Sometimes Harder is Best

Forty five minutes. She was breathing hard, feeling the burn. Her top was soaked through. Seeing herself in the mirror, the tank top clinging wetly to her body, maybe she should have worn that sports bra. But she hadn't and it wasn't like there was anyone else in the gym to see. Breathing hard, she kept it up for another ten minutes before slowing. A short cool down and then it was time for one of the weight machines. Which she had to adjust. Damn guys doing their weight routines and showing off. On the other hand it only took a minute to adjust and then she was off, working through her reps.

Eyes close, breathing hard, she was halfway through her weights when a draft of cool air wafted across her, chilling the wet tank top where it clung to her, chilling her lycra shorts where they clung to her. Startled, she opened her eyes, looked towards the door.

Penny saw HIM.

Just like that, something inside her knew immediately that this was the guy. The one. Just one glance. She was breathing faster, her heart drumming like a birds, her whole body going weak so that she almost let go of the grips. It wasn't his face, although that looked good. Clean-shaven with a slight shadow, blue-eyed, blonde, masculine. Maybe a little older than she was. No, it wasn't his face, it was the way he was built, from his feet to his head. She watched him turn towards the treadmills, presenting his back to her. V-shaped, rising from a tight butt and narrow waist to broad muscled shoulders and arms as thick as her thighs. And his butt. Oh god, that was a butt to die for. Narrow and tight and firm and beautiful. She wanted to kneel at his feet and kiss that butt, run her hands over it, hold it, then touch him everywhere.

Everywhere!

His back to her, he began to jog. Penny watched him move, eyeing the flex of his muscles, the swing of his legs, hypnotized by the movement of his butt, the play of his muscles. She slowed her reps, wanting to draw out the sheer visual pleasure looking at him gave her. She wondered if guys felt like this when they looked at those girls on the porn websites she'd looked at out of curiosity once or twice. She must have watched him running for a good thirty minutes, slowing her reps right down. Even so, her arms were totally burning when he finally stepped of the treadmill to move to one of the weight machines. While he was setting himself up, Penny started working, very slowly, on her legs.

He sat, facing her across the small gym. Almost hypnotized, Penny could hardly breathe. His pecs, moving as he worked, flexing, tightening, relaxing. His abs. Like a wall, so well-defined even through the tight t-shirt. His arms moving, flexing. Almost panting, she wanted to run her hands over him, stroke him, feel those muscles moving, feel them flexing. God, he looked so hunky. Those arm muscles. Those abs. That tight butt. And his legs. Without conscious thought, Penny's eyes ran over his legs before moving to his shorts, seeing the bulge there.

Even from where she sat, she could tell that bulge was bigger than the bulge in Mike's boxers. Her pussy pulsed hotly. Her nipples seemed to harden and swell, aching as they pushed outwards against her wetly clinging tank top. She wasn't even embarrassed, she was so into just looking at him working out on his weight machine.

For the first time in her life, Penny desperately wanted to pick a guy up. But she didn't know how. Instead, she sat there watching him, feeling her body tingle and burn. Feeling her swollen nipples aching. Feeling herself so wet and hot, as wet and as hot as when she teased herself with her fingers. He was looking at her too. Whenever she glanced at him, he was watching her. He'd look away when she looked at him, the same way she'd lower her eyes or move her head when he caught her looking at him. Looking away from his eyes, she looked again at that bulging prominence that his shorts concealed.

Oh. My. God. He had an erection. She could see it pushing outwards against his tight shorts. He really was huge. He was looking at her the way she was looking at him. He was watching her. He'd got hard just looking at her while he did his reps. Penny felt her pussy pulse again as she closed her eyes, feeling faint, feeling an unfamiliar black hole of excitement opening within her. She'd never seen a guy get hard from just looking at her. Never. His eyes, she could see his eyes, he was looking at her legs, where she sat with her legs spread wide, her lycra shorts clinging tightly to her body. Very tightly. She was wet, she was wet with excitement from looking at him. From seeing him looking at her. She actually had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself from moaning out loud.

Penny's sweat-soaked tank-top clung to her like a second skin, making it obvious that she wore no bra. Her tight lycra shorts clung to her body, outlining every intimate curve. She was heart-stoppingly aware of that, of the tightness of her lycra shorts, hugging her body. Hugging her everywhere as she sat facing him. His eyes stayed on her. They stayed on her as she climbed off the weight machine on shaky legs. They followed her as she walked across to the exercycle.

