Chapter 4: After Hours, After Sweat
The gym had taken on a different atmosphere tonight.
The usual buzz of machines and distant chatter was gone, replaced by a soft, rhythmic hum and the faint sound of rain hitting the windows. It was as if the storm outside had quieted everything within.
The usual crowd had thinned out, leaving just Rae and me in the nearly empty space.
I could feel the air between us, thick with something unspoken. Every sound seemed amplified, from the way the rain tapped against the glass to the soft creak of the wooden floor beneath our feet as we moved through our workout.
We were both drenched in sweat, the damp fabric of our clothes clinging to our bodies.
I could feel the tension between us even more now, the silence stretching longer than usual as we moved through our stretches.
Rae had been unusually quiet, but I could see her glancing at me between breaths, the stormy weather making her even more alluring.
As she walked across the gym, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a towel, her hoodie slipped off her shoulders.
The hoodie, the same one she always wore, now hung loosely from her arms, and I couldn’t help but notice how her sports bra accentuated the way her muscles moved with each stretch, the way her shoulders flexed as she lifted her arms high.
I had caught glimpses before, but tonight, it felt different. Her body, her presence, felt more pronounced, impossible to ignore.
There was something about this moment, this space. The lights were dim, the air humid and heavy from the rain, and we were both breathing a little harder than usual.
The gym felt almost... intimate.
“It's so quiet,” Rae remarked, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she threw the towel over her shoulder, looking out at the rain. “Feels like the world is on pause.”
“Yeah,” I said, taking a few steps closer. “Just us, huh?”
She glanced over at me, the slightest smirk on her lips. “Guess so,” she murmured, tossing a glance toward the yoga room down the hall.
We had both noticed it, the way the yoga room was lit with soft, ambient lights.
It was rarely used after hours, usually reserved for more private sessions, and tonight, it was empty.
The space felt almost... inviting, its dim lighting and soft mats begging to be used for something other than yoga.
I took a step toward the door, then looked back at her. “Wanna...?”
Her eyes flickered with interest, but she didn't immediately respond. Instead, she tilted her head and walked towards the room, not waiting for my answer.
The silence between us felt charged now, each movement slow and deliberate.
Inside the yoga room, I followed her.
The room was small, cozy, and smelled faintly of incense. There were a few yoga mats spread out on the floor, their soft texture seeming to cushion the tension in the air.
She stood by one of the mats, stretching out her arms, the fabric of her sports bra pulling tight over her chest.
I caught the way her muscles flexed under the light, the smoothness of her skin under the gentle glow. The way her body moved was graceful, sensual—intentionally so, though she seemed unaware of it. The slight arch of her back as she stretched, the soft movement of her arms—it all made the space feel like a stage, and she was the star.
I couldn’t stop myself. I stepped closer, and she glanced at me with a small smile.
No words, just an unspoken understanding between us.
The gym had emptied, but it felt like the world outside had disappeared completely.
Her breath hitched slightly as I reached for her, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face before leaning in.
This time, she didn’t pull away. Her lips met mine, soft and tentative at first, but the kiss deepened as the seconds passed.
My hands found their way to her waist, fingers lightly brushing against her skin as I pulled her closer.
She didn’t resist. Instead, her hands roamed, one sliding to my chest and the other resting against my neck, pulling me even closer, the tension between us crackling like electricity.
We kissed for what felt like an eternity, our movements growing more urgent, but still restrained.
Clothes were still on—just barely—but our hands roamed, exploring what we could.
Her body was warm against mine, the dampness of her clothes only adding to the heat that seemed to rise between us.
She pulled back slightly, her lips parting as she caught her breath. “Zach...”
I leaned in again, my lips brushing against her ear as I whispered, “I want you.”
She hesitated, her chest rising and falling with each breath, and for a moment, I thought she might pull away.
But then her eyes met mine—still burning, but steadier now. More sure.
“Not yet,” she whispered, her voice soft but firm. “Next time.”
The words hung in the air between us. And even though every part of me ached to keep going, I knew she was right. It wasn’t the moment. Not yet.
But it would come. And that certainty—that quiet promise—made the tension between us even sharper. More real.
I kissed her again, slow and lingering, letting it say everything we didn’t.
When I pulled back, she was still close, still watching me like she could feel it too.
Outside, the storm raged.
Inside, all I could hear was the sound of two hearts trying to calm down.
[To be continued.]