“My little Lijah!” Nakoa barks out, rushing towards me and drawing me out of my spiralling thoughts. He drops low, winding his arms around my hips and hauling me up, spinning me around.
A smile overtakes my face, my spine straightening for a split second at the feel of a firm smack to my arse. Jelani’s wide grin meets my own, and warmth travels through me.
“You know, you could just say hello,” I tell Jay with a small shake of my head. Nakoa finally sets me down, gripping my shoulder firmly.
“Don’t expect that kind of greeting from me,” Rafa says, arms crossed, but the twinkle in his eyes and lopsided smirk give himaway despite the gruffness of his voice. For the first time in my life, I feel really, truly wanted. These people have become my friends, and in some ways, my family too. They want me around for no reason other than me beingme. There is nothing theyneedfrom me. All they want is my presence, and that seems to be enough.
“Oh, come on, Cap.” I open my arms wide, taking a step towards him. “Bring it in.”
He releases an exasperated huff and accepts my hug, smacking me firmly on the back before breaking away.
Elise smiles widely, climbing onto her tiptoes to whisper in my ear, “You didn’t hear it from me, but that man is a softy. He practically fucking purrs for a good cuddle session. Just be patient with him.”
“I don’t know what she said, but whatever it is, it’s a lie,” Rafa grumbles, leaning up against the goal post in the centre of the public field.
“Quit flirting with my flatmate,” Adhira tuts, shuffling the ball between her feet. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was jealous.Of Rafael?My lips twitch, Elise’s eyes glittering. Chelsea’s mouth opens, but her words die on her tongue when Letty snaps a hand out to cover her lips.
“Alright, team up, everyone,” Letty bites out, pinning Chelsea with a look I can’t even begin to read. Chelsea mimes zipping her lips shut and throwing away the key.
“Elijah’s on my team,” Adhira announces, and when seven heads swivel her way, she rolls her eyes. “He’s the most likely to go easy on me. I have to keep him close so that can’t happen.”She knows me far too well for my poor, pathetic heart.
“Rafa, Nakoa, and Chels on my team, Jelani and Letty on yours, then,” Elise calls out, and we all break off, Letty and Rafael taking their spots in front of the goal posts.
The sexual tension wafting off the three couples, despite two out of the three pairs swearing they aren’t together, makes it hard to keep my own desires under wraps. My heart pounds faster at the sight of Adhira tugging my hoodie over her head to reveal my bloody crop top. One that shows off the smooth bronze strip of skin between the elastic band of her joggers and the bottom of the cut-off top. It shows off far less of her than it does of me, but the sight of her has my dick twitching all the same.Damn hormones.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she peers over her shoulder, tossing me a knowing wink, and runs to the centre line. I can tell she’s not completely back to her usual self, but at least out here with all our friends, she doesn’t have the constant reminders of her illness and Archie’s death looming over her like at home. And that’ll have to be enough for now.
Team Chaos: Rafa—goalie, Elise, Nakoa, Chelsea
Team Controlled Chaos: Letty—goalie, Jelani, Adhira, Elijah
Jelani moves with incredible stealth but communicates like a brick wall. Chelsea keeps making no-look passes, which Nakoa misses entirely because he’s too busy staring at her arse.
“For the love of fuck, mark someone, Nakoa!” Elise bellows.
“I am!” he shouts back.
“You’re markingme, and we’re on the same team!”
I intercept a pass from Chelsea, tap it forward to Adhira; she’s already sprinting, hair flying, eyes alive. She’s pretty fast too. Still herself despite not having moved like this in months.
“Watch the step!” I call out instinctively.
She ignores me, of course, faking right past Nakoa and shooting from the edge of the box.
Rafa dives forward, and the ball pings off the post.
Letty loses it. “Are you kidding me? A post shot, Adhira?”
Adhira beams, panting. She looks like she’s just happy that her friends are still giving her the same grief they would if she didn’t have cancer.
“You almost gave me a heart attack,” I say, jogging to her side.
“I thought that was my job,” she says innocently.
My throat tightens. Between the banter and stolen moments with her, I can feel myself falling harder and harder for her, and it’s almost impossible to outrun when she’s like this. Smiling and happy as if nothing is wrong, and she hadn’t just spent the last week ignoring me and sobbing behind a closed door.
The play resets, and Chelsea intercepts Letty’s goal kick mid-air, passing to Elise, who immediately boots it straight into Jelani’s shin.
