Personal Training

I dumped the laundry back into my apartment and started hoofing it to the gym. Luckily I hitchhiked a ride to the shopping center, so I wasn't too late. But still it was a real bad way to start the day, especially when my boss, Carl, had a few sharp words about me not being on time for my shift. He was right. I was new. He had no way of knowing if I was going to be a fuck-up or what.

Getting the new phone at the phone store in the center didn't help my mood. My break was only a half hour so I didn't have much time to pick something out and the security deposit was outrageous. Since I could get the same model iPhone for $100 bucks, I could keep my sim card and not lose my contacts. After serving up my credit card, a new phone with a new number was in my pocket. One problem solved.

At my next break I went to the little UPS store in the center, and shipped the old phone, stripped of anything useful, back to Lynn. My note wasn't exactly nice, but at this point she didn't deserve nice. I wrote: "Since you took everything else..." It felt strange to write down my old address on the paperwork, like any of the past five years didn't mean anything. But in the end, it didn't anyway.

Checking my watch I saw my break was nearly over. I picked up the pace. I was nearly at the door when Jill and Terry drove by, calling my name and waving at me. In the next second I crashed into the next person trying to enter the gym. Quickly, I reached to steady her so she didn't fall.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry, " I said. The woman turned to face me and I froze. It was Miz Cool. I'm sure my embarrassment was all over my face.

She looked at me and her eyes got very wide.

"Are you okay?" I said, my heart racing.

"From the looks of it, you got the worst of the deal. Yes, I'm fine," she said. But she took a step forward and winced.

Oh god. "Look, let me look at it. I'm a trainer here."

"You are? I haven't seen you before."

"I just started. Abel. Abel Williams."

She bit her lip. "Annie Lloyd. But I'm okay really. Its just an old injury."

I held open the door. "Please, to ease my mind."

She sighed and walked in, limping but not any worse than the day before. The boss, standing at the desk shot me a nasty look.

"Abel," he said, "Is there a problem?"

"He's just helping me, Carl," said Annie. "That's okay, isn't it?"

"Of course, Annie," said the boss. "You let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Carl," she said.

"Come with me," I said, and I led her to one of the massage rooms. I patted the table. "Up you go."

"Really," she said. But she got on the table.

"Let me see that leg."

She rolled up her pants leg, where I saw the knee brace.

"What happened?"

"Car accident. Tibia and tibia plateau fractures."

It was my turn to wince. "Painful."

"I was laid up in bed for three months before the doctors allowed me put any weight on it. And then I had to wear an ugly brace. I did physical therapy, but there came a point where the therapist couldn't do any more for it, so I started back up here."

There wasn't any bruising or swelling, but still with an unstable knee any shock isn't good.

"The muscles are all knotted up, probably from working so hard to walk. Let me give your legs a massage."

She looked down then. "I'm sorry. I can't..."

I smiled. "No problem. It's on me. As an apology. Please?"

She smiled then. "All right."

I helped her swing the legs up and helped her lay back. I undid her brace and carefully pulled it off her leg.

"Call me Abel."

I grabbed the massage oil and put some in my hands. When I put my hands on her legs I got a shock. The skin on her lower leg was the softest I've ever felt. I put both hands on her calf and started the massage, moving my hands up and down either side of her calf. I had my back to her, because frankly I could take looking at the mounds of her breasts on her chest.

"You sound like you know Carl." I said trying to keep my mind on my work. I went to her ankle and foot pulled my hands down over them. The soles of her feet were perfect, no rough skin, no calluses. I run my thumb against the sole of her foot. She drew in a deep breath.

"I should," she said. "I went to school with him."

"That's not possible," I said. "He's like, sixty." My hands went back to her calf. Touching the softness of that skin stirred my cock. Down boy, down, I thought.

"Oh, Carl did some hard living, for sure," she said, "before he settled down and started this place. He's not quite sixty, but we are the same age."

"You're kidding me. No way are you in your fifties." My hands worked my way up to her knee.

"Yep, my husband and him belonged to the same lodge."

"Husband?" My heart sank. Of course she had a husband.

"He's passed now," she said quietly.

"Sorry." My hands moved up to above the knee. "Your skin is in wonderful shape." I turned now and faced her, my hand massaging her thigh. It took some effort to kept my composure as my mind wandered to what would happen if I moved my hands up toward her sweet spot. Immediately, I shut that thought down.

"Thank you. I credit a lack of sunbathing, and good lotion."

