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“You know that I’m going to need help getting rid of his body one day, right?”

“I already have the perfect spot picked out,” Sebastian told her as he carefully made his way down the narrow path that led to the pond.

“You’re a good friend.”

“I’m the best,” Sebastian said absently as he took in the last two boats and–

“Damn it,” he said, sighing heavily as he watched his brother quickly climb into the boat with Cole, Joshua, and Mathew.

“What is it?” Mikey asked as his attention went to the last boat.

“It’s going to be a long day,” he said when he spotted Braxton standing by the last boat, looking just as unhappy as Sebastian was about the boating arrangements.

“Because of my drowning?” Mikey asked, making him roll his eyes as he glanced out at the pond to find his father and uncles already fishing.

“You’re not going to drown,” Sebastian told her as he considered going to see what his mother was up to only to decide against it knowing that she would be pissed if she found out that they ditched Braxton.

“How do you know?” Mikey asked as he reluctantly headed toward the boat.

“Because you can swim?” Sebastian pointed out, already regretting his decision to leave his iPad behind.

“I really can’t though,” Mikey mumbled sadly, making him frown.

“What are you talking about? You grew up on the beach,” he reminded her as he headed for the last dock where the jerk that they were going to be stuck with all day was waiting for them.

“Why are you always judging me?” she asked on a heavy sigh as he moved to put her down only to rethink it and carry her to the boat.

“Why are you always such a pain in my ass?” Sebastian countered as he carefully stepped into the boat, noting that everything they were going to need was already waiting for them.

Instead of answering him, she asked, “Would this be a bad time to tell you that I have to use the bathroom?” making him sigh.

“Why didn’t you go before?” Sebastian asked as he turned around, ignoring Braxton’s questioning look and stepped back onto the deck.

“You mean when I was cowering in my sleeping bag, hoping that you would leave me alone?”

“Yes,” Sebastian said, placing her on her feet only to end up narrowing his eyes suspiciously when he noticed the triumphant gleam in her eye. “You’re lying about needing to use the bathroom, aren’t you?”

Nodding, Mikey said, “I really am,” a split second before she took off running, leaving him standing alone on the deck, unable to help but sigh because she really was a pain in his ass.

*-*-*-*

He looked furious, Mikey couldn’t help but notice as she nibbled on the delicious s’mores that she’d made to help pass the time.

Upon further inspection, she couldn’t help but notice that he was also soaking wet from head to toe, caked in mud with bits of twigs and other things that she really couldn’t identify at the moment, tangled in his hair and he was definitely pissed. There was no missing the murderous glare that he was sending her way. Her gaze flickered to Braxton to find him in a similar state and for some reason he was glaring at her, too.

Well, that couldn’t be good…

Clearing her throat, Mikey held up her half-eaten s’mores in offering. When Sebastian’s eyes narrowed dangerously on her, Mikey returned to nibbling on her delicious treat as she watched Sebastian, who still hadn’t said a word to her, reach back and grab hold of his wet shirt and pulled it off. While he balled it up in his hands, she couldn’t help but sit there, appreciating the sight before her.

He’d definitely come a long way since she’d met him, Mikey absently thought as she took in his well-defined chest and abs. Then again, all the men in his family seemed to be built like that. She wondered if it was genetic when he tossed his soaking wet shirt at her feet.

Blinking, she looked down at the shirt already creating a muddy puddle at her feet that smelled like stale pond water before looking up and–

“Why are you covered in black leaves?” Mikey asked, unable to help but frown because she’d never actually seen a black leaf before. Then again, maybe the leaves were from the bottom of the pond that he’d clearly went for a swim in, she thought, but that wouldn’t explain why some of them looked plump and…

Were they moving?

Frowning, Sebastian followed her gaze and…