Half of her was embarrassed enough to want to leave the gym. The other half of her wanted to stay and watch him, wanted him to watch her, to look at her, to get excited by her. All of her wanted to say something to him, to talk to him, but she had no idea what to say. How did you pick up a guy in the gym? Maybe she should have followed Terri's advice and gone out more. Maybe she should have, but she hadn't.

Breathing hard, and not just from her workout, she climbed onto the exercycle, pedaling slowly, looking at him, imagining feeling his body on hers, that mouth touching hers. Thinking about him like that was getting her wetter and wetter, so hot she was almost wriggling as she pedaled, the movement of her body against the lycra that clung so tightly to her accentuating that wetness, that heat. She wanted to touch herself so badly. So badly that she was almost wriggling in her seat as she pedaled, the friction of the seat beneath her as she moved exquisitely enjoyable.

Penny pedaled harder, breathing faster as she eyed him. He was bigger than Mike, more muscular, yet somehow he looked gentler, more open. She tried to imagine him doing to her what Mike did to Terri and had no problem with that thought. It was easy to think of his hands on her, caressing her, easing her onto her back as he drew down those tight shorts to expose himself. Closing her eyes, Penny pedaled faster, panting, rubbing herself against the seat of the exercycle, feeling herself so wet and slippery. Leaning forward a little, in her mind she parted her legs for him, exposing herself, feeling him push against her. She slid herself against the seat, rubbing, rubbing ... Imagining him pushing into her, those eyes looking into hers as he took her ...

"Oooohhhhhh." She cried out, abruptly climaxing, suddenly dizzy, losing her balance, starting to fall of the bike. Everything went black for a second as she toppled sideways. She felt strong arms suddenly catch her, hold her, support her. When she could see again, he was half holding her in his arms, one arm steadying her, the other under her, supporting her weight.

She tried to hold herself up, failing miserably as he lifted her and set her onto her feet. She had to place both hands on the exercycle, bending forward, panting, her knees turned to jelly, her body still glowing. One of her breasts pushed firmly against his arm where he supported her weight. That felt good. That felt so good.

"I think you pushed yourself a bit hard there." God, his voice was perfect. As perfect as the rest of him.

"Uhhhhh," Penny gasped, "Uhhhh."

"Are you okay."

"Nuuuhhh." Oh god, she sounded like such an idiot. This was so embarrassing.

"Take it easy there, relax, breath in slowly..." Please, keep talking. Penny wanted to say something but she was still breathing too hard. Too hard? She was doing a good imitation of a steam engine. She still felt faint. And oh god, his hands on her felt so good. Even better than her imagination.

"Better come and sit down." He led her over to one of the weight benches, eased her down. "Put your head down, breathe slowly ... slowly now..." He knelt on the floor beside her, close enough to bite. She could smell him, sweaty, masculine, an attractive smell that made her want to lick his skin.

"Feeling better now?" She could hear the concern in his voice. With her head down, she could see the bulge in his shorts. God, he still had an erection. She wanted to reach out and stroke it with her fingers. She'd been sharing an apartment with Terri for too long. That was the sort of thing Terri would do. Not her. Not Penny Cheng.

"Yeah," she managed to pant. "Sorry about that."

"No problem." He stayed next to her. "You sure you're okay? I can walk you back to you apartment."

"No, that's okay, I'm fine." You idiot Penny, you should have said yes.

"That's good." He stood. Standing, that bulge was right in front of her face. Penny's pussy pulsed again. So close. So very close. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, he was walking back to his weights. With a sigh, Penny stood, walking across the gym on slightly shaky legs to retrieve her gym bag. She caught his eyes following her.

Deliberately now, her back to him, she bent down to retrieve her towel, wipe her face, hang the towel around her shoulders before heading for the door. He watched her all the way to the door.

"See you again," he called out as she opened the door.

Penny turned her head and smiled. "See you next time." Oh please please please see me next time. Through the glass walls, she could see him watching her all the way across to the corridor leading to the elevators. Why oh why oh why hadn't she said yes when he asked if she'd like him to walk her back to her apartment.

That night, she slept so soundly that Terri and Mike didn't wake her up at all. In fact it was ten in the morning before she opened her eyes, rested and relaxed. Her first thought on waking was of that guy in the gym. Maybe he'd be in the gym again. She threw on her tracksuit trousers, a sports bra and t-shirt.

