I’m immediately suspicious. The grin is way too smug.
Cute, but smug.
“You’re not going to let go of my hand and let me fall back in the water, are you?” I narrow my eyes, her expression one of innocence.
“Would I do that?”
“Yes,” I say flatly. “I do believe you would.”
She tilts her head, pretending to look hurt and jutting out her lower lip in a pout. “Where’s the trust, Harris? You wound me.”
Still.
Because I am an idiot, I extend my hand to her anyway, freezing and soaked to the bone, eyeing Lucy’s outstretched palm. Could I easily walk back to the shore? Sure. Could one of my buddies, who outweighs her by a hundred pounds, heft me up? Totally.
I want her to do it.
Her delicate hand wraps around mine as I plant my feet against the dock, ready to pull myself up, gazing up into her pretty, angelic face.
“Pull hard,” I instruct her, hoist mode activated.
She winks.
Tugs.
My eyes land on the smooth skin of her tan arms ...
For one glorious moment, I’m halfway out of the water.
Victory is so close.
And then . . .
She lets go.
It happens in slow motion, my grip slipping as she lets my fingers fall through hers, and I fall backward again with another loud—
Splash.
My back hits the water with a flop, and I sink like a lead weight, flailing as I disappear under the surface.
Blub, blub, blub.
I’m shocked for the second time, bubbles rising out of my nostrils before I push up and out, gasping. Toss my hair back.
Glare.
She’s doubled over now, too, her hands on her knees, laughing so hard she can barely breathe. It’s not the polite laugh she held back during class—it’s full-on, bellyaching laughter.
With the back of my hand, I splash her—and my friends, too, those dicks—spraying water as far as I can to give her a taste of her own medicine.
“The fuck?” I shout, wiping water out of my eyes so I can see. “You said I can trust you!”
“Did I?” she gulps between laughs, brushing at the corners of her eyes. “Today is not your day, I guess.”
“You little liar!”
By now, the entire yoga class has gathered around, everyone amused and staring, including two women who look old enough to be my grandmother. They’re positively delighted.
