Page 41 of Emergence and Ascendance

She tensed and a small exhale pushed through her lips. I needed to get the fuck out of here before I dragged her into an empty room…

nine

Scotlyn.

Christian Fucking Devereaux.

I walked out of the meeting with BWB annoyed but also overstimulated. As frustrated as I was with Christian, I also couldn't deny how sexy he was and how much of a turn on it was going back and forth with him with an audience who had no clue that our verbal sparring was because he had his head between my legs and his mouth on me last night.

Christian had my mind and body chaotically spiraling from the heat that blazed in my core which produced a dull ache between my thighs. I barely managed to keep my mind on convincing the ladies to support me in-between thoughts of climbing on the table, spreading my legs wide and begging Christian to bury his face between them.

What the hell is wrong with me?

After he crashed my meeting with BWB then demanded dinner, I did my best to survive the rest of the morning which consisted of back-to-back calls with my New York team.

I was focused and distracted enough to push Christian to the back of my mind, but as soon as the last call was completed, my tense shoulders and stiff neck made me realize I hadn't done any yoga or Pilates since I landed in Crescent Falls. My body wasfeeling the withdrawals. I needed to recenter myself so I picked up the phone to call the concierge and get a recommendation for nearby studios.

"Bend & Breathe is excellent, Ms. Whitney. They're very upscale, have private classes, and are just three blocks from here. A lot of our executive guests prefer it."

"Perfect. Can you send me a list of their open Pilates sessions?"

"Of course." I heard him pecking then he was back. "They have an opening at one o'clock. I'll send the confirmation to your phone."

I checked my watch and realized I had forty minutes to prepare, which was plenty of time.

"That works. Thank you."

I ended the call and made my way to the bedroom to change and grab my things so I could head out. Instead of accepting a car service, I decided to walk and use the time as a warmup and to mentally prepare.

Bend & Breathe was located on the top floor of a glass building not far from The Metropolitan. The interior had a calming feel with wood and stone accents and natural lighting which had me relaxing the minute I stepped into the reception area. Unfortunately the circular station wasn't occupied, so I hesitated, unsure of which class would fit my skill level. A woman entered right after me and stopped at my side, flashing me a curious smile.

"First time?"

"That obvious?"

She was beautiful, with flawless dark skin, high cheekbones, and a fit physique that said she spent enough time here to be helpful and everything about her exuded confidence.

If she had a suggestion, I would trust it.

"I was about to join the advanced Pilates class, but they offer various levels if you need something a little more lightweight."

"Advanced is good. I practice regularly. I'm just new to this studio."

"She's tough; so be prepared to work."

"Sounds like exactly what I need today." I extended my hand. "I'm Scotlyn."

"I'm Niama. Nice to meet you. You're not new to Pilates, so that means you're switching studios?"

I gently shook my head. "No, well… yes, but temporarily. I'm in town on business."

"Okay, gotcha. I have no idea where Tasha is." She motioned to the desk. "You can consider me your official welcome to Bend and Breathe."

"Oh, I should probably wait and check in. I'm sure I need to sign my life away before I dive in."

She waved me off. "Don't worry about that. You can be considered my personal guest for this class, and if you don't hate it, then you can do all the paperwork."

"Sounds good."

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