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The bike shifted and began to roll forward and as much as I tried to maintain the distance between us, the et a better grip on hiainst hi And I found for the first time in my life, I didn’t care I didn’t even question whathis back and my cheek on the back of his shoulder I just allowedI hadn’t felt in years

Freedom

I eating long before Mav even began breaking down the ele to teach me

Mav had been surprisingly quiet once we’d reached the hotel He’d escortedon the elliptical ed He’d been back within tenathletic shorts and a white T-shirt and when he’d climbed onto the treadmill next to my machine, it had taken every ounce of concentration toon the machine within a fewpeeks at his muscled body as it powered forward

Fifteen minutes passed before he stopped his machine and mine and while he’d barely broken a sweat, I was seriously worried I was going to pass out Mav tossed ym where there was a clear area I tried not to let my eyes fall to his ass, but I couldn’t help myself and when I finally looked up, I realized there was a wall of mirrors in front of us and Mav could have easily seenhi In fact, he was all business as he began breaking down the different steps and while that should have comforted me, it didn’t

I was doing pretty ith following Mav’s instructions, but when it ca to end, all rab me around the throat so I could break free of hi hand closed around hout my chest and every breath I took fell short

“Eli,” Mav said gently “Look at me”

I barely heard hi in my ears, but when he repeated the order, his voice heavier, I opened my eyes which I hadn’t even realized I’d closed at sohis face i to consume me

“Break it down,” Mav said firmly

I ed a nod and concentrated on all the steps I’d just spent the better part of an hour learning It seemed like every one was in slow motion, but when I finally reached the last step to knock Mav’s hand loose, he released his hold on me

“Good,” was all he said and then his hand caain”

I didn’t give h the ain, this time just a little bit faster I knew in a real situation that I wasn’t putting enough force behind the steps to actually reach the end result of escaping the grip on my throat, but the more I repeated them, the more empowered I felt By the twentieth or thirtieth tian to get excited by the prospect of Mav’s hand closing aroundif I was throwing too much force behind my blows When Mav finally stepped back to indicate ere done,and my skin was flushed with heat and sweat

But that wasn’t the only thing

I was crying

I was fucking crying and I had no idea why

And it felt a

“I…I…” I started to say to Mav in way of explanation, but shook ood I felt He probably thought I’d completely lost my mind

But instead of looking atwhat kind of head case he’d hooked up with, Mav stepped forward and brought his hand up to gently cup the bruised side of h the track of tears that were strea the moisture of my tears down to ut and exploded into so I could find out what his lips would feel like against mine