Chapter 1: Introduction
The steam rolled off the tiled walls like a living thing, clinging to the air with damp, intimate fingers. The showers at the local gym were usually a place of relative peace and quiet, a sanctuary for the weary muscles and aching joints of the gym's regulars. Not today, though. Today, the showers were alive with an electric current that seemed to pulse in time with the spray of hot water against skin.
Manuel stood under one of the shower heads, letting the water pound against his shoulders, soothing away the knots that had formed during his workout.
He had been coming to this gym for years, but it wasn't until recently that he started noticing the subtle shifts in his desires. Tonight, those desires were more pronounced than ever, drawn to the tall, muscular figure stepping into the shower next to him.
Sefo.
Manuel had seen him around the gym before, his commanding presence impossible to miss. But tonight, as Sefo's dark eyes met his, Manuel felt a jolt of something raw and primal. He looked away quickly, turning his face into the spray, but it was too late.
Sefo had already seen the way Manuel's eyes lingered, the spark of curiosity and something more. Manuel could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, a flush that had nothing to do with the hot water.
"You're new," Sefo said, his voice a low rumble that cut through the noise of the showers. "Haven't seen you around here before."
Manuel shrugged, not looking at him. "I've been here a while. You just haven't noticed."
There was a pause, and then Sefo chuckled, a sound that was surprisingly soft, given his size. "I notice things, little man.