HANDLE WITH CARE (The Ludzecky Sisters Book 5) (7 page)

But she was churned up today. And it was because of him, damn it. She hoped pursuing a relationship with him was the right thing to do.

The door opened and he walked in. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt tucked into jeans that fit him as if they’d been made just for his body. His hair was windblown. When he caught sight of her, he smiled and approached her.

“Hi.”

She smiled back. “Hi.”

He sat.

A waitress came right over. “Hey, handsome, what will you two have?”

Sofia smiled when Max waited for her to go first. “A glass of chardonnay.”

“A Molson’s, Millie. Thanks.”

When the woman left, Sofia couldn’t help it. She shook her head at him. “Handsome?”

“Her husband teaches at the school. He’s a friend. Millie teases me all the time.”
He gave her a skeptical look. “Why? Don’t you think I’m handsome?”

“Of course I do.”

“Terrific. Because
you’re
beautiful.”

Appearances had stopped mattering to her when she was sixteen. So she didn’t understand why she lifted her hand and tugged the tie out of her ponytail. Long, straight hair drifted down her back, over her shoulders, past her rib cage.

His jaw literally dropped.
His eyebrows furrowed. Then he got up and walked around her. “Hell.” He sat again. “Huh! I hope this means you’re gonna see me socially, alone, because I’m not sure I can give up on you, darlin’, after seeing all that.”

He was so
obvious
it made her laugh. “I am giving you a chance. With parameters.”

“There you go again, making this sound like a business deal.”

“I want to see you.
To go out with you. I like you, Max. But I’m going to continue dating others and you should, too.”

“Gus Carney?”

“And Lauren Talbot.”

Folding his arms across his chest, he glanced away. Was thoughtful. Sofia appreciated that he didn’t jump to conclusions. Finally, he faced her again. “I can do that, since we don’t know if this’ll go anywhere. But I’d worry about you dating Gus.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to talk out of school, so to speak.”

“He told me he was involved with someone else and they broke up a few months ago.”

“Gus was devastated. He’d been going out with her for a year and thought they were headed toward marriage.”

“He didn’t want to end it?”

“No, he broke it off. Because she cheated on him. But I know he still cares about her.”

“Then he’ll
be the perfect date for me. We’re only friends at this point. Maybe I want it that way. Or he does.” Reaching out, she touched Max’s arm, where the shirt had been rolled up. His skin was hot. “But you’re sweet to care about him getting hurt.”

He nodded. “I do have a question about dating others. How far physically can we go?”

“
We
, as in you and me?”

A very masculine chuckle. “That,
too. But if you meet some other guy who wants to jump your bones, you gonna do it?”

“Are you sleeping with Lauren?” As soon as she said the words, she realized she didn’t like the idea.

“No, not yet. But we’re getting to that point.”

“I hadn’t thought that far.”

“Tell you what. Let’s see where this goes for a while between you and me. Then, if things…heat up on either end, we’ll
discuss it again.”

“I was pretty heated up on Sunday.”

“Oh, babe, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

She grinned, then sobered. “One more thing, Max. I
am
worried that you’re not at all like the men I’ve dated. And I don’t believe you ever saw yourself with someone as quiet and introverted as I am.”

“You think I’m the cheerleader type?”

“There’s nothing wrong with cheerleaders.”

“I know. I was making a point.”

“Well, yes.”

“Can’t say that isn’t true. And I don’t even know why I want to date you. But I do. And you obviously feel the same. So let’s leave it at that for a while.”

“All right.”

“Are you free now?”

“Tonight?”

“That’s usually what
now
means, after five o’clock.”

“Very funny.” She hated that he could make her say stupid things.
Sort of.

He nodded to her wine. “I figured you wouldn’t be drinking if you had to go back for yoga class.”

“I take some nights off. This is one.”

“Let me buy you dinner.”

“All right. Somewhere gluten-free and vegetarian.”

“Why, Sofia? I wondered the other night.”

“Experts say that’s the healthiest diet for someone who’s had leukemia.”

A shadow crossed his face. But
he said, “Then it’s fine by me. You pick the restaurant.”

