I Became Obsessed with Another Woman at the Gym

Carla went to the gym every day, religiously, for her spinning class. She had a body that drew attention without even trying: petite, very fair-skinned, with blond hair and such huge blue eyes she looked like a doll. A narrow waist, defined hips, the poise of someone used to being looked at rather than doing the looking.

And yet, she was the one who couldn’t stop looking.

The object of her attention was called Daniela. She went to the same gym at the same time, but not for spinning: she stayed by the machines, back straight, with the concentration of someone who had been training for years. Olive-toned skin, black hair pulled into a high ponytail, a dark, almond-eyed gaze that seemed to challenge anyone who crossed her path. She had wide hips and a body honed hour after hour, session after session.

Carla had had a boyfriend for years. She had never been with a woman, had never even thought about it. She was heterosexual and took it for granted, the way one takes the sky’s color for granted. So at first she didn’t even question why she kept following Daniela with her eyes all over the room, why she stayed longer than necessary stretching near the machines, why she liked seeing her when she finished, with her T-shirt clinging to her body and those patches of sweat spreading across her back.

She was looking at her innocently, she told herself. Just admiring her.

Until one afternoon, freshly home from the gym, she stepped into the shower and found herself touching herself. And the first thing that appeared in her head, uninvited, was the image of Daniela, sweaty, breathing hard, after a set of weights. She froze for a second, startled by herself. Why am I thinking about her?

She didn’t stop. She let the thought run its course and ended up with her forehead against the tiles, trembling.

After that, she couldn’t pretend anymore. She caught herself letting her gaze travel over Daniela from head to toe and feeling her pulse quicken. First with shame and then with a strange calm, she understood that she liked that woman. That she had spent weeks wanting her without daring to call it by name.

At first she resisted the idea. But after masturbating while thinking about her more times than she wanted to admit, she stopped fighting it. She began to look forward to seeing her. She especially liked it when Daniela did the exercises that forced her to spread her legs, or when she leaned over the bar and every muscle in her body went taut.

***

One afternoon, while Carla was watching her a little too intently, Daniela suddenly looked up and their eyes collided. Carla felt the color rush to her face. But Daniela, instead of seeming uncomfortable, smiled at her.

And that smile was all the courage Carla needed.

She walked over with some excuse, one of those gym conversations that mean nothing and sometimes mean everything. She told Daniela she admired her discipline, that the work behind that body was obvious. Daniela returned the compliment and, almost casually, confessed that she had noticed Carla too, that she saw her arrive on time for class every day. Something lit up in Carla’s chest. She noticed me too.

From then on, they became friends. They talked after training, went out to get something to eat together, texted each other silly things at night. And Carla’s obsession, far from easing with proximity, grew. She was tired of settling for her imagination. She wanted her for real, and she wanted her just like that, fresh out of the gym, with salty skin and a body spent.

What she didn’t know was that Daniela carried the exact same secret. She had wanted her from day one, but she was more reserved and terrified of rejection. She too settled for thinking about her alone, sure that nothing would ever come of it.

***

One afternoon, Daniela invited her to her apartment after they left the gym. Carla accepted at once, and the same thought passed through both their heads, though neither dared say it out loud.

Carla arrived determined. This time she wasn’t going to wait for the moment to slip through her fingers. Daniela, for her part, had devised a more subtle plan: provoke her, let desire do the work.

They sat on Daniela’s bed, still in their workout clothes, Daniela still shining with sweat, just the way Carla drove herself crazy for. They chatted about anything, but Carla could barely listen; she was too busy calculating her next move. Confess outright what she wanted? Kiss her without more? She had no idea how you did this with a woman.

Daniela’s plan was more effective. She stood up and told her to wait a few minutes, that she was going to take a quick shower. But instead of closing the bathroom door, she undressed right in the doorway, slowly, with her back to Carla, and left the door wide open.

It was an invitation. Carla understood perfectly.

She didn’t even have time to turn on the water. She stripped off her clothes with clumsy hands and slipped in silently, moving until she was standing behind her. She put her hands on Daniela’s shoulders and Daniela let out a sigh; even though it was exactly what she had expected, the touch still surprised her. She turned slowly. They looked at each other for a moment, inches apart, and then they kissed, all the hunger they had built up for weeks bursting out at once.

—You have no idea how badly I wanted to have you like this —Carla confessed against her mouth.

—And you have no idea how badly I wanted it too —Daniela replied.

—Don’t get in the shower yet —Carla asked—. I’ve spent too long wanting to run my tongue down your back.

***

She took her by the hand and led her back to the bed. She laid her face down and started at her neck, letting her tongue move downward slowly. The salty taste of Daniela’s wet skin was exactly what she had imagined so many nights. She traced every vertebra unhurriedly, savoring, until she reached the curve of her waist and lower still. She had never done that with anyone, had never even wanted to, but with her it was a need she couldn’t explain.

When she had satisfied that part of her fantasy, she turned her over and kissed her. Daniela tasted her own sweat on that mouth and shivered. No one had ever desired her like this, to the point of wanting to taste every inch of her body. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly desired.

