Page 19 of Falling for Mr. Grump, the Big City Billionaire

The clock on my phone shows 5:30 AM, and I'm already dressed in my running gear.

I grunt, my shoes crunching against the sand as I start my run.

The beach is empty, and I’m thankful.

No tourists, no locals, no one to bother me with their small-town cheerfulness.

It’s just the sound of waves and my own thoughts. Perfect.

Except my thoughts are the problem right now.

I try to focus on my pace, on my breathing, on anything except her.

This isn’t why I’m here.

I can’t afford these… distractions.

But like everything else in this town, Skye Martinez has a way of showing up uninvited in my head.

The way she looked at me yesterday at her food truck.

Just how beautiful she looked.

I pick up my pace, as if I can outrun these annoying thoughts.

The sky is starting to lighten, turning the ocean from black to deep blue and I have to admit, it's... not terrible.

Different from the view from my penthouse in New York, but-

"On your left!"

I nearly jump out of my skin as someone runs past me. Someone with wild curls bouncing in a ponytail, wearing shorts that should be illegal this early in the morning.

Skye.

Goodness. And of course it's Skye.

She glances back with a smirk that makes my blood boil. "Keeping up okay there, Wall Street?"

Before I can stop myself, I'm speeding up to catch her. "I wasn't aware the sidewalk outside your food truck counted as a running track."

She laughs – actually laughs – and picks up her pace. "Aw, did I wound your ego? Don't worry, not everyone can handle beach running."

"I handle everything just fine." I match her stride for stride now.

I'm not about to let her win... whatever this is.

"Sure you do." She's not even breathing hard. "That's why you look like you're about to pass out."

I'm not.

I'm just... distracted.

The sunrise is painting everything golden, including her skin. There's a light sheen of sweat on her shoulders, and her cheeks are flushed from running.

It's annoying how good she looks without even trying.

"The sunrise is beautiful here, isn't it?" She slows down suddenly, and I almost trip trying not to run past her.

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