Balance (Off Balance Book 1) (12 page)

Kova propped his hands on his hips. “You are skeptical.”

Sometimes, just sometimes, I wished he’d use contractions.

“I am,” I said honestly.

“So we will do a little test. Today, we warm up my way and then you start your workout. Tomorrow, and the next couple of weeks, you do it your way and see how it goes.”

I smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

Kova ushered me up and took me to the floor, where I did a split that didn’t quite reach the ground, and a squat where my hips were parallel to my knees, but I couldn’t go any farther. It actually hurt to squat this low without stretching the way I normally did. “Now, remember where you started this morning, yeah?”

I nodded and he took me back to the table. I decided not to question him. Regardless of his unusual training habits, I knew I was limited with my range.

Kova had me lie down, face up, and place my foot on my thigh. My back bowed just a bit and my knee didn’t fall to the side, which meant my hips weren’t open just yet. I did this with both legs. Then brought my knee to my chest again, and this time he stepped up to my side to help, catching me off guard. Kova placed his hand on the back of my bare thigh and my heart did a little somersault in response. He pressed my knee to my chest and used his other hand to hold down the opposite thigh.

The silence was odd. Really, really odd. Kova fixated his gaze on the white wall behind my head. I was curious to know what went through his mind since his eyes hardly moved. He was focused and in the zone. His body was so close I could see a hint of his facial hair growing in, but he smelled amazing. So good I inhaled a little too loud to get a better sniff.

He looked down and instructed, “No. Breathe with your stomach, not your chest and shoulders. Your stomach should come out when you inhale and your ribs will expand. We will work on breathing too, just not today.”

With my eyes locked with Kova’s, I drew in a measured breath. My heartbeat picked up in the silence and I took note of where he placed his hand—way up on my leg near my mini shorts. Okay, maybe it wasn’t way, way up. It wasn’t like I had these long super model legs or anything, he just had large hands that took up a lot of space on my thigh.

I exhaled leisurely and he gave a slight nod of approval. Kova let go and walked around to the other side of the table where he applied the same technique to my opposite leg. He watched me, as I did him, and I wasn’t sure what to think of the dense silence between us. I couldn’t tell if his focus was on making sure I breathed correctly, or to count the freckles on the bridge of my nose.

His hand moved to the back of my thigh and pressed inwardly, deeply massaging my hamstring with his fingers. My stomach clenched, the sensation shot straight to my core, causing a burst of heat to strike through me. I had a notion it wasn’t supposed to feel this good.

“Your hamstrings feel a little too tight. Even with muscle, you should feel soft here, not hard like a rock. Loose and pliable,” he said, voice low, and continued to feel around. “This is probably due to over stretching and overuse. Stiff muscles are not healthy and can cause lack of flexibility in both your hips and legs, which then could result in an injury. Stretching your hips consistently is key and should be done daily.”

The pull inside my leg was tight and the urge to bend my knee was strong. Kova sensed the lift in my leg and firmly said, “No.”

His calloused hand leisurely drifted down my leg and gripped my knee. “Breathe. Feel what your body is doing, what position you are in, what it will help you accomplish. Focus on the movement and what it will do for you.” His hand continued to my calf and he clucked his tongue in disapproval when he prodded the toned muscle.

I closed my eyes and followed his instructions. My body began to relax as I imagined the position I was in, the new way of stretching that would help me in the future. Opening my hips, I counted to ten and then reopened my eyes, only to find Kova immersed in me.

He was close, so close his breath hit my cheek. I knew his eyes were a pretty shade of green, similar to mine, but where I had wide, doe eyes, Kova’s were more prominent and forward. Demanding. The lime green encased by the black circle was remarkable.

“Your eyes...” I whispered, “they’re beautiful.”

The corners of his mouth curled up, his full lips twisting into a grin. My cheeks glowed with warmth and I became innately aware of my surroundings, Kova’s close proximity, and where his hands were, how his fingers pressed into my skin. A flush of heat surged through me and I wondered if he could feel my skin warming. He leaned in just a bit more to press on my leg. The strain was more acute and I fought against a grimace.

Just before backing away, Kova’s mouth opened as if he was going to say something. Only, his eyes hardened and a crease formed between his wide brows. Nothing came out.

Me and my stupid mouth.

The weighty silence was too much for me to handle. “You guys should get a radio,” I suggested, anything to bridge the weirdness between us. Kova looked perplexed, at a loss for words over my idea. As if a radio was such an appalling suggestion.

“We do not need a radio in this room, only in the gym for floor routines and the dance room. You will lose focus with music. Do eight counts in your head.”

This had to be his idea of a joke. A really lame joke. He wanted me to do eight counts, counting to eight over and over to myself...a million times!

My eyes scanned around the room. “I don’t see how that’s possible with you nearly lying on my leg.”

Fuck. Avery would have a field day with me once I told her the stupid shit that came out of my mouth.

“I am not going to acknowledge that sarcastic little comment of yours.” Kova stepped back and took my ankle into his hand. “Put your leg down,” he said. I did, and he placed my ankle over my thigh to lie flat, in a half butterfly position. Standing in front of me with one hand on my knee and the other on my ankle, he applied pressure.

Jesus Lord, did I ever feel the strain in my hips now. This was a different pull compared to the times I stretched, and I was beginning to see what he meant earlier. My chest pushed out and my head angled back. I squeezed my eyes shut to deal with the burn. “Uh-uh.” He lightly slapped my thigh, bringing my attention to him. “Lie flat and breathe correctly. I will let up a little bit.”

Focusing on his eyes, I did as he instructed. He kept his word and eased up, but not as much as I would’ve liked.

