Session Start: Mon Feb 17 14:18:45 2003 - Wait Training

Ben squared his shoulders with determination as he looked up at the health club sign. Duffle bag, check, he thought. Shoes with lots of support, check. Shower stuff, check. Self-esteem...gone the minute I admitted I needed to sign up.

Ben had always been the strong one in the family through his teens. He was the one that everyone got to open jars. He was the one who somehow never needed to exercise to be fit. Once he got into college, though, the late nights and bad cafeteria food had gotten to him. Now he was tired of being twenty-five pounds over his weight. I still look good, he told himself. But I don't have the endurance I used to have. He took a deep breath and marched toward the club entrance.

The acrid smell of chlorine and disinfectant puffed out toward him when he opened the door. He paused, but then made himself go in. Sure enough, it diminished as he approached the front desk. The tiny slip of a blonde there looked up with a happy, somewhat vacant smile. "Can I help you?" she inquired.

Ben took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought... "I need to sign up for a membership and  some personal training, if you offer it here." He'd already done the research and knew they did, but with someone like this he thought it was best to be sure.

The blonde nodded, her smile widening. "Of course we do! We have really good results with it." She dug out some forms from a file drawer. "Have you seen a membership counselor?"

Ben shook his head slowly. "No...no, I haven't. Do I need to?"

The blonde nodded. "We like to show people what we offer, then work with them to figure out what they need and want. And how we can do that best. Chelsea is free right now...she's my trainer, and she's just the best! I'll ring her."

Ben nodded with the girl, not sure what else to do. A quick glance at her nametag revealed her name: Tiffany. It figures, he thought. I'm walking right into a stereotype.

Tiffany picked up a phone and punched in an extension. "Yes, ma'am...it's the front desk." 

Ben glanced up from the phone to Tiffany's face, startled to see a faint flush in her cheeks and ears. I wasn't imagining it, he thought. She did sound like she's turned on. What do you know.

Tiffany was nodding, oblivious to the fact that she was on the phone. "Yes, ma'am. I do. I'll give him the forms." She hung up the line and smiled at Ben again. "She'll be out in a minute. Make yourself comfortable!" She pointed to a couch area off to one side.

Ben picked up his bag, took the proffered paperwork, and walked slowly over to the couches. There were clipboards and pens there. He started to fill out the forms, glancing up at Tiffany every so often. She was watching something on her computer screen, typing something every so often.

It's a health club, Ben told himself. It's nothing you're used to. Maybe she's on some kind of...performance enhancers or something. But she's making the hair go up on the back of my neck.

He tried to tell himself he didn't like it.

He was watching Tiffany so intently the throat clearing behind him caught him by surprise. "Excuse me?"

Ben started and spun around. He faced a petite, lithe, and almost radiant woman. She wasn't wearing any makeup. She didn't need to. Her skin was an almost perfect peaches and cream color, her eyes a startling green. Her hair was long, black, and pulled back into a ponytail. Wow, he thought. No wonder Tiffany gets hot, if she's queer. I really hope this one swings both ways... Then he was flushing at the image of the three-way that flashed into his mind.

Chelsea grinned up at him and offered her hand. "I'm Chelsea, one of the personal trainers here and the owner. Welcome. I assume you're thinking of joining?" She openly looked him up and down as he reached for her hand.

"Um, ah, yeah." Smooth, Ben! he congratulated himself sourly. Now you're not only out of shape, but you can't talk. Real smooth.

She grinned. "Relax. It's OK. We're very nice to new people."

Damn. She did notice. "Oh, I'm sure..." He fumbled with the clipboard and handed her the paperwork.

She took it from him and studied it. "Ben. Right. Ben or Benji?"

He felt his ears get hot. "Just Ben. Please."

She nodded and tucked the forms under her arm. "First the tour, so you have an idea of the layout of the place. We have the lowest dropout rate in town, and some of that is due to the way our facilities are laid out and what we offer here."

Ben stood uncertainly as she studied him again. "All right, then. Follow me." She turned and started toward a door he hadn't noticed before. She didn't look behind her to see if he followed. Ben glanced at Tiffany questioningly, but she was typing away. With a shrug, he hoisted his duffle and followed Chelsea. She held the door open for him, waiting.

Ben entered the hallway, trying not to bump the trainer with his bag. As she shut the door behind him, he thought he heard a moan from the front desk. Chelsea was already going down the hall, though, so he couldn't stop to check.

"Down this way we have the sunroom, the indoor spa, and the massage area. Massages are not included in basic membership, but I highly recommend adding them in. They're a great way to reward yourself for being a good boy and doing what you need to do."

The smell of chlorine was getting stronger, and it seemed to be mixed with something else. Neat signs on the walls had arrows pointing to each area. Ben had to hurry to catch up with Chelsea. She was pointing everything out quickly. "You'll want to get started as soon as possible, of course. For a certain level of membership, we have motivational training and massage included, as well as a private section of locker room."

I know I can't afford that, Ben thought. To his surprise, she continued "For students who can't afford that level of membership, we offer a kind of work-study instead...it's a win-win situation, since we know we can make sure you're being a good boy then. Tiffany is on that program, actually. Did you meet her?"

"Umm...yes, I did. Is she OK?" he asked  hesitantly.

Chelsea grinned at him, pausing. "She's fine. She's very enthusiastic. This way, we have the machine rooms."

Ben was surprised when she opened a door and showed him several couches. Rather than the Nautilus or treadmills he expected, there were tiny machines with headphones and glasses. One  person was on the couch, covered in a blanket, seeming to be asleep. "These are our motivational training machines. We call this the machine room because it always surprises people." She laughed. "You should see your face."

Ben flushed. "I guess I am surprised. What are these for?"

Chelsea grinned and closed the door. "If you sign up, you'll learn more. Essentially it's meditation and motivation. We teach you to want it in a healthy way."

Ben nodded, pretending he understood what that meant, and followed the trainer down the hall. "This is the workout area," she went on. "We have ellipticals, stairmasters, treadmills, free weights...well, you'll see."

She opened the door into a huge room. It was fairly empty, but the people in the room were very focused. Two women were jogging on treadmills, and another was on an elliptical trainer. All were wearing headphones, attached to a series of miniature televisions in front of each machine.

"We let people watch TV while they're working out. You punch in your code, and you have a choice of programs. You can also listen to music."

Ben looked over the room. Savvy consumer! he told himself sternly, but inside he was already imagining himself sweating on one of the treadmills with Chelsea cheering him on. He was surprised to admit to himself he liked the idea.

Chelsea was watching his face. "You know," she said more softly, "It's not always easy taking the first step. Sometimes that's the hard part. Sometimes the second step, or the fourth, is harder. We try to make it as easy for you as possible...and as enjoyable."

Ben looked down at Chelsea and found himself smiling back at her. "Yeah. Maybe I'm just scared."

She nodded, sympathetic. "How much time do you have? If you have a couple of hours, we can start today...but we can at least let you see what the motivation program feels like."

Ben shifted from foot to foot a bit nervously. "Well...I have a couple of hours before class..."

Chelsea started back down the hall. "Great! Let's try this out. Do you have epilepsy?"

Ben didn't have trouble keeping up this time. She wasn't going so fast. "No, and no one in my family does either."

She smiled at him as she ushered him into the machine room. "Great! You'll probably like this. A lot of our people come in on their lunches to get a little taste of it. It's very relaxing. I tend to do it after work."

The woman already in there stretched as Ben entered. She curled up under the blanket. "Whoops! I think I'll wait till he's got the goggles on!" she laughed. "I'm not ready to be seen in my bikini yet."