“You’re being amenable all of a sudden.”

“This is the real Max. Mostly. You just brought the worst out in me.”

“Then I’ll try not to. I won’t nag you about the players taking yoga.”

“No, you won’t, because I’ve decided to try it out with them.”

“Seriously?” Her heart lifted to the heavens. “Why?”

“Because after stretching
at home and taking your yoga classes, I feel completely different. Looser. More mobile.”

Could he have told her anything more endearing?

“I thought maybe you could get away a few days next week, come to school and my kids can do a half hour of some of it before we lift weights.”

“The stretching is vital before such strenuous exercises.”

“
I
believe that now. But I’ll tell you, the
guys will bust a gut. I’m gonna have a talk with them tomorrow.”

“You want me to come for that?”

“No, sweetheart. It won’t be pretty.”

Max entered the weight room for the after-school lifting session. Three times a week, the team gathered to use the state-of-the-art equipment. He was tired today because he couldn’t quite let Sofia go after a surprisingly appetizing dinner. The black-bean burger in a gluten-free wrap had been tasty. She’d told him there were his kinds of food on the menu, but
he’d wanted to try it her way.

After dinner, they went for ice cream. She had a small cone. Everything about her—how she looked, what she ate, even her apartment—was Spartan.

Not her kisses, though. He’d followed her home and walked her upstairs to her place over the studio…

“Can I come in?”

She leaned against the door. “No. We’re taking this slow, remember?”

“You can’t believe
I’m not going to kiss you good night.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t kiss me.”

So he drew her close and buried his hands and face in her hair. “Do you have any idea how sexy this is?”

“I’m beginning to.”

She let him hold her, relish her hair, then he pulled back and kissed her. Soon, he was pressing her against the door. And she was plastering herself up against him…

“Hey, Coach,
what you daydreaming about?”

Taking a deep breath, he turned and smiled at his favorite player. He knew coaches and teachers weren’t supposed to have favorites, but this kid was a stellar athlete and an even better person. “Hey, Brad. I gotta tell you guys something today and I’m not looking forward to it.”

Brad dropped his gym bag. “You’re not quitting coaching, are you?”

“No, no.”
He socked the kid in the arm. “Never.”

“Then it can’t be that bad.”

“Let’s see.”

Fourteen guys showed up that day. Max didn’t take attendance, but he knew which members of the team came religiously and those who blew off the training. He told them to sit down on the mat. Then he sat, his legs crossed. Some kids seemed to notice.

“I got something to tell you. And if you don’t like
the sounds of it, give me a chance to explain.”

Brad, the co-captain of the team, said, “Whatever you want, Coach.”

His counterpart, Kirk, a junior, asked, “Is it bad?”

“No, just the opposite. You all know that we’re offering yoga classes next year in the fall.”

“Yeah, YFS.” When Max raised a brow, Kirk added, “Yoga for Sissies.”

That’s a bit namby-pamby for us jocks, don’t
you think?

“That’s not quite true.” He was delaying the announcement on purpose. They were all sitting with their knees up, not leaning against anything, or some stretched their legs in front of them and braced their hands behind their backs. But no one was cross-legged. “Before I explain, I want you to sit like me.”

Stillness. Then Brad sat up straight and slid one leg in, then the other.
His knees were way off the ground. Max’s didn’t touch the floor, of course, but they were quite a bit lower than his waist. Without saying a word, he waited for the others to obey. Ten kids could at least sit like this. But three couldn’t even manage any semblance. They were his most muscle-bound guys.

Max rocked forward and sprang to his feet (using his hands) and walked to the side. He’d
brought some smaller mats those three could sit on. When he instructed them how to use the mats, at least then they could cross their legs.

“So,” he said easily. “We’re gonna be doing some yoga exercises before weight training three times a week.”

Jaws dropped. Eyes widened. Then a lot of frowns.

“That wasn’t a request. But I want you to know why.”

He rattled off the same spiel
Sofia gave him.

No smiles yet.

“All right. I can tell I haven’t convinced you. If any of you can sit like me, with your legs as low as mine, you’re excused.”

