9
Darcy
Sweat stungmy eyes as it dripped down my forehead and rolled off the end of my freshly hydrated nose. This torture chamber—lined by mirrored walls on two sides that were full of reflected morning sunlight, and rustic beams at the front and back—was hotter than a Louisiana swamp at high noon. A potent lavender incense wafted in the air and tickled my nose but couldn’t cover the collective workout funk.
As a distraction I focused on the circular framed painting of a furled purple lotus, hung centered behind the instructor—who, of course, didn’t seem like he was having any trouble at all standing stock-still onone foot, while he anchored the other one to the side of his leg. He had his arms held above his head, hands clasped together in a graceful point. I dug my toes into my brand-new, never-used yoga mat and prayed I wouldn’t do anything too stupid. My body wobbled and I tried to stop myself, but the more I attempted to stay in one place, the more I rocked on my foot.
I glanced at Brooks to my left. He was tasty in black yoga shorts that clung to his thick, muscled thighs, and a tucked-in white athletic shirt. Would he evennoticeif I fell over? Fuck, he’d hear the thud. Maybe I could just lie right down and stop doing this ridiculous stuff that wasn’t relaxing at all. He probably wouldn’t hear that. I dropped my arms from above my head to yank up my yoga pants, which were just large enough to insist on slipping down—desperately annoying.
My shirt stuck to my back, and I held in a whine. Exercise for fun. What would people think of next?
More sweat dribbled down my face and a dot landed directly in my right eye. I swiped at the salty sting. “Guess I know why they call it hot yoga now. I was really hoping it had something to do with me bending over for you,” I whisper-hissed at Brooks, whose lips twitched upward. I’d meant it as a joke, but honestly, this was the worst, and I would have gladly blown him instead. Hell, I’d touch my toes and he could fuck me on the spot, if we just found a cooler room first.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught Levi giving me a snooty glare, but I was too damp with my own bodily excretions to give a shit. I was almost certain this yoga business was not my thing and never would be, but I wouldn’t complain, since I wasn’t paying the outrageous class fee. I would just… persevere. The serene lotus flower in its inviting painted pool mocked me from the front of the room.
The lake. Maybe I can just go jump in the lake when this is all over.I swiped at my forehead with the back of my hand and wished more than anything there was a clock on the wall. But no, we weren’t supposed to focus on themundane world. Breathe. Stretch. Let go, whatever that meant, but not know how many minutes had died while we wasted time here. It was only a forty-five-minute session, but seven hundred hours had already passed since I stepped foot through the door.
“Come on now, everyone. You can do this.” Of course, the instructor was looking directly at me as he spoke from the front of the studio, and my cheeks flushed hot. He stood beside a potted cherry blossom bonsai tree, doing a great job of pretending to be one. Who was he kidding? I couldn’t do this if someone paid me.
He beamed in my direction as if he heard my sour thoughts, a ray of sunshine with tiny spiral curls teased out in a circle around his head, cut chest muscles gleaming to perfection with the sweat he’d worked up, and green yoga pants tight enough to make a saint weep. There was no guessing he was a decently endowed man because the pants put it on display.
Crotch cups like that should be illegal.
“Okay,” I grumbled. “I can do it, yay! I’m a tree.” My sarcasm sounded extra bitter after his cheerful encouragement.
The instructor raised his black eyebrows and moved his attention to someone near the front. He broke out of his pose to walk forward and adjust theirs. I shuddered, thankful I was far enough away he wouldn’t tell me how badly I was messing up, one-on-one.
“Come on, everyone! Be a happy little tree for a few more seconds!” He walked around to another person, and in order to avoid the personal touch, I strained to be a tree. I thought about having leaves. I stretched my fingers and planted imaginary roots. I did everything in my power to have him stay on the other side of the room.
The facial had been all right, and I’d even endured someone else messing around with my fingernails and toenails, which was simply odd, but I’d probably try to get Brooks to skip yoga in the future. Out of nowhere my body gave up the fight to be treelike. My roots snapped, maybe because I was busy grumbling to myself. I lurched to my left and had to struggle to stand upright again.
