Sushi and Sun Salutations

by Hutchinson, Heidi

  Tessa returned and handed him a small bundle wrapped in tissue paper. She resumed her seat and continued eating popcorn and watching the movie as if all was all the same.

  Kip eyed her suspiciously for a minute before unwrapping the paper, revealing a set of ceramic measuring spoons—shaped like blue octopus.

  “Oh, wow,” he said under his breath.

  The vibrant blue of each spoon was a slightly different shade. Each one beautifully crafted and detailed.

  “Because you like to cook and stuff,” Tessa said softly.

  He glanced up to find her watching him intently. “Thank you.”

  The words seemed too small for what he wanted to express.

  But her smile blinded him and he knew it was enough.

  For now.

  ***

  TESSA

  The movie ended and Spencer went to bed saying she had to work early in the morning. But Tessa thought she just wanted to give her and Kip some time alone before he had to leave.

  Best wing-woman in the world.

  They had reached full cuddle capacity, wrapped in fluffy blankets on the floor, giggling about stupid things.

  Kip braced his elbow on the floor and rested his head against his fist.

  “I have something important to tell you but you can’t freak out.”

  Tessa acted like she needed to think about it for a second before nodding in agreement. “All right. I won’t freak out.”

  Kip studied her, amusement glittering in his green eyes. In the muted lighting, his dark eyebrows and hair brought out a ruggedness she was definitely appreciating.

  “I write poetry online under an alias. And I have for years.”

  She waited for him to say more but he didn’t.

  “Okay…” she said, trying to figure out what she was supposed to ask to get more information. “Do I know your alias?”

  He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and his fingers caressed the soft skin of her neck, giving her tingles.

  “If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone else. Not even Spencer.”

  Her eyebrows dipped. He was really seriously about this.

  “Okay, sure. I won’t tell anyone. Promise.”

  “I write under the name Cristoforo Luca.”

  Tessa’s head jerked involuntarily at that name. Because that name, that name, wasn’t just an alias. That name was famous.

  Relatively.

  It was famous to her.

  “It’s the Italian version of my given name, Christopher Luke,” Kip went on to explain.

  Tessa knew she should say something. Anything.

  But probably not what she actually said.

  “That’s so hot.”

  Kip blinked as if he wasn’t sure he’d understood her. He cleared his throat around a shy laugh. “Um, what?”

  Tessa heaved a breath and tried to come up with something more profound than a formerly super famous socialite’s catch phrase. But she came up empty.

  “Hot,” she said again. “I said it was hot.” She shrugged, owning it the only way she knew how.

  The longer the new information circulated in her mind, the more she agreed with her initial assertion. It was super hot.

  Cristoforo Luca posted some of the most soul searing and heart wrenching poetry she’d ever read in her life. In fact, on more than one occasion she’d been so moved by his words that she’d felt guilty for “cheating” on her unknown co-writer from high school.

  But it was the same person.

  And that person was currently watching her with those penetrating green eyes of his. His hand still lingered in her hair, his thumb touching the shell of her ear.

  “I want to kiss you,” she said softly.

  Kip’s pupils dilated and his eyes darted to her mouth. His lips parted slightly and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

  “Where?” he asked, words raspy.

  She touched the place on his neck where she could see his pulse thrum.

  “Here.”

  Her fingers slowly slid across his tanned skin to the front of his throat where is Adam’s apple bobbed with a swallow. “Here.” She moved lightly along his collarbone, pushing open the collar of his Henley. “Here.”

  He grabbed her hand with his and stilled her movement, his eyes still closed, his breathing heavier than a minute ago.

  After a beat, he opened one eye and narrowed it at her. “You’re very talented with your words and fingers.”

  She shot him a flirty smirk. “So are you.”

  He chuckled and squeezed her hand to his chest. “I think it’s time for me to go. But I want to take you on an adventure tomorrow.”

  Her disappointment in his departure was erased by the prospect of an adventure. Plus, that meant he wanted to see her again. And soon.

  “Just tell me when and where.”

  “I love that about you,” he murmured, his eyes bouncing back and forth between hers. “You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met.”

  The compliment shot through her and warmed her entire body.

  Kip sucked in a breath and sighed like he didn’t want to leave. He let go of her hand and stood, where he stretched his long, muscular frame, hands reaching the ceiling.

  Stealth sexy.

  Tessa ogled. Unashamed and unapologetic.

  Kip was gorgeous.

  And the more she got to know him, the more breathtaking he became.

  He reached a hand down and helped her up. She straightened her tank while walking to the door.

  “I’ll pick you up before lunch. Wear…” his eyes rolled to the side and his lips puckered as he thought about it. “Something to swim in. But nothing that could malfunction. And bring a change of clothes. And your list.”

  “List?”

  He tilted his head to the side and arched one sexy eyebrow. “Your list of all the things you wanna do.”

  “Oh.” She nodded. “That list.”

  He opened the door and she crossed her arms as she followed him partially out into the breezeway and leaned against the door jam.

  “Can I assume there will be food eventually?” she asked.

