by Twyla Turner
The woman, now known as Payton, stumbled off of the elliptical in mid-workout, almost falling in the process. She hightailed it to the locker room like the fires of hell were licking at her heels. Bradyn stopped the treadmill, breathed heavily in disappointment, and dropped his chin to his chest in defeat. He knew he had an intimidating face, especially if he was scowling. So he knew that her first look at him was not a good impression in the least.
That’s fantastic. Nothing like the serial killer vibe to charm a lass.
Chapter Four
Payton power walked into the locker room as fast as she could. Once inside, she collapsed on the bench in front of her borrowed locker. She started doing breathing exercises to get her panicked mind and heart under control.
Holy Obi-Wan Kenobi! Payton thought as she pressed a hand to her chest.
If someone had asked her to describe a man that would be her greatest nightmare, that man on the treadmill would have been it. Maybe to other women, he would be considered ideal, but for Payton, he scared her half to death.
First and foremost, he was enormous. He towered over her. And at five-seven, she wasn’t a short girl. His sleeveless t-shirt and long shorts barely contained his bulging muscles. Muscles that could hold her down and overpower her. Payton squeezed her trembling hands together tightly, trying to stifle the tremors.
His face hadn’t helped the situation either. She didn’t know whether he was attractive or not. All she could see was that scowling, angry face. His fiery red hair, cut in a short undercut style with his short and trimmed red beard, just added to his angry demeanor. And his pale blue eyes were like ice as he stared at her from under a furrowed copper brow.
Payton hadn’t even finished her workout. She normally was so deep into focusing on breathing and powering through the thirty minutes of cardio that she zoned out everything around her. But when he grunted or whatever sound that was, and she turned and saw him, it didn’t matter that she still had ten minutes left of her workout.
She quickly gathered up her things and headed for the locker room door. Luckily, no one was coming in or going out or they would’ve thought she was a total loony tune. Payton peeked her head out the doorway and looked in all directions. The large man was nowhere to be seen. She breathed a sigh of relief and booked it to the front door and out into the parking lot, her hand on her pepper spray at all times.
Payton didn’t see pale blue eyes filled with regret and disappointment, watching her drive away.
~~~
“That’s so kickass, Payton!” Royal exclaimed. “I’m so proud of you. Hell, I need to get my round ass to the gym myself.”
“So do I.”
“Me too.”
They all agreed as they watched the burgers and hotdogs sizzle on the grill.
Since it was such a beautiful early summer day, they’d all decided to spend their Saturday lunch at the park grilling. Payton and Kennedy sat on the bench of a picnic table, facing out with their backs reclined against the tabletop. Royal and Mia were in front of them, on a blanket they had spread out on the soft grass.
“We’ll start Monday after this nutritional feast of processed meats,” Mia joked as she leaned back on her hands and lifted her face to the warm sun streaming through the leaves of the tree they were sitting under.
“What’s the gym called again?” Kennedy asked.
“The Red Scot’s Ultimate Gym. Or Just the Red Scot’s, as everyone there, calls it.” Payton answered.
“Hey, isn’t that the gym that’s owned by that MMA fighter or something? I heard about it on the news a while back,” Royal wondered.
“Yes, though I don’t think I’ve seen him. Not that I know what he looks like.” Payton shrugged.
“Well, I think we should all sign-up and start going with you, Payton,” Royal suggested.
“I would definitely be more at ease if you did come with me. There is an inordinately large amount of males that frequent the facility. I am trying to use it as a way to become more comfortable around them, but I still have my moments.” Payton thought about the big redheaded man and a shudder ran through her.
“That’s still a really big step for you,” Mia smiled at her in encouragement. “I’m proud of you, hermana.”
“Do they have classes?” Kennedy inquired.
“Yes, several. They have Zumba, self-defense, spin, kickboxing, etc.” Payton informed them.
