The Recruit(14)

‘You alright?’ she asked getting up and sending him a look, which she hoped said ‘don’t mess with me’.

But Ryan just laughed at her discomfort. ‘What was that you were doing…all that bendy twisty stuff?’ His voice held amazement.

Now she couldn’t help but smile, her irritation gone. ‘You’ve never seen yoga before?’ Jaz asked, sitting down opposite him as he sat up. His naked chest glistened golden with a thin film of sweat. She continued her assessment of his body until she met his gaze. He’d caught her out and she felt a blush creep up her neck.

‘My mum did yoga when I was a kid but I don’t remember it being anything like that,’ he said with a smile.

‘This is called Ashtanga yoga. We had a teacher here at the gym who’s since moved but I’ve kept doing it. I find it very rewarding.’ And helps to control my moods, she thought.

‘How so?’

Jaz flicked her hair over her shoulder. ‘Well, yoga is the controlling of the mind in a way, and we do a breathing and movement system which is called Vinyasa. For each movement there is one breath. It helps with internal cleansing. It heats the blood, cleaning and thinning it so that it may circulate more freely. Improved blood circulation relieves joint pain and removes toxins and disease from the internal organs. The sweat generated from the heat of Vinyasa then carries the impurities out of the body.’

‘Yeah, I’ve heard that sweating is good. At work, we have an infrared sauna, which helps us recover from muscle injuries quicker.’

‘What, being a bouncer?’ She thought it must be pretty physical to need a sauna.

‘Um, well I do other jobs. I’m not just a bouncer.’ He waved her question away and changed the subject. ‘And do you do this yoga everyday?’

‘I try to. My mum reckons it’s good for me, she thinks I’m a bit hot-tempered.’

Ryan laughed, it was soft and tingly to her ears and for the first time she saw a glimpse of gold in his dark brown eyes.

‘Besides that, it gives me inner strength and great flexibility.’

‘Hmm, yes, I could see that.’ He smiled when Jaz rolled her eyes. ‘But stuffed if I could get my legs in any of those positions.’

‘Yeah, you could with practice.’

‘Are you offering to teach me?’

Jaz choked on her laugh. ‘You’re a funny one!’

‘Well, I must thank you, anyway.’

Jaz’s laughter died down and she looked at him strangely. ‘What for?’

‘Let’s just say I didn’t think I’d be able to laugh again, but you’ve proved me wrong. So I’m grateful.’ And to prove it he smiled. It was genuine and warm but edged in sadness.

The air was still between them as she studied him. His eyes, as guarded as they were, hinted at great pain and loss.

‘You’ve had it tough, hey?’ Jaz asked quietly. It was the way Ryan had said the words, so full of sincerity and weight. She saw a flash of anger stretch across his tight jaw, as if he was replaying whatever it was that had caused him so much pain. But a second later he shut down, sealing his eyes with a steely glaze and burying it all.

‘Yeah, you could say that,’ he answered softly.

Jaz felt the urge to touch his arm or grasp his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze, but hell…she hardly knew the bloke. He could be a raving loony for all she knew.

‘Hey, Jaz!’

Jasmine turned towards the front door and spotted Anna, who was out of her school uniform and wearing jeans and a blue jumper. ‘Hey, it’s Anna Montana.’

Anna poked her tongue out at the nickname as she walked towards them. Jaz waved to the guy opposite her. ‘Anna, this is Ryan. Ryan, this is my best friend, Anna.’

‘Heeeey,’ said Anna slowly as her steps faltered.

‘How ya goin’?’ replied Ryan friendlily.

Anna tried to smile but she looked like she was going to melt. Jaz sighed and grabbed Anna’s arm steering her towards the office. She flicked her head back to Ryan. ‘Catch ya later.’ He nodded and begun some more stomach crunches.

‘Who was he and why did you take me away from him?’ asked Anna when they were in the quiet of Pax’s office.

Jaz closed the door and then sat on the spare computer chair. Anna claimed the one by the desk.

‘I was saving you from making a fool of yourself.’

‘I wasn’t!’

‘Oh, please! If you’d stayed there any longer I would have had to fetch the mop bucket for your drool. Haven’t I taught you enough about how to not show your emotions on the outside?’

Anna went a shade of pink and then snorted. ‘Was I really that bad?’