My Gym Rival Couldn’t Stop Watching Me… Then THIS Happened
I used to think Jeremiah was the most annoying guy at my gym.
Not in an over-the-top way, either.
He wasn’t one of those dudes who slammed weights for attention or flexed in every mirror like he was auditioning for a fitness brand.
Honestly, that would have been easier to deal with.
No, Jeremiah was worse.
He was quiet.
Quiet, self-assured, and stupidly attractive.
And for some reason, he always seemed to be exactly where I was.
Every single day.
If I hit bench press 5 minutes later, he’d be at the rack beside me adding more weight than me with that calm expression on his face like he wasn’t even trying.
If I switched to deadlifts, there he was across the room doing Romanian deadlifts in gray sweatpants that should have honestly been illegal.
And the worst part?
He barely talked to me.
Just enough to get under my skin.
Using this?
You done with those dumbbells?
You going to wipe that machine down or should I?
Little comments.
Dry tone.
That side smirk afterward like he enjoyed irritating me.
Which, to be fair, he definitely did.
My name’s Brooks, by the way.
24.
Personal trainer part-time, online college classes full-time, and way too emotionally invested in proving I could out-lift a man who probably didn’t even think about me outside the gym.
At least that’s what I told myself.
The rivalry started small.
One morning I noticed him watching me during pull-ups.
Not casually, either.
Like really watching me.
Eyes focused.
Arms folded across his cheSt.
So, naturally, I did two extra reps out of spite.
He didn’t react.
Just walked over afterward and said, “Your form breaks at the top.”
Then he walked away.
I hated him immediately.
After that, it turned into this unspoken competition.
Who got to the squat rack first?
Who lifted heavier?
Who stayed longer?
Who looked better doing it?
It sounds stupid now, but at the time it consumed me.
My friends noticed, too.
“You know you talk about this dude like he’s your ex-boyfriend.”
My friend Luca told me one night while we were gaming.
“I literally never talk about him.”
“You brought him up four times in 10 minutes.”
“I was making observations.”
“You were describing his shoulders, Brooks.”
I muted my mic after that.
Because okay, maybe Jeremiah was attractive.
Actually, scratch that.
Jeremiah was unfairly attractive.
Tall.
Dark hair that always looked messy in a deliberate way.
Sharp jawline.
Big arms without looking cartoonishly huge.
The kind of body that looked strong in normal clothes, too, not just gym lighting.
And his eyes.
Yeah.
Not getting into that.
Anyway, the thing about Jeremiah was nobody seemed to know much about him.
He came in alone, headphones on, barely spoke, trained hard as hell, then left.
No social media tags.
No gym selfies.
No flirting with girls.
Honestly, that last part should have clicked earlier.
But I didn’t think about it much because I was too busy trying to beat him.
Then came the Tuesday that changed everything.
It was late, around 10:00 at night.
The gym was mostly empty except for a couple guys near the cardio section and one employee vacuuming by the front desk.
I almost skipped that night, but I’d had a rough day and needed to clear my head.
Jeremiah was already there when I arrived.
Of course, he was.
He stood near the cable machine stretching his shoulders, black sleeveless shirt clinging to his cheSt.
Sweat darkened the fabric slightly, and I immediately got annoyed at myself for noticing.
He looked up when I walked in.
That familiar smirk appeared.
Late for once?
I rolled my eyes.
Some of us have lives.
Sure you do.
God, I wanted to punch him sometimes.
Instead, I threw my bag into a locker and started warming up.
For the next hour we barely spoke, but the tension was there like always.
Every time I glanced up, I catch him somewhere nearby.
Watching between sets.
Looking away when I noticed.
At first I thought I imagined it.
Then it kept happening.
Bench press.
Cable rows.
Even when I went to refill my water bottle.
Jeremiah’s eyes kept landing on me.
Not random glances either.
Lingering ones.
And suddenly I became hyper aware of everything.
The sweat sticking to my shirt.
My breathing.
The pump in my arms.
I hated how much I liked being looked at by him.
Around 11:00 the gym emptied out completely.
Just me and Jeremiah.
I was doing shoulder presses when I noticed him standing near the mirrors behind me.
Not lifting.
Not stretching.
Just staring.
I lowered the dumbbells slowly.
What?
He blinked like I’d snapped him out of something.
Nothing.
You’ve been weird all night.
Says you.
I stood up annoyed now.
Dude, if you have something to say, say it.
For a second he just looked at me.
Really looked at me.
And I swear something shifted in the room.
His voice came out lower than usual.
You always wear those tank tops on purpose?
My stomach tightened instantly.
What?
His eyes dragged slowly over my chest before meeting mine again.
They’re distracting.
The silence after that felt electric.
I laughed awkwardly, mostly because my brain completely stopped functioning.
You’re insane.
Probably.
But he didn’t look joking.
Not even a little.
I grabbed my towel too fast, nearly dropping it.
I’m getting water.
Weak escape.
I know.
I could feel his eyes on me the entire walk across the gym.
At the fountain, I splashed cold water on my face trying to calm down.
But my heart was pounding stupidly hard.
What the hell was that?
Jeremiah flirting?
No chance.
Maybe he was messing with me.
Yeah.
That had to be it.
Except when I turned around, he was standing right there behind me.
Close.
