Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders) (13 page)

And yep, she caught a glimpse of his abs. Whoa. Did he have a six-pack, an eight-pack, or my god…was that a
twelve
-pack of abs?

No. Fucking. Way. Now she really wanted a closer look.

The other ladies in the class were taking a serious gander at the delicious Dalton. It’d be all over town tomorrow that a macho McKay male had attended a women’s yoga class. Then again, a McKay being surrounded by swooning women wasn’t exactly news.

That thought annoyed her. Rory marched up to him and completely invaded his space. “What are you doing here?”

“Takin’ your advice. You said if I wanted to get to know you, I’d show interest in what matters to you. So I’m here ready to be bent to your will, Teach.”

“Do you have any idea what goes on in a yoga class?”

“Nope. That’s why I’m counting on you to show me all your moves.” Dalton’s gaze dropped to her mouth. “With your lips this close I’m tempted to give you one of them bully-kisses you’re so fond of.”

Rory took a step back. “Not happening. There are yoga mats in the corner. Grab one so we can get started.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She whirled around and walked to the front of the gym. When she faced the group, Dalton flashed her a very male grin. Then she watched as Lou-Ann handed him her pink yoga mat and trotted to the back of the room to get another one for herself.

Unreal.

“Welcome, everyone. Since we have a new member in our midst tonight, I feel it’s important to go over the rules. First rule. No talking. This isn’t a social activity. Second rule. If your muscles become fatigued during a pose, drop into downward-facing dog or child’s pose. Please don’t pack up your belongings and interrupt class by leaving. Third rule. Remember to breathe.” Rory smiled at the sixteen regular class attendees. “Let’s get started.”

Tempting not to explain any of the warm-up exercises, or demonstrate the resting poses, but her class motto had always been “all who enter are welcome”.

Including the man who’s only here so he can get into your yoga pants?

Yes.

Maybe she ought to modify that motto on the flyer.

Rory sat cross-legged at the top of her mat, hands resting palms up on her thighs. She demonstrated the
uji
breathing technique before she segued into basic stretches.

Then they were on their feet performing sun salutations. Four sets of each series got the blood pumping and the sweat rolling. She talked them through standard standing poses. While she started the second set, her advanced students worked through backbends.

“Now we’ll move to basic triangle and work on all triangle poses before we switch to hip openers.” Rory shot a look at Dalton.

His face was bright red. Sweat coated his arms and damp rings darkened his tank top. He looked like he was in pain. But he also wore the determined look she recognized.

So she hid her smirk and kept going.

During the last round, she wandered through the class, making adjustments to individuals’ postures.

Dalton struggled—like so many did in the beginning—with the basic downward-facing dog pose.

She stopped in front of him.

He immediately dropped to his knees, breath choppy. He sent her a questioning look from beneath those thick black eyelashes.

“Watch how I get into proper position.” Rory placed her palms flat on the floor and hiked her hips up, while rolling her shoulders down and back as she dropped her heels to the floor. She spoke in a low tone. “Now breathe in for three counts and exhale for three counts.” As soon as she finished, she said, “Your turn.”

His upper body strength was impressive but he had little flexibility in those massive shoulders.

“Elongating the spine is key to flexibility in yoga. Since you can’t get your heels on the mat it’s all right to keep your knees bent. Drop your head between your arms. No, not that far. Ears by your biceps. That’s it. Now stay like that. I’ll adjust your hips.” Rory widened her stance, setting her feet beside Dalton’s hands. She flattened her palms on his lower back and pushed.

Dalton grunted.

“Feel the difference in that stretch?”

“Uh. Yeah.” His arms shook and stopped supporting his body, so when he dropped to his knees, Rory’s hands slid over his butt.

His perfectly round cowboy butt. She wanted to dig her fingernails into that hard, tight flesh. When he flexed his butt cheeks like he’d read her intentions, her hands fell away.

Dalton lifted his head and her crotch was in his face. Right at his mouth level. So close she could feel his rapid exhalations between her thighs. So close it would only take a slight tilt of her pelvis…

Their eyes met.

The hunger in his sizzling blue gaze had her retreating.

Rory strolled to her spot, trying not to imagine the rough stubble on Dalton’s face abrading the inside of her thighs. Or how she’d direct that smirking mouth exactly where she wanted it and put that sassy tongue of his to good use.

Her gaze met Dalton’s and he licked his lips. Had the man been reading her mind?

Probably. Because face it, Rory, you’re pretty damn transparent.

She shook herself out of it and worked through the final stretching exercises before instructing her students to grab their straps for cool down.

Normally
savasana
was her favorite part of class. Stretched out on her mat, eyes closed, remaining motionless as her mind drifted into blissful nothingness after a hard yoga workout.

But tonight, her thoughts were focused on a hunky man five mats away. A man who’d taken her suggestion about getting to know her seriously. A man it was getting harder and harder to shake off. She wrestled with the truth that she didn’t want to shake him off. She liked his attention.

People around her began to get restless—her sign
savasana
was over. She coaxed everyone out of the relaxation state and finished the practice in lotus position with
Namaste
.

The yoga group didn’t stick around to chitchat after class. Vanessa pointed to Dalton, waggled her eyebrows and mimed
call me
before she scooted out the door.

Leaving Rory and Dalton alone.

She wandered over. He remained in
savasana
on his mat. “Dalton? You all right?”

“No,” he groaned. “You wrecked me. I can’t move. I think all the muscles in my body have seized up and you’ll need to take me to the ER.” He groaned again.

“So you’re admitting yoga is hard?”

“Hell yes.” Dalton cracked an eye open. “Wasn’t there supposed to be chanting? Sitting around doin’ deep thinkin’ about life and shit?”