  He grinned and cupped her jaw with his palm briefly. “I will always make sure you’re fed.”

  “Good.” She waited until he’d made it to the stairs before waving goodbye and going back inside.

  The door latched behind her and she rested her back against it with her eyes closed.

  “You are so heart over head with this boy.”

  Tessa opened her eyes. Spencer walked into the kitchen and opened a cupboard. She took out a glass and filled it with water.

  “I like him very much,” Tessa agreed.

  Spencer arched one eyebrow as she downed the water.

  “I think he likes me too,” Tessa said the words causing her blush to return. She began folding the blankets they’d left on the living room floor.

  “Huh,” Spencer said flatly. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  Tessa tossed the blanket at her friend as she laughed. “Shut up.”

  Spencer set her empty glass in the sink and picked the blanket up, refolding it. “I think he’s very nice,” she said. “And if he’s what you want, you have my blessing.”

  “Thanks, Spence.” Tessa dumped the unpopped kernels into the garbage and put the bowl in the sink. She leaned against the counter and shoved her hands in her pockets. “He wants to see me again tomorrow.”

  “You guys are so cute I want to punch something,” Spencer said flatly.

  “Don’t worry, Spencer,” Tessa encouraged, patting her hand on Spencer’s shoulder as she walked past her. “Someday you’ll have someone who’ll make you all googly eyed and stupid too. Promise.” She grinned over her shoulder at her friend.

  Spencer snorted. “Not a chance.”

  CHAPTER 14

  throw your kisses in the air,

  light up the night sky,

  break all their hearts,

  and break mine twice
>
  -Cristoforo Luca

  TESSA

  Yes, Kip had said not to wear anything that might malfunction.

  However.

  Tessa was always going to be Tessa, and malfunctions were often part of the game.

  The game being her life.

  It was a truth she’d accepted long ago and the people in her life were pretty good at dealing with it.

  But maybe just this once she should have heeded Kip’s warning.

  She rolled her lips inward as she fiddled with the string bikini straps at her neck and watched the group of people before her.

  “What are you thinking?” Kip asked at her shoulder, his voice laced with controlled amusement.

  “I’m thinking about the current zoning issues in Santa Barbara and how that might affect Spencer’s taco truck habit.”

  No she wasn’t.

  She was thinking about how incredibly graceful that woman looked being lifted into the air like she weighed nothing. The way her back bowed and her skin glowed in the sun.

  This wasn’t the smooth, easy yoga of early mornings gone by.

  No, this was circus yoga.

  Kip’s hand touched her inner arm and slid down until their palms met. He curled his hand around hers and tugged toward an empty space on the beach.

  She tried not to stare at the couples surrounding them as they stretched and reached simultaneously for the sky and one another.

  “What, uh, what do you call this?” she asked quietly hoping no one else could hear her.

  Kip squeezed her hand and let go. He smiled as he shook out the blanket he’d brought along and laid it on the sand.

  “Acroyoga,” he said. “It’s a type of partner yoga.” He rested his hands on his hips and watched the other couples for a minute. He returned his eyes to her.

  Even though he hadn’t asked anything, she could see the question on his face.

  “This is really coupley,” she decided to point out.

  His lips tugged up on one side. “Yeah.”

  She ignored the way her heart panted at his response and scratched the side of her neck.

  “I feel like I need to remind you of the time I fell down and almost killed you.”

  His half-smile turned into a full one. “Oh, Peaches, you should know me well enough to know it takes more than that to nearly kill me.”

  He didn’t wait for her reply before he took off his shirt and immediately pulled it over her head. It fell to mid-thigh on her.

  And it smelled like him—happiness and sunshine.

  It was all she could do not to shove her face into the fabric like she was on a laundry detergent commercial.

  “Can you tie that so it doesn’t hang loose?” he asked.

  She could. And did. Making a knot in the front of the shirt so it fit her more snugly. He didn’t have to explain what the purpose was. She got it immediately. She had chosen to wear a barely-there bikini top which would not withstand the mid-air poses she’d witnessed many of the people around her doing—flawlessly, she might add.

  Thankfully she’d opted for her full-coverage bikini bottoms.

  While she knew her ass was probably on a few local plastic surgeons inspo-boards in their office, she liked to keep the goods covered. If anyone was going to see her bare bottom they were going to be marrying her.

  Which was why she wore boy short style bikini bottoms and always had.

  That package was wrapped securely.

  Even for acroyoga.

  Her stomach dipped as she thought about Kip’s hands on her.

  She sucked in a sharp breath as her eyes raked over him and his half-dressedness. Kip’s body was golden and tattooed and so forking lean. His muscles were long and elegant, so were his veins. They wrapped and twisted around his forearms and she licked her lips.

  Yeah, weird, right?

  But he was so yummy to behold.

  She wanted to touch him.

  But no, not yet. Not until she had a better understanding of where this was all going.

  Which was probably why the thought of him having his hands on her gave her such a shiver. She wanted it. But she wasn’t sure her body (which was the equivalent of a walking natural disaster) could handle it without bursting into spontaneous flames.

