Page 18 of Stuck With the Smokejumper

“No,” Dani says.

Both Sawyers stop.

“What?” Reid asks.

“You two aren't partners.”

“Why not?”

“Because you always win.”

Ivy folds her arms. “That's not a valid reason.”

“It’s reason enough.”

Reid points at me. “Then I'll take Beck.”

“Nope,” Trevor says. “Teams are co-ed.”

The negotiations become more complicated than some fire assignments.

Eventually we end up with Reid and Dani, Nolan and Tessa, Trevor and Cassidy—

And Ivy and me.

Tessa looks at Nolan. “Your only job is to keep me upright.”

“You should have more confidence in your partner.”

She glances toward the rope swing. “I'm taking recent performance into consideration.”

“That was one time.”

“It was today.”

Nolan walks into the water muttering.

I follow Reid deeper.

It's not until Ivy comes up beside me that I fully consider what we've agreed to. She's going to sit on my shoulders. In a swimsuit. All right. I can handle that. I crouch in the water.

Ivy puts one hand on my shoulder. “You ready?”

“Yep.”

She climbs on. Her other hand lands on the top of my head for balance, then her legs settle on either side of my neck. I straighten slowly, gripping her calves to keep her steady. She's lighter than I expected. And strong. Her legs are solid beneath my hands. Not the kind that comes from spending an hour lifting weights at the gym and going home. Years of hiking steep trails, hauling equipment, and working Montana summers have left evidence.

“You good?” I ask.

“Perfect.”

Reid is watching us. “This was a terrible team assignment.”

Ivy points her pool noodle at him. “Scared?”

“Of you? Never.”

“You should be.”