Though the retreat grounds were spread over several acres, covered in meandering rocky paths surrounded by tall, unknown trees, Lucy wasn’t difficult to find. Most of the large group yoga classes took place in an open-air studio made entirely of a dark wood.
Aesthetically, on the outside, the studio resembled the love child between a barn and a rustic cabin. Inside the floor was glossy and well polished, and with no dividers. It was an expansive, unencumbered space. Folding doors had been pushed aside, leaving structural beams and the roof as the only impediment to the outside, sending a reverberating Ooohhhhmmmm through the woods and over the lake.
I mounted the stairs to the studio, leaving my goodies on the porch and approaching the end post with quiet steps. Peeking around the corner as unobtrusively as possible—because, as I learned yesterday when I arrived, these seekers of inner peace grew enraged when their mellow was disturbed—I scanned the studio for Lucy.
I spied her immediately. Surprisingly, it wasn’t her rainbow mane that caught my attention. It was her arse. I’d been admiring it yesterday when I arrived, but hadn’t realized that I’d memorized it as well. The entire class was bending over, giving me their backsides, so I indulged myself, taking a moment to appreciate it.
Everything about Lucy was small, waiflike, and delicate (in appearance). Everything except her arse. It was perfectly round—almost spherical—and disproportionately big for her small frame. And it made my mouth water.
The class ended far too soon for my taste, driving me away from my hiding spot before I was caught lurking. Leaning against a porch post, I waited for Lucy to emerge.
When she did she was smiling.
But when she caught sight of me, it fell from her face.
“What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you.” I grinned despite her brusque question, my eyes skating over her body. When they again settled on her upturned face I was both pleased and surprised to find her gaze unfocused, perhaps even dazed, as she studied my face.
“What do you want?” Her question held a distracted air to it and I knew she was asking about more than the now. She wanted to know my general intentions.
I don’t make a habit of sharing my intentions as they’re usually wicked.
Therefore, I answered for the now. “I’ve come to lure you away for a picnic on a mountain.”
“A mountain?”
“That’s right.”
She crossed her arms, her eyes sharpening. I could see she’d assumed I’d been trying to make her the butt of a joke. “There’s no mountain around here.”
“There is.” Her friend Broderick joined the conversation, stepping next to me as though he’d been asked to validate my claim. I stiffened.
My assessment of Broderick could be summed up in one word: smooth. The last thing I needed was for her smooth friend to invite himself along.
“What?” Lucy frowned at us both.
“Rattlesnake Mountain, though it’s more of a hill.” He tilted his chin in the direction of the hiking trail. “The views of the lake from the top are awesome.”
“Yes. Awesome.” I nodded, struggling to find a way to cut him out should he insist on accompanying us.
I was just about to volunteer that I had only two glasses for the champagne when Broderick gripped Lucy by the upper arm and tugged her toward me, basically shoving her into my chest. Automatically, my hands lifted to hold her in place.
“You two go and work off . . . energy,” he said, nodding once like all was decided.
“Rick—” Lucy started to protest, but she didn’t attempt to break free of my hold. Rather, her hands came to rest on my chest.
“Lucy.” His eyes widened meaningfully, though I couldn’t interpret his meaning.
She opened her mouth like she was on the edge of launching a complaint.
Broderick interrupted her again, but he addressed me, “Did you know Lucy was thinking about becoming a missionary?”
She snapped her mouth shut.
I cocked an eyebrow at this news. “Really?”
“Yes. But she decided to skip the missionary position and instead focus on charity work in the States. With dogs.”
“With dogs?” This news struck a chord and my eyes moved over Lucy with new, albeit unwilling, appreciation. I’d had a dog when I was younger. Rather, the family had a dog, though I’d considered him only mine. A pet was everything to an unloved child. I’d mourned his passing alone. At the time it had felt like losing a limb. Or maybe an organ.
As I studied her I supposed it made sense that she was an animal lover. She seemed like that sort, empathetic and compassionate. I felt a niggling thread of guilt and quickly quashed it.
“Yes,” he continued, still looking at Lucy, “the position with dogs—”
“Okay, we have to go.” Her usually soft voice was shrill as she grabbed my hand and tugged me away from her friend. “That mountain isn’t going to hike itself.”