The Hometown Hoax (The Hoax Series) by Heather Thurmeier Page B

usually only get physical education once or twice a week, I thought it might be fun to start a daily break where everyone in the school pauses to do a short, easy guided exercise routine. Simple stuff, like stretching and jumping jacks and maybe even an easy yoga move or two. Everyone can do mountain pose, can’t they?”
    “Tessa probably can’t,” Sally piped up from somewhere in the darkness.
    “I can do the mountain pose.” Tessa jutted her chin out.
    “Do it. I dare you,” Mary said.
    “Fine. I will.” She stood with her shoulders back and her eyes focused on Logan and acted as if staring at him intensely didn’t make her knees weak. “What’s the mountain pose?”
    They all laughed, except for Logan who stood on one leg with the other knee bent and at an angle while his foot rested against the knee of his straightened leg. As if that wasn’t enough, He raised his arms above his head and brought them down in front of his chest in a sort of prayer pose. And he did it all without a single wobble, flinch, or sway.
    Sure. I can do that too. No problem.
    As she attempted the same pose, she locked her eyes on his, refusing to be intimidated by his stability. She successfully balanced on one foot with only a mild wobble, sliding her opposite foot up her leg until her knee was bent and at an angle similar to his. Maybe it was a little lower, but whatever, close enough.
    “I did it.” She continued to balance with her arms outstretched to the sides, while her toes gripped the insides of her shoes as if they alone could make her stay upright.
    Logan came to stand in front of her. “Now you need to raise your arms above your head, like this.” He resumed the yoga position with ease and she tried to mirror his arm movements.
    As soon as her arms were above her head, it was as if her ankle forgot how to do its job. The wiggle of instability started up her leg and before she could put her hands into the proper prayer pose, she fell toward the fire, her leg shooting out to the side in a feeble attempt at counter-balance. But it wasn’t her extended leg that saved her from the flames.
    It was Logan’s strong arms wrapping around her torso and pulling her back to safety.
    Her skin felt fifty degrees hotter as she found her footing, all the while with his hands on her back, squeezing her gently against his broad chest. His biceps were large and firm in her hands as she clung to him, not even having realized she’d grabbed him. Now that she’d noticed, she couldn’t focus on anything but his taut skin beneath her fingers.
    “I’m fine. You can let go of me.” She made her voice as confident as she could, hoping none of her family would hear her nervousness and perceive it to be because of being in Logan’s arms. Because it wasn’t. Feeling his strong arms around her like she was getting a hug from a buff teddy bear who smelled like a mix of campfire and sex had absolutely no effect on her whatsoever. None.
    “You’re welcome.” He smirked. “I think you should do yoga with me some time. You could use the practice, and learning some basic balance would be beneficial too.”
    “What makes you a yoga expert?”
    “I teach yoga.” His eyebrows scrunched together a little making a crease between them. “Actually, I used to teach yoga at my gym before I had to close the doors.”
    The sadness in his voice created a pit in her stomach. She hadn’t expected that kind of response to his emotion, but it was as if her body knew he was hurting and instinctually wanted to comfort him. She wanted to pull him close, wrap herself around him, and let him pour his heart out to her. Instead, she took a step back and out of his arms. She wouldn’t get caught up in his world, not if his world was in Cutter’s Creek.
    “Sorry to hear about your gym, but I don’t want or need yoga classes. Thanks, but I’m fine the way I am.”
    He leveled her with his gaze. “I’ll remember that the next time you’re headed for the