Some upbeat Jennifer Lopez song blared through Jessica's headphones as she set her dumbbells down on the bench to end her set. Across the weight floor of the LA Fitness, she spotted a familiar face giving his all on the chest-supported row. Two plates loaded on either side, his powerful arms pulled the handles back in a swift, controlled manner. The emerald green eyes that sat beneath his clean-cut dirty blonde hair had seen the worst of the world. Yet, they stared into the mirror at his reflection, determined to keep those handles and himself moving.
His name was Hunter Ambrose, a former classmate of her daughter Julia. Though she had never spoken to him outside of their familiar nods and waves in this commercialized temple of iron, she knew of him and his situation.
She vividly remembered his speech as valedictorian at Foxborough High just a year ago. It was so emotional, the pain on his face as he spoke of his grandparents' passing was unforgettable. Everyone in the audience felt the suffering of his heart, crying the tears he withheld. He stood on that podium in his maroon-colored cap and gown, stoic and unmoved, young and determined but alone, fighting for his life.
Jessica watched him in the remaining seconds of her rest period, as she had for nearly a year. That muscle shirt basically exposed his entire upper body, with its wide shoulders and booming chest. Even at 19, he was an Adonis, one that made Jessica feel the pull of fate tugging her towards him. He had the presence of a man whose magnificent destiny was written in the stars, but was plagued by mental and circumstantial blocks that kept him in a place he didn't belong.
As she was about to reach down and grab the 15s for her last set, Hunter looked over at her. He likely felt the psychic energy from her leering that said, 'turn around and look at me.'
That, of course, was deliberate.
And it worked.
They locked eyes for a split-second, and she sent him another message with a flirtatious grin: 'you're not leaving here until we talk, Mister.'
Jessica was familiar with his type, having raised two athletic boys herself. Hunter was young, bold, and determined but incredibly naïve and over-confident. If not for her intricate understanding of how young adult men act, those last two traits were evident in the smoldering expression he made back at her. Clearly, his mind was going to places all too familiar for 19-year-old boys.
Good.
Hunter reciprocated her energy, and it sent flutters through Jessica's body. Just to toy with him, she looked away as soon as his eyes set on her.
She took hold of the waistline on her spandex gym shorts. She hiked them up just a little further, wiggling about so that her fit ass would catch his attention. Jessica wanted to give him something alluring to look at instead of whatever he normally did during his rests. Even though she was no longer turned towards him, she could feel his eyes going exactly where she wanted them to.
It would be easy to take him under her wing- and fun.
And since a few minutes had gone by without his sister anywhere in sight, he definitely wasn't walking out those doors before she got her claws on him.
The glances continued throughout their workouts. At one point, she walked right past him and felt his curiosity follow her with each step, carefully watching that ass shake back and forth.
She caught him on the couch near the front desk when it was all said and done. He had a shaker bottle in one hand and his phone in the other, distracted and unassuming.
That was when she made her approach.
-
Just got done with my workout, so I'll be home soon. I'll pick up your prescription on the way. How are you feeling? I texted my sister Lauren.
She's been my gym buddy the last few months, but today she was sick and at home binge-watching our Gran's old rom-coms. My immune system was apparently bulletproof for the time being, so I had escaped it and was still living a free and normal life.
The plastic cap on my shaker bottle clicked open. I started playing Angry Birds to entertain myself while sucking down the watered-down chocolate protein powder inside.
I dragged my finger across the smooth touchscreen and flung that little red fucker towards his target when a faded shadow formed on the laminate concrete floor.
"You were looking pretty good on your bent-over rows." A sweet, moderately toned voice said over the little grunting noises coming from my phone- and a gray and pink Nike shoe kicked my right calf muscle.
I looked up and saw the woman I'd been making eyes with throughout my workout, which is something we've been doing a lot lately. I knew of her from her daughter Julia who was in my graduating class in high school. We've said hi a few times, but since Lauren's always with me, I never struck up much of a conversation. I was never close enough with Julia to get a formal introduction at any point, either. She apparently saw me alone and vulnerable and took that as the perfect opportunity to come make a move.
She's older but probably the fittest, youngest-looking forty-something-year-old I've ever seen. Unless I'm the dumbest guy alive, which I'm pretty sure I'm not, she seemed more interested in me than my bent-over barbell rows.
"Thanks." I laughed and stood up to extend my hand for a formal shake. "I'm Hunter."
"I'm Jessica. It's nice to properly meet you, Hunter." She grinned and reciprocated the greeting, her dainty but confident fingers wrapping around mine.
I was a little lost for a moment, distracted by the smushed but naturally large breasts in her sports bra and her bright, cobalt-blue eyes. I never associated them with that color at the time, nor did I register all the other details I would come to associate with my memories of her- but they diverted my typically sharp mind nonetheless.
She could obviously tell, too. In hindsight, she didn't hide how much she enjoyed watching me battle my biological instincts in our first few interactions. Amusement was written all over her face as I kept myself from glancing down at her cleavage and the slight camel toe in her crotch.
How old is this woman? I thought. I know she's at least 40, but she looks too young to be that much older than me.
"So you're still living around here?" She prompted the next topic, as I apparently lost all knowledge of how to talk to a girl- or woman, in this case.
"Yeah." I jumped into my answer, finally with something else to focus on aside from the hot, glistening woman in front of me. "Same place, actually, over on Fairview. Just across the 75."
"Oh, I love that neighborhood. Are you in school now?"
"No. I've been taking care of my sister. I'm an entrepreneur." I said confidently, still reminding myself to keep my attention trained on only the bright cobalt-blue eyes.
"Oh!" She exclaimed, impressed but also a bit patronizing. "What's your business?"
