Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(58)

“Good, Erik,” she said with a husky tone before hovering over him an inch lower.

My eyes narrowed in anger. I felt like a voyeur watching them there on the mat. Her touch on him looked intimate, practiced, familiar, and by the time she moved away from him, I saw red.

The song on the playlist switched and a darker, more seductive sound filled the quiet studio.

“Erik, lie flat on your back now. We’re going to try something between you two.”

Between us?

Her soft gaze turned to me. “Brie, come bend down behind Erik.”

He sat up in protest, but Kira shook her head as she walked to turn the music up higher.

“Lie back and close your eyes, Erik.”

My gaze flicked from Kira to Erik, waiting for him to put an end to this. He didn’t want me touching him—he’d made that perfectly clear over the last few days—but he didn’t stand up to leave. He lay back down just like Kira had requested. Is he too intrigued to defy her? Or is he just so accustomed to following her commands throughout the session? I felt a searing in my chest when I saw how sweet and compliant he could be with this other woman, though he was so volatile with me.

Jealousy ate away at me as I stood and walked behind him. I took him in slowly, keeping my guard in place. At any moment he would push me away, hold me back out at arm’s length—but for now, he lay before me with his eyes closed. His arms were by his sides and his legs were stretched out on the mat. His features, though relaxed, were as sharp as ever. His lips were slightly open as he inhaled and exhaled slowly. I wanted to lean down and cover his mouth with mine, wanted to remind myself what it tasted like to kiss danger.

“Erik, keep your eyes closed.”

I glanced up, realizing Kira had seen me eyeing Erik like I wanted to devour him.

“Brie, listen as I guide you. I want you to sit so your knees settle on either side of his head.”

I did as I was told, trying not to notice the heat emanating from him.

“Wrap your hands behind his neck and slowly massage him there, pulling away from his shoulders so he feels a gentle stretch.”

“Umm…” I glanced down, trying to find a solid protest. Surely this was inappropriate. Surely Erik didn’t want this. My hands squeezed my knees as I glanced back up to Kira with a question in my gaze.

“You can’t do anything wrong,” she assured me, casting a spell with a soft smile. “Just try it.”

On a shaky inhale, I reached down and wrapped my fingers behind Erik’s neck, edging closer to put my knees on either side of his head. His skin was warm and slick with sweat. His neck was strong and stiff; clearly he wasn’t as relaxed as Kira wanted him to be.

“Erik,” she continued. “Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.”

I moved my fingers, slowly gliding them along his muscles, loosening the tension there. I wanted to make him feel good. I wanted him to relax in my arms.

“Good Brie. Now slowly guide your hands to the tops of his shoulders. With the heels of your palms, you’re going to run your hands down his arms, digging into his biceps until you reach his elbows.”

It seemed easy enough. I pushed up onto my knees and positioned my hands, looking to her for guidance. She nodded for me to continue, so I dug the heels of my palms into his biceps and tried to ease the tension in his muscles. They were massive and coiled tight.

I could hear Erik’s sharp inhale of breath as I reached his elbows. When I glanced down, I realized I was nearly crawling on top of him. My bare stomach was just a few inches away from his mouth.

“Beautiful, Brie,” Kira said with a soft tone. “Do this a few more times until Erik is ready to switch. He’ll do the same to you and then I urge you both to take some time and find a resting pose that serves you.” I could hear her moving toward the studio door, but I didn’t glance up. “I’ll come back in after a few minutes and let you know when you can come out of the pose.”

Wait. My head snapped up. She’s leaving us in here? Alone?

She walked out of the room, closed the door, and I jerked my palms away from his arms like they were on fire. I leaned back on my heels and glanced down at him.

“We can just do the final resting pose if you want. I know you probably don’t—”

His eyes flickered open and met mine. “Do it again. Harder this time.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Of course I hadn’t done it hard enough the first time. No setting was free of his critiques. I leaned forward again and dug my heels into the tops of his biceps, using my full body weight to help me push down even harder, as if trying cause pain. Maybe I am. I reached his elbows again, prepared to sit back on my heels, when his arm slipped out from beneath my palm and curled around my stomach. He was holding me there, my body hovering over his.

A second later he lifted his head to kiss the patch of skin between my belly button and the top of my yoga pants. His lips were soft and sensual and the heat of his breath on my skin made my back arch in need. He tightened his hold around my waist and my arms nearly gave out.

“You are so unbelievably sexy,” he said, his lips moving across my skin with every syllable. He dipped his finger between the top of my yoga pants and my skin, dragging it across my stomach slowly. My stomach muscles quivered, my back arched even more, and my head fell back, giving him better access to me.