"Oh, you're into lotions, are you?" I said smiling.

She gave me a strange look. "Abel you not flirting with me, are you?" she said.

"Maybe I am," I said.

She drew in a deep breath and I stopped breathing then. Maybe I went too far.

"You can't possibly be interested..." Her face flushed.

"Why not?"

"I have to be close to twenty years older than you."

I shrugged. "I find women older than me very sexy. Some men do, you know."

She put her hands on mine, stopping the motion.

"I have to go now."

"Please, don't," I said.

She got flustered, and swung her legs off the table.

"No, really. I didn't have much time to work out anyway. Just thought I'd do a quick session on the bikes."

With that she was out the door and out of the gym.

This day really sucks.

#

Oh, god, oh god, oh god. What am I thinking? I went back to my car, flushed, upset and if I admit to myself, aroused. He was gorgeous, so fucking gorgeous. He couldn't possible be interested in anyone like me, late 50's, overweight, and with this damned limp. I got in my car, but just sat there, my head slumped on the steering wheel. Every single emotion I held back since last year came flooding up, pushing up through my gut, resulting in tears that flowed over the back of my hands.

It was bad enough that Eddie was dead, leaving me behind. There is nothing as lonely as abandonment from the grave. You aren't supposed to feel sorry for yourself or be angry at them. They are the ones that are deprived of life, not you. But it doesn't feel like that. It's not just lonely, it's torture, wanting to be with someone you can never be with again.

The rest that happened, the fallout of that accident just seemed lesser punishments of the gods for all the times I didn't appreciate Eddie. Now, here was Jack with his ridiculous proposal, and now, this what? What do I call him? He's a man, but so close to my own children's ages, he seems like a child to me. Not only do I feel unattractive, and let's say it, damaged, now I feel like a dirty pervert for being attracted to him.

There was rap on the window next to my head. I looked up, and became even more embarrassed. It was him, looking very concerned.

"Annie," he said through the glass. "Are you all right?"

I sniffed, and wiped my eyes with my hands and nodded.

"Roll down the window, please?"

I had to turn the key to do that, and instantly there was a look of panic on his face. But I put the window down.

"What?"

"I didn't mean to upset you," he said.

"Don't flatter yourself," I said.

He gave a me a look that said, "Oh really?"

"Sorry, it's been a hell of a day," I said.

"I know what you mean. Listen, how about if we go get a drink,

or a coffee, or something. I'd really like to talk with you."

"I have to go."

"Yeah, right. That's why you are sitting here in the parking lot."

"Don't you have to work?"

"Shift's over."

"I'm sure you have something better to do."

He shook his head slowly.

"Well, I'll follow you then."

"Here's the thing. Car is in the shop."

I sighed. "Do you like pizza? I know a place near here."

He smiled and I melted. "Sure. Who doesn't?"

I unlocked the doors and he got in, his broad muscled arms and shoulders barely fitting into the seat. The musky, sexy smell of this young man filled my car. My heart started to pound and my pussy got very wet.

I am going to hell for this. I know it.

#

Annie took me to this little pizza place, called Jimmie's, in a tiny shopping center on the road that would normally take me home. It was one of those places run by one family. It had with old wood panels, red vinyl booths and pictures of friends and kids and grandkids handing on the walls. In the air hung the scent of baking dough and sharp pizza spices. When we walked in an older woman with bleach blonde hair looked up from the cash register.

"Hi, Annie," she said warmly. "Been a while."

"Hi, Gina, " Annie said. "Thought I'd sit in for pizza today."

"The usual?" Gina said looking me up and down.

"Well, send over a pitcher for starters," said Annie.

Gina nodded and Annie walked over to a booth in the corner and we sat.

"Is there anyone in this town you don't know?" I said.

"Not really," she said smiling. "Remember, I grew up here."

Gina came over with a pitcher of beer and two glasses.

"There you go," she said. "Ready to order?"

"Give us a minute," said Annie.

"Sure, I'll send someone back."

"Great," said Annie. And then to me she nodded toward the menu. "You can check that out, but I recommend the clam and garlic pizza. It's a house specialty."

"That sounds pretty good to me," I say.

"Oh! Hi Abel." I looked up. It was Cindy. She was wearing an apron and holding one of those little pads to write up orders. Shit. She worked here.

"Hi, Cindy," I said.

"Oh, and is this your mother?"

Annie's face turned several shades of red.

