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“Okay, everyone,” Hope said. “Let’s take three cleansing breaths, and then we’ll begin once more in the mountain pose.”
This time through, Rory shoved aside any thoughts that didn’t relate to the way his body felt as he moved from one position to the next. He still wobbled on certain poses, but he turned his attention to how his muscles felt sleek and strong. He focused on the flow of air in and out of his lungs, and the power that came from letting go. They ended the session with corpse pose, which felt apropos.
“You did good, James,” Abigail said.
Sitting up, he looked over at her and smiled. “Thanks. Your comment about checking out and tuning in helped a lot.” His body hummed with soft pleasure, kind of similar to the afterglow Ivan’s orgasms gave him just on a much smaller scale. When Rory stood up, his legs felt like limp noodles, and that also reminded him of sex with Ivan.
The group exchanged pleasantries while some people sterilized and returned their borrowed mats. Others rolled and stowed ones they’d brought from home. Hope meandered through the group, speaking to each person individually. She thanked them for their time, congratulated them on a great session, and wished them peace and joy. By the time Rory changed back into his clothes, there were only a few stragglers left. Hope made eye contact with him and winked before returning her full attention to the lady speaking to her. Rory debated heading over to the nail spa to see if he could still get an appointment, but he got distracted by a display of candles, lotions, and lip balms on the retail side of the studio. The sign on the table identified the products as a joint offering between Rocky Mountain Liquid Gold and New Hope Wellness Center.
Rory crossed into the shop for a closer inspection. As much as he loved lotions and potions, his eyes were drawn to the pastel candles made from beeswax. Rory had spent a lot of time working with Ivan in Honeyland over the past seven days as he prepared the hives for spring. Ivan had produced protective gear for him, and together they placed pollen patties inside each of the cute little beehives. Rory had learned the patties were bee food that would boost brood production. Ivan had lapsed into a lengthy chat about the bees needing protein and fat besides carbohydrates. He’d broken off midconversation to make sure he wasn’t boring Rory. If not for the nets protecting their faces, he would’ve kissed Ivan silly.
His zest and passion for his bees and honey was so damn endearing. Ivan had stressed the importance of using as much of the hive as possible. The bees worked too hard not to practice sustainable beekeeping wherever they could. Ivan told Rory he used the beeswax to condition his wood carvings, though he hadn’t shown Rory any of his art yet. The products for sale in Hope’s store were additional proof of Ivan’s principles and business acumen. Rory really loved when the conversation veered into how bees impacted the ecosystem. Ivan even let him record segments for future episodes on his channel.
Thinking about Ivan made Rory smile and his heart yearn for more time with his conqueror, even if he was covered head to toe in protective gear. He thought back to his casual comment about quitting Ivan at any time and nearly laughed out loud. They’d spent every night together since their first shared orgasm, and their chemistry seemed to burn hotter each day instead of waning.
Rory might’ve worried about it if he wasn’t so busy enjoying each moment they had together.
They lived like they were on borrowed time. Kissing, touching, and fucking like each encounter might be the last—desperate and needy. And wasn’t that mindfulness in practice? When they were alone, Rory didn’t worry about his past or future just the present moment with Ivan. And he found more peace in the collective joy of stolen minutes than he’d experienced in his lifetime. The bliss he found in Ivan’s bed could probably span several lifetimes, and Rory wasn’t ready for it to end. A part of him wondered if he would ever be ready, but he choked off that little asshole’s oxygen before hope could take root.
“Have time for lunch with an old lady?” Hope asked softly from behind him.
Startled, Rory flinched but didn’t drop the candle he held in his hand. Strange how he didn’t recall picking it up. So much for mindfulness. He made a big show of looking around the store. “Old lady? Where?”
Hope swatted his arm playfully. “Charmer.” She stood up on her tiptoes so she could kiss his cheek, and Rory leaned toward her to make it easier. “Do you have time for lunch?”
Rory quirked a brow. “Why don’t you tell me since my presence in the yoga studio is something you and Harry cooked up together. Am I right?”
Hope batted her eyes innocently, but her impish grin ruined the effort. “Busted,” she admitted when it became clear Rory wasn’t falling for that act either. “Did you benefit from the class, though?”
He thought of the overall experience and her instruction. The studio was bright and airy. There were groupings of plants and flowers throughout the space. The wall mirrors allowed her students to check their form as they moved through the poses while making the room look bigger. Hope had lit tranquil-smelling candles prior to class and softly played waves crashing against a shore during the lesson. Rory had closed his eyes a few times and imagined himself doing the poses on the beach until he lost his footing and reality intruded. As for Hope’s instruction, she was fantastic. Her voice was low and melodic without being monotone or somniferous, and she displayed both her patience and sense of humor throughout the lesson. Rory enjoyed the moments he’d spent in tune with his body and his sense of pride upon completing the session.
“I absolutely loved it,” he admitted. “I’m really grateful Harry conned me into coming to your class.”
Hope clapped her hands. “I’m so happy to hear that. Can I please treat you to lunch?”
“I don’t suppose you’d let me do the treating?” Rory asked.
“No way,” Hope said. “My kids are head over heels in love, and I don’t get to spoil them much anymore. Please let me have this little, tiny thing.” She held up her hand to show her thumb and forefinger an inch apart.
Rory released a heavy sigh. “Playing the mom card, huh? Fine. You can treat me to lunch this time. I’ll pick up the tab next time.” Rory set the candle down when he noticed the name of the product line on the promotional sign. “The Fuck All, huh?”
Hope laughed and picked up a pale pink candle. “Let’s just say I was feeling a certain way when I came up with the names for the candles.”
Smiling, he checked the name of the lilac-colored candle in his hand. “Zen as Fuck. What exactly does that even smell like?”
“One way to find out,” Hope suggested.
Rory pulled the silver lid off the top and lifted it to his nose. “Vanilla with a hint of lavender. Even I know lavender is a calming aroma.” He smelled it again. “I would’ve named it Calm the Fuck Down.”
“I’m making a mental note in case Zen doesn’t sell. Sometimes a simple rebranding can take something from no profit to a best seller.”
“So I’ve heard.” Rory replaced the lid and set the candle down to look at the pastel orange candle next to it called Positive as Fuck. He opened the lid and inhaled. “Oh, this smells like happiness in a jar. What’s in here?”
“Jasmine and orange blossom,” Hope said. She handed him the pale pink candle she’d named Focused as Fuck. “Peppermint.”
Rory sniffed the candle, impressed with the quality. Too much peppermint smelled like toothpaste, but this one was refreshing. He could see how it would inspire clarity and focus. There was one last candle. It was ivory, and he expected something serene. Rory read the name and jerked his gaze up to meet her mischievous gaze. “Really?” She’d named the candle Ready to Fuck.
“It’s my favorite.”