Ben blushed and looked away. Chelsea only laughed with her. "You will be soon, Lyn...how's it going? You look good!"

Lyn sat up a little more, still holding the blanket coyly over herself. "I feel great...an hour on the elliptical, and then some arm work, and then a massage, then this. I like having afternoons off sometimes. New enroll?" She pointed her chin at Ben.

Chelsea fussed with the goggles and headphones. "I hope so. I'm giving him a little of this, showing him what it's about."

Lyn nodded. "Hey, new guy?" When Ben stole a glance at her, she gave him a thumb's up. "It's about heaven. I'm actually getting in shape for the first time in my life. I feel really good. You'll like it too."

Ben blushed again, but Chelsea touched his arm. "OK, let's see...you're wearing loose clothes already. Take off your shoes. While you do that, I'll just..."

Chelsea got out a blanket from a cabinet and spread it over the chair. "I'll get another in a second. You go on and get comfortable."

Lyn grinned and sat forward on her own couch, watching as Ben settled himself down. "I might take a hot tub soak so I can watch him come back up."

Chelsea put the headphones on for Ben. Immediately everything was muffled and sounded far away. The headphones were soft and covered his ears completely. A moment later, Chelsea covered his eyes with goggles. The room was shut out completely. Ben felt gentle hands on his shoulders pushing him back against the couch. He laid back and felt a pillow adjusted under his neck.

Soft musical tones began to sound in the headphones and the lights began to flash. There was nothing else for Ben to look at. He could feel a blanket being drawn over him and tucked over his shoulders.

He was slightly startled when a warm, gentle voice spoke. "Hello. Welcome to training. We hope you will enjoy your experience." The music swelled slightly, and the light pattern changed. "Please relax and enjoy your session."

Ben took a deep breath and tried to relax. He wasn't sure what was coming. What does all this have to do with getting in shape? he wondered. Would it be worth taking on what's basically a part-time job, if I understand it right?

The lights flashing were making his eyes water. As if anticipating this, the voice said "If your eyes are not already closed, you may find it more pleasant to close them. The lights will work just as well with your eyelids closed, and you may find it more comfortable."

Ben closed his eyes experimentally. The lights dimmed to a soft, gentle pulse. He let out a sigh he hadn't realized he was holding in. "Please relax. The lights and sounds will help you achieve your goals. The goal of this session is relaxation only. The length is about fifteen minutes."

Sounds reasonable enough, he thought. The pattern of the pulses changed again, and the voice continued. Behind the voice, he could hear the tones had changed slightly. "Now relax, and let the tension drain from your body. Take in a deep breath and let it out in a long, deep sigh."

Ben obeyed the voice, breathing in as deeply as he could and sighing again. "As you breathe out, you may notice your shoulders dropping. That's very good, as it means the tension is fading from your body. Try again."

He sighed again, and felt his shoulders relax. That does feel pretty good, he thought. The pulsing lights kept going, the pattern a little too complicated for him to follow. He tried to pick it up for a moment. Then he realized he hadn't been listening to the voice's instructions and focused on them again with a flash of guilt.

"By now you may be moticing your attention drifting. If that is happening, that's all right. Simply let your mind wander and enjoy the music, the lights, and my voice."

Oh. Well, maybe it's not so bad, he thought. I can do that. I'm a lot calmer than I was coming in. "Your body can relax and be heavy. Your mind can relax and be calm and centered. You can do all of these things. You are in a place with no pressure, no stress, and no fear. Your body does not need to hold tension. If you take another deep breath, you can let even more of it go."

Ben sighed before he realized he was going to go along with the voice again. I really like this, Lyn was right...this is nice.

"The lights are part of this. Their pulsing helps you relax. If you let your face relax and go slack, let your lips part, you will find they are much more enjoyable to you. Let the pulsing affect you in the way that feels best and most relaxing to you."

Ben realized his jaw was still a little tight. He opened it up experimentally. To his surprise, his body seemed to settle further into the couch. The lights kept going, insistant and penetrating.

"Another place people hold tension is their hands. Try relaxing your hands and feet consciously. Open your hands. Let your feet and ankles relax and move to a comfortable resting posture."

Ben's hands had felt comfortable. He opened them slightly. There was a resting place a little more open than he had held them that was much more comfortable. He curled and uncurled his toes.

"By now you are almost certainly noticing the changes in your body. Perhaps you are also noticing changes in your mind. These changes are normal and desirable. You are learning to let go of toxic tension and move into a peaceful, meditative place. Your body heals more easily in this place. Your mind is open and free in this place."

Ben just listened. I really don't want to move, he thought. And the lights are making harder to think. Is that what having a free mind is about?

"It is time to enjoy this place of peace. Let yourself float in harmony with yourself, calm and relaxed."

Ben let himself float. He was a little disappointed when the voice came back. "In a moment, you will find yourself transitioning out of this peaceful space. You will be refreshed and alert, the rest your body and mind have gotten serving you well." The tones and lights changed again. Ben felt his body energizing. He flexed his fingers a little.

Then the lights shut off and the music faded out. The voice said "Sit up and take off the glasses and headphones. Please enjoy the rest of your day."

Ben did as he was told, blinking at the dim light of the room. Chelsea was sitting on the next couch, smiling. Lyn was sitting next to her, wearing a robe and carrying a towel. She leaned forward. "Well? Well? What did you think?"

Ben took a deep breath, trying to sort out his thoughts. He felt awake, but somehow disconnected. "I think...I need to talk about work-study."

Chelsea grinned. "But I haven't shown you everything..."

Ben shook his head. "It doesn't matter. That was great." He slid off the couch and stretched. "I feel like I could take on the world."

Chelsea stood up and gathered up the blankets, depositing them in a laundry bin. "Yeah, we do have a pre-workout program that some people swear by."

He nodded. "I believe it. Between this and the massages, I think any amount of sweat would be worth it."

Lyn bounced up and down on her couch and cheered. "You won't regret it..."

He smiled at her, wondering where his usual shyness had gone. "Ben."

She took his hand in both of hers. They were warm and soft. "Ben. I'm Lyn. Nice to meet you."

She looks a little like Chelsea would look if she weighed about thirty pounds more, he thought. Really nice. And she looks OK soft like this. He swallowed and managed to respond "Nice to meet you, too." When she let go of his hand, he was a little disappointed.

"Come on, Ben..." Chelsea urged. "Let's get you to the office and get some paperwork filled out. We can work with your schedule to an extent."

Lyn waved gaily. "See you around, Ben!" she chirped, slipping off the couch. "I need to get home..."

Ben followed Chelsea to her office. I think...I'm going to enjoy it here.

About half an hour later, Ben came out of the office with a sheaf of papers and a new uniform in his duffle bag. He felt a little dazed by the speed of it all.

"You should be in here at five in the morning, so get sleep tonight," Chelsea told him. She walked him to the door. "You and I will be opening shift Monday through Friday. Tiffany will assist. I expect you to get lots of sleep tonight, got it? We'll work on your workout after one. You did say that Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you don't have class till six?"

Ben nodded. "That's right. And at one on Thursdays and Tuesdays."

Chelsea smiled. "We'll work on making sure you get thirty hours and study time. There will be times you can study at work, and as your boss I'll expect you to do that."

"Study...at work." He took a deep breath and smiled. "Right, boss."

Chelsea grinned at him. It almost seemed affectionate. "Good boy. Yes. That's the way to go, especially since I'm your personal trainer now."

Ben smiled back tentatively. "Yeah...and thanks, Chelsea." He stumbled a little over the words.

