Another Door Opens

30 - Don't flex, don't tell

- EDEN -

I wanted so much to ask Wolfe about the guy from the gym, but his cocky ‘I told you you would have fun’ attitude after the class, my PMS and pre-dawn waking morphed into a diabolical disdain that meant I refused to speak to him any more than necessary as he walked me back to my car.

“Come on, Edes,” Wolfe said, trying to cajole me into speaking to him again. “You know you’re not actually annoyed with me.”

“I could be,” I spat, though felt instantly bad for it. I’m not mad at him. I actually feel quite energised after the class and did really enjoy myself. Of course, my body feels like it’s going to collapse and break in two with how sore my muscles are underneath all the endorphins. But I just hate when he’s right.

Wolfe softened his smirk back to his regular sweet smile. “But you’re not, and I am genuinely happy you enjoyed yourself. Be my new gym buddy, Edes.”

“You seem to have enough of those already,” I said, wondering if he would guess at who I was speaking about in particular and elaborate for my benefit without having to beg for more information, which I am fighting the urge to do with all my might.

If I thought that guy was attractive beforehand just walking his dog and reading his book, it’s nothing compared to the allure he now holds after watching him working out, getting all sweaty, catching quick glances my way when he thought I wasn’t looking but absolutely was because he’s divine and I couldn’t help it.

“What can I say? It’s my sacred man space, Edes. What happens at the gym stays at the gym. Don’t flex, don’t tell.”

I chuckled, unable to help myself. “You are honestly ridiculous.”

“I know, and you love me,” he said, giving me a proper hug and turning on his heel. “Gotta get to work. I’ll see you in class Wednesday morning. Don’t be late.”

I jumped back into my car, needing pretty desperately to have a shower, and maybe a nap after my early waking and intense physical workout. What I really wanted to do was don a cloak of invisibility and head back inside to watch the hot guy who hadn't yet left the gym a little longer. There’s no way a man that beautiful isn’t already taken, and I’d hazard a guess to say that the lucky woman I saw him talking to on Christmas and New Year's a couple weeks ago was just that. They looked close and cosy together, and after staring at his arms all morning, I’m seriously jealous of her hands being all over him that night. There is, like, zero body fat on him. He is pure muscle, and I’m apparently a basic, horny bitch that is attracted to that nowadays. 

Too bad the humiliation I’d feel asking Wolfe about his friend, or indeed introducing myself to the stupidly hot guy myself if ever I grew a spine in front of Wolfe meant it was out of the question. If I were lucky enough that he might be interested, knowing Wolfe as the overprotective person he is, he’s probably already warned the guy off ever speaking with me. If he hasn’t yet, I’m sure he will soon considering he doesn’t seem to like the idea of me dating anyone, let alone his friends, despite his encouragement of me getting back out there. It’s like he can’t make up his mind whether he wants to support me or keep me locked in a tower on my own until all the hair Luna, Nella and Heath just cut from my head grows back longer than before.

I deliberately kept my Sunday free so I could continue working on regrouting the tiles in the bathroom, so sighed deeply, shook off my undeniable arousal, silently bid farewell to the hot gym guy and drove myself home. 

Feeling more awake and alert than I want to be feeling this early in the morning, with it not even being seven a.m. by the time I got back, I decided to take Hades for a run before I got started on that bathroom. At least that way he would hopefully be tired enough to just sleep while I work, and I won’t have to continue growling at him to get back like I did with the paint. I swear, between his love of beer and the constant sniffing at the fresh paint on the walls, I’m a little concerned that I adopted a former addict into my home in the form of a reincarnated dog.