Woodbine Mall was a popular hangout for youngsters on the weekend, being a large, modern replica of all the other malls which had sprung up on the outskirts of Toronto. Treating herself to the delicious spare ribs they had at Swiss Chalet, she drizzled over their special tangy sauce. She preferred the large, baked potato, rather than fries, and the side salad, resisting dessert. Movies playing at the Cineplex included DANCES WITH WOLVES. She'd heard good reports and liked Kevin Costner. The early screening would suit her.
Sunday was a most sweet day weatherwise, the sky, such an intense blue, the cumulus in contrast, almost blinded the eye and there was not one shower-filled cloud to be seen. After work she packed her gym bag, threw it into the trunk and headed off to High Park. A Sunday with no commitments meant she could spend extra time. Membership allowed limitless visits, without extra charge. She had gotten in through Milka, on a special offer and Milka had helped her, financially. Paying back in instalments, she was now home free.
Sundays; it was never certain if the place would be busy or quiet, but usually the latter. She wondered if she might run into Kelly or Serena, her Amazon competitors, but workout pals in their mutual quest for perfection. It was going to be them against the others, so they gave each other moral support. She found it a most rewarding form of friendship. She was coming to realize there was more than one type of amicable concord. All friendly associations had their different attributes. She no longer moved in the world of best friend or out. There was room for all kinds.
Not spotting either of them, she checked the register. Ashley, who was in charge today, gave her a warm greeting. Serena had been in earlier, but not Kelly. She changed into gym gear; a sleeveless orange muscle shirt, straps crossing in back and black, mid-thigh Lycra pants, keeping her body as uncovered as possible. She could really work up a sweat: no sweat. White gym shoes and socks both featured an orange stripe. She slipped a black sweatband round her blonde hair and across her brow, just above the ears.
Two women were already on the circuit when she did her warm up on the bike.
“We'll have our pick of equipment today,”
she thought, with satisfaction. Progressing around, she gave herself a thorough workout on the leg press. She had just finished strapping on the broad, leather back belt and was drawing on her second glove, when in walked the girl of her fantasies. Her heart started skipping beats as she got a good look at the face and saw her to be stunningly beautiful. Those large, dark eyes, the lashes long, thick and curling against the smooth curve of her cheek, made you want to look forever. Gooseflesh rose over her body as she ceased movement, all senses alert to this gorgeous creature. A perfect mouth, the red lips full and rounded against flawless amber skin. One could die to feel their softness. Her hair, drawn back from her face into a ponytail, cascaded to her shoulders in long, dark-brown, almost black waves. Highlights glinted under the fluoro lights giving the curls a burnished sheen. She was a dream come true.
âSteady,' Sidonie admonished herself, as she inhaled deep breaths to help bring her pumping heart back to normal. Her head swam crazily, dizzy from the impact. A force she couldn't resist had hit her and a fever of excitement was running through her. With enormous effort she pulled her eyes away and turned her attention to the weights. Rocked to her foundations, recovery was not easy. Aim for nonchalance. But the breath had been knocked out of her and inside she was in a turmoil of heightened emotion. No one had ever had this effect on her before and she was reeling, as if from an invisible blow. She bent down to load up the first set of weights on the barbell and was suddenly aware that her hands were shaking. This sudden rush of her senses had brought her completely off balance.
While she went through her routine, she covertly observed the stranger. She was wearing a black top that looked to her more like it was for dance than sport and bright pink shorts and socks. Taking in the whole of her like this she could see she had a slim build and really looked very fit. Warming up, there was a graceful ease on the bike, the legs smooth and powerful against the resistance of the pedals. Yes the legs were long and she would be tall. She gave a slight lift to her shoulders and sighed:
“Can't have it all your own way, kid.”
“Crazy Dingbat, you've not got anything, yet,”
the voice in her head corrected.
“Shut up. Let me concentrate,”
already starting over, having lost count, distraction being total.
