“Okay,” Eve said as she led Olivia to one of the full-length mirrors at U-Fit. “This is the last exercise of the day.”
“Oh, thank God,” Olivia said. “You’re killing me today.”
She wiped her brow with her hand towel and tossed it on the bench. Sweat moistened her hairline, and a few strands of hair were stuck to her red face. She quickly tore off her tank top and tossed it on top of her towel, and Eve tried not to stare at her chest, which was also scarlet and glistening with sweat, or her abdomen, which had tightened nicely and was now hinting at the beginnings of definition.
The changes in her were becoming more and more noticeable, and Eve was rightfully and expectedly proud, but those weren’t the only things she was feeling. Every time she touched her or got to see more of her body, like now, she was overcome with lust and wanting. Which was why she was trying to avoid having to touch her, so she wouldn’t feel the hardening of her physique or the way her muscles moved beneath her fingers. And she hoped every day, that Olivia would wear a shirt over her sports bra, so she could remain focused on their workout. But when she didn’t or later took it off, Eve couldn’t help but secretly thank the stars above, because the sight of her was so fucking eye pleasing and arousing that her mouth would actually begin to water.
“I tried to warn you,” Eve said, “about wanting to kick my ass at some point.”
“Are you kidding? How can I do that when you just literally kicked mine? And here I was worried about plateauing,” she said.
“Oh, no. That won’t happen with me.” She grinned.
“Yeah, no shit. I got that loud and clear today. You could’ve at least warned me of your plans to switch things up, you know?”
“Why would I do that? You know you’d only worry and stress.”
“But I would’ve been prepared.”
“You are prepared. You’re more than ready for this next level. You just don’t feel like you are because these exercises are all new to you. You’ll adjust. Just like you did before.”
Eve looked at her and chuckled.
“Do you realize what you just did?” she asked her.
Olivia looked confused.
“You just cussed.”
Her eyes widened. “I did, didn’t I?”
“I haven’t heard you do that since the day you sprained your ankle on the mountain. I figured that had been just a strong response to the pain. I didn’t think the day would ever come when you cussed casually.”
“It kind of felt good,” she said.
“I bet it did. I couldn’t imagine not being able to say what I want. Or to hold back my true voice in reaction to something that moved me. Maybe you should do it more often. Let yourself go a little.”
“I remember the first time I took the Lord’s name in vain. It just slipped out. And I felt so awful and ashamed. But saying ‘Oh, my God’ isn’t tragic. It’s just an expression. So, maybe I should let myself go a little more.”
“Who knows? There may come a day when you sound a lot like a dirty old sailor, like me.” She gave her a playful shove.
“Don’t terrify me, now. I would like to keep some intelligent articulation in my wheelhouse.”
“Just for that, I’m going to make you do two more exercises.”
“What?”
“Yep. Come on, let’s go.” She stood next to her. “Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.” Olivia did. “Now shift your weight to one leg and bend that knee a little. Okay, now bend forward at your hips and extend that free leg all the way back.” Olivia did so and she wavered a bit, struggling with her balance. Eve quickly supported her. “Now lower that leg and do it again, this time squeezing your glutes, legs, and abs.” Olivia did, and she lost her balance again and reached out. Eve grabbed her hand and forearm and stabilized her.
“I’m too unsteady.”
“I’ve got you.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I’m right here and I won’t let you go. I would never do that.” Eve cleared her throat after the fading of her voice, after the realization of what she’d just said settled in.
Olivia lowered her leg and looked over at her. Eve could see that the words had reached her some place deep as well. And though the deeper meaning was originally unintended, the connection that Eve felt with her as they locked eyes confirmed the significance of what that meaning represented now.
“Promise?” Olivia asked.
Eve swallowed. “I promise.”
After a long silence, Olivia readied herself again, refocusing on her position.
“I want you to give me eight more,” Eve said, still feeling the gravity of what had just transpired.
Olivia was quiet as she finished her set and started in on the last two. Then, Eve had her switch legs and begin again. She held her carefully, ensuring her balance and couldn’t help but notice the glide of her muscles beneath her smooth, satin-like skin. And when Eve checked her form as she extended her leg, she had to close her eyes every now and then to try to keep herself calm after observing the hypnotic dance of her rounded glutes as they shifted in constriction and release.
“I’m finished,” Olivia said as she straightened. “My legs and butt are toast.”
