"You're here alone?"
I didn't hear him right off, so I took my headphones off and asked the older man standing over me what he'd said. My neighbor was standing right in front of me. I was sweaty and feeling some sort of way from the last set. Samuel was my limerence and ever since I found out that he went to the same gym as me, we seemed to run into each other more than not. It was almost weekly that we found each other's eyes from across the gym. My fantasies of Samuel were troublesome, especially when he came in and my heartrate went up ten to twenty points while I was trying to get cardio done. My meaningless crush was quickly turning into something more, especially from my side.
"Huh?"
"Are you here alone?" He repeated the words that I could have sworn he'd said before, but I wasn't sure. I agreed that I was. I usually came with my friend, but she was busy today, so it was just me.
"I have wanted to talk to you for a while, but your friend is always around."
I nodded my head and agreed that Ashley was usually here with me. Samuel and I didn't talk that much. We were both married, and it seemed dangerous to talk to someone that I actively had fantasies about. We'd lived next to each other for years and I'd watched him from afar, but so close up, he was a bit harder to ignore.
Samuel towered over me even when I stood up and his large arms were even more prominent with the sleeveless shirt he was wearing. I'd seen him cutting grass with his shirt off many times, but for some reason, he looked really good at the moment. I could see a slice of his side and my eyes might have stayed there a bit too long. He was starting to get sweaty, and he'd been lifting heavy since he came in. My workout had been done for a time, my muscles were currently screaming at me, but I wanted to see him a little longer.
"We try to come together." I didn't know what else to say. There was a silence and then Samuel asked me how I liked the gym.
"It's pretty good. It's nice and quiet most mornings."
Samuel looked away, and then I realized that I made it sound like he was bothering me. He was not, at all. I was merely trying to say something. I was so nervous, hands were picking at the bottom of my shorts. I was way too attracted to him. He was older, but still my type. I was married, but it had been years since my heart had surged like it was doing right now. I was actually trembling with need all of a sudden and I was terrified of embarrassing myself. "You know, it's nice to get in and get on the machine you want. The last place over in Teays I went to was horribly busy all the time. I am glad this place is more laid back."
He turned back to me and had one hell of a smile on his face. "It is a nice place. I've been coming here for years."
I could tell that he was part of the gym for a while. He knew all of the machines, what to do where and he had such confidence when he walked in. Everyone said hi and I loved listening to his rich voice as he spoke. His charisma didn't stop there. When he was looking at me, his eyes meeting mine, I felt like giggling, something I hadn't done in a very long time. I was grown, just turned forty a few months ago. Long story short, I had no business giggling. Sam made me want to.
"It is."
There was nowhere else to gaze at, but at him and the look he was giving me was hard to deny. I saw desire in his dark brown eyes, though I wasn't sure if that was accurate or not. It sure didn't feel like it. We were both married after all. It was all in my head, surely.
The last person in the gym left while we were talking and as soon as the door shut, something changed in the air. The tension between us multiplied and Samuel's expression altered. "It's really quiet now. It's just the two of us."