Tenille checked her watch. Ten minutes were up. She moved on to her first piece of apparatus, the leg press. Ashley had set her up with this, but she thought she could remember what to do. She would have to unload it first. Her card said 20 kgs. Whoever had used this last was a strong woman. All these big weights. It was a struggle moving them, even with both hands and she was making such a clatter. Suddenly she heard a voice behind her, husky, with a pleasing depth to it, taking her by surprise, in a woman.
âNeed a hand?'
She straightened and turned to look into the most intense, blue-green eyes she had ever seen. They gleamed in their brilliance. She saw sweat glistening in a thin film over the brow and upper lip; exertion had made the small, round mouth very red. A hot wash of color suffused beneath the skin of her cheeks as she continued to stare, bewitched by the striking allure of this attractive face. Then she remembered her manners. However, as she attempted a reply her breath caught in her throat and nothing seemed to want to work. All she could feel was this erratic hammering of her heart in her breast as her eyes took in the young woman's body, covered in what looked like a multi-colored second skin, revealing in detail the rounded contours of firm breasts, the nipples erect, thrusting toward her. Her proximity like this made the color flood to her cheeks even more, as she became all too aware of the hard, muscular body, so close. A power was radiating from her, too penetrating, and she was unable to do anything about it. She became completely flustered. Then these fantastic eyes locked onto hers as the low voice said: âHere let me do that for you,' and a strong, capable hand reached out and took the weight from her trembling grasp.
âSorry, I should have removed them when I finished,' Sidonie apologized. âMy thoughtlessness.'
She stood there, woodenly, saying nothing as the girl worked away, setting everything up for her. So they were her legs which had hefted all those weights. She couldn't repress a quick look down to see the muscles in question. Ah. She watched her check the card to be sure she had everything prepared correctly and finally step back.
âThere you are. All set to go,' said that voice which seemed to resonate through her body. She had not yet said a word. She had watched the lithe movements as they moved before her eyes, noting the strong ripple of muscle in arms and legs. How she had bent in front of her, the buttocks taut and well defined above those thick, athletic thighs. She had never before been so overcome by the sheer physicality of another's body. Never. She could only watch in dumb bewilderment, as she felt desire surging through her, coming to pool in her secret places, leaving her hot and wet, one pulsating need to reach out and feel this woman next to her; to be held by those thrilling arms and crushed against the whole length of that thick-set, exciting physique.
She indicated the seat for her to take. She sat.
âYou have to put your legs up against the plates' Sidonie told her in a stilted voice, through breaths that were heavy and irregular. Then she asked: âHave you done this before?' as she gazed down into those large, dark eyes; deep pools of unfathomable thoughts into which she could feel herself drowning.
Now, with Tenille lying back in the seat and looking up into this handsome face looking down on hers, she could only nod, mutely. Oh, she felt so foolish; so embarrassed. All strength had gone from her legs. How could she possibly lift 20 kilograms? She took a deep breath and managed a weak smile.
âThank you.'
Sidonie watched as she ran the pink tip of her glistening tongue around dry lips. She licked her own then said softly, her voice even lower: âCall me if you need assistance again, my name's Sidonie. Sidonie Henderson.' She went back to her own program, but couldn't get into it. Being so close to that woman had completely unnerved her. She'd been mistaken in thinking she was a girl. She was obviously a lot older than she and also very straight. She had checked the left hand, but that didn't always mean anything.
“Be sensible Sid, she's not for you,”
she told herself, fiercely.
“Get your body under control ⦠if you can't work, go for a swim and cool off.”
Ashley popped into the gym to see if everything was humming along nicely. She went over to Tenille.
âYou okay here?' She was almost at the end of her program.
âYes, thanks. I received help from â¦' In her embarrassment she'd missed the name, and could only turn her head to look across the room to the weights' area. The girl had gone.
âOh, that would have been Sidonie. Yes, any time you need help she can sort it all out for you. She's an old hand here.'
“Not very old at all,”
Tenille reflected:
“Only a girl really.”