"You'll do just fine, and I'm glad I could help you...you'll do well. One week a month will pay for your membership, and the rest you'll get on a monthly basis. Now, shoo! You have class in an hour!" She made flapping motions with her hands. "Get going!"

Ben laughed. "I'm going, I'm going!" He slung his duffle over his back and...surprising even himself...jogged out the door.

Lyn was waiting for him outside. In the sunshine, her black hair seemed a little more brown, but her eyes were even greener. She was wearing a nice pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. "Are you all set?" she asked.

Ben tried not to look her over too closely. He couldn't help noticing the voluptuous curves of her body, or the way the jeans and shirt hugged them. "All set...and with a job, no less. Not just a work-study."

Lyn beamed. "You'll like working with Chelsea. She's great. She's really proud of this business."

"So you know her...like, outside of this?" Ben blushed. "I mean, I don't want to get too personal or anything...but you two kind of look..."

"...alike?" she finished. "Yeah, it's not too personal. Chels is my older cousin. I'm staying with her, and she's looking out for me while I'm in school. I don't work for her...she doesn't want to deal with that headache...but every year my Christmas present has been a health club membership. This is the first time I've used it, though."

Ben tried not to show his disappointment. "Oh..." was all he could manage.

Lyn tilted her head and regarded him. "Something I said?"

He shook his head quickly. "No, no, I'm cool." Inside, he swore. I can never ask her out now...he thought gloomily. She's the boss's cousin. That just doesn't go well.

She studied him for a moment more, then let it drop. "Anyway...I'll be seeing you around here a lot, I'm sure. I have to go to work now, but I'll catch you later?"

Ben made himself smile brightly. "Sure thing, Lyn! Take care!" He watched her hips sway as she walked to her little Toyota, and then shook himself. Fantasize all you want, big boy, but that one's off limits... he told himself firmly. Then he got into his car and headed for class.

******

Ben wasn't used to going to bed before one in the morning. It was hard to get ready for bed at nine. He took a shower and just stood under the warm spray for a while, trying to get sleepy. When he came out, his sister stared at him. "You're in your robe. At this time of night. Are you sick?"

He stuck his tongue out. "Early job days now, 'Nae. Try to keep it down, all right? I really do need to make a good impression here."

She shook her head. "You. Working out. Working. Going to school." She pretended to wipe tears. "My little brother is getting old!"

Ben snapped the towel at her. "I can always be immature. Besides, you're only a year older than me. And if I'm getting old, what does that make you?"

She grinned at him. "I'll keep quiet. I have to study tonight anyway, I'll just use headphones. You sleep, all right?"

Ben smiled back. "Sure thing, 'Nae." He turned toward his room.

"Hey, Ben?"

He turned back. "Yeah?"

She leaned on her door, her expression serious. "I just want you to know I'm proud of you. And if you tell anyone I said that, you're a dead man."

Ben blushed. "Thanks, 'Nae. That means a lot." He thought about hugging her and took a step that way. She grinned, shook her head, and stepped inside her room.

He followed her example, hanging up his robe in the privacy of his room. He flopped on his bed. The sheets felt cool on his water-warmed skin.

The alarm clock was just far enough out of his normal reach to make him have to work to turn it off. He stretched over, set it for four, and laid back naked to stare at his ceiling. This...the job, the getting in shape, the training... it's all almost too good to be true, he thought, except for Lyn being Chelsea's cousin. If she wasn't... He sighed and turned off the light, lacing his fingers under his neck. The sheets underneath him reminded him of the blankets in the machine room.

"It's about heaven." Ben could hear her saying it clearly. She's right, too, he thought. A shiver went through him as he thought of her watching him, watching his face, watching his jaw and shoulders go slack.

She can't have been watching the whole time, he reminded himself. Her hair was wet and she was wearing a robe. It occurred to him to ask more about the locker rooms and showers in the morning. That thought came and went quickly, replaced by the memory of Lyn's eager expression when he took off the goggles. He felt himself twitch at the thought. She wanted to see me, she wanted to know how I liked it. Then he felt a surge of heat. I wonder what she was wearing under that blanket...

His fingers unlaced. One hand stroked over his chest idly. I wonder. She was really shy, but she doesn't have anything to worry about if she was wearing a swimsuit. But what if she wasn't?

Ben let himself dwell on that for a moment. She'd kept the blanket up to her shoulders most of the time. He tried to remember if he'd seen a bikini strap or not. He couldn't recall. The thought of her laying there naked under the blanket, relaxed and unaware of their presence, sent hot shivers through him. His hand slid lower and wrapped around his shaft.

And then...what was she wearing under that robe when I took off the goggles? Anything? She'd just come from the shower. Ben let himself imagine her naked and damp, sliding into a robe and watching his rapt expression as he relaxed to the sound and the light. He was still staring at the ceiling, but he wasn't seeing it. He was seeing the lights flashing. He could hear the tones again, if he thought about it. As his hand tightened and started to move, he imagined her sliding onto the couch naked with him.

I'd be too heavy to move, he thought. I'd be watching the lights, and I'd know she was there...but it'd be too hard to do anything. If I did, I'd lose the pattern and the music. So I'd have to let her do anything she wanted.

Ben realized he was panting and threw a blanket over himself. That made the fantasy even more realistic. He could feel what her soft, voluptuous body would be like against his. He could sense the pressure of the headphones against his ears. The goggles were snug around his eyes, the lights flashing insistantly.

He was stroking faster now, the side of his hand not-quite striking his groin. Ben groaned almost silently as he imagined her french kissing him, his open lips and slack jaw offering no resistance to her tongue. She ran her tongue over his lips, then kissed and nipped his neck. His body was too limp and relaxed to do anything but give in.

The fantasy began to dissolve into disjointed images as he got closer to orgasm. He could feel warm wetness around him, her thighs clasping either side of his hips. He bucked, pushing lazily but with increasing power into her heat. She pinned his wrists down and made it even harder for him to move. He was helpless.

He bit down on the blanket as he came, trying to stifle moans. His free hand clenched the sheets, balling them up into his fist. After a moment, he let go of the sheets and let himself relax.

Lyn, he thought. Lyn. This might be the roughest great job I ever could have gotten.

Sleep claimed him breaths later.

It was hard for Ben to drag himself out of bed the next morning.The quick shower to get the sweat off took most of his wake-up time. He threw on his uniform, grabbed an energy bar, and all but ran out the door. He made it to work just as Chelsea was unlocking the door.

She looked him up and down approvingly. "Good, you're prompt. Good boy." She held the door for him. "Welcome to the first day of your new life, Ben."

He felt himself flush but went in ahead of her. The club was eerily quiet and dark. The pulsing music every health club in the world plays nonstop has to stop some time, he reminded himself.

"We'll drop your stuff in the staff locker room. It's nice, has its own showers and mini-sauna. It is  coed, though, like I told you the other day. Sure you don't mind?"

Ben's flush deepened. "I don't mind much. As long as no one points and laughs."

Chelsea paused and looked at him levelly. "We treat each other with respect here. The first person that makes a smart comment here takes a long walk off a short pink slip." Her expression softened, but not much.

We all want to improve our lives. We're here because we want to do that, and to help others do the same. I wouldn't have hired you if I didn't think you had a good heart. I'll fire anyone who proves me wrong."

Ben felt his shoulders relax. "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that. I don't make fun of other people, and I don't like it when they make fun of me."

Chelsea broke into a grin. "Good boy. That was the right response. You're doing very well." She unlocked a door, again holding it for him. "Youth before experience!" she teased.

