Stronger Than She Looks (Divergent Eric)

{5} Push me

A/N - The song described in this Chapter is Satisfaction by Benny Benassi (the first track on the album Hypnotica). If you've never heard this before (and even if you have!) I highly recommend you listen to it either before or while you read this. I think this particular song perfectly sets the mood for this part of the story and I was listening to it on repeat while I wrote this... Enjoy!

https://play.spotify.com/album/4eSPyoe4GB3qeKYzx81fP5?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

It's quite a small room, but there's everything in here you would need to do a good work out.

No windows mean all the light is provided by harsh overhead fluorescents. At one end, is a huge wall to wall mirror and a big selection of free weights are just in front of this. I stifle a grin thinking about him pumping iron while checking out his reflection.

At the opposite side of the room is a small selection of exercise equipment; a treadmill, a rowing machine, an exercise bike and a few other resistance type machines I'm not familiar with.

In the centre is a number of large, thick mats laid out in a rough square and to one side there's two huge punch bags strung from the ceiling to the floor. Next to them is a water cooler and a locker.

Eric doesn't speak, but goes straight to the locker and pulls out a sleeveless vest. Still facing away from me he pulls his t shirt over his head and I'm awe struck. If I thought he was ripped with his top on, it's nothing to how he looks with it off. Even just looking at his back, I'm mesmerised by the way his muscles ripple as he raises his arms to pull the vest over his head.

He starts to wrap something around his hand, but from this angle I can't properly work out what it is. Without really thinking about it, I slowly approach and step to the side so I can see what he's doing. He's carefully wrapping bandages round his knuckles.

"Are we going to fight?" I didn't actually think he was being literal when he said we were going to fight it out of my system.

"Think you can take me on darling?" He glances at me sideways with an amused look on his face.

"Darling?!" Did he really just call me that? Perhaps he's just being patronising. In my current state it's hard to even think straight, but regardless I can tell that he's acting weird. I'm pretty sure if anyone else was around he'd be an entirely different person. I'm so wired and on edge I can't even begin to process why.

He smirks, but doesn't respond. Instead he grabs a hold of my left hand and starts to wind a bandage around my knuckles. His touch is surprisingly gentle and he takes his time, making sure he does it properly.

"Other hand." He lets go of my left hand and indicates I should give him my right hand.

"Are we really going to fight?" I ask, taking deep breaths to steady myself. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it's going to explode through my chest.

"We'll see," He chuckles, and once again I'm struck by how attractive he is when he smiles. "Let's start with some training. I've no trainers that would fit you so shoes off."

He steps back and quickly kicks off his boots and socks. I follow his lead and bend down to take off mine. I'm pretty sure he's checking me out again as I do. Pervert!

As I stand back up I see he's stepped over to a panel on the wall I hadn't noticed before. He hits a few buttons and music starts to blare over the speakers.

The beat is loud and repetitive, and seems to reverberate through my entire body.

Push me