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I made a point not to watch her, not to make her self-conscious around me. Okay, I made a rule to beless obviousabout watching her, which I did anyway. I’d noticed her looking at me more, differently even. I didn’t know what it meant, but when my gaze clashed with hers, even for an instant, it felt electric. It made images flash in my mind, one of her pressing her hands to my bare chest, one of me lifting her in my arms and carrying her to bed. The same scenes every time, and I dreamed of them as well. Thoughts of her had taken over my sleep.
She was helping a cross country runner who had just finished PT after a torn ACL. I watched her extension, the line of her legs in her running shorts as she demonstrated a stretch for him. I had to turn away and go get some water because all I wanted to do was kiss my way up the inside of her thigh. I worked in my office and did some sparring as a stand-in for a martial arts class. I stayed away from her, in other words, for the rest of the evening.
When she finished up right around closing, we headed out to the parking lot together.
“Thanks again for putting me in touch with Mindy. She’s amazing, and everything is better. It’s going to be okay, and I see that now. I’m back living in my apartment, and my dad is fine on his own at night. He’s doing great with rehab, and he’s cleared to go back to work part time in a couple of weeks. Which is good because the man cannot stay home or sit still.”
“I’m glad it worked out and she could help you. I knew I was overstepping that day, and that you didn’t want my help or what you thought was my pity. But I couldn’t help myself. I could see it, how you were suffering and trying to take it on yourself. So, I took a chance. I figured if you told me to fuck off, then I’d just fuck off,” I said. She looked at me, stopped walking and just stared.
“You were taking care of me. When I didn’t even think I deserved it. You saw what I wasn’t willing to say—that I couldn’t keep doing all of it. I can’t thank you enough for that. And if I acted like I wanted you to fuck off, I’m sorry. It was some crappy defensive thing. I’m so grateful you didn’t give up.”
“Do you think I’d give up on you?” I asked, and then realized I probably shouldn’t say things like that to a student I’d been trying to stay away from.
“I guess I didn’t give it much thought,” she said, which was noncommittal, but it was better than her shrieking and saying I was trying to make a move on her.
When we got to her car, she clicked the key fob and nothing happened. She tried it again and pulled on the door and then looked at me.
“Battery’s dead,” I said, “do you have a spare fob?”
“At home,” she said, “and I’ve missed the bus that goes out that way. I’ll call Rina.”
Leanne took out her phone.
“No way. I’m right here. I’ll just take you to get the fob and bring you back to your car. It’s no big deal, and I don’t want you waiting out here in the dark for Rina to come get you. So I’d stand here and wait with you anyway. You’re not saving me any time by calling her,” I said.
“Really? You wouldn’t just leave and go have your evening, whatever your plans are, and let me handle it?” she said, annoyed, but sort of teasing, at the same time.
“Really. I can out-stubborn you and you know it. I’m either going to drive you to your apartment and bring you back to get your car or I’m going to wait here with you while your friend comes to get you. Your choice.”
“So either way I ruin your evening,” she said flatly.
“My evening is grading essays and watching ESPN when I’m done,” I said. “I didn’t have plans tonight. What about your plans?”
“Oh, I’ve got an hour or so before I need to put on my body glitter and nip tassels to be at the swinger’s club,” she said. “Don’t worry, I’ll wash off the glitter before my shift tomorrow. God, you should see your face!” she laughed, “You thought I was serious?”
I shook my head, “I didn’t see any of that on your resume for the internship so it took me by surprise.”
“Well, I didn’t list my hobbies. Bringing excitement to the stale relationships of married couples with my wild—yeah, no, I can’t keep this up. It’s more of a Rina joke than a me joke. I’m embarrassed now.”
“You should be. At my age I could’ve fallen and broken a hip from the image of you putting on glitter and tassels,” I laughed. “Now you should see your own face!”
“Just drive me to my apartment, please,” she said. “And I won’t say anything else inappropriate. I promise. Please forget I said nip tassels to you.”
“Oh, no way. I’m absolutely putting that in your class evaluation for the final. Explain how you would incorporate unconventional workout materials such as tassels to create a body-positive training plan for a new client,” I said.
“Okay, strip aerobics, 90’s hip hop, private classes. I could nail that question. Ten out of ten. All possible points,” she said. I smiled at her, because embarrassed or not, the girl was whip smart.
When I parked in front of her building, she invited me up. I followed her up the stairs to get a glass of water. Leanne got a glass and was filling it at the sink, turning to offer it to me in the tiny, cluttered kitchen. There was hardly room for both of us. I admit I was standing too close. So when she bumped into me the water spilled all down the front of me. It was very cold, but she was very close, and the cold water did nothing to cool my arousal.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“It's fine,” I replied.
“Let me throw your shirt in the dryer for five minutes. I’m so sorry,” she said.
I peeled my shirt over my head and watched her face, her eyes going wide, her gaze fixed on my bare skin.
Then it happened. Her hands went to my chest, warm flesh on skin cold from my dousing with ice water. She looked at me just the way she had in every flash, every dream I’d had of this moment. My heart galloped faster under her touch. I couldn't help myself.