Way too close.
I nearly choked on water.
You good?
He asked quietly.
His voice sounded different now.
Softer somehow.
I stepped back immediately.
You trying to freak me out?
He leaned one shoulder against the wall beside the fountain, eyes fixed on me.
You know something funny?
What?
I think you like the attention.
My face burned.
You’re full of yourself.
Am I wrong?
I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out.
Because honestly, I didn’t know.
Jeremiah’s gaze dropped briefly to my mouth before lifting again, and that tiny movement sent heat straight through my cheSt. Then he said the last thing I expected.
I see the way you look at me, too, Brooks.
And suddenly the rivalry didn’t feel like rivalry anymore.
I didn’t answer him.
Couldn’t, honestly.
Because the second Jeremiah said that, I see the way you look at me, too, it felt like all the air disappeared from the gym.
He was still standing way too close.
Close enough that I could smell his cologne under the sweat and clean detergent scent clinging to his shirt.
Close enough that if I moved forward even slightly, our chests would touch.
And the worst part?
I didn’t exactly want to move away.
You’re imagining things.
I muttered finally.
Jeremiah tilted his head a little, studying me.
Am I?
Yes.
You blush every time I talk to you.
I do not.
A smirk pulled at his mouth.
You’re doing it right now.
I hated that he was right.
My face felt hot as hell.
I stepped around him quickly and headed back toward the weights, trying to act normal while my heart slammed against my ribs like I just sprinted a mile.
This was ridiculous.
Jeremiah was my gym rival.
That was it.
Not whatever this weird tension was becoming.
Behind me, I heard him chuckle softly before following.
For the next 20 minutes, things got somehow worse.
Because now that everything was out in the open, or at least halfway out in the open, I couldn’t stop noticing him.
The way his shirt lifted slightly during pull-ups, the veins in his forearms while he gripped the barbell, the way his eyes kept finding me between sets.
And Jeremiah clearly knew exactly what he was doing.
At one point, I caught him staring while I adjusted my tank top after incline bench.
Not subtle, either.
His eyes dragged slowly across my stomach before meeting mine again.
I almost dropped the damn dumbbell.
You got a problem?
I snapped, trying to focus.
He answered calmly.
On my chest?
Among other things.
Jesus ChriSt. I turned away immediately, pretending to rearrange weights while internally combusting.
No guy had ever looked at me like that before.
Not openly.
Not with that much confidence.
And definitely not Jeremiah.
By midnight we were basically the only people left.
The employee at the desk shouted that they were closing soon, which should have been my perfect excuse to leave and escape this entire situation.
Instead, I stayed.
So did Jeremiah.
Of course he did.
I was wiping down a machine when he walked over holding his water bottle.
“You live nearby?”
He asked.
The normal question caught me off guard after everything else.
“Uh, yeah.
Like 10 minutes away.”
He nodded slowly.
“Same.”
A silence settled between us.
Not awkward exactly.
Heavy.
Charged.
Then Jeremiah glanced toward the empty locker room hallway before looking back at me.
“You avoiding me now?”
“No.”
“You’ve barely looked at me for 20 minutes.”
I scoffed.
“Maybe because you’re acting insane.”
His mouth twitched slightly.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
Jeremiah stepped closer again.
God, he always did that.
Invaded space like he knew I secretly liked it.
“Tell me to stop then.”
He said quietly.
I swallowed.
“What?”
“The flirting.
The staring.
Whatever this is.”
His eyes locked onto mine.
“Tell me to stop and I will.”
The problem was I couldn’t.
I should have been able to.
Instead, my brain kept replaying the way he looked at me earlier.
The way his eyes moved over my body like he’d been wanting to do it for a while.
And maybe I’d wanted it, too.
That realization hit harder than expected.
Jeremiah noticed my hesitation immediately.
A small smile appeared on his face, softer this time.
That’s what I thought.
I exhaled shakily.
You’re really self-assured, you know that?
You bring it out of me.
Before I could answer, the employee yelled again.
Closing, guys.
Jeremiah sighed dramatically.
Guess we’re getting kicked out.
I laughed despite myself.
And for the first time since I’d met him, the tension between us didn’t feel hostile.
It felt dangerous in a completely different way.
We walked toward the locker rooms together.
Neither of us spoke much, but I could feel him beside me the entire time.
Every little movement felt weirdly intense now.
Inside the locker room, the bright fluorescent lights suddenly made everything feel too real, too intimate.
I tried focusing on my bag while changing my shoes, but Jeremiah was only a few lockers down.
And unfortunately for my sanity, he started pulling his shirt off.
I immediately looked away.
Too late.
I’d already seen enough to ruin me.
Broad chest, defined abs, that thin trail disappearing beneath his waistband.
Brooks.
His voice sounded amused.
I kept my eyes firmly on my backpack.
What?
You know staring usually costs extra?
I literally looked away.
After staring.
I groaned under my breath.
You’re unbearable.
And yet here you are.
When I finally glanced up, Jeremiah was leaning casually against the lockers in just gray sweatpants, arms crossed over his bare cheSt. Honestly, that should not have been allowed.
The room suddenly felt way too warm.
Jeremiah watched me for a second before speaking again, quieter this time.
You know what’s funny?
What now?
I thought you hated me.
I blinked.
