Personal Training

by M. L. Sapphire

  “Yummy,” she says, still breathing heavily.

  I offer Emma my hand and help her back up to her feet. Wrapping her up in my arms, we stand on the balcony kissing for a long time. The thought of not seeing her again is eating me up inside. I've never been so torn up before. All night long, I've had an idea in the back of my mind. As soon as we stop kissing, I can't help myself: I just blurt it out.

  “I want you to come with me.”

  “What?”

  “Come with me, Emma. Travel the world with me. I'll help you get your book published and you can promote it all around the world with me while I'm promoting my supplement line. It'll be the adventure of a lifetime. And most importantly, we'll be together.”

  Emma stares at me blankly for a few seconds, then replies, “Chad, I don't know what to say. I... I just started working as a dietitian. It won't look good if I quit after just a couple months. And I know that we get along good...”

  “We get along fucking amazing,” I interrupt.

  “Okay, amazing, yes. But we haven't even known each other that long. What if we end up hating each other?”

  “Is that what you think is gonna happen?”

  “No.”

  “Neither do I. The more time we spend together, the more I like you, Emma. It's the exact opposite of how I feel with every other woman. You're unlike anyone I've ever met and I want you to come with me.”

  “Chad, I don't know. I can't. I mean... I need time to think. Can I think about it? When do you leave?”

  “Of course you can think about it. I'll be leaving - hopefully we'll be leaving - in about a month.”

  “I should go.”

  “You don't want to spend the night? You're more than welcome to.”

  “I need to think, Chad. This is a big decision. Maybe the biggest of my life. Please. We'll talk soon.”

  I help Emma gather her clothes and get dressed. After a quick hug and kiss, she's out the door. Usually, I can read women like a book. Emma's much harder to read than the average woman. And right now, I have absolutely no idea what she's thinking. I honestly couldn't tell if she was leaning toward going with me or not. All I can do now is wait and hope for the best. I hope she makes the right choice. It really could be the adventure of a lifetime for both of us.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Emma

  “All I'm saying is that you should consider it, Emma,” Claire says. “This could unlock all kinds of doors for your career. Think about it. Forget about the fact that you'll be spending every day with a handsome, famous fitness model that makes you weak in the knees every time he looks at you. This is what you've wanted for as long as I've known you. Don't let an opportunity like this pass you by. You'll regret it forever if you do.”

  “It's so crazy, though!” I reply. “Chad and I have only gone on a few dates. And now he wants to spend every day for six months with me? You don't think that's moving a little too fast?”

  “Didn't you sleep with him on your first date?”

  “I... I did, but... What are you trying to...”

  “I'm not trying to say anything, sweetie. My point is, Chad moves fast. I know you're not the type of girl to fuck on the first date. Not usually, anyway. But Chad swept you off your feet and made you feel comfortable right away so you went with it. There's nothing wrong with that. Chad's the type of guy that, once he knows what he wants, he goes for it right away. And based on everything you've told me, what he wants more than anything is you.”

  “What about my job? My clients?”

  “Fit World isn't going anywhere, Em. I'm sure they'll understand.”

  “But what about...”

  “You're looking for reasons not to go. And so far, I haven't heard a single good reason not to. Let's focus on the positive. What are the reasons that you want to go.”

  “Those are all obvious, aren't they?”

  “Yes, they are. But I wanna hear you say them.”

  “Okay, fine. If Chad's publisher friend is able to get my book published, going on an international tour to promote it would do wonders for me and my book.”

  “What else?”

  “It would give me a chance to travel the world, something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl.”

  “Good. What else?”

  “I don't know.”

  “Yes you do. You're just afraid to say it, so I'll say it for you. You want to go on this trip with Chad because he makes you melt inside. He makes you feel the way you've always dreamed about, probably since you were a little girl. You think about him all the time and want to be around him as much as possible. This trip is the perfect opportunity to get to know him better, spend tons of time with him, and take what you guys have to the next level. Sound about right?”

  “It bothers me that you're more in touch with my feelings than I am.”

  “So you admit, I'm right?”

  “Yes, Claire. You're right. You're right about everything, as always. So you think I should do it?”

  “I think this is an opportunity that comes around once in a lifetime – if you're really lucky. Most women never meet the man of their dreams. And rarer still, one that offers to help launch their dream career and take them around the world. If I was in your shoes, Emma, I'd jump on this opportunity so fast it would give me whiplash. But I can't answer for you. It's something that you have to figure out for yourself.”

  I envy Claire. She's always been more open to new experiences than me. I overthink things to the point where I'm crippled by self-doubt. Claire barely seems to think at all: she just acts. I'm not her, though, and I need to mull things over.

