“Nice. You two are really getting on well, hm?”
Becca grinned. “We started off a bit rocky, but I think we’re well on our way now.” Her eyes flickered over my shoulder, and I turned, seeing Rowan approaching, having finished locking up.
“Hope you guys have fun tonight,” she said, glancing between us with a knowing smile. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
We all knew exactly what she was referring to and I cleared my throat.
“Drive safe. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Becca,” Rowan replied. We both watched her walk away and get into her car before turning to one another with a sheepish smile.
“Shall we go?” I asked.
“Come on. I’m parked over there.”
Rowan’s gym wasn’t far from work, but it was fancy. When we pulled up outside, I looked up at the bright, shiny windows. Where it was dark outside, but well-lit inside, you could see people using the equipment through the large panes. I made a mental note to avoid the machines near the windows, but at least it looked relatively quiet. Rowan escorted me inside, flashing a card at the lady on the front desk. She looked at me expectantly.
“Plus, one guest,” Rowan said, digging his wallet from his jacket pocket.
“Oh, I’ll pay for myself.” I hurried forwards, but Rowan held up a hand.
“It’s fine, it’s only three pounds. I think I can stretch to that.” He smiled and I was powerless to resist smiling back at him.
“Alright, but I owe you.”
As the woman buzzed us through, Rowan reached around me to hold the door open for me to enter.
“I’m sure I’ll think of a way you can repay me later,” he muttered beneath his breath, and I felt my ears grow hot. Perhaps just a quick workout tonight. We hadfarmore important things to be getting on with.
Rowan’s gym was much fancier than my own across the other side of town. For one, the machines were newer, but the clientele were also significantly different. There were no meat-head drug dealers taking over all the weights, for a start. I looked forward to getting a decent lifting session in without having to worry about being stabbed for taking too long or looking at someone the wrong way.
I followed Rowan into the changing room, noticing with a start that they were co-ed. Two women looked up as we entered and smiled politely in greeting. Rowan and I didn’t speak, just each selected a locker and began undressing from our work clothes.
The women were chatting between themselves as they slipped their trainers on and tied up their hair. I saw Rowan unbutton his shirt and shrug out of it from the corner of my eye, and the women’s chattering stopped. When I glanced at them over my shoulder, they were quietly whispering between one another, each looking at Rowan with an expression I recognised all too well. Whilst I was sort of proud to know I was with someone hot enough to stop conversation mid-flow; irritation ate at me.
Thankfully, the two women left the changing room shortly after, but not before shooting Rowan a sultry look as they passed. He glanced at them, with a polite half-smile and I rolled my eyes. He really was clueless.
We quickly finished changing, glad to be alone with one another once more. Rowan looked incredible in his gym kit. He was sporting another Lycra t-shirt that fit him like a second skin, and the same double layer Under Armour shorts he’d had on the last time. I was very much looking forward to ripping those off later on.
“What do you usually get into first?” he asked me as we headed back out into the gym.
“Cardio. I hate it, so I get it out of the way.”
“See, now that’s my favourite bit.” Rowan grinned. “Don’t feel like you have to stick with me if you want to get on with your own thing.”
I nodded and pulled out my headphones. “You’ve run marathons, haven’t you? I’m sure you’d well outpace me, even if I wanted to keep up.”
“Alright, well, let’s just meet back up once we’re done?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Rowan and I separated, each heading to different sides of the gym. As much as I liked the idea of watching him getting hot, sweaty and breathless, I couldn’t say I felt the same about him also seeingmecompletely shagged out. Besides, I was sure I would get the opportunity to see Rowan working up a sweat in an entirely different way once we got home.
As soon as I started working out, I became painfully aware of how out of condition I had become. I chastised myself silently, promising that I’d be more diligent going forwards.
I ran for as long as I could on a treadmill, until my legs started to feel gelatinous. I slowed to a walk to regain my breath before carefully climbing off, taking care not to faceplant the floor as I had seen many other gym goers do in the past, and headed for the weights. I wasn’t much in the mood for pushing myself, so I selected a weight I knew I could handle easily, with the intention of doing twice as many reps with them instead. With my music in my ears, I quickly got into the zone. I forgot all about everything around me, focussing solely on the workout. My muscles burnt, but it felt great.
Once I was happy with the work I’d put in, I replaced all the equipment I’d used, wiped off my sweaty face in my towel and took a long drink. I glanced around the gym floor, looking for Rowan. I wondered if he was ready to call it a night yet. I couldn’t see him near any of the weights, so I draped my towel over my shoulders and wandered back out into the main part of the gym.
