Auri walked out of her apartment and looked from left to right as she tapped the keypad to lock it. She was early. The corridor was well lit and the lights reflected on the marble doors. Her sports shoes made no sound on the floor as she made her way to the staircase. She carefully went down the stairs and noted how trim she looked in her black three-quarter-length tights and lime green sports bra.
"I'm sexy and I know it," she mouthed in tune to the song playing in the black wireless headphones over her ears.
Her hand was tightly on the rail and she wished she had taken the elevator. She had not realised how bad her nerves around heights were getting. She played with her water bottle by turning it right side up and sideways over and over again.
She let out air from her lungs and relaxed her muscles when she got off the staircase. She walked to the gym and entered the code. It flashed red and she made a face. She made a mistake. She took out her phone from her back pocket and fiddled with it.
"I have the passcode saved in here," she muttered under her breath.
She swiped around her phone. The song continued to play at a low volume in her ears. She was unconsciously nodding her head to the beat. Her face lit up when she found what she was looking for. She tapped at the keypad and the lock mechanism whirled and clicked. Auri put her hand on the handle and opened the door. She slipped into the gym and her eyes scanned the room. It was immaculate.
She walked to the treadmills. She looked at the trio and admired the brand. They looked expensive. She chose one at random and put her water bottle on the cup holder. Her humour kicked in and Auri grinned as she remembered the Pringles holder joke.
Auri stretched out her muscles and then stepped onto the treadmill. Her hand dug into her pocket and she drew out her phone again. She increased the volume of the song in her ear and she put the phone on the dedicated holder on the treadmill. She set a speed and began running.
She started slow at first. The rate at which her feet hit the rolling belt below her feet increased gradually. She could feel every time she landed. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster. Her lungs began to gradually work a little harder but she had a good grip on her breathing. She grinned. It was just her and this treadmill. She increased the rate a little. Her feet moved faster below her.
"I work out," the words played in her ear and she grinned.
Her back was to the wall and the music in her ears was loud. She did not see when the door opened behind her.
Nicolas stepped into the room and saw her running at a punishing pace. He could hear the machine hum as she worked. He stood by the door just looking at her. Her high ponytail bounced with each step she took. She must have been there for a while because sweat dotted her back like perfect little jewels. He watched her hands pump and he could hear her steady and rhythmic exhales.
Nicolas debated whether to announce his presence. He decided not to. He feared if he startled her, she would get hurt. He went to the bike machine and put his water on the floor. He put his towel over one handlebar and was soon pumping his feet. Now and then he would look over and see Auri still going. He wondered at her stamina and cursed himself for doing so. He kept forgetting to put her in the "keep it professional" and "she's too young" boxes.
He looked away from her and increased the speed of his pedalling. He heard the beeping as Auri pressed some buttons on the treadmill. He heard her running slow down to a jog. He could hear her panting. A primal part of him reared its head.
He fought the images of the ways he could make her breath puff out like that. He could see it. Her cream skin would also be covered in perspiration. His legs worked harder. Sweat beaded his forehead and his breath came out in harsh puffs. He heard the treadmill beep through the blood roaring in his ear and the air fighting its way to and from his lungs.
He resisted the urge to look in Auri's direction as the sound of her shoes hitting the treadmill stopped. He needed to get a hold of himself. The bike whirled as his legs pedalled. He wondered if Aurelie could hear it.
She couldn't. Beyond the loud song in her ears and her laboured breathing, she could hear nothing. She reached for her phone from its stand on the treadmill. She grabbed her water bottle and turned around. She suppressed a yelp even as her muscles tensed up.
Nicolas Leroux was on the bike pedalling like his life depended on it. She had thought she was alone. It looked like she was not. He had seen her. Why had he not approached her? Was he ignoring her? Maybe he was not a morning person.
Auri uncapped her water bottle and lifted it to her lips. She took a few big sips of water with her head tilted upwards. He glanced over at her. She did not notice. Her eyes were looking at the ceiling. Instead, she could feel a drop of perspiration roll off her chin and land on her chest. She felt it tickle her chest as it rolled down to her cleavage. Auri removed the rim of the bottle from her lips as she lowered her head and gaze. Her gaze met that of Nicolas and she smiled at him.
