Chapter Ten #2
“But what about if you love it? What do I get? We never decided that, either.” Charlie’s voice sounded lower than normal in her own ears, but she couldn’t stop it.
“I’m sure you can think of something.” Her eyes had darkened from their normal blue-green into a storm-tide blue, and heat flooded in Charlie’s belly. She couldn’t look away.
Phoebe cleared her throat. “Sorry, but, um, you have to fill out the waiver, Harper.”
At Phoebe’s words, Charlie realized they were getting a line at the desk.
Jesus. That was not a good sign. “Yeah, once you sign that, go ahead into the room, grab a mat, a block, and a strap. Just get comfortable. Class starts in…” She checked her watch.
“Eight minutes.” Her voice sounded normal, right?
Why had it gotten so hot in there? And when?
If their discussion about the bet on the deck that morning had been charged, this one felt like it was a fraction of a second from combusting and burning the entire studio down around them.
By the time they got through the line, there were only a couple of minutes left before class was to begin when Phoebe said, “And she’s just your friend?
We don’t know each other that well, but I can read people well enough to know that what we just saw was not”—she made air quotes—“friend behavior. From either of you.”
Charlie shook her head and blinked. “I honestly don’t know what it is anymore. But that was something, wasn’t it? Jesus. How am I supposed to concentrate after that? Did you see what she was wearing?”
Phoebe chuckled and parroted Talia nearly word for word, “If you find that you need grounding during class, just stop and give someone an assist.” Her smile turned devilish.
“And maybe you should consider grounding yourself on Harper. Or was it grinding?” She cocked her head and cackled.
“I think she’d be willing either way. I need to take a nervous pee, but I’ll see you in there, okay? ”
Charlie rolled her eyes but laughed as she waved Phoebe off. “I’ll lock up.”
Charlie and her five classmates lined up along the front of the room as Talia brought everyone together for the class.
She loved the smell of the yoga studio, a mix of sandalwood and lavender with a hint of lemon.
It was odd how a smell could evoke such strong feelings, and she’d been finding such peace in that yoga studio, wrapped in that scent, for a couple of months so she exhaled and felt peaceful again for the first time since Harper had walked in.
“Thank you all so much for coming to this first step on these new teachers’ paths. It means the world to all of us that you are choosing to be a part of the adventure as they take their next big step to becoming teachers,” Talia said.
Harper caught her eye and mouthed, “Happy to.”
Charlie couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips and mouthed back, “Thank you.”
Harper was in the back corner, which wasn’t a surprise since she’d never been to yoga, as far as Charlie knew.
Charlie had taken that exact same spot the first time she’d stumbled into Anahata Studio on her first morning in Key West, when she’d been so hungover, she’d thought she was going to die.
She was grateful for that decision, as it had started her on the path that was transforming everything.
“Now, Josh is going to get this fantastic group of teachers started,” Talia said as she gestured for him to step forward.
“Move to the back of your mats and sink your hips back between your heels for child’s pose,” he said in his deep baritone voice that was incredibly soothing.
“Allow your chest to sink down into the floor, and while sliding your shoulder blades back toward your heels, reach your arms in front of you.”
Harper shook her head at Charlie and flashed a half-smile as she mouthed, “You’re going to owe me,” before she followed Josh’s cues.
Something fluttered in Charlie at the thought, and she felt lost again. Shit. Well, at least they were all just going to sit in child’s pose for another minute. Maybe she could regain her composure before anyone noticed.
Josh gave the spiel about how hands-on assists were part of the normal practice at Anahata but reassured everyone that if they weren’t comfortable with it, they could opt out by raising a hand. No one did, so Charlie and her classmates began moving through the room to assist the students.
Charlie did one pass and almost stopped a few times, but she felt too shaky about it. Finally, she ended up right behind Harper. She hoped Harper couldn’t feel her presence as she tried to find the courage to touch her.
Josh was still talking, but she didn’t have a lot more time before he moved on.
She really liked the idea of giving Harper an assist when she might not even know it was her and regardless wouldn’t be able to look at her as she did it, so she took a deep breath and stepped to just outside of Harper’s hips.
She placed both hands lightly on Harper’s lower back, pressed down softly, and pulled her hands apart until her fingers hit Harper’s hips.
Harper let out a puff of air, so Charlie leaned forward slightly and whispered, “Is this okay?”
Harper squeaked, and Charlie was pretty sure she heard a, “Yes,” but she wasn’t sure, so she planted one hand on Harper’s left hip and ran her other hand lightly up Harpers spine and toward her right shoulder.
“Still okay?” she said while being as gentle as possible.
“You could push a little harder,” Harper said, and Charlie’s entire body flushed hot.