Beach Body Ch. 03

The problem with an afternoon nap was that it messed up what terrible routine Nora already had. Supremely alert now for dinner, she found another container of her father's prepped meals and saw that it was more hearty than the salads. Still lots of vegetables, but the brown rice was satisfying. As she ate on the kitchen counter she flicked through the feed on her phone.

She followed a few friends, a few tech blogs and a science paper. There were a couple of make-up tutorial girls she liked too. One mainly did incredibly elaborate face painting to make herself look like an actual painting or Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean or something. A couple of them had moved on to becoming 'fitness' models though, which was a little annoying but she couldn't fault them for earning more money. Every so often she scrolled past a girl with proportions so perfect even she had to stop and stare. She knew there were a lot of specific angles being used and clever poses to hide imperfections, if not downright photoshops, but she still couldn't help but compare herself to these pouting models. She wondered. If she could keep up this exercise regiment, did she have a chance of looking like this blonde twenty something with her long legs and flat stomach, posing like a slutty mermaid on the bow of a yacht, somehow balancing a flute of champagne in her fingers? She snorted at the ridiculousness of that particular photo and flicked it away.

There was a sigh, not sad or angry or feeling sorry for herself. Just whatever. And she kept eating. The broccoli was really tasty. It crunched pleasantly as she chewed. She had no idea how her father accomplished the feat of seemingly completely healthy food that was delicious to boot. There was a ping. Nora saw an icon indicating a new message from Dashe and smiled before she even read it.

Dashe: I'm back bitch!

The smirk stayed on Nora's face as she tapped a reply.

Nora: Weren't you meant to swear less after going to that thing?

Dashe: Some fuckin idiot cut me off on the highway and already fucked that up so oh wells. At least I managed to make it back to civilization before picking up my phone again.

Nora: I wouldn't call where you live 'civilization', but I missed how aspirational you are.

Dashe: I miss your SASSpiration and your ASSpiration darling

None of that made sense but she laughed anyway. She had missed chatting to Dashe. She missed her best friend. Dashe had moved to the other side of the country just over two years ago for her dream job, but she would still send messages to Nora daily, almost incessantly if Nora replied enough.

But Dashe was also very mindful and the sort of person who would do something like go to a week long silent meditation retreat to recenter herself. It involved a group of people travelling to some cabins up in the mountains once a year to do nothing but sit and not think in complete silence. No talking to anyone for the whole week. No internet either, and obviously no phones. Completely switch off and disconnect from the world. Reset her brain, she would say. Nora wasn't completely convinced it wasn't just a cover for some weird secret sex thing. Dashe had assured her the sex only happened after she 'reached out' to some of the other mute attendees a couple of days later to really 'recenter' themselves, as in crawl back into the center of Dashe's bed.

Dashe: So what'd I miss?

Nora thought about it and was coming up short. She had basically been buried in work the whole time Dashe was away and there really wasn't much gossip to be had. As she gnawed on some carrot she tapped her reply.

Nora: Not a lot. Work's been swamped but manageable.

She didn't want to sound like a complete bore, so quickly added to her message.

Nora: I got a personal trainer though. Been workin out ;)

Dashe: ooooo work it girrrl lol

Nora rolled her eyes and put her phone down to eat. Another ping and she saw a photo had been sent. She opened it to see a picture of Dashe doing her best E-girl winky face while holding an opened box of makeup under her chin.

Dashe: It arrived!

It was an expensive kit, mainly a lot of different shades of smoky eyeshadows along with various other eye related makeup. Nora always admired how well her friend could accentuate her natural beauty with a bit of exquisitely applied mascara and eyeliner. Maybe it was those big amber green eyes that the chestnut haired girl had that were rather engaging on their own anyway.

Though Nora had a tendency to compare her own appearance to her slimmer, and Nora thought objectively more attractive friend, she never felt lesser when they went out together. Dashe's confidence almost rubbed off on her, and her friend would always compliment the reason a particular dress looked incredible on Nora, and how obvious that should be to Nora or anybody else in the club that laid eyes on her.

