Marcus checked his watch as he pulled into the parking lot of the Star Fitness Center. It was forty five minutes until closing, which would be time for a fast work out and a shower before they locked the door.
It was a small gym in a strip mall. It didn't have the facilities he was used to, but it was convenient and cheap.
His usual schedule had him here when they opened in the morning. This was the first time he tried it in the evening and hoped it wasn't crowded. He could see someone at the reception desk, but other than her, there was no one in sight.
Myquelle was hoping no one would show up and she could lock the door a little early but when she looked up she saw a car's headlamps turn off. A figure stepped out of the car, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked toward the door. She recognized him as regular morning customer and grabbed her purse from under the desk. She pulled her compact out and flipped open the mirror to check her lipstick, before she pressed the door lock release.
"Well, hello. I didn't expect you to be here this late, he said with a broad grin.
Myquelle turned her head to the side and looked at Marcus from the corner of her eye, batting her lashes. His blue eyes made it difficult to look directly at him, but she wasn't certain why.
"I had to trade with somebody who works nights," she said with mock exasperation, "and you done spoiled my plans."
"Plans? What did you have planned? Myquelle straightened herself in the chair and looked at him through her lashes. Her voice shifted to a soft low tone.
"I was hoping to close a little early and get my housekeeping done, so I could get out of here."
"Housekeeping?" he said with one eyebrow raised.
"Whoever closes has to wipe down the machines and carry out the trash." The exasperation returned, this time sincere.
"Do I have time for a work out and a shower?"
"Oh yeah, baby. You got plenty of time. I'll lock the door and start cleaning up. It's just me and you here right now." Marcus looked right and left, then leaned over the counter.
"Good. My plans are going to work out just fine."
"What plans you got?"
"To catch you here, all alone, after dark," he answered in a low a growl that made her neck muscles stiffen. Myquelle's mouth dropped open and her bottom lip curled over her teeth. She twisted her neck again, but this time looked to the ceiling and rolled her eyes, happy her dark chocolate skin hid the blush that was spreading across her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"You a crazy man," she said with a giggle, but Marcus had already shouldered his bag again and walked to the gym.
Marcus slid extra plates onto the bar over the bench press rack. In the mirrored wall, he could see Myquelle on the far side of the gym. She had changed into a pair of blue bike shorts a loose green scrub top. She bent over to pick up a basket of cleaning supplies, pulling the shorts tight over her full round ass. A clang rang through the gym as Marcus slammed the last plate onto the bar, almost catching his fingers.
Myquelle turned and looked back at him, aware he was watching and smiled over her shoulder. Marcus smiled back, but she had already turned to her work and didn't see. He lay down on the bench and began his first set.
Myquelle worked quickly, spraying the grips and seat pads of each exercise machine and wiping it dry, always keeping him in view, using the mirror walls to seem less obvious. She had watched him often, but this was the first there were no distractions.
His usual routine was to alternate between a machine and the free weights. He worked his way around the circuit until they met at the inclined bench. His shirt was damp with sweat and clung to his chest. He was feeling the rush from the workout and without thinking, pulled it off, balled it in his fist, and mopped the fur from chin to navel. It took only a second to remember he was not alone. He looked to the side to see Myquelle staring at him.
"Oh," Marcus said, trying not to grin, "Excuse me." Myquelle could not contain her grin, but tried to stifle a giggle.
"It's just you and me, baby. Don't worry. "
She had a perfect view as he hooked his feet under the bar and lay back to do sit-ups. Marcus closed his eyes, put his hands behind his head, laid down and came back up with a spring, letting himself back down with deliberate slowness.
Myquelle took this moment to study his form. His closed eyes made her feel invisible, as though she had found him asleep, unaware she was watching. Most of her day was filled with either skinny boys who pulled their shirts up to admire their abs, or fat old men whose shirts rolled up over their gut as they pedaled the bikes. This man was different. There was nothing fat or skinny about him, just solid. His lats stretched down from raised arms to disappear into his waist. With no shirt, his chest and shoulders looked fuller and rounder, but what struck her most was the thick curly hair that covered from collar bones to waist band. Marcus's stomach rippled as he sat up, no six pack abs, it just looked solid, covered with soft fur.
Each time he sat up, his shorts worked down a bit, exposing more hip. Soon the waist band was caught under him and Myquelle realized spray soap was puddling at her feet. She bent down to wipe the floor, keeping her eyes on Marcus's profile, wishing she were behind him, to see his ass with the shorts half way down.
Marcus sat up, opened his eyes and pulled one foot loose from the padded bar. He ran his towel under his chin and over the back of his neck. The burn in his shoulders and chest was fading, replaced by the lifter's high, as fresh blood flowed into the over worked muscles. He looked over at Myquelle, who had not moved from the spot.
"Your pants come off when you do that," she said, leaning over, wiping the rail of a treadmill, and holding her weight on one arm. Her scrubs hung open at the neck, giving Marcus a view straight down her cleavage. He swung his leg over the bench, stood up, and suddenly noticed cold air on the small of his back. The waistband of his shorts was low, caught just below his hipbones. Myquelle's mouth fell open again. The black hair that covered his stomach became even more thick and bushy where it disappeared into his shorts.
"They come off when you do that, too," he said as he pulled them back up to just below his navel.
"Do what?"
Marcus grinned and chuckled through his teeth. Myquelle glanced down to see her breasts swing as she wiped the rail.
"You are such a tease," she giggled. Marcus straightened his waist band and flicked his towel at her upturned ass as he stepped past her. The towel popped her with a sharp sting, making her swat at the air, but Marcus was already several feet away.
"I never tease," he said. "It's all a sincere offer." Myquelle stood there, biting her bottom lip as she watched him strut into the men's locker room.
The locker room was long, narrow, a series of square rooms with lockers near the door, and shower stalls far in the back. Marcus sat on the bench by the shower to pull his shoes off. He leaned back against the wall, took a deep breath, and replayed the last few minutes in his mind. Myquelle was hot, maybe better than hot, but it was silly to think it was anything more than a flirt, probably the kind of thing she did all day long.
He stood to pull his shorts off and saw the shower stall he used by habit was out of order. The knobs were lying on the tile floor and the showerhead was just a bare pipe sticking from the wall. The other stall was handicap equipped and nearly twice the size of the other. In addition to the expected spray nozzle, there was a fold down vinyl bench and stainless steel grab bars.