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“Any tips for when I get stressed?” he asks.

“Deep breathing like we’ve done is super simple and very effective. Sometimes, a hand on heart can help to really ground you too,” I suggest, thinking about what would be quick and easy for him to implement into his stressful days.

“Hand on heart?”

“Put your hand on your heart like this.” I lift my hand and place it palm down on my chest, and he copies my movement.

“Feel your heartbeat under your palm and close your eyes. Continue to breathe slowly, and eventually, your deep breathing will align with your beating heart. The heart is the most central and significant part of our body. It’s rhythmic, a steady warrior in stressful times. Placing your hand on your heart and that of your loved ones can represent great connectedness to yourself and others.” This move is more aligned with partners, but the theory is the same.

He opens his eyes but doesn't move his hand, and we stare at each other, just breathing in the peaceful morning for a moment. Lifting his other hand, he places it over mine, which is covering my own heart, and my breathing changes.

“Like this?” he asks, his gaze burning into mine, and I swallow roughly.

“Yes, like this,” I say, mirroring his movement, placing my own palm onto the back of his hand where it lays on his chest. Our soul gazing turns into a hands-on heart circuit. These movements have gravitated from general meditation to the beginnings of Tantric sex methods, something I haven't studied at length, but I know the basics, even if I’ve never tried.

“The heart chakra is one of the most vulnerable chakras and can be easily wounded by emotional pain or loss. Sometimes, we hold on to things for a long period of time and deep breathing and heart connection helps alleviate those feelings. The heart chakra is also the center of our ability to love and be loved,” I murmur, feeling connected, as one, the emotions I’m feeling growing in intensity.

As we sit here in the quiet, looking into each other's eyes, I can feel the pure life force emanating from him. Tantric sex is often shared in a sacred place, something partners do to connect on deeper levels. It’s intimate, bringing the fire of sexual energy, passion, and desires into alignment with your heart and your spirit. This connection makes sex healing, empowering, transcendent, and profoundly beautiful. The kind of lovemaking that feelstrulyconnected, aligned, massively powerful, and filled with the utmost respect and devotion.

Connor and I haven’t had sex, but the connection I feel to him right now is overwhelming and almost too much. My body tingles, my heart races, and my need for him becomes undeniable.

“Let the love that’s in your heart shine out through your eyes.” My meditative state is still talking as our gaze on each other doesn’t waver. It’s raw, emotional, and like nothing else I’ve experienced. I feel like I’m baring my soul to him, showing him everything inside of me, not hiding a thing. Trusting him to keep it safe. In return, I feel his strong, masculine energy emitting from him, his protectiveness, his emotions, all of it. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows, seeming just as affected by this as me.

“This feels special, Daise,” he whispers, the cute nickname making me feel even more connected.

“It is special, Connor,” I whisper back as we take a few more deep breaths. If this was a Tantric sex moment, the movement would begin to change. I would probably sit on his lap. Our hands would start exploring, maybe our lips would start trailing each other’s skin. Just thinking about it sets my skin on fire, has my heart racing and my pussy pulsing. I clear my throat, bringing myself back into the moment and allowing us time to refocus on the here and now. Lowering my hand from his chest, he trails his down my arm slowly, electrical current pinging from my skin before he grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“That was…” he starts to say, mouth parting, then closing. It’s confirmation this has affected him. My mind is clear, my body humming, centered around my one true north, which, right now, is Connor.

“Meditation can take many different forms. Mostly, it’s about quieting the mind and deep breathing techniques, but sometimes it can feel spiritual, intense, different.” I’m still trying to understand it all myself. In all my years of meditation and yoga, both in class environments or with my previous one-on-one coaching, I’ve never experienced anything like that. My mind’s a little frazzled.

“I liked it. I liked doing it with you,” he admits, grinning as he entwines our fingers together, resting our joined hands on my knee. My stomach flutters at his openness, the way his simple touch feels.

He starts to stand, pulling me up with him as we both begin to feel our own bodies again. It isn’t lost on me that neither of us has let go of the other's hand. I don’t want to, and he doesn’t look like he’s in a hurry either.

He smiles as he looks down at me. “So… um… Connor gave you some paperwork earlier in the week… Do you have any questions about it?” he asks, and my brow furrows in confusion at the sharp pivot of the conversation back to work topics.

“Paperwork?” I think of all those contracts and forms sitting on my desk before I remember Sawyer passing that folder to me.

“Sawyer said he gave it to you…”

“Oh yes! Sorry, it’s at the bottom of my pile of contracts. He said it wasn’t urgent, so I haven’t even looked at it,” I tell him, now wondering if itwasmore urgent and I’ve messed up somehow.

“Damn Sawyer,” he grumbles as he grabs his beard, something I notice he does at times.

“I can look at it today. Is that okay?” I offer, planning to get through some work on the weekend anyway.

“It’s fine. Take a look on Monday,” he says with a slight shake of his head, looking almost deflated. “I need to go. Thanks for the yoga session, Daisy.” A sweet smirk curls his lips as he squeezes my hand before walking back to his place, swiping his shoes and shirt from the ground mid-step.

“You’re very welcome…” I whisper, in a daze as I watch him go, my body still buzzing from what we just experienced together. I think it’s time to do more research on Tantric sex.

22

CONNOR

I’m buzzing. I have no idea how she does it, but every time I’m with Daisy, my stress lowers, my need for her grows, and I ache for her like no other. Yoga with her on the weekend has emphasized that feeling, and even though Mondays are usually frantic, I’m killing it today. I own the day. Like,own the fucking day. I have been on fire at work for hours, finalizing overseas orders, getting our new product into branding, and even with Lacy not here at the moment and my workload doubled, I’m getting things done quicker than we would if she were here.

“Why do you have a spring in your step?” my dad asks as he walks into my office, taking a seat in the armchair and leaning back, relaxing, watching me.