He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 828

Two hundred push-ups. He executed them at a punishing speed, every movement exploding with raw power.

His white tank top was soon completely drenched in sweat, clinging tightly to his sculpted torso and highlighting his dangerously athletic physique. With every rep, the broad lines of his back and the taut muscles of his arms gleamed under the sunlight.

Finally, when the lingering heat of desire had burned itself out, he stopped and slowly pushed himself up.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he grabbed a bottle of ice-cold water, tilted his head back, and chugged half of it. Without missing a beat, he poured the rest of the freezing water directly over his head.

He took a massive, shuddering breath. The agonizing temptation was finally under control.

That was way too close. He had been a hair's breadth away from losing his mind and taking her right there in the study. Thank God he had managed to reel in his primal instincts.

-

Scarlett stepped into one of the spare bedrooms to change her clothes, only to catch sight of Julian doing push-ups on the balcony.

As if possessed, she drifted toward the window, her eyes glued to the man rising and falling with rhythmic intensity.

Seeing his soaked tank top, the droplets of water tracing down his neck and powerful arms, and the flawless, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted V-taper of his back...

*Thump—*

Scarlett could hear her own heart hammering violently against her ribs. The beat grew faster, heavier, echoing in her ears.

A strange, intoxicating thrill shot from the base of her spine straight to the back of her head. When he poured the ice water over himself, the sheer, unfiltered masculinity of the gesture left her breathless.

She bit down hard on her lip, desperately sucking in a breath to steady herself.

She turned to leave, but right at that moment, Julian glanced over his shoulder.

"Ah!" she yelped, instinctively clutching her head.

"Are you okay? Did you hit it hard?"

Julian was there in a flash. He gently cupped the back of her head, leaning in close to inspect the tender spot.

With his hand cradling her head, Scarlett’s forehead was pressed directly against his shoulder. The intoxicating scent of pine mixed with fresh sweat filled her senses, and her heart skipped a beat, completely short-circuiting.

Julian's long fingers gently combed through her hair, his thumb softly massaging the bruised area as if she were made of fragile glass.

Their bodies were practically molded together.

In that instant, every boundary Scarlett had desperately tried to maintain shattered into a million pieces.