Between Sets

"Sorry, but it's just really hard!"

"Oh, come on, you can handle it! Just breathe through it. Your body can take this much, I know it can! Take it with all you got!"

"Eeeeeeeeuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrggggghhhhh!"

"There you go! All in! Come on! LET'S GOOOOO!"

I collapsed onto the cold gym floor, landing in a pool of my own sweat. I huffed and puffed, trying to catch my breath after finishing the last set of a new strength training workout regimen. Standing above my exhausted body was my new - and first - personal trainer, Max, who was beaming with pride and smiling from ear to ear.

"See, I told you! You breathed through it, kept good form, and look at you, finishing the set! Proud of you, Nico," he said before smacking my butt and helping me up from off the floor.

....................................................

I was never the "gym type". I have an average build, and my body showed evidence of indulging in alcohol and sweets a few too many times a week, sure. Despite that, I liked my body. But once I turned 35, I started to think about my longer-term health, about growing old and growing old well. All of my research and reading about the topic pointed to two things: that I should eat an entire forest at every meal and that I should do some sort of working out regularly. The first one was pretty easy to adopt.

I relegated my sugar and alcohol intake to one day a week and, despite some initial cravings, found myself feeling much more energetic and sleeping better after I'd implemented the change. After a few weeks of that - and noticing some unintended weight loss - I decided to tackle the exercise part of the plan next. And where did I go for help? Why, the fountain of all wisdom: social media.

Every day for three weeks, I followed along with various "fitness content creators" and their workout routines. "Standing abs", "bodyweight-only strength routines", "skinny bitch yoga (30mins; no repeats)"; despite the sillier naming conventions, they all got me started on my fitness journey, but I realised I needed something more tangible. I needed to go to the gym.

I was walking back home from work one day when I saw a banner flapping in the wind over a red brick building. It read "New World of Workouts gym coming soon!" I walked closer to the building, peered into the window, and saw ellipticals, treadmills, and large TV screens; all the markers of a typical gym! Just as I was about to pull out my phone and search World of Workouts to see if I could afford a membership, a tall, older gentleman came up to me from behind.

"You thinkin' 'bout joining?" he said with the deepest voice I'd ever heard. I jumped a bit but composed myself enough to respond, "Yeah, I've, uh, been thinking about joining a gym. The online workouts aren't doing it for me anymore."

"Online workouts? Hey, you gotta start somewhere, but yeah, the real thing's where it's at. I'm Max, by the way, and this is gonna be my branch." Max extended his hand out to me, and it was only then that I took him all in. He was taller than me, his muscular arms and chest burst out of his grey t-shirt, and his trimmed salt-and-pepper beard perfectly accentuated his warm facial features.

"I'm Nico," I said, stunned by the absolute Adonis that stood before me.

"It won't be open for another fortnight, but when it is, why don't you come by, sign up, and, uh, I can throw in a month of private personal training with me. Get you started on the right path." I could feel his eyes exploring my body. It didn't feel invasive or like he was searching for something to criticise; his gaze felt warm, inviting, and put me at ease.

"I'd love that!"

........................................

For a gym-going newcomer, the gym can be quite an overwhelming experience. The cling-clanging of metal on metal in the weightlifting area, the squeaking sound of many pairs of sneakers hitting the belts of treadmills all at the same time, and the loud EDM songs blaring from every speaker that purports to get you amped up enough to endure giving 30 - 45 minutes of your life to sweating around strangers, all of whom look like they've been going to the gym since they were toddlers. It was too much for me and, that first day, I almost walked out as soon as I'd walked in. But then Max came up from behind me, wrapped his arms around my shoulder, and gave me that warm smile of his. And suddenly, I didn't mind going deaf to a playlist that included early 00s Cascada.

"You made it! I'm so glad!," he said, walking me towards the front desk. "Here, let's get you signed up, and we can see about doing your first training session."

