“I don’t use it much. I’m not into community pools or hot tubs. I use the gym a few times a week to lift, but go when I know it’s not too crowded. In the winter I’ll spend more time as I’m doing cardio.”
“I bet you get bothered a lot too,” she said as he opened the door.
“I do. You probably get hit on the whole time you’re in a gym.”
He knew he’d want to. It wasn’t his style and it always made him laugh at the idiots who thought a woman showed up there hoping for the attention while they were sweating their ass off.
Sure, there were the fair share that came in for appearance, put in their time, barely broke a sweat, giggled, chatted and hoped to land the eye of someone.
He’d rather keep his eye on the chick dripping when she was done. The one who was on a mission like him, then out the door.
That was more appealing. The ones who didn’t want the attention.
“It happens,” she said. “But I don’t engage. I get in and out. Who knows, maybe I should have been more open to it and I wouldn’t have been single as long as I’ve been. I just always assumed anyone who did that, did it all the time and it’s not the type of man I wanted to be with.”
“That’s it,” he said. “And here I am being rude standing here. Got two bedrooms right here. They both have a bathroom in them, one is my office.”
She popped her head into the rooms as they moved down the hall. Both rooms were average in size. Small for a home, but average for a condo. Nice sized windows with a view of city buildings, which was more important to him. Especially knowing he worked in one of them.
“It’s a lot of natural light.”
“I like that,” he said. “I had it growing up so wasn’t going to compromise. Down this hall is the primary suite.”
He didn’t go down it, and she kept moving. No reason to make them both uncomfortable.
“This is nice,” she said, going into his open living area. “That kitchen. Tell me you cook.”
He laughed. “Despite what you might think of my grocery shopping this morning, I do cook and enjoy it.”
His kitchen took up one wall completely, then had an island with four chairs, a six-person dining table after that, then right into his living room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The corner unit was more and he was willing to pay for it.
“I love cooking,” she said. “More so in the past few years. Even just cooking for one doesn’t bother me. I eat it leftover.”
He wanted to suggest they cook together later, but they needed to just get through the rest of the day and it wasn’t even eleven in the morning yet.
He opened his fridge, pulled out two bottles of water and handed one over, then they left.
“Let’s hit the Freedom Trail.”
Two hours later, they’d stopped in to about half the sites, some just a quick glance and out. He wasn’t in the mood to do that all day and didn’t think she was either, rather just exploring different areas.
He pointed out great food spots, stores, entertainment.
“I’m starving,” she said. “Quincy Market good?”
“We can get something quick and find a seat on a bench if you want.”
He would have rather gone to a restaurant, but this was better.
It was still laid back and fun, not tense for her and sure the hell not for him.
Not with her bumping into him a few times while they walked around other people. Or him placing his hands on her side or shoulders to guide her away or balance her.
She was on the smaller side and seemed to get nudged more than him.
“I want a lobster roll.”
