lily didn’t need a distraction like the one sitting across the bar from her. She’d been insane—that was it. Temporarily insane to even consider getting involved with Mackenzie Draper right now. Especially considering she had to leave for Boston in the morning. She needed her head screwed on tight for that one.

  “Right, Lily? We’re good to go on that issue?” Blair asked.

  Lily nodded absently, eyes on the floor as she tried to process the depth of her reaction to Mackenzie Draper. She’d felt his gaze as if he had touched her. As if he had slipped his hands around her body and drawn her up close against him.

  God, she could feel his heat wrapped around her—could feel his fingers deep inside her. Squirming on the barstool, she swiveled back around, heart beating faster than a drummer on crank.

  “Hey, is everything alright?” Blair leaned his elbows onto the counter, and it was concern she saw in his eyes.

  She nodded. “I’m fine. I just…I didn’t expect to see Mackenzie is all.” He’d called her earlier in the day, and when she’d told him that she had plans with Blair, he hadn’t seemed concerned.

  Not even one little bit.

  He’d told her that he was busy with his nephew anyway and they would catch up later in the week. They’re conversation had been very adult. There’d been no drama. No, “you can’t go out with Blair, you’re with me” kind of thing. There’d been no sexy innuendos about the hot interlude.

  There. Had. Been. None. Of. That.

  And maybe it was juvenile—which was funny considering she’d accused him of that very thing—but Lily was annoyed. She just figured there would be more of a reaction, considering they’d basically agreed to an exclusive, sexual relationship.

  Mac had ended the call before she could tell him that she was leaving for Boston in the morning.

  And that was that.

  Until now.

  Until his searing gaze had cut right through her jeans and settled between her legs. Holy. Hell. What was happening to her?

  Blair studied her for a few moments. “We can discuss this stuff another night. I don’t mind.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “We’ve only got a few more details to iron out, and since I won’t be back until Saturday, we need to finish it up. It’s fine.”

  At the look in his eyes, she plastered a fake smile to her face. “I’m fine, really.”

  “Well, we can leave if you want. Go someplace else. Someplace more quiet, with less”—he nodded toward the general area behind her—“people.”

  “And miss out on wing night? Hell, no!” She grinned.

  “Okay, so Miranda, Janice, and Kim can help out Saturday night along with everyone else. Is that all you needed from me?” Sal asked as he handed Lily a glass of red wine, a delicious cabernet/merlot blend he’d started to stock, specifically for her. He really was a sweetheart.

  Lily glanced to Blair, and he nodded, shaking the bar owner’s hand. “Sounds good, Sal. Thanks for helping out. We appreciate it.”

  Sal winked at Lily. “Well, when a beautiful woman asks.” He shrugged. “It’s hard to say no.”

  Lily took a sip of wine, hypersensitive to the general area behind her. Or rather, the general area being the booth in the back corner where Mac was. She set her glass on the counter and reached for a chicken wing from the basket between her and Blair.

  “Okay, so I just need to touch base with Mrs. Avery about the flower arrangements for the tables, and your secretary has the caterer in hand.” She tore at a piece of chicken, savoring the extra spicy sauce, and then frowned. “Did we ever confirm the DJ? I know the Las Vegas Revue was confirmed but…”

  Blair helped himself to a chicken wing and nodded. “Yep. It’s all done.”

  “So we’re good?”

  “We’re good. I gotta say, this idea of yours, for a Vegas-themed gala, should raise a lot of money to fund some of our local projects. The silent auction items are impressive, but have you seen the list of items to be bid on?”

  She nodded. The list was extensive, and the locals had been more than generous.

  “I’m glad I listened to you.”

  “I didn’t do anything special,” she replied. “We did something similar for my family’s foundation a few years back, and it was a huge success.”

  Blair tossed the remains of his wing onto a plate beside the basket. He turned around, facing the room behind her, and leaned back.

  “So,” Blair said slowly. “Mac Draper? Really?”

  Oh God. Not him too? She’d had a pretty blunt discussion with Jake about the idea of Mac and her together, and was surprised at how strongly Jake had advised her against getting involved with him. Especially considering Mac was one of his best friends.

  A soft smile touched her mouth and she shrugged. “He’s…I don’t know. I find him interesting.”

  “Interesting.” The word was spoken dryly and Blair frowned. “Man, if I knew what kind of secret ingredient that guy has stuffed up his sleeve, you bet I’d be all over it.”

