Don't Be Afraid To Love

Chapter 6

I used to go to my zumba classes in the mornings, two times a week, before work, not because I enjoyed waking up early - on the contrary - but because it wasn't as crowded and it gave me a great energy for the rest of the day.

That day when I reached the studio's front door, it had a sign on it that said "SORRY, OUR GYM IS CLOSING UNTIL NEXT MONTH FOR RENOVATIONS."

Seriously?

I went back to my car and put my gym bag in the trunk and since I was already in my training outfit, I decided to go for a run in the nearest park, because I felt like I needed some physical activity to replace the zumba class that morning.

There was a really big park a block away from the gym, so I took advantage that the weather was still pleasant even it was early September and started to jog towards the park.

To my surprise, the park was crowded at that hour, and many joggers and cyclists filled the tracks. I jogged faster than the other people that were going in the same direction as I did, and every now and then, I outran one more person on the alley.

At some point, I reached a group of people running together, and because there was no room left on the alley, I stepped onto the bicycle lane. Without making sure there were no bikes coming my way from behind, of course.

Yep, needless to say, I almost got knocked over by one coming with an incredible speed. He merely touched me, but it was enough to throw me off balance. I didn't fall, but I stopped jogging and propped my hands on my knees to catch my breath, thinking I should be much more careful next time. As I was calming my breath, I suddenly saw someone's hand reaching me. Whoever it was, it wore fingerless gloves, the ones cyclists wear.

"Hey, you okay?" a man's voice asked.

"Yeah, some jerk almost knocked me down. I'm fine, though," I said without straightening up from my position, still looking at the ground.

With the corner of my eyes, I saw the wheels of a bicycle next to the man's legs. I stoop up slowly, realizing he might actually be the very one who almost hit me, and when I looked at him, he was none other than Robert, my client. He wore no helmet, only cyclist sunglasses, and he took them off when I looked at him. I thought of it as a very gentlemanly gesture.

And oh my God, was he hot! When he came into my office I couldn't tell, but now because of the sport T-shirt he was wearing, all of his arm muscles and toned body was revealing, like a feast for my eyes. He didn't look like a bodybuilder - not those kind of muscles - but he had a really lean figure, nevertheless.

"Hey, I'm sorry, but you jumped right on my lane."

I pursed my lips. "I know. I'm sorry I called you a jerk."

"Hey, you're Diana from the agency," he recognized me.

"In the flesh..."

"I haven't got the time to look at the email I got from you, but I'll call you."

"Oh! Great, that's... yeah, great... no rush."

Every time I talked to him, I somehow managed to babble. By this point, I was sure he must've thought I was brainless.

"Gotta run. Are you sure you're alright?" he checked again politely, and as soon as I reassured him I was fine, he put his sunglasses back on and took off. When he put them on, I caught a glimpse of myself in their reflection and realized my hair looked like shit, being tied up in a ponytail and locks of hair flying in all directions, and I was sweaty and makeup free again.

Fuck!

It was weird how I kept bumping into him like that when I least expected. And when I looked awful. I let out a nervous laugh at that thought.