Dating App

[taoschild]

I've been working on editing two novels for weeks. Ughhh, I hate it. One of the novels will be my own while the other is co-written with a friend. I just couldn't edit today so I wrote this short story. Not sure if I'm done with it or will continue, but I've been away for awhile so I thought I'd drop some content here. Hope all of you are well.
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Dylan had never liked dating apps. Not necessarily because he was old-fashioned. In fact, he'd worked in tech for over a decade and could write algorithms better than most of the startups behind them. It was because there was something artificial about swiping for love. It felt like picking fruit from a vending machine. Okay, maybe he was a little old-fashioned. Still, after months of quiet evenings, takeout cartons, and the subtle loneliness, he gave it another shot.

Dylan reactivated his account and took a new headshot to add to the others on file and started looking.

He was halfway through a scroll of duck-lipped selfies and poorly lit gym mirror pics when her profile stopped him cold. "Claire, 26. Into fitness. Terrible at parallel parking. Excellent at quoting The Office." There were three headshots—one candid, one professional, and one where she was laughing so hard her eyes squinted nearly shut. She had a cascade of red hair, and soft freckles like stars across her cheeks. Dylan always had a soft spot for gingers and Claire had a warmth that came through even on a screen.

Dylan hesitated, and his thumb hovered. "God, what am I doing," he muttered befire tapping the button: Message.

What started as the usual small talk—"Hey, I'm Dylan. You really bad at parking or just modest?"—turned into a volley of GIFs, sarcastic hypotheticals, and questions like "What's your desert island cereal?" and "Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?"

I could probably take both of them, she joked back. And you too, with one arm tied behind my back.

That strong, eh? Dylan joked back.

Well, I said I was into fitness right?

In short, they clicked. It wasn't in the fashion that vague way people say when they're trying to sound optimistic about chemistry. This felt like banter with a friend he hadn't met yet. A few days later, after a midnight meme exchange and a very serious debate over the merits of pineapple on pizza, (Dylan of course knew it didn't belong) she sent:

Okay. So. Want to test whether we're this charming in person?

Who says I think you're charming? He joked back. I'm just keeping you around as a punching bag to build my self-esteem.

Ouch,, she responded. I'll remember that when I'm using you for the same purpose in person. Seriously though. Are we going to take the plunge or not?

He stared at the message longer than he needed to. Then typed back: Only if I can parallel park us into a nice coffee shop.

* * *

The agreed-upon meeting spot was a local coffee shop with a charming name, Bean There, Roasted That. It had a mismatched collection of patio furniture that somehow made it feel both hip and lived-in.
Dylan arrived early, heart thrumming like a drumline in his chest. He didn't know what he expected exactly. Maybe being early would give him a chance to assess her beforehand and make decisions. He hated that he was shallow, but enough profiles in the past hadn't at all looked like the people in person.

He failed in his mission. She was already there. Outside. Alone.

Claire sat at a small round table with one massive leg crossed over the other, sipping from a black to-go cup like she owned the place. Her oversized mirrored sunglasses caught the morning sun, and her red hair was twisted up in a lazy bun that left a few strands curling around her cheekbones. She held her phone in one hand, thumb scrolling, and casually raked the other hand through her hair. The motion made her bicep flex—and to call it monstrous felt like underselling it. Even from a distance, Dylan could see the muscle standing out thick and round beneath her shirt. Fat veins swam across like a fisherman's net. Her muscles were stretching the sleeve so tight it looked more like a cap sleeve. Her forearms alone looked like they could curl a small child.

Her legs were crossed, but even seated, they were striking, solid, and shapely and... massive. Her massive quad was simply a sculpted slab of muscle that flared just beneath the hem of her shorts. Her waist, narrow and high, made the rest of her look even more impossibly built. Quite literally, each quad was bigger than her waist. She wasn't just "into fitness"—Claire looked like Superhumans had hired her as their ambassador.

Dylan froze, a few paces from the door. His body launched into a quiet panic like his nervous system had called an emergency meeting without notifying him first. He felt flushed and then cold. He'd thought he had a little thing for muscular women—but this? This was different. She was beautiful. She was absurd. She was terrifyingly hot.

Dylan worked out, but he knew that this woman would shame him in the gym. Heck, she'd shame 90% of the planet. His pulse spiked and breathing quickened.