“Ooh! Kickboxing! I’ve always wanted to take kickboxing.” Mia piped up with glee.
“You would.” Royal gave Mia a look.
“Hey, better to get my anger out on a punching bag than on another human being,” Mia smirked.
“Good point.” Royal nodded.
“Do you know when the next kickboxing class is?” Mia looked to Payton.
“Wednesday at six in the evening,” Payton responded without hesitation. It was no surprise to the other women that she had apparently memorized the gym schedule. Especially, since Payton had a nearly perfect photographic memory.
“Well, Wednesday it is.” Mia smiled happily at the thought of kicking the shit out of something.
Payton wrung her hands nervously, hesitant to broach a new subject. “So…” She trailed off.
“So, what?” Kennedy looked at her curiously.
“So, I’ve decided to consider dating,” Payton admitted and squinted behind her glasses, ready for their reactions. They were just as she’d thought they’d be.
“What?!”
“Yes!”
“Finally!”
They all exclaimed in unison.
“I’m only considering it, though.” Payton prefaced and expelled a frustrated breath. “These guys are not ideal. They are extremely superficial when they have absolutely no reason to be superficial. If you know what I mean? Plus, I don’t even know how to get a man to ask me on a date.”
“Sweetie, in this day and age, you can ask him,” Mia suggested to Payton’s horror.
“Me?!?” She gasped, incredulous. “I could never get up the guts to ask a man out. Do you even know me?”
“Sorry.” Mia frowned. “It was just a suggestion.”
“I appreciate it. But no thank you.”
“Well then, how about we teach you how to give the right signals to get a guy to notice you or at least let him know that you’re interested?” Kennedy proposed.
“Uh. Okay,” Payton conceded cautiously.
“Alright. Hmm… Take off your glasses.” Kennedy instructed.
Payton frowned but took them off.
“You know what? On second thought, keep them on.” Kennedy cringed at the squinty look Payton was giving her because she couldn’t see. Royal and Mia chuckled as they watched the exchange.
“Okay, now follow me. Just give a little side glance and a flirty smile.” Kennedy demonstrated. The breeze blew her red curls seductively into her face and she pouted her pink lips.
Payton tried to imitate what the redhead was doing with her face. Unfortunately, her look came across more like a deer in headlights than a flirtatious girl across the room. Kennedy scratched her temple in confusion. Royal and Mia’s laughter only got louder.
“Uh… Let’s try something else. You know, you ladies could help instead of laughing.” Kennedy gave the other two the stink eye.
“No way! You’re doing an awesome job.” Royal practically screeched with hilarity.
“You suck!” Kennedy turned away from them and refocused on Payton. “Okay, how about this? Bite your bottom lip like this.”
Kennedy took one side of her full lip between her teeth and slid it out slowly. Her green eyes looked enticing and the move drew attention to her amazing mouth. She looked like she was hungry for a kiss, and Payton had no doubt that any man in his right mind would accept the invitation. Payton tried her best to emulate her friend. But in the end, she looked as if she was angrily chewing on gristle. Which was when Mia and Royal completely lost it. They fell back, collapsing on the blanket. Peals of laughter rang out
as they rolled on the ground.
“I give up!” Payton said in exasperation.
Mia sat up and wiped her tears of laughter off of her face. She tried to choke down her giggles as she addressed her clueless friend.
“Payton, honey. Just be yourself. Kennedy is a great friend for trying to help you along, but you know what, mija?” Mia paused. “There is going to be a guy that doesn’t need all of that coy or seductive bullshit. He’s going to look at you and when you push your glasses up on your nose, he’s gonna think it’s so hot, he’ll practically cum in his jeans. When you stumble on an invisible crack in the sidewalk, his heart is going to drop to his stomach at how adorably clumsy you are. Those things are perfectly you and you shouldn’t change them for the world. Hell, I find them cute and sexy myself and I’m just your friend.”
Royal and Kennedy both nodded their agreement.
