“Did you do that to keep me sweet and playing better?”
Steven got off the bed and joined Udo by the window. The sunset illuminated his chiselled features. Steven placed his hands on Udo’s shoulders. He didn’t care if that was out of bounds now. He needed contact.
“I can categorically tell you that what happened between uswas totally authentic,” Steven said, staring into Udo’s deep brown eyes. “I’m risking my whole job standing here with you.”
Udo frowned. “How?”
“Sleeping with a team member is a no-no. Especially one that I’ve been tasked to coach out of whatever troubles him.”
A tiny smile glimmered on Udo’s face. “I like your coaching style.”
Relief flooded Steven’s system. He grinned.
“Come to bed,” he said.
Udo nodded and they fell onto the bed. Udo snuggled into Steven, his head resting on Steven’s chest. The birds outside were the only sound.
“Would you really lose your job?” Udo asked.
“Maybe. Maybe not. It’s kind of unprecedented.”
They lay for a while. Steven tried to take in the enormity of what they were doing.
“We’ll have to keep things on the quiet then,” Udo said.
Steven held him close. “I’m so glad you said that.”
TWELVE
UDO
Udo was on cloud nine as he walked from the car into Newby Park. It had been two days since he and Steven had ended up in bed. Training the day before had been easy. Steven had attended a scouting session on the east coast.
Most Premier League teams had academies to grow talent. It was the best way to ensure they packed their locker rooms for generations to come. Udo had worked hard at his first club, VfB Stuttgart. They had given him the best possible start in his career. He had kept in touch with some of the staff there.
His nerves jangled as he entered the training facility. They’d decided to keep up the early coaching sessions. It would be odd if they suddenly cancelled them after a week. Steven remained terrified that Javier would find out. Udo respected that. He was rapidly developing feelings for this man. The last thing he wanted to do was to lose him from Brockton FC.
This time Steven waited for him in the meeting room. Udo smiled shyly. They’d texted each other since Udo had left Steven’s house. Even so, Udo wasn’t the type to sleep around so to havebeen that intimate with Steven and now have to face him across a table was not his usual working day.
“Morning,” Udo said.
“Good morning,” Steven replied, steepling his fingers. “How was yesterday?”
“I found myself strangely tired.”
Steven shifted in his chair. “Yes, well. Perhaps we should focus again on some of our own players. I’ll take you through their foibles and style of play. That’ll help you predict what they’re going to do.”
Poor Steven shifted uncomfortably. They wouldn’t do much good unless they addressed the elephant in the room.
“Did you miss me last night?” Udo asked.
“Udo…”
“I know, I know. We can’t talk like that here. I don’t think that Jamie has the meeting rooms bugged, do you?”
“That’s not the point. The risk is too high.”
Udo settled in his seat. He was making Steven nervous, which was unfair.
