Page 73 of Salto

Why he didn’t look confused, I was unsure. He just looked slightly amused.

He slowed, taking one of his AirPods out of his ear.

“Morning,” he said.

I didn't stand to greet him. I was too sore for that.

“Are you following me?” I asked.

A quiet chuckle left him, and he put his hands on his hips, his chest going up and down as he caught his breath.

This was the second time I’d seen him shirtless. And this time, he was much closer.

And let’s just say it was evident that he was a former Olympic gymnast.

I tried my best to keep my eyes on his face.

He shook his head, running a hand through the hair falling across his forehead. “I live here.”

It took me a second to process what he meant. “You mean… in this city?”

“No.” His lips twitched slightly as he gestured up toward the hill where my apartment complex was. “I live in that building.”

My brain stopped functioning for a few seconds. Did he really just point to the same apartment complex I lived in?

“What?”

“How do you think I knew your place was available?” He glanced toward the apartment building again. “I know the landlord.”

Heat filled my cheeks. I felt stupid for assuming that he was stalking me or something. He just lived in the same building.

“Oh,” I chuckled nervously, trying to act nonchalant.

So much for the chill, relaxing morning at the beach.

He didn’t seem to notice I was still stunned by the realization of where he lived.

He glanced toward the ocean. "Mind if I sit for a minute?"

“Sure.” I gestured to the sand on my right.

He lowered himself beside me, leaving a few feet between us.

He leaned back on his hands, and from several feet away, I could still make out the sweat glistening on his skin. Tiny beads clung to his chest, and they weren't rolling down a flat surface.

There were a few ridges and hills they had to trek across.

I cleared my throat and looked back up at the sky.

“Do you go to the beach every Sunday?” he asked.

I nodded. “It’s been a habit I developed. It’s my one day off, and it’s the only place I can seem to catch a breath.” I nodded toward him. “What about you?”

“I run every morning.”

“Every morning?” I repeated, my eyes widening. “That sounds terrible.”

He chuckled. “Sounds like we need to work on some cardio.”