Sweet and Strong Ch. 01

'I'm not swimming, I'm here to meet someone' Liam said to the counter attendant.

The facility attendant smiled and replied, 'Very well, the pool is just through this door, and there are grandstand seats along both sides of the pool.'

Liam thanked the attendant and walked to the pool hall. The venue was freshly painted and bright, with lots of natural light. The smell of pool chlorine was present, but there was enough ventilation such that it wasn't overpowering.

Liam climbed the steps and found an empty seat in the grandstand. freshly painted and bright, with lots of natural light. He'd matched in an online dating app with a young lady earlier in the week and had managed to arrange to meet tonight. His match said to meet pick her up at the Metropolitan Aquatics Centre at half past five. Liam finished work early, so he had arrived about twenty minutes early.

He opened up the app again and brought up her profile picture, very cute face with a long dark hair, South-East Asian look, Thai perhaps?

Liam's luck with dating app history included many unanswered messages and several no-shows. He'd stopped using them before but had a bad habit of relapsing. His match had only head shots; very cute, but a sure sign that she was hiding something, typically this meant a fat frame. Not that anything is wrong with that, but Liam had been keeping fit with regular weight training during the pandemic, and was in pretty good condition, so surely, he could at least have a girl that was at least in reasonable shape?

He surveyed the Olympic sized pool from his vantage point, assessing who it could be. It was relatively busy this afternoon. There were some children playing in the shallow end with some pool toys, a swim class attended by some older kids with an instructor, some buff dude in a full body swimsuit and a swimming cap in the fast lane, several older ladies in the slower lanes, chatting as much as they were swimming, an older gentleman in a pair of red Speedos, and... there she is, dark haired lady and enormous, at least thirty kilos overweight.

Liam sighed, disappointment wasn't the right word, he'd been on dating apps long enough to know that this is what he at least half expected but he thought that maybe, just maybe, meeting the girl at the swimming pool might have indicated she would have been in better shape

'I could just leave.' Liam thought to himself. Then his internal monologue started; 'Don't ghost, you're better than that', ugh, I'm going to have to spend the next hour pretending that her weight doesn't bother me. Hey, look on the bright side, maybe she's started a new fitness journey? Maybe she'll be nice and slim in six months time...'

The woman finished her lap at the shallow end and stood up, showing her face clearly out of the water. 'Hold on' Liam said to himself, checking his phone again 'She has dark hair but her face doesn't match.'

Liam's heart lifted a little. 'If not her, then who?' He scanned the pool once more... and caught the eye of a young darked haired lady at the opposite end of the pool. She had completed her lap and was holding onto the edge of the pool at the deep end, head just above the water and waving coyly Liam's way with a curious expression.

That's her! Dead match to the photos in the profile. Liam smiled and waved back, relived at this short reprieve. She burst into a gorgeous smile, indicated 'one more' with her finger and pointed to the shallow end. Liam nodded his understanding, slipped his phone back into his pocket and headed to the shallow end of the pool.

Halfway to the end of the pool, Liam thought; Funny, how did I miss her?. Nagging doubt started to set in again, 'I've only seen her from the neck up, she could still be another fatty.' Liam approached the end of her lane. Oh, well, too late now, nothing to do but meet her. At least I know she has a great smile.

His match finished her lap at the shallow end and climbed the ladder out of the pool.

This girl was enormous.

As her hands gripped the steel railings and hauled her body from the pool, She revealed thick forearms tapered down to elegant wrists, and her arms were in turn displayed powerful, round biceps with just a hint of split, with bulging triceps to match. Sharply angled traps broke the surface of the water, which connected to large, capped shoulders. Her collarbone crowned the tight knit stitching between her powerful pecs. Her swimsuit bound remarkably full breasts together, allowing just the top of her cleavage to peek above it.

'I've been looking forward to meeting you all day!' Liam's match continued to rise from the water. Her swimsuit bound tightly to her trim waist, outlining her perfect abdominal wall. 'I hope you weren't waiting too long.' Her broad hips were complimented by colossal thighs, sculpted beautifully down to her knees, ending with shapely calves with perfectly arched feet.

It dawned on him that this was the 'buff dude' he casually observed originally when he arrived. She must have removed her swimming cap before she waved for ease of recognition. Now, up close, despite being supremely muscular, Liam could see her body had starkly attractive feminine features; broad hips, narrow waist, and very buxom.

Liam was spellbound. His match was an Amazonian Goddess, entirely not what he was expecting. Time slowed down, his gaze swept down her body, rivulets of water ran over her curves and collected between her muscles just before they dripped to the floor. Her skin was a fair and smoothe. His gaze swept back up, meeting with her almond shaped, green eyes. Her round face and high bridge of her nose was cute, but her eyes were gorgeous. Liam was drawn into them for what seemed like eternity.

Suddenly, Liam's brain reset, thrusting him back into real time. 'No, not at all, I finished work early and came straight here, I hope I wasn't interrupting?'

She stepped forward out of the pool and clasped her hands low and in front, mighty arms gently squeezing her breasts together, amplifying her cleavage. 'Not at all. I just finished.' She extended her hand. 'My name is Kaeo, please to meet you.'

