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I was happy to be in the room, unwinding after a stressful team-building exercise that morning. No grumbling from my corner.
“Good, good,” she murmured, walking around the room. “Here, let’s get these hips up higher.” She readjusted Joe, and he looked at her like he’d never been touched so intimately—and like he wanted her to do it again.
I shook my head and closed my eyes, endorphins washing over me as I relaxed. Em wanted to do yoga occasionally, and it felt good when I joined her. We could start up a regular practice, especially since she wasn’t interested in joining the gym with Bash and me.
We were two days into the retreat, and this yoga session was our reward for diving into our feelings yesterday and doing a rope course up in the trees that morning. It was high and a little terrifying—it was a horrendous way to learn I was not a fan of heights.
The two days of team building and reflection were for team members and coaches only and everything was going great, but I’d only seen glimpses of Em and Bash. I got to see a little more of Em that morning when she took pictures of us up on the ropes for our socials and that helped my fear a little—it was easier being strong for her.
But as soon as she walked to another part of the grounds, my knees wobbled.
It was hard knowing they were so close—they literally worked for my team—but they were still apart from me while we were there. I wanted to dub this summer: so close, yet so far. Everything was always just a little off, and it was hard.
At least I could trust they weren’t up all night fucking each other while I listened to my roommates snoring. Joe made me understand why it was called sawing logs. He worked through an entire forest every night—the perfect anti-aphrodisiac.
“Now, slowly lower onto your hands and knees, press your chest to the floor, and rest your hips on your heels,” Crys crooned.
The room—humid from our sweat—filled with grunts as everyone got into position. We were limber and literally at our physical peak, but she got our bodies to move in ways I didn’t know we could move.
This pose felt good. My lower back popped into place as I followed her instructions.
“Now, let’s roll slowly onto our backs and let our hands fall naturally by our sides. Our legs can open how they want to, and rest. You can stay in this position as long as you’d like. And when you’re ready to get up, the rest of your group will have dinner waiting for you in the main hall.”
I rolled onto my back, my heart racing. The rest of our group meant I would get to have dinner with Bash and Em. I closed my eyes and let my body sink into the mat, but there was no way anyone could expect me to hold that position a second longer.
“How was yoga?” Em asked as I stroked her cheek.
“So relaxing. Want to do it every morning with me?”
She smirked, and I rocked my hips to readjust myself. We were standing so close, the adjustment only rubbed me against her, making my problem way worse.
“I’ll do it with you every morning—”
“Every evening,” Bash cut in, carrying a condiment caddy for our table.
“And every afternoon,” I finished. I scrubbed my hand down my face and groaned. “I’ve barely been able to sleep.”
Bash winked and pulled me tight against him. “Want me to sneak in tonight?”
I snorted against his shoulder. “Yes, actually I do.”
Bash grinned conspiratorially, but he was all talk. That man had more patience than everyone I knew combined. He’d be okay waiting until we got home.
“How is sharing a room with Julie going?”
“She had me do a jasmine and charcoal face mask.” Bash laughed and shook his head.
“You liked it, didn’t you?”
He laughed again and didn’t deny it.
I smoothed my hand over the sliver of cheek visible above his beard and groaned. “So soft.”
He captured my hand and held it against his chest. “Keep that up and I will sneak in tonight.”
I wanted to call his bluff and be a brat until he gave me exactly what I wanted, but none of the other guys had their significant others with them and if I had my fiancé in bed with me, I’d never hear the end of it. I was finally feeling like I really, truly belonged. Rocking the boat after all the team-building exercises wouldn’t be responsible.
I groaned and bit my lower lip. “I want that, but the guys will give me shit if there’s a hot guy in my bed when we wake up.”