She was so genuine Nora could believe it, that that guy buying them drinks wasn't only interested in getting in Dashe's tight pants but that his friend really did think Nora was hot and, in every case, his friend turned out to be thrilled he got her number. Boy did Nora miss those rare night outs that Dashe convinced her to go on occasionally, if she didn't feel too bloated or otherwise icky at the time. At least after Dashe moved away she no longer had to bail on her friend on plans at the last minute. Dashe always made that flakiness seem like it was no big deal to her, more concerned about Nora's well being instead. It appeared Dashe hadn't changed in that regard.

Dashe: A PT is great!

Dashe: So...

Dashe: is he hot?

She hadn't changed at all. Nora smiled and wondered how long she should string her friend along for.

Nora: I think he's more your type

Dashe: Oh? Breathing. Nice.

Nora: lol

Nora: I meant tall

Nora: And older

Dashe: oh my

Dashe: pic plz

Nora snorted, always amused by Dashe's impetus. She thought about revealing the joke then by sending a photo of her dad but decided it would be more fun to keep messing with her.

Nora: Nope

Dashe: C'mon!

Dashe: ok describe him to me then

Dashe: paint me a picture

Dashe: no I want a sculpture

Dashe: I want to be able to touch it ;)

She sniffed again.

Nora: Muscles, obviously

Dashe: Obvs

Nora: some grey through his hair. Thick hair.

Nora: clean cut. Very handsome

Dashe: square jaw?

Nora thought about it. No, definitely strong but more sleek.

Nora: Not so much, but nice.

Dashe: mmm... but how big's his dick?

Nora: jeez

Dashe: tight butt I bet

Nora shook her head, grinning happily, not sure when the last time she had so much fun just chatting. The question didn't leave her mind though, and she couldn't help wondering how her father was... endowed. She might have caught a random glimpse of it once as a child when she walked past the bathroom but she didn't remember paying the thing much mind other than it seemed... dark? Nora gulped at her memories and looked to her phone.

Dashe: I'm gonna need an assessment on that butt

Nora: 9/10

Dashe: Okay, I approve. I know you're not gonna try to jump his bones but have you at least gotten off to him?

Nora: Ew!

The reply was automatic on Nora's part simply because of the context, but she felt a little flutter at the accusation. She felt a little challenged by Dashe's words too.

Nora: How do you know I wouldn't try?

Dashe: What do you mean ew I know you masturbate constantly

Dashe: And I know you wouldn't try because I know you hello?

Dashe: You're NOra. Not YESra.

Nora narrowed her eyes. She knew that the tease only worked in text form and even then it was a stretch, but it still annoyed her. It annoyed her because she knew it wasn't a completely undeserved barb. She especially couldn't really refute it in this instance either because they were talking about her father.

Dashe: OMG! Wait!

Nora tilted her head and watched the typing indicator flashing under the name.

Dashe: I know who it is

Nora pouted. Guess her friend was smarter than she thought, but Nora wished she got to pull the rug out first. Dashe must have remembered her father owned a gym. Oh well.

Dashe: I bet he works for your dad

Nora smirked. So close! She was about to reveal all, having pipped her right at the post... but then she thought better of it. Instead she decided on a more ambiguous response.

Nora: lol

She waited to see how that would be taken.

Dashe: I guess that might make it awkward

Dashe: But girl you haven't had any good dick since LL

Nora frowned, ready to refute that. LL had been good but she'd gotten with plenty of other good and decently endowed guys since college. Well a couple. She wasn't sure how exactly to phrase her retort and Dashe sent another message too fast anyway. There was more detective work to be done.

Dashe: Does he smell bad?

That made Nora's eyebrows rise and she swallowed.

Nora: No

Dashe: Is he married?

Nora chuckled at her friend's priorities. She confirmed he wasn't.

Dashe: Then what's stopping you? Nothing. Just you.

Nora: It's not that simple.

Dashe: Believe me. It totally is. Just go for it. I'm gonna bet he thinks you're hot AF too

Nora sighed, her oblivious friend so supportive yet so misguided. But still... it felt nice. Dashe wasn't only a good friend, she was a good person.

