Page 13 of Not That Ridiculous

He smiled and said to Jasper, “Let’s show him how it’s done, hey?”

Jasper looked a little wary. He was probably expecting me to throw my dumbbell at Kevin for insulting my butt, and storm off.

Had it been anyone other than Kevin, I would have.

Instead, I politely passed Kevin one of my dumbbells, and ground my teeth when he giggled.

“Hee hee.”

“What now?” I snapped.

Kevin grinned at Jasper, who shot him a conspiratorial wink and said, “We’re starting him off easy.”

It wasn’t that light, for crying out loud.

I watched Kevin happily pump out a few curls.

On the other hand, maybe it was that light.

He may as well have been doing it with an imaginary dumbbell, going on the ease with which he was flexing his arm.

Jasper must have agreed, because he switched out the dumbbell I’d been using with one that was clearly heavier. Kevin adjusted his casual stance, holding the weight steady.

“Charlie, come around here and get a good look.”

I drifted reluctantly closer. Jasper nudged me closer still, until my eyeballs were less than a foot from Kevin’s big, sculpted arm.

He stood patiently while Jasper pointed out the muscles and the tendons, and how I should be able to see the tension in them as Kevin held the weight. “Do another set for us, would you?” he said to Kevin. “Nice and slow.”

“Yup.”

The bicep by my face tightened and bunched as Kevin curled the weight up. It flattened and smoothed out as he lowered it. Tightened and bunched. Flattened and smoothed. His breathing was slow and steady. His muscles worked easily, flexing under warm, tan skin dusted lightly with hair.

I glanced from his arm up to his face. He was watching me, and he gave me an encouraging smile.

“See what I’ve been talking about?” Jasper said.

“Yes,” I said uncertainly.

“Try it with your weight,” Jasper said.

“Hee hee,” Kevin said.

I glared at him, and snapped out a curl.

“Charlie, no,” Jasper said. “Don’t swing it, and don’t move your body.”

I lowered the dumbbell, exasperated, then shoved it at Jasper, who caught it with a sigh. “Clearly this is above my skill level.”

“Here.” Kevin took my hand with his free one and yanked me into his body. “Have a feel.”

I opened my mouth and my throat creaked.

He nodded encouragingly and set my hand on his bicep. Then he reached for my other hand and put it on his side. His hard, incredibly solid side. “This’ll help. Maybe you’re a kinaesthetic learner, like me. Means I gotta feel it in my body to learn it.”

“Good idea, Kevin,” Jasper said cheerfully.

“I’m not a kinaesthetic learner,” I said. “I’m really just crap at sports.” I wasn’t physical at all, which should have been wildly obvious to these two prime specimens of sweating, muscly manhood as I stood between them like a pallid, limp noodle.

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