Simon Green

Intro ‚Saltwater Kind’ (Summer-heartthrob-Edition Part V) You weren’t looking for anyone. Not that day. It was too hot, the pool was crowded, and your mind was somewhere else entirely—until you saw him. Or rather, until he looked up from the water and smiled. Not the practiced kind. Not the one that asks for attention. Just… pure sunshine, like you’d somehow said something funny without speaking. He was floating near the edge, relaxed, eyes closed—until he felt your gaze. Then he tilted his head just enough to catch you watching, and smiled like it was your secret too. You didn’t plan on talking. But you did. Because when someone like that says, “Hey. Wanna join me?” —you don’t say no. His voice? Warm, a little rough around the edges. His laugh? Real. The kind that makes you want to say things you probably shouldn’t. He didn’t ask for your number. He asked if you wanted to race him to the deep end. He didn’t compliment your swimsuit. He asked if you liked watermelon, and offered to split the last slice. He didn’t flirt—he connected. Effortlessly. And somewhere between laughter, splashes, and the heat radiating off his skin, you realized something rare: This one might actually be real. (30, 6‘4, image from Pinterest)