her career, then she could look and touch. But until then…
I’m a nun. A nun who wants to attack Matthew.
Why does he have to be so hot?
“How are you?” Matthew walked toward her, his eyes warm and his tone friendly. “TGIF?”
She gave him a cautious smile and nodded.
“Good.” His eyes crinkled. “We’re heading to Room Three,” he said, pointing to the other end of the gym.
He’s not going to bring up the other day?
Wait, was that relief she felt? She let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
They reached the row of exercise classrooms, and Lexie peeked in the first one. “Step?”
Matthew nodded. “With Zumba.”
Yeah, like that explains it. “Ooo…kay.” She glanced in the second room. “Glad we’re not headed there. Someone could get hurt.”
He peered over her shoulder. “Ah, kickboxing. Lots of fun.”
Uh, no. As much as she loved watching Rocky movies, those fight scenes were choreographed. She tightened her grip on her water bottle and towel. “What’s behind door Number Three? A lion? Human piñatas? Cardio Russian roulette?”
“Game Show Network fan?”
She laughed. “You know it.”
He opened the door and invited her inside the empty room.
Lexie plucked at her T-shirt. “Is there a glitch with the heating system?” The mirrored space might not be hiding wild animals, but the temperature was definitely tropical.
“Nah.” He smiled and tossed his towel on the long oak bench against a wall.
“Are we early?” She frowned at the two lone blue exercise mats in the center, unprepared to be alone with him…but not quite hating it, either. She lifted her chin. “What’s the deal?”
“Thought you’d prefer practicing before joining the group. Good with you?”
She blew out a puff of air and swiped her bangs. Damn, it was hot. “Practice what?” Before long they’d have no choice but to strip down to their undies just to stay cool.
No, brain. No. Do not imagine him naked.
Crap. She was so imagining him naked.
“Ever hear of hot yoga?” Matthew asked.
She frowned. “Why add to the sweat factor?”
He shrugged. “Heat takes some getting used to, but it warms your muscles, allowing for a deeper stretch, and rids your body of toxins, too.”
“Let me guess. They escape through sweat.”
“Don’t fear the heat.” He smiled and bent one arm overhead while applying pressure at his elbow with his other hand.
She glanced at the closed door, but it no longer appealed to her as much as the man behind her.
“You can do this.”
His voice pulled at her. How had he known what to say?
“If I can do it, you can. It’s good to be strong, but flexibility’s just as important.”
“Okay,” she groused. “I’ll try it.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get moving, then. We’ll start with a prone position to work out the kinks in the spine.”
Lexie lay face down and rested her cheek on the towel she’d brought. She struggled to breathe, not from the movement but because the sexiest man she’d ever met was on the floor a few feet away from her—within touching distance.
And we’re all alone.
“Nice and easy,” he coached. “Slow, deep, even breaths.”
Heaven help her, she was panting like an overheated Labrador. She’d better turn away and stare at the wall until her system calmed down.
“Stretch your body long, from the tips of your fingers to your toes. Focus on the stretch.”
Her growling stomach vibrated the mat beneath her. “This pose called the hot dog?” she improvised.
Hog dog? Seriously?
His laugh was soft. “Call it whatever you like. Just do it. Relax and feel the stretch. Concentrate on the heat warming your muscles. Work them.”
Okay, muscles, you work. I’m going to sleep so I stop salivating over the thought of pizza, or embarrass myself any further in front of the god Thor. She closed her eyes and exhaled as she attempted to follow his directions. So good. The past week’s events, combined with her Naughty Girl fantasies, had left her exhausted. Ah…
Matthew’s deep voice dragged her out of her catnap.
“Roll onto your back and—nice and easy—move to a sitting position. Lexie?”
She yawned as she rolled over and sat up, blinking. Had she dozed? And how had he managed to fold himself into that shape? His long legs creased at the knee and the soles of his feet touched each other. Interesting. “You sure are bendy.”
He smiled. “Easy Pose.”
Easy? She struggled to mimic it.
“Relax into it.”
“I think my leg muscles are about to stage a revolt,” she groaned.
“Breathe, and let gravity work with the weight of your legs.”
Lexie lifted her eyebrows.
“Trust me.”
“Trust you?”
He nodded slowly.
She pushed