Eve kept hold of her and eased her onto the bench. “Here, sit down for a few.” Her legs were trembling from the extensive lower body workout she’d gone through today, and Eve wanted to rest her hands on them to help her relax, but she knew it wouldn’t be effective and would probably only make matters worse for the both of them. But the need to do so, to touch her and comfort her, remained, regardless.
“You’ll be a little sore tomorrow. Comes with the territory, I’m afraid.”
“I’m sure those words will be a great comfort when I scream in pain as I sit to pee in the morning.”
Eve couldn’t help but laugh. “If it makes you feel any better, the same thing still happens to me when I go hard on my lower body.”
“Even now?”
“Even now. It’s not awful though. And it shouldn’t be for you either. That’s why we warmed up and stretched more than usual today. To help prevent that toilet sitting trauma you referred to.”
“Funny.”
“I thought it was pretty clever.”
Olivia rubbed her quads. “Anything else I can do? Like when I get home?”
“You could take an ice bath.”
“Ugh, oh my God no. No thank you.”
“Don’t like cold water, I take it? You’d only have to be in it for ten minutes.”
“Um, no, won’t be doing that.”
“Well, be sure to drink plenty of water, just like always. And later tonight, a few hours from now, you can use a heating pad.”
“That sounds so much better.” She stood and stretched some. “Okay, bring it on. Let’s get this over with. What’s next?”
“I was kidding. We’re done for the day.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t tell me you’re disappointed. First the cussing and now disappointment over our session coming to an end? You can’t shock me like this twice in one day, Olivia. I don’t think my heart can take it.”
Olivia put her towel and tank top in her gym bag and zipped it closed. A quietness seemed to have come over her again.
“I am disappointed, Eve. Just not for the reasons you think.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and drank from her water bottle. “And your heart? Well, if it’s anything like mine, then you’re in trouble. Because mine is so overused and overloaded sometimes I think just one more heated look from you, or one more smile, or one more touch of your hand might literally send me into cardiac arrest and kill me. And you know what? I’d die with the biggest, happiest, dopiest grin on my face I’ve ever had.”
She moved to walk past her.
“Does that sound anything like your heart?”
Eve didn’t respond, wasn’t sure how to, and Olivia moved on, headed for the front entrance.
“Olivia, wait up.” She hurried after her, but Olivia had parked close and she was already climbing into her car. Eve knocked on her window, but she seemed to be ignoring her and she started her ignition. Eve grew desperate and rounded the vehicle to open the door and climb into the passenger seat.
“What are you doing?” Olivia asked, appearing a little astonished.
“I’m trying to talk to you.”
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea right now.” She stared straight ahead through the windshield.
“Why? What’s going on? Talk to me. What you said back there—”
“What I said back there was stupid. And I apologize. Again. For saying stupid shit. For going against our agreement.”
“Hey.” Eve reached out and lightly touched her arm, unable to resist the urge to ease her pain. “What you said to me back there and the other night in the park, Olivia, you, you just have no idea of the power of your words.”
“I do, though,” she said. “Because that’s how I feel. And what I feel for you is that powerful.”
“Olivia.”
But instead of answering her, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
“Eve, you really need to move your hand.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Please.”
“I don’t want you to hurt. I can’t stand to see you hurting like this.”
Olivia looked at her then with such intensity and emotion, Eve’s breath caught in her chest.
“This isn’t me hurting, Eve. This is me trying my damndest not to come over there and take your mouth with mine and devour you vehemently, like you are the only thing, the only thing left on this earth that will feed my body and my soul and keep me alive.”
Eve couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. Her heart was either beating beyond her awareness or it had stopped altogether.
“Olivia,” she whispered. She touched her face and felt the burning of her cheek. Olivia closed her eyes and sighed and then ran her hand along Eve’s arm to cover hers. She opened her eyes and Eve leaned toward her, desperate to capture her lips with her own. But Olivia gripped her wrist and pulled her hand from her face.
“Don’t,” she rasped. “We can’t.”
Eve searched her eyes, needing more than anything, to kiss her, to connect to her, to fucking meld together with her.
But Olivia remained firm.
“We can’t. I don’t think it would be smart.”
Eve leaned back, completely weak and devastated from the rush and downfall of emotion. She opened the door, her throat too tight to speak.
“Eve,” Olivia said.
Eve looked at her once more.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she managed. She smiled, but it was weak, just like the way she felt. She crawled from the car and closed the door. Olivia drove away, leaving her standing like a rag doll, ready to collapse. “There’s no need to be sorry.”
But inwardly, she really did wonder how much more either one of their hearts could take.