  “Once again, you're right. I do need to figure this out for myself. But you've given me a lot to think about, Claire. Thank you for giving me a little perspective.”

  “You're always welcome, sweetie. Just know that whatever you decide, you're gonna make the right choice. You've basically got two questions to answer. One, should you go? And two, do you want to go? If both questions have the same answer, then it shouldn't be a question at all.”

  I retreat into my room and flop down on the bed, face planting right into my pillow. I've never been good at making decisions like this. The last thing Claire said is stuck in my mind. Should I go? And do I want to go? I think the answer to the first question is pretty straight forward. Of course I should go. If everything turns out the way Chad says it will, this could do wonders for my career. How many first-time authors have the chance to promote their work on an international tour?

  The second question, though, isn't so simple. Do I wanna go? On the surface, yes, I do. I really do, actually. Like, really, really do. Chad's amazing and he makes me feel like the most beautiful, interesting woman on the planet. Every time we're together, I feel like I'm floating on air. But it's only been a few dates. What if Chad stops liking me? What if he reverts back to his old ways and starts hooking up with other women halfway through the tour? What if...

  What if I don't go? I know what'll happen then. I'll regret it forever. If I don't go, I'll never know what could've been with me and Chad. I'll always wonder. That's the last thing I want weighing on me for the rest of my life. I don't know if I could live with myself knowing that I turned my back on both an amazing career opportunity and the possibility of forming something real with the most incredible and handsome guy I've ever met. I can't let my anxiety and insecurity get the better of me here. My head and my heart are both telling me the same thing. But still, I'm afraid of getting hurt. It's a very real possibility and I can't ignore it. If things don't work out, it could be devastating.

  After hours of anguish, weighing the pros and cons over and over again, I make my decision. I don't know if it's the right decision, but I suppose there's no way to know right now. Only time will tell.

  I resist the urge to contact Chad right away after making up my mind. Just to be sure I'm doing the right thing, I give myself a few days to keep mulling it over. The more
I think about it, the more confident I become in my decision.

  It's Sunday afternoon and I'm hanging around our apartment, chilling with Claire. We're not really doing much of anything, just watching Game Of Thrones and chatting a bit. She brings up Chad and asks if I've given him my answer yet. When I tell her that I haven't, she talks me into texting him.

  Hey Chad. I've made my decision. When you're free, let's get together.

  A couple minutes go by and he texts me back.

  I'm actually kinda close to your apartment. Are you home right now?

  Yes, I message back.

  I'm coming over, Chad immediately replies.

  My heart rate doubles. I wasn't expecting Chad to be available right away. He said he was close, but I don't know how much time I have until he gets here. Claire sees my reaction and wants to know what's going on.

  “Chad said he's nearby and is on his way over right now. What should I do? Should I get changed? I don't want him to see me in this outfit. Sweatpants and a tee shirt make it look like...”

  Claire cuts me off and says, “It makes it look like you're chillin' at home with you girlfriend on a Sunday afternoon. You look fine, sweetie. Take a deep breath and relax. He's gonna be relieved to finally get an answer. And I'm thrilled that I'm finally gonna get to meet your handsome Greek statue of a boyfriend.”

  “He's not my boyfriend, Claire.”

  “Maybe not officially, but he's been treating you like he is. Chad went two months without fucking anyone else. He sees you as his girlfriend.”

  The next few minutes are torturous. I'm a nervous wreck. I don't know how Chad's gonna react to my answer. Claire knows me well enough to sense that I'm freaking out on the inside. She does her best to keep the conversation flowing, trying to calm me down. As much as I appreciate the effort, it does little to quell my anxiety. After what feels like hours of waiting, Chad shows up downstairs and I buzz him up. In reality, it's only been a few minutes. It's funny how being anxious can warp your sense of time.

  “I can't wait to meet him!” Claire says.

  “I know. I want you to meet him. But after a few minutes, disappear, would you?”

  “Of course! I'm not gonna lie: I might be eavesdropping from my bedroom, but you won't be able to see me.”

  We laugh and it feels good. A minute later, there's a knock at the door. It's time to tell Chad what I've decided.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Chad

  I can't believe it: I'm actually nervous. Me, Chad Taylor, anxious about meeting a girl - I mean woman. Emma is no girl. That's the term I use to describe the countless females that are always all up on me. Emma's all woman. Maybe that's why I'm nervous. For the first time in my life, I have feelings for a woman and it scares the shit out of me - but in a way that feels really fucking good.

  “Hi, Chad,” Emma says, greeting me at the door. “Come in.”

  This is the first time I've ever been in Emma's apartment. She's told me a little bit about her friend and roommate, Claire, who I see sitting on the couch. I assume it's her, anyway. The apartment is exactly as I pictured it: girly. It's well-decorated and there's an abundance of pink and purple stuff everywhere.

