I slipped in my Bluetooth headphones and shook out my head and the stress I was suddenly feeling. Getting into position on my mat, I faced the foam and went into downward dog, my butt in the air, pushing it out to get a good stretch. Taking another deep breath, I didn’t let my mind wander to you-know-who.
It was easier to pretend like we weren’t in this weird place where I didn’t know how to act around him anymore.
Lifting my leg in the air, I pressed my shoulder blades into the mat, deeply breathing out at the same time. Already feeling like the elephant on my chest was lightening up. Swiftly, I changed into a standing straddle, forward bend. Grabbing onto the back of my ankles, I pulled my chest as close as it would go under my legs. I’d been doing yoga since I began college, the four years of training made me very flexible and limber.
Never once did I open my eyes, knowing the mat by my memory alone. Slowly, I slid to the ground and laid on my back. Raising my hips to the air, I stretched my lower back, once again releasing another solid breath. Pumping my hips up and down a few times, I inhaled in and out. Making sure to feel the strain the movement was triggering in my muscles.
Gripping onto the inner sides of my feet, I got into the ananda balasana pose which basically looked like an upside-down frog. Letting my breathing go long and deep, I was about to change positions.
Except when I opened my eyes for the first time, I loudly gasped, causing my butt to wiggle in this extremely sexual position.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
Cain smiled, bright and bold. “Long enough to feel like I should be throwing money at you, but instead I’m just enjoying the free fucking show.”
I let go of my feet and shot up. “You shameless pig!”
“Nice to you see you too, Mi. This was a great welcome home greeting, next time you should do this in only a bikini.”
“Ugh! You wish.”
“I don’t have to wish anymore, all I have to do is close my eyes and look back on this moment. That little number you’re wearing doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
I was wearing a sports bra and spandex booty shorts.
“I’m usually alone.”
“Not anymore.”
“Oh, so you work out in the mornings now too?”
“Best way to start the day.”
“We’re going to have to set up a schedule where I can use this gym privately.”
“Why? I can help you stretch those tight muscles. You know, get you nice and wet.”
My mouth dropped open. “Cain!”
“What?” He innocently shrugged. “Don’t you want to break a sweat? It’s good for you.”
I glared at him.
“Do you know that you make sex noises when you’re doing what you call yoga, right?”
“I do not.”
“Mmm…” he loudly moaned, trying to mimic me.
“Running around all day at this marina is making my lower back sore. I was trying to stretch my coccyx.”
He grinned, eyeing me up and down. “If you keep making noises like that, I’m going to give you a coccyx.”
I couldn’t help it, I busted out laughing.
“There’s my Mi.” He beamed. “I missed you.”
I smirked. “I guess I kind of missed you.”
Cain laughed, throwing his head back. His laughter was contagious. “Are you going to be my boat babe today?”
“Oh yeah, now that you’re here. I’m at your service, only while I’m on the clock though.”
“Great. You can start by making me my protein shake.”
“I don’t start for another hour.”
“Perfect timing, I’ll be finished in here in about an hour.”
I picked up my mat from the floor. “I’m going to go shower.”
“Do you need any help in there?”
“Oh, look at you, you’re just so helpful this morning.”
“What can I say? I was raised a southern gentleman.”
“Gentleman isn’t exactly the word I’d use to describe you.” I thought about it for a second. “More like cocky bastard.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“I bet. I’ll have your shake ready for you when you’re done.”
“Wow, I’m really going to love living here.”
Cocking my head to the side, I spoke with conviction…
“Especially when you have to tip me.”
Chapter 26
—Leo—
“The subcontractor didn’t show up this morning, Leo.” The sound of my father’s stern voice rumbled through my office walls. “It was your responsibility to schedule him to finish up the electrical and make sure it passed the proper code in order for us to move forward with the build. This is going to set us back another month on a project that is already over budget. Do you have something to say for yourself?”
I leaned back into my leather chair. “I’ve been on the phone all morning trying to fix this.”
“And?”
“I’m still working on it.”
“Work on it faster.”
“I can’t work on it any faster than I already am. I was here until two this morning making sure the architect’s schematic aligned up with the city building code. I barely got more than two hours of sleep last night, I was here by five—”
“It’s your job and if you aren’t going to do it right then you have no business doing it at all.”
“I can’t control the subcontractor not showing up.”
“We have a whole address book filled with subcontractors we have worked with through the years. As a project manager, and my son, you should have had a backup lined up to avoid our company losing more money. I’m extremely disappointed with how you’ve handled this sit—”
“I’m working my ass off for you and all you do is remind me of everything I’m doing wrong.”
“I have high hopes for you, Leo. I’m not going to pat you on the back when you do things wrong. How else are you going to learn? I have made this company what it is today, and I want to ensure when I hand it over to you, you’re not going to run it into the ground.”
My lip curled upward but not in a smile or comforting way. If anything, it only added to the tightening sensation I felt deep within my bones that I swear radiated all around us.
“I’m handling it, all right? That’s all I can do.”
He grumbled shaking his head and walked out of my office.
This was my father to a T, and Mila wondered where I got my stubbornness from.
Mila.
I spent the last month working my life away while only thinking about her. If I would have known she was going to blow me off after she left, I would have begged her to stay like she wanted me to.
What the fuck? How do I fix this? How do I fix us?
As soon as those relentless questions plagued my mind again, the last conversation I had with Cain a couple of days ago played out too.
“Don’t worry, bro. I know you miss her. You’ve spent the last month like a lost fucking puppy with your dick tucked between your legs. You didn’t bang the broad from the bar last week when we met up for late drinks. Did something happen between you and Mila before she left?”