Page 44 of Hot Girl Summer

“I didn’t peg you for a closet introvert.”

He shrugs, and the corners of his mouth curl into a smile. “I straddle the line from time to time.”

Heat floods my cheeks and my nipples pinch when I’m treated to those perfect dimples. The way his smile reaches his eyes is arguably the most distracting thing. I want to pocket that image forever. He’s beautiful.

“Ouch,” Danny says, wincing as his hand shoots to the top of his forearm. The dreamy vision of him turns into dust.

“What is it?” I ask.

“An old tennis injury. It’s been gradually getting worse the last few weeks.”

“Mind if I have a look?”

“Sure.”

He props the guitar on a stand, and joins me on the floor, mirroring my position. “This is comfy. Maybe I should do yoga.”

“It’s a good stress reliever. I mean, I’m not half the bitch I used to be.”

“And here I was willing to bet money that you were, in fact, one hundred percentthatbitch.”

“I’m surprised you’ve even heard that song,” I deadpan. I am offended, delighted and surprised in equal measure.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Keep going.”

I grab a cushion from the couch and lay it on Danny’s lap. “Rest your forearm on this,” I say.

Once he’s ready, I start to massage the inside of his forearm.

“Remember how you described the way you feel about music?”

He nods.

“That’s how I feel about yoga.”

My fingertips settle into the crease below his bicep, and using my thumb, I gently knead either side, noticing every vein, every tendon, every dark hair raised, the warming of his skin each time I touch somewhere new. It feels so good to be skin-to-skin with him.

“Everything about it, the freeness of flowing through the sound of soft music. The smells. Bergamot, lavender. Sweat. The sea of dreamy bodies of all shapes and sizes bending, flexing, and breathing as one. Working through their personal issues. Healing. Sometimes I get distracted by the beauty of it all. It’s magic and power and everything in between.”

Dragging my fingertips down his forearms, I interlock our fingers, palm to palm, and try my best to avoid eye contact. But the weight of his gaze is strong, and I can’t deny myself any longer. Softly, I glance up through my lashes. His eyes completely captivate me, and I stumble on my words.

“I think you’d really like it.”

I guide his arm towards me in a full extension, then make circles with our wrists.

“It sounds tempting, but I can’t guarantee I won’t get distracted by you in those yoga pants,” he smirks.

Heat spreads across my cheeks, and buries its way into my body. Shifting to my side, I suck in my bottom lip.

“Here I was thinking you were a nice boy.”

“I think we’re past the pleasantries. Don’t you?”

He holds my gaze for a moment too long before I let go of his hand. “So, this is effectively your hiding place?”

He smirks a little at my change of subject, but answers the question. “I suppose. There’s something about being in this room. It’s familiar. It’s...home.”

Danny mirrors my actions as I reach out, stretching my arms forward with my fingers interlocked. I’ve always found the physical practice of yoga to be extremely sensual, and I can sense his eyes on me as I take my final pose with my arms raised above my head.

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