She had a long slow gentle workout while she waited, hoping he would show up.

He didn't.

Maybe next time?

* * * * * * * * * *

"Penny! You CAN'T got to a party dressed like that." Terri's annoyed squeal brought a grin from Mike.

"Why not?" Penny didn't see anything wrong with what she was wearing. It was a student party after all.

"Jeans! I mean, jeans and a crappy old top. Penny, come on! Okay, this is so not going to happen. Come. With. Me." Terri just about dragged Penny into Penny's bedroom. "Show me your clothes, I know you have some good ones, I bought them for you for your birthday."

Penny gulped. She remembered all too well. Her eighteenth birthday and she'd opened Terri's present in front of her Mom and Dad. Her Mom had been outraged. Her Dad had just looked embarrassed. Penny had explained it away as Terri's idea of a joke. The clothes had gone into a plastic bag and then into the back of her closet. She hadn't dared leave them at home when she headed off for college.

"Here they are." Oh god, Terri had already found them. She was like a ferret when it came to clothes. Worse, she was holding up the pleated skirt she'd bought for Penny, the one that was so short she'd blushed just looking at it. "The skirt's good, get those jeans off Penny."

It was no use arguing with Terri when she was in one of "those" moods. Trepidation was replaced by embarrassment as she peeled her jeans off.

"Penny!" Terri's squeal was even more outraged. "You can't, those ... those ... God, panties like that went out with my grandmother."

"What's wrong with them?" Penny looked down.

"Everything. At least wear something pretty. I mean, white cotton? What else do you have?"

"Uhhh, Terri, ALL my panties are like that."

"Penny!" Terri almost sprinted out. So fast, Penny barely had time to hide herself from Mike's eyes as he lounged on the couch, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Terri came back in, holding a plastic package.

"I am so NOT wearing your panties!" Penny was adamant. There were some things on which you had to draw the line.

Terri held the plastic package out. "Still in the wrapping. Brand. New. Put. Them. On. Now."

Blushing, Penny peeled her white cotton briefs of and hastily slipped into the black panties that Terri pulled from the pack. Oh. My. God. They were tiny. At least they weren't g-string panties but there wasn't much more to them. A tiny front, a small back and a couple of strips of black elastic across the hips. She slipped the skirt on equally as hastily. At least the skirt concealed a little more. It was short though, far shorter than anything Penny had ever worn before. As short as the skirt Terri was wearing. She felt dreadfully exposed.

"Here." Terri held out a halter top. It wasn't one of her presents, it was an old one of Penny's from when she was about twelve. She had no idea how it had gotten here with her other clothes but there it was. In Terri's hands. Being held out towards her to put on. She opened her mouth to say she'd wear something else, it was far too small.

"Not a word." Terri was adamant. "Put. It. On."

Penny slipped her top off. Taking the halter top from Terri, she slipped it over her neck. Terri stepped behind her to do the ties across her back. Next second, Penny felt her bra unhooked.

"No way," she protested. "No way am I going on a date with no bra."

It made no difference. Sixty seconds later her bra was gone. The halter top was fastened across her back. Terri smiled happily.

"That, Penny Cheng, is SO much better. NOW you look hot."

"I don't want to look hot Terri." She didn't feel hot. She felt like she was burning. With pure embarrassment. She could never go out looking like this. Looking like ... looking like ...

Terri flung open Penny's bedroom door. "Mike, come and have a look, doesn't Penny look hot."

Mike peered in, whistled. "Nice Penny, very nice, Greg's gonna love this."

Penny didn't care whether Greg loved it or not. She was blushing furiously. And that was only with Mike looking her up and down. She could see herself in the mirror and she did look sexy, she knew that. The short skirt accentuated her long slender legs. The halter top left everything except her chest from her neck to her navel uncovered. It covered her breasts, but in that disconcerting way that halter tops have, of emphasizing what they conceal. Penny didn't have much to emphasize mind you, but the small halter top managed.

Exposed didn't really describe how Penny felt. She felt half naked and ... and vulnerable. Guys would look at her and think she was ... think she was ... like Terri.

Her pussy pulsed hotly.

"Come on, let's get going." Mike was impatient now.