  Californians had to be careful of wild fires.

  Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of her, as a citizen, to allow a flame such as Kip to touch her kindling.

  Wait.

  That analogy really got away from her.

  And a whole lot dirtier than she’d expected.

  “You good?” Kip asked, bending slightly to look her in the eye with curious concern.

  She nodded.

  Sure. She would have to be okay, wouldn’t she?

  Besides, it was Kip. Even if she caught on fire, he’d probably do something heroic like carry her to the ocean to put her out.

  Could a person’s brain swoon?

  Because if so, that’s what Tessa’s had just done.

  Yeah.

  She was good. As long as it was with Kip, she would be good for a long while.

  “Okay, so it’s all the same stuff we’ve done before. Except this time, you’ll do the poses in air as I hold you up.” Kip got down on the blanket as he explained.

  “Right. Easy.” Tessa shrugged, knowing this was not going to be easy at all.

  “I’m not gonna drop you,” Kip said, trying to read her thoughts.

  She arched her eyebrows in obvious disagreement but decided not to argue with words because, she had to face it, when it came to words, Kip was better at it that she was.

  Also, it wasn’t the dropping she’d been thinking about. It had been his hands. On her. But now that he’d brought it up, the dropping thing could be a concern.

  “Try to ignore everyone else,” he coached, that slight edge of amusement in his words again.

  “If you wanted me to ignore the people, you could’ve brought me to a place where, say, there weren’t any,” she pointed out.

  He licked his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down on his smile. “C’mere, goof.”

  He reached for her hand and she gave it. Just like all those dumb girls on The Bachelor accepting their first rose.

  Idiots.

  And now she was one too—blindly grabbing hold of a beautiful man and hoping he wouldn’t let go.

  “We’ll start small. I’ll be the base and you be the flyer.”

  He guided her to stand before him where he had already removed his shoes and placed his feet flat on the ground.

  “I’m going to put my feet on the front of your hips and I want you to lean forward in a standing plank with your arms up. We’ll do that a few times until you’re used to relying on me to support your weight.”

  He went about doing what he’d described and Tessa did her best to follow instructions. The small movements were easy and she started to feel silly for being worried. Until he reached for her hands.

  “This time I want you to push yourself off the ground with your heels and I’ll support you with my feet. Keep your arms straight and tighten your core.”

  She did as he instructed and soon found her body in the air, parallel to his. Her only points to use for balance were her hands braced against his and the pressure of his feet on her hips. She glanced around at the other couples and her entire body began to tremble and shake.

  “Tessa, look at me.”

  Her eyes darted down to lock onto Kip.

  “Breathe in slow, 1…2…3…4…and out, 1…2…3…4…good. Keep your eyes on me.”

  She took in another breath and noticed the rise and fall of Kip’s chest with hers. Her body stabilized after another breath.

  Kip smiled, the skin around his eyes crinkling. “I’m gonna set you down now.”

  She nodded and didn’t fight the motion of being lowered. When she reached the ground, she sat down at his feet.

  “This is about more than getting me to enjoy yoga, isn’t it?” she asked.


  He sat up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s about that. But it’s also about trust and teamwork.”

  She wanted to make a joke. Something to relieve the pressure building in her chest. But every funny thing slipped from her mind. And wasn’t that funny in its own way?

  ***

  “Did you have fun today?” Kip asked.

  Tessa smiled wistfully, eyes closed, the nearby ocean crashing in the distance.

  “I did. Except for when you dropped me—”

  She was interrupted when an ice cube landed on her chest. She laughed and brushed it aside.

  “I didn’t drop you. You’re just a lot more uncoordinated than…” Kip’s voice trailed off and she opened one eye to see him finish with a head shake.

  “I don’t know what you want from me,” she said. “I warned you. These things just happen.”

  His lazy smile sent warm flutters through her insides.

  After acroyoga Kip had produced a small cooler from the van and they’d walked down the shoreline for a picnic. He’d made small sandwiches and paired them with fresh berries. When they’d finished eating they’d lounged in the sun just visiting about nothing in particular.

  Tessa was on her back on the blanket, soaking the rays into her tired muscles. Kip was angled toward her, propped up on one elbow. Every time she opened her eyes, he was already looking at her.

  It did weird things inside her body. Warm, tingly things.

  Also, he wasn’t wearing his beanie. His dark, thick hair was a mess of tangles and her fingers ached to run through it.

  “Did you bring your list?” he asked quietly.

  “Mmhm, she answered and waved her hand in the general direction of where she’d ditched her bag. “It’s in the front pocket.”

  She listened to him move away and the rustling of her canvas bag. When he returned she peeked at him with one eye. He laid down on his stomach and opened the folded piece of paper.

  “There are two lists here,” he observed out loud.

  Tessa closed her eyes again. “Yep. One list is the expectations set forth by my parents. The second list is what I actually want. I compare them as I go and make sure I’m doing what I want. Sometimes what I want and what they want match up, but it’s nice to have the list so I can see it for myself.”