“Inhale, exhale, Adrianna. Stop breathing like you are running for the first time in your life. You are not a fish out of water. It is not that bad.”

A burst of laughter came out of me. My eyes widened and I flattened my lips between my teeth so I wouldn’t laugh again, or smile, which only made it worse. Between his odd comments and heavy Russian accent, I couldn’t help but want to imitate him. Not to be mean, but because it sounded funny.

“I’m sorry for laughing,” I said, covering my mouth. “I don’t know why I found that funny.”

Just when I thought he was going to scold me for my outburst, Kova’s face relaxed and a flash of humor settled in his eyes. Shaking his head, there was a faint grin on his face.

“If you keep that kind of breathing up, it will only work against you in the future.”

“How do you feel now?”

Standing, I lifted my knee and pulled my leg up in a half circle in front of my hips. “I don’t know, I think I can tell my range is broader. My hips feel more open, if that makes sense.” And they did feel a bit looser, which was nice.

He nodded. “Good. That is what I want you to feel. Now go get ready for practice, I will see you over there.”

Kova patted my shoulder and then left. I quickly gathered my things and made my way to the locker room where I found Hayden.

“How’d it go?” he asked from the other side of the room.

“As good as it could possibly go, I guess. His methods are a little strange. ”

“What do you mean?”

“With his drills and stretches. He does things I’ve never seen or heard of in my life.”

Hayden smiled, his dimples showing as he looked in his duffle bag. “But he knows his shit.” Shutting his locker, he walked over to my side. “You want to go to Starbucks after practice? Grab a coffee? ”

I pursed my lips together. “My, Hayden Moore, I hardly know you. Are you asking me on a date?” I said in a heightened, sarcastic, southern belle voice. “‘Cause you know Mr. World Cup himself says that’s not allowed.”

Hayden cracked his knuckles as a smile slid across his face. He was pretty cute. “How about you buy your own coffee. That way it won’t come off as a date, because believe me, it’s not.”

I shut my locker door and turned toward him. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I
S
W
ORLD
C
UP
everything you thought it’d be?” Hayden asked. It was early, only five in the afternoon, and we were finished with practice.

We grabbed our coffees, plus a sandwich for him, and made our way outside to one of the tables. I’d called Alfred and let him know I was going to get coffee with my new friend and that he would give me a ride home.

I chuckled, unsure how to answer his question. “Hard to say, it’s only been a few weeks. Ask me again in six months.”

Sitting down, he unwrapped his food and I could smell the delectable scent. My stomach grumbled. I was starving, but I also needed to watch my weight.

“Want half?” he asked.

I gave him a droll stare. “You know I can’t have that.”

“Sucks to be you,” he said playfully, popping a piece into his mouth.

Cupping my venti coffee, I took a sip of the dark roast I’d come to love. With just a splash of coconut milk, I was good to go.

“I’m curious,” he said swallowing. “How did you find out about World Cup?”

My eyes shot to the table. “My dad’s friends with Coach and gave him a call. They do business together sometimes.”

“Ah, that makes sense. So, honestly, what’d you think of Kova?”

I was glad he didn’t prod. “He’s...interesting. And different than any other coach I’ve ever had. I’m open to anything that’s going to help me, but at the same time, I don’t know what to think. You know what he told me this morning? That I have to basically manipulate myself. He didn’t say manipulate, he said train my brain, but I’m ninety-nine percent positive it’s what he meant. Train my brain to do what exactly? Things I know I’m not ready for so I can break a bone and be out for the season? Who encourages that?”

Hayden laughed and I felt myself loosening up. “I don’t think he means it in that sense. I think he just wants you to change your way of thinking to a safer route that will have a lasting effect. Think outside the box. He said similar things to Reagan from what I’m told. And I only know this because my sister told me one night. I’ve seen what he’s capable of, and it’s big things.”

I nodded, taking in what he said. Interesting that he worked with Reagan. A light breeze blew the unruly strands of hair that had fallen loose from my ponytail across my face and I pushed them aside.

Hayden grew serious. “Don’t be afraid to question things, but also trust your coach would never do anything to put you at risk. He can be Captain Dick Head when he wants to be, but have a little faith in what he’s capable of doing. You wouldn’t be here if he didn’t think you could do it.”

I sighed and took another sip of my coffee. His encouraging words helped. So much was up in the air, I wasn’t sure what to think. I wanted so much in so little time. “You’re right.”

He ate the last bite of his sandwich and rubbed his hands together. “When do you work with him again?”

I shrugged, looking around. “I have no idea. I guess when he has time. But God, Hayden. The silence was so strange. He was up close and stretching me and shit.” Hayden smiled, his blue eyes twinkling, and I found myself smiling in return. Oddly, his presence unruffled my feathers. “I didn’t know what to do, what to say. Do I say anything? What did Holly do when she did this?”

“Holly didn’t have to do any extra conditioning.” My shoulders dropped, along with my self-confidence. Hayden sat up taller. “She didn’t have to do what you’re doing because we’ve been at this gym for many years, since we were kids, so she’s already accustomed to its ways.”

I pursed my lips together. He had a point.

“Why don’t you ask Reagan how her sessions went? She worked with him for a while.”

“I have a sinking suspicion she doesn’t like me, so no.”

Hayden looked toward the sky as if he was lost in thought. “Listen,” he said, leaning forward and looking me square in the eyes. “Don’t stress about the small shit. It won’t mean anything in the end. Focus on what’s important, the big picture. Your love of gymnastics. Just do you and you’ll be okay.”

Taking a deep breath, I expelled it and smiled. “I think that’s exactly what I need to do.”