Page 65 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
Julie paused, taken aback by the question. Lawson could almost see her defenses rising. She couldn’t stand the thought of not being able to make her own decisions. “Um, no. I’d like a stack of pancakes, actually. And a black coffee.”
When the waitress was gone, Lawson reached his hand out toward Julie. “I thought you had your heart set on bacon and eggs. That’s what you told me on the ride up here.”
She shrugged. “A girl can change her mind.”
“As long as she doesn’t change it about me.” He squeezed her hand and let go. “Your choice today. What should we do?”
Her demeanor softened. Touching her pointer finger to her chin, she contemplated her answer. “You’re going to give me your entire Sunday?” she asked.
“Mm-hmm.” And she had no idea what a big deal that was. Sundays were usually reserved for riding the horses and meeting up with the guys. He liked to lift weights and jog.
“Anything I want to do?” she clarified.
“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”
She laughed. “You owe me a class, remember?”
“I remember.”
“Well, this afternoon is my first yoga class for kids. And it just so happens that I need an assistant.”
Lawson went still. He’d had a lot of things in mind that he’d like to do with Julie today. Teaching yoga to children was not one of them. “Sounds great,” he said, forcing a smile. Hopefully some of the things he’d had in mind for today could be squeezed in before or after doing the Warrior Pose with a bunch of elementary-aged rug rats.
“Here you go!” The waitress slid Lawson’s breakfast in front of him.
Julie stared at his bacon.
“I don’t mind sharing,” he said, placing some on her plate.
She grinned as she lifted a piece to her mouth and took a bite. “Man of my dreams.”
—
Julie stared at the room full of seven children, ranging in ages from five to thirty-two. The thirty-two-year-old was clearly a man—all man—but looking at him enjoying himself with the children, he could easily pass for one big kid.
Wiping the smile off her face, she raised her hand and got everyone’s attention. “Ready, kids?” She teasingly looked at Lawson. Lowering herself to the floor, she crossed her legs in front of her and waited for the others to do the same. Then she went through some basic poses, giving them animal names to make it more fun.
“This is the Cobra,” she said, lying on her stomach and lifting her upper body high off the floor. The kids laughed as they followed along. And if she wasn’t mistaken, watching from the corner of her eye, Lawson appeared to be just as into the moves as they were.
After a series of moves she’d put together over the last several days, she sat upright and gestured to him. “And it’s tradition for the class assistant to demonstrate the last pose of the day.”
His face visibly dropped, making her suppress a laugh. “Last pose? But I don’t—”
She held up her hand. “We want Mr. Lawson to show us an animal pose, don’t we, kids?”
The kids cheered, turning to him excitedly. “Yay!” they all yelled in cacophonous unison.
“Animal move, huh?” He flicked his gaze toward her as his mouth curled at the corner. “Let’s see. What kind of animal move should I do? Okay. I got it.” He stood and held out his arms, turning his palms toward the wall in front of him. “How about we do the Eagle? An eagle holds its head high, no matter what. It symbolizes freedom.”
The kids all mimicked his movements. Julie did, too. Her throat was tight as she followed along. Here was this big Marine helping her with something that was important to her. And he was being sincere about it, not belittling.
“You’re awesome. You know that?” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek after the class had been dismissed. They were still standing in the small studio that Allison had opened to her. Everyone was gone now, however, and they were alone.
“I could say the same about you.” He placed his hand on her lower back as he pulled her to him. “I love watching you move, even when you’re moving like an alligator.”
She shoved him playfully, then allowed him to pull her toward him for another kiss. “I’ll be your assistant anytime you need,” he said.
“Yeah?”
