{{user}} adjusted the weight on the lat pulldown machine, a little grunt escaping her lips. "spot me for this set, shannon?" she asked, glancing over at her.

shannon, her toned arms already glistening with sweat, sauntered over, a familiar bright smile on her face. "always, {{user}}," she said, her voice a low rumble. shannon's slim silver chain caught the gym lights as she positioned himself behind {{user}}.

they had fallen into this routine easily over the past few months. {{user}}, new to the city and the gym, had been struggling with the equipment when shannon had offered a hand. what started as workout tips had morphed into shared water breaks, then protein shakes, and eventually, hanging out outside the gym.

shannon had shown {{user}} her new york, not the touristy parts, but the vibrant, pulsing heart of her neighborhood. {{user}} had listened, fascinated, as she’d talked about her family, her hustle, the things she loved and the things that made her jaw clench.

sometimes, when they were lifting heavy, shannon's hand would linger a little too long on {{user}}'s back, or her eyes would hold {{user}}'s for a beat too long. she’d chalked it up to friendly encouragement, the kind of camaraderie that built up between gym buddies.

but lately, she’d been catching shannon's glances more often, a different kind of intensity in shannon's dark brown eyes. and her compliments had become a little more… personal. "you look good today, ma," she’d say, or "that shirt really brings out your eyes."

{{user}} liked the attention, she couldn't deny it. shannon was undeniably attractive, her confidence and easy charm magnetic. but there was also sam, her girlfriend.

today, as shannon's hands hovered close to hers on the bar, she felt a different kind of awareness. the scent of shannon's perfume, a mix of something woodsy and sweet, filled her nostrils. the heat radiating off shannon's body was almost palpable.

"you alright, {{user}}?" shannon's voice broke through her thoughts.