Lea figured Colin would back away from her bike, but when he didn’t, her first instinct was to hop off and run out of the building. Figuring that would cause more suspicion, she willed her arms to relax and let her shoulders ease into a more comfortable position.
Without a care, he rested his forearm on the handlebars and appeared as casual as ever. Lea popped her eyebrows letting him know he was too close. He smiled. She didn’t. “I go in tonight. I’m taking an extra shift.” He pushed off the bike and put his hands on his lean hips. “So, am I to assume you ladies come in here to check out the guys? You are aware the girly machines are in the other room, right?”
Lea snorted and Rachel spoke out. “So? Your mom is usually the first one to comment on the cute butts.”
“Rachel!” Stacey said and reached over to slap her hand—the one not holding the protein bar of course.
“I always knew that about you, Mom,” Colin teased. “Dad always says you liked ’em young. He is two years younger than you.” He glanced at Lea and winked.
The tightness in her chest from before didn’t come close to the suffocation about to happen. Jesus, she hoped his mother couldn’t see the downward spiral of panic and lust whirling her brain down a steep drain.
“Bub! Stop it,” she said and started cycling. “You guys are crazy.”
Colin walked over to the weight rack and picked up two black-and-grey dumbbells. Seeing as they were at the complete opposite end of where Lea and the girls picked their workout weights, she figured they were at least fifty pounds each. Trying not to gawk, Lea sat up straighter and quickened her pace.
Colin stood in front of the bench across from the exercise bikes. When Lea started to look away, he shook his head and slid his lips into a grin. When he lay back on the red padding she sighed. Finally, he didn’t have his eyes on her, making her skin feel prickly. She was irritated now. A hot bath and a glass of wine was going to be the only cure for this case of guilt.
When he straddled the bench, her foot slipped almost sending her chin to crack on the handlebars. With his head in her direction, he let the weights hang on either side of the bench. Please. Please. Please. Don’t look. She focused her eyes on the small screen between the handlebars and counted the fluctuating red lights. Don’t look. Don’t look.
When she glanced over at Rachel, she almost burst out laughing. Her friend’s eyes were glued on Colin. Stacey had pulled out a magazine and had it propped on the little ledge attached to the screen.
She flipped the pages and said, “Why do all these things have to have so many advertisements? No,” she said to the magazine. “I don’t want to know Victoria’s Secret. She’s some skinny tramp who won’t let me fit into her clothes.”
They all laughed until the thud of Colin’s weights on the padded floor caught her attention. He sat up and wiped his hands on a towel. “Mom, seriously, those women are like hangers. All they are good for is wearing clothes. Now...a woman like, say…”
Lea almost choked. God, don’t say my name. Geeze, check your ego much, Lea?
“Who’s that woman on Mad Men? The redhead secretary is fucking hot.” Colin curled in his impressive shoulders. “Sorry, Mom. I meant that pretty secretary. And, yes, ladies, I bought the series on DVD and binge watched last month.”
Lea knew exactly who he was talking about because that was one of her favorite shows, too. “Christiana Hendricks,” she blurted.
“Yeah, that girl. She’s built like a woman should be, all soft curves and big—”
“Colin James Marshal! Don’t say it. I may be open-minded, but I’m still your mother. I don’t need a visual of you lusting after some woman.”
When he turned his attention back to Lea, she only hoped no one was watching the expression on her face because there was no way she was going to be able to hide the fact she was infatuated with the man standing across the room. He didn’t flash his cocky grin, no wink or smart comment. He ran his hand over the back of his neck and sat back down on the bench.
Lea felt the hot sting of tears waiting at the corners of her eyes. Stacey would always see him as her little boy. Lea saw the man, had felt the strong grip of a man’s hands as he brought her so much pleasure. She was a horrible friend.
“Mom,” Colin said as he grabbed the weights. “I hate to tell you this, but I’m not a virgin.”
Stacey kept moving her feet and stuck her fingertips in her ears. “La... La... La.”
Lea and Rachel laughed then Rachel reached out and smacked Lea on the arm. When she nodded up at Colin, Lea almost choked. His silky shorts lay flat against his crotch; the hem of his tank top had ridden up, making the tight bronzed skin stretched across his abdomen peek out.