Liam extended and shook hands firmly with Kaeo 'I'm Liam, you look amazing.'

Kaeo giggled, 'Aw! You're so sweet! Ooh! You have a nice strong handshake, I like that.' The thought that this remarkable specimen of a woman could honestly consider his handshake 'strong' took Liam by surprise and he wondered if she was mocking him. No, he reasoned, he'd encountered women with nasty attitudes and snarky dispositions, Kaeo's response didn't match. Despite here ample physique, her voice was like honey and demeaner was that of a playful cat. 'Oh my! How rude of me, I'm dripping wet and you're all dressed up to take me out. Let me shower and get changed and I'll meet you out front. I'll be quick, I promise.'

'No, problem, take your time, as I said, I'm early.' Despite the innocence of her statement, Liam mind couldn't help but manifest sexual imagery of Kaeo's dripping wet body in the shower.

Kaeo gave a small wave and turned toward the change rooms. Liam stared at transfixed by the movement of her back muscles as she drew her long, dark hair over her shoulder to squeeze out the water. The swimsuit finished high enough to show off her beautifully round buttocks, and how they rocked rhythmically as she walked.

Liam couldn't believe this turn of events, this lady was something else, he never considered dating a muscular woman before or that it would even be a possibility, but this opportunity had just presented itself and he wasn't going to let it slide away. He made for the male changerooms and checked himself in the mirror. He was looking all right, but he did come straight from work and honestly hadn't though this match would be such a unique woman. He'd shaved this morning, so stubble wasn't too prolific, he could have done with a haircut, but it was too late to do anything about that now. Liam washed his face, the cooling water calming his nerves. 'OK, Liam. You have a date with a girl called Kaeo. Kaeo is built like a barbarian princess, but is an absolute sweetie, be cool, be a gentleman have a good time.'

A voice addressed him from behind. 'I saw you were talking to Kaeo.' A young man stood there, tall, probably six feet, relatively slim but with low body fat such that his muscle's showed plenty of definition. His arms were crossed over his chest and he leaned back on the lockers.

Liam groaned internally. Would it be too much to ask to meet with a woman without some meathead threatening to beat him over her.

'Can I help you?' Liam said, hopefully the question would deflect a specific accusation.

No such luck. 'Kaeo, the girl in the pool hall. You were talking to her.' He pressed.

Anyone could see this was an attempt to scare off the competition, but Liam was going to force him to spell it out. He stared him straight in the eye. 'I don't see how this concerns you.'

'You're too old for her. She'll kill you.' The man sniggered. 'Trust me, Old Man, I know'.

Successful dating still eluded him, but the cut and trust of bullshitting amongst men was second nature to Liam. He had now identified an angle for his counter. Aha! An age challenge. Perfect. Liam was thirty-two, there was probably the best part of ten years difference between them, he could work with that. 'Son, I was perforating oil wells while your bedtime was still dictated by your parents.' The other man' nostrils flared slightly. That wasn't all Liam had though, he had one final barb chambered and ready; 'At least, I assume you've moved out of home.'

Bingo! The man's face scrunched up and spat expletives at Liam.

Liam delivered the coup de gras, 'Sorry kiddo. My time is valuable and I have places to be. Invite me over for a barbeque, when you have a house, I'll bring Kaeo.' and made his way to the foyer.

Liam only had to wait a few minutes more before Kaeo emerged from the ladies change rooms. She had donned a yellow, floral patterned, high-neck, halter sundress, which left her ample shoulders fully exposed. The fabric was gathered around her narrow waist with a broad woven leather belt. The dress hung down to her knees, and she wore flat sandals. Normally women wear high heels to show off the shape of the leg, Kaeo needed no such shoes to accentuate her shapely calves. She walked toward Liam, with a small handbag slung from her shoulder and a gym duffel in her left hand. 'How do I look, Liam?' She gave a little twirl as she crossed the floor, which caused her dress to flare out with the motion.

'Radiant.' Liam spread his arms. Dear god, please make this sound natural, he thought to himself 'Give me a hug.'

Kaeo stepped out of her spin and slipped smoothly into Liam's embrace. He wasn't particularly tall, around five foot nine, but despite her powerful frame, Kaeo wasn't either. She planted her back gently on Liam's chest and rested her head comfortably on his shoulder. Liam's arms wrapped around Kaeo's muscular arms and belly. He knew her arms would be hard, but to actually touch them was electric. Even through the thin fabric of her sundress, the feel of her six-pack abs was just as enthralling.

Liam could not have asked for better timing. Just as Kaeo came to a halt in his arms, his rival, having composed himself, emerged from the men's change room. Liam caught his eye, smiled and gave him a wave. His top lip curled in anger and gave him the bird.

Kaeo grimaced. 'Did you make a new friend?' she asked.

Liam deflected 'Ask me later.' He emphasised his next statement. 'You are incredible shape.'

'Aw, thanks!' She giggled. Kaeo, extracted herself easily from Liam's embrace. 'OK, that's enough for now.' She winked and offered her hand. 'Show me a good time.' Liam took her hand in his and lead he out the door.