She had rehearsed this or had at least tried to. The question was whether or not she could convince a devoted father and presumably faithful husband to engage in an affair. She now knew her own husband was an arrogant ass who possessed her. In the man in front of her she found the man she hoped her husband could be on the inside and was not. In the man in front she had found a way to see the inner beauty. To be fair, Hale possessed handsome features and the large frame of a former athlete covered in over one hundred extra pounds.
"Are you serious?" Hale couldn't believe his ears.
"Serious enough to not want to say it again. At least not here." Jen looked around to make sure no one had heard. Part of her wanted to take it back, but it was out there now and she needed to hear a response.
"Let's take a walk into the foyer." They were in the group fitness area of the gym she trained at and had convinced Hale to join. Jen had met Hale several months ago in the parent area of the martial arts center their children attended and found new reasons to like him every day. She hadn't realized she felt an attraction to him until very recently and her tendency to swoop in and solve the problems of others was taking center stage. To look at the two of them as an item would be interesting indeed as Jen was the image of physical beauty and Hale was in need of some serious work.
"I'm sorry if I offended you." She began to back pedal as they reached the lobby.
"Stop right there. I've got something to say about this, but first I have to understand why you would want to. Yes, I need help, yes you are a personal trainer and are in fantastic shape and if I may add that I do find you to be beautiful - now might be the appropriate time to mention it. But why? Why me? We are both married."
"Because we need each other at this moment. How many times have you told me about how often you fail to go to the gym? I thought a little incentive might help. I see you as a great man and dad, you seem to be a great husband too, but I don't want to hurt your marriage, I want to help it. This would just be reward sex, no emotions for you and no strings for you."
"You are crazy. What can you really see in me?" Hale could be effortlessly self-effacing, but also really approaching the danger zone of low self esteem.
Jen was feeling as though she had made a critical mistake. She signed and began to explain in a defeated voice: "You are one of the few men I've ever met that seems to respect me for more than my face and tits. It seems weird. I married the wrong man, that is my fault and I have no right to project his on you. I need you more than you need me and I just hoped you might find me attractive enough to take a chance. I don't know maybe I hoped this would give you enough incentive to take you to the level you need to get to in your life. Are you satisfied? If not I can help. The reward is for both of us."
Jen was overwhelmingly honest. She had never really expected him to say yes, but was at a desperate point. She now feared she may have lost this chance and everything with it. Her job, her marriage, her friend Hale.
She watched as Hale wrestled with the concept. He was covered in sweat from the workout she had put him through. She had honestly hoped he would not have done this well on the first day, so she could use it as more incentive. He had the inner strength to do this by himself, but he just didn't realize it yet. Finally he slumped his shoulders and looked at her again. "What was the offer again? I just need to hear it again."
Hope returned briefly, maybe she had him. "You work with me for one year. As an incentive to losing weight and staying on track, I'll give you a blow job for every ten pounds you lose. Every time you lose ten, I suck you off. If you lose one hundred pounds, I'll let you choose what we do until we decide not to do it anymore."
He seemed to be wavering. "Look, Hale, I've really only got one incentive here. I don't want a relationship that goes too deep. Call it what you want, friends with benefits, whatever. Even though he is an ass, I'm not leaving my husband and kids. I live a great life and this can spice it up for me and I want you to succeed. Yes or no, you decide, but do it because it is what you want to do. Let me know when you decide."
When Jen turned on her heel and went back into the gym, Hale looked like a lost puppy. A big, lost, helpless puppy. He followed her into the gym, but only watched her from a distance and then escaped from her view and into the men's locker room. Emerging several minutes later and freshly showered he beckoned her over to the shake bar and looked as if he had made a decision. For several moments Jen believed that his answer was going to be no, that his marriage vows had won out and that he would reject her advances.
"Any luck Champ?" she quizzed. Jen was aware of the presence of others and wanted them to think this was just another conversation between a trainer and her client.