“She’s right, Payton. You’re perfect as is.” Royal got up to sit next to her and rubbed her back soothingly.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, Payton. I thought I was helping you, but it only comes across forced and unnatural. You really don’t need any help or advice from any of us. You’ll find your own way.” Kennedy assured her.
“I hope so.”
~~~
On Monday, Payton brought in the girls to The Red Scot’s. She only had one free pass, but after the girl at the front desk made a mysterious call to the owner, all three of her friends got to try out the gym for free. Tuesday, the girls came back with her, ready to sign-up for a membership. They loved the gym as well as all the eye candy strutting around the facility. Payton was grateful that she hadn’t had any more run-ins with the redheaded giant those first few days of the week. That was probably due to the fact that she was surrounded by her friends, who gave her a welcome distraction.
Today was kickboxing day and they were all in the locker room changing out of their work clothes, into their workout gear. Mia was already hopping around, punching at air in anticipation of the class.
“You have entirely too much energy this evening,” Royal commented to the statuesque Latina.
“It’s hump day.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Who could you possibly have humped from work to here?” Kennedy asked in astonishment.
“I have my ways,” Mia smirked.
Payton knew her friend could meet someone in the produce section at the grocery store and then screw his brains out in his car without batting an eye. Then she’d politely get in her own car and drive home to cook dinner like nothing had happened.
“Who was it?” Royal asked. “Hot biker guy at the gas station? Handsome health nut in the fresh veggie section? Sexy hipster ordering some gourmet coffee? Buff nerd browsing the bookstore?”
“How about neighbor’s hot best friend that I ran into in the hallway of my building.” Mia fanned herself.
“Mia Christina Ayala!!!” Royal scolded good-naturedly.
“What?!” Mia said innocently. “He’s gorgeous! Besides, I had a taste of him on Saturday at that party none of you went to and I just wanted a little more.”
“At least tell us that you did him in your apartment and not actually in the hallway,” Kennedy said with her eyes closed, hoping she was right.
“Sorry, can’t tell you that.” Mia shrugged.
“Mia! You could’ve gotten caught in the hallway!” Royal gasped.
“And…?”
“And that’s just indecent!” Royal finished.
“Don’t get your chonies in a twist. No one caught us. Well…except for the nosy, little old lady that lives in the building behind mine. She saw us through the window. That was probably the most action she’s had in a long time. Oh! And the cute twenty-something guys that live above her saw too.” Mia examined her nails nonchalantly.
Payton and Royal shook their heads and rolled their eyes as Kennedy began to dig through her bag.
“Give me just a second.” Kennedy held up her finger as she pulled out her phone. “Alright, now I’m ready for the details. I have to take this shit down for my next story.”
They all laughed. Kennedy had written quite a few books surrounding Mia’s encounters. They’d no doubt helped her books become bestsellers.
They made their way over to the room designated for kickboxing as Mia gave every juicy detail of her story and Kennedy soaked them up like a sponge. Payton drowned it all out, like usual. She knew she should probably be listening, though. Especially, if she wanted to get tips for whenever she decided to finally have sex. But the sex conversations always made her a little uncomfortable. So she figured she’d wait till the time was right and then she’d ask her friends what to do in bed.
Every room designated for the fitness classes on either side of the open gym had glass walls from floor to ceiling that faced out into the gym. So the classes could see out onto the gym floor and anyone outside could look in on a class. Payton wasn’t so sure she liked the idea of that. She already had the feeling that she was going to embarrass herself enough as it was in front of the class. She didn’t need the whole entire gym to see it too. And if the guys staring at the four friends walking into the class were any indication, they’d definitely see.
Every day they’d walked through the front door, since Monday evening, men over on the cardio machines, guys lifting weights, and those sparring in the boxing rings had all been making surreptitious glances their way. Some were even staring rudely. But none came over to say anything. Payton was pretty sure it was only because of the rule that members weren’t allowed to harass other members. Otherwise, she knew they would be surrounding her three friends like a pack of hungry wolves. Payton doubted that any would come her way, but she was still thankful for the gym rule. It gave her a sense of security.