Then it was her turn. Daniela gently pushed Carla onto her back and began to return every gesture. The neck, the shoulders, the small, firm breasts that responded at once beneath her tongue. Carla moaned softly, surprised by the intensity. Daniela’s hand slid down between her legs and found her already drenched.

—Easy —Daniela murmured—. We’re in no hurry.

And she took her time. She stroked her slowly, stopping just before pleasure became too much, backing off, starting again. She worked her way down over her belly with her tongue, brushed the insides of her thighs without touching where Carla most needed it, gave her little bites that made her arch her back. Carla pushed her hips upward, searching for her, pleading without words.

When Daniela finally put her mouth where it belonged, Carla thought she was going to faint. She clung to the sheets, curled her toes, bit the pillow to keep from crying out. Daniela kept her on the edge for a long while, delighting in her reactions, until she slipped fingers into her at the same time as she sucked her. Carla couldn’t hold on any longer.

—You’re going to kill me —she panted, writhing from head to toe.

—So you can see what you do to me —Daniela replied, smiling.

***

Carla was left breathless for a few seconds, her heart racing. But she wasn’t about to leave in debt.

—Now you’re going to see what I can do —she said, catching her breath.

—I’m dying to —Daniela answered—. You have no idea how many times I imagined your tongue all over me.

—I can imagine —Carla admitted—, because I did the same, thinking about you on more nights than I’m going to confess.

Carla had been paying attention. She repeated everything that had been done to her, like a diligent student: the neck, the breasts, the bites on the thighs. But she added something of her own. When she reached Daniela’s feet, she kissed them one by one, running her tongue over each toe. Daniela shuddered; not even in her wildest fantasies had that occurred to her, and it took her completely by surprise. She melted.

—I wasn’t expecting the feet —she said between gasps—. I loved it.

Carla moved slowly up her legs, lingering over her thighs, until she finally reached where Daniela was waiting for her. She tasted her with curiosity at first, then with hunger, until she felt her friend’s body start to tremble. But, just as she had learned, she stopped in time, stole a kiss, and left her right on the edge.

—Did you really think I was going to let you finish that quickly? —she whispered.

Daniela laughed, defeated and delighted at the same time. Her friend had learned the lesson too well. Carla made her wait, alternating fingers and mouth, bringing her to the brink and pulling her back, until Daniela couldn’t take it anymore and came with small, muffled cries, writhing against her.

—What an orgasm you gave me —she murmured when she got her voice back.

—I told you you’d see —Carla replied, proud.

***

It didn’t end there. Daniela gently pushed her onto the mattress and positioned herself on top of her, each one with her mouth at the other’s center, giving pleasure at the same time. Their moans mingled, their bodies moved in unison, searching for a common rhythm. Daniela was the first to give in, but she didn’t pull away: she kept going until she dragged Carla down with her.

Afterward they lay still for a moment, tangled and breathless, until Daniela slid one leg between Carla’s and pressed their bodies together, moving slowly. She kissed her without stopping her sway, and Carla followed almost by instinct, her hands digging into Daniela’s hips, pulling her closer. The friction took them to the edge again and again they fell together, one against the other.

—Do you like being touched from behind? —Carla asked, still flushed.

—Yes —Daniela answered, biting her lip—. Do you want to?

—I want to do everything to you —she replied.

She set Daniela on the edge of the bed and knelt in front of her. While she stroked her with one hand, she worked her from behind with her tongue, slowly, in circles, feeling Daniela’s body tense and relax at the same time. With the wetness she herself was creating, she slipped in gently, first one finger, then another, never stopping the rest. Daniela pushed against her hand, no longer holding back, until she came once more, this time with an intensity that left her limp on the mattress.

When it was Carla’s turn, Daniela returned every caress with the same patience. She knew her by then, knew where to touch, when to stop, how to make her wait. Carla, who had never imagined surrendering herself like this to another woman, discovered she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

***

—Would you let me do one more thing? —Daniela asked after a while, with a half smile.

—I already let you do everything —Carla laughed.

—I’m not talking about fingers.

Daniela took a double-ended harness out of the drawer, one of those that gives pleasure to both women at the same time. Carla thought the idea was perfect. She settled onto her back at the edge of the bed and opened her legs. Daniela positioned herself in front of her, adjusted hers, and started moving her hips, slowly at first, building rhythm as the two of them got used to it. Soon they were both moaning at once; it was obvious Daniela was feeling it too, because each thrust was firmer than the last.

—Turn around —she asked.

Carla obeyed and got on all fours. Daniela took her by the hips and drove into her hard. Carla had always liked it that way, without delicacy, and she gave herself over completely to the sensation of being taken by another woman, something she had never imagined possible. It only took a few thrusts for her to come again, her face buried in the sheets.

Daniela didn’t stop until she caught up with her, and she finished inside her with a long moan.

—I loved it like that —Carla confessed when she got her breath back—. I never thought another woman could make me feel this.

—You have no idea what you did to me —Daniela replied, stroking her still-wet back—. You looked way too good in that position.

Exhausted, they lay down naked, one beside the other, their legs tangled. Before falling asleep they shared one last kiss, slow, unhurried, the first of many. From that day on, the gym was never just the gym again.