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  “What looks the best?”

  “The chicken and broccoli Alfredo looks really good.”

  “It is. Get that.”

  Emma smiles and says, “Okay. I guess I'll go with the chicken and broccoli Alfredo then.”

  “Good. Now back to focusing on me!”

  Emma laughs. I know she thinks I'm cocky and narcissistic. Most people do. When I joke about it with women, they usually at least find it funny. Most get turned on by it. I got a laugh out of Emma, which is good enough for me.

  “So, tell me about your weight loss journey,” I say. “You obviously changed your diet. What about exercise? Cardio? Weights?”

  “No weights. Just a lot of cardio. Running mostly, but some other stuff, too.”

  “Have you ever lifted weights?”

  “I don't think so. No.”

  “Emma! Lifting weights is the best. It helps you build muscle, burn fat, get stronger – I could go on and on. There are literally too many benefits to list!”

  “I don't know. It just always seemed like lifting weights was a guy's thing. I wouldn't know where to begin.”

  “Hmmm. If only you had access to one of the most famous personal trainers in the fucking world.”

  “What are you saying? You'll show me how to lift weights?”

  “If you ask me nicely.”

  Emma gives me a dirty look. I smile.

  “Why don't we go to the gym after we have dinner. I'll show you a few key exercises.”

  “You wanna go to our work while we’re on a date?”

  “It doesn't have to be Fit World. There's a gym right down the street from here. Come on. It'll be fun. And it'll only make you a better dietitian.”

  The waiter comes along and we order our food. Emma and I keep talking while we wait. Usually, the more I get to know a girl, the less interested I become. With Emma, the exact opposite is happening. The more I learn about her, the more I wanna know. I don't know what the fuck's wrong with me. There's just something about her that makes me feel different. It's a good different, for sure. But different than anything I've ever felt for any girl.

  Our food arrives and the conversation slows a bit. We continue to talk, but the conversation's more laid back. Emma tells me what it's like to be a dietitian and I tell her what a day in the life of Chad Taylor's like. Most women just assume that my life is awesome – and it is – but they don't ask the kinds of questions that Emma's been asking. Thought-provoking questions. Ones that can't be answered with one or two words. I'm not used to it, but I like it.

  Emma's phone rings and she tells me that it's Claire, her roommate. She says she has to take it and excuses herself from the table. A minute later, Emma returns.

  “Everything alright?” I ask.

  “Everything's fine, thank you,” she replies and smiles.

  Looks like I just passed the save-me-from-this-terrible-date test. I've been out with enough women to know about all their little tricks. In case things aren't going great, the friend calls halfway through the date, offering an excuse to bail. Emma didn't pull the ripcord. That means she's having a good time.

  We finish our meals and the waiter asks if we'd like dessert. Both Emma and I eat pretty healthy, so we decline. I wouldn't mind licking strawberry syrup off Emma's stomach, though. If I had to guess, I'd say she's never had anything but the most vanilla of sex. I can't wait to show her what it's like to be with an experienced, adventurous man in the bedroom. One that knows how to take charge and be dominant. Women like Emma – the quiet, reserved type – are always the kinkiest in the bedroom. They just need a man like me to come along and bring it out of them.

  “Well, that was absolutely delicious,” Emma says. “This place was a great idea. I'm afraid to see what the bill looks like, though.”

  “Have no fear, my dear,” I say, getting a quick half-smile out of Emma. “I'll take care of the bill. After all, I invited you here.”

  “Thank you, Chad. You're a real gentleman. It feels weird saying it but, right now at least, it's true.”

  “Yeah, well don't get used to it. And don't tell anyone else. I have a reputation to maintain, you know. Are you ready to go get a little sweaty?”

  “I just realized: I don't have anything to change into. Neither do you for that matter. We can't work out in what we're wearing.”

  She's right. I didn't think of that. Neither of us have our workout clothes with us. If we leave each other to go back home and change, the momentum of the date is gonna disappear. Generally, I don't like spending a lot of money on dates. Unless I'm shopping for myself or something, that is. But for Emma, I'm gonna make an exception.

  “There's a clothing store right next to the gym down the street. I'll buy each of us some gym clothes.”

  “I can't let you buy me an entire outfit, Chad. Thank you, but that's too much.”

  “You know how much money I've made so far this year?”

  “No, but I have a feeling you're gonna tell me.”

  “Too much. Between the personal training, endorsements, sponsorships, and the new supplement line I'm launching, I have more money than I know what to do with. Besides, you already let me buy you an expensive dinner. It would be rude to say no.”

  “That doesn't make sense. How would it be rude?”

  “I don't fucking know, Emma. All I know is we're having a good time, right?”

  After a brief pause, Emma agrees.

  “So let's keep that going. Come on. It'll be fun picking out a new outfit. We'll find you something that really shows off that sexy fucking body of yours.”

