Arianna was both bitterly disappointed and relieved. Somehow, she had a feeling Grant Madison would never be a man to have an affair with and walk away from. He seemed too. . .
intense. Arianna had no time for getting moony over a man. She’d worked too hard for this promotion to get distracted.
A moment passed. A heartbeat. A century. He cleared his throat and stepped back.
Suddenly, Arianna was back in the yoga studio, surrounded by noisy students, talking to her teacher.
She forced a polite smile and nodded. “See you Saturday.”
“Have a good night.”
He moved on then, to the next group, and she heard a young girl’s clear laugh ring through the room at something he said. Arianna hurriedly rolled up her mat and dashed out of class, not taking time to chatter with any of her new friends. She raced to her car like aliens were on her heels and didn’t feel safe until she locked herself in.
She had to stop fantasizing about him. Tonight, she’d received her answer. Her practices were too important to give up, and she wasn’t about to switch to another yoga studio when his philosophies matched hers. No, she’d pull herself together, embrace her newfound knowledge, and let him go.
Arianna ignored the little voice in her head that screamed liar and pulled out of the parking lot.
Grant Madison sat in his darkened studio and listened to the soothing flow of water over rocks as it streamed from his speakers. He was ready to lock up, but had come across a mini crisis that needed to be dealt with. One by one he had pulled all of his student files, and the only one remaining was the woman he needed to stay away from.
Arianna Devlin.
The dry statistics of her personnel profile rose up to mock him. She was anything but dry.
From the moment he laid his gaze on her, his body warred with his mind, and he worried his body would soon become victor.
Throughout the years, he’d been introduced to attractive students he had mild physical interest in. He appreciated beauty, but found himself quite picky about his mates. He'd learned not to listen entirely to his body, since many times his need for spirituality and sharp intelligence was not satisfied by a surface attraction. He also knew the danger in his profession for young women to develop crushes. After one disaster when he lost his business, he made a firm rule to never involve himself with his students in an intimate relationship.
He’d never had a problem until Arianna.
His thoughts grazed over their last meeting. For the first time, she’d allowed her feelings to show. Tempted to ignore the flare of lust in her sea-green eyes, he found he couldn’t lie. So, he showed her his desire, and his intention not to satisfy it. Thank God, she seemed to accept the decision and not push him. She was completely different from any other woman he’d met. The conversation took place without words, on a physical scale.
Arianna was all physical. From the moment they met, her raw, confident energy attacked his senses as much as her body. Heavy, full breasts always pressed against those damn skimpy tops until he made excuses during class to get his hands on her. He’d only meant to correct her posture today, but when he viewed her gorgeous full ass held high in the air, he almost lost it.
His heavy erection had been difficult to control as his hands coasted over her lush hips and long legs. The scents of vanilla and sandalwood clung to her skin and drove him mad. He imagined stripping off those clothes, parting her legs and thrusting deep inside her. Imagined her bottle-green eyes challenging him to take her hard, the swing of her cherry red hair as it slid past her jaw, the taste of her pouty lips, reminding him of black currant—tart and sweet in one juicy bite.
He looked down at the manila folder and groaned. A big decision lay on the horizon, one that could change his path. His assistants could not help him with next week’s workshop. He couldn’t do it alone, and had exhausted calls in every avenue. August was a big month for vacations, so most of his back-ups were already away. The Boston conference couldn’t be cancelled at this late date, and he needed a partner.
Grant had a handful of students who qualified. But, none of them could leave for a full weekend. He needed someone who had shown capabilities in practice, and seriousness in studies.
Unfortunately, there was only one student left with those qualities.
Arianna Devlin.
He tapped his fingers against the desk and thought hard. She might not be able to accompany him at the last minute. If she agreed, he needed to prep for the workshop, which would mean spending every spare moment in her company. He imagined them alone together.
He shook his head and thought over all the options. He was a professional. He knew the risk of getting involved with a student, and his life did not include a short affair with a sexy woman who could bring chaos. No, he had made that decision when he lost everything. The thought of his past strengthened his resolve.