Keep her company

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll keep you company for your last set.”

Mia raised an eyebrow but didn’t look annoyed. If anything, she seemed faintly curious.

We walked back toward the cable machines together. She adjusted the resistance band around her thighs again while I stood nearby, towel still around my neck.

“I wasn’t lying about the late-night thing,” I said after a moment. “Couldn’t sleep. Had a… really vivid dream. Woke up wired. Figured the gym was better than lying in bed staring at the ceiling.”

Mia glanced at me while she got into position for her next set.

“Must’ve been some dream,” she said, a small smile playing at her lips. She didn’t push for details, but she also didn’t change the subject.

I shrugged. “Yeah. Left me with too much energy and nowhere to put it.”

She started her reps — controlled, focused, breathing steadily through each one. Her belly shifted with the movement, round and heavy under the black tank top. I stayed close but not crowding her, watching her form without being obvious about it.

After a few reps she spoke again, voice slightly strained from the effort.

“So instead of going back to sleep like a normal person, you came here at 3am… and now you’re offering to keep a very pregnant stranger company while she works out.”

I let out a quiet laugh. “When you say it like that it sounds worse than it is.”

She finished the set, exhaled, and straightened up, one hand automatically moving to support the underside of her belly. She looked at me properly now.

“You’re not wrong though,” she said. “Most people would’ve just rolled over and gone back to sleep.”

I decided to test the waters a little more.

“I could spot you if you want,” I offered. “For the next one. Or…” I paused, then went for it. “If you’re done after this, we could grab a protein shake or something. Even though it’s stupidly early. My treat.”

Mia studied me for a second. She didn’t look uncomfortable, but she also didn’t immediately agree. Her hand stayed on her belly, thumb slowly stroking the side of it like it was a habit.

“You’re pretty forward for someone who just admitted they came here because of a sex dream,” she said, voice dry but not unkind.

I didn’t deny it. “Yeah. I am tonight.”

She let out a soft breath that might’ve been a laugh. Her eyes flicked over me again — not checking me out exactly, but assessing.

“I’m married,” she said plainly. Not defensive. Just stating a fact.

“I figured,” I replied, nodding toward her ring.

Mia was quiet for a moment, still lightly rubbing her belly. Then she spoke again, quieter this time.

“My husband’s out of town for work until the end of the week. I’ve been sleeping like shit without him.” She gave me a small, almost self-deprecating smile. “So maybe I’m not in the best headspace to be making decisions at 3am either.”

She looked at me again, more directly this time.

“But I’m not saying no to the shake.”

She adjusted the band on her thighs and got back into position for her final set.

“Spot me on this one,” she said. “And then we can talk about whether either of us is actually stupid enough to get food at this hour.”