I did hate you.
Did?
I ignored that.
You were annoying as hell when I first met you.
You mean when I corrected your bench form?
You were smug about it.
You were lifting wrong.
I rolled my eyes, but Jeremiah laughed softly.
It hit me then that I’d never really heard him laugh before.
Not genuinely.
It made him look different somehow.
Less intimidating.
Warmer.
More dangerous, honestly.
Because now I could suddenly picture things I absolutely shouldn’t have been picturing.
Jeremiah stepped closer slowly.
No teasing this time.
No self-assured comments.
Just him standing there close enough that I could feel heat radiating off his skin.
I didn’t hate you.
He admitted quietly.
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
Could have fooled me.
His eyes held mine.
You made me nervous.
That shocked me more than anything else all night.
You?
Nervous?
You think I kept staring at you because I was trying to start a fight?
I opened my mouth, then closed it again.
Because kind of, yeah.
Jeremiah rubbed the back of his neck once.
Suddenly looking less confident.
I noticed you the first week you joined the gym.
The confession sent heat through my stomach instantly.
You did?
Hard not to.
The way he said it nearly melted my brain.
For a second neither of us moved.
Then Jeremiah’s gaze dropped briefly to my lips again.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And this time I didn’t pretend not to notice.
My pulse went crazy.
Jeremiah.
His voice lowered.
Tell me to stop.
Again.
That same sentence.
Only now it sounded completely different in the empty locker room.
More intimate.
More dangerous.
And honestly, I couldn’t think straight anymore.
Because all I could focus on was how close he was.
And how badly I wanted him to kiss me.
I should have walked away.
Seriously.
Any smart person would have grabbed their bag, laughed the whole thing off, and left before things got messy.
Instead, I stood there frozen while Jeremiah looked at me like I was the only thing in the room worth paying attention to.
And honestly, I’d never been looked at like that before.
Not by a guy.
Not by anyone.
The locker room suddenly felt too quiet.
Too small.
I could hear the faint buzz of fluorescent lights overhead, the distant sound of the employee locking up somewhere near the front entrance, and my own heartbeat pounding embarrassingly hard in my ears.
Jeremiah’s eyes stayed on mine.
Brooks, he said softly.
That alone nearly ruined me.
Because he never said my name like that before.
Usually it came out teasing or sarcastic.
Now it sounded careful.
Almost nervous.
Which made no sense considering he was the one completely destroying my ability to think.
You’re staring again.
I muttered weakly.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Can you blame me?
I exhaled shakily and looked away for half a second.
Big mistake.
Because the second I broke eye contact, Jeremiah stepped even closer.
Close enough that my back brushed the lockers behind me.
My stomach tightened instantly.
You know, he said quietly, you’re a lot less confident when I flirt with you.
Oh my god.
It’s cute.
I laughed once in disbelief.
You’re unbelievable.
And you’re nervous.
I’m not nervous.
Jeremiah raised one eyebrow slowly.
I folded my arms immediately.
Okay, maybe a little.
A little?
Shut up.
That actually made him grin.
A real grin this time.
And for some reason that affected me more than all the flirting had.
Because underneath all the self-assured comments and lingering looks, Jeremiah looked genuinely happy right now.
Like this mattered to him.
That realization settled strangely in my cheSt. You seriously noticed me the first week?
I asked after a moment.
First day.
I blinked.
What?
You walked in wearing that black tank top.
His eyes flicked briefly over me again.
I almost dropped a dumbbell.
I laughed before I could stop myself.
You’re lying.
I wish.
Something warm spread through my chest at that.
Jeremiah leaned against the lockers beside me now, shoulder brushing mine slightly.
Neither of us moved away.
You were impossible to ignore.
He admitted.
You literally acted annoyed every time I talked to you.
Because I didn’t know how to talk to you.
That’s your excuse?
It’s a bad one, I know.
I looked over at him then.
Really looked at him.
Without all the rivalry stuff in the way.
And suddenly a lot of things made sense.
The staring.
The constant hovering nearby.
The tension every time we spoke.
Jeremiah hadn’t been trying to compete with me.
He’d been trying not to make it obvious he liked me.
Which honestly was kind of hilarious considering how obvious it felt now.
You know, I said slowly, you could have just asked for my number like a normal person.
Jeremiah huffed out a quiet laugh.
You looked like you wanted to fight me half the time.
That’s because you were annoying.
You liked it.
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t stop smiling anymore.
And Jeremiah noticed.
His expression softened slightly as he looked at me.
There it is.
What?
That smile.
His voice dropped lower.
You hide it around me most of the time.
The way he said it made my chest feel tight all over again.
God.
This was bad.
Because somewhere between arguing over squat racks and trying not to stare at each other during workouts, I developed a very real crush on Jeremiah.
And now he was standing inches away looking at me like he’d wanted this for a while, too.
The air between us felt heavier by the second.
Neither of us joked now.
Neither of us looked away.
Then Jeremiah reached up slowly and adjusted the strap of my tank top where it had twisted near my shoulder.
The tiny touch sent a ridiculous amount of heat through me.
His fingers lingered for a half a second too long.
You have any idea what you do to me wearing these?
He asked quietly.
I swallowed hard.
You keep mentioning the tank tops.
Because they drive me insane.
