“No.” He wouldn’t mind if she wanted to, and for most fitness instructors they might ask her to.
“Cool. I can handle that I guess.”
Reaching around her, he pressed the tape against her skin, and she jumped. The backs of his fingers touched her as well. He noted how soft her skin was.
“What are you doing? You’re touching me.”
“Not intentional, baby. I’ve got to take your measurements.”
“Don’t call me baby.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t like it.”
“No wonder you don’t have a boyfriend. You don’t like being touched, or being called baby. What exactly do you like?”
“Being left alone and not called baby.”
“It’s my nickname for you. You’re being a big baby, and so that’s what I’ll call you … baby.” She sighed, and he waited. “May I finish now that I’ve started?”
“I’m waiting.”
“Pain in the fucking ass.”
“Shut it, jock.”
“Nerd.”
“Dumb ass.”
“Spoilt brat.”
“Shut up,” she said.
“I won.”
“Ugh! Just do it already.”
“Wow, baby, you really like to get down and dirty, don’t you?” She shot him a glare, but he silenced her with his words. “You’re no fun, and I can say you’re going to struggle through the whole of this.”
“Fine, fine, fine. Do it.”
He took the measurements for her waist and hips, making a note of them. Next he moved up to below her breasts, and she tensed.
“Be careful.”
“I’m not fondling your tits,” he said.
“You’re crude.”
“Hey, you’re the one that went off halfcocked on losing weight. I’m helping you out here.”
“So, I’m helping you as well.”
“You’re being a huge pain in my ass.” He stared into her pretty brown eyes. “I’m being nice here. Stop being a bitch. I’ve heard you’re supposed to actually be nice. We’re both out of our comfort zone here, but you don’t see me being a jerk. The least you can do is give me some damn credit!”
She took a step back, but he stopped her as he still held the tape around her. “You’re right. I’m being a bitch, and I really shouldn’t be. I’m so sorry.”
“Now, can we get back to work?”
“One question first.”
“What is it?” he asked, getting tired of all of her questions. Maybe he should have stayed working out at the gym where Jessica made a scene. Right now, he was starting to think he’d have been left alone for a hell of a lot longer.
“Why are you not making a big deal about this? I’m fat, and I’ve been bullied at school, by your very friends.”
He sighed, and couldn’t resist the urge to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, so he did it. “My friends are assholes at times, I get it. I’ve been an asshole, and I’m sorry if I’ve ever hurt you, okay. All I can say is that you have my word that this will never get out.”
She nodded, and proceeded to let him get the size around her breasts, and underneath them. He did her thighs, and then around her ass. After he was done with the measurements, he asked her to get on the scales, and he made a note of that as well.
“What are you going to call me for your paper or whatever it is they call is?”
“You’re going to be exhibit A.”
“Oh, I’m an A. That’s good. I do well in school even though I’m not showing it right now.”
Noah chuckled and handed her back her shirt. When she pulled it back over her head, he was shocked by the fact he was gutted to see her cover up. “So, we’re onto the diet stage.”
“Diet?”
“Yep, are you hoping to lose weight with a change of diet and exercise or just with exercise?”
“I don’t know. If I change my eating habits my mom is going to know, and this is kind of a surprise for her.”
Noah sighed. “Elsa, losing weight, it has to be about what you want, not what other people want.”
“I get that. I do. I just want, I want my mom to be happy, and if she’s happy, then I am.”
“This isn’t the right way to lose weight.”
“Please, Noah. This is what makes me happy, making her happy.”
He stared at her, seeing how much it really did mean to her. This was going against all of his rules. Personally, if Elsa was happy with the way she was, then he didn’t see a reason to change her. Even now, some would say she needed to lose a couple of pounds, but from what he saw, she was fucking hot. If only she wore the right clothes for her shape, she’d have half of the guys panting for her. She was a size sixteen, which wasn’t all that big. Sure, compared to a size zero it was big, but she was cute, hot even.
Staring at her, Noah imagined her in one of those old vintage fifties styles dresses that Jessica had tried to wear a year ago. Elsa would pull it off, whereas Jessica just looked gaunt.