"Uh, Max, one question," I said loudly. To me, it felt like I was screaming, but no one reacted, so I kept going at that volume, "I'm a really early riser, cuz of having to head into work pretty early in the mornings. I might have to pass on the training since I plan to be here around 5 am."

"Hey, that's perfect. That's when I'll be here, too!" And that's how my recurring 5 am private training sessions with the hunk Max got started.

At first, it was slower-going than I thought it would be. He talked to me about my fitness goals, what I'd done before, and where I wanted to be. Then, he had me do drills to get a baseline of where I was at. The hour-long training would pass in the blink of an eye, and we'd usually end in the locker room, chatting about our lives and ourselves. I learned a lot from these post-workout naked chats in the locker room. I learned that Max was much older than he looked, that he had been managing gyms for over a decade now, that he competed in a few bodybuilding contests internationally, and that he was single. I also learned that he had the thickest cock I'd ever seen on a man. At one point, I couldn't stop staring at it, if only because I was trying to calculate how much thicker than my wrist it was.

"Yeah, it's pretty thick. Guys that I've been with either really love it or can't more than the tip. Kind of kills the vibe sometimes," he said with a laugh one time he caught me staring at it. Topped with a salt-and-pepper bush that looked well-kept, it was veiny, and his hooded head hung between his thick thighs, dangling as he spoke.

"Damn, I'm so sorry you're a 60-year-old bodybuilder who's smart, charming, and has a huge cock. You poor thing!" I said, sarcastically. He laughed and patted me on the back.

"You say that like I wouldn't give it all up for a guy with an average build with a nice smile, curly hair, and the most loving brown eyes I'd ever seen." His hands lifted from my shoulder, and he ran his fingers through my curly jet black hair. He locked onto my gaze, his sapphire blue eyes locked onto my chocolate brown ones. We stood there, speechless, looking into each other's eyes for what felt like a lifetime. The moment came to a crashing halt when the locker room door swung open and another patron walked in.

"So, uh, good session. I'll see you tomorrow for your last of the monthly deal. You still have to let me know if you want to keep these going, okay?" said Max before he walked away, turning a corner, and disappearing into a shower stall.

..........................................

With Max's help, I pulled myself up onto my feet. Still dripping sweat, I laughed.

"You know, you're the only person who could actually talk me into finishing that workout. Shit!" I said, catching my breath.

"It felt good, though, right? You are doing so well, Nico. Four weeks ago, you'd definitely have collapsed way sooner. But now, look at you, doing four sets and kicking ass, man!" Max smiled and patted me on the back and chest. "I'm proud of ya!"

Today would be the last session of my four-week introductory series of sessions with Max. I still wasn't sure if I'd keep going with the sessions. I loved spending time with Max, training with him, but even he had to admit that our 5 am training sessions became less about him training me and more of us talking to each other while working out side-by-side. During cardio, he told me about his struggles with his parents and them still not accepting him being gay despite coming out three decades ago. Between upper body sets, I told him about being considered for a new promotion at work. And our naked locker room chats became longer and longer to the point that I may have arrived to work later than usual a few times because we were just so engrossed in talking. I had connected with Max, and I think he'd connected with me. A part of me wanted to explore what it would be like to actually go on a date, not just steal moments of connection between reps. But would this mature, walking sculpture of a man really go for the average office worker who's been paying him for personal training?

"You ready to hit the showers. Maybe this time we'll actually get dressed before anyone comes in," Max said jokingly as he wrapped his sweaty arm around me and led me to the locker room.

One of my favourite parts of our 5 am training sessions was that we were always the only two people in the gym. And this morning was no different. We walked into the locker room, and its familiar smell of chlorine, sweat, cleaning products, and water wafted into my nose; four weeks ago, I almost ran from that stench, but now, it was a comfort to me. Max took the locker next to mine, and we both started undressing, his thick member set free from the confines of his gym shorts.

"You might not have noticed, Nico, but those squats have been doing you some good," he said matter-of-factly whilst staring at my naked derriere. I turned around and looked, blushing at the compliment.

