Agreement rippled through the pool.
Laurent lifted one finger. “Girls carry.”
The pool went quiet.
“Equality, right, ladies?” he prodded.
Charles cleared his throat. “My wife’s never carried me.”
Naomi pushed wet hair off her forehead and tapped her husband on the shoulder. “Are you suggesting Ican’t?”
Charles’ nostrils flared like he was holding back those exact words. “I wouldn’t dare.”
Georgie rallied. “Ladies, if Pilates has ever meant anything, it’s meant forthis moment.”
Bea turned to Rafael. Six foot three of solid muscle. Her core attempted to flee the premises.
That familiar, lethal amusement surfaced. “You don’t have to.”
“Of course I do,” she said, already marching over to him. They hit the water, cool snapping around her ribs. Rafael moved in behind her without splashing, hands hovering at her hips but not touching yet.
“Pair up!” Laurent ordered. “Unless you’re not man enough to be carried by a girl.”
It was a ridiculous taunt. It worked immediately.
Bea scanned around her, then doubled back in surprise.
Cassian Montenegro was taking off his glasses. He set them carefully on a nearby chair, then crossed the deck, without hurrying, straight to Lillian’s flamingo.
“Looks like you’re carrying me,” he said. It wasn’t phrased as a question.
Lillian stared at him, lips parting. Whatever she’d been about to say seemed to evaporate under his gaze. “I—what?”
Cassian crouched, forearms braced on his knees. “Is that going to be a problem?”
Bea bit her tongue.
“No. I can.” It didn’t come out as a squeak.
Well done, Lils.
“Positions!” Isabel called.
“Rafael, do try not to squash Bea,” Georgie instructed brightly. “She’s travel-sized.”
“Hey! I’m standing right here,” Bea protested.
“I trust you with my weight,” she overheard Max say to Isabel.
“At least one of us does,” Isabel deadpanned, turning around. “If anything happens, don’t let me get lowballed by Naomi’s insurance.”
Bea turned and, because she had no self-respect, let her gaze drop. Rafael’s torso was carved, brutal; the veins lining his arms were their own siren song. Had he been doing extra reps? She made a mental note to buy herself a very comfortable chair for the gym at their beach house, because she intended to spend a lot of time in it watching him work out.
“See something you like?” he taunted.
She blinked, caught. Dammit.
“I was considering the size differential.” To make it believable, she tilted her head, as if assessing him clinically. “Physics has concerns.”
