That made her actually smile. “Well. I’m gonna go…teach.”
“You do that,” I said. “Uh, good luck. Break a leg.”
That last statement had her giving me a puzzled look. I didn’t know either. I was just saying things, apparently.
“Break a leg” was for actors on stage, but I guess it was applying to Pilates instructors today. Pulling out my theatrical past.
Lea started the class and it was a challenge to look at her as much as I wanted to, and also lay on my mat and pretend I was actually doing the workout. I had come here on purpose to work out, so I should probably stop ogling her and do that.
Her voice lured me like a siren song as she called out the movements, explained them, counted down, and gave encouragement.
She had the entire room in the palm of her hand and if she’d asked me to do five thousand pushups, I would have tried to do them for her.
At last, the class ended and I was a puddle of floppy muscles and sweat again.
“You doing okay over here?”
I opened my eyes to find Lea peering down at me with concern.
My only answer was a thumbs up.
She snorted in response and was then quiet for a few moments. “I was going to grab some lunch here in a few minutes. If, um, you were hungry. I’m guessing you are?”
Wait, what? Was she asking me to get lunch with her? She couldn’t possibly be asking me to get lunch with her.
When I didn’t respond, her face went red and she looked away from me.
“Okay, never mind,” she mumbled.
“No!” It came out louder than I intended. “I mean, no, lunch sounds great.” Somehow I held back the words “I’d love to.”
“Oh. Okay.” Her smile was shy, and it made warmth bloom in my chest like a flower.
* * *
Eventually I peeledmyself off the floor and went to the locker room. Since I was so sweaty and I didn’t want to be gross at lunch with her, I took a quick shower and threw on a pair of jeans and a pullover sweatshirt. If I’d known that I would be going to lunch with Lea, I would have picked something cuter, but this was all I had, other than my sweaty Pilates clothes. There was nothing to be done except to put on a dash of makeup, braid my hair again, and twist it up into a bun so when it dried it would be wavy.
Not wanting to keep her waiting, I didn’t fiddle as long as I wanted to, and left the locker room with my bag slung over my shoulder.
She’d also showered but had put her damp hair up in a clip, sides slicked down. Her outfit was another athleisure set which fit her so well I almost whimpered.
Did she have to look so good all the time? I couldn’t believe I’d deprived myself of having her in my life for so many years. What a terrible mistake.
“Ready?” she asked me as I approached her.
“Yeah. Did you have somewhere in mind?” If she took me to the dumpster behind the gym and told me to hop in and grab something, I would have.
Truly pathetic.
“Yeah, there’s a really great sandwich place a few blocks up.” Sandwiches were better than hot garbage, so I nodded and held the door for her. She rolled her eyes but walked ahead of me. That also gave me a chance to get another look at her ass, glorious in her dark gray joggers.
I didn’t get to look for long because I had to keep up with her as she strolled on ahead of me down the street.
Chapter Nine
Lea
I still couldn’t believethat I’d asked her to go eat with me. I hadn’t planned on inviting her and then the words were out of my mouth and I realized how much I did want it. To spend time with her.