Dashe: Oh! Guy In Grey Sweats said he's back from the cabin and wants to 'meet for a reassessment of the experience'. He doesn't know it yet but that's code for fuuuuck

Dashe: Shower now. Speak later.

Nora wondered why she put her phone down then instead of finally clearing things up. Maybe because the topic had been dropped before the end of the conversation. She was halfway through her dinner, one so delicious because it had been prepared so lovingly by a tall, built, and handsome older man.

She refocused on her phone and switched to her email app. She saw an email from a colleague, cute sorta scrawny guy who worked in the server room. Things were stable, was his last report. Well the patch was done and dusted thanks to her today, and there wasn't another release for another week. She picked up the phone with both hands now and composed a new email. She was going to schedule the app to send it in the morning. Tomorrow she was going to be unwell, she decided. Taking the day off to recover. Email Lauren with any emergencies. Lauren was capable, Nora nodded. She enjoyed the rest of her meal.

A few hours later she went to bed still sore. She read a few updates from Dashe about her meeting up with the guy from the meditation retreat at a bar Nora would absolutely adore. When those messages ceased for obvious reasons she closed her eyes. With one less stress to wake up to she fell asleep quickly.

****

Nora met her father down stairs the next morning.

"That was fast," Adrian said, pleasantly surprised since she was there almost immediately after the text he sent when he arrived.

"Been up," she smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her new running shoes felt amazing. They were new insofar as she had worn them once since buying them a couple of months ago. They were a recommendation from Dashe.

"Alrighty, let's do a bit of stretching then we'll jog around the block to the fountain," the trainer proposed. Nora nodded, still tender but excited.

****

Nora was fitter than she thought she was. At least for this first leg of the run. She felt like she could probably go further and faster than her father might have planned. He kept a steady pace next to her, and after overcoming a worrying burn of fatigue in her legs two minutes in she didn't feel like she would need to stop or slow down for a while.

It was nice to be out with her dad too. In the warming sun. Jogging next to him without the need to talk. Just the sound of their footsteps and the swish of their clothes. Her sports bra (under her loose shirt) was working wonders and she was so grateful for the advancements in women's fitness gear technology. So thankful for their support. The only pain she had to worry about was the growing lactic acid in her legs. She didn't even feel silly when they passed other people, realising they would barely pay her attention anyway as they rounded a corner.

Adrian sped up a fraction and got ahead of his daughter. Seeing the goal too Nora went to catch up. Just before she did she saw the man's smile and he took off. She felt challenged, a jolt of excitement in her chest, and she pushed herself forward. Nearing a sprint she was almost close enough to tap her father on the back and then he slowed down at a perfectly controlled rate wherein his next five steps had him stopped next to the fountain. She stumbled a little as she shed her speed and overshot the mark by a couple of feet. She turned to see her father beaming and his hands held up.

"Great job Nora!" he said, a little out of breath to show that he was indeed human, and they high-fived. That was all Nora could manage as she focused on catching her breath then she moved to the small drinking fountain by the footpath. She took two mouthfuls, rinsing her mouth more than really drinking. As she straightened she flicked her ponytail up. "Ready?" asked her father with a clap of encouragement.

"Try to keep up, old man." And Nora took off. With a chuckle Adrien followed. It was always more fun to train with a client who was energised like this. He was glad that his daughter was warming up to the routine and though it was still early, he saw her enthusiasm as a good sign. Watching from behind he could better monitor her running form. She was a natural, though sometimes she hit the ground with her right foot a little harder than was best. He felt like she would self correct it the more often she ran.

He thought about catching up sooner, but he could tell Nora liked 'beating' him in the race, at least for this section, so he settled for more observation while practicing his breathing. He was distracted a little from it watching the sway of her hips. And the bounce of her well developed behind. Adrian was no stranger to tights and yogapants, what with owning a gym frequented by a clientele of 46% women. Sometimes he thought he had been desensitized to this sort of view, but every now and then there would be some pretty young thing that caught everyone's eye using the squat machine. Adrian was always a professional though and could put these things out of mind then out of sight. But right now he felt a little mesmerised trailing his confident, gorgeous Nora. He pulled his eyes up, trying to focus on her bobbing ponytail instead maybe... but there was a gravity to that well formed backside. Adrian inhaled and sped up.

