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Share Us
“You’re probably right. But I’m glad we did. I’ve wanted you this way for so long. I don’t regret it, Lee.”
“I don’t regret it either,” I said, my body still alight from his kiss and touch.
CHAPTER24
AARON
Aweek passed. So much of my distraction before that night had been from wanting her, longing for her and knowing I couldn’t have her. Then she invited me upstairs, put her hands on my bare chest, and I had her, all of her that night. Since then, my distraction was a series of flashbacks, vivid memories of the most erotic night I’ve ever known, the way she clenched around me, the way her nipple pebbled in my mouth, the way she kissed me as I came deep inside her. It had been so intense, so much more than anything I’d ever done or felt before.
Things were easy between us, no awkwardness or regret. We could laugh together, share a secret smile. I touched the small of her back as I went past. She looked over her shoulder at me, a knowing look that made me hard at the memory. Of course I wanted more, wanted her again, but it was risky. She was my student. My intern. We couldn’t get careless.
Her rapport with the gym members was excellent and she got along well with the staff. I loved seeing her there, in her element, so perfect for this kind of work. Bright and beautiful and full of energy, leading clients through workouts, teaching classes, even joining in a class herself once in a while for the fun of it. She acted like she was at home there, like she never wanted to leave. I felt my chest tighten at the thought.
Leanne had sat in my office and gone over payroll numbers with me, talked about scheduling. She was interested in the business side of running the gym as well and had gone over spreadsheets with the same interest she had when she adjusted the resistance on a machine. When she’d leaned over my shoulder to look at the laptop, the side of her breast had brushed my cheek. I’d turned toward her, to see if it was an accident. She gave me a mischievous half smile.
“Sorry,” she said a little ruefully. “I know we can’t. And you have a window.” She nodded toward it.
I looked with pure hatred at my interior window. “I can close the blinds.”
“You never do. It would make people wonder,” she said.
Leanne stood up then and pointed out a formula, asked why I’d used that one. I cleared my throat, drained half a bottle of water and explained. It was bringing us closer somehow, this shared secret, the fact that we could whisper about the torment of not touching each other, the fact we knew we could not risk it.
Sharing the struggle made it easier, and made us more relaxed, more playful around each other. When she pulled out the label maker from my drawer and started showing me how she’d change the way the resistance bands and yoga blocks and straps were organized, I was laughing with her.
“You love this, don’t you?” I asked.
“100% yes,” she said, leveling me a serious look. “Labeling equipment is serious business. Don’t let me catch you laughing or checking out my ass. This is important work.”
Then she tapped the screen, printed a label and stuck it on my shirt. I rolled my eyes and looked down at it.
Soon,it said. Full of promise and enough to make me struggle to master myself in the moment. Because soon didn’t feel soon enough.
It was later that day when Paulette, the receptionist who had been there the longest, popped into my office and asked if I had a minute. I called her in and told her to have a seat.
“I need some advice, A,” she said. “My friend Melody is recovering from bulimia. She’s been in therapy and on some medication for it. She wants to start working out and she asked if she could come here. I normally would’ve offered her the friends and family discount, but in this case, I don’t know what to do. She doesn’t want to cross-addict to exercise, since it can be compulsive too. What do you think I should do?”
“Paulette, bring her in here tomorrow morning and I know just the person to help her. Don’t worry. We’ve got this. And I’m glad you told me. It’s confidential, and we’ll make sure she’s comfortable and well taken care of.”
Without a doubt, I was matching Melody with Leanne. Leanne was perfect for this—she knew the struggle to recover from an eating disorder and find a healthy relationship with the body and exercise in the wake of all that. I texted Leanne to give her a heads-up and the next morning, bright and early, she was there waiting.
Melody and Paulette came in, and I introduced Melody to Leanne. They went to talk for a few minutes. When they came back, Paulette told her that we’d worked it out for Melody to do a free two-week trial membership to see if she was comfortable at the gym.
“Only if I can work with Leanne,” she said, her voice decisive.
I think my smile was as big as Paulette’s was then. I agreed immediately and the two women went back into the gym area. I was more impressed by Leanne at every turn. She had put the woman at ease in a matter of minutes, bonded with her and got her ready to try a training session right away. I went into my office and called my sister. I needed to get it off my chest, the way my feelings grew stronger and stronger for Leanne every day.
“That doesn’t sound like much of a dilemma to me, bro,” she said easily. “I thought you had like a gambling-debts problem or something mega serious by the way you were talking at first. Falling for someone who likes you back and works with you—that’s not a problem.”
“She’s my student and my intern,” I said miserably.
“As you’ve said about a thousand times now. But the way I see it, the semester’s nearly over, right? So, if you can just keep it in your pants for a few more weeks, then you’ll be free to see where things go with her.”
“I know you’re right. I just don’t want to make a mistake and put her career in danger or damage her reputation.”
“You’re very protective, I know that. But if she’s the one for you, it’s worth all the risks. Just a few more weeks. You can do this. Wait it out,” she insisted.
I didn’t know if I could wait that much longer, if I was honest with myself.
