Sixteen.
Maci
“Great job everyone.” I smile, standing from my yoga mat. I give a quick goodbye to the seven couples leaving the mirror-lined studio in the private gym at Winton’s Ski Resort Mountain Spa.
Waiting for the next class to arrive, I busy myself by wiping down the mats for the final class of the day. The one where Cassidy is bringing Butch, Alison is bringing Tanner, and Stan is bringing some lady friend I can’t remember the name of.
What I don’t anticipate is Duke to be the first one walking through the door. His dark eyes drink me in from head to toe in my high-waisted, fitted black yoga pants and matching sports bra. It leaves a good portion of my midriff showing.
“Goddamn, doll,” he growls, his steps longer as he approaches with a wicked grin.
I jump back, but he’s too quick. He snatches my waist and lays a hot and heavy kiss right on my lips. His large palms squeeze my ass in a punishing grip. I smile against his lips. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to watch the show,” he jokes. “You couldn’t pay me not to be here to watch Butch do fuckin’ yoga.”
I snort. “You’re horrible.”
He chuckles deeply, smacking my ass playfully. “Why haven’t I seen you in these pants before? Fuckin’ hell, your ass in these…”
I smile so wide it hurts my cheeks. Always with the compliments, this one. Another reason why he’s now classified as one-in-a-million. “Because these are fitted for yoga. And they’re quite expensive, so don’t mess with them.”
He pouts, giving my ass one last rough fondle. “I’ll buy you a dozen more to wear around the cabin every day.”
I swat his chest playfully. “Okay, okay, stop that. Everyone should be here soon.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, kissing me sweetly.
Alison and Tanner are the first to arrive. Stan arrives next, introducing a thin blonde named Beverly. When Butch and Cassidy walk in, however, they’re not alone.
Duke bursts with laughter. “Ma. Pop. What the hell are you doing here?”
Butch scowls, gesturing to his fiancée. “She invited them.”
“Sorry, I hope that’s okay,” Cassidy adds. “I know you said the class wasn’t full, so I figured…”
I wave her off. “Absolutely.”
Duke’s mother is a petite blonde with stunning pale blue eyes—and for having six kids, she’s in amazing shape—appearing to be in her late fifties. His father is big, easily six-foot-four, broad like his sons, and clearly in his later sixties, early seventies.
But the way they’re holding hands…it’s giving me all the feels.
“You must be Maci Baker,” Duke’s mother beams, giving me a tight squeeze. “I have heard so much about you. I’m Julie. This is my husband, Clayton. We’re so happy to finally put a face to the name. And a beautiful one it is.”
I blush. “Thank you, Mrs. Montgomery.”
“No, no, dear.” She waves her finger sternly. “It’s Julie and Clayton. We’re young, hip, and happening.”
Cassidy giggles. “That’s right, Mama Jules.”
Butch and Duke groan.
“Good to meet ya, Maci.” Clayton shakes my hand in a firm hold. “So, tell me, what are we in for?”
“Couple’s Yoga.” I smile. “Or better known as Tantric Yoga.”
“Tantric,” Clayton repeats in confusion. “Isn’t that the sex stuff?”
“What?” Butch barks out, horrified as he swivels on Cass. “You invited my parents to sex yoga!”
Julie scowls at her eldest son. “Knock it off, Butch Robert Montgomery. You sit down and listen to what Miss Maci has to teach us.”
I cover my mouth to muffle my laughter as Duke bites his cheek, grinning. He must love watching his brother still get in trouble at his age.
“It’s not sex yoga,” I correct him. “What I teach is a milder version of tantra, suited for any couple. Beginner or advanced. Whether you’ve been together for a few days or a few decades, I’m going to help you align yourselves with one another on a more sensual and spiritual level.”
“I think we got this, honey.” Clayton wraps his arm around his wife. “Let’s show these kids how they were made.”
Everyone bursts with laughter, except for Duke and Butch who look mortified.
I go to the front of the studio to stand on my mat. “If everyone could take a mat with their partner and remove your shoes—socks optional. We can get started.”
“Ah, shit,” Stan mutters. “Keep your boots on Butch, you’ll smoke us all out.”
There are a few snickers around the room as everyone picks a spot. All the ladies are dressed in proper yoga gear. While the men have on a sea of random workout gear, all suitable. Even Duke showed up in a pair of his more relaxed pants.
I wonder…
“Why’s Duke in the back?” Butch grunts, glaring over his shoulder.
“I’m observing.” Duke grins, snapping a picture of the unruly student.
“The fuck you are,” his brother says, gesturing to the front. “Get up there.”
“Do you normally teach alone, Maci?” Julie asks.
I bite my lip with a smile. “I do, but you know what… Duke, would you mind helping me out this evening?”
His smile fades instantly, the blood draining from his face.
Butch chuckles darkly.
“Come on now, dear, you’re holding up the class,” Julie scolds.
Duke grits his teeth, kicking off his shoes in the back of the room, and tossing his hoodie to the side. He strides to me with a glare. I smile, hitting play on the calming playlist over the Bluetooth speakers as I dim the lights. “Let’s start with some simple stretches to loosen up,” I announce, instructing everyone accordingly.
