Page 15 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

Look, I know you must be wary, giving me your sister’s number, but I’m a good guy, promise. I just want to take her out, show her a good time, see if she likes me.

“So, what do you think?” Mandie asked, appearing at my shoulder. “I’ve known Rhys for a while now through the gym. Not super well, but enough to think he’s OK to go out on a date with. I mean, if there’s no chemistry?—”

“Oh, there’s chemistry.” My fingers flexed, able to feel that hard body under my fingertips with little thought. “I…”

Instead of answering her, I pulled out my phone and tapped out the number into a new contact and showed it to her.

“Smoothie guy?” She smirked. “Nice. OK, I’ll let him know the ball is in your court now.”

Much later at night,sitting in my bed, I stared at my phone screen. The ball was in my court, but was I ready to serve? The need to answer that question, coupled with a knowledge I couldn’t, had me flopping back against my pillow.

When I closed my eyes, shut out the world, it was far easier to think about. Here, no one saw me. Here, no one made a comment as I conjured the gym change room entrance in my mind. In my head, there was no one to witness as my hand slid through the mess of the smoothie, smearing it across Rhys’ chest. What would I have done if he just stood there, willing me to go on and no one else saw? As my eyes fell closed, I dreamed of just that.

Chapter8

Rhys

“I need to cut my hair.”

I raked my fingers through it as I stood in front of one of the gym mirrors, looking at it critically.

“Oh my god, yes!” Drew came over, pulling out his phone. “I’ll call my barber and see if he can fit you in. Shit, I’ll tell him I’ll pay extra to make sure he can.”

“What?” I looked my business partner up and down. “Do I look that bad?”

I wasn’t used to dissecting my appearance. Usually the mirrors were used to check my form during an exercise, not to see if I looked pretty or not.

“This?” He went to ruffle my hair and earned himself an elbow in the ribs for his trouble. “You look like a mop. The whole scruffy skater guy thing was hot like ten years ago.”

“I was a skater guy ten years ago,” I replied with a huff. “I still like to go for a skate sometimes.”

“But you’re a man in your thirties, not some kid anymore.” He looked me over with a critical eye. “You could shave the sides, go all Viking looking, or maybe high and tight.” I stared at him. “Y’know, kinda paramilitary styled.” He reached out to grab my jaw, forcing me to jerk away, and that’s when his eyes narrowed. “Why are you suddenly interested in changing your look? I mean you’ve mastered basic grooming and showering regularly, thank god, but you don’t give a shit how you look…” He smiled slowly. “This is about that girl.”

That girl.

I baulked at that classification. Katie was a goddess among women. She needed one of them plinth things to stand on and be all remote and gorgeous, like an ancient statue or something. I, of course, would get down on my knees and?—

“It is.” The prick started to wave his finger in my face. “This is about Mandie’s sister.”

“Katie.” That came out 100% more mournful than I meant it too. “Her name is Katie.”

“I know.”

I was about ready to punch that smug smile right off his face.

“I asked Mandie for her number—” I said.

“And she hasn’t replied.” Drew crossed his arms and looked me up and down. “She also hasn’t come back to the gym for another session. You want to clean yourself up to try to impress her.” He shook her head. “You really like this girl.”

“I mean, I think so.” I started to pace back and forth. “I don’t know. We’ve barely spoken two words to each other, but…” I stopped and stared at my reflection, but it wasn’t me I saw. “It’s been a while since anyone’s caught my eye, y’know?”

“I know.”

Shit, Drew was going all Yoda on me now, calm and quiet.

“And maybe I’m just building it all up in my head. I mean, she took me by surprise.”

“That, or you have an erotic fascination with being doused with smoothies.” My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, but the bastard just hit me with his biggest shit-eating grin. “Do you have wet dreams about girls making ‘milkshakes?’”

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