  Blair chuckled and slid a little closer to her. The bar was noisy—half-priced wing night always brought out a big crowd—and he leaned in. “I got tell ya though, Mackenzie Draper is a loose cannon. His temper is as bad as his father’s, and his reputation with the ladies rivals Cain Black’s…big time. He’s no saint, that’s for sure.”

  “Well, Mr. Hubber,” she teased, “I suppose that stuff would matter if I were in
terested in anything permanent with Mac, but I’m not. You don’t need to worry about me, Blair. Whatever it is between us isn’t serious.”

  “Really?” Blair said dryly. “And the fact that he looks like he wants to tear my arms off and shove them down my throat says what exactly?”

  “It says that he’s dragging his knuckles across the floor like a Neanderthal.” She couldn’t quite hide her grin. “It’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”

  “I don’t know if I’d call it cute,” Blair murmured. “Insane maybe. Fucked up for sure. But cute? Hell no.”

  Lily glanced up at her friend. His warm brown hair brushed the top of his forehead, and his eyes glittered beneath the dim glow in the bar. Blair was a good-looking man, tall and broad shouldered, with long, athletic legs. He was smart, focused, took good care of himself…he was sweet, kindhearted—really the perfect catch for some lucky lady.

  It just wasn’t Lily St. Clare.

  “Here he comes.”

  Wait. What?

  The hair on the back of Lily’s neck coiled, as did the pulsing heat that sat low in her belly.

  She inhaled sharply as that unique scent all his own fell over her like a second skin, and she looked up, catching Mac’s gaze in the mirror behind the bar.

  His golden hair waved crazily around his head, just touching the tops of his shoulders, as if he’d been in the wind or out on a boat. His eyes were dark and intense, and her heart skipped a beat when he bent forward because she felt the heat of him right beside her.

  “Fancy running into you here, Boston.”

  She licked her lips and hoped like hell she didn’t sound like the fourteen-year-old girl she felt kicking around inside her.

  “It’s wing night. Where else would I be?” she said lightly.

  Still watching him through the mirror, she held her breath when his eyes dropped to her mouth.

  “I can see that.”

  He leaned forward even more, and honest to God, it felt as if they were the only two people in the entire place. Sal’s distinct and husky voice was gone. Blair, who stood on the other side of her, was gone. The crowd, the music, and the noise—all of it was gone.

  There was only Mackenzie.

  His warm fingers were on her chin, and he slowly turned her until she faced him. She was aware of her heart beating, of the way her breathing was erratic. She saw the pulse at the base of Mac’s neck and—holy Christ, but did he have so smell do damn good?

  He leaned down, his warm breath now on her cheeks, spreading goose bumps along her skin like a rash. When his tongue darted out and licked at the corner of her mouth, Lily jerked, her body coiled so tight she thought that maybe she’d just had a baby orgasm.

  Here. In public. In a bar.

  How the hell could he do this to her?

  Mackenzie slowly straightened, his eyes never leaving hers. “Spicy,” he said softly. “Somehow I knew you’d be all about the spice.”

  She cleared her throat. “Actually, I prefer honey garlic. Blair’s the one who likes his wings hot.”

  Mac’s eyebrow rose, and he looked over her shoulder. “Does he now?”

  She nodded. “He does.”

  It was kind of delicious, the way Mac was looking at her as if he wanted to devour her right there in the bar—right in front of Blair and Sal and anyone else who wanted to watch.

  She squirmed. Jesus! Again with the tingle between her legs. It wasn’t fair, this power he seemed to have over her.

  “I like spice too,” Mac said softly. Dangerously.

  “Really?” Was that her? Sounding all breathless and soft and…freaking girlie?

  “Yes. Really. Except…”

  She held her breath. She waited for him to finish his sentence. And she refused to squirm even though the pulsing going on between her legs was something fierce. God, maybe she was ovulating. Weren’t ovulating women horny as hell?

  Hadn’t she read that somewhere?

  “I kinda like my spice in the morning. Spicy coffee. Spicy biscuits.” He lowered his voice, the timbre husky. “Spicy Lily.”

  That just about did it.

  Right there in the middle of the Coach House, Lily St. Clare was close to losing it—her body was damn close to having a freaking explosion, and all she could do was bite her lip as Mac turned away and called Sal over.

  She knew he was alluding to their hot morning together, and now, there was no way she was getting those images out of her mind.

  She might have whimpered. Or moaned.