"No," I said firmly. "This a friend. Annie this is Cindy, Cindy, Annie."

"Oh," said Cindy, a little less brightly. "Well, I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Cindy," said Annie, her voice low, "how about taking our order?"

"Yeah, sure," she said.

"One large clam and garlic pie," said Annie.

"Okay." She wrote the order down, looked at me again, and walked off looking none too happy.

Annie poured a beer and pushed it to me, and then one for herself.

"I'm not the only one with friends," she said.

I shrugged. "I just met her, actually. There's a bar she hangs out at."

"Oh," said Annie.

"I don't know many people here," I said. "I just moved here a month ago."

"What prompted you to move here?" She sounded surprised anyone would want to.

"The lure of the big city," I said smiling.

"Abel, this isn't a big city."

"I was misinformed."

She stared at me, I smiled, and she started to laugh.

"So you like old movies?"

"I pretty much like any movie, but yeah, movies from the 30's and 40's are awesome."

We talked about movies. I found out she like science fiction movies best, but hated the ones based on comic books. She would watch anything with Tom Cruise in it, though she thought his interest in scientology was misplaced. I threw in a few jokes, she came back me with some more and we were having a pretty good time, until Cindy showed up with the pizza.

"Here, you go," she said sweetly. She smiled at me. "Let me top off your beer." With that she picked up the pitcher.

"You don't have to do that, Cindy," I said.

She leaned over to my ear. "Tonight? Right?"

"Um, I can't."

"Can't?" she said, her voice becoming shrill. "Can't?" With that Cindy turned the pitcher over my head.

"What the!" I said, dripping in beer. In a flash, Annie was out of the booth and standing over Cindy.

"Get your shit," she growled. "You're fired!"

"What? You can't fire me."

Gina immediately was at the back of Cindy.

"Yes, she can. She's Jimmi's daughter."

Cindy looked at me, then to Annie, who had a fierce look on her face, then turned and fled.

"How long has she worked here?" said Annie to Gina.

"Just a couple months, part-time."

"Is there anyone else you can call in?"

"Yes, sure. Junior's always up for more hours."

"Okay, and some bar towels, please."

"Sure, Annie."

"Abel, I am so sorry," said Annie turning to me. Gina brought a stack of towels. Annie handed the pizza to her. "Box it up, please."

"Sure."

Annie handed me a towel and she started moping up the mess.

"Annie, I'll do that," said Gina.

"Good thing we weren't busy. God, when pops finds out about this, he'll hit the roof."

Gina touched Annie on the arm. "He'll be glad you came in, Annie. Don't worry about it."

"You'll be okay, here?" said Annie. She looked tense.

"Sure, I texted Junior. He's on his way, Tony's in the back."

"Come on, Abel. Let's get you cleaned up."

Before I knew it, after a short car ride, I was in Annie's condo.

#

"The bathroom's on the right," I said. "Here, give me that shirt."

Okay, maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to bring a man I hardly knew back to my house. On the other hand, considering how coolly he handed things back at pop's restaurant, I didn't think he was the violent type. He even started apologizing in the car for what Cindy did.

He stood in my kitchen and pulled the shirt over his head. I had to keep from gasping. Man, he was built. And, I suspected, his tattoos played out over his pecs. His abs weren't inked, but they were tantalizingly ripped. I took the shirt quickly, trying not to let him see my stare.

"Go, get that beer washed off you. Then we'll eat."

I washed his tee shirt in the sink, using dish soap, scrubbed and rinsed it good, giving it good twists to ring it out. I got a towel from the linen closet and rolled the shirt in it, blotting the excess moisture, then threw it in my dryer. I turned around and Abel, gloriously half-naked was staring at me. I swallowed hard.

"Let's eat," I said.

He stood there a second as if thinking something over.

"Have any good movies?" he said.

"I have Amazon and Netflix," I said.

"Good."

I showed him the set-up in the living room, and he started going through the movies. I put the pie on the coffee table, and brought him a beer from the fridge. I got myself a glass of wine.

He settled on Casablanca, of all movies. He patted the couch next to him.

"Come on," he said. "I love this movie."

God help me, I sat right next to him, my heart thumping.

"What do you like about this movie?" I said.

"How everything is so messed up. Ilsa loves both of them, and wants both of them, but for different reasons. Her husband is the knight in shining armor, and Rick is the handsome rogue that she can't stop thinking about. Who does she choose?"

