The Only Way is Up

Part Four

Nicole sensed him beside her and without looking at him panted, "tell me this gets easier."

He laughed, and she preferred that to his angry shout from earlier.

"I'm not sure; you push harder and further as you get better."

She looked up then, he was lounging against the wall beside her, eyes hooded, but there was a hint of mirth in his eyes, and that made her smile.

"You love this, don't you? Official permission to bully someone."

His mouth dropped open, surprise on his face for a few moments, that unguarded expression told her more about him than any conversation could, "you think that's what this is? If I don't push, you'll never achieve your goals."

She'd offended him, she could tell by the tone of his voice. That was unexpected.

"Mmm. Didn't think of it that way."

Nodding he hit the controls beside her inclining the machine a little more. Her groan made him smile.

"Two minutes then we'll hit the mats."

With that he walked off.

She could barely breathe when she pressed stop. So much for a sixty percent effort warm up, that had felt like more than a hundred percent...if that was possible. She'd learned from her mistake and she had both a water bottle and a small towel. But she drank the whole bottle after her warm up, that didn't bode well, she was going to need a bigger bottle. That made her chuckle and as she approached the mats, Max stared at her.

"If you have energy to laugh you aren't working to the full."

She shook her head, "sixty percent of effort you told me."

Lifting an eyebrow at her reply he was hiding a grin and again that made her smile.

"So what have you got planned for me?"

Smiling he pointed at two ominous looking 'things' in the corner, "what the hell are they?"

He laughed, "kettle bells. You've not seen this before?" When she shook her head, a glint of wickedness appeared in his eyes.

Nicole groaned, "why do I get the feeling that I am going to regret this?"

He could tell that she was struggling, the motion in her shoulders was reduced and she grimaced each time she loaded them. He was prepared to go easy on her, if she hinted that she was struggling, but she didn't. She did everything he demanded of her. And just to see if she would, he pushed her harder.

When the hour was up she collapsed onto the mat in a heap. He was aching himself, the effects of the ninety minutes slogging with Arthur, but those two punches against an unforgiving brick wall were having an unexpected effect.

He was flexing his fingers when she asked him, "you punched something?"

He stared down at her, eyes penetrating hers, trying to intimidate her, but her face didn't change, she didn't react.

"We are meeting next week? Monday?"

He wasn't going to discuss things with her, that wasn't what this was.

Nicole looked at him in a knowing fashion he suddenly felt that saying nothing had been worse than responding.

"I'll have to check my diary. Shall I leave you a message here?"

He didn't plan to visit the gym for the rest of the weekend, he wasn't an employee, he was helping out, so he shook his head, "I'll give you my cell number. Text me."

She laughed, "but definitely don't call?"

He glowered at her, he wanted to call her childish, but that would mean that she had riled him. Instead he shrugged, "whatever suits. I didn't think you'd want to talk to me."

Her laughter was genuine, not forced or sarcastic, "you can still bully me in a text."

Shaking his head he jumped to his feet and made for the reception desk. The blonde smiled at him, and whilst he smiled back, he instantly searched for some paper, then scribbled his number.

"You can let me know tomorrow? I have to plan my week as soon as possible."

She'd joined him, but her gait was stiff, he'd worked her hard, "when I've got my work diary tomorrow I'll text you."

Before he handed her the paper he flipped it over and scribbled another number, "this is a great sports masseuse. You look like you need it."

As she took the paper she read the reverse, "Stacey?"

He rolled his eyes, "if you tell her I gave you the number, she will fit you in."

Nicole stared at him for a moment, then smiled, "Stacey owes you a few favours, hey?"

With that she spun on her heels and marched towards the door, and for the second time that day he wanted to hit something.

Massage? Nicole groaned as what felt like an elbow connected with the back of her thigh. This was some form of Chinese torture. Her body ached before the deceptively petite Stacey attacked her. Her fingers were like needles jabbing into the tense and sore muscles. This is meant to be fun?

"You are REALLY tense," Stacey offered as she repeated the ripping sensation to her other thigh.

She could only grunt from her position face down on a bed with her face pressed into a hole in it.

"I'm almost done, just the gluts to go."

Any pain she'd experienced to date simply trebled as said elbow connected with her backside. Slow counting with her eyes closed, she counted to seventy one before the woman announced that she was finished.

Outside in the street, stunned and in shock, she reached for her phone and sent a quick text to Maxim.

"I did NOT need that. What sort of perverted torture are you into? Stacey is a sadist. AND I had to pay for it!"

Then she attempted to slide into her car and head home, for a hot bath and sleep...lots of sleep.