Ben entered the locker room. The door led to a short hall, which bent around so the room couldn't be seen from the lobby. There were about twelve lockers. His name was on one. Chelsea handed him a lock. "This is yours."

"Thanks," he repeated. The sticker was still on the back of the lock. He did the combination, threw his duffle into the locker, and snapped the lock closed. "Where should I stick this?"

She passed him a keychain. "On this. You can put it on the back of the ID until you get it memorized." He turned it over, seeing his picture on the front.

"It wasn't too bad a shot, all things considered. You need to wear that at all times you're on duty.

He nodded and pinned it onto his uniform shirt. "OK, ready."

She glanced over his uniform and tugged down his shirt. "There. Much better. Come on, let me show you the laundry room. You'll be doing a lot of that."

He winced, but followed her back out into the lobby. She went behind the counter and booted up a computer.

"I'll give you a morning checklist once I get it printed out. Hit the lights over there for me?"

Ben nodded and glanced at where she pointed. There was a large, well-camoflaged door to a light panel. He started flipping switches. The lights flickered to life, and the music started up.

She finished what she was doing and showed him the laundry room. "If you close, you're responsible for putting all this stuff in the dryer before you leave. If you open, you get to fold between checking people in."

"Sounds fair enough," Ben said as she pulled a big cart out of the corner. "What do I do with them when they're folded?"

"You put them on the counter so people can get them on their way by. We don't keep them in the locker rooms, except the staff room."

She beckoned him over to the three huge dryers. Together they pulled out blankets and towels of various sizes, piling them on the bottom of the cart. "The blankets I'll take to the machine room."

He nodded again. "That's cool..." He looked at her over the cart, thinking of Lyn in the staff shower room. Luckily, Chelsea wasn't watching him and he hid the blush in a huge pile of laundry.

The rest of the hour passed in training. Ben didn't have time to think of Lyn again as he memorized the layout, watched a training video, and watched Tiffany go through the computer routine.

Chelsea has really high expectations, he thought. But it'll be worth it.

"Tiff, can you handle it up here? I want to give Ben another session in the machine room if you're set."

Tiffany nodded to Chelsea. Ben couldn't miss the almost worshipful look in her eyes. "Yes, Ma'am. I have it all ready to go. The doors are unlocked, and people are starting to come in."

Chelsea nodded decisively. "Excellent. Good girl. Come on, Ben."

He followed her down the hallway to the machine room. "This morning, we're going to work on energizing. This will help you get through an eight-hour shift. You can listen on your lunch too, if there's space."

There was no one in the machine room yet. They deposited their load of blankets in the cabinets, and then Chelsea messed with the device again. "Let me just get this set here...go on and get blankets ready."

Ben covered both couches with blankets and put another on the foot of each. "OK, get settled. Next time, you can do this yourself. I'll give you the setting handouts when we get done, and I'll do up a couple specfically for you. They'll have codes you need to punch in."

He blinked. "I get my own program?"

Chelsea looked up and grinned. "Of  course, I'm training you."

Ben settled onto the couch and looked up at Chelsea. "Put on the headphones, then the goggles," she directed.

He followed her orders, conscious of the fact that he was trembling slightly. You've done this before, he told himself. Stop being a jerk. This is part of what you're working for. Enjoy it! The headphones dampened the sound in the room again. Chelsea gave him a thumb's up, then handed him the goggles. She didn't bother to speak. He put on the goggles, fumbled with the blanket, and settled back against the neckrest.

The unit started up, lights flashing and tones beginning to chime. He found himself breathing more deeply and shifting slightly on the couch for greater comfort.

The voice spoke. "This program is for you to feel energized and empowered. You will find yourself feeling happy and awake. Enjoy the program." The lights shifted pattern again. He took an expectant breath as the music changed. 

This time, it was a little while before the voice began. By the time it did, Ben had stopped shifting around. His eyes felt heavy and his body comfortable. This is different than last time, he thought. Last time, I felt too heavy to move at all. This time, it's like I'm fine, but I just don't want to do anything that would stop this.

"At some times in our lives, we need to pause to relax, to rest. At other times, we need to relax in preparation for greater energy later. This is one of those times."

Ben would have nodded if he'd felt like moving. Instead, he was still, listening.

"Right now, you are gathering energy from within yourself. We all have small stores of energy within us. These stores are not depleted by use. Rather, they are restored by the very fact we tap into them. Unused, they make us feel more tired. It's time to use that inner strength and gather those reserves."

"This is often why exercise energizes us after a few days, rather than makes us more tired. By its very nature, we are using those reserves. If we use them consciously, we can get greater strength from them than if we simply rely on them blindly. You are now aware of them and can use them much more successfully."

Ben felt himself opening up to the idea. It all made so much sense when presented that way. I wonder how long it's been since I used any of those, he thought. Maybe since the last time I took a test. I used them all the time in high school, just to get through a day. Maybe that's why I'm putting on weight now...nothing's giving me motivation to do anything other than study.

"Now, take a deep breath and relax more. Let your jaw loosen, and your hands and feet and neck relax. If you need help in learning how to do this more successfully, listen to the relaxation program."

Ben did as instructed, remembering how it felt to let everything go slack. He realized the tones had lowered a bit in pitch. He felt as if he was leaning into the music, using it to help him along.

"Reach deep within yourself and touch those reserves of strength. Perhaps you see them as glowing balls of energy, deep within your core. Perhaps you hear them buzzing like static on the television. Perhaps you feel them pulsing with warmth and power. Perhaps you feel a combination of these things. However you experience them, they are yours for the gathering, yours to use."

Ben's idea of how that energy would be changed with each word the voice said. He could imagine each aspect rather easily. Finally, he settled on the little glowing balls within him. He watched them shine like tiny suns in an image of his body. The image hovered before him in his mind's eye.

"Now, as you need energy, imagine one of those balls bursting and spreading its energy through you."

Ben almost gasped as one of the tiny suns went nova within him. He felt a tingling sensation go through his entire body, every nerve pleasantly alive with the feeling.

The image of his body glowed faintly now. Rather than black and dull as it had been at first, the sunburst had outlined every muscle in softly glowing light. In awe at himself, he watched the light shift and sparkle. There were many more little suns still shining in his center.

"Now that you know how to tap that energy, whenever you need it you can have a burst of strength. We hope you have enjoyed this program."

Ben had totally forgotten the flashing lights in the goggles and the tones in the headphones. It was only now, when they began to fade, that he remembered their presences. As everything went black, he sat up and took off the goggles.

Chelsea was in the next couch, still watching and listening to whatever her program was. She looked almost asleep, but Ben had a strong hunch she wasn't even close.

She's like a leopard on a branch, he thought. She's conserving and gathering her energy for a pounce. Then he shook his head as he took off the headphones and cleaned them with the solution. No, that's not right. Chelsea's too nice to be a predator.

He took the blankets and put them in the laundry bin, then left the room quietly even though he knew she couldn't hear him. It was only respectful, and his respect for her was growing.

Ben almost bounced down the hall. He swung around the corner and bumped right into Tiffany.

"Whoops! Sorry!" she giggled. "I should have slowed down."

For the first time in his life, Ben didn't blush at a mistake. "Me too. Sorry about that. That energy program really works!"

She nodded. "I tend to come in before working out and listen to it, and I also listened to it five times before a 5k race once. It helped!"

He backed up against the wall to let her past. She padded around and changed the channel on the lobby television to the news. "It's that time of day, most people are getting done with their early-morning workouts and going to work. Some like to watch the news waiting for their buddies to get done," she explained on her way back.

