Taking a few paces back, I inhaled deeply and visualized the Jeté before I moved again. With my shoulders relaxed back and my chest arched forward, I sashayed in two steps with my arms gracefully out to the side. Kicking one long leg forward, followed by a flick of my hip twisting in the air to bring my other leg around, I scissor kicked my legs quickly by tapping at the toes before I landed.
I looked at Kova who wore a lovely, sardonic glimmer in his eyes.
“Are you still going to tell me you did not drop your chest?”
“I didn’t. I know I didn’t.”
Kova tilted his head to the side. “You have too much power in your back swing, so you cannot balance it out. Do it again, but do not try and force open your legs as wide. Watch yourself in the mirror.”
I did as he said, only this time it felt less than perfect.
“That was a half-assed turn,” I admitted.
Kova’s lips curved upward, his eyebrows lowered, and I felt his agreement in my stomach.
“It was. It was terrible. But I told you why and you seem to think I am lying.”
I did it again. And again. Four more tries and I became increasingly frustrated with each step I took, all while he watched closely with scrutinizing eyes. I wanted to prove him wrong, because surely I would know if I was dropping my chest or not.
After I finished the fifth turn, I ran my fingers through my sweaty hair and clenched it, groaning in irritation over the fact I couldn’t master a move as basic as this.
“Show me how to do it correctly.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Please?”
He nodded silently. “Come with me.”
Following Kova, he led me to the center of the floor. He stood in front of me and grabbed my forearms so my palms would rest in the crest of his elbows. He tugged me forward until both our arms were tightly bent at our sides, holding each other in place.
Looking directly in my eyes, he explained. “You are going to jump once for power, then jump again and do the same move as before, only this time you are holding my arms. It will give you momentum, but will also allow you to condition your back kick and keep your chest up. It is the same as you would do on the barre, but I am holding you. Your chest will not drop in my arms the way it would on the barre.”
I nodded, took a deep breath and jumped into the kick, only to lean into his chest with a grunt, getting a hint of his cinnamon and citrus scent but with a trace of something more. Whatever it was, he smelled divine, and it assaulted my senses.
“Again. But this time stretch your legs as wide open as a kick split will allow you. Do it ten times, but on the last one stop with your leg in the air. Got it?”
My brows scrunched together. “But you told me not to open them as wide just before.”
“This is different. You will not be able to lean in my arms. Just trust me.”
I jumped and then kicked back ten times, just as he had instructed me to, stretching my legs as wide as possible with each kick. Kova was right. I couldn’t drop my chest here and I felt the slight pinch in my back at this angle. I didn’t move. My palms were sweating and I wish I’d chalked up my hands before I gripped his forearms to steady my balance. Our eyes stayed locked the whole time, never wavering. His persistence to see me complete this kick correctly shifted something inside of me.
Out of breath and leaning toward Kova’s chest, I waited with my leg elongated in the air behind me for him to speak. The air circulated around us from the exercise and I could smell him even better at this angle, not that I should want to, but I also couldn’t stop myself from drawing in a small breath.
God, he smelled so good.
Something felt different tonight while I waited in his arms to critique my form. I became more aware of the strength he exuded, the power in his hold, the way he stared down through his thick eyelashes. The complete domination. My stomach clenched at the sudden thought of what his strength could do to me...and the fact that we were alone in the gym...again.
Craning my head as far as my neck would allow from this odd angle, I peered through damp bangs that fell in my face.
The look from Kova’s eyes seared heat into my skin. His fingers tightened under my forearms as if he was angry. Surely, I hadn’t done it wrong again. A move that was normally so easy for me was giving me such problems tonight. Him staring at me like he wanted to wring my neck wasn’t doing wonders for me either.
“What did I do wrong?” I asked breathlessly.
Kova’s jaw locked back and forth at my question.
“Point your toe. Bring your chest higher.”