"Oh... my... god," he muttered under his breath. "Fuck, fuck, fuck...what am I...." It was only then that he realized he was—literally—hyperventilating.  Okay. Breathe. In. Out. Repeat.

Before she could look up and catch him gaping like a schoolboy, Dylan spun on his heel and ducked into the coffee shop, practically slamming the door behind him. He stood in line trying to focus on the chalkboard menu but more shook than anything.

Distract yourself. Americano. Cold brew. Chai latte. He tried but his brain had short-circuited and kept looping back to: Her biceps. Her legs. Her smile. Her sunglasses. Her biceps again. Her legs again. Fuck her legs. Sun kissed, striated, thick. God, I'd like to run my legs over those

"Hi there! What can I get started for you?" the barista chirped, interrupting him.

Dylan blinked, snapped back to reality. "Uh... yeah. Coffee. Just... coffee. Please."

"What kind?"

He blinked again. "Yes."

She raised an eyebrow, smiled patiently. "Drip okay?"

"Perfect. Great. Drip is great."

As she turned to pour it, he exhaled slowly.

Get a grip, Dylan. You're a grown man. You asked her out. She said yes. Now go say hi before you end up writing sonnets to her triceps in your head for the next thirty minutes.
"Oh, and give me two, no three packages of those protein bites." I'll come bearing gifts.

He took the coffee and heated egg bites and steadied himself as he headed for the door. Outside where Claire was still waiting, completely unaware that she had just derailed the man inside with nothing but a sip of coffee and a glance at her phone.

[taoschild]

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[srielley]

Intriguing start of your story.  Let's see what comes next.

[musqular6]

I love your stories but when I try to print the I get images of muscular women which I don't want as I am only interested in printing out the stories.Are they really necessary as the waste valuable ink?

[taoschild]

Thanks you musqular. I really have no idea what you're referring to though. The novels I write are printed already or are in e-book format. They are not supposed to be printed and I do not put pictures here so you'll have to be more specific.  I'm on page 170 of editing my current 245 page novel so I'll try and get back to this soon but haven't thought of how to continue it. I'd welcome ideas if you guys want a certain direction for the story.

[evanw]

A promising start! Excited to see where you take this!

[taoschild]

Okay, I made serious progress on my editing this weekend. I'm up to page 233/261 and should be ready to go to print by next weekend (fingers crossed) for Three's a Crowd. Thus, I allowed myself a little time to add another installment of Dating App (although I still don't know where I'm going with this).
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Dylan pushed through the door, and the small bell above promptly jingled like a nervous laugh track. He scanned the patio, trying to appear casual, like he hadn't just experienced a full-blown internal meltdown. His eyes landed back on Claire. She hadn't moved. She was still the picture of relaxed power. As he approached, a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.

Her legs, his mind whispered. Those glorious, powerful thighs. He imagined the sheer strength contained within them, the way they would feel wrapped around him. He swallowed hard, trying to fix his mouth that had suddenly gone dry. He stopped and took a swig of coffee. It didn't help, and somehow he managed to spill a bit on his shirt.

Great.

His eyes couldn't leave her now as he approached her. He wondered if she could crush them with one hand without even noticing. The thought sent a strange shiver down his spine.

"Hey," he managed, his voice a little rougher than intended. "Claire?"

She lowered her sunglasses, and her amber eyes met his.

Great, it's not enough that she has a body that can crush me– her eyes are unique, the color of warm honey. She's classically beautiful, too.

A genuine smile spread across her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes. "Dylan! Hey. You made it."

He noticed the way her shirt stretched with the movement, hinting at the sculpted deltoids beneath. Her traps were thick and mountainous. Maybe her headshot was a bit dated because she looked like she could crush iron. He had a sudden, vivid image of those arms wrapped around him, the pressure... He had to stop.

"Yeah," he said, his gaze flicking down to her bicep before snapping back to her face. "Sorry, I... uh... just had to grab some extra fuel. For... you know... charming you. He offered the protein bites, feeling utterly foolish. "Who am I kidding? I panicked and bought bribes."

"Bribes are always welcome," she said. "But if that's how you react to pressure, I'm now dying to see how you handle axe-throwing. Or brunch menus."

Dylan chuckled, a little too loudly. "Fair warning—I crumble under omelet decisions."

She motioned to the seat across from her. "Then let's keep it low-stakes. Sit. Coffee. No sudden-death breakfast choices."

