Mistletoe Maneuvers by Margaret Allison

slender, perfect hips.
    â€œShe’s ready,” Sabrina said, telling the driver to go. The boat jolted to a start and Rick watched with dismay as Lessa flew out of the water and onto her head.
    â€œCut the engine,” he yelled and jumped in, prepared to retrieve an unconscious woman from the water.
    But she poked her head up. “I almost had it,” she yelled out cheerfully.
    â€œThat’s enough,” he said sternly, swimming toward her. “Let’s go in.”
    â€œI’m not about to quit now,” Lessa said, grabbing a ski and slipping it back on.
    â€œLessa,” he began.
    â€œGo back up on the boat,” she said, reaching for the other ski. “Please. I can do this.”
    He glanced back at the boat. Sabrina was leaning over the side, watching them. He could not argue with her here.
    He hesitantly handed her the other ski and swam back to the boat. “She’s determined,” he said, pulling himself out of the water.
    But he was about to learn just how tenacious she was. Time after time, Lessa went back down. Yet she showed no indication of being tired nor wishing to call it a day. She was hell-bent to succeed.
    As Lessa took yet another tumble, Sabrina sighed and said, “How long will she keep his up?”
    â€œUntil she skis.” He had no doubt that, if necessary, they would be at this all night.
    â€œSo, Rick,” Sabrina said, leaning back against theboat and stretching seductively, “you never did explain why you broke things off.”
    This was one conversation he had been hoping to avoid. “I thought we had an understanding,” he said. “I wasn’t ready for any commitment.”
    â€œAnd now you are?”
    â€œI—” He hesitated, glancing in Lessa’s direction. Her hair was a tangled mess but she didn’t seem to care. She wiped her nose with the back of her arm and once again flashed the thumbs-up sign. He had to admit, there was something endearing in her refusal to give up. “I didn’t plan on this happening with Lessa,” he said quietly. “It was just one of those things.”
    He found himself encouraging Lessa silently from the sidelines. Her face set in grim determination, she slowly rose to her feet. Caught up in the moment, he jumped up and applauded. Lessa let out a whoop of joy.
    Sabrina motioned to the driver to spin around. Rick knew that this would push Lessa outside of the wake, something which he thought was too dangerous. “No!” he shouted to Sabrina, but it was too late. Lessa sped outside the wake and in a split second, her slight form was lost in a spray of water.
    He dove out of the boat, certain that no one could escape a fall like that unscathed. But once again, she surprised him.
    â€œDid you see me?” she asked, bobbing in the water and grinning from ear to ear.
    â€œYou’re lucky you didn’t get hurt,” he said gruffly, grabbing the skis.
    â€œLessa, I’m so sorry,” Sabrina said, as they climbedback onboard. “We were getting too far out, so I turned the boat….”
    â€œYou should’ve told her to drop the rope,” Rick said angrily. No matter what Sabrina said, he knew better. It was intentional, and she was damn lucky that Lessa wasn’t hurt. As it was, he thought, glancing at the big pink mark on Lessa’s leg, she was going to have a hell of a bruise. “Do you have an ice pack?” he asked Sabrina.
    â€œIt’s not necessary,” Lessa said.
    But Rick didn’t listen. He helped her to sit down before holding the ice pack against her leg. “We’ve had enough. Let’s head back.”
    Sabrina shrugged innocently and they drove back in silence. Rick’s initial joy over Lessa’s achievement faded into anger. What had she been trying to prove? It was stubbornness mixed with a sense of competition. She should’ve known when to throw in the towel, known when to