"Good, cuz I'd hate to have disappointed my very charming, very well-built personal trainer after four weeks of work," I replied with a smile, poking my ass out a bit.

Max smiled, then stepped closer to me. I noticed his demeanour got darker, more solemn. He spoke, and his usually energetic, deep voice sounded weighed down and thoughtful. "Nico, I know today is the last session of the introductory period, but have you decided if you'll keep doing these trainings...with me?"

"I'm impressed at your sales skills, trying to retain a loyal client," I said with a jovial tone. But Max didn't laugh.

"That's not why I'm asking." He stepped closer, and I could feel his skin touching mine. It was a thrilling sensation, feeling his heavy cock touching ever so gently against my thigh.

"Nico, do you really not know? Have you really not seen?"

"Seen what? Max, you're scaring me now. See what?" I started looking around the empty locker room, searching for some clue as to what he could be referring to. He stepped closer, and our bodies were pressed against one another. I was pinned against the cold red door of the lockers behind me, and Max's sculptural muscles were bearing down on me.

"I don't train anyone else. I don't even offer training to anyone else. It's just you, Nico. It's just you."

"Max, I...I mean, you just opened a month ago. Things will pick up. And if it's a case of us having to stop working out together at 5 am so you can be more availab-"

"No! I don't want us to stop..." he said, his eyes wide and his voice becoming more energetic. "I don't want to stop seeing you, telling you about my days, hearing about yours. I don't want you to stop teasing me about how my favourite show is Friends or comforting me when my mum sends some random Bible verse while we're working out. I don't wanna stop waking up at 4 am every morning so that when I pull up at 4:45 am, you're here waiting for me because, as you say, 15 minutes early is on-time."

"Max, I -"

"Wait, let me finish, please," he said, finally cracking a smile across those gorgeous lips of his. "I guess what I'm saying is that...I want to be your boyfriend, Nico."

I stared at Max for what could only have been seconds but felt like years. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, and it was deafening. I flung myself onto him, wrapping my arms around his torso and pressing my lips against his. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, returning my kiss in kind. Our kiss was sweet, innocent, and tender at first. Then, once we got the feel for each other's lips, it was on.

Our naked bodies crashed together, his lips enveloped mine as our tender kisses took a lustful turn. His hands, still holding me in mid-air, gripped my ass cheeks firmly, squeezing every so often. I could feel his fully erect cock poking at my ass cheeks as we kissed.

"I'm taking that as a yes?" he asked, once we'd both come up for air.

"Are you kidding? It's a fuck yes!" I replied enthusiastically, returning my lips to his. In the midst of our passion, I tapped him on the chest a few times and asked him to set me back down onto the ground.

"This is porno levels of fantasy fulfilment, but can we take a beat for a sec?" He looked at me quizzically and with some disappointment in his eyes. "I still want to give us a try. It's just...well, have you been with anyone in the last six months?" My question elicited a hearty laugh that echoed throughout the empty locker room.

"Nico, did you not hear me when I told you about how I've been spending the last 9 months planning the opening of this exact gym we were making out in?" he said with a smile.

"I just need to be sure, okay? Cuz if we do this, I want to be your only one. And I want you to be my only one," I confessed, blushing and looking away.

He hooked his index finger under my chin and lifted my gaze to his. "Is that right? Well good. I know you said before that you've not been with anyone and that you don't do hookups because you don't get any pleasure without connection, but I just want you to know that I'm ready to be all yours - and for you to be all mine."

"Good, glad we got that settled then," I said, smiling as I caressed his toned abs and bulging pectorals.

"Shall we continue fulfilling this porn fantasy, then, before the early morning patrons start coming in?" he asked, his cock rubbing against my stomach as he moved closer to me.

"Only if you came prepared to fulfil that fantasy," I said with a smirk. I watched him reach behind my head and open his locker, dig through his gym bag, and pull out an unopened tube of lube.

