Sophia’s little voice interrupts the staring contesthappening between her father and me. “Miss Sadie! Are you ready?”
I lead the group down onto their mats and run them through some basic, beginner yoga poses. Yes, they are professional athletes, but they’re also getting ready for playoffs and I don’t need one of them pulling a muscle trying to attempt a difficult position.
“The next pose we’re going to do is Cobra pose. We’ll start this one like we started the last. Lie face down and then place your hands under your shoulders. Next, you’re going to gently lift your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body. Make sure your pelvis remains on the ground.” I demonstrate the pose as I explain the steps one more time. “You guys try it out. I’m going to walk around to check everyone’s positioning.”
I slowly walk around, correcting minor things like hand placement and elbow position. It’s pretty freaking hilarious to watch these grown men attempt to stay in position as four wild goats run rampant through the room.
“Goddamn it, Wayne! Will you find someone else to molest, please?”
Poor Connor has a new friend, and he is not at all impressed. Luckily, Sophia runs to his rescueagain, just as I make my way to her dad’s mat.
“You’re going to want to try to keep your pelvis closer to the floor.”
He follows my instructions but his chest dips in the process. This is the perfect opportunity for us to rest and reset.
“Okay, everyone. Relax and slowly lower your chest back to the mat. We’re going to try this pose again. This time, really focus on lengthening your spine and opening up your chest. Engage those beautiful abdominal muscles I know you all have before you lift to support your lower back. On my count. Three, two, one, and lift…”
I briefly look around the room and see that many of theguys followed my advice and look more relaxed in the pose this time. Turning back to Niko, I notice his lower half is a tad too high off the ground again and lower myself to the floor to help him.
“Is it okay if I adjust your positioning?”
He turns his head and eyes my hands that are hovering near his bottom half. “Sure.”
“We want to keep this area down.” I push gently on his hip so his pelvic area lowers. “And we want your chest to stay up so there’s no strain here on your lower back.” I hold his chest in place and slowly move my hand on his lower back to emphasize the point.
A hiss escapes his mouth, and I pull my hand back fast. “I’m so sorry. Did that hurt?”
His head turns my way again and there’s something hiding in those eyes that causes me to suck in a breath. “No. It didn’t hurt.”
The statement hangs in the air as he waits for me to try and figure out the hidden meaning behind his words.
I do my best to breathe and attempt to swallow. My mouth is suddenly as dry as the Sahara Desert.
“Oh, okay. Good.”
His eyes burn into mine as I sit there like a total idiot, unsure of what to say or do. I can feel the sweat building on my hands as they rest against the tops of my thighs.
Doing my best to stay in my yoga instructor persona, I assess his form again before blurting out, “Great. Much better. Your groin looks fabulous. No—I mean—your chest is staying up and is firm and…shit. Oh my god. I’m gonna go now.”
Niko chuckles as I push up off the ground and speed walk over to my best friend before I can make a fool of myself again.
As soon as I get to Ellie, I crouch down next to her as she holds the Cobra pose. Shit they’ve been holding this pose too long.
“Okay, class. Down and rest. We’ll begin our next pose shortly.”
I blow out a breath, exhaling my embarrassment, and whisper, “I think I just told Niko he has a firm chest. And possibly implied something about his groin being fabulous.”
Ellie’s head jerks toward me. “You what?”
“It just…slipped out. I was trying to talk anatomy. Like, yoga anatomy. Core strength, flexibility, and all that. But the way he was looking at me threw me off. I blanked and then, somehow, those words came out.
Ellie snorts. “Did you actually say, ‘fabulous groin’?”
I groan and bury my face in my hands. “Can we not repeat it? Ever again?”
She laughs. “Oh, we’re absolutely repeating it. Forever.”
I drop my hands and fix her with a look. “Glad you’re enjoying my public humiliation. You’re leading the rest of the class, by the way.”
