GABRIEL
I get up before seven to get ready to swim with Blue. It actually matters to me that I’m not late.
Apparently, my parents never expected I’d end up with access to a private pool, so I don’t own proper swim trunks.
All I’ve got are black boxers, and they’ll have to do.
As for my body, that’s never really been something I felt insecure about. Daily Muay Thai training gave me a lean physique, no extra fat, just clean muscle, not overblown like a bodybuilder, just toned, athletic, and clearly defined.
I glance at myself in the mirror before leaving. My dick actually looks pretty good in these thin boxers. They hold everything up and leave a pretty clear outline, emphasizing the thickness.
I let my eyes travel over my body one last time.
If only I could walk around half naked every day. My stomach is flat, my chest defined, my biceps pushing nicely beneath my skin.
All good.
But then I look at my face.
And that tells a different story. I know I don’t look intimidating.
My whole vibe is more of a scared teen or nerd, even though people always say I’m handsome, with balanced features typical of the Nolan family.
My eyes are green with thin streaks of gold, and my hair is chestnut with a hint of red, cut short because it’s more practical for cage fighting.
Yet somehow I still lack that spark, that charisma, that strong alpha presence.
It’s funny. The pool might actually be one of the only places where I feel even remotely confident, because everywhere else I’m constantly doubting myself. Even after winning underground fights, I still used to sneak out afterward praying nobody would ask me for an interview or a selfie.
Walking on campus, I used to keep my head down, hiding inside oversized hoodies and baggy pants, burying my body under layers that made me look completely shapeless.
Unfortunately, Marcel never saw me naked. My best asset stayed hidden under thick layers of fabric. So all that was left was me and my personality, which wasn’t exactly flashy.
Huffing in irritation, I grab a towel and leave the room.
I open the last door and realize I’m in a small changing area with a shower, but since I already showered earlier, I keep going and step into the pool room.
Blue isn’t there yet. It’s still five minutes before seven. I glance over the water. Everything around it is shades of blue, the room comfortably warm. The pool itself isn’t huge, maybe about sixty by twenty-three feet, but definitely big enough to swim laps.
There’s also a massive window made of thick tinted glass overlooking the early morning skyline.
I walk over to the ladder, having a brief thought about what’s going to happen to the ankle monitor I’m wearing, but it has already survived plenty of showers, and besides, that’s not my problem.
The next second I lower my foot into the water I realize it’s freezing. Okay, technically it’s room temperature, but come on. That’s not a temperature meant for human happiness.
Right as I’m standing there debating my life choices, the door opens and Blue walks in.
And if I thought I was about to see his body, I couldn't have been more wrong. He’s wearing a full neoprene wetsuit, the kind surfers use, covering him completely from wrists to ankles.
Well, I can still tell he’s slim and nicely built, with beautiful straight legs, a narrow waist, and slightly rounded hips, but not a single inch of skin is visible.
Honestly, considering the temperature, it makes sense.
"Good morning, Mr. Lowen," I say. "I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting this level of cruelty from the water temperature."
"Well, I see no reason to heat an entire pool for one person who uses it forty minutes a day. As an environmental activist, you should appreciate that we’re not wasting energy on it."
I blink at him. "Wow. Didn’t know you were into that."
"Why wouldn’t I be? Whenever I see an opportunity, I implement energy-saving solutions. Most of my pharmaceutical factories operate on solar power."
"That’s… actually impressive," I mutter, suddenly feeling kind of dumb.
Without hesitation, Blue steps into the water. He sets his glasses beside the pool and adjusts his goggles. His hair is hidden beneath a swim cap, making him look almost professional.
He has a very elegant neck, slender and delicate, and there’s something about his slight frame that keeps pulling my attention there. Blue catches me staring, so I quickly clear my throat.
"You should probably move the glasses farther from the pool. Water might splash on them," I say, mostly to delay the moment I’ll have to get in myself.
"They’re waterproof. Besides, I never keep them far away. They record everything around me, and more than once they’ve provided crucial evidence when my life was in danger."
"They… record everything?" I ask quietly, suddenly hyperaware of myself. "You can replay it all in real time, right in front of you?"
"Yes. That’s exactly how they work."
"Uh. Great."
Blue turns toward the pool.
