Shutting Down

He went through the motions. He figured this is what it might feel like to be at a funeral for your spouse or parents, everyone sorry but no one able to do more about it. He tried to banish that thought and failed.

"Hey, Adam," a voice called out from behind him. Adam turned and saw Jackie, a long-time member. She smiled at him.

"I really appreciate what you've done to this place. I came here because I live around the corner, which you know, but I didn't enjoy it that much until you really put things right. Thank you. I'm sorry to lose all this."

Adam nodded and apologized.

"I know I can't control it but I'm sorry," he said, "Do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah, we're headed to Planet Fitness around the corner. And it's the five of us ladies so we'll have each other when we leave."

"I heard a number of folks are going there," Adam said, "And it's a clean place. They'll be good for you."

"Yeah, there was a deal over the weekend so I jumped on that. I can go there whenever."

Adam nodded and mentally filed away calling the gym and figuring out who the manager was. Maybe he could work a deal out with that person for some kind of promotion for all the gym members. If they came from the wellness center maybe they could do a nothing-down, month-to-month contract since they'd arrive in bulk. That call could come today and he could put it out to the members if he could make it work.

"So," Jackie continued, "I have to say you are one of the most beautiful people I've ever met. And I mean personality. I'm really happy I could get to know you and I know you'll be fine wherever you end up."

Adam nodded. Jackie and her friends were a good group who took classes together. He got to watch them get healthier and stronger and more confident over the past three years. He said as much and watched the flush creep up Jackie's neck when he complimented her.

"Also," she said, blushing harder, "You have a really nice ass."

Adam didn't expect that and had nothing to say. Jackie laughed at his reaction and said, "Well, I guess I'm banned now. Worth it." She laughed again at her own daring and headed to the front door. She waved a hand to him over head as she walked out the door.

Adam, feeling proud of her for saying something like that, knowing it was outside her comfort zone, couldn't help but grin. He walked to the front desk and crashed into the laminate. exasperation, his elbows hitting the counter top.

"Something on your mind, Adam?" Marilyn asked, attentive.

"Is it going to be a steady diet of people breaking Rule 1 for the next two weeks?" Adam asked her.

Marilyn considered the question.

"Yes," she said, "They know there aren't long-term consequences and I've heard enough about what a challenge it is to rein in the commentary both for our lady members as well as the guys. Think of it as an end-of-the-world reaction. They can all do whatever they want now and it won't matter since we won't be here soon enough. Let them have their fun."

Adam didn't want to give up on the most important principle of the gym just because it was all coming to an end.

"Does it suggest that I was full of it the whole time if I turn a blind eye now?" he asked, completely serious.

"I know you're genuinely concerned about how we finish this but think of the team last night. They loved it. I think the folks we have now have been culled and the right attitude is the majority, if not totality, of how they conduct themselves in there. I feel like it's harmless. Let them have their fun," she said, making complete sense.

Adam nodded. He turned to go back to his office when Marilyn cleared her throat discreetly.

"My daughter asked me to give you a message," she said, "But I couldn't actually say it to you. I had her write it down."

She passed him a note, a sticky folded in half, and looked away. He eyed it warily.

"If this is what I think it is?" he said. Marilyn nodded, not looking at him. "Your kid is 22. I'm 35. She has no business thinking about me." Marilyn nodded again, this time with a massive eye-roll.

"She's thinking about everyone," she said.

He smiled at that and opened the message. Curly cursive in purple ink spelled out a short message.

You are really cute!!!!

Little hearts underscored the exclamation points. Adam couldn't help but laugh to himself. He expected an outpouring of support and sadness and then everyone would get back to what they were doing and it'd be over. He hadn't expected this.

Amanda, a member, was on the way out. She saw Adam and Marilyn at the desk and changed course. She leaned over to look at the note.

"That person's not wrong," she said, her eyes sparkling. She turned and headed out the door, waving goodbye.

"I'm experiencing some frustration right now," Adam said, "I have work to do. Let me know if anyone needs me."

He headed to his office and shut the door. A stack of contracts, the paid-in-fulls, sat piled up next to him. Marilyn, anticipating the need, had pulled them earlier in the morning and left Adam with a stack of refund documents for the processing team at the hospital. She filled everything out with the exception of a signature. She was too good to him.

