He gives me a small smile, just a slight upturn of his lips,and heads to the back of the room to where Lizzy is sitting and unrolls his mat next to hers.
My stomach sinks when I see him lean over to whisper something in her ear that makes her laugh. I shouldn’t care that he didn’t come over to say hi. This is what I asked for, isn’t it? But the fact that he’s here, even if it’s just to support me as a friend, makes my heart happy.
Taking a deep breath, I glance at the clock. It’s time.
As I make my way to the front of the room, I’m suddenly hyperaware of my body, of how I’m moving. Knowing his eyes are on me makes my skin tingle.
“Good morning, everyone.” My voice sounds much steadier than I feel, thank goddess. “Welcome to Summit Studio’s first class in Lakeside. I’m Sasha Garrett, owner and your instructor for today. I’m finding it hard to express just how thrilled I am to see so many of you here this morning.”
As I continue with my welcome speech, talking about Summit’s philosophy and what they can expect from today’s class, I can feel Jax’s gaze burning into me from across the room. But, thankfully, I manage to keep my focus elsewhere.
“Let’s begin in a comfortable seated position.” Lowering myself onto my mat, I signal to Reyna to start the soothing background music. “Close your eyes, and let’s take a few deep breaths together.”
The class follows along as I guide them through a gentle warm-up. I try to lose myself in the familiar rhythm of the practice, but my awareness of Jax never fades. When we move into our first downward dog, I risk a glance toward the back of the room.
He’s following along perfectly, his body strong and controlled in the pose. For someone who I know isn’t a yoga guy, he moves with surprising grace.
When we transition into warrior, I let my gaze skim over histatted arms, my mind flashing back to how tight I’d gripped them as he pounded me mercilessly into the mattress at J & R Ranch.
Unexpected arousal floods my panties when my core clenches at the thought. Right now I couldn’t be more thankful that I’d put on a pantyliner this morning.
Teaching yoga puts your ass and many other things on display. Any rational woman knows what can happen when you bend over or move to sit a certain way and your inner muscles flex—and it has nothing to do with Aunt Flo.
The last thing I need is a wet spot giving Jax any ideas about how he affects me. I’ve got too much shit going on right now to get caught up in how luscious his muscles look in downward dog.
Pushing out of my pose, I start walking the room.
“Now, bring your attention back to your breath,” I say, my voice catching slightly. I clear my throat. “Feel the expansion of your ribcage as you inhale...”
As I move around the room, I notice most students are following along pretty well. Reyna is walking the room with me assisting anyone who looks like they need help. The energy is good—focused but not too serious—exactly what I want for this first class.
“Now, we’re going to flow into a half-moon pose,” I explain, demonstrating the movement. “Remember… keep your hips squared and extend through your fingertips.”
I scan the room as everyone transitions, looking for anyone who might need assistance. My eyes land on Jax, who’s wobbling slightly as he tries to balance. His form isn’t terrible, but his alignment is off just enough that it’s probably a little uncomfortable.
Next thing I know, I’m standing next to him. “Can I help?” I ask softly.
Lifting his head, his eyes meet mine with a flash of surprise, quickly replaced by something darker as he nods.
Placing one hand lightly on his extended hip, I rest the other on his shoulder. “Rotate your hip down a bit,” I instruct, applying gentle pressure. “And reach through your fingertips a little more.”
As I guide him into proper alignment, his body shifts under my touch. A low grunt escapes his lips when I press against his hip, adjusting his stance.
I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my smile. “Better?” I ask, barely managing to keep my voice professional as electricity from where my hands are touching his warm, smooth skin flows through me.
“Yup,” he grunts again. “Thanks.”
Lizzy snickers softly as I hold his pose steady. There’s a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead and his T-shirt is clinging to his chest as his woodsy scent wafts under my nose.
Jeez, Louise.
Taking a cleansing breath, I step back, addressing the class again. “Remember to breathe into your stretch.”
As I move away, I swear I can feel his eyes burning into my back, making my nipples tingle with awareness. Brushing it off, I focus on helping a woman in the front row with her alignment.
Finally, we move into savasana, the final resting pose, and I dim the lights, guiding everyone into relaxation.
“Allow your body to become heavy,” I say, keeping my voice soft and steady. “Release any tension you might be holding... in your jaw... your shoulders... your hips.”
