Page 5 of Passion in Store

Chapter 5

Connor

Minnie is dedicated. She comes to the gym every day to work out with Tor, and they’ve become great friends. She’s hardly speaking to me. She’s gone really shy. I’m not sure what’s going on, and I’m trying not to crowd her. I’ve also got a couple things on my mind that I’m working through.

Being attracted to a girl like Minnie reminds me how I’ve neglected my future. I’ve missed so many opportunities to develop my business and now that I’m in my thirties I realize I’m going to have to nail some wins if I ever want to settle down with someone like her. I’ve fallen hard and I know I need to better myself. For now, I’m working to grow my PT client base and I throw myself into doing an email promotion. When I finally get up the courage to ask her out, I want to show her that I’m a sharp businessman as well as a dedicated professional.

It doesn’t stop me daydreaming about her, though. On weekends, as I walk up and down the beach doing my surf patrols, I develop a plan for a great date that’s really going to impress her, so when the time comes, she’ll feel really special.

After a couple of weeks, I’m ready to catch her eye and start chatting with her again. I'm not going to mess it up this time.

As it happens, my five o’clock appointment cancels, so instead of hanging around at the back of the main gym, spying on Minnie from afar, I station myself at the reception desk while the receptionist is on break, hoping that she will turn up for her workout as usual. I don't have to wait too long.

"Hi Minnie!" She's so damn cute when she looks at me, those pink spots in her cheeks deepening. Her reaction makes my heart flip. I know we have something, I just know it. I feel myself tremble all over, excited that it's finally going to happen.

"Oh, hi Connor." She smiles, but shyly, eyes shifting towards the changing rooms as if she's planning her getaway. There’s a screen to shield the changing room doors, and I follow her there so we can’t be seen if anyone comes in. I want a little time with her.

"Are you in a hurry?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual, clasping my hands together in front of my chest.

"Oh, no… not really." She's blinking those blue eyes, looking terrified, and I worry she doesn’t want to talk to me. I reflexively grip my wrist to check my pulse. It’s gone way up, like I’ve done a sprint. My mind searches for conversation. I don’t want her to vanish before we make a connection.

"How's everything? Still working for Jimmy?" What a dumb thing to say. Of course she is.

"Yes, silly! I waved at you yesterday when I was bussing the outside tables. You are always in such a rush."

"Yeah, I've been working hard. The weeks have been full. I’ve either been with my clients working on a special new project, or out on Masford beach doing the surf patrol on the weekends. How are your workouts going?"

"Oh, you know, pretty frustrating." She's shrugging her shoulders, looking at her shoes.

"Really?" I'm surprised at this. She seems to be doing great to me. She's strong for her small stature, sturdy legs and full glutes. She's a bombshell, and her proportions are spot-on for my eyes.

“I'm just impatient, I guess.” She sighs. “I set myself very high goals and it's taking a while to get there. I’d like to be able to lift like Tor."

“I knew that about you, straight from the start—you are very driven. But you shouldn't rush your body, it's more effective to be steady.” I can’t help myself and put up my hand to brush her forehead where some stray hair has escaped from her ponytail. She reaches up and grabs my hand, pulls it down quickly, but then doesn’t let it go immediately.

"Thanks for your encouragement, I really appreciate it.” She looks up through her lashes.

She's pulling down her baggy T-shirt in the front, making her breasts prominent. I distract myself. "I wouldn't think you'd want to change this." I put my hands on each of her shoulders. “So much power here.”

Good. She's so surprised at my touch she's a little bit frozen and her mouth drops open. Noticing we are still alone, I move one of my hands to her chin and softly tilt it upwards so that I can kiss her gently, sweeping my tongue under her top lip, just a little. I pull away and will my eyes to silently commune with hers.

"Connor, I…" She blinks a few times.

"Minnie, I think you are perfect.” My heart is really thudding now. If I were sprinting, I’d need to slow.

She breathes in. "Um, I didn’t think I’d see you today." She’s rubbing the bottom lip I just kissed.

"Don’t you want to see me?" I ask, wondering how I can reassure her.

"Connor, I… I'm not like all the girls here. I'm not a gym junkie. I want to change, but I'm never going to look like them or perform like they do."

I’m desperate for her to see herself through my eyes. "Minnie, I don’t think you heard me. You are the ultimate. It's about being healthy and motivated and that shines out from within. Anyway, I get sick of being in the gym with people who can’t think about anything else."

"But… I’m not ready!" She's pulling her T-shirt down at the back now, over my favourite part of her.

"Oh, Minnie, you are gorgeous." I feel like she’s unreasonably self-conscious, but I don't know how to explain how I feel when I think about her body, how much I want her. I breathe and calm myself before I go on. I don't want to scare her. "I want to show you how much I like all of you, but not here. I don't want to rush you, either. I'm happy to go slow, to go at your pace. It's you I want, Minnie, and your beautiful, hot body. I've known it since that blender exploded. If you’d like, on Saturday afternoon, I want to take you to Masford beach. I want to show you around my town, to a special place I love. Will you come with me?"

“Oh!” she says. “No! Connor, I can’t!”

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