Page 75 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“Want to bend you over my bed and practise our own version of downward dog for at least an hour,” he muttered. “Yes, yes, I do. Trouble is, if I pick you up and drag you bodily from the yoga studio, that will probably ruin the Feng Shui or something.”

“That’s a whole other thing that has nothing to do with yoga.”

“Don’t care.” He stepped in closer, earning the two of us a look from the instructor. “I’m both wishing like hell I wore a pair of shorts over these compression pants and that this class was over.”

“Got somewhere you need to be?” I asked.

“In you, if I play my cards right.” My eyebrows shot up, but he just shot me a cocky smile. “Now bend over like a good girl. Did you need a block?”

No, I did not. I pitched forward, slapping my hands on the ground. Position them a bit further than shoulder width apart. Ground myself on the spots between my finger and thumb and?—

Lick!

The pup was back, dancing away, mischief shining in his eyes as if he knew exactly what he was doing. I spluttered, but right when I went to stand back up, a hand landed on my back.

“Can’t blame him for going in for a kiss,” Garrett said in a low voice. “I’m barely holding back myself. Now, form’s looking good. You’re quite flexible.”

“Hypermobile, Mandie tells me,” I told him.

“Well, that could lead to some interesting possibilities.” He ran his hand up my back. “Spine flat, though you need to let your head hang free.”

“And let this little guy come in for another lick?” I protested.

“I promise all licks going forward will be consensual things. Uh!” His sharp correction had the puppy plonking himself on his butt and looking up at Garrett. “Now, I’m going to put the belt around your waist.”

This was when all the fun went out of the morning.

Not all plus size women are sensitive about their stomachs. Some are shaped like Natasha and carry their weight more on their hips and thighs. Some are completely comfortable with their bodies, a state I wanted to achieve some day, but right now? I did not want the sexy, sexy man to come face to face with the fupa. He paused the moment I tensed and then drew closer.

“Katie?”

The question was clear. Did I want him to stop? Did I want to make a big deal out of this and ruin what was a fun morning? New year, new me, and that meant I needed to fake it until I made it and pretend I was all body positive and shit.

“I’m good. Belt me.” His snort had me flushing even redder. “I mean… You know what I meant.”

“I got you.”

Were there any three words sexier than those? His hands were gentle, almost impersonal, as if I was a patient rather than his date. Right then, I could see how Garrett would be on the ward. A comforting, confident presence, he had the belt around my hips and then used it to pull me back slowly but surely.

It worked. My spine lengthened and with the belt to anchor me, I could push my hips back further than I managed to before. I was doing it, really doing it, achieving the same form as the instructor. Right then I rode a small wave of exhilaration, until Garrett’s guttural groan cut through it.

“Fuck…”

Not loud enough for anyone else to hear him, but I felt it all the way down to my toes.

“What?” I asked, trying to look back over my shoulder. “Garrett? What?—?”

“You look so damn hot right now.” Thumbs pulled away from the belt and grazed the side of my hips. “Like I knew you would, but knowing and seeing is not the same thing. Katie…”

There was nothing that dispelled a feeling of insecurity like a man’s growled compliment. I shook my head and then forced myself up, turning almost shyly towards him. Garrett looked like a naughty boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar right then and was completely unapologetic. The belt fell to the floor, no longer needed, but that’s when one of the puppies jumped on it, grabbing it and running off with it.

“Shit!”

I strode after the dog, sure the whole class was watching us carry on, but it appeared everyone was dealing with the same level of chaos. Little jaws gnawed mats, belts, even hair. Little tongues licked faces. Little tails wagged furiously as people laughingly brushed them away, the dogs thinking this was a grand game to be played. I hung the belt up, hoping we were done with that section of the class, only to find Garrett dealing with a whole other issue.

Deprived of the belt, the pup looked for new prey and found it in the form of his tights. The man had a death grip on his waistband, forced to haul them up lest he be bare arse naked in front of the whole class.

And that would be a major problem.

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