Free Faceoff by Kelly Jamieson Page A

her.
    Maybe he was right. Maybe some hot sex in a tent was just what she needed.
    With Tag, though? That might be a big mistake. She’d had a secret crush on him forever. Sure, part of her wanted to know what it would finally be like. But the practical, sensible part of her was afraid of what that would finally be like. Also there was the family to consider. What impact would something like that have on the rest of their families and their friendships if she and Tag…oh lord.
    She stroked through the water in a leisurely crawl, rolled onto her back and floated again. She’d had relationships with guys, quite a few in fact. But a serious relationship was another one of those “some day” things. She didn’t have time for that right now. But maybe…soon. Depending on what happened with that partnership decision.
    Or maybe she’d be even busier if she made partner.
    Or maybe she wouldn’t even make partner.
    Her feet dragged along the sandy bottom of the lake, the ripples of sand bumpy beneath her feet, and she stood, the water only just above her waist here. She’d drifted back closer to shore. Logan had gone to retrieve a football.
    “Wanna play, Mac?” Tag called.
    She had to smile as she shook her head, wading out of the water. She couldn’t catch a football if her life depended on it, despite the many times they’d tried to teach her. She’d tried so hard. “That’s okay. I’m going to go get warm in the sun.”
    She toweled off and sat on her blanket, letting the sun dry her hair and warm her skin, watching three gorgeous guys throw the football and catch it with flexing muscles, taking fearless flying leaps into the water to catch it with hoots of laughter.
    Remi appeared then. “Hi,” she said. She paused beside the blanket.
    “Heya,” Kyla said with a smile. “My Trivial Pursuit partner in crime. Have a seat.”
    Remi smiled with what looked like relief. “Thanks.” She lowered herself to the blanket. “That was fun last night.”
    “It was.”
    “Thanks for…uh…playing with me.”
    Kyla turned back to look at her. “Uh…sure.”
    “I just…feel a little overwhelmed, sometimes. Trying to fit in with this whole family.”
    “I’m not family.”
    Remi tipped her head to one side. “Well, practically. You’re all so close.”
    Kyla remembered their brief conversation and Remi’s comment about fitting in. She’d never even considered how Remi felt in her first visit with the families. She sighed. She was so wrapped up in her own problems, she hadn’t spared a thought for someone else. She should have been nicer to her. She sent Remi a smile. “You do fit in.”
    Remi smiled too. “Thanks. But I don’t have the same kind of history you all do. It’s just hard not to feel a little excluded sometimes.”
    “Jase loves you. That’s obvious. It just takes time, right? To build that history. It’ll come. And his family all really likes you too. I can tell.”
    “Thanks. I really like them all too. Laura’s been awesome.”
    “God, I love Laura.” Kyla grimaced. “When I was a kid, she was what I wanted to be—a tomboy who could play any sport the boys could. I was hopeless at sports though.”
    “So am I.” They exchanged a look of understanding.
    “Did you know she played hockey?”
    Remi grinned. “Yeah. I heard that. She is pretty amazing, dealing with all those men.”
    “Yeah. That’s the other thing I admire about her, how she controls all those men without barking like a drill sergeant. She’s like a second mom to me.”
    “See. You are practically family. Except…what’s with you and Tag?”
    Kyla blinked. “Me and Tag? Nothing.”
    “Uh-huh. He wasn’t looking at you like a sister last night. There were a few times I felt like the rest of us weren’t even there, the way you two were looking at each other and talking to each other.”
    “Oh. Oh god.” Kyla bent her head and studied the fine grains of sand.
    “You two