Restless

Chapter 12

Sahara and Charlie were at the gym one Saturday, running alongside each other on the treadmills.

"How was your date with Shannon last night?" Charlie asked, panting slightly.

"It was great, as usual," Sahara responded, wiping her sweaty face with a towel before tucking it back into the waistband of her blue track pants. "He arranged a private dinner at the beach, and afterwards we walked up and down the shore, talking about any and everything. It was the most beautiful date I've been on. I loved it."

"I told you...Shannon was something," Charlie replied, trying to keep her breath. She glanced over at Sahara, who was running effortlessly at a speed of six miles per hour. Charlie was jogging at almost five and was starting to feel it.

"He is," Sahara confirmed.

"What about...Jacob? When are you...seeing him...again?"

"Tonight. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Where's...he taking you? Do...do you know?"

"Nope, he hasn't told me. He just told me to dress comfortably."

"Dress...comfortably, huh? Well, he...certainly has...my interest piqued."

"Mine, too. About a lot of things."

Charlie glanced over at Sahara. "What...does that mean?"

Sahara started to blush, peeking at Charlie. "It's a little embarrassing..."

"Hold up, girl...let's slow down so I can...give you my full attention," Charlie panted, decreasing the speed on the treadmill to a brisk walk. She was grateful for the excuse to slow down because her thighs were burning something terrible.

Sahara slowed down to a slow trot. She wasn't as winded as Charlie; plus, she had a lot of repressed sexual energy to burn off. "To be honest with you, Charlie, I've been having a lot of very...lustful thoughts about both Jacob and Shannon..."

"There's nothing wrong with that, girl."

"...and Tony."

Charlie smirked, noticing Sahara's embarrassment at admitting that she lusted after three different men. She had no doubt that this was unchartered territory for her friend. "Remind me who Tony is again?"

"He's the client of mine who works from home and has those amazing dreads."

"Oh, yeah."

"He's asked me out a couple of times and I always turn him down, but I can't help but be so attracted to him. He's just so exotic and earthy and rough-around-the-edges. I can't seem to get him out of my mind."

"So what's the problem?"

"It just seems wrong to me to be thinking these kinds of thoughts about three different men at once."

"Wrong to whom?"

"Well...to me, I guess."

"I mean, really, what's wrong with it? Its not like you're actually acting out whatever it is you're thinking about." She quickly glanced over at Sahara. "Are you?"

"Of course not!" Sahara quickly replied. "I haven't gone there with any of them. I haven't done that with anybody since Kyle. But I really, really can't say that I don't want to."

"It's only natural, Sahara. You have three sexy men after you."

"Well yeah, but-"

"Quit worrying so much about what you think you should be thinking and just enjoy thinking it. And if it goes there, it goes there. You're a grown woman who has a new lease on life. Just enjoy it."