So, the plan had been simple. Build on my love of fitness and yoga and start my own studio. I'd had an inheritance burning a hole in my purse and the desire to be my own boss. So in 2018, I opened my little studio, and we specialised in hot yoga and fitness. It had been moderately successful. I had a loyal following of students, mostly 'yummy mummies' with time on their hands and money to spend who enjoyed stretching in the warm studio under my instruction.

Then, of course, covid had hit and the wheels had come off the bus. My little business went from profitable to a lockdown failure. What could I do when we were closed for eighteen months? I tried my best, but there was nothing I could do. I returned the keys to the landlord and waited to see what I could do.

Post-covid, I lacked the funding to own my own studio so I started working for Suzanne. She was older than me. I was twenty-six and she was in her forties, but she didn't show it as she walked around in Lycra leotard and yoga tights. She was beautiful, with her natural blonde hair that curled around her shoulders and her body which had not an inch of fat. She had once been my instructor and had welcomed me back to help her offer a few classes a week. I wanted to think she felt sorry for me but equally, I realised that I had been competing for her own studio and now she could lord it over me. I had to take it on the chin.

I looked in the changing room mirror. My brunette hair was still damp from the shower and I was carrying a couple more pounds than I would like. I realised Suzanne had been looking at me as I walked around in my yoga tights. I wasn't as perfect as herself and I could feel her stares as I carried an inch of flesh in some places. I wasn't fat, but I wasn't perfect. No, I wasn't as perfect as her.

I needed to change. I needed to find a solution and the idea had struck me at the gym as I worked out, desperate to lose the inches and tighten my body. I'd read about wet yoga which was carried out in the pool on large floats. It added balance and tension. I could approach them and suggest this. But as I pulled the resistance bands at the end of my workout, I thought that there must be another idea.

***

"So, let me get this right? Resistance yoga?" Suzanne just stared at me as if I was mad. Maybe I was. I had been shopping and the combined thought of resistance bands and wet yoga had come together in my mind in a totally mad idea. What if you could use the principle of floating and combine it with something that added resistance. I'd been pondering the idea in the baking aisle of the supermarket, dreaming of cake I knew I mustn't have. I'd been clumsy and had knocked a glass jar of syrup from the shelf. The viscus goo had flowed slowly and the idea had struck me.

"Yes. The yoga is carried out in a pool, but it's filled with a viscous syrup. It will add frictionless resistance, making the workout harder but less impactful."

Suzanne continued with her gaze. I had thought it through. You float on a mat on the surface of the syrup, but as you moved it would absorb the tension. Covering your body would slow your movements, adding resistance without using bands.

"But the mess?" She left the words hanging. I had thought of this, a warm shower was all you needed to melt the sugary syrup. We put down mats leading to the locker room and the ladies wash off.

***

She had gone away to think about it. I thought the answer would be a resounding no. But she surprised me.

"Look it's a risk. But we need to take some risks. I will try it." I started to gush enthusiastically. "But!" She stopped me; finger raised. "I want you to part-fund this. It will cost a fortune in" She paused. "Slop"

"Syrup" I said absentmindedly. Where would I get the money?

***


The answer had been a combination of my overdraft and bashing my credit cards. We purchased a large pool. It was like a giant kiddie pool which would allow six of us to float. It was set up in the ground floor studio which was often used for hot yoga, the heating set to full to heat the gallons of molasses which we chose to use. Golden syrup would have looked better, but animal-grade molasses was all I could afford. It was thick and tar-like, shining in the lights. I gazed at it, trying to ignore the smell.

Suzanne walked in beside me. "Well, you will find out soon if people will buy this."

There was a bustle and four of my regulars approached. Some of the usual group had cried off at the idea of something messy, but these four had been game. They were wearing their skintight Lycra outfits with bare feet. I smiled and invited them to step into the pool

"Ohhh!" Sue gasped as she stepped in. The heavy black goo seeped to her crotch. "Oh, it's so warm!" She squealed, wading slowly through the syrup. The other ladies looked between themselves and started to enter the pool. Caroline shuddered as her feet were slowly engulfed, watching as she slowly dipped her leg into the mass, she was being swallowed by the blackness.