"Good morning!" she said with cheer as she replaced the lid of her water bottle.
Nicolas smiled back at her. There was a tightness to that smile. A pain. She liked that.
"Good morning," he managed breathily.
She dabbed at her face with the sweatband on her wrist. Her legs took her towards him. He slowed down the speed at which he was pedalling and she pouted a little.
He swallowed hard. He wanted to press his lips to that pout. Or slip his fingers between her lips. Or something else more intimate. He mentally shook himself.
Get a grip! He told himself.
"How fast were you going?" she asked stretching her head to look at the display on his machine.
"No idea," Nicolas puffed out as he slowed down even further.
"Impressive," Auri said as she eyed his cycled distance on the display, "We should have a competition sometimes."
She did not want him to reject her offer of a competition so she quickly moved away from it before he could respond.
"Thank you for the dinner, by the way."
"You're welcome," Nicolas said as his legs came to a stop.
He put his forearms over the handrails and looked at her over his shoulder. She was a little flushed. Her breathing was still a little shallow. Her skin was still damp from the sweat. She had not brought a towel. He had not seen one around. She seemed to just have her water bottle, her phone and her headphones. She reached up and pulled the headphones down and left them around her neck. She bent down at the waist to put her water bottle down and he could see the lean flesh that connected her front and her back. He could also see the material of her leggings stretch over her pert bottom. He prayed for strength as he could not avert his gaze. She straightened up and moved swiftly and gracefully to straddle the bike next to his. She looked over at him.
Auri's phone beeped and she glanced at it. It was her alarm. She grinned and looked up at Nicolas.
"Too bad," she said as she got off the bike with the same sensuality and ease she had displayed while getting on.
"I have to go," she almost drawled, "My first day at work."
Nicolas's mouth twitched at the poor attempt at humour.
"Have a good day," she said after a brief moment of hesitation.
Nicolas nodded at her and then watched as she turned away from him and towards the door. Her steps were fluid. Like she was on a catwalk. She opened the door slipped through and turned to close it. As she closed it, her eyes briefly met his and she smiled. She had a pretty smile.
When the door closed, Nicolas was completely alone. He was also hot and bothered. He thanked whatever deity there was he had not gotten hard.
"Get a hold of yourself, Nick," he told himself.
Maybe it had been too long without touching a woman. Maybe he just needed to get laid. He just needed to work the tension off. Aurelie Engel was too young for him. She was also an employee. Off-limits.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Later that morning. The sun was letting in golden rays of light in his apartment. Nicolas was in his living room and buttoning up the cuffs of his shirt. He was oblivious to the city beyond the floor-to-ceiling window. He did not notice how the morning sun brushed the floor tiles white walls and furniture with orange light. He noticed how his long shadow crept up the floor, wall, and couch. He picked up his phone and car keys from the coffee table. He pocketed both as he walked towards the exit. He glanced at the time on his watch and dispassionately acknowledged he had put an extra hour into his workout time. He had needed to work off the tension Auri had unconsciously put him under.
His phone rang and he fished it out as he opened his door. He glanced at the caller ID and frowned when he saw who was on the other end of the call. He swiped on the phone to receive the call and pressed the device to his ear.
"Hello," his voice was curt and slightly impatient.
"Nick," a familiar feminine voice said into the phone, "I need your help."
"What is it?" he asked her.
"I would rather not say it on the phone," she said, "Can we meet?"
"When?" he asked her.
She said nothing for a moment. He could hear her breathing. She rarely had any issues she needed his help with. Save for a few dinners to appease her parents. What demands did her parents have now? Why was she quiet?
"Val?" her name was an impatient question.
He needed to get on the road if he wanted to make it to his parents on time. She was holding him up.
"Can we talk after meeting with your parents?" she asked him hesitantly.
"Fine," he said, "Do you want me to pick you up?"
"No," Val breathed out, "It's better if I drive."
There was a fear and tension in her voice that he picked up but did not focus on. Maybe he should have pondered on that. Maybe he would have had a bit of a heads-up.