The kickboxing instructor asked for the class to get into pairs. The four of them split into twos and picked punching bags that were side by side. Royal paired up with Kennedy. And Payton teamed up with Mia. Payton smiled and shook her head in amusement as Mia pretended to shadow box as if she were a professional.
“You know they have anger management seminars for people like you.” Payton squeezed her lips together to keep from laughing.
“Oh, please! There are two perfect activities to relieve anger and stress. One I did earlier before I got here and the other we’re about to do now. Sex and exercise.” She raised a sassy eyebrow at Payton.
“I agree with the exercise part. I’ve felt a lot better over the past week. I couldn’t say, one way or another about the sex part.” Payton whispered the word sex so no one would hear her.
“We’ve really gotta get you to come out of your shell.” Mia paused to watch the instructor and then started punching the red bag as Payton held it in place. “You’re not waiting for marriage, are you? Cause I gotta say, it’s never a bad thing to test drive the car before you take it home, if you know what I mean.”
“First of all, how would I know whether one car rides better than another if I’ve never driven before?”
“Good point.”
“And second, no. I wasn’t planning on waiting until marriage. I was just waiting on finding a nice guy that didn’t scare me half to death at the thought of him touching me.” Payton explained as Mia really got into the alternating punching and kicking routine.
“I swear…” Punch. Punch. “…if I could…” Punch. Kick. Punch. “…I would kick Brett Mason…” Kick. Punch. Kick. “…right in the nuts!” Kick.
The last kick was aimed high. Mia’s fury over the man who had attacked Payton and affected all of her relationships thereafter boiled over and she used all of her lower body strength to kick as hard as she could. Payton was distracted because the giant red-haired man picked that exact moment to walk by. Their eyes met and Payton took a shaky breath just as the red punching bag smacked her upside the head.
Darkness overtook her before she even knew what hit her.
Chapter Five
Bradyn paced his office in frustration. He’d seen Payton
and her three friends walk in, and he wanted so badly to greet them and ask them how they were liking the facility. It wasn’t like approaching them and asking how everything was going, was outside of the norm for the owner of a business. But he just couldn’t. He couldn’t even speak to her when she was alone. So now that she had her whole squad with her, his anxiety was at an all-time high.
He’d been excited come Monday. Bradyn knew he had scared her off on Friday, but he’d hoped he could make up for it by offering her a coupon for a free smoothie from the Smoothie & Shake Bar housed in his gym. Then she’d arrived with her three friends in tow and he knew his chances were shot to hell. But he figured it would be good karma if he gave his front desk rep the okay for the girls to try out the gym for free.
The four women had caused quite a stir in the gym. All four were gorgeous and thicker than porridge on a cold winter’s day. The other three seemed to be a bit more secure with themselves than Payton was. Especially the one that Bradyn couldn’t tell whether she was Black or Latina.
Unfortunately, for the all of the men that attended his gym, they weren’t allowed to harass any of the female members and vice versa. They could talk of course, but if a woman didn’t appear to want to be bothered, her wishes were to be respected. Bradyn didn’t want his female members to feel the need to go to an all women's gym because they didn’t feel comfortable at his. The rule had been working out just fine. That is until he wanted to break it himself. It was obvious that Payton didn’t want to be bothered, but Bradyn had never reacted to a woman quite like he did when the curvy, dark-skinned beauty was around.
Stop overthinking things, ye overgrown bairn! Bradyn silently berated himself.
He took a deep breath and left his office. He looked over at the ellipticals, where the women usually worked out, though they weren’t there today. Bradyn’s ice-blue eyes scanned the open gym, but they were nowhere to be seen. He figured they must be taking advantage of one of the many classes that were in session at the moment.