Free The Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone

hour or so, and cottage country had come alive. The shoreline was dotted with a thick carpet of trees and the seasonal cottages that surrounded the public beach near the south side.
    Jake turned their boat north, which was where his family’s home was located. It was the premier spot on Crystal Lake, and the homes that claimed the north shoreline belonged to residents of the town who could afford to live there—which weren’t many—or new money that had come to town from the city.
    Cain grabbed his old worn and dog-eared Boston Bruins cap off the seat beside him and pulled it down onto his head. It looked like shit, but then, it had rested in peace, tucked away inside Old Smoky for years.
    The ride to the Edwardses’ took less than five minutes, and as they pulled up to the boathouse, he noticed a boy on the beach. A little guy with russet curls, pale skin, and bright green swim trunks. Behind him, up near the gazebo, a woman stood, hands shading her eyes as she glanced toward them, her long, dark hair drifting on the breeze.
    His gut flipped and rolled like he was sixteen again, sniffing around the skirts of Shannon Graham, his first crush. He’d been pathetic then, and damn if he didn’t feel a flush creep up his neck now.
    Cain rubbed his jaw and let his shaded eyes drink in the simple beauty that Maggie exuded. It was easy to do—the woman was wearing a black bikini. Not a skimpy number like the ones his ex used to favor. This one covered all the parts that should be covered, but as his gaze wandered her creamy flesh, he felt his groin tighten. Her breasts were a touch more than a handful—just what he liked—and though she was slender, her belly was softly rounded, the way a woman’s should be.
    But it was the bottoms that snagged his attention. Hello. They were boy cuts. Christ, there was nothing sexier than a woman nestled inside a pair of tight black boy shorts. She turned and spoke to Raine, and his eyes lingered on the soft swell of her ass, the length of her toned legs.
    “Your little redhead sure as hell fills out a bathing suit.” Mac smacked him on the back before jumping onto the dock.
    Cain glared at his friend and ignored the snort Jake emitted as he leaped onto the dock and glanced toward the gazebo. Cain’s gaze rested on Maggie, lingered on the miracle that was her boy shorts, and desire rushed through him, fast and hot. He clenched his teeth together tightly.
    She sure as hell did.

Chapter 7
    “You didn’t tell me they were going to be here.” Maggie tossed a towel onto one of the chaise lounge chairs and set her beach bag on the ground. She’d followed Raine to a shaded area beneath a large canopy near the beach, and they were settling in for the day.
    “Who?” Raine glanced toward the boathouse and turned to Maggie. Her pale skin was translucent, paper-thin, and the smudges beneath her eyes shadowed a soft gray. Raine shrugged. “I didn’t think it mattered.”
    Maggie turned away, rummaging through her bag for God knows what, but intent on looking busy. Occupied. Hard to do, when all she could focus on was the man who—she chanced a glance over her shoulder—was still looking in her direction. Her heart skipped a beat, and she knew she was blushing again.
    Raine’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”
    “Nothing.” Maggie answered too quickly, and she took a second to settle her nerves. “I just thought it was going to be a quiet afternoon, is all.”
    “Well, I don’t think we’re in for an orgy or anything, but if you want, I can check.”
    Maggie’s head jerked up, and she laughed at the expression on Raine’s face. The young widow was teasing, and it was nice to see. There hadn’t been a whole lot of light moments in her life lately.
    “It’s fine.” Maggie shook her head.
    “If you say so…” Raine’s gaze lingered, and the scrutiny made Maggie uncomfortable. She turned from the woman and grabbed a book from her bag along with a bottle of sunblock. It