Ben nodded and smiled as she passed him. She was exactly the kind of girl who would have had his buddies sneaking peeks at anything they could see. She's not my type, though, he thought. An image of Lyn swimming came to mind. He forced himself to think about work. "So tell me what we're supposed to do now?"

"Well, we can do more laundry. You could make a run down the hall and grab some from the bins. Or we can stay here and I can train you on looking professional and perky."

He blinked, and she winked at him. "Seriously. I'll get the towels, if you want, and we can talk while we fold?"

Ben nodded. "That sounds good to me."

She jogged off down the hall, and Ben took a look around the desk. It was fairly neat and tidy, binders and folders out of order but not out of place. He glanced at the computer screen. It had an odd, flashing screensaver going. The screen would be stable, then appear to swirl into a spiral. He watched it, fascinated.

"Hey! Wake up, there..."

Ben jumped. Tiffany was standing next to him with the cart. "Oh! Hi. I didn't hear you come up!" he said lamely.

She giggled. "That thing's evil. It draws you right in. But it passes time when things are really slow...kind of a screensaver meditation." She started unloading towels onto the desk.

Ben hurried to help. "I guess it would. So...um. What do you want to talk about?"

She giggled again. "Well, we should introduce ourselves, if we're going to be sharing the locker room, right? You're the new guy, you go first."

Does she always do that? he wondered. Aloud, he said "Well...um. I'm Ben. I'm 20, I'm an undecided major at KTU. I've got a sister, Renae, she's 21 and getting ready to graduate soon. We live with my Mom. Dad's across the country. We have a cat, um..."

She handed him one end of a blanket to hold. "What do you do for fun?"

He said even more hesitantly "Um. I hang out at a local coffee shop and listen to music?"

Just as he expected, she shook her head. "Not enough, clearly!"

His cheeks burned. "Well, I kind of like it. It's mellow and the people there know me."

She was about to say something else when her own face flamed. "Sorry, that was rude of me. I guess I should say it's not my thing." He saw her glance at the computer screen for a second.

Ben was about to answer her when the door opened and Lyn came in. He caught his breath and tried not to stare. She was wearing a black tank top and sweatpants that did nothing to blur her curves.

"Hiya, Tif...hiya, Ben!" she greeted them. "Workout time for me! I have class at noon. How're you both doing?"

Tiffany waved, pushing a pile of towels toward Lyn with her free hand. "Oh, it's OK. Just training Ben here."

Ben flushed a little, and even more when Lyn giggled. "You look good like that, Ben. And...you listened to the energy program this morning, didn't you?"

His cheeks burned. "Um, yeah. Is it that obvious?"

She nodded. "Well, that and Chels said you would be. She thinks you have real potential, you know." She grabbed about six towels from the stack, a slight frown crossing her face. "She usually doesn't say that."

Tiffany looked between them, and a sly smile crossed her face. "What do you think, Lyn?" she drawled.

Lyn made a face. "I think I have a date with an elliptical trainer, Tiff." There was unmistakeable reproach in her voice. "That's what I think."

To Ben's complete surprise and relief, Tiffany backed down right away. "Sorry, Lyn. I overstepped."

Lyn shook her head. "Calm down, I won't tell Chels. Relax." She glanced up at Ben again, then shook her head and headed for the staff locker room.

Ben's heart simultanously sank and leaped in his chest. She'll be in the locker room with us! clashed in his thoughts with She doesn't like me at all...she shook her head and everything...

He quickly began folding towels again, avoiding Tiffany's searching look. She sighed and grabbed one out of his hand. "Here. Gimme. You look like a forlorn puppy, Ben." Her voice was more gentle.

"I didn't know you knew that word," he retorted with some venom. Whoa, cool it, don't take it out on her...he cautioned himself.

She wasn't offended. "One of my assignments is to write fifty words from a word-of-the-dau list online. It's to help my self-image. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump in there."

He shrugged. "Hey. No big deal." But he thought about her sitting in the machine room, wearing the goggles and watching the flashing lights, and blushed again.

Tiffany shook her head. "No, it is a big deal. You've got it for Lyn, don't you? It's kind of obvious."

"Do you think she knows?" Ben looked up at the locker room.

"Oh, probably. But she likes you too. She told me waiting for you yesterday." Tiffany sighed. "Like I said, sorry."

Whatever Ben might have said in response was cut off by the locker room door opening and Lyn re-emerging into the lobby. "Ben, will you help me get settled in the machine room?" she asked. "I just want to get covered up right. I need some extra motivation before I get on that elliptical today, I'm a little sore."

Tiffany nudged him. "The instructions are right here!" she whispered, handing him a binder. "It's really easy. Go for it."

Ben took the binder and nodded to Lyn. "Sure, anything you want..." He cursed mentally. Oh, that was subtle, bright boy!

Lyn flashed him a smile. "C'mon, then!" She started down the hall.

Ben squeezed past Tiffany and the cart and followed Lyn. This feels so right...I hope she doesn't realize I'd follow her anywhere. He made himself look at the back of her head instead of the sway of her hips.

Chelsea was gone from the machine room. There was one other person there, curled up under a blanket, goggles and headphones firmly in place. Lyn pointed to the cabinets. "Blankets, please?"

He nodded and opened the cabinets, happy to oblige. He took a moment to feel the texture, choosing the softest ones in easy reach. She had put her water bottle and CDs in the carry rack to the side when he turned back with his selections. He had his expression under tight control as he smoothed out the blanket on the couch. He held the other under one arm as he gestured with the other. "Have a seat, Lyn!" he said as casually as he could.

She sat down and swung her legs up onto the couch. He adjusted the neckrest for her. Her skin is so soft, he thought as he covered her up. I wonder what the rest of her really feels like...

Lyn smiled up at him. "Headphones, please!" she teased. He carefully set the headphones on her head, enjoying the silky tough of her hair. Then he handed her the goggles. As she put them on, she said in a slightly too-loud voice "I want program ten...that's the one I use. Punch it in, please?"

He nodded even though she couldn't see him. A quick glance at the manual told him how to start the machine and input a personal program. He followed the directions and looked up at her when the display flashed OK.

As Ben watched, Lyn's body seemed to slump. Her head turned slightly to one side against the neckrest, and her shoulders dropped. He swallowed hard, fighting an unexpected surge or arousal. She looked like she was going to sleep, except he couldn't see her eyes. He could imagine them, though, closed tight against the flashing lights and too heavy to open. Just as his had been not an hour before.

You should go back up to the front, he told himself sternly. She didn't tell you to stay, just to help her get settled. Tiffany's supposed to be training you. Still, he couldn't bring himself to move. He watched as her lips parted and she let out a long sigh.

Suddenly, he heard the other person move behind him. He turned around and another young man was sitting up. Hastily, Ben went to the cabinet and fussed with the blankets.

"Oh! Hi. When did you get here?" The other man sat up and began to clean the goggles and headphones. "You're new here, aren't you?"

Ben nodded. "Brand new. I'm Ben..." He held out a hand.

The young man took it. "Sean. Nice to meet you." He bounced on the balls of his feet restlessly. "Listen, I'd love to talk, but I have to run. And I mean have to run. Bye!" He released Ben's hand with a wry grin and jogged out the door.

Ben glanced back at Lyn, relaxed and dreamy under her blanket. Responsibility warred with desire within him. Responsibility won, but he had his eyes on her as he silently closed the door.

The rest of the morning passed in a whirl of laundry and deskwork. Ben didn't see Lyn leave. He was pulling towels out of the machine and putting more in the washer. Even though he'd never used such a big machine before, the instructions neatly posted on the wall made it a no-brainer task. By the end of the morning, he could log in and navigate his way around the user information system. Tiffany was a quick and surprisingly good teacher.

