I shrugged. “It’s not my house, Toby. Mason would kick my ass if I threw you out, and…”
Toby shook his head. “No, no. Don’t do that. Say yes or no, Beale. If you say no, I will leave.” He frowned. “It’s not ideal, but I’ll figure something out. I’m not entirely without means.” He set his jaw, which was a surprisingly sexy look. “What do you think?”
I folded my arms across my chest. What I thought was that Toby Elford reeked of desperation… and it smelled an awful lot like an over-nuked vegan burrito. I also thought the holes in his story were big enough to drive a truck through.
But there was something about Toby’s combination of nerves and defiance that got to me, even more than any of the physical things about him, and even though part of me needed him to be on the other side of the planet from me, a larger part of me felt like maybe he needed me.
I was a sucker for a wounded stray, and it turned out sexy, overly dramatic New Yorkers were no exception.
“I think you’ll stay,” I confirmed.
He closed his eyes for a brief second in relief, and when he popped them open, he gave me a brilliant smile. “My knight in shining armor!”
My heart galloped at that smile, and I vowed to build a wall of blankets so high it could be seen from outer space. So high, I couldn’t fight my way through it.
“I’ll repay you for the inconvenience somehow.” Toby sank his teeth into his firm lower lip thoughtfully. “Otherwise I’d owe you.”
“You really wouldn’t. At all.”
“I’d feel like I did, which is the same thing. So, sex is off the table, and my best cooking involves meat. Don’t suppose you need anything written?”
I shook my head, bewildered and amused. “Nope.”
“And you’re not in need of any… advice?”
“From you? No.” I winced the second the words came out. “I didn’t mean—”
Toby’s mouth twisted. “Yes, you did. And fair enough. So far you’ve saved me from imminent demise twice, and I’ve thrown myself on your mercy for the next week. I wouldn’t take advice from me either.” He muttered something about professional liability.
“Are you okay—?”
Toby rolled his shoulders, which looked tight. “I’m fine. No worries. I’ll think of something I can do.”
I shook my head, deciding not to fight this battle right then, and pushed up to standing. “Alright. So I’m gonna grab a shower and head out. I’ve got some stuff to do for the Nature Center. The contractors might be coming by for a bit to work on the floors up at the main house, but they shouldn’t bother you if you wanna use the pool. Oh, and I can have Jim Pickles run up some groceries, if you make me a list of what you want.”
Toby’s eyes widened at the mention of contractors and widened further when I mentioned Jim. “Or I could just lock the door and not talk to anyone! Ha! I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. I have my laptop. I… oh, shit! I have my laptop!” Toby was nearly buzzing with nervous energy, and I didn’t get it, but it was hella distracting. “What’s the Wi-Fi password?”
I bit my lip. “There kinda isn’t one.”
“What?”
I shrugged. “Fenn and Mase don’t have it hooked up yet.”
“Fuck.” Toby pushed both hands through his hair and shook his head at the ceiling. “So close and yet so far. If anyone ever asks you, baby puke is not lucky.”
“Sure.” I folded my arms over my chest and watched him pace the kitchen for a minute. “Look, I want you to do something for me. Stand up straight and take a deep breath.”
“What?” One side of his lip came up in a grimace. “No.”
“Seriously,” I insisted. “I want you to do a yoga pose that will open up your solar plexus chakra.”
“My who now?”
“This right here.” I touched a hand to my own bare chest, halfway between my ribs and navel. “Your solar plexus chakra. It corresponds to your feelings of self-esteem and control over your life. If it’s blocked, you’re gonna feel out of control and unable to tap into your own power. Doing this stretch and focusing on your breathing can really help unblock you and remind you that you’re in the driver’s seat.”
Toby lifted a skeptical eyebrow. “Is this the time to mention I was born without chakras? It’s tragic but true. I blame my mother. She didn’t have them either.”
I tilted my head to one side. “Doing this would repay any debt you might feel you owed me.” I blinked innocently.
He narrowed his eyes like he might protest, but in the end he threw up his hands. “Fine, then. What do I do?”
“Stand up straight, feet hip width apart.” I demonstrated. “Good posture is crucial for any yoga pose. Sometimes just standing straight makes all the difference in making you feel powerful.”
“Sure,” he grumbled, getting into position facing me. “When you’re a seven-foot-tall monolith.”
“Six and a half,” I said mildly. “Not quite Stonehenge.” I usually rolled my eyes at height comments, because I’d heard every single one of them a billion times, but I couldn’t deny Toby noticing my size felt different somehow, and I liked it.
And didn’t like that I liked it.
I was so screwed.
“So now what?” he demanded.
“Huh? Oh, right.” I refocused my attention on the situation at hand. “Now you close your eyes and breathe deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Extend your arms out to the sides. Then slowly, hinge at your right hip like this.” I sank into triangle pose with ease.
Toby twisted his lower back and leaned so far right, he nearly fell over. “M’kay, sorry, but that’s a big N-O. My hip doesn’t hinge in that direction.”
I rolled my eyes and stood up. “Of course it does. Everyone’s does.”
He shook his head sadly. “Born with no chakras and an unhinged hip.”
I chuckled helplessly and came around behind him, setting my hands on his waist. “Okay, start small. Just focus on your breathing for now,” I instructed, forcing myself not to notice how it felt to have my hands on him. “Inhale and let your stomach expand, exhale and suck your stomach in. Yeah! That’s it. Good job.”
Toby snorted. “Thanks. Been breathing on my own for nearly thirty-five years, but I’m glad I’m doing it right.”
I shook my head in amusement, though he couldn’t see me. “Arms out like an airplane—yes, good. Now, keep your legs and arms in alignment, and stretch your hand down like this.” Gripping his wrist, I guided him into position. “Let your hand rest on your leg and… yeah! That’s it. Now breathe deeply into the stretch. Awesome! Count to ten slowly, then straighten up, and do the same thing on the other side. Perfect! Focus on your breaths again. Feel yourself loosening right here.”
I reached around to slide my palm up his stomach, forgetting for a second that he was wearing a cropped shirt and that his warm skin would be directly under the heel of my hand. A hard jolt of electricity ran through me that had nothing whatsoever to do with my chakras and everything to do with my suddenly plumping dick, and I snatched my hand back like I’d been burned.