It was time for her cool-down. She liked the silence of the locker-room after the loud music in the gym. It felt good under the shower, but she needed to stop dwelling on her recent experience. She was not like that. The swim would do her good. She changed into her swimsuit, rinsed off once more, then moved into the pool. As she stood in the humidity of the tropical scene she saw the fairhaired girl who had helped her ⦠Sidonie, an unusual name ⦠swimming powerfully through the water at what she felt must be considerable speed, pushing off with expert kicks on the turns. Her arms had been pulling down through the water in the crawl. Now she changed to butterfly. She was skilfully co-ordinated. Such a difficult stroke, she had it so well together, it looked easy. Her speed did not slacken; there was little disturbance of the water, her body simply surging ahead at every thrust.
Mesmerized by the rhythm of the forceful arms as they clove through the water, she stood and watched the powerful build of the shoulders; the strong legs as they kicked, dynamically, still only creating a minimum of splash.
“Goodness, this girl has all the abilities,”
she admired. Everything she herself lacked. She shook herself. She couldn't stand forever on the sideline.
Finishing her swim, she was alone in the pool, and checking her watch, there was ample time before class. She might even be able to find a little coffee shop and enjoy a cappuccino. What about a spell in the sauna? Everywhere was quiet, she could have it to herself. A quick visit to the washroom and she emerged with just a towel round her.
The sauna was dimly lit and appropriately hot. Choosing the middle bench, she laid out the towel, preferring to adjust to the steamy conditions before going higher. Sidonie, lying up top, turned her head when the shaft of light from the opening door pierced the gloom. She observed with pleasure, the woman who entered and dropped her towel, her unbound hair damp and dishevelled about her shoulders.
“Just how she would be at home,”
she thought, her pulses quickening. The woman's back was toward her as she organized the towel, but that was all right. Her eyes never left the attractive body, drinking in the inviting curves of the surprisingly small ass, naked before her. Everything about this woman was beautifully proportioned.
“Nice definition on the thighs and legs too,”
she noticed, appreciatively.
Tenille stepped up onto the first level, then lightly pulled herself up to the second, where she stretched out on her back with her arms across her breasts. In this light they had a golden glow, but she could only see the slight convexity of her stomach, no further down, the woman having decided to face away from the red light above the door.
âWould you mind if I created more steam?' The words stuck in her throat. This woman's presence made her too nervous.
Tenille started, she'd thought she was alone. It was that husky voice. Her heart began to pound again, thumping about in her chest as if with a life of its own. This must be the one she'd watched swimming. Already hot, she went even hotter at the thought. The blush suffused throughout her body, lying naked as she was. At least she couldn't be seen if there was more steam.
âNo ⦠go ahead,' she said stiffly. In all this time she had spoken only five words, yet her body was running full tilt, its traitorous feelings making her stupid. Thinking to be over the previous encounter, here she was again, in all kinds of bother.
Wrapping the towel about her, Sidonie swung her legs over the side and down to the bench below. She dipped the scoop into the pail and jerked a small amount of water onto the rocks. Immediately, loud hissing was followed by misty clouds. Tenille felt the heat envelop her. The girl did it again. Her whole body was bathed in sweat, rivulets running down the sides of her breasts, but she wouldn't move, not now.
Sidonie resumed her position, this time making sure she had a better vantage point from which to view this ravishing creature. Still the top half was obscured, but even through the steam, she could make out the dark triangle of black curls below the gentle curve of belly and her thighs. The woman of her dreams raised her outside leg. Now she could see the curve of her buttock as it met the thigh and the shapely calf, tapering gently. Everything she saw fascinated her. She was bewitched. Here they were, strangers ⦠lying naked together. She didn't even know her name. They'd not even talked. If she could get her voice under control she would try to remedy that.
After a short silence and some slow breathing, she ventured to ask: âAre you going to be coming here on a regular basis, do you think?' The low voice was thick with emotion, despite the banality of the question.