Thirty-two-year-old Henry Richards was a man of two worlds. By day, he was a successful and hard-working criminal lawyer with a well-respected reputation. He was a true professional, admired for his strong sense of justice and sharp intellect. He was also always impeccably dressed in tailored suits and expensive ties. His short, dark brown hair matched the color of his alert eyes. When people were looking for someone to trust, he was the right man for the job.

However, by night, he was also a gym rat. After a long, extenuating day in the office, he would make his way to the local gym, a place he had come to know as his second home. He was one of the first to arrive, and the last person to leave. His mission was clear: to stay in shape and healthy.

Henry was a dedicated weight lifter, lifting free weights, barbells, and dumbbells with perfect form and focused intensity. He had a strong muscular build, though not to the point of being overly bulky. His broad shoulders were always covered in a sheen of sweat, as he worked hard to maintain his physique. 

While other people around him usually zoned out while exercising, he did the exact opposite. He remained attentive and observant of every movement and every sound. He particularly enjoyed paying attention to the new faces that dropped by, imagining their stories and what they were going through at that particular junction of their lives. It was a fun routine to keep his mind engaged, and one he could no longer live without. This was even more intriguing when the person he was looking at was a beautiful woman with all the curves in the right places. Truth be told, he wasn't looking for romance or any sort of meaningful connection, but it was fun to watch.

Everything changed when Anna came into his life.

It happened on a Friday evening around 8:30 pm. His mental fortitude had been pushed to the max, dealing with a complex assault case and he desperately needed to unwind. As he stepped through the doors, he felt a surge of electricity in the air and a sense of anticipation in his chest. He didn’t know what to make of it, but he had a feeling that something exciting was about to happen.

He crossed the main room at a quick pace and moved to the cardio section, setting himself up on the treadmill. As he adjusted the speed, his eyes began to wander, taking in the other patrons in the gym. That’s when he spotted her.

She was wearing a pair of tight yoga pants and a tank top that showed off her toned arms and defined abs. Her glossy red hair cascaded down her back in gentle curls, and her deep blue eyes sparkled with life. Henry was immediately drawn to her. She was slightly younger than him, no more than two or three years, and exuded an almost-like mystical radiance. It was as if was staring at a woodland nymph that had wandered off her precious forest to pay a visit to the world of men. Her seeming connection to the Earth and the beauty of life itself could also be seen on a pair of butterfly tattoos on her left wrist. One was bright yellow and the other a lovely shade of pink, their open wings giving off the impression of real movement under the gymnasium's bright lights.

If she seemed to sense his gaze at the time, she offered no real indication of it, instead focusing on her own workout. Henry tried to do the same but found himself constantly stealing glances at her as she moved from one device to another with the grace of a ballerina.

He was entranced by her curves, especially her ass. It was a perfectly sculpted masterpiece, an ode to the unending beauty of womanhood. Her hips curved outward with unmistakable grace, and the butt cheeks were round and full like inviting pillows one would want to rest their head on.

Henry felt his heart race as he watched her every move, admiring her from a safe distance. He had no plans of saying a word to her, merely taking in all she had to offer but the best things in life happen when you least expect them, and that was about to be proven true once more.

He had just left the treadmill behind when she approached him from the right, swaying her sexy body.

"Do you like what you see?" She asked.

"Huh?" Henry muttered, his cheeks flushing unexpectedly as her words sunk in.

"I saw you checking me out." She offered him a coy smile. 

"Uh… sorry… I didn't mean to be rude or anything..." he said, his usual confidence suddenly betraying him even if he didn't understand why.

"Don't be sorry," she brushed her right hand against his sweaty shoulder. "I don't mind and I'm actually flattered. I'm sure you can tell that I work hard for this body." She gestured towards her athletic build and Henry couldn't help but notice the way every part of it was the pure epitome of perception.

"I can see that. You look amazing."

"Thank you. I do like to take care of myself, and it's obvious you do too." She leaned in closer to him, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Yeah, I guess so..." he stammered once again, cursing himself on the inside for looking like a complete idiot in front of this amazing embodied goddess.

Don't be modest. You're really toned. I'm impressed."

"Thanks."

"My name is Anna, by the way," she reached for a handshake and when their fingers touched, the hairs on his arms and shoulders suddenly rose to attention.

"Nice to meet you, Anna. I'm Henry." He shook her hand, delighted at the strength of her grip. There was no doubt in his mind that she was the kind of person that always knew what she wanted and stopped at nothing to achieve her goals. When she removed her hand, his legs trembled ever so slightly, something he hoped she hadn't noticed.

"So what brings you to the gym today? Are you working on something in particular?" She asked.

"Huh, not really. Just keeping everything where it belongs for now. What about you?"

"I'm training for a marathon so I'm trying to get stronger."

"Really? That's amazing! That must take a lot of dedication. I'm always trying to push myself whenever I can, but I don't think I could ever do something like that."

"It's certainly not easy, and I'm still not sure if I'll be able to do it or not, but I've always been good at staying motivated for long periods of time, so..."

"Well, I wish you good luck with that."