My brain completely short-circuited.
Jeremiah noticed immediately.
A soft laugh escaped him before he shook his head slightly.
You’re really cute when you get flustered.
Can you stop saying things like that?
No.
That’s actually evil.
Probably.
He was smiling again, but there was nervousness underneath it now, too.
I could finally see it.
Jeremiah wasn’t nearly as calm as he pretended to be.
His breathing had gotten slower.
He kept flexing his hands slightly at his side like he was trying not to touch me again.
That realization gave me a dangerous amount of confidence.
So, what now?
I asked.
Jeremiah’s eyes met mine immediately.
What do you want to happen?
The question hung there between us.
And suddenly every little thing felt sharper.
The warmth of his body beside mine.
The quiet sound of his breathing.
The fact that we were alone.
I looked at his mouth before I could stop myself.
Jeremiah noticed.
Of course he did.
His voice dropped almost to a whisper.
Brooks.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Yeah?
For a second he just looked at me.
Then his hand slid gently against my waiSt. Not aggressive.
Not rushed.
Careful.
Like he was waiting for me to pull away.
I didn’t.
Honestly, I think I stopped breathing entirely.
Jeremiah stepped closer one last time until there was basically no space left between us.
You can still tell me to stop.
He murmured.
But this time I already knew I wouldn’t.
I should have said something.
Anything.
A joke.
An excuse.
A reason to step away before this crossed the line neither of us could uncross.
Instead, I stayed perfectly still while Jeremiah’s hand rested against my waiSt. Warm.
Steady.
His thumb moved slightly against the fabric of my tank top and the tiny motion sent heat straight through my cheSt. Brooks.
He said again quietly.
I looked up at him.
Big mistake.
Because the second our eyes locked, whatever self-control I had left basically disappeared.
There was nothing teasing in his expression anymore.
No smugness.
No gym rivalry.
No self-assured attitude.
Just nervous tension and something that looked dangerously close to wanting.
You’re killing me right now.
I muttered.
A soft laugh escaped him.
You think you’re doing great things for me either?
My stomach flipped hard at that.
The room felt impossibly warm.
Jeremiah’s gaze moved slowly across my face like he was memorizing me up close for the first time.
I could feel his fingers flex once against my side before settling again.
You have no idea how many times I almost talked to you.
He admitted.
You talk to me constantly.
Not like this.
That hit harder than expected.
Because suddenly I realized this tension between us probably hadn’t only been driving me crazy.
Jeremiah had been carrying it, too.
For weeks.
Maybe months.
I leaned back lightly against the lockers behind me, trying to steady my breathing.
So, what changed tonight?
His jaw tightened slightly before he answered.
You looked at me during shoulder presses like you wanted to climb me.
My face burned instantly.
Oh my god.
I almost lost my mind.
You’re exaggerating.
I’m absolutely not.
I covered my face briefly with one hand while Jeremiah laughed quietly beside me.
You’re impossible.
I groaned.
And yet you’re still standing here.
Unfortunately true.
He stepped even closer somehow.
One hand braced lightly against the locker beside my head now.
I could feel the heat coming off him.
Could smell the clean soap and sweat on his skin.
And the worst part?
I wanted more.
That realization made my pulse jump hard.
Jeremiah noticed every tiny reaction, too.
I could tell by the way his eyes kept flicking over my face.
You know what I kept thinking?
He asked softly.
What?
That you were straight.
I blinked.
You thought I was straight?
You flirt like a straight guy at the gym.
I laughed in disbelief.
What does that even mean?
You glare too much.
That’s because you annoyed me.
But you still kept looking at me.
Fair point.
Jeremiah smiled slightly before his expression softened again.
I couldn’t figure out if you hated me or wanted me.
The honesty in his voice hit me harder than I expected.
Because honestly, I hadn’t known either.
Not at firSt. I swallowed once before answering quietly.
I definitely didn’t hate looking at you.
Jeremiah went very still after that.
His eyes darkened slightly.
Yeah?
I nodded once, suddenly unable to look away from him.
The silence stretched.
Heavy.
Charged.
Then Jeremiah reached up carefully and brushed his fingers along my jaw.
Just once.
Gentle enough that he was clearly giving me every chance to stop this.
Instead, I leaned into the touch before I could think better of it.
His breathing changed immediately.
A sharp inhale.
And suddenly the tension between us felt unbearable.
Brooks, he whispered.
I don’t even know who moved firSt. Maybe both of us.
One second we were staring at each other and the next Jeremiah was kissing me.
Soft at firSt. Careful.
Like he still wasn’t completely sure this was real.
My brain completely shut down the second his lips touched mine.
Because holy hell.
Jeremiah kissed exactly how he looked at me.
Focused.
Intense.
Like he’d been holding back for way too long.
I grabbed lightly at the front of his sweatpants without thinking.
Mostly just needing something to steady myself because my knees suddenly felt weak.
That tiny movement made him exhale sharply against my mouth.
Then the kiss deepened.
Still not rushed.
Just heavier now.
His hands slid more firmly against my waist while mine instinctively moved up his chest, and feeling the muscle beneath my palm nearly ruined me on the spot.
God.
I’d imagined this before.
More than once, honestly.
But reality was so much worse.
Or better.
Definitely better.