That made them scramble. And laugh and tease each other. Not one was limber enough to do it.

“I rest my case. The teacher’s coming Monday and Wednesday to start out with.” Now he surveyed them with his most stern teacher look.
“And I know I don’t have to remind you about being respectful and attentive. And polite.”

Nods, all around.

“All right. Let’s do our regular stretching first, then go hit the weights."

Max had to laugh at the looks they gave each other. He was sure they mirrored his with Sofia the day she proposed this. Well, she’d charmed him into trying yoga, and so she could charm them, too.

He thought about last night. Maybe he’d just step out and call her. Tell her how it went with the kids. She’d probably want to know. Yeah, he was doing her a favor.

As Sofia tidied up the studio after a day of classes, she sighed when she caught a glimpse of outdoors. Bright sunlight filtered into the area and warm air caressed her skin. She wanted to be in nature’s glory.

So go.

Hmm, it was four, and Joni was coming in at five for night classes. Basically, Sofia was done. She decided to take a bike ride. On the way upstairs to change, she turned on her cell phone and checked her messages. A voice mail from Max was among them. He’d told the team. She punched in
return call
.

He answered on the second ring. “Hey, pretty lady. I was hoping you’d call me
back.”

“Are you still in one piece? After telling the guys?”

“Barely. They tried to tear me limb from limb.”

“Stop.”

“Actually, they took it well, once I showed them what I could do that they couldn’t.”

“Good idea.”

“So, are you at work?”

She glanced at the clock. “I’m done. I’m just about to go for a bike ride.”

“Where?”

“A city park near the studio. They have
trails.”

A hesitation. Then they said simultaneously,

“Want some company?”

“Do you have a bike?”

Laughter on both sides. Then, “Yes” and “Yes.”

“I’ll meet you at the park.” His voice pitched lower. “I’m dying to see you again.”

She shivered a bit. “It’ll take me ten minutes to get there.”

“I can be there in fifteen.”

“I want a blow-by-blow of the team’s reaction.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Pleased, Sofia disconnected. After changing into bike shorts and a hot-pink T-shirt, she went to the bathroom and braided her hair. He’d want to see it down, but not for riding.

Maybe later
.

After an easy pedal to the park, Sofia had to wait only a few minutes before Max showed up. His hair gleamed in the day’s sun, already wind-ruffled, its dark brown showing some
highlights. A red T-shirt and gray fleece shorts outlined his buff body.

He dismounted, crossed to her and kissed her briefly on the mouth. She closed her eyes to savor it.

“Don’t do that, babe.”

“Here we go again with the sexist language.”

“Just because it gets to you. Besides, you are a babe. And I like seeing how a little kiss affects you.”

“I like it, too.” Now, that just
slipped out.

They rode up inclines and down them. Over a winding path. She loved the feel of the wind on her face and thanked the universe again for her good health. Next to her, Max smiled all the way. Could anything be any more right with the world than this brief moment in time?

An hour and a half later, they headed to the bottom entrance to the park and locked up the bikes. From a
backpack she’d brought, they got out the water bottles she’d brought and sat on a bench under some trees.

Max heartily slugged back his drink. “God, that was fun. I don’t do enough of this.”

“Then you should. Don’t wait for the right time to do what you like best.”

“A lesson you’ve learned,” he said soberly.

“Yep. And I don’t want to talk about anything serious.”

He turned
to her and tipped up her chin. “Can I take it out now?”

“What?”

“The braid.”

“You have a one-track mind.”

“I do. Turn around.”

She did.

Slowly, he unlaced her hair. Smoothed it out, then leaned forward and inhaled. Sofia’s whole body trembled. The bench was under trees, so she wasn’t worried about people seeing them when he swept her hair to one side and kissed her neck.

“Ah.”

He worked his way around to her jaw.

Now her body melted.

His voice was hoarse and he said, “You like?”

She had to clear her throat. “I like.”

“Do you have to go back to work?”

She shook her head.

“What do you know? I don’t have meetings or anything tonight. We could go back to your place. Or mine.”

Sofia opened her eyes. “No way. Not yet.” She spied a
picnic table not far away. “But I have an idea.”