We go through a few stretches as well as a few solo yoga poses to give everyone a feel for what we’ll be doing with our breathing. “Now, I’d like everyone to sit back-to-back with their partner, legs crossed, knees angled out. Align your hips, your spine, shoulders—as best you can with any height difference.”
Butch leans back to kiss Cassidy, his sour demeanor diminishing once he gives her his full attention.
“Resting your hands on your knees, I want you to inhale a deep breath through your nose, and bring your shoulders up with your partner. Exhale with your partner. Inhale slowly, exhale. Let’s do several more of these breaths. Be sure to feel the breath you’re taking with your partner.”
Duke and I align and begin our breaths. He brings his hand around, gripping the side of my ass out of sight for everyone. Tease. I swat his hand.
“Inhaling, extend your arms up above your head,” I say. “Now exhaling, we’re going to let our arms fall to the side and twist to our right. Your right hand is going to touch your partner”s left knee, and your left hand is going to rest on your right knee. Press with your inhale, and feel that stretch of your spine. Exhale, pull to deepen if you can.
“Hold for a moment,” I add. “Release back on exhale with your partner, twisting now to the left. Use your partner to feel that stretch, go as deep as you can, inhaling deep, exhaling slow. Beautiful, everyone.
“And release. Perfect.” I smile. “Now we’re going to bring our feet together in front of us, bring them as close to your groin as you can. You don’t have to go extreme, whatever is comfortable to you.
“Now we’re going to lean. I’m going to lean forward first—if you’ll watch me. I’m going to have Duke lean back against me, extending his arms out. Keeping our spines aligned, we’re going to lean together as one,” I say, leaning forward.
“Duke, let your head fall between my shoulders,” I instruct. “It’s important to communicate with your partner, so I’m going to have Duke apply more pressure to me so I can go deeper into the stretch. So, Duke, lift your hips, lean back, and press into me. Continuing to inhale with your partner, exhale. Duke will rock his head slowly from side to side, giving me that pressure right at the top of my spine.
“Go ahead, start your lean, and just breathe together,” I say as everyone takes the position.
“I feel like I’m hurting you,” Duke whispers.
“You’re not. It feels amazing.” I sigh. “Communicate with your partner, let them tell you when they’ve had enough of the stretch before changing.” I inhale deeply. “We’re going to switch, so we’ll release up on an exhale, and now I’m going to lean back into Duke as he leans forward. You’ll see I need to press my feet into the mat because of the size difference. Adjust yourselves accordingly.”
Leaning back into Duke, he groans.
“Deeper?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he says, and I do. “Fuck. That does feel good.”
Cassidy laughs. “Butch, babe, I can’t push any harder.”
“Christ,” Clayton grunts. “You’re gonna have to pick me up with a forklift after this one.”
Duke snorts, and I bounce on his back with a laugh.
“Bring your hips down, feet together, spines aligned, and we’re going to move into one of my favorite heart-opening exercises.”
The class goes by smoothly. A few more jokes are thrown around, lightening the mood for everyone. Getting into the final resting pose. I instruct the ladies to sit between their partner”s thighs, wrapping their legs around them. Foreheads pressed together, arms resting on each other’s waist.
I check everyone’s positions before sitting on Duke’s lap. He wraps his arms around me, whispering, “If I get a boner in front of my parents, you’re in deep shit.”
I smile mischievously.
“Bring your partner in gently with each inhale. Feel their body become one with yours as you breathe through to fully relax in their embrace.” I inhale deeply, eyes drifting closed. “Let your hands roam to your subconscious desires. Embrace the presence of your partner…”
Duke holds me tight, his breathing jagged as his large hand slides to my belly, resting over my bump.
I suck in a sharp breath, my eyes flying open to stare at him. His jaw locks tight, and I shake my head lightly against his. Don’t do this. Not now. I pull away to see if anyone is watching us, and thankfully, no one is.
“Maci, I…” he whispers, nearly inaudible.
I clear my throat and remain seated between his thighs. “And that’s it,” I say. “You’ve all just completed your first class in couple’s yoga.”
Julie claps. “I loved it.”
“That was great, Maci,” Alison praises.
“What’d you think, babe?” Cassidy asks Butch.
“It was all right,” he grunts, distracted as his hands continue to roam her ass.
“Woah there, tiger.” Stan laughs. “Your parents are right there.”
“Can you show us something harder?” Tanner asks. “What do you do with the advanced couples?”
“Oh, yeah, show us,” Alison beams.
I look to Duke. “Can you hold my entire body weight without dropping me?”
He scoffs. “Yeah.”
Standing, I adjust my pants higher. “Okay, but I don’t recommend doing this unless you completely trust your partner. You can get seriously injured if you try this without proper stretching and strength.”
Duke’s eyes widen. “What?”
