I can still feel the weight of his confession about his dyslexia—how vulnerable he allowed himself to be with me, how he trusted me with something that had caused him pain. The memory of his face in that moment, open and honest, makes something in my chest ache. And then there was the way he listened when I told him about Casey, how he didn’t try to fix it or offer empty platitudes. He just… understood.

Shaking my head to clear it, I guide the class into child’s pose, the final one of the class, and instruct everyone to hold it for a few minutes to relax and bring themselves back to the room. But as I’m sitting on my knees with my forehead against the ground, I feel anything but settled. Declan is going to be here any minute, and suddenly I’m feeling super self-conscious.

I ran to the studio today after class, just like I normally do, and this more advanced class has been a real workout, so I hope I don’t look or smell like I’ve been put through the wringer when he gets here.

By the time I bring everyone out of the pose and end class, I decide to take the world’s fastest shower in the half hour or so that I have left before Declan arrives. Normally, I’d wait around and say goodbye to everyone as they leave, but as they start to pack up their things and stream toward the door, I hurry to the office where I keep my bag with my shower stuff and dart to the locker room.

As I pull back the shower curtain and switch the faucet on, a little voice in the back of my head nags at me, demanding to know why I care so much about how I look when I’m just going to get sweaty and mussed up again during my next lesson anyway. I know exactly why, but I can’t admit it, even to myself, so I just turn the water as hot as I can stand it and peel off my clothes.

The water instantly turns my skin red as it sprays my back and arms, but it feels amazing on my joints and muscles that are already a little angry with me for all I’ve put them through today. But even here, I can’t get my mind off Declan. Can’t stop thinking about the intense kiss we shared at the table, when he dared me to do exactly what I wanted—and the way I responded.