“If that’s what you want…” His voice trailed off.
“I just want you here in bed with me.” Her eyes sparkled. “I have a feeling about you.”
“Oh boy.”
“No, not the ring-on-my-finger kind of feeling,” she said. “I have a feeling you’ll make a very inspiring muse.”
“Really?”
“You’re already giving me all kinds of ideas.” She flashed a naughty smile. “Some might be a bit too dirty for Mrs. Bran’s liking, but I’m sure I could find a way to tone it down.”
“Hmm…” He pulled her tight against him, reveling in the way her curves molded against his hips. “Maybe I should tone it down too.”
“Don’t you dare,” she whispered. “As my muse, you’re required to inspire every inch of me.”
“Am I?”
“You are.”
“Well then, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that you might enjoy,” he teased.
“Show me.”
She lay back on the bed and flung her arms over her head. The motion made her breasts sway in the most enticing way. He groaned and rolled to cover her with his chest. As he kissed her warm, pliant lips, she moaned into his mouth. He ran through his arsenal of sensual skills and decided to start with a Tantric skill he’d learned during his travels.
“There’s something I want to try with you,” he said. “I learned this technique while I was backpacking through Rishikesh, India.”
“What were you doing there?”
“There’s a huge yoga festival there every February. I always try to time my trips to coincide with a celebration or holiday. You learn so much about a culture during those times,” he said.
“That sounds so interesting. I’d love to travel someday,” she said.
“It’s one of the most rewarding ways you can spend your time,” he said. “It’s my second most favorite thing to do.”
“And your first?” she asked coyly.
“Tantra.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for five hours’ worth of sex.” She grinned. “I might need a nap first.”
“Sting, hmm?”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “When I heard him say he had sex for five hours straight, all I could think was: ouch!”
“He didn’t mean intercourse the whole time,” he said. “A lot of people in the Western world have a misconception about Tantra. It’s so much more than just sex. Most of the meditations and practices have nothing to do with sex.”
“I’ve only ever heard of Tantric sex, so I don’t know about any of the rest of that,” she said. “But I’ll try anything once. So lay it on me—or not. Don’t lay it on me if we’re not having sex. I don’t know what we’re going to do so … I’m going to just stop talking now.”
“Relax,” he said. “The first and more important thing to do is to learn how to breathe.”
“I already know how or I’d be dead,” she said.
“We’re going to try heart breathing together.”
“That sounds kind of New-Agey,” she said.
“Trust me.” He locked gazes with her and held it. Within seconds, her expression transformed from one of skepticism to one of intrigue. “Let’s sit together.”
After sliding off the bed, he helped her to the carpet. He sat first.
“Sit in my lap, facing me,” he said.
“I thought we weren’t going to have sex.”
“We might. We might not. It’s not about that; it’s about our connection,” he said.
For a moment, he wondered if he was making a mistake by trying this meditation with her. But as she settled into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist, he knew he was on the right path.
“Now, just focus on your heart,” he murmured. “Feel the soft tempo beating, pushing your life force throughout your entire body.”
She closed her eyes. A gentle relaxation slackened the corners of her mouth. The tension in her face was replaced by a radiant sense of peace. He closed his eyes and breathed in time with his heartbeat. After he’d connected to his own life force, he opened his eyes to find her regarding him with a blissful expression.
“Now put your hand on my heart,” he said. “And I’ll put mine on yours.”
As she lay her hand on his chest, his pulse kicked. It didn’t regain its peaceful rhythm until he placed his palm against her.
“Now what do we do?” she asked.
“We breathe together until we feel completely connected.”
With each inhalation, love blossomed in his heart. And with each exhalation, he poured that love into hers. He’d never felt such an intense connection with anyone until that moment, and he couldn’t help but wonder … at the end of the week, could he leave for Bali and never look back? Or would he be making the biggest mistake of his life?