Page 149 of Claim Me
His hair is tied back in a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck.
"You look good…" I say quietly.
Silence. Blue doesn’t respond, and I can sense a kind of tension in him, though I can’t quite understand where it’s coming from.
We head toward the elevator. I’m not sure what to say or how to start a conversation. Whenever I’m alone with Blue, I feel this silly nervousness, but I know I have to push through it, so when the doors close, I speak.
"Is everything okay? You’re not regretting this decision?"
Blue lifts his head sharply, his eyes locking onto mine.
The tension is still there, that hesitation, and then suddenly he says,
"I’ve never… gone with another man on a… trip before. A weekend, a vacation, whatever you want to call it."
I blink in surprise. So that’s it? Blue is worried about something so… human. He’s just inexperienced.
I smile broadly. "Blue, I’ve been on a few dates that didn’t really go anywhere, but I also have never gone on a weekend trip with… a…" I trail off, unsure how to phrase it, "someone I’d likein that way," I finish, not entirely certain how it sounds. "I mean, I’ve been on plenty of trips with my family, cousins, and I have a lot of them, but that’s not even comparable. So we’ll figure it out together, okay?"
His sapphire eyes stay on me as the floors pass by, and on impulse, I reach out, wanting to touch his cheek, craving him, but instead I just brush a tiny speck of dust off his shoulder.
"Lint," I clear my throat. "It’s gone now."
"Um… thanks."
Fuck. That was awkward. My touch starvation is out of control again.
But he still is at the stage of ‘give me some time to think’, so I’m not quite there yet with casual gestures, especially the ones I initiate.
We reach the underground parking garage and head to the limousine.
Blue tells Gerard he’ll need him again at 8:00 pm on Sunday.
The coast isn’t far.
The marina where Veyron’s yacht is docked is very upscale, access controlled by keycard gates, with surveillance and security. Fortunately, Veyron shows up as soon as we arrive and lets us through.
I’m quite happy to see him.
"Hey, man, how’s it going! I’m glad you decided to come, the weather’s supposed to be great!" Veyron says, then turns to Blue, who steps out of the limousine behind me, that faint unease still visible on his face.
Veyron dips into an ungraceful little bow.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Lowen, it’s a pleasure to see you," he greets politely. "I also wanted to thank you again for… arranging that contract with your company. Right now, almost half of my displays are running Malden ads." And he grins widely.
"I’m glad the cooperation is working out," Blue says politely, but beneath that surface calm, I can still sense that subtle tension.
"Come aboard, I’ll show you around. I put together a small snack for you, just in case you haven’t had lunch yet."
I grab our suitcases.
We step onto the deck. Veyron’s yacht isn’t huge, but it carries that touch of luxury. Sleek and modern, finished in glossy white with dark-tinted windows, it feels designed for comfort and… show. The aft deck is open and inviting, with cushioned seating and a low table.
Veyron moves ahead, gesturing for us to follow as he points out different features, clearly focusing on showing everything to Blue since I’ve already been here before.
The helm station sits slightly raised, very modern and minimal, with polished controls and a wide view of the water. Everything feels streamlined, expensive.
"Come on," he says, already heading toward the stairs.