He sat in the chair. The sounds of the HIIT class's music thumped through the wall. Adam put his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands. The darkness lit up with strobe light flashes as he pressed his palms into his eyes.

He briefly considered crying. Or throwing something.

Goddamn it

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come on in," he called. The handle turned and the door snickered open. He swiveled in the chair.

Carrie, one of the yoga instructors, stood in the doorway. She was one of the more popular instructors, even though she rarely smiled. She was short with pale white skin and a smear of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her thick red hair was done up in a complex braid and hung almost to the small of her back. She wore black yoga pants with a blue sports bra and an ultra-loose t-shirt with SLAYER emblazoned on the front. The t-shirt did nothing to cover her cleavage.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked, "Or are you busy?"

"I have time," he said, pushing the pile of paperwork out of the way to create a space on the desk so they could talk.

"I know you'd say that," Carrie said, "You always make time for us. And thank you."

She shut the door behind her and stood at his desk. He plastered on a smile, encouraging her to talk or vent or express her thoughts.

"What do you need?" she asked him.

Adam answered immediately. "Nothing. I'm good. I need to make sure everyone has the time and resources to take their next steps."

"Let's have a frank conversation," Carrie said, hopping up to sit on his desk. That caught Adam's attention.

"I mean, I pride myself for always being frank in conversations but, okay, complete disclosure. I'm listening," he replied.

"I've never gotten less than complete disclosure from you," Carrie said, "It's incredible how you can be both tactful and honest about everything at the same time. But here's what you need to hear: You need help. You need something. Marilyn can support you, emotionally, by getting you coffee and all that but the rest of us don't really have an opportunity to participate."

She stopped for a second to gauge Adam's response. He didn't say anything, waiting for her to finish.

"I know this place ... " She paused for a second, "Well, these people, really ... are everything to you." She continued after a moment, "I taught my class last night so I didn't make it to the meeting but I heard about it. The other group-ex instructors said you were so busy trying to help the trainers and front desk staff that you didn't ask for anything for yourself. That's not fair to you."

Carrie spun her body around so her legs hung off his side of the desk. She stood up and moved to his chair. She bent over and enveloped him in a hug, wrapping her arms around him, a hand on his back, the other in his hair. Adam, still sitting, allowed himself to be pulled into her. She comforted him, his head against her chest. She made shushing noises, rocking him slightly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, "And I'll take care of you in any way you need."

Adam stiffened. He straightened up and pulled away from her embrace. He looked up at her.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"I know about Natalie," she said, "I know you two stopped being a couple almost a month ago. I know she's three time zones away now. And I can respect you for not discussing your personal life at work."

Adam wasn't aware anyone knew. The surprise showed on his face.

"We have the same close friends," she said, shrugging, "And so I heard. Both of you kept it really quiet but I know. And I'm not going to share with anyone. It's not my conversation."

Adam didn't have anything to say to that. Natalie had left him to travel cross-country to chase her career aspirations and he refused to hold her back. He recognized what she wanted before she realized it and, though it hurt him terribly, she finally went her own way. And that was barely two weeks ago. He hadn't reconciled that with himself yet and now his one place of peace and joy was being yanked away.

"And now this, the thing you really love, is being taken from you," Carrie said, as if reading his mind, "And it's heart-breaking to watch, knowing what you've put into this place ... YOUR place."

"It's not mine," Adam countered, "It's theirs." He gestured through the wall to the gym floor.

"You built it for them, sure," Carrie said, "But you're the one who built it. Very few people would have done such a wonderful job. They're out there now having fun and laughing but they're all grieving on the inside. I know you are too and you have to find an outlet for it."

She reached down and grabbed the collar of his shirt. She pulled on it and Adam obeyed, standing to face her. The difference in height was laughable. He towered over her.

Looking up at him, a smile flirted across Carrie's face.

"No," she said, quietly amused, "You need to sit. You're too tall and I feel like I'm a kid talking to an adult."

Considering Carrie was almost a decade younger than him, Adam smiled at that.