Jeremiah pulled back after a few seconds, forehead resting lightly against mine while both of us tried to breathe normally again.
That just happened.
I whispered.
Yeah.
You kissed me.
You kissed me back.
I laughed breathlessly.
Shut up.
He grinned slightly before kissing me again.
Shorter this time, but somehow even more dangerous because now either of us was pretending this was accidental.
My hands slid instinctively up his shoulders.
Jeremiah made this quiet sound against my mouth that immediately went straight through me.
Then suddenly, a loud bang echoed somewhere near the front entrance.
We jumped apart instantly.
The hell was that?
I whispered.
Jeremiah looked equally startled before the muffled voice of the employee carried through the gym.
Locking up now.
We both burst out laughing immediately.
Mostly out of panic.
Oh my god.
I said, running a hand through my hair.
We almost got locked in here.
Jeremiah leaned back against the lockers, shaking his head, still grinning.
You realize this is insane, right?
You started it.
You wore the tank top.
I pointed at him accusingly.
You seriously need help.
And you kissed me anyway.
Unfortunately, also true.
The smile slowly faded from his face then, replaced by something softer again.
More real.
You want to get out of here?
He asked quietly.
My stomach flipped.
Like together?
Jeremiah’s expression turned amused immediately.
That’s usually how leaving with someone works, Brooks.
I shoved lightly at his chest while laughing.
But honestly, the idea of the night ending suddenly sounded impossible.
Because now that Jeremiah had finally kissed me, I definitely wasn’t ready to stop being around him yet.
The parking lot outside the gym was almost empty.
Just a few scattered cars under dim yellow lights and the quiet hum of traffic somewhere down the road.
The cool night air hit my face the second we stepped outside, but it did absolutely nothing to calm me down.
Jeremiah walked beside me in silence for a moment, gym bag slung over one shoulder.
I kept replaying the kiss in my head.
Actually, both kisses.
And every time I thought about the way his hand felt on my waist, my stomach flipped all over again.
You’re smiling.
Jeremiah said suddenly.
I looked over at him.
No, I’m not.
You literally are.
I’m just relieved we didn’t get trapped in the gym overnight.
Sure.
I rolled my eyes, but he was smiling, too.
A different smile than the self-assured ones he usually gave me.
Softer, more relaxed.
It made something warm settle in my cheSt. We stopped beside our cars, which, annoyingly, were parked right next to each other.
Jeremiah noticed me staring at them and laughed quietly.
This whole time we’ve been parking beside each other?
Apparently.
That feels weirdly intimate.
You’re dramatic.
You kissed me in a locker room 20 minutes ago.
Fair point.
I leaned against my car door, suddenly not wanting the conversation to end yet.
Jeremiah stayed where he was, too, watching me carefully.
So, I started awkwardly.
What now?
His eyes flicked over my face.
Well, ideally I kiss you again.
Heat rushed straight to my face.
You really don’t ease into things, huh?
I’ve been waiting months.
That shut me up immediately.
Months.
The thought hit harder than expected.
Because if I was being honest with myself, I’d probably been waiting, too.
I just hadn’t realized what the feeling actually was.
Jeremiah stepped closer slowly.
Hands tucked casually into his sweatpants pockets now.
You hungry?
He asked.
At midnight?
You say that like post-gym food isn’t mandatory.
I laughed softly.
True.
There’s a diner nearby still open.
The smart move would have been saying no.
Go home.
Sleep.
Process the fact that my gym rival had apparently wanted me for months.
Instead, I heard myself say, “Yeah, okay.”
Jeremiah smiled instantly.
And weirdly, that smile gave me more butterflies than the kissing had.
The diner was about 5 minutes away.
I drove separately, which somehow felt more nerve-racking than riding together would have.
Mostly because it gave me too much time to think about Jeremiah, about the way he looked at me, about the fact that this whole rivalry thing suddenly felt very different in hindsight.
By the time I parked outside the diner, my chest was tight all over again.
Jeremiah was already waiting near the entrance.
And unfortunately for me, he’d changed shirts.
A plain black T-shirt stretched across his chest and arms in a way that should have genuinely counted as harassment.
You changed.
I asked immediately.
He looked down at himself innocently.
Sweaty shirt.
You somehow look worse now.
His eyebrow lifted slowly.
Worse?
I groaned.
You know what I mean.
That self-assured grin appeared again.
God, I was in trouble.
Inside, the diner was nearly empty except for an older couple in the corner and a tired waitress refilling coffee.
Jeremiah slid into the booth across from me.
Then after about 3 seconds, he stood back up and moved beside me instead.
I stared at him.
What are you doing?
It’s easier over here.
You’re insane.
You like me.
The confidence in his voice should have annoyed me.
Instead, it just made me blush again.
Jeremiah noticed immediately and looked way too pleased with himself.
The waitress came by for our orders and somehow Jeremiah acted completely normal while I sat there internally losing my mind every time our legs brushed under the table.
It didn’t help that he kept looking at me.
Not casually, either.
Like he still couldn’t fully believe this was happening.
Finally, I nudged his knee lightly under the table.
What?
You’re staring again.
Can you blame me?
You already used that line earlier.
Still applies.
I shook my head while trying not to smile.
Jeremiah leaned one arm across the back of the booth behind me, relaxed now in a way I’d never seen before.