"I’ll be swimming for forty minutes. Please don’t stop me or interrupt me."
"Of course. I just need a second to mentally prepare for the water," I mumble sheepishly.
He gives me a pitying look. "I can buy you a wetsuit."
"I can buy one myself! And… I will, because in this outfit I’m about to look very… not impressive… for an alpha," I add with a blush, fully aware everything is about to terribly shrink, including the part I was just so proud of five minutes ago.
A faint smile appears on his face, subtle enough that I almost miss it.
"Relax. Even in freezing water, you’ll still look better than me in that department, so what exactly are you worried about?" he says lightly, with a trace of sarcasm.
"Are we seriously discussing dick sizes right now?" I mutter, red as hell.
"You brought it up," he says with a shrug.
"Well, at least you’ve got a brain." I tap my temple. "That balances things out, so you really don’t need to worry."
"Don’t tell me you’re lacking one too. People don’t get into cybersecurity by being stupid."
Interesting. Blue claimed he was going to swim, but he’s still standing there talking to me.
"I’m kind of a nerd. I’ve always been good at math."
A small smirk touches his lips. "Really? Good at math? When I’m done swimming, we can test that."
And then, unexpectedly, he grins.
It’s such a rare expression on him that it completely transforms his face, making him look even younger. And… beautiful.
I have absolutely no idea what he means by those words, but a second later he dives underwater and starts swimming.
Steady. Calm. Switching between freestyle, backstroke, then breaststroke before repeating the cycle again.
I finally force myself into the freezing water.
Fuck, I hate this.
Every inch of my body protests, but I refuse to back out now. It’s painfully cold. I grit my teeth and start swimming in the next lane over, sticking to freestyle and pushing hard to warm myself up.
A few times I pass Blue, leaving him behind.
After a while I actually start feeling incredible, finally working my body properly again.
During those two months locked up, I still trained every day in that shitty yard, but it wasn’t the same kind of effort.
And I love training consistently. Without it, I feel wrong somehow, so I guess I owe Blue for this.
I come up for air, then dive again, my arms cutting through the water, my pulse climbing higher, and I feel amazing.
I love the way my body moves, how strong and efficient it feels.
I’ve always loved that flood of endorphins physical effort gives, and right now I’m completely immersed in it, almost euphoric.
At exactly 7:40, Blue climbs out of the pool.
I follow a moment later, riding that post-workout high, my muscles pumped, my abs sharply defined from the strain.
When Blue lets his gaze drift over my stomach and then lower, I can’t help wondering if what I read about him is actually true, that because he doesn’t have scent glands he leans more toward being asexual, or if that’s just part of the puritanical, science-obsessed image he deliberately built around himself?
He doesn’t comment on anything, though. He simply turns and heads for the exit. He doesn’t even stop in the changing room, just walks out in the wetsuit and heads toward his room, tossing over his shoulder,
"Breakfast in ten minutes. Don’t be late. I have a management meeting at 8:15."
"I’m never late if I can help it. That’s just not how I’m built."
Blue glances back at me but says nothing else as he walks away.
Still, I get the feeling he approves.
◆◆◆
I head back to my room, dry off quickly, and change into one of the suits my parents got me. It’s actually pretty elegant, white shirt, black jacket. I look at myself in the mirror.
Damn, why didn’t I start wearing suits earlier? They really do make me look better, more… sharp, masculine.
Not a nerd anymore, huh? What a change for me.
I walk into the living room right at 7:50.
Blue is already there, exchanging a few words with James.
I notice his breakfast is pretty modest, a small piece of grilled salmon, a little scoop of avocado purée, a handful of asparagus, and a small, well-toasted slice of bread with a soft-boiled egg on top.
Meanwhile, James serves me something way more loaded.
A warm grilled beef tenderloin steak, medium, sliced, with a light red wine sauce. Next to it, roasted baby potatoes with rosemary and olive oil, plus grilled vegetables, asparagus and zucchini. On the side, there’s also a poached egg like Blue’s, sitting on sourdough with avocado spread.
My mouth is practically watering just looking at it. As a student, I never ate like this, I was getting by on cheap campus cafeteria food or a quick breakfast Marlow and I prepared in our room.
I can feel Blue’s gaze on me as I take in the plate.
"If there’s anything you like to eat, let James know."
"Everything looks great."