Rory laughed. “In some yoga disciplines there’s meditation and chanting. Not in this one.”

“I’m a pretty fit guy. And this class kicked my ass.”

“I’ve heard that a lot. Come on. I’ll help you up.”

“No. I’m good. The padding on the floor ain’t all bad. I’ll just sleep here tonight. Or I’ll be dead come morning.”

“Dramatic much? Since you’re the last one here, by default you’re selected to help me put away the equipment.”

“Mmm-hmm. Give me a day or two to get back to normal.”

“Dalton.”

“But if I die…dyin’ was worth it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Seeing your ass in yoga pants? Definitely worth havin’ this post-yoga paralysis.”

Rory leaned over and thumped him on the chest. She shrieked when Dalton’s hands circled her biceps and he tugged her to the mat, rolling to pin her body beneath his.

“Omigod, you pervert. Get off me.”

He grinned. “Say please.”

“I’m so gonna kick your ass, McKay.”

“Bring it, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got you locked down, yogi.”

She studied him. God. She could get lost in the masculine planes and angles of his face. The man was just too damn good-looking. Her gaze dropped to his full lips. Lips that could be hard and yet soft. Lips that could coax and tease. Full lips that showcased his panty-dropping smile. Lips that were curled into a very cocky smirk. “Were you faking?”

“Nope. My body aches like a motherfucker right now.” He bent to nuzzle her neck. “I wanna taste you, Aurora. Lick the salt off your skin.”

Why was this turning her on?

Then Dalton’s tongue snaked out and swept down the side of her throat. His deep, male groan vibrated right down the center of her. “I’m dying to learn every inch of you with my mouth.”

Rory’s body arched when his lips connected with the skin below her ear.

He murmured, “Want you, need you, have to have you. Goddamn, woman, the way you respond to me is such a fucking turn-on.”

Somehow her brain came back online. “I figured you were turned on with the way your cock is digging into my belly.”

His lips brushed her temple. “I’ve got a better idea of where I could put my cock so it’d be out of the way.”

“It’d still be in my way and hard for me to talk since I’m pretty sure you’d like to shove it in my mouth.”

“Mmm-hmm. But that’s not my first choice of where I’d like to put it.” His lips moved down the side of her face, his teeth nipping at her jawline. Her chin. He eased back and looked into her eyes, their mouths a breath apart. “You gonna let me kiss you?”

“Wow. You’re asking? That’s a first.”

“And that right there, smart ass, is why I don’t ask.” Dalton pinned her arms above her head and captured her lips.

No sweet start to this kiss. His mouth assaulted hers with pure hunger. A wet, hot clash of tongues, of gliding lips and shared breath.

So much passion. The kiss would’ve knocked her to her knees if she hadn’t already been lying down. Her body reacted to this man—a blood-pumping, dizzy, wet-between-her-thighs reaction. Just when she’d begun to wonder why they hadn’t stripped, why his mouth wasn’t on her nipples as his cock rammed into her, Dalton ripped his mouth from hers.

He buried his face in her neck and a full body shudder rolled through him. Then he sighed—his breath a hot wash on her damp skin. “I want you like fuckin’ air, Aurora, but not here. Not like this.” He placed a soft kiss below her ear and pushed upright.

That show of control was not how the old Dalton would’ve acted. He would’ve sweet-talked her into believing no one would catch them fucking around.

Proof right there that he had changed.

Sad to think she hadn’t changed when it came to him. With his hard body on hers and those intense kisses clouding her brain, she would’ve gladly ditched her clothes and fucked him right there on the pink yoga mat.

Show some restraint.

Problem was, she didn’t want to.

But somehow she did. She rolled to her feet. “You are dangerous, McKay.”

“Me? Why do you say that?”

“You know why. I don’t care if you’re sore, you will help me return the equipment to storage.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After she’d shoved everything in the closet and locked it, she slipped on her jacket and gloves. “So you think you’ll become a regular at yoga class?”

“We’ll see if I’m alive tomorrow.” He buttoned up his black duster. “Speaking of tomorrow…what are we doin’?”

Rory eyed his ensemble. Black gunslinger duster, neon orange hat with fuzzy earflaps. His bare calves stuck out from beneath the duster and he wore white athletic shoes and black socks. He was a prime example of what not to wear—so why was she thinking that he looked so damn cute?

Because you’re a fucking sap and this man can’t wait to tap you.

“Since when do we spend every evening together?”

Dalton leaned over and kissed her nose. “Since you’n me are a couple.”

Her argument dried on her tongue when she realized he’d said that almost with…pride. “That may be problematic tomorrow night since I’m having supper with Addie and Truman.”

“Great. I’ll come along. I need to clear the air with them anyway.”

“So you don’t think it might, oh,
bother
my best friend that I’m coupling with the guy who dumped her?”

“Oh, you and me ain’t even started coupling yet.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Of course I do. But you have my promise I wouldn’t hurt Addie again for the world. She never has to know the real reason that I walked out on her was because of you.” He stroked her cheek with a gloved finger. “No one besides us ever needs to know that, Aurora.”

Such a sweet man.

Stop that. Right now. He is not sweet. He’s a manipulative heartbreaker
.

Despite the warnings, she found herself saying, “I’ll talk to Addie tonight.” Rory poked him in the chest. “But if she or Truman don’t want you there, you don’t get to whine about it.”

He scowled. “When the fuck do I ever whine?”

“You used to—”

“I used to do a lot of shit that I don’t do anymore. Proving to you I’ve changed, remember?” He poked her chest right back. “If Addie and Truman won’t welcome me into their home I’ll suck it up and act like a big boy. I’ll probably write a poem about hurt feelings, broken friendships and the rocky path to true love.”