Whatever else is up with Tiffany, she's not dumb, he thought as he watched her run several searches and locate some missing paperwork for a customer. Maybe it's that she's just gone over Chelsea. If so, I'm sure she's not the first. He was glad that he hadn't made fun of Tiffany for her crush on their boss.

Before long, they were chatting amiably again. "I'm 23," she told him. "I used to weigh…a lot. I

don't like to think about it now. The doctors were starting to talk surgery when I met Chelsea two years ago. She didn't have a club then, but she was personal training and working on her Master's."

"I'm impressed. I didn't know she had that," Ben said as he leaned against the counter.

Tiffany nodded. "I was part of her thesis project. My doctor knew her from some psychology class or other they were taking together. He told me she could help me. And she did…she took me on and when no one else thought I could do it, Chelsea believed in me."

He almost said something, but thought better of it. "So…she helped you out."

Tiffany nodded. "It totally changed my world. I didn't think of myself as beautiful, but she showed me differently. Once I knew that, the weight started to come off for me."

Ben blinked. "Do…don't you have that backwards?" he asked tentatively. "Lose weight and then see it?" He tried to picture her as overweight and failed. Tiffany was lean and lithe, almost his height. She showed no sign of having been heavy before. "I mean, that's how it usually goes…"

Tiffany shook her head, looking out at the parking lot instead of at him. "That's what people who make money off quick weight loss want you to think. Trust me, I know. For a lot of people, it really is the other way around. You have to care about yourself before you can take any kind of step to do anything. But Chelsea always saw me as beautiful. She was focused on trying to make sure I didn't hurt myself again, though." She looked up at him, blue eyes wide and candid. "I fell and ripped my ACL. You know what that is?"

He nodded with a wince. "I know what that is."

She nodded back. "Well, it really hurt. And it didn't heal right because I was big. It took forever. I was 21 and miserable from pain. Chelsea helped with that, too."

"Do you have a weather ache?" Ben asked, uncomfortable with the soul-baring. He wasn't used to such frankness from new acquaintances. Still, I'm going to be seeing her naked in the staff locker room, he thought wryly. I'd better get comfortable with her. He added a grin as it occurred to him that this might be her way of finding her ease with him.

Tiffany laughed. "Oh, I'll be complaining when it rains, trust me. I feel it and it might be I always will. I have to be careful how I work out. No really high-impact stuff for me!" She leaned toward him slightly. "I think you'd do well with Chelsea. I mean, we have other trainers…but she's the best. And with a certain kind of person, she might be one of the best in the state."

He blinked at her. "What kind would that be?"

Tiffany shook her head with a mysterious smile before turning to a member checking out. No matter how Ben tried, he couldn't get her to say what she meant.

At 10:30, Chelsea came by and leaned on the desk. "Lunchtime," she ordered. "Get some food now, because you don't want to be too full when you go work out for me. Be sure to be drinking lots of water, too."

Ben nodded, feeling a burst of excitement and apprehension. "Yes, ma'am," he agreed. At her stare, he gulped. "You mean, right now, don't you?" Her slow nod was enough to bring him out from behind the counter and send him toward the locker room. As he was rummaging through his gym bag, he wondered at his actions.

She's not a drill sergeant, he told himself sternly. She's your boss, but she isn't a martinet. You don't have to ask how high before she says jump. Then the thought of Tiffany and the way she acted crossed his mind. He grabbed his energy bars and sat down on the bench.

Chelsea came in and leaned on the door. "When you're done with lunch, I want you to come up with me and do some basic testing on the treadmill." She didn't ask if it was all right.

Ben nodded anyway. "I'm not eating anything heavy," he offered. "I should be all right to exercise a bit."

She grinned at him. "In a couple of weeks, we'll structure a diet plan for you. Come on out when you're done." She pushed off the wall and he heard the door to the staff locker room open and close.

He took a deep breath, finished his energy bar, and slugged down some water. He squared his shoulders, marched down the short hall and opened the door. What he saw stopped him silent.

Tiffany was looking at the screen saver, eyes half-lidded. Chelsea was massaging the petite blonde's shoulders and murmuring into her ear. As he watched, Tiffany swayed slightly and her eyes closed completely. She sagged against the support of the counter. Chelsea smiled and whispered something else.

Whatever Chelsea had said, Tiffany definitely reacted. Her face flushed and her fingers gripped the edge of the counter. Then she shook herself and her eyes opened. Ben clearly heard her say "Thank you...I didn't deserve that. I deserved to be punished."

Chelsea shook her head. "Lyn's sensitive. Just be more aware. You were there once."

Ben stepped back into the hall and mostly closed the door. He took a deep breath, leaning against the wall, trying to calm his pulse.

The image of Tiffany slumping and then shuddering wouldn't leave his mind. Those two are involved! he thought. Not only that, but they're...weird involved. I can't imagine what must go on between them in private.

He found himself very much wanting to imagine it.

His train of thought was derailed by Chelsea opening the door. She didn't look surprised to see him there. "Come on, Ben. Time to try things out." Her voice was calm and casual.

She ignored Ben's blush as he followed her out of the staff area. Tiffany was doing data entry, looking as if nothing had happened. She looked up and gave him a smile as he walked by. Ben couldn't see any sign of what had passed just a few moments before.

"Grab a towel," Chelsea directed him. "In the future, you'll listen to the program I have for you before working out. Today, we'll skip it because it's not done yet. Trust me, it makes a difference."

Ben did as he was told. "I really hope so," he managed to say in a more or less normal voice. "Did you do one for Tiffany? Is that what helped her so much?"

If Chelsea heard the apprehension in his tone, she ignored that too. "It made a difference. It kept her going through the rough places." She led him to the workout area and to an unoccupied treadmill. "OK, here you go. Get on it." She reached across the controls and started punching in a sequence. "Let's see how you do on this part."

The machine smoothly slid into operation, the belt moving under his feet. He grabbed the handbar and began to walk. The display in front of him shifted to show his heart rate and speed. "You're going to want to keep it in a certain range for warming up, and a higher range for actual working out." Chelsea leaned on the arm of the device, watching his face.

Ben nodded, studying the controls. They seemed pretty simple to understand. Then he glanced up at the little TV screen in front of him. It had a slit where he could slide in his own CDs. There were channel controls and volume setting controls. He spotted the headphone jack and nodded to himself.

"You'll be watching a certain program channel. It'll be set for you when you punch in your code, just like the light machines downstairs," Chelsea informed him. "If you're already over your workout requirement and feel inspired, you can use your own stuff. By and large, though, I have things I'll want you to do."

Ben nodded, not at all strained by the warmup. He kept going, not sure whether she wanted him to say anything or not. After a moment more, she leaned over and punched in another combination. The machine sped up and the display changed.

He looked down at the display instinctively. The display was a series of concentric circles. They moved from the outside to the inside, shrinking as they went. As he began to walk faster, they went faster. Abruptly they changed direction, growing from the inside out instead of shrinking.

"Good!" Chelsea cheered him. "Target heart rate. As long as they're growing bigger instead of smaller, you're on track. If they switch again, you're too high and the machine will slow down to make sure you don't go too fast for yourself."

He nodded, watching them intently. They reminded him of something, but he wasn't quite sure what.

"Hey, listen," Chelsea interrupted his thoughts. "I wanted to talk to you about Lyn."

That caught his attention. "What about her?" he asked warily.