Before Penny could blink, she was walking out of the apartment with Mike and Terri, heading for the elevator. It was a long wait before the doors opened, Mike and Terri just about dragged her in to an already half-full elevator, everyone heading out to bars or parties. Penny was just one more scantily dressed girl heading out. They seemed to stop at every floor, packing in like sardines.

It was him. It was him! But the elevator was packed. He stepped back, the doors closed. Just like that, he was gone. In the foyer, she tried to wait but Mike and Terri were having none of it.

"Greg's waiting outside, come on, we gotta move." And Greg was, his Jeep right outside the entrance. As they pulled away from the curb, Penny glimpsed him again, leaving the apartment building with a couple of other guys. Her heart did its little pitter patter thing for a second before he disappeared from sight.

Seated in the front, Penny hung on as Greg roared through town. She wished his hand would stay on the wheel rather than her knee. She wished she'd worn her jeans rather than the short little skirt that exposed most of her legs to Greg's hand. Something he seemed determined to take advantage of however many times she eased his hand off. He acted like it was a game and she was teasing him. She was so going to kill Terri.

The party was worse.

"Come on, let's go dance." Terri hauled them into the room where everyone was dancing right away. Penny enjoyed dancing, but not when she was wearing a skirt that flew up and exposed her panties whenever she moved to energetically. Worse still, Terri and Mike disappeared after a few minutes. That left her with Greg, whose surname should have been octopus because his hands were everywhere.

And the music.

The music pounded out, so loud Penny couldn't hear Greg's voice even when he yelled something in her ear. She shrugged and smiled. Whatever it was he'd said, he took her smile for agreement and turned, disappearing into the crowded darkness of the basement. Terri and Mike had disappeared completely, she knew absolutely nobody here. She didn't like dancing. She didn't like the music. She didn't like parties. She didn't like dates that disappeared on her, blind or not. This just sucked.

This just sucked big time!

If she'd known Greg was such a creepy asshole, she'd never had let herself be persuaded to come. Mike had said he wasn't like him. He hadn't mentioned Greg was a complete dick with hands that he couldn't keep to himself. Not only that, he'd abandoned her in the middle of a crowd of frenetically dancing strangers. Penny felt completely out of place. Not only that, she wanted to lose Greg and go home.

This really really sucked.

Someone bumped into her. Hard. Almost knocking her down, so that she cannoned painfully into some guy right next to her. She would have fallen except that his arm caught her and held her. Penny found herself looking into a pair of deep blue eyes that swept her up into their depths and held her there. Eyes as beautiful and as blue as the sea. Eyes that she'd last seen in the gym last night, looking at her, following her butt as walked towards the elevator.

"Hi," he yelled, a momentary dip in the volume meaning she actually heard him rather than trying to lip read. Although she wouldn't mind reading his lips. Closely.

"Hi yourself," she yelled back, regaining her balance. He didn't take his arm away. Penny didn't try to escape either. She liked the feel of his arm around her, just as she had last night in the gym. Besides, she was still looking up into those beautiful blue eyes. She winced as the music wound up again. He noticed. She knew he noticed, it was the change in his eyes that told her without either of them speaking.

Without a word, which would have been useless in any event, he turned and took her with him through the crowd, edging people aside for her, making a path to the doorway, then up the crowded stairs to the foyer of the large old house. Still crowded, it was just a little quieter. Quiet enough that you could hear someone yelling.

"Too noisy," he was yelling. She could hear him now. Just. "Somewhere quieter?"

"Please." Penny yelled back, clinging to him. Anywhere away from this insane noise. Anywhere he wanted to take her.

Now, rather than his arm around her, he was holding her hand. She liked the feel of his hand holding hers, large and strong and dry, not wetly sweaty like the assholes'. He looked around before leading her up the wide wooden stairs. It would have been a beautiful old house if it hadn't been so battered. Penny would have loved to have lived in a house like this rather than the modern designer-shoebox twentieth floor apartment she shared with Terri. Even if it did have a gym and a swimming pool and all those other facilities everyone thought were great.

It was a little quieter on the first floor, a little less crowded. Penny thought he'd stop but he didn't. He led her up another flight of stairs, reaching another large landing. There were still people but not as many. This was one huge party. She felt a vast relief at the lowered volume of the music, now more of a distant but pervasive thumping than a deafening cacophony. It was still dark though. Dark and busy. Penny found herself blushing heatedly as a glance through one of the open doorways revealed sights she would rather not have seen.