He slid into the chair, trying to ignore how small he felt in her presence. Her magnificent presence. Up close, the details hit harder: the quiet hum of strength in her every movement, the small dimple in her cheek when she smiled, the faint freckles that danced over her nose like constellations.

Definition as deep as valleys dug between muscles that rippled and tightened as if they had their own will. Every gesture sent something shifting: a forearm flexing like braided rope, a shoulder rolling like a warrior before battle, and long, beautiful, gargantuan legs that were crossed at the knee, the top leg rhythmically moving up and down, capturing his gaze.

Reverent awe curled beneath his ribs as if the sheer reality of her had overridden reason. She was strength made elegant and power made intimate. Dylan tried to play it cool but was already fighting a losing battle.

"I'm sorry if I kept you waiting," he said, trying to shake the nervousness and rising arousal that made his tongue feel more like a lead weight. "I was early... but..uh, the egg bites."

She snorted a quick laugh. "No worries, I'm used to waiting. Though, usually it's for a parking spot big enough for a small aircraft."

Everything about her was perfect for Dylan. The way her eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled, her humor, and her physique. He almost had to hit himself to tell himself to respond. He managed a weak smile. "Right, the parking." He pushed the protein bites across the table. "I'm usually on time, but the bribe snacks. Figured... you probably burn a lot of calories... being... you." He closed his eyes for a second, wincing at how he sounded, but when he looked up, his words seemed to roll off of her pleasantly.

Claire raised an eyebrow playfully. "Is that your subtle way of saying I look like I could bench press a Smart Car?"

Dylan's face flushed. "No! I mean... yes? No. You just... You look... fit." He cringed internally. Fit? She looks like a Greek statue of a bull crossed with a lioness carved from granite. Her movements are a master's class in contained power and fluid grace.

"So," she said, pulling an egg bite out of the bag and taking a sip of her coffee. "Was I what you expected?"

Dylan blinked, caught off guard by the question. He could lie, deflect, or be honest and admit that he'd nearly gone into cardiac arrest on sight. All of them seemed like losing ventures in her presence. Instead, he caught himself and said, "Honestly? I expected you to be taller."

Claire barked a laugh, loud and unrestrained. "Wow. Negging me already. Bold move, Tinder Boy."

"Tender Boy," he corrected, a wry smile playing on his lips. "I bruise easily...  especially around strong women." He watched her carefully as she unwrapped an egg bite. Her movements were economical and precise. Even the mundane from this goddess turned him on. His piece grew in his pants, and he awkwardly shifted to allow it to flower fully.

Is this just a casual meet-up? Or is there something more here?

Claire took a bite, her eyes still holding his. "Well, Tender Boy," she said, chewing thoughtfully, "I've been known to leave a mark or two." Her gaze flicked down to his hands resting on the table, lingering for a brief, electric moment before returning to his eyes.

[crow004]

You may not know where this is going, but I like the path it's on. I love these two characters already. I hope you continue...

[taoschild]

Okay Crow - thanks for the shout out. I'm finishing editing "Uncut Power," which should be out by next week. It's a Game of Thrones type novel with a muscular female protagonist. I'm also 90% finished with a story called "Back to School Night: Some Lessons Can't be Taught" which is a steamy romance partially based on a true story.

Still, your comment encouraged me to re-read this story. Then, last night I couldn't sleep as I kept thinking up new ideas -- so I'm blaming you for getting me off task, but also thanking you for drawing my attention back to this. I'll start a new thread for this since the scene I wrote for this is from before the coffee date.

[erocha75]

This is a fantastic story. I love where this seems to be going. Pls continue!!

[crow004]

Okay Crow - thanks for the shout out. I'm finishing editing "Uncut Power," which should be out by next week. It's a Game of Thrones type novel with a muscular female protagonist. I'm also 90% finished with a story called "Back to School Night: Some Lessons Can't be Taught" which is a steamy romance partially based on a true story.

Still, your comment encouraged me to re-read this story. Then, last night I couldn't sleep as I kept thinking up new ideas -- so I'm blaming you for getting me off task, but also thanking you for drawing my attention back to this. I'll start a new thread for this since the scene I wrote for this is from before the coffee date.

HAHA!! I'm humbly honored to be blamed for inspiring you to write more great stories! 

[phil123]

great story and happy to read the next chapter