Hugo had never felt so lucky — or so nervous — in his entire life.
There he was, standing next to the sleek electric powerbike, trying to maintain his cool. But it was impossible to stay composed when his instructor was an absolutely stunning Latina, Lisa, with curves that defied gravity.
She had that effortless, confident vibe that made his brain short-circuit whenever she looked at him.
"Alright, Hugo," Lisa said, her sultry voice somehow both commanding and flirty. "Let's start with you getting on the bike."
Hugo swallowed hard as Isabella approached him, her hips swaying in a way that made him almost have a nosebleed.
The motorbike gleamed in the sunlight, but all Hugo could focus on was Lisa's figure, which seemed to radiate its own kind of heat.
"Y-Yeah, sure, no problem!" Hugo stammered, trying to act cool but failing miserably as he fumbled with the helmet Sanchez had insisted he wear.
After a few awkward moments of adjusting straps and nearly strangling himself, he finally managed to secure it on his head.
Hugo gulped, trying to look suave as he swung his leg over the bike.
Unfortunately, his foot caught on the seat, and he nearly toppled over before catching himself at the last second.
'Damn my short legs!'
"Smooth," Lisa teased with a grin, her accent making even the mockery sound musical.
"Uh, yeah. Totally meant to do that," Hugo mumbled, blushing furiously.
His hands were sweating, but that was nothing compared to the internal chaos happening in his brain.
He was supposed to be learning how to ride the bike, but all he could think about was the fact that Lisa was standing close enough for him to smell her perfume — something citrusy and intoxicating.
He was so nervous at the moment he didn't know what to do with himself.
It wasn't that he was that much of a simp around women, it was just that she could imbue every if her actions with a shocking amount of sexual intent that was too much for a virgin like him.
What's more, it was completely effortless! She was like a succubus!
Lisa handed him the keys, her fingers brushing against his, sending a jolt through him that had nothing to do with electricity. "You've got the basics, right? Just throttle, brake, and balance. It's simple."
He nodded like a bobblehead doll, trying to keep his eyes on the bike and not on the dangerously close neckline of Lisa's top.
He twisted the key, and the bike hummed to life beneath him, vibrating slightly as the motor kicked in.
"Okay, now hold the handlebars. Firm grip," Lisa said, stepping up behind him, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders as she adjusted his posture.
Hugo felt a jolt of electricity that had nothing to do with the bike. Her touch sent his mind into overdrive. Firm grip? How could he focus on that when all he could think about was... well, her?
"Are you listening, Hugo?" Lisa asked, leaning in a little closer. He could feel her breath on his neck, and his brain was rapidly turning into mush.
"Uh-huh, handlebars... grip... grip something," Hugo muttered absentmindedly, his eyes glazing over.
"Okay, now ease on the throttle. Slowly," she instructed, her hands guiding his.
Hugo twisted the throttle, but with his heart racing and his head filled with visions of slow-motion beach runs with Lisa, he accidentally gunned it.
The bike lurched forward with a loud vrrroooom, nearly throwing him off. He squeaked in panic, yanking the throttle back harder.
The bike shot forward like a rocket, at least it felt like that to Hugo.
"Whoa! Easy there!" Lisa shouted, running alongside him.
Hugo's focus was torn between the bike beneath him and the goddess running beside him. "S-Sorry! I think it's—"
"Too much throttle!" Lisa shouted, her voice strained as she tried to keep pace with the speeding bike.
"R-right!" Hugo managed to croak, his face a bright shade of red. He managed to gradually brake the bike, and a sigh of relief left his lips.
Lisa stood back a little, biting her lip with amusement. "You good? Try again."
Hugo adjusted himself on the bike, determined to get it right this time.
He rolled the throttle more gently and the bike began to move, but his eyes kept darting to the reflection of Lisa in the bike's mirrors.
It was like his brain couldn't decide whether to focus on the bike or... everything else.
"Okay, now pick up some speed and get ready to brake when I say stop," Lisa instructed, jogging alongside him, her ponytail bouncing.
Ponytail… bouncing… Hugo's thoughts drifted off once again.
He was trying to come up with a plausible reason for Lisa to hold him steady again. Maybe a sudden brake malfunction? A loose wheel?
"Hugo! Brake!" Lisa shouted, snapping him out of his reverie.
"Wait, what?!" Hugo panicked, yanking both brakes too hard. The bike screeched to a halt, and he was flung forward over the handlebars in a graceless heap. He hit the ground with a thud, sprawled out like a starfish.
Lisa burst into laughter, her voice echoing around the lot. "Oh my God, Hugo, are you okay?" She walked over, offering a hand to help him up.
Hugo scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off, trying to salvage what little was left of his dignity. "Y-yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just, uh... practicing my dismount."
Lisa chuckled, clearly not buying it. "Your dismount needs as much work as your concentration."
Hugo grinned sheepishly, desperate to recover. He had a flash of inspiration and activated the aura of zen to pull it off properly.
"I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention to me, you know?"
"Trust me, I've been paying attention," Lisa replied, her voice laced with humor.
Hugo blinked. Was that flirting? Did she just flirt with me? His heart did a backflip as he tried to think of something clever to say.
"So... uh... how about I try it again, and you stand right here, you know, in case I need more... hands-on help," Hugo suggested with a sly smile, patting the seat behind him.
His words were calm and cool, and Lisa gave him a curious look. Why did he suddenly feel different?
She raised an eyebrow, appearing amused. "Are you trying to make excuses to touch me, Hugo?"
"No! No, not at all! I just, uh... safety first, right?" Hugo stammered, suddenly feeling very hot under the collar.
Lisa shook her head, laughing. "I think you've got more than enough safety going on there."
They went through a few more rounds of Hugo losing concentration every time Lisa adjusted his posture or leaned in too close.
At one point, he even forgot what the throttle was called and referred to it as the "twisty thing."
"Okay, let's take a break," Lisa finally said, wiping tears from her eyes after laughing at another one of Hugo's failed attempts. "I think you need to cool off."
Hugo sat down on the curb, feeling both exhilarated and defeated. He hadn't learned much about riding a bike, but at least he got to spend time with Lisa — and plenty of accidental contact.
Lisa pulled a water bottle from her bag, handing it to him. "You'll get the hang of it. Eventually."
Hugo took the bottle and nodded, still trying to think of more ways to get her to touch him again. "Yeah, yeah. I just need, uh, more practice. With your help, of course."
Lisa rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head. "You're hopeless, Hugo."
He smiled, leaning back and imagining all the ways this "training session" could go on... forever, if he was lucky.