To my right, Levi sent me a condescending smirk, twisting his perfectly pink lips into a parody of friendliness. His tree form was exact, but then again, he was so tall he probably had the mindset down.Hope you get dry rot.He was such a sanctimonious shit.Oh, look at me being a good tree.He’d been positively delighted to walk in and ask Brooks all about how his morning had gone, then offer to do absolutely anything he needed. His helpfulness and outright loathing of me was a tick that burrowed under my skin and itched, but I knew his type. As I caught his evil gimlet glare, I gave him a smile that had his forehead wrinkling in confusion.
Levi made me truly appreciate how nice it was to have the ability to toss people out of the Courtesan. I’d considered telling Brooks what was happening with him, but I refused to be a wimp about this small war brewing between us, even though I didn’t want to participate. Brooks needed Levi far more than me, and I knew it. I couldn’t mess up his business for him because I couldn’t be gracious. My mother had taught me how to “out polite” men like Levi. I could do this.
“Okay, everyone! We’re going to do eagle pose! Let me see some happy eagles!” The instructor whirled around and went back to his mat. “You need to wrap your right leg around your left leg and bring your hands up! Be graceful. Take flight.” I groaned inside as I watched him bend his long limbs in an impossible way and balance like he wasn’t all twisted up. He laughed and fluttered his hands in front of his face, and the rest of the class joined him in his amusement—all except me. Even Brooks, who couldn’t have seen him, wore a smile. I slapped a hand to my face by accident while I tried to stay steady on one foot and mimic the acrobatics.
Levi gave me a snooty, crooked smile and copied the instructor flawlessly, tossing his head so his inky hair dazzled in the light. Somehow his sweat made him gleam like a jewel. I caught myself in the mirror, and I was a red-faced, panting failure. I wasn’t even surprised when Brooks easily flowed into the pose. He was obviously familiar with all this. Gritting my teeth, I attempted to convince my body to do what everyone else’s was doing, and promptly stumbled.
“You need to be careful,” Levi said, and he didn’t bother to keep his voice down, but I couldn’t complain because I was on my way to falling against Brooks. I yelped and braced for impact, my heart suspended somewhere in my throat, but Brooks easily recovered and righted us both. Faster than a bullet, he wrapped a strong arm around my shoulder and planted his feet. My heart almost escaped my mouth before I swallowed it back where it belonged and stood. I was horrified at what could have happened, and more than a little impressed by Brooks’ reflexes. His black sunglasses reflected the sunshine streaming in the windows, and he chuckled.
“You klutz. If he gets hurt because of you, there’s an entire company of men who will be on your ass,” Levi whispered and pointed at me. The people closest to us glanced at him uneasily.
Brooks only turned me toward himself and rubbed his hands along my arms. “You okay?”
Embarrassed, I ground out a “yes.” Lemonade glanced up from where she had her head tucked between her front paws, as if to tell us pups to behave ourselves and stop all the roughhousing. The small doggy groan she let out seemed to solidify her thoughts, and she reached her muzzle forward to snuffle at Brooks’ ankle.
The instructor laughed from the front of the room, obviously having seen my terrible attempt to follow him, and I wanted to hide under my mat. “Let’s try something easier. Mountain pose, everyone! Anchor thosetwofeet deep into the earth. Be the Catskills!” He closed his eyes and lifted his hands far above his head.
Levi jerked on my elbow, and Brooks frowned when I was yanked to the side, out of his grasp. I shook Levi off and clenched my hand into a fist. My blood pumped hot. Was Brooks a good enough customer that we could survive me decking his assistant without getting asked to leave? I longed to find out. Levi narrowed his eyes like maybe he wanted to know, too, and the brat would probably take great joy in putting all the blame on me.
“Why don’t you move away from him?” Levi asked, but it was more a demand. “That way you won’t bein the way.” He widened his eyes.
Anger gnawed at me, in part because maybe he had a point. I slid my mat a bit to my right—closer to Levi—then stood on it, a sullen mountain with crossed arms.
Brooks frowned in our direction and ran his fingers through his beard. “Levi? Here’s a thought. You shouldn’t be in any more groups with us. Darcy is capable of helping me if I need it. You’re not having much of a vacation if you’re worrying about me the whole time.”
Levi’s mouth fell open for a second. I wanted to laugh because there was no way to argue with the diplomatic way he’d been told to fuck off. It was masterful. With a nasty look at me, he snatched up his yoga mat and didn’t even roll it, only stalked off with it trailing behind him. He slammed the door on his way out, earning a reproachful pout from our instructor.