She glanced around at the room then popped herself back up on the desk. Sitting straight, it put her closer to Adam's height. Grunting with satisfaction, she pulled him back to her, guiding his hands to rest on her hips. She took his face in her palms.

"I respect you and this is purely a physical release of anger, sadness, frustration, and all the emotions I know you have in there," she breathed, "It's what I can do for you."

Something broke in Adam. Something snapped. It was a controlled snap but a snap nonetheless. Her hands moved to the back of his head and she pulled him to her. He let her.

They kissed.

She tasted like honey. Her hands plunged into his hair and she held his face close to hers. Their tongues danced and explored each other's mouths. The scent of lilacs tickled his nose. Her hands continued to stroke his face, his neck, and moved to his shoulders and chest.

He felt himself respond to her. His fingers caressed her thighs, running up and down the fabric and pressing the skin underneath. She radiated warmth through the material.

"Touch me," she said, demanding more of him.

Adam obeyed, his strong hands moving over her body. Without breaking their kiss, she pulled her t-shirt to her neck and yanked her sports bra up. Her breasts spilled out, exposed, and Adam cupped them.

"My nipples love attention" she said, guiding his head down. He obliged, teasing her flesh with his mouth. His tongue tasted and teased her. He was more gentle than she needed but that only turned her on more. Her whole body warmed and liquid heat filled her. She reached down and deftly undid his belt. She popped the button on his jeans and slid her hand under the elastic of his boxers.

His stomach was flat and his skin warm to the touch. She grasped his hardness and squeezed. He was like iron. She stroked him and he groaned, kissing her more urgently.

"Think this desk can handle the two of us?" she breathed. He nodded.

"You've already proven it?" she asked, a grin across her flushed face.

"No. We're about to," Adam said.

Carrie moved around him and pushed him onto the desk. He pushed himself up and sat. She knelt in front of him, tugging his pants and boxers down, and took him in her mouth. He inhaled sharply. She could have pleasured him like all day but she needed this too.

She climbed onto his lap only a few moments later, her knees on either side of him. Reaching between them, she positioned his hard cock. She lowered herself onto him. He gasped at the sensation of her sliding down, squeezing him with soft, wet warmth. She took all of him, filling herself with his hard cock.

They simply held each other, not moving, for several moments.

Carrie started pumping her hips and Adam matched her rhythm, rocking with her. Their bodies moved in sync and they kissed again. Hands wandered and electricity built inside Adam, his body tightening and clenching. Carrie moved faster, driving her hips into him, the center of her body building with pressure. Adam's breathing turned ragged, one hand holding the desk so they didn't fall, the other all over her body. She gripped him and held him to her.

It took little time. Carrie ground herself into Adam, riding him hard. Her breathing shortened and he felt her body trembling on his. She held his face in her hands and looked at him.

"I've wanted this since I first met you," she moaned. Sliding up and down on him, working his cock with her pussy, Carrie closed her eyes. Adam watched her bend almost in half, orgasm building within her. Their bodies were a perfect match and she rubbed her clit against his lower stomach, adding to her pleasure.

She came, yelping and trying desperately to be silent in the office. She failed. Wave after wave of passion rolled through her body.

Adam quickly followed. He felt his own orgasm coming and squeezed Carrie's hip. She picked up her pace, urging him on, encouraging him.

"Cum for me," she whispered into his ear.

Adam came, orgasm ripping through his body. Passion flooded his body and he felt all the anger, frustration, and fear evaporate. He let himself go as Carrie pleasured his cock. She continued riding him, slowing and easing him down from his high. She finally stopped, confident he was fully satisfied.

Adam loosened his grip on her and gave a deep sign. He grinned and Carrie grinned back. They both caught their breath. The small office was humid and heavy with musk. Both laughed, relaxed and calm. The shared moment, after, was as intimate as the sex.

"I've been thinking about that ever since I interviewed for the job," she confessed, catching her breath, "And it was better than I imagined. Next time we can go slower and drag it out."

"Next time?" Adam asked, eyebrows up, a smile playing at his mouth.

Carrie nodded with conviction, "Yes, next time. Maybe after a night of going out or just a coffee or maybe not. But next time for sure."

"Next time," Adam said, feeling the stress drain away.

"Next time," Carrie confirmed.

THE END