Heart of Stone (Part III)

III. Chapter 22 | Part 2 - Aubree

When Aubree went down into the basement with Gunner the next morning, she stopped and stared as Gwen benched more weights than Aubree could recognize at first glance. She was just starting to get comfortable lifting the damn 40-pound bar as it was.

"Careful," Gunner said to her in his deep baritone. "Your injury has weakened you. You will have to build your strength back up before you will be ready to lift what you're used to."

"Don't—" she pushed it up and exhaled "—remind me."

She brought it down and back up three more times, the muscles bulging and stretching across her chest, before setting the bar on the rack.

Aubree's jaw hung off its hinges as Gwen pulled herself up and mopped her sweaty face with a towel.

Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a black sports bra and yoga pants. The hickey she'd received from Lance had vanished completely.

"What is that, five hundred pounds, or something?" Aubree asked.

The tiniest hint of a smirk tugged on the corners of Gwen's lips. "No, though you're not too far off." She gestured to Gunner. "Five hundred pounds is an easy warm-up for him, though. Did you know he used to bench a thousand pounds?"

Aubree blinked repeatedly as her head tried to wrap itself around this information. Turning, she looked up at the bulky giant with a mixture of awe and horror.

"Used to," he said. "I had to tone it down as it made my muscles too large, thus affecting my speed, endurance, and flexibility. Nevertheless, you know better than to lift alone, especially given the fact that you are recovering from a serious injury."

"Blah, blah, blah. I got no time to waste now," she said before she turned and went to the rowing machine.

Gunner stepped around Aubree and sped to Gwen's side before putting a large hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, but Aubree watched the muscles in Gwen's body relax a touch before she sighed.

"I know," she murmured.

She stepped away from his touch and adjusted the weights of the machine.

Gunner watched her for a second before going to a closet and pulling out a towel and a cloth. He tossed the towel at Aubree before going into the bathroom and moistening the cloth. When he emerged, he told her to start her stretches while he wiped down the bench press and removed the weights from the bar.

Gunner spotted her and coached her as she lifted, pushed, pressed, and pulled through the various machines. He pushed her, but could also tell when she had reached her limits. Maybe it was because he could hear her heartbeat, but he always told her to stop when she felt she could do no more. He didn't push her past her limits, and maybe it was because she was human, but she was thankful.

She had tried to fake it once that first day, but he didn't buy it. She didn't try it again.

He was a patient but firm trainer.

More than a handful of times, Aubree caught Gwen watching her from the corner of her eye. She'd look away immediately and return to whatever she was doing. Aubree tried to mentally poke her, but Gwen's wall was thick and unmoving.

When Aubree finished her strength-training for the morning, she showered and went into the kitchen to have breakfast. She was pleasantly surprised to find Stone in there, wearing a white apron with pink lace frills, and hovering over the stove with a spatula.