"I appreciate it. And feel free to gawk at me anytime you wish..." she winked at him, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

"I'm sure you will. Well, I should probably get back to my workout. It was nice chatting with you. I hope to see you around, Henry." She gave him one last smile before she turned and walked away.

Henry watched her go, admiring her body one last time. If she was to become a regular, then the visits to the gym had become a lot more interesting.

* * *

He saw her again, not just the next day, but throughout the following week. She always made sure to stay in a place directly in front of his eager eyes and he was more than happy to accept her flirting kindness. It was hard to stay focused with such a wonderful spectacle of curves demanding his attention, but he persevered. After the workout, they would exchange a few more rounds of friendly banter before starting the dance of seduction anew twenty-four hours later. Despite not being a stranger when dealing with confident women, this was something Henry hadn't experienced in a long time and he was afraid he was losing his game. That, of course, was far from the truth. He still had it, but she was better.

It was only two weeks after their first conversation that he realized just how skilled she really was and it was all thanks to a slight misunderstanding. He sat next to her on a metal bench tucked away in a corner of the gym and said,

"Good evening, Anna. How was your training today?"

"It was great!" She replied. "I feel so energized. How about you?"

"Same. Are you almost ready for that marathon?"

"Not yet but getting there. Ask me again in a month."

"Will do."

"Henry..." she pushed a strand of red hair away from her gorgeous eyes.

"Yes?"

"We've been getting to know one another for a while now and I've only just realized I never asked you what you do for a living, so..."

"Do you really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't. I'm going to guess Gym teacher, but it's almost certainly not it, right?"

"Yeah, that's a miss, sorry," Henry chuckled. "I'm actually a lawyer, junior partner at Redmond, Hall, & Sons downtown."

"Can't say I'm familiar with that name but I'm surprised. You don't look like a lawyer at all."

"Do all lawyers need to look a specific way, Anna?" He put her on the spot.

"No, of course not. That's not what I meant... I... I'm having a hard time picturing you in a court of law, that's all."

"And why is that?"

"I don't know..." She shrugged. "Maybe it's the fact that I've yet to see you wearing a fancy outfit. Do you like being a lawyer?"

"Yes, I do. It's a family tradition. Every man in the Richards family has had dealings with the law for over five generations. Luckily, we've always been on the right side of it."

"Good to hear. If I ever need the services of one, I already know who to turn to."

"What about you, Anna?"

"I'm an influencer."

"An influencer?" he repeated as if he was having a hard time processing the concept.

"Yes."

"Ah... Okay. That's cool, I guess."

"And what's that supposed to mean, Mr. Fancy Lawyer?"

Henry fidgeted his fingers and looked at her. "I mean, does that even qualify as a job?"

"It certainly does," she frowned back at him. "and it's not as easy as other people think. I take great pride in my work... and I also make a lot of money, too."

"By getting others to buy things they don't really need?"

"If that's what you think I do, you're mistaken, and I've never promoted anything I don't endorse fully. You shouldn't be so argumentative about something you clearly don't understand, dear."

"Kind of hard not to, sorry. You say it's hard work but it really doesn't feel that way to me."

"Like I said, you're not seeing the big picture but even if I did normal advertisements, what would be the problem? Money makes the world spin, does it not? I've got bills to pay, too."

"I know, but..."

"But what? Are all your clients innocent, Henry? Can you look me in the eye and tell me you never defended someone you were almost certain was guilty for a fee?"

"Hmmm... I see your point."

"Good. Perspective matters, you know? I don't do this just for me. I use my platform to support other people and businesses I care about."

"Okay. So how did that start? What drove you to become an influencer?"

"Well," she relaxed her shoulders and her legs and smiled. "I actually started out as a fashion blogger, sharing my favorite looks, and sharing shopping tips with my followers. Success took a while but when it finally came, I started getting opportunities to collaborate with different brands and I thought that sounded really exciting, so I decided to give it a try. It's really rewarding to be able to connect with so many people, Henry, so please don't go about saying ill things about what I do ever again"

"Okay, okay..." he finally admitted his poor choice of words. "You're obviously very passionate about your enterprise and I should have known better. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

"Hmm, I'm willing to do that, but on one condition."

"Which is...?"

"You take me out to dinner next weekend. I choose the place, you pay for it, and then I'll show you a thing or two about how I run my business and what means to those around me. I promise you'll learn some things you won't expect. Are you down?"

"Why do I have to pay?" He smirked.

"That's what a gentleman does, and you are one, aren't you? Prove it by dressing nice for me and making me feel wanted." She licked her lips.

"Why only next weekend? If it's dinner you want, I'll take you out tomorrow, no problem."

"Sorry, Henry, but I'm leaving tomorrow for a short trip to Portugal to see the family I have there. I'm all yours when I get back. It's what you want, isn't it?"

"When you put it that way... It's a date then."

"Good." She stood up and stretched her arms. "I'll talk to you when I get back and then you'll see a whole new side of me." She shook her perky ass and started walking away.

"I already like this one a lot..." he grinned, cocking his head to the side to enjoy the view.

"And you'll love the other even more..." she said, without looking back.

The real game had begun and she had already made her winning move.