Chapter 24

Chapter 24
The soothing flow of warm water enveloped Joslyn as she stood beneath the shower. As the steam filled the bathroom, her mind drifted to Gabriel, the image of his caring acts towards her over the past few days vivid in her mind.

But with each passing moment, her thoughts only deepened her confusion about her feelings for him. Were they just friends, or was there now something more brewing beneath the surface? The line between friendship and something else felt blurred, and Joslyn felt more uncertain.

Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, her thoughts drifting to the day ahead. She walked to her closet, selecting her gym attire for the day, opting for comfortable spandex gym shorts and a snug sports bra.

Joslyn made her way to the kitchen, her mind still lingering on the thoughts of Gabriel. She couldn't shake the nagging question consuming her thoughts; ‘Was he really here to stay or did he just want a repeat of their one-night stand together those years ago?’

But even as she considered it, Gabriel's actions lately of being there for her both emotionally and physically, even more than her own father, made her doubt that he was still after her for the latter. No man would go that far and persist for so much and so long just to lure a woman into their bed, would they?

In the kitchen, she quickly filled up her water bottle and checked that she had everything she needed in her gym bag, before slinging it over her shoulder.

With a deep breath, Joslyn headed out of the apartment and into the elevator. Pressing the button for the ground floor, she felt a surge of determination building within her.

As Joslyn stepped out of the elevator, she made her way to the gym located within the building. The convenience of having a gym just a few floors away was one of the greatest perks of living in her apartment complex. It was like some sort of escape for her, well, until she saw Gabriel there the other day. And now, she went there not only with willpower but also with the anticipation of beholding a certain man, whose defined muscles flexed like they were from a damn action movie. A sight to behold indeed.

Entering the gym, Joslyn was welcomed by the familiar sight of gym equipment and the sound of the upbeat music playing in the background. She took a cursory look around the gym, trying to covertly search for the man filling her mind. And when she didn't see him anywhere, Joslyn tried to brush off her disappointment due to his absence as she went straight to the locker room to store her gym bag and grab her water bottle before making her way to the workout area.

Perhaps he was busy this morning. After all, he was the CEO of an international real estate company—a feat that hadn't been achieved by lounging around and frequenting the gym.

Thus, pushing all thoughts of him aside, Joslyn quickly began her workout routine, starting with some cardio on the treadmill. She felt the burn in her muscles as she increased the speed and incline. The rhythmic pounding of her feet against the machine helped to clear her mind, allowing her to focus solely on the task at hand.

As Joslyn continued her run on the treadmill, lost in the rhythm of her workout and the song playing in the background, she was suddenly surprised by a familiar voice from behind her.

“Fancy seeing you in this exact spot again. One would think this is your favorite equipment in the gym,” the voice said teasingly.

Startled by it, Joslyn yelped, her heart skipping a beat as she jerkily slowed down the treadmill to a halt. She turned swiftly, her glare fixing on Gabriel, who stood there with a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

One, because he was right about his statement. The treadmill was indeed her favorite workout equipment. There was just something about the rush of running that felt so exhilarating and so freeing.

And two, because Gabriel had scared the living daylights out of her and she had almost lost her footing.

"Don't scare me like that again, Gabriel," she chided, her voice laced with a mix of irritation and amusement. But despite the initial shock, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she took a lingering look at him, her annoyance and earlier disappointment melting away.

Joslyn's eyes swept over Gabriel's attire, taking in the sight of him in a form-fitting, black wife-beater that accentuated his muscular physique. The fabric hugged his chest snugly, revealing the contours of his well-defined muscles and abs—was that an eight-pack?—while a pair of fitted black gym shorts showcased his toned manly legs.

As she processed the sight in front of her eyes, a wave of dirty thoughts crept into her mind, imagining all sorts of scenarios that involved the use of those muscles. Quickly shaking off the inappropriate musings, Joslyn cleared her throat and composed herself.

"Fancy seeing you here, Gabriel," She said, her tone light with a teasing note. "One might think you stalk for a living."

Gabriel's smirk widened as she used the same words he'd said to her the first time they'd met at the gym. “Stalking isn't exactly my style. I'd prefer you say ‘admiring from afar’ and that is reserved exclusively for you, darling.” He said sultrily.

His gaze lingered on Joslyn, who couldn't help but notice how his eyes leisurely trailed down her body, his intense scrutiny making her pulse quicken. She was acutely aware of the way the spandex shorts highlighted her delicate curves, especially how they made her heart-shaped ass look good, and seeing Gabriel admiring her so intently sparked a newfound confidence within her.

“Take a picture, why don't ya? It'll last longer,” Joslyn quipped, a playful smirk tugging on the corners of her lips while she preened under the weight of Gabriel's attention.

However, much to her surprise, the man simply muttered a “Good idea” before reaching for his phone and actually taking quick pictures of her before she could manage to protest.

“Hey! Delete those!” Joslyn exclaimed, a blush creeping up to her cheeks as Gabriel chuckled, winked at her, and walked away, leaving her flustered but oddly excited.

Turning back to the treadmill, Joslyn promptly resumed her run, determined to distract herself from the rush of emotions Gabriel's presence had sparked within her once again.

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