  Lily glanced back at Blair—who was looking at her as if she’d lost her freaking mind. And maybe she had, but right now she didn’t care about that. What she cared about was the fact that the ache inside her was so intense, she wasn’t sure it would ever go away.

  It had been building since this morning. Since Mackenzie had put his mouth and his hands on her. Since he’d put his fingers inside her.

  Oh God, she wanted a hell of a lot more than his fingers. And she wanted it now.

  “I need another jug for me and the boys.”

  Wait. What?

  “You’re staying here?” she asked carefully, tugging her hair from her neck where it was sticking to the sheen of sweat on her skin.

  Mac nodded. “Well, darlin’, there’s not much else to do in Crystal Lake on a Monday night, and since you’re busy here with the mayor, I thought I’d catch up with the boys.”

  “Oh but—”

  Blair and I are done. We can go back to my place and finish what we started earlier.

  She stopped herself from making a complete and utter ass of herself just in time and grabbed her wineglass instead of spilling more words.

  “But…” Mackenzie prompted.

  She swallowed her wine and took a moment, hoping the breathless thing she had going on earlier was gone. “You should probably order the wings.”

  “The wings.”

  She nodded. “Yes. They’re half-price, but Sal usually runs out by ten so…”

  Mac grabbed the jug and smiled. “Good to know. I’ll get the extra spicy.” He winked and lowered his voice. “And by the way, I’m totally up for coffee tomorrow morning.”

  “Oh,” she said softly. “I’m leaving for Boston before the sun comes up. It’s a family thing, and I only found out today, and I can’t get out of it because my father is, he’s being difficult about it, and well, I just can’t not go and…” She was rambling and needed to stop. Like now.

  Something stirred in his eyes, something heavy and fierce, and it touched her. Whatever it was touched her deeply. Lily’s chest tightened and she felt as if she was on the verge of tears and that was crazy.

  What the hell was wrong with her?

  “Is everything alright?” His voice was gentle.

  No.

  Shit. She was going to lose it if she didn’t pull herself together. Lily counted to ten before she spoke. “It’s just some stuff. You know. Family stuff.”

  He studied her for a few seconds, the jug of beer in one hand, his other shoved into the front pocket of his jeans.

  “When are you back?”

  “Saturday.”

  “Saturday,” he said with a slow, sexy grin.

  “You can be my date,” she replied, holding her breath as she waited for him to answer.

  “Date?”

  Lily nodded. “For the mayor’s gala.”

  Wow. She sounded like a desperate fifteen-year-old.

  Mac’s eyes moved from Lily to Blair. “Sounds good. See you then, Boston.”

  He turned and she watched him ease through the crowd, noticing that she wasn’t the only one to do that either. Several women were focused on his fine butt, long legs, wide shoulders, and thick, blond hair. The woman Lily had seen rubbing herself all over Mackenzie earlier looked as if she wanted to eat every singl
e inch of him.

  Lily finished her wine. The woman could look all she liked because Mac wanted Lily, and when she returned from Boston, Lily planned on letting Mac have all the spice he wanted.

  Too bad she had Boston and four days to get through before any spice would be had.

  It was going to be a long, long week.

  Chapter 14

  Mackenzie spent the majority of the week out at the development site with Jake. The plans for the project dubbed Crystal Lake View Estates were intensive—condos, single-family homes, and an eighteen-hole golf course that overlooked the water. The idea was to service both middle-income families and those on the higher end of the spectrum, to marry them together in a development that could meet both of their needs.

  It was win-win and would bring a substantial tax base to the community, though keeping the small-town charm of Crystal Lake was a bit of a challenge and had been a bone of contention with some of the townsfolk. But Jake and his father had managed to convince them all that they’d do whatever it took to keep the integrity and simplicity of Crystal Lake intact.

  They were in talks with several designers for the golf course; both Jake and Mac liked a guy from Dublin, Ian O’Reilly. O’Reilly was flying in the following week, and Mac was hoping they’d be able to tie up that bit of business sooner than later, so he could move forward with his designs for the clubhouse and the condos that would surround the golf course. He had an idea of what he wanted—to keep the beauty of the lake and woods and bring them right into the homes they were building.

  He visualized soaring ceilings, rooms filled with light and glass, and materials that were modern, but ones that also took from the natural surroundings—slate, granite, steel, oak, and cedar.

  This planning stage was always one that he enjoyed, the one where his artistic side could have some wings, and he was as excited about the development as Jake was. It was a different gig from a lot of the projects he’d worked on lately and a welcome change of pace.