We’d all taken our trainers and socks off, and most of us were just in shorts and T-shirts, and as I watched everyone running around, laughing, and picking each other up, it made me think of a bunch of kids on a school trip. Which we kind of were.
The games were followed by some seven-a-side games of touch rugby with a few cones making up the goal line and the water line as one edge of the pitch, which immediately failed because everyone kept running through the water to get round their opponents. And even though I’d sworn I wasn’t going to get wet, my first reaction when Jonny came charging towards me was to dart into the waves and out of reach.
The water was fucking freezing and splashed up my legs as I ran, soaking the bottom of my shorts and the back of my T-shirt, but I was having too much fun to care. I threw the ball to West and ducked behind him, laughing as Jonny swore and tripped, crashing into West and catching him off balance.
“Fuck!” Jonny yelped as he landed in the water with West beside him, the incoming waves drenching them to the bone. The water was stone grey edged with white froth, not exactly the bright blue of the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, and the pair of them shivered as they stood.
“Nice and bracing?” Devon asked with a grin from where he was stood watching, hands in his hoodie pocket.
“Just a bit,” Jonny said, shaking himself off like a dog as he trudged out of the waves. Devon realised what he was doing afraction too late as Jonny picked up speed, and Devon laughed and swore as Jonny picked him up, throwing Devon over his shoulder and carrying him towards the sea.
“You bastard,” Devon said, still laughing as Jonny dropped the pair of them into the shallows while a few of us cheered. Then Mason tried to grab Jaden, and the seal broke on anyone else getting wet as half the team started trying to drag each other into the water.
I glanced around, trying to see who was aiming for me. It looked like I might escape unscathed.
Until Devon noticed I was still dry and grinned at me, water dripping off him, his clothes plastered to his skin. “Oi, Captain. How come you’re still dry?”
“I’m not,” I said, gesturing at the edge of my shorts.
“It’s not enough,” Bailey yelled with a laugh from where he was piggybacked on Hunter, wet legs wrapped around the lock’s waist. “Get him!”
“You’re a wanker, Bailey,” I said as I tried to dodge out of the way of my teammates, who turned on me as one and tried to grab me. Dickheads, the lot of them. One I could avoid, but six? No fucking way.
“I know,” Bailey said. “But it’s worth it.”
In the end, it was Gabriel and Ollie who managed to drag me in, but I’d given up resisting. A good captain went down with his ship, and if everyone else was getting soaked, then I had to join them.
Thank fuck we’d all been told to bring extra clothes, because it wasn’t even lunchtime.
“That was fun,” Mason said, putting a wet arm around my shoulder as we all stood in the water. “What’s next?”
I laughed and looked at the coaching staff, who were all watching us from a few metres back. They were all far too warm, dry, and sand-free. “Think we can get Clive in?”
Mason grinned and turned to Bailey, who was still sitting on Hunter’s back. “Fancy causing a bit more chaos?”
“Let’s do it,” Bailey said as he followed our gaze. “On your word, Captain.”
“Get them in, lads.”
The team charged.
The coaches swore.
And I just stood there and laughed, wondering what Harper would say about all this.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Harper
The shower was still runningin Matty’s bathroom as I approached his bedroom door, and I chuckled to myself as I wondered how long it had taken him to get rid of all the sand. When he’d come back smelling faintly of seawater and carrying two bags of wet, sandy clothes, I’d assumed he’d been dragged in against his will, but by the sound of it, the whole team had ended up in the water before lunchtime of their own accord.
I was glad he’d had a good day, though, considering how much he’d been dreading it.
He’d really needed to switch off and de-stress.
“Knock, knock,” I said as loudly as I dared as I stuck my head around the door, looking at his bed and wondering if we’d end up there again. Maybe not with Jack in the house, but we could be quiet.
After all, sex was agreatway to relax, and I was very open to helping Matty unwind.
