"Chris-"

"Busy," I panted.

"Really, we need to talk about-"

"Busy."

"Christelle!" Neil hit the stop button on the treadmill, and I was slowed to a walk.

I laughed in disbelief, still panting. "Who do you think you are?" I lifted the speed back to what I was on, and Neil sighed, moving around front so I could see him. He looked expression was half frustration, and half desperation.

"Chris, please, I need to talk to you."

I spoke between pants. "Can you... not clearly see... that I'm working out? What's so important?"

He leaned forward. "Baby, I didn't know you were going to say yes."

"What did you just call me?"

"I was calling it off because I thought you didn't want to go, but I should have waited for your answer. Anyway, James told me you've been acting strange since that day, and I wanted to say I still want to go out with you."

My legs burned, and I struggled to keep my pace. He was so distracting. On a quick glance around I noticed the girls staring at him, and then at me, and slowed the treadmill to a stop. I took a long drink of water, stepped down from the machine, and shook his hand off when he tried to help. He looked me over.

"You're losing weight already. You look-"

"Neil, stop, please." My breathing was still coming fast, and I moved to one of the benches to catch my breath. Neil sat next to me, straddling the bench so he could face me.

"Look... I know that you're used to getting what you want. And right now, for whatever stupid reason, you seem to want me. Why, I don't know, because if you called out that you're single this second, every woman in this gym would come running to you. Are you after me because I'm a challenge? If I say yes will you lose interest?"

He started to reach for me, but stopped. He knew I didn't want him to touch me. "No. I'd enjoy a night out with you and ask you again and again and again if we could go out again. I-"

"For forever and a day, I've been laughed at. I'm done being rejected and pushed away. I'm just... done. I'm grateful you called it off, because it wouldn't have lasted."

He stopped me from standing with a hand hovering over my arm. Close enough for me to feel the heat, but not touching. Brushing the hairs there. "Have you ever been asked out? Have you ever gone on a date?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Have you, Christelle?"

"No. And I'm glad. Can I finish my workout, please?"

"In a second."

When I rolled my eyes and stood, he jumped to his feet and planted himself in my path. Replacing the desperation in his eyes was determination. "If you've never gone on a date, and never been in a relationship, how do you know it's going to go wrong? This is an area you've never been embarrassed."

"And I'd like to keep it that way."

"So you're going to reject every man that tries to get to know you?"

I kept my eyes blank. "You're the first, and you'll be the last. Because no one in their right mind would want to-"

He grabbed my hands, shushing me. "I'm not crazy. And you know what I've said about how I think you look. It's not all about looks, either. There's personality too."

"Are you done?"

The lack of emotion in my voice stopped him, and he let go of my hands, took a step back. "Alright. Would you rather I just not talk to you at all? Look me in the eyes and tell me you never want to speak to me again, and I'll leave you alone. I promise."

"I never want to-"

"In the eyes, Christelle."

I met his eyes, and tried to look convinced. "I never want to speak to you a... again."

He raised his eyebrows. "You hesitated at the end."

"It doesn't matter; you promised."

He raised two crossed fingers from behind his back, and I shook my head. "That's mature."

"When did I say I was mature?" He stepped towards me, swiped a finger over my cheek, and smirked. "Go out with me?"

"You're an idiot."

His smirk widened to a grin. "Is that a yes?"

"Go home."

"I have to work out, too. But I just might have to stay here on the treadmill with you, if you don't say yes." For the first time I noticed his shorts and tank. He was ready for a workout.

"You won't keep build much muscle that way."

"Exactly. You want me to lose my job? You'd miss seeing this face every day."

"Jerk." But I couldn't maintain my scowl.

"Say yes."

"Maybe."

"No, I need to hear the yes that's fighting to get out. Come on."

"If you won't let me work out, then-"

Neil had me grabbed into a hug before I could finish. He didn't laugh, like I expected him to, but sighed into my hair. "I was so sure you were going to say no. I don't know what I would have done."

The open relief in his voice startled me. I didn't know what to do, and he wouldn't let me go. He chuckled. "Not going to hug me back?"

My heart pounded, and I spoke into his chest. "I'm sweaty."

"I don't care. I'm not letting go until you hug me back."

"We're in the middle of a gym!"

When he didn't answer, I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his waist, as loose as possible. I felt him shake his head into my hair, but he let me go. I saw the renewed sparkle of mischief in his eyes, and frowned. "What?"

"I'm not going to wait for you to change your mind. We're going out tonight."

He was joking. "Right. I have to finish-"

"I'm serious. I'll pick you up at seven."

Panic filled me. "No! I don't have anything to wear. I'm not going out with a guy that could model trash bags, when I look like a bum."

His answering grin made me want to hit him. "One: that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, and two: don't worry about it, I've got your clothes covered."

He started to walk away, towards the weights, but I wasn't done. "What do you mean you have them covered?"

He passed the lost and found sign on the wall, and waved before running off to the other side of the room out of range. I just grumbled to myself and got back on the treadmill. There was nothing for me to do but wait and worry, the two things I was best at.