Nora was relieved when she noticed her father float into her periphery. He didn't overtake her, in fact she sensed him slowing a little which allowed her to do the same without feeling bad. They continued at a good pace. He felt a little closer now, or maybe it was the breeze. Her father had started to sweat and she caught a whiff. Luckily her cheeks were already flushed. They were about halfway back to her apartment now and though she wasn't sure how many laps he had planned, she definitely could do at least one more. Then she heard the sound of a rock shifting on another rock and she realised it originated from under her step. She lost balance, foot going sideways and she dropped into it, landing hard onto the nature strip.

"Nora!"

Her father was on her in an instant, a protective canopy overhead as she tried to reorient herself. She felt a sharp pain in her foot then as she shifted her right leg and cried out. She clutched at her ankle. "I think I twisted it," she winced, eyes watering. She couldn't quite make out the expression of her dad's face but noticed some other passers by hovering. Her embarrassment almost outweighed the pain, then suddenly she was feeling weightless.

"Dad!"

"It's alright baby girl I've got you," he grunted, rising to his feet with his daughter in his arms. Nora held on, gripping his shoulder tightly as the ground went away and she was literally swept off her feet. Her body was stiff, bracing for some kind of fall again, but nothing happened. She was secure and opened her eyes. She saw his bright blue ones and hoped her thumping heart was just from the adrenaline of the fall. "We better get you home," he told her with a smile and he started walking.

"Dad you don't need to-" Nora started but her father shifted his arms and she felt oddly small. Like she weighed nothing to him.

"It's just a little ways," said her dad. "It's no problem." She grimaced as the pain in her foot resurfaced and she couldn't argue. Nora was being cradled with one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back, her head on the front of his shoulder. Why did he smell so good even after a run? Especially after. Like metal being heated. She wasn't sure if she was getting dizzy from the pain, or from the shock, or from the strong scent on his neck. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her entire body almost, wishing she could shut it off. Wishing she would stop getting wet. "Sorry," Adrian apologised, thinking he must have accidentally disturbed her ankle when she flinched. Nora felt her ears get hot. His body was so warm. His chest.

It felt like she had been held by him, carried by him, for the longest time before they finally reached her apartment building. She had the horrifying realisation that her underwear was probably soaked now.

She entered the code for the entryway and her dad pushed the door open with a foot. He didn't even sway.

"I think I'm good, dad," she tried, as he carried her into the elevator. He seemed reluctant to let her go.

"Can't I pretend you're just my little princess again for a bit?" he asked her, smiling.

"Dad."

"Alright alright. Careful," he said, lowering her to the ground but making sure she kept an arm around his shoulders. Nora exhaled as she leaned onto one foot, trying not to think about how fucking broad his shoulders were. She glanced at the mirror at the back of the elevator cab, checking to make sure her tights wouldn't give away what a mess her dad's little princess had made of her panties. Some relief, tempered by the ache in her foot.

Nora grew less and less confident in her outerwear as her father tended to her on the couch. He had helped her take off her shoes and socks, and now her legs were in his lap as he gently tested her ankle.

"Ow... ow..." she murmured as he felt at her, his hands firm and his skin a bit rough. Calluses. So manly. All she could really think about was how sweaty her feet were and how he didn't care about getting it all over his fingers.

"Looks like you just rolled it a bit. Minor sprain," he told her. "Put some ice on. Rest a couple of days." He got up, placing her feet carely back onto the seat. He was rummaging through the fridge freezer.

"There should be an icepack in the back," she remembered, then laid her head on the armrest. She touched her face with the back of her hand, feeling how hot and bothered she was. Luckily her dad would just think it was the injury causing that. She grabbed a cushion and put it over her crotch. She wasn't sure if what she smelled was just her imagination, like maybe her dad's sweat was somehow hallucinogenic, but either way she felt better if she could muffle her steaming groin right now.