You know, he said, I almost stopped coming to the gym.
That surprised me.
What?
Why?
Because you were making me insane.
I laughed immediately.
Me?
Yes, you.
You acted perfectly fine.
I absolutely did not.
Fair enough.
Jeremiah looked down briefly before speaking again, quieter this time.
There were days I came in planning not to look at you.
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
And?
His eyes met mine again.
And then you’d walk in wearing those tiny tank tops and ruin my entire workout.
I covered my face with one hand while laughing.
You’re unbelievable.
You have no idea.
The food arrived then, saving me from responding.
For a few minutes we ate while talking more normally.
About work.
About school.
About how long we’d both been going to that gym.
And honestly, the more Jeremiah relaxed around me, the more I realized how much of him I’d completely misunderstood.
He wasn’t cold or arrogant.
He was nervous.
Under all the teasing and tension, he’d just been trying not to make it obvious how much he noticed me.
And somehow that made him even more attractive.
Which honestly felt unfair.
At one point I caught him smiling softly while I talked about a horrible client from work.
What?
I asked suspiciously.
Nothing.
You’re doing the thing again.
What thing?
Looking at me like that.
His expression stayed calm, but his fingers tapped one slightly against the table.
You’re cute when you rant.
My brain genuinely short-circuited for a second.
Jeremiah.
Hm?
You cannot just say things like that casually.
Why not?
Because I stop functioning.
A laugh escaped him instantly.
Then his expression softened again.
I like hearing you talk.
That one hit dangerously hard.
Because suddenly this didn’t feel like flirting anymore.
Not entirely.
It felt real.
And honestly, that scared me a little more than the kissing had.
After the diner, either of us seemed eager to leave.
Which probably should have concerned me more than it did.
We stood outside near our cars again, the night cooler now, the parking lot nearly empty except for a couple trucks parked near the road.
Jeremiah leaned against the hood of his car watching me with that same steady look that kept completely wrecking my thoughts.
You’re quiet.
He said.
I’m thinking.
Dangerous.
I laughed softly.
Shut up.
His smile faded slightly then, something more thoughtful replacing it.
You okay?
The question caught me off guard.
Not teasing.
Not flirtatious.
Genuine.
And weirdly, that made my chest tighten more than anything else tonight.
Yeah.
I admitted after a second.
Just feels unexpected.
Jeremiah nodded slowly like he understood exactly what I meant.
Yeah.
Another silence settled between us.
Comfortable this time.
I looked down briefly before asking.
So, you’ve really been watching me this whole time?
His grin returned immediately.
That sounds creepy when you say it like that.
Because it is creepy.
I was admiring respectfully.
I rolled my eyes.
Respectfully?
Mostly respectfully.
The honesty made me laugh again.
Jeremiah stepped closer then, stopping right in front of me.
Can I tell you something embarrassing?
That depends.
I used to rearrange my workouts if you came in.
I blinked.
What?
So, I could stay near you longer.
My stomach flipped hard.
You’re kidding.
Nope.
That’s actually insane behavior.
You want to talk?
He said calmly.
I did not do that.
Brooks.
I avoided eye contact immediately.
Jeremiah laughed under his breath.
Oh my god, you did.
Only sometimes.
How many times?
I’m not answering that.
His smile got even wider somehow.
And honestly, seeing Jeremiah genuinely happy like this did dangerous things to me.
Because for the first time since I’d met him, all the tension between us felt uncomplicated.
No rivalry.
No confusion.
Just two idiots admitting they’d been into each other for months.
Jeremiah reached up then, fingers brushing lightly against my wriSt. Small touch, but it immediately pulled my attention back to him.
His voice lowered slightly.
You know what I kept thinking about?
What?
Kissing you.
He’d climbed straight up my neck again.
Jeremiah.
I’m serious.
You’re making this very difficult for me.
His eyes flicked down briefly toward my mouth.
Good.
The air between us shifted instantly again.
That same charged feeling from the locker room creeping back in.
I swallowed hard while Jeremiah stepped even closer.
You still nervous around me?
He asked quietly.
Yes.
Why?
Because you look at me like that.
Like what?
Like you want to.
I cut myself off immediately.
Jeremiah’s eyebrow lifted slowly.
Want to what?
You know what.
I want to hear you say it.
I groaned softly and looked away.
You’re evil.
A quiet laugh escaped him before his fingers gently tilted my chin back toward him.
Brooks.
My pulse jumped hard.
What?
You know you can kiss me too, right?
That completely destroyed what little composure I had left.
Because somehow, after all the confidence and teasing earlier, Jeremiah saying that sounded almost shy.
Like he wanted me to want him just as much.
Which I absolutely did.
I grabbed lightly at the front of his shirt and kissed him before I could overthink it.
Jeremiah immediately kissed me back harder this time.
Still careful.
Still controlled.
But there was hunger underneath it now that hadn’t been there earlier.
His hands settled against my waist again, pulling me a little closer while my brain basically melted on the spot.
God.
Kissing him was becoming a serious problem.
Because every time it happened, I wanted more.
More attention.
More touches.
More of Jeremiah looking at me like I mattered.
He made this low sound against my mouth that sent heat all the way through me.
And without thinking, I stepped closer between his legs where he leaned against the car.
