“Come home. I’ve been following that team of yours, and they’re not even winning. Don’t throw everything away on a losing team, Jade.” Maxine hangs up the phone, not allowing me a rebuttal.
Come home.
The thing is, Los Angeles never felt like home…but London is starting to.
“What the fuck was that?” Lottie stands on top of her stadium chair, shouting at the match referee for penalising Cavan for being offside. “Your eyes are offside for that shit call, Roland.”
She drops down into her seat, a dramatic huff rolling off her glossy lips before she reaches down to grab her beer, taking a hearty swig. “Fuck me, that’s good. This new?”
I nod my head. “I reached out to a London brewery a few weeks ago about making one of their in-house blends the official drink of the team. That’s the Legends Lager. I pay them to supply the beverage, and they donate a portion of their profits to help bring rugby to underprivileged communities.”
“Wicked.” A smile lights up her face before she jumps up suddenly, her many layers of jewelry jangling. “Push it, go, go, go!”
We’re playing one of the less impressive teams in the league, and the score is far too close for my comfort right now. This one should be in the bag, but the trajectory isn’t looking good.
Tieran is in possession of the ball, running downfield, his muscular thighs flexing, making the dragon tattooed around his kneecap come alive, coiling and undulating with every step. I fixate a little too long on that dragon, inappropriately fantasizing about seeing it up close. I couldn’t really be blamed, though, could I? Rugby shorts are pornographically short; it’s not my fault my attention was diverted with all the naked flesh being served up on a turfed platter.
I momentarily lament the fact that I’ve been intimate with this god of a man on two occasions and have yet to actually see any of his body, since both times, he was behind me.
“Why are you pouting?” Aanya asks to my left.
I sit up, schooling my expression. “I’m not.”
The crowd around us grows louder, and I focus on the match as Alfie, our team's scrum-half, latches onto the ball and kicks it past the opposition. Men scatter, running for the play as it soars over the twenty-two, bouncing off the pitch, and landing into touch. The fans get rowdy, cheering in excitement for the slight advantage that the lineout we’re awarded offers.
Zaine steps over the outside line, as our forward players get into place. We’re close to the try line, if the men canmaintain their hold on the ball, and push against the opposition until they’re over the line, we’ll have this win secured. We need this win—heneeds this win.
The stadium quiets, everyone focusing on what’s happening on the pitch, my heart beating like the flap of a hummingbird’s wings. Zaine’s hands lift above his head, lobbing the ball with force past the other team's own attempt at a jump, soaring right into the arms of the Legends right lock, Connor Davies, as he’s lifted into the air by his teammates. If he can score this try, Imightforgive him for his piss-poor attempts at magic.
Davies drops down with a resounding thunk as our forwards close in around him for protection. Fists grapple around waists, twisting shirts and grasping shorts for grip as feet push into the grass for purchase. It’s a lattice of men, and their grunts of exertion float through the air as the teams press against each other, the Legends attempting to get over the try line, and the other team trying to defend it.
“I am so turned on right now.” Aanya’s eyes are predatory, her stare laser focused on the men on the field.
Lottie and I exchange a look. “Uh, I know this is your first official match, but your man is further back on the field.” She points a finger to where Myles shifts on his feet, waiting for a signal to assist if needed.
“Oh, I know exactly where he is. I wish he was in this sexy little waffle of men, though. Something about all that muscle packed together is just—” She bites her lip.
I hold back a snort. “So, are you and Myles doing alright?”
A commotion draws our attention just in time to see the opposition's lock tear the ball from Connor’s hands, and the maul collapses as the ball is freed from the melee, exchanging hands quickly and without room for error. Cavan attempts to catch it when the opposition kicks the ball further downfield and away from their try line. The Legends shift, all of them now running toward their ownline to defend, as Tierans hands fly through the air, shouting something I can’t hear from where I’m seated.
“God, yeah. He’s the most supportive person I’ve ever met, and I’ve been half in love with him since night one. Plus, he can do this thing with hips where he…” She starts to mimic the motion in her seat.
“Please stop. I shouldn’t know these things about my players.”
“I’d guess you know far more about Tieran.” My head whips toward Lottie and back to Aanya, whose eyes widen in shock and then back.
“What—” My eyes fly around us to make sure no one heard. “What are you talking about? Did he—did he say something?”
“Please, my brother is many things, but he’s not untrustworthy. He didn’t say anything. I assumed.” Uncertainty crosses her soft face. “Was I wrong?” She looks beyond me to Aanya, who’s taken that moment to stuff her face with a sausage roll.
“Don’t choke, Judas.”
Lottie’s voice is a cheerful melody as she continues. “There’s no way I’m wrong. I could tell from that first meeting in the supermarket. Then, he brought you in for crochet, left Finn and Ekon’s party soon after you did, and if all that’s not enough to convince me, he’s looked at you—like…three times tonight.”
My cheeks flush scarlet, and I’m saved from having to respond when the crowd lets out a collective groan that shakes the stands. Tieran’s face down on the turf, an opposing player on top of him while another steals the ball from his hands, takes off down the pitch, and scores another try.
What is happening? The first half of last season, he was an absolute beast. No one could get past him. Now, it’s almost like he’s handing them the ball. Did the whole ordeal with his ex fuck him up that badly? Is he still hungup on her, and that’s why he’s not been able to wade out of this ocean of self-doubt?