She chuckled as he tore his eyes away from the circles to look at her. "No worries, except of course that if you blatantly hurt my little cousin I'll take you on. But I don't think you're the type, Benji." She tilted her head and studied him. When he was about to say something, she interrupted him. "No, don't say anything. She's a big girl, so are you. But be nice to her, OK?"

"It's Ben, not Benji," he reminded her. "And I don't have any designs on her at all."

Chelsea chuckled. "No? If you say so. I think you're scared for your job and trying to save your ass, but if you want to play that way." She tapped the console. "Slow down."

He looked back down at the circles. Sure enough, they were shrinking again. He felt the machine slowing down and slowed with it. After a moment the circles changed again. "Good," she said approvingly.

He felt his shoulders relax as he settled back into a rhythm. "Just watch them for a while, Ben...let them guide you..." Chelsea said quietly.

He focused on the circles. Not too fast, not too slow, just right... he thought. He was almost disappointed when the display turned into a little starburst with the words "cool down" in the center.

"Keep your eye on the starburst," Chelsea told him. "It'll begin flashing when it's time for you to stop."

He looked at it with interest. It was made of six dashed lines, and the dashes moved from the inside out like the circles. He rather liked it.

After a moment, it began to flash and the dashes stopped moving. He shook himself, stepping off as the machine slid to a stop as smooth as its start.

Chelsea studied his face. "How did that feel?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I'm OK, really. Panting a little but not bad." He wiped his face with the towel.

She nodded. "Good boy. Half an hour to firty-five minutes of that should be good for cardio."

Ben looked at his towel, but really didn't need it yet. By the time Chelsea had taken him on a tour of the various weight machines, it was a different story. She tested his endurance and his ability to lift. Every time he thought he couldn't do another repetition, she urged him on to "One more!" before letting him stop. Every muscle in his body was shaking.

Chelsea grinned at him. "Stretching time." She led him to a little mirrored alcove. She stretched with him, showing him how to hold a stretch without straining. Ben closed his eyes, thinking of the little novas within him. To his pleased surprise, he was able to bend comfortably just a little farther. When he came up from the stretch and opened his eyes, Chelsea's expression was delighted.

"I'm going to recommend some yoga for you, too. You're more naturally flexible than you think you are, and it'll help keep you from cramping," she told him. "Now, shoo! Go shower, and I think I can let you go early today. You've taken in a lot, and you're probably tired. If you want to stick around and sit in the hot tub, you're welcome to do so." She grinned warmly. "You'll want the massage tomorrow, I imagine."

Ben laughed ruefully. "Yeah, I need that shower...and I'll need that massage tomorrow, all right," he echoed, then waved. "See you then!" He headed back down the hall and into the employee dressing room.

He whistled cheerfully as he swung the door open and jogged down the short hall. He rounded the corner at top speed and pulled up short. Lyn stood there in front of her locker, wearing only a towel and a blush. He felt his own cheeks heat up. He managed a lame "Um. Hi. Do you mind if I..."

"...get your towel?" she finished for him. "Not at all. Go ahead." She stood back, giving him room to pass without jostling her. Her clothes lay piled up on the bench, an open bottle of skin cream beside them. His face burned hotter and he forced himself to think of anything other than rubbing that cream onto her back, her arms, her breasts...

He hastily turned toward his locker and spun the lock, so she couldn't see his expression. "So, um, I'll just get my shower. Is anyone else in there?"

He could clearly hear the laughter in her voice. "No, no one else."

"I'm sorry, I should have yelled before I just ran in here..."

"You don't have to apologize. I heard you coming, I had time to grab a towel. This kind of thing happens here. It's not a big deal. Really, it's not."

Ben relaxed just a little. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. This happens, well, not all the time, but it usually happens with new people. I forgot my robe today, so it's just as much my fault as yours. Really." He heard her locker door shutting. She added "Besides, I wish I'd had a camera for your blush! Even your ears were red."

Lyn laughed as Ben blushed all over again. "And now your neck too!" she teased. "What would you do if I told you I wasn't even wearing a towel now?"

Ben almost flinched as he felt the erection growing. "I'd stay looking right here at this locker unless you told me I could look!" he told her, making a brave attempt to keep his voice steady.

Her tone of voice altered a little, becoming softer and more thoughtful. "You're a nice guy, Ben. Thank you for being so considerate." Her words were muffled for a moment as she went on, "I appreciate it."

He could picture her putting on her shirt, the soft yellow fabric of the pullover tee slipping down over her full breasts. He gulped again and rested his head against the cold metal of the locker. Just another moment, he told himself, and I'll turn around. She'll be all the way dressed then. I can look. It'll give me time to get myself together. She won't be able to see how attracted to her I am...

A little voice within him asked "If she did know, would that be a bad thing?"

Before he could think too deeply about it, Ben felt a hand on his shoulder. "You can look now," Lyn said softly, very close to his ear. "I'm all dressed."

It took everything Ben had not to moan. He was so aroused he ached from his knees to his chest. "I think...I'll wait a minute before I get my shower," he heard himself say. "I'm kind of sore, and I think maybe I should take my time."

She squeezed his shoulder gently before she let go. "If you want," she agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow, maybe?"

He forced himself to look over at her and nod brightly. "Count on it," he promised.

She smiled back, green eyes sparkling. She knows, he thought. She knows I want her. I can't trust myself to know if she wants me back, or if I'm just hoping too hard. Aloud, he added "I'll probably be really sore then, if I'm sore now!"

Her smile increased its wattage. "I'm studying to be a massage therapist, you know," she told him. Before he could react, she winked, grabbed her bag, and sauntered out of the locker room.

Ben sat down on the bench with a thump. It sent shock waves through his body and the moan escaped him. He grabbed his towel, not bothering to relock his locker, and almost ran for the shower. He left his clothes in a heap outside the stall and pulled the curtain across. It covered the stall door for almost complete privacy. He turned on the water with one hand while stroking himself with the other. The heat swamped him. He came before he even could manage to get the water temperature the way he usually liked his showers. It wasn't enough. He kept stroking himself frantically, letting the water pour over his body.

She's studying to be a massage therapist, he thought. He imagined those hands running over his back and rear, skillfully kneading away the tension. He never really got soft before he was fully hard again. The thought of her standing there, massaging him, while he listened to the soft sounds of the exercise program made him bit his lip to stifle any sound. The image of the concentric circles on the treadmill wandered into his thoughts. He thought of her gazing intently into those circles, totally focused on the exercise, while he watched her running. He could almost see the bouncing of her breasts, the trickle of sweat down her neck. He came again in record time, the spurting a jolt through his whole body.

It took him a few minutes to get his breathing under control. He carefully washed off, making sure there was no evidence of what he'd done left behind, then set about spraying down the walls and floor of the shower itself. The drain was in the center of the stall, since the employee locker room had only the one shower. After he turned off the water, he sprayed down the stall with the sanitizer, then rehung it on its hook. A quick survey of the shower and he felt it was clean enough to satisfy his mother.

If Chelsea knew, he thought, I'd just die. And I bet she inspects this shower herself.

He slid into his robe and dressed quickly. Tiffany might come charging in at any moment, he was sure of it. After only a day, Ben was convinced that she was the group yenta. She'd try to fix me up with Lyn at a moment's notice, he thought. It would be a bad idea to date Lyn, though, he told himself firmly. Especially with Chelsea watching so closely.

The soft inner voice he tried so hard to ignore asked "Would that really be so bad?"

As he left the locker room, Chelsea stuck her head out of the office. "Benji! Write this code down..." she called. "Zero-six-seven-three-four! That's what you'll use on the machines in the morning. If you forget, I'll stick it through the slots on your locker, all right?"