Jeremiah inhaled sharply.
Brooks.
He murmured against my lips.
The way he said my name should have honestly been illegal.
I laughed breathlessly.
You keep doing that.
Doing what?
Saying my name like that.
Can’t help it.
My chest tightened so hard it almost hurt.
For a second neither of us moved.
We just stayed there close together under the parking lot lights, breathing unevenly and looking at each other like we still couldn’t believe this was real.
Then Jeremiah brushed his thumb lightly along my side again.
You have plans tomorrow?
He asked quietly.
No.
Come work out with me.
I stared at him.
We already work out together.
Not like before.
The meaning behind that made my stomach flip again.
And honestly, the idea of walking into the gym now knowing Jeremiah wanted me this badly felt almost overwhelming.
You realize this is going to make things impossible between us there, right?
I said.
Jeremiah smiled slowly.
Oh, I’m counting on it.
I barely slept that night.
Which honestly wasn’t surprising considering every time I closed my eyes, I replayed Jeremiah kissing me against his car like some kind of obsession.
By morning, I’d already checked my phone three separate times to make sure last night actually happened.
And unfortunately for my dignity, Jeremiah had texted me at 1:14 a.m. Jeremiah, wear the black tank top today.
I stared at that message for a solid minute before throwing my phone across the bed.
Because absolutely not.
Which obviously meant I ended up wearing the black tank top.
I hated myself.
The gym was busier than usual when I walked in Saturday afternoon.
Music echoed through the speakers.
Weights clanged somewhere near the squat racks, and the entire place smelled like pre-workout and sweat.
Normally, I could handle all that fine.
Today, I was painfully aware of everything.
Mostly because Jeremiah was already there.
And the second he noticed me walking in, his entire expression changed.
God.
That look again.
Like he’d been waiting for me.
His eyes moved slowly over me before a grin spread across his face.
You listened.
I rolled my eyes immediately even while my face heated up.
You’re unbelievably annoying.
You wore it anyway.
Unfortunately true.
Jeremiah walked closer, lowering his voice slightly once he reached me.
You trying to distract me on purpose now?
My stomach flipped instantly.
You literally texted me to wear this.
And you obeyed.
I shoved lightly at his chest while laughing.
But the contact lingered for a second too long.
Jeremiah noticed immediately.
His smile softened slightly before he nodded toward the weight room.
Come on.
We’re doing chest today.
We?
You’re stuck with me now.
The confidence in his voice should have terrified me more than it did.
Because honestly, a part of me already liked the sound of it way too much.
Working out with Jeremiah now that everything had changed was absolute torture.
Not because he was difficult, because he was suddenly attentive.
Too attentive.
Every time he spotted me during bench press, his hands hovered close to the bar.
Every time I finished a set, he looked at me like I’d personally ruined his self-control.
And unfortunately, I wasn’t much better.
Watching Jeremiah work out up close while knowing he wanted me was genuinely unfair.
Sweat darkened the collar of his shirt.
His arms flexed every time he re-racked weights.
And every once in a while, he’d catch me staring and smirk without saying a word.
At one point during incline press, I missed counting reps entirely because I got distracted watching his chest through his shirt.
Jeremiah noticed immediately.
You with me, Brooks?
I blinked.
What?
That’s seven.
Oh.
A grin spread slowly across his face.
Distracted?
Shut up.
He laughed softly and stepped closer to help re-rack the weights.
Too close.
His arm brushed mine lightly, and somehow that tiny contact felt more intense than it should have been in a crowded gym.
You’re doing terrible at pretending this doesn’t affect you.
He murmured.
You’re doing terrible at acting normal.
I don’t want to act normal around you.
That hit me directly in the cheSt. Before I could answer, someone walked by and greeted Jeremiah.
Yo, man.
Jeremiah nodded casually back.
And suddenly, I realized something weird.
Nobody had ever seen him like this before.
Not softer.
Not smiling this much.
Not openly focused on someone else.
The realization made warmth spread through me unexpectedly.
After chest, we moved toward cable rows.
Jeremiah stood behind me while I adjusted the weight stack, and I became painfully aware of how close he was.
You’re tense.
He said quietly.
I wonder why.
His laugh brushed warm against the back of my neck.
You know, he murmured.
I used to catch you watching me in mirrors all the time.
I nearly dropped the handle.
I did not.
Brooks.
I was observing.
Your eyes always dropped to my arms.
My face burned instantly.
Jeremiah leaned closer.
And my ass.
Oh my god.
He laughed harder while I covered my face briefly in embarrassment.
You’re such a menace.
You like the view?
Unfortunately, yes.
Jeremiah’s hand settled lightly against my lower back for half a second while he moved around me toward the next machine.
That tiny touch completely wrecked my concentration.
And based on the smirk he gave me afterward, he knew exactly what he was doing.
By the end of the workout, I was exhausted for reasons that had very little to do with lifting.
Jeremiah grabbed his water bottle while watching me wipe sweat from my neck with my towel.
The look on his face immediately made my stomach tighten again.
What?
I asked suspiciously.
Nothing.
That’s a lie.
He stepped closer slowly.
You have any idea how hard it is pretending not to kiss you in here right now?
My brain genuinely stopped functioning for a second.
Jeremiah.
I’m serious.
His eyes dropped briefly to my mouth again.