“Relax,” I say. “Lay on your back, shoulders flat, legs up in a squat, feet together.” He reluctantly gets into position. I sit on his feet facing away from him, glancing over my shoulder and down at him. “Put your arms up straight, palms flat. You’re going to push me up with your feet until your legs are straight.”
“But—”
“Just hold firm, and I’ll do the rest,” I say calmly. “I trust you. Do you trust me?”
He huffs out an exaggerated breath, eyeing me warily. “Yes.”
I nod, and he pushes me up with his feet. I bend, letting my shoulders fall into his palms. “Bend your elbows.” He does, and I kick my legs up so only the top of my butt rests on the very tips of his feet. I extend one leg, bend the other, and point my toes. Arms extended to the side, I throw my head back and come face to face with Duke while hanging upside down.
His gaze never leaves mine, and for a moment, I’m suspended in time. The two of us. Here. Now. I take a deep breath and know he’s doing the same. We’re in sync, him and I. Two souls connected by a thread of pure trust.
“Holy shit.”
“We are not trying that, Tanner.”
“Now bring your legs to bend slow, and push my shoulders up with your arms,” I tell Duke. I’m back on my feet a moment later to the sound of applause.
“That was like…some fancy trust fall.” Cassidy turns to Butch.
“No.”
A breathy laugh escapes me. “Like I said, it takes a lot of core strength and trust to do some of the more difficult poses. But thank you for coming tonight. I hope you all enjoyed your time and feel a little more connected.”
“I feel connected to this mat,” Clayton grumbles. “Butch, help your old man up.”
Butch and Duke each grab a hand to hoist their father to his feet. I say goodbye to everyone on their way out, while Butch and Cassidy linger.
Duke helps me wipe down the mats and roll them up for the night.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” he asks. “Helping you clean up or for forcing me to join the class?”
“Both.” I smile. “What’d you think, though? Did you like it?”
“Yeah, my back feels amazing,” he says. “But I’m not gonna lie, you scared me with that last one. I knew I wouldn’t drop you, but you didn’t need to tell me if I fucked up, you’d get hurt.”
I put on my socks and boots. “You needed to be aware of the posing danger. Advanced is called advanced for a reason. I’ve only ever done that pose with other instructors, never a newbie.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“You did great. That pose was perfect. I can’t wait to see the picture someone took.”
“That was me,” Cassidy sings, waving her phone in the air.
Duke pulls on his shoes and hoodie, grabbing my coat and purse for me while I tug on my lavender sweater, and take the phone. The picture is stunning. My favorite part might be how cute my bump looks—and the big smile on Duke’s face.
Butch tips his head to his brother. “Did Ma talk to you about the cabin yet?”
“No,” Duke says warily. “What is it now?”
Butch scratches his beard, glancing over at me before he says, “Beau’s rentals have been getting a lot of attention for bookings with all the snow on the mountain this season. And, uh, he went ahead and opened the availability online before checking with Ma.”
“Shit,” Duke hisses. “Did she call him?”
“Oh yeah, but you know how Beau is. And Ma can’t ever say no to him, so she was hoping…you’d be willing to move back home for a bit while you wait on the build, or until the bookings slow in the spring.”
Panic seizes my chest.Do they not know I’ve been living there, too?
“Hell no,” Duke responds immediately.
“I figured you’d say that,” Butch says. “We talked about it, you’re welcome to crash at our place for the time being. Cass already picked which room is the baby’s, so the spare room is open for you.”
Duke rubs his face roughly. “Can’t Ma cancel the bookings?”
“Pop told her to, but…”
“Beau,” Duke mutters, not meeting my terrified stare.
“Where did you live before the cabin?” I ask quietly.
“Owned a house in town,” he says. “Sold faster than I anticipated. And I wasn’t going to sign a lease for a year when I knew I’d end up breaking it.”
Cassidy looks between Duke and me. “You could always room with Maci when she finds a place. You’ll need two bedrooms anyway for the baby. I’m sure the extra rent money would help.”
I fight down a cringe. She has no idea I’ve been staying with him for weeks.
Butch’s brow furrows. “Where are you staying?”
Biting my lip nervously, I stare up at Duke. He’s deep in thought; jaw ticking, eyes dark. I clear my throat that feels like it’s closing shut. “Um…”
Cassidy beams, completely unaware of how devastated I’m feeling at this moment. So much for that string of bad luck ending…
“Do you know any places for rent, babe?”
Butch’s gaze remains on me, ignoring his future wife and scowling with an intensity that screams he knows, and he’s judging me. “No. Places for rent are scarce right now. Remember when you tried to find a place? It was next to impossible. Nothing is going to be available until spring, guaranteed.”
My stomach does a stress-induced flip. I hold a hand over my belly and take in a deep breath, trying to push the upset nausea feeling down. Breathe, Maci. Breathe.
Duke rests a hand on my lower back. “Ah, fuck. Come on, Maci,” he says, taking my hand and wrapping an arm around me as he urges me out of the studio. “Hold on, angel, the bathroom’s right over here.”
I let him take control. Trusting him…
It’s then, I realize, I’ll never have anyone read me better than he does.