"What was that for?" I asked, incredulous at the sudden appearance of lube.

"Hopefulness," he said before ravaging me with kisses. He started with my lips, kisses animalistic and full of longing. Then he moved to my neck, licking and sucking and nibbling and kissing (the next day, I'd playfully text him about having to wear a collared shirt to our brunch date because he left such red marks on my neck, to which he replied YOU'RE MINE, AREN'T YOU 😉). He grabbed my hips and turned me around, pressing my face against the cold, hard metal of the lockers as he fingered the bottle of lube.

"I promise I'm better at foreplay, but I've been wanting you for weeks, so..." he confessed as I felt a cold glob of lube pressed against my tight hole. I took long, deep breaths, preparing for what was coming next.

"It's okay, I feel the same way TOOOOOOO OH FUCK!" He'd slammed his entire length into my welcoming hole, and the hot sensation of my hole opening up for him surprised me.

"I'm sorry, I got too excited. You want me to take it out?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"No, I want you to fuck me like I'm yours. Cuz you're mine now," I said as I started rocking my hips back and forth, sending his cock in and out of my hole.

"Oh, is that right?" he said with a smirk before gripping my hips and going to town. He thrust hard and fast, sending his thick cock deeper and deeper into my hole. He slid it out completely, applied more lube to my "fucking beautiful pink hole", then re-entered me and sent paralyzing shivers all up and through my body. I held onto the lockers for leverage as his pounding continued.

"This is better than I imagined it could be. Better than anything I've ever felt in all my years, Nico!" he exclaimed over the sounds of dripping faucets, locker doors being rattled as he banged me against them with each of his pelvic thrusts, and his balls slapping against my backside.

My mind was jelly, and all I could muster from within my mental haze of pleasure was "I'm gonna make you feel this good forever". My words seemed to turn something on in him because he leaned forward, wrapped his arm around my chest, and brought our lips together.

"That's all I need, Nico," he said. "That's all I need, baby," he repeated. "That's all...I need!!" he said for the third time, only this time his words were followed by a sensation of warmth I'd never felt before. I felt his cock expand and empty inside of me, and I felt his fire hose cock let go of a geyser force of cum inside me. He panted and collapsed onto my back, pulling his cock out and bringing with it a steady stream of cum. I leaned against the lockers and looked back at the twisted nature of his satisfied face. Even now, sweaty from sex and blissed out from cumming inside my tight hole, he looked beautiful to me.

Twenty minutes later, after what could only be described as the world's quickest shower, we were in the backseat of his pickup truck. I held my cellphone to my ear and waited for a familiar man's voice to break through the repetitive dial tone.

"Hey, John. Yeah, sorry for the early call. I can't come in today. Yeah, I picked up something at the gym, and I'm really not feeling well right now." Suddenly, a loud moan filled the confined space. Under my hips, I was writhing around against Max's cock. His member buried deep inside me, my hips rocked back and forth. I could feel his head rubbing against my internal spot, and I knew it was only a matter of time before one of us came.

"Yeah, yeah. Okay, um, sure. Yeah, I will. Thanks, bye!" I tossed the phone onto the empty front seat, reached down, and grabbed a handful of pecs, dusted with salt-and-pepper chest hair.

"Fuck, I almost came while he was telling me to send an email so he could process my sick day."

"Good. Cuz I'm not gonna be happy if I'm the only one who cums in this porno fantasy," he smirked as he sped up his thrusts. His thick cock was ramming against my spot now, and, within seconds, I screamed, "MAX!!! FUCK!!" and painted his muscular torso and beard with my own hot cumshot.

"Shit, me too!" he said, surprising me with another load as I slowed my hip gyrations against his cock. There, in the backlot of his gym, inside his parked pickup truck, we held each other tenderly as we caught our breaths. He planted soft kisses on my forehead, and in return, I planted kisses on each nipple.

"So, does this mean you're signing up for another four months?" Max joked.