  Emma's eyes widen. That got her attention.

  “You're around gorgeous women all the time with bodies that put mine to shame. Besides, you haven't even really seen my body. I don't dress provocatively like the girls in all your Instagram pictures.”

  “Yet,” I say and smirk.

  “Yet? Yet what?”

  “I haven't seen your body yet.”

  “Aren't we confident!”

  “Yes we are.” I take her hand and hold it between both of mine. Looking Emma right in her beautiful eyes and slowing the cadence of my voice, I say, “Come on. Learning about some basic weight lifting principles will help you be a better dietitian. It will help you write a better book. And we're both gonna have an amazing time in the process. Don't worry about the money. I have too much of it. What do you say?”

  Reluctantly, Emma agrees. With a little eye contact and physical touch, there are few things I can't get a woman to agree to. I pay the bill and we walk a couple blocks to a clothing store. We split up, her going to the women's section and me going to the men's. Within a couple minutes, I've picked out an outfit for myself. I go join Emma and help her pick something out.

  “I don't know what to get,” she says.

  “How about this?” I suggest, grabbing the first thing I see off the rack.

  She laughs and says, “Oh, I don't think so. That'll be way too tight.”

  “That's the point. It'll show off your curves.”

  “You're calling me 'curvy?' Isn't that just another way of saying 'fat?'”

  “I didn't call you 'curvy.' I said you have curves because you do.” I walk right up to Emma and put one hand at the top of her back and one at the top of her chest. Slowly, I move them down her body, putting emphasis on her tits and ass. “Bam! Bam! That's what I'm talking about. Those curves. You're curvy in all the right places. Certainly not fat.”

  Emma blushes. I wasn't totally sure how she was gonna respond to me putting my hands on her body but she didn't seem to mind. Usually, I don't question myself: I just act. With Emma, though, I'm second guessing myself left and right. It's exciting.

  “Can I try it on?” she asks.

  “Of course. The dressing room is over there.”

  Emma disappears into the dressing room and I have a seat while I wait. I'm eager to see what she looks like in the outfit I picked out. It's a ti
ght pink top with black just-as-tight sweatpants. Almost like yoga pants but a little different. She comes out a minute later and I'm blown away. Emma's always dressed so modestly. I've never seen her wearing anything nearly as revealing. She looks fucking gorgeous.

  “Well?” she asks. It's obvious, between her voice and body language, that Emma's a bit self-conscious.

  “You look stunning. That's the outfit for you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh, for sure. Let's grab some sneakers and socks then get outta here.”

  We find Emma a cute pair of pink and black sneakers that match her outfit perfectly. I get myself a pair to match mine and we head to the checkout counter. After I pay for everything, we walk down to the twenty-four hour gym. It's nowhere near as big as Fit World, but it'll do. The guy behind the counter recognizes me from YouTube and lets us come in and workout for free. Of course, it’s only after I take a picture with him. Emma and I go into the locker rooms and get changed. I'm done before her so I go get us a couple of water bottles from the machine. When she finally comes out a few minutes later, I'm blown away again. Emma looks so fucking good in that outfit that I wanna tear it off and fuck her right in the middle of the gym.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Emma

  I feel so out of my element right now. So exposed. I've never worn anything anywhere near as revealing as this gym outfit. Chad seems to really like it. If I'm being honest, I kinda like it, too. I was checking myself out in the locker room mirror and Chad was right: it does show off my curves. I never really thought of myself as “curvy.” For most of my life, I was simply fat. Since I lost all that weight, I just see myself as average. I guess I do have a few curves.

  Chad's really making me feel good about myself. He's motivated me to start writing my weight loss book. And he's making me feel really good about my body. I have to wonder, though, is he just running game on me? Does he do this with all women just so he can get them into bed? Or am I somehow special?

  “Goddamn, Emma,” Chad says, looking me up and down, up and down.

  “What?” I ask.

  “You! Look at you. You look...”

  “Yes?”

  “You look smoking fucking hot! Seriously. I can't take my eyes off those magnificent tits and perfect ass. I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. I've never seen you wearing anything but sweaters and baggy shirts. I knew that there was a sexy ass woman hiding under there. Now that I can actually see her, I'm blown the fuck away.”

  I wonder who the first person to use the phrase “butterflies in the stomach” was because that's exactly what I'm feeling right now. It feels like I have a kaleidoscope of butterflies inside me. I think that's what a group of butterflies are called, anyway. Chad's words are making me melt inside and I bet I'm blushing right now. He looks amazing, too. Chad's wearing a revealing tank top and a pair of gym shorts. I can see his thick, muscular arms and tree trunk legs. He's got a visible vein popping out of his biceps and it's incredibly sexy. I don't know what's coming over me. I usually don't get like this. I feel like a school girl with a crush. It's not a bad feeling, though. Chad's got me feeling really, really good.