Ben hastily fumbled in his backpack for a pen. "...seven three four. Got it!" he told her as he scribbled it down. "That's my personalized program?"

Chelsea nodded. "Tailored to you. I might make you another, too, and if I do I'll put it on the note. Have a good day!" She closed the door to the office again.

Ben grinned, so pleased he forgot to be annoyed at being called Benji again.

Class passed quickly that day. Ben got home to find Renee on the computer. She turned and grinned at him. "I'll be off in about twenty, if you need to use this for homework." She looked back at the screen and her fingers flew over the keyboard. "So...how did it go today?" she asked as she typed.

The memory of Lyn in her towel flashed across Ben's mind. He flushed and said "It went...really well!"

Renee, luckily, didn't turn again. "Are you going to be sore tomorrow?" she teased. The printer next to her started to hum and she went on to a new document.

Ben nodded, regaining control of his blush. "Yeah, but I get massage as part of the deal for working there. Nice benefits, don't you think?"

"I am just green with envy!" she declared, hitting the print button again. "I could use a massage right now!"

"Hey, no problem, I'll just send an email to Grey..."

Renee made a face. "My absentee boyfriend is going to be so caught up in grad school for the next four months, I'll be lucky to catch him once a week."

"Sorry, 'Nae," Ben said contritely. "Is it really that bad?"

"Worse, I think, but I'm trying to be positive." She printed out her final document and logged off the computer. "It's all yours!"

"Thanks, I think." Ben sat down at the machine and closed his eyes for a moment. A surge of weariness washed over him. For a moment he was tempted to blow off his homework and just go to bed. Then he remembered Chelsea's admonition that he was expected to study. He took a deep breath and imagined the little energy novas going off within his body. After a moment of that, he was ready to begin his assignments.

He was too worn out to watch television by the time he was finished with his homework. He printed out his finished work, saved backup copies, and logged off the computer. Renee blocked his way up the stairs. "Uh uh. You didn't eat yet. I see that look in your eyes, but I took weight training last semester at college and you need to eat in order to build muscle."

Ben decided not to argue. He already felt soreness creeping into his muscles. If I don't eat now, he thought, I'll be starving as well as in pain tomorrow morning. He nodded gratefully. "You're right, 'Nae."

She thrust a smoothie at him. "Here. Nonfat yogurt, blueberries, raspberries, protein powder, and non-sugar sweetener, all blended to perfection. You can sip this down and then crash. I promise you won't regret it."

Ben took the smoothie and tasted it. It was a little oversweet for his taste, but then Renee always had a sugar fixation. "Thanks," he said, and meant it. "I really would have hated myself in the morning."

She grinned at him affectionately. "I know. I sure did the first week I did weight training. You're not too old for me to big-sister you when I can see you making a mistake. If you don't have energy at work tomorrow, you'll really be hating life."

But I will have energy, that voice within him protested. And I'll have my own workout program. Aloud, he only said "You're right. Sometimes. But don't get used to it." He winked and took a big hit from the smoothie. He was prepared for the sweetness, and it actually tasted pretty good.

She went back into the kitchen after a last grin at him. He could hear her humming and the sound of the dishwasher starting.

She's been trying to get me to eat better for a year, he thought. I wish I'd listened. I'll have to figure out a way to thank her somehow.

Ben made his way up the stairs and entered the cool privacy of his room. He tossed his bag down on the floor and started for the bed. A moment later, he shook his head and turned back. "No," he scolded himself out loud. "Get your clothes out of the drawer and in that duffle, so you won't have to rush in the morning." An image of Chelsea smiling flashed into his mind. He shook his head again, trying to drive it away.

He finished packing, set the alarm, and threw himself onto the bed. His muscles thrummed pleasantly, reacting to the stress they'd been through during the day. He closed his eyes and imagined the tiny novas again. Before he'd taken four breaths, he was asleep.

Morning dawned early and painful for him. Ben groaned as he dragged himself out of bed. Every limb felt as though he'd put it through a wringer. He stumbled to the shower, turning it on as hot as he could stand. The water eased but did not stop the ache. He put on his clothes stiffly, then headed for work.

Tiffany was already there and had unlocked the door. She gave him a look of complete sympathy. "I've got opening under control here," she told him. "I kind of figured you'd be hurting today. Why don't you go upstairs and stretch for a bit, then come back down? It'll make a difference, I promise. And it does get better. It's not like this every day."

Ben nodded, relieved. "Just on days ending in 'y,' right?"

She grinned. "Normally, you'd get a towel snapped at you for that. But I'm feeling for you right now, so you're off the hook. You owe me one, Benji-boy! Now shoo!" She made flapping motions with her hands. "Go on!"

He didn't need to be told again. He limped down the hall and settled onto the floor of the mirrored room. The first few stretches were agonizing, but he made himself work through them. After a little while, he felt almost ready to face the world again.

Tiffany had the entire front area ready and open when he got back to the front desk. "Lyn stopped by," she told him. She handed him a stack of towels to fold. "She had an early class, so she couldn't stay. Not if she wanted to get breakfast and still get parking, anyway. But she said she'll be by toward the end of your shift to check on you."

Ben nodded, glad Tiffany was focused on her towels. "Thanks. I appreciate it. But I have a question for you." He hadn't realized until just that moment that it was true.

"Shoot, then!" she said as she set a stack of towels in the cart.

"Why didn't you tell me Lyn was in the showers yesterday?"

She looked up at him and shrugged. "You blew by here fast enough I didn't have time. Besides, would it have mattered? You like her anyway, I figured you'd want to see her in all her glory. And you did like it. I can tell by the pink in your ears."

Ben started to get a little angry. "What about her privacy?"

"If she wanted privacy, she would use the women's locker room. She has that choice. So do you, for that matter. You don't have to put your stuff in with the rest of us." Tiffany looked him up and down. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe, she wants to be looked at? That she enjoyed watching you? Did you see her smile yesterday when she left?"

"No," he admitted. "I was too busy getting ready for my own shower to watch her leave." It was only half a lie.

"Benji..." she saw his face and corrected "Ben, sorry, I keep thinking of you as Benji because that's what Chelsea calls you. Ben, Lyn wears almost nothing in the machine room. She wanders through the halls in a robe and bathing suit. Maybe she likes the attention, I don't know. Lots of people want that kind of attention while they're losing weight. I was one of them, I wanted to wear as little as possible. It might be a phase, it might be for good. But I do know she was laughing when she blazed out of here yesterday. Maybe you're good for her."

He felt the edge of his bluster leaving as quickly as it had come. "What if she hadn't," he asked weakly.

She shrugged. "Then maybe I'd owe her an apology. And I owe you an apology...if you really didn't like what happened."

Ben looked down. He admitted to himself that he had in fact enjoyed the flirting. "It was embarassing, but it was kind of fun, yeah," he said. "Maybe you don't owe me an apology, but...I can do my own setups from now on, all right? This one came out all right. Another one might not. OK?"

He held his breath, hoping he hadn't offended her. After a moment, she nodded and grinned. "Fair. I'll behave. I don't want to spoil things for you...here, or with her. Besides, if I don't behave Chelsea will be really upset with me."

"Yeah, the last thing I want to do is lose you your job because you were trying to help me," Ben commented. He set his stack of towels in the cart. Or, he added to himself, give you girlfriend trouble. Bad enough to be thinking of dating the boss's cousin. Dating the boss is an even worse idea!

(5 days later)

Renee had to come get him for dinner. He was almost done with his last assignment. She peeked over his shoulder. "Isn't that due next week?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to go to bed with a clean conscience," he told her.