Soon they were standing beside their mats. I entered at the top of the pool, I'd not really been in the molasses as yet and was apprehensive, but it was the temperature of a warm bath but thick. It embraced my Lycra outfit and I could feel it seeping through the thin fabric. I had suggested not wearing underwear and I could feel myself being swamped by the warm liquid.

"Dip down to your shoulders to get covered."

Slowly the ladies crouched, there were soon only heads above the surface. Rachelle had worn a swimming cap; the others were giggling as they were covered by the molasses. As they stepped onto their floating mats with varying degrees of success there was laughter and gasps. Before me was a room of shiny, rubber-like statues. The women were commenting as slow drips fell from their bodies.

I could hear deep breathing and more than one of the ladies was smoothing their hands over their bodies. Sue rubbed her breasts before trying to subtly run her hand across her flat stomach and across her crotch. She noticed the others looking.

"Look this is hot Okay! I think we can all agree with that!" She giggled. The others looked away embarrassed but it was clear the feeling was mutual.

Trying to stand on the mat was hard and one by one they slipped and fell into the molasses. There were shrieks before a lady would splat into the surface, sinking ever so slowly before regaining their composure.

All too soon the lesson was over. There were groans from some of them who wanted to wallow a little longer in the weightlessness of the pool, however, they soon trooped along plastic sheeting to the showers where the molasses melted and they appeared human again and ready to book more sessions.

***

"I doubted you"

I looked up. Suzanne was standing in the doorway. I was standing in the pool, up to my hips in the thick treacle.

"I hope you didn't need to."

"No, I didn't. You have been a success. I feel we could sell this a million times over and we probably will. It's your idea, your concept." She was biting her lip.

"Would you like to try it?"

She had been absent from the pool despite me encouraging her to try a session. Now, after two weeks the mass was almost hot, retaining the heat from the room and it was ready to be pumped away and replaced with clean syrup.

"I don't want to get my outfit messy"

I smiled, turning to leave the pool when I caught movement from the corner of my eye. Suzanne was undressing. Slowly pulling the Lycra from her beautiful body. Next, she stripped her bra, her breasts were perfect. I knew I shouldn't stare, but she was something wonderful. I felt an unexpected heat rise in my loins.

Finally, her panties slid down her perfect legs. She raised one leg, slowly dipping her toes in the syrup. She was as engrossed as everyone at how the molasses swallowed you. Taking you into its hungry grasp. She waded slowly towards me, her legs deep in the molasses, her perfect body pristine above.

I approached her, directing her to a mat but she just pushed me back. I fell, landing on the surface and started to sink. Suzanne was upon me, pushing me back, hungrily kissing me as we both sink beneath the surface before cresting as shiny statues.

She broke her grasp, fighting back. Desperately apologising. She wasn't sure what came over her, in that moment I knew the next thing that came over her would be me. I grabbed her, pushing her onto one of the floating mats, swirling my hands across her chest, feeling the hard nubs of her nipples. I sucked the sweet syrup from them, nibbling and embracing her.

We were dripping black syrup as she pushed me back, placing her head between my thighs, lapping at me so quickly finding the spot and bringing me to a crescendo. I slumped back as she lay beside me.

"I am so sorry But I had to do that. This liquid is so So, wanton."

I pushed her back, straddling her body as we explored our nakedness.

"Oh?"

We both heard a surprised cry from Sue. She had left her phone and had heard noises. She stood frozen for a moment before stripping her street clothes and flinging herself into the pool beside us.

It was many hours that we spent in the pool that first night, and it hadn't ended there. Word got out secret whispers circulated about this amazing workout and soon my clients became more than friends.

Of course, if you saw them in the wine bar or restaurant you wouldn't question their sexuality and they all returned to their husbands at the end of the day. But, for a short time each week, they were wanton and gave themselves up to the pool.