  “I'm blushing, aren't I?”

  Chad laughs and replies, “A little bit. Yeah.”

  “I can't help it. You're really making me feel good, Chad. Like, really good. You gotta cut that out.”

  “Cut it out? Are you kidding me? I'm just getting fucking started! You really do look amazing, Emma. Ready to lift some weights?”

  “As ready as I'm gonna be.”

  “Unacceptable. Let me ask you again. Are-you-ready-to-lift-some-fucking-weights?”

  “Yes. I'm ready to lift some effing weights.”

  “Good. Motivation, Emma. Use it. Harness it. You need to get excited about lifting weights. It gives you more energy and you have better workouts when you're all amped up. How do you motivate your clients?”

  “By coming up with detailed meal plans and...”

  “No, no, no. How do you get them excited about wanting to change their diets?”

  Again, Chad's got me thinking. I don't really do anything to help motivate my clients. I just feed them a bunch of information and send them on their way. If I could learn to be more motivating, I could help my clients stay on track better. I never in a million years would've thought that I'd be learning so much on a date with Chad Taylor.

  “I guess I don't.”

  “Do you tell your clients about your own weight loss success?”

  “Some, yes.”

  “Well, there you go. Your story is motivating as fuck. Get your clients excited. Don't just tell them what to eat. Make them excited about the wonderful new life they're gonna have if they stick to their diet. It'll help them. Trust me. Motivation works. Now, let's go do some squats.”

  We go over to the squat rack. Chad walks a couple steps behind me and I can feel his eyes running up and down my body. Normally, I'd be disgusted. But right now, I'm flattered.

  “Okay,” Chad says. “We're gonna keep it nice and light so we can focus on using good form. I always see guys in the gym using wayyy too much weight. It's better to use lighter weight with proper form than heavy weight with bad form. That's how you get injured.”

  “Won't lifting weights make me all big and muscular? I don't wanna look like that.”

  Chad laughs and says, “A lot of women think that but it's not true. You're not gonna turn into a female Arnold Schwarzenegger from working out. Those big muscular chicks you see on the cover of fitness magazines workout four hours a day, have impeccable diets, and all use steroids. You're not gonna get big and bulky from lifting weights. What you are gonna get is stronger, more toned, and a nice flat belly. And on top of all that, you'll feel better all day long. Weight lifting, like running, releases endorphins and dopamine which make you feel really good.”

  I gotta say, Chad knows his shit. I've known since high school that he's really smart. And tonight, Chad's shown me that he can actually act like a human being - when he wants to. All things considered, he's blowing me away as much as I'm blowing him... That sounds really bad, even in my head. Although, I wonder what it would be like to...

  “Emma!” Chad yells.

  “Huh?”

  “Focus! Are you listening to me?”

  “Yes, I'm listening.”

  “Then what did I just say?”

  Uh oh. I have no idea.

  “You said that Arnold Schwarzenegger got strong from working out four hours a day and using steroids.”

  “That's not even close to what I said. I know my glorious muscles and cool demeanor can be mesmerizing, but I need to you pull your head out of your ass and focus.”

  “Okay. Sorry. I'm a laser beam. Super focused.”

  “That's better. Now watch closely.”

  Chad gets under the bar and picks it up, resting it on his shoulders. He takes a step back and slowly starts squatting down. I do everything in my power to focus on the movement and not on Chad's body. It's not enough. I can't help myself from checking out his statuesque physique. As Chad bends down, his butt looks incredible. I wanna just walk up to him and give it a pinch. With the bar is resting on Chad's broad shoulders, he slowly ascends back up. He returns the bar to the rack and turns around.

  “See? You want the bar to rest right here,” Chad says, putting his hand on my upper back. “Then you bend down slowly, going as far down as you can. We call those ass-to-grass squats. Deep squats. They work your legs and butt really good. Ready to give it a try?”

  “As ready as I'm gonna...”

  Chad coughs and gives me a look.

  “Yes. I'm ready!”

  “Good. Now come over here and get under the bar. Don't be afraid. I'm gonna spot you.”

  Chad gets right behind me. Like, right behind me. He presses his body up against mine and wraps his muscular arms around me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was trying to cop a feel. I know that he's
not, though. I've seen him training his clients at Fit World and I've seen him spotting both guys and girls the same way. Still, I can't help myself. Having Chad's magnificent body pressed against mine feels amazing. For a split second, my mind leaves the gym and I imagine what it would be like to have Chad's body pressed against mine in bed. That thought sends a chill down my spine.

  I need to focus right now, though. Focus, Emma, focus. Chad helps me rest the bar on my neck and I lift it off the rack. Like he instructed, I take a step back and start squatting down. Chad's body is pressed against mine the entire way, supporting me on the way down and back up. It feels amazing.