"The good boy and the bad boy, huh? What's good for her and the one that isn't?"

Abel nodded. "Only, as the twist, the rogue turns into the knight, but only if he can't have her."

"Yeah, that ending still has people talking," I said. "But, she let Rick make the choice for her. That's the part I don't like."

"Really? If you were her, which one would you chose?"

"Me? Hmmm, the morally superior prick that so graciously "forgives" my indiscretions, or the rakish rogue that's too afraid to commit and uses the world's crisis to avoid me? Neither! I'd choose Claude Rains. At least he's not afraid to have a good time."

Abel started laughing then, a good long laugh that shook his shoulders. God, how sexy were those shoulders? When he stopped laughing he put his arm around me, and kissed my temple, just like that, sweet and affectionate. Then we settled in to watch the rest of movie eating the pizza. He'd tease me whenever Rains came on the screen. "There's your honey," he said and he'd chuckle. And I'd poke him in the ribs with my elbow for his cracks, though gods, help me I wanted to put my hands on him. With the last crack and my last poke, his used his fingers to tickle my side, and I jumped. This encouraged him even more, and soon, I was laughing, trying to fend off his tickling. I kept trying to scrunch down to protect myself, and soon he was leaning over me with his marvelous body. His got very serious. Against my leg, I could feel the bulge in his pants. Our eyes met, and warmth spread between my thighs.

"Are you afraid to have a good time," he said.

"Apparently not," I reply.

"Good," he said. And he kissed me.

#

Here I am, with a beautiful man kissing me and I'm fighting myself whether this is a good idea. The horny side of me was winning out, when my damn phone went off.

"Let me get that," I gasp.

"Let it ring," said Abel.

"No, it might be my father, or the restaurant or..."

Abel pushed himself away and I picked up the phone off the coffee table.

"Hi, sweetie." Jack.

"Yup," I said.

"Miss me?"

"Nope."

"There's a little thing called conversation. It starts out by stringing a few words together."

"Uh-huh," I said as I move to the kitchen. "So what's up?"

"The auditors are coming next week. I can really use you."

"Yes, I'm sure you can." I didn't hide the sarcasm in my voice.

"Please."

"What?"

"Just...please."

"No."

He swore.

"Good night, Jack. I'm hanging up the phone now."

"No, wait." He sounded desperate. There was a hitch in his voice.

"What is it?"

"I promise a huge bonus if you just show up. Look at things.

Help get things organized. You don't have to stay, just come."

He sounded very strange.

"Are you okay?" I said

.

"Fine, just...come, okay."

"Allright, Jack" I said. "I'll be there tomorrow."

"Thanks," he said. And I hung up.

I turned around, and Abel was leaning, arms crossed, in the doorway.

"Who's Jack?" he said

#

I hoped that JuJu wasn't at my apartment, but I wasn't that lucky. She sat on the couch watching the television. She bounced up and flung herself at me. Her jasmine scented perfume clung to every inch of her even her long black hair. JuJu was petite, just the way I like women, but was still was curvy. Her yellow summer dress hung low on her round breasts and pulled in tight on her waist, the skirt hugging her shapely hips.

"Hi, honey," JuJu said. She laid a big kiss on me.

"Um," I said trying to pull away, "I'm really beat, honey."

"Oh," she pouted. "I picked up your prescription for you." She looked at me hopefully.

"Let me take a raincheck," I said.

"How about a drink?" she said.

"Sure."

"I made some hot wings for you. Spicy, just the way you like them." She breathed that last sentence in ear and I knew she wasn't going to give up.

"Sounds great," I said.

"Let me just heat them up. They will be ready in a second."

I walked to my bedroom, seeing JuJu's clothes spread out all over. I told her a thousand times to put up her clothes, and take most of them home and she just wouldn't listen. This is my own fault, of course. I got a little enthusiastic about JuJu when we first started up and let her spend more time here than I should. Sighing I walked into the bathroom, and opened the medicine cabinet. There in the new prescription bottle were the little blue pills that help keep things going for me. I picked up the bottle.

JuJu came in the bedroom. "You got an email from the auditors. They are going to be here next week."

"Oh fuck, why didn't you call me?"

"I tried, you didn't pick up. But what difference does that make? It's a week."

"I have to make a call," I said.

"Can't it wait, baby? I missed you."

"No. Why don't you get the table set."

"Okay," but she didn't sound happy. She left the room and I called Annie. It took a few rings before she answered.