Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon Book #2)(5)

No, it was better to stick with her plan. Focus on her family and her business. Relationships were officially off the table for the foreseeable future until everything else was stabilized.

She couldn’t help but wonder how Beckett would react when he realized who she was.

Picking up her green smoothie, she sipped. Rainbow Berkowicz wandered over to her side. “How’s the new business checking account treating you?” she asked.

Gia grinned. All business from someone named Rainbow. Was it any wonder she already loved Blue Moon? “It’s just fine, thanks. How’s the banking industry these days?”

Rainbow launched into a dry analysis of current lending rates and what they meant for the local economy.

Willa, one of Gia’s first students in the studio, floated over to them. Her wavy blonde hair flowed down her back reaching her hips when it wasn’t secured in a thick braid. “The new paint is just gorgeous. Very peaceful,” she told Gia.

“Thanks, Willa. That’s what I was going for.” She felt a warm current rush up her spine as Beckett joined their little circle. “Are you coming to class tomorrow?” she asked Willa.

“I’ll be here. I felt as loose as water after last class,” Willa said, with a dreamy smile. “Have you taken one of Gia’s classes yet, Beckett?”

“Not yet, but I plan to,” Beckett said, with a politician’s smile.

Gia raised an eyebrow. She knew an empty platitude when she heard one and tolerated them about as well as manicured nails on a chalkboard.

“Oh, you should,” Willa nodded vigorously. “Gia is a wonderful teacher.” A chirping noise sounded from the depths of Willa’s tote bag. She dug out her cellphone. “And that’s my cue to get back to the store. Those boots won’t sell themselves! Thank you for lunch. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Rainbow announced. They made their departure, leaving Gia with Beckett at her side.

“So you’d like to take a class, huh?” she asked. He may have saved her from a locked door, but little white lies were a personal pet peeve. A sin in her eyes, having lived with them for so long before. That was a major strike against him. She felt a little relief as his attractiveness dipped down to slightly more normal levels.

“Sure. Sometime,” he nodded, frowning and looking mayoral.

She wasn’t buying it and decided to call his bluff. “I don’t know, Beckett,” Gia said baring her teeth in a fake smile. “The classes can be a little intense. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

He looked insulted. “I run five miles a day. I think I can handle a little stretching.”

He was cocky, but she’d take him down a notch in class. “I guess we’ll see. I promise to take it easy on you,” she said, her smile sharp as razors.

“When’s your next class?” he demanded.

“Seven tonight.”

“I’ll see you then.”

“Great,” she said smugly.





4





Beckett showed up at Half-Moon Yoga fifteen minutes early wearing gym shorts and a scowl. As soon as he’d left the ribbon cutting, he realized Gianna had manipulated him into agreeing to take a class.

It was sneaky and underhanded. Which rankled him as much as her initial suggestion that yoga would be too much for him. He didn’t like that kind of manipulation from anyone, not even a beautiful woman.

He wasn’t into the whole OM-ing, stretching deal, but wouldn’t dream of saying that to a woman who made her living that way.

He could have cancelled, had even considered it when he got back to his office. But that would give her the false sense of satisfaction that she had scared him off. A redheaded pixie and her downward-facing dogs weren’t going to rattle him.

He had run track in high school. He hit the gym for early morning workouts five days a week and ran just as often. He had a protein shake for breakfast every day. He was in shape — great shape — and no bendy yoga guru was going to insinuate otherwise.

It was quite the eclectic crowd in the studio tonight. He recognized four of the starters from the high school football team taking up spots in the front row. Maizie from Peace of Pizza was brushing her white blond bangs out of her eyes while her boyfriend, Benito, stretched.

In the corner by the window, Beckett spotted resident pothead and poker champion Bill Fitzsimmons sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. His lips were moving, but no sound came out. He was wearing sweatpants that looked like they had lived through the seventies.

Beckett was just noticing how warm the studio was when Fitz stood up and took off his pants, revealing embarrassingly small spandex shorts. It took all his control not to start laughing … or crying.

Gianna, in cropped tights and a strappy tank top that showed off some spectacular curves, smiled from the front of the room. That was going to be distracting, he thought.

“Welcome,” she called to him, with a hint of friendly cockiness in her eyes. “Let me get you a mat.”

Beckett followed her to the shelving unit that held rolled up mats in purples and greens as well as a dozen foam blocks and soft blankets.

Gianna handed him a green mat. “You can set up anywhere. Just face the front of the room.” She stood on tiptoe and grabbed one of the blocks off the shelf. “Here.”