There was enough room that she could get some preliminary exercises done here. Perhaps there was some kind of fitness center at the main part of the resort, but as she wasn’t quite ready to face Zervou this morning to ask, she settled for the floor.
She sat on the rug next to her bed and started with stretches. It felt good to move, to take stock of her body and not feel a boulder of stress in her neck and shoulders. No, it was more like a few pebbles now. They would grow, if she allowed her thoughts to go down that path, but she focused on breathing, stretching, counting instead. Settle into her body. Picture what it could do in a boxing ring.
Once her muscles felt warm, she moved into a plank position, then did pushups, driving herself until her muscles were screaming. She’d need to find some weights at some point today, maybe aftersailing, but for now she could do the bare minimum with just the weight of her body.
She shifted, moving into a sit-up position. She’d gotten through a handful of these exercises when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She glanced over on her way up, only to find Zervou standing in the now open doorway. He wore nothing but a pair of loose-fitting sweatpants low on his hips. His hair was almost tousled.
Everything inside of her seemed to hum to fierce, vibrating life. The definition of his muscles, the trail of dark hair from chest to the waistband of his pants. Her muscles already screaming, but something else fluttering to life to twist and twine with that exertion.
She had been around shirtless men since she’d joined the boxing gym, but this was somehow different. It wasn’t work or sport. It was the intimacy of a bedroom. It was a man not prepared to work but simply pulled from sleep.
And maybe, just maybe, it was justhim. She didn’t know what or why, but something about the man Zervou was stoked a strange fire in her she’d never felt. Didn’t want to feel.
“There is a facility downstairs for such things,” he said, his voice low and sleep rasped. “You need not thump away.”
For a moment, she could not seem to find her voice. Her tongue felt…heavy and twisted up. Heat that had nothing to do with the exercises she’d been doing settled in her cheeks. “I woke you up.” Which was an utterly ridiculous thing to say.
“Yes. You did.”
Ari managed to clear her throat, find some semblance of herself instead of this strange woman who could not find her footing with him. “I cannot eat as we have been eating and not exercise. I have to maintain my weight. And my strength.”
“Use the gym then, Ariadne.” He turned and walked away, the play of muscles on his back as he moved their own mesmerizing dance.
She let out a careful breath, frustrated with herself for the shake in it.
Okay, so he was attractive. She’d known that before she’d seen him without his shirt. Having the actual picture of what those muscles looked like when not encased in fabric changed absolutely nothing.
Except some elemental thing inside of her. Somehow.
She shook that ridiculous thought away and abandoned her sit-ups. A run would be better. She thought clearer after a run.
So she followed him out of the room and into the grand dining area where windows showed off breathtaking views of a pastel sunrise. Added to that was a beautiful breakfast spread already filling the table. Which seemed impossible since she hadn’t seen or heard a hint of anyone else here besides them.
She supposed he paid handsomely for that kind of invisible service. What a life.
He plucked a piece of fruit from one plate and popped it into his mouth as he walked past, making no effort to dress or cover himself. He went over to a coffeepot, grabbed himself a mug and poured.
“I need to go for a run,” she informed him, not sure what she felt. Uncomfortable, yes, but it was more complicated than that. Like this was some strange intimacy they had certainly not earned.
He didn’t say anything at first, took a sip of the coffee instead. Then he pointed to a chair. “First, you will eat. I will have some coffee like a civilized human being. And then we will go for a run together.”
She eyed him critically. Endurance was part of boxing, and she could run for hours if she had the right preparation. “It’s clear you keep yourself fit, but I am an athlete. I’m not sure you’ll be able to keep up.”
Something in that sleepy gaze sharpened, a change that arrowed inside of her like a tuning fork. “A challenge? I accept.”
“I wasn’t…”
“Sit. Eat. One shouldn’t run on an empty stomach. Anathleteshould know such things.”
Yes, an athlete should. And she often did her level best to fuel her body, but there wasn’t always money, time or inclination.
But right now, in this moment, there was a huge breakfast spread, and her stomach was rumbling, even though it shouldn’t considering how much she’d eaten last night.
Still, she sat and picked out the healthier items. A bowl of fruit, some yogurt with a healthy mix of nuts and honey. She forced herself to pass on the pastries no matter how delicious they looked. She could hardly go into her next match above weight. She considered coffee but opted for water.
“No coffee?”
“I am not much of a coffee drinker.”