  I haven't been able to think about anything other than Emma for the past few days. I'm dying to know what her answer is to my question. Whatever it is, I'm gonna respect it. I know what I want the answer to be, but I'm not gonna try to change her mind if she's decided otherwise. It's her decision. I want her to go with me because she wants to, not because I've talked her into it.

  “Chad, I'd like you to meet Claire,” Emma says, closing the door behind me. She turns to her friend and says, “Claire, this is Chad.”

  “Hi, Chad,” Claire says. “It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you.”

  “Hopefully not all bad things,” I reply. “Emma's told me a little about you, as well.”

  “Mostly good things,” Claire says with a smirk. I catch Emma shooting a look at her friend. Claire knows what it means and excuses herself. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Chad. I'll leave you two alone.”

  Claire disappears into what I assume is her bedroom. Emma invites me to join her on the couch. It's still warm from where her and her roommate were sitting. She looks absolutely delectable. If we didn't have such a serious discussion about to unfold, I'd be all over Emma right now. We've fucked all over my condo, but have yet to christen her apartment. I need to focus right now, though. It's hard not to think about sex with such a gorgeous woman sitting next to me, looking sexy as fuck in her sweatpants and tee shirt. I love the just-lounging-around-the-house look. So fucking sexy.

  “Your friend seems nice,” I say.

  “Yeah, Claire's great,” Emma replies. “So, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what you asked me the other night.”

  “I'm sure you have. Don't keep me waiting, Emma. What did you decide.”

  “It wasn't an easy decision. You're asking me to completely turn my life upside down. I've never even been to Canada, let alone all over the world with some guy I barely know. You have to understand that I have a million concerns. As great as it all sounds, in reality there are a lot of things that could go wrong.”

  Emma's fucking killing me. I wish she's simply say “yes” or “no,” but I understand that she's put a lot of thought into this and wants to explain herself. It's not sounding good so far, though.

  “I can see that you've spent a lot of time thinking about this, Emma. It's not a decision to be made lightly.”

  “No, Chad, it's not. Which is why it was so hard for me to decide. But I've made up my mind. I really hope that I don't someday regret it, but I know what I'm gonna do.”

  I don't say anything. I just look Emma in her beautiful eyes and wait for her to continue. My heart's beating fast as fuck. I've never been more nervous in my entire fucking life. The anticipation is eating away at me. If I could reach down Emma's throat and simply pull out the answer, I would. But I need to let her tell me her way. Finally, realizing that I'm not gonna say anything, Emma continues.

  “I think I'd be a fool to pass up such an amazing opportunity. An opportunity to travel the world, an opportunity to promote my book, and an opportunity to spend six months with a guy that somehow managed to go from an asshole I knew in high school to a guy that can make my heart melt just by looking at me. My answer is yes, Chad. Yes.”

  A strange feeling comes over me. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced before. My insides feel like they're twitching, my head feels like it's spinning, and I'm overwhelmed, head to toe, with a euphoric, warm sensation. I've never had this kind of reaction to anything before.

  “That makes me so fucking happy!” I say, a little louder than I mean to. Adjusting my volume, I continue, “You have no idea how badly I wanted you to say yes. The thought of losing you kills me, almost as much as the though of sharing this adventure with you excites me. You're not gonna regret this, Emma. This is gonna do wonders for both our careers. And we're gonna have a blast the whole time. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, Emma. I can't wait to see where this adventure takes us.”

  “Awww,” we hear coming from Claire's room.

  “Claire!” Emma yells. “Shut your door!”

  “Sorry, I couldn't help myself,” Claire replies and closes her bedroom door all the way.

  “Sorry about that,” Emma says and laughs. “She really can't help herself.”

  “No worries.”

  “So, I guess we have a million things to discuss.”

  “We sure do. But we'll figure everything out over the next couple weeks. No need to dive into everything right now. There's only one thing I wanna dive into at the moment.”

  “Oh yeah? And what's that?”

  “You.”

  I tackle Emma on the couch and start kissing her, ferociously. Her lips feel as soft as ever and immediately send a tingle from mine, straight to my cock. Between being in
Emma's apartment, her sexy lazy Sunday outfit, and the fact that she just agreed to travel the world with me, I'm more turned on than I've ever been. This woman has me feeling all kinds of things that I never knew were possible. I can't wait to see what the future brings.

  My shirt comes off, followed by Emma's. I'm showering her body with kisses, touching her all over. Everything about Emma excites me. Inside and out. I grab her sweatpants and pull them off.

  “We can't do this here,” she protests. “Claire could come out at any time.”

  “Hey Claire,” I yell. “Are you still listening to us?”

  After a short silence, we hear from behind Claire's door, “Maybe.”