I keep thinking about last night.
Heat rushed through me instantly because honestly, so had I.
Constantly.
The tension between us thickened again despite people moving around nearby.
Jeremiah leaned slightly closer.
Come over tonight.
The invitation hit me like a punch to the cheSt. Not rushed.
Not teasing.
Real.
And the scary part?
I already knew there was no way I was saying no.
The entire drive to Jeremiah’s apartment, my heart wouldn’t calm down.
Every red light gave me too much time to think.
About his hand on my back at the gym.
About the way he looked at me while I worked out.
About the fact that somehow my gym rival had turned into the guy I couldn’t stop thinking about.
By the time I parked outside his building, I was already nervous again.
Jeremiah opened the apartment door before I even knocked.
And unfortunately for my sanity, he’d showered.
His dark hair was still slightly damp, loose black sweatpants hanging low on his hips, plain gray t-shirt stretched across his cheSt. I immediately looked away.
Jeremiah noticed.
A smug smile appeared instantly.
Rough night already?
You’re doing this on purpose.
Doing what?
Existing like that.
He laughed softly and stepped aside so I could walk in.
His apartment surprised me.
Clean.
Minimal.
Warm lighting instead of harsh overhead lights.
Very Jeremiah, honestly.
You want something to drink?
He asked.
Water’s fine.
While he grabbed glasses from the kitchen, I wandered slowly around the living room pretending not to be hyper aware of the fact that I was in Jeremiah’s apartment.
Alone.
At night.
After spending the last 24 hours trying not to kiss him every 5 minutes.
Relax.
He said from the kitchen.
I am relaxed.
You’ve looked at that bookshelf three times.
I turned immediately.
You noticed that?
I notice everything you do.
That should not have affected me as much as it did.
Jeremiah walked back over and handed me a glass of water before sitting beside me on the couch.
Not too close.
But close enough that my entire body immediately became aware of him again.
For a second neither of us spoke.
Then Jeremiah looked over at me quietly.
You nervous?
A little.
Why?
I laughed softly.
You seriously have to ask?
His expression softened.
I don’t want you uncomfortable around me, Brooks.
That hit me unexpectedly hard.
Because underneath all the teasing and flirting, Jeremiah had been careful with me from the start.
Even in the locker room.
Even in the parking lot.
Every step, he’d waited for me, too.
I looked down at my water briefly before admitting quietly, “I think I’m more nervous because I really like you.”
The room went silent.
When I looked back up, Jeremiah was staring at me like I’d just said something important.
You do?
I laughed nervously.
You sound surprised.
I don’t know.
He rubbed the back of his neck once.
Guess I kept expecting this to disappear.
What?
The tension.
His eyes stayed on mine.
You.
My chest tightened immediately.
It’s not disappearing.
A slow smile spread across his face then.
Not self-assured this time.
Just relieved.
Jeremiah shifted closer on the couch carefully, giving me plenty of time to move away if I wanted.
I didn’t.
His hand found mine firSt. Simple.
Warm.
And honestly, that tiny gesture nearly affected me more than all the flirting had.
You know what’s crazy?
I said quietly.
What?
A week ago I thought you hated me.
Jeremiah laughed softly under his breath.
I was trying so hard not to stare at you.
You failed.
Terribly.
I smiled before leaning into him slightly without really thinking about it.
Jeremiah immediately wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me comfortably against his side.
The position felt weirdly natural.
Dangerously natural.
You smell good.
He murmured absentmindedly.
I laughed against his shoulder.
That was smooth.
I wasn’t trying to be smooth.
Sure.
His fingers traced lightly against my side through my shirt while silence settled between us again.
Comfortable silence.
The kind that made it feel like we’d known each other longer than we actually had.
After a minute Jeremiah tilted his head down slightly.
You still thinking about the locker room?
Heat rushed straight to my face.
Maybe.
His grin appeared immediately.
That kiss messed you up, huh?
You’re very confident for someone who was nervous around me.
Still nervous.
The honesty in his voice made me look up at him.
And suddenly we were close again.
Really close.
Jeremiah’s eyes dropped briefly toward my mouth.
Can I kiss you again?
He asked softly.
The fact that he still asked every time nearly ruined me.
I nodded once.
That was all it took.
His hands slid gently against my jaw while he kissed me slower this time, softer than before.
Less tension.
More feeling.
And somehow that hit even harder.
I melted against him almost immediately, fingers twisting lightly into his shirt while Jeremiah pulled me closer against his cheSt. The kiss deepened gradually, naturally, both of us smiling stupidly into it at one point because this whole situation still felt unreal.
When we finally pulled apart, I stayed tucked against him breathing unevenly.
Jeremiah brushed his thumb lightly along my cheek.
There’s that smile again.
He murmured.
What smile?
The one you only started giving me after you stopped pretending you hated me.
I laughed softly and hit my face briefly against his shoulder.
You know, this is really bad for our gym rivalry.
Jeremiah grinned.
Oh, the rivalry’s gone.
Gone?
Completely.
I looked up suspiciously.
So, what are we now?
His expression softened instantly.
You really want to know?
Yeah.
Jeremiah leaned down, forehead resting lightly against mine.
My favorite distraction.
And honestly, that sounded a whole lot better than rivals ever did.
