“If it’s okay with you, Mr.Robins, I would like to make an announcement to the team, before I make theannouncementin front of the media, if you understand what I’m saying?”
Mr.Robins blinks as if in confusion, and then he smiles at me, “If you feel now is a good time, you have the floor.”
I stand up with shaking hands.Everyone is looking at me.My teammates, the physio, the assistant manager.Everyone.The words get stuck in my throat, and I force out a cough.“Hi.As you all know, I don’t like to talk much.I talk about my personal life even less.”Murmurs of agreement and nods from my teammates.Good sign, I guess.“I want to clear something up.The incident with AJ that landed us both on the front page a few months back.He wasn’t trying to punch me.”More murmurs from the locker room.I can feel every pair of eyes focused on me.A bead of sweat runs down my face.“In a few days, I will be making a statement to the media.I will tell them what I am telling you now.”I swallow hard and wipe the sweat from my face.“I’m… I’m gay.And I am in a relationship with AJ.”
Silence.
You can hear a church mouse fart—it's that quiet.
Then.
Applause.Not the sarcastic kind, either.It starts from the back, and soon every single person is clapping.I’m swamped by my team.I worry if I’m dreaming, but then Timbers punches me in the arm and says, “I’m happy for you, man.”
“Me too, bro,” chimes in Jackson.
I create some space for myself, and wipe a stray tear from my eyes.“None of you have a problem with this?”
“Why would we?”asks Shippers.
“Yeah, we don’t give a fuck who you—well—fuck.As long as it doesn't affect your game,” Colten says with a wink.
“It won’t,” I say with certainty.
“Good, because we’re gonna need you at your best in the final,” Shippers says, clapping me on the back.
“Please keep this between this locker room.If this gets out before Kyle is ready to tell the media, I will find the person who did it and I will fire them.”My manager warns with a stern tone in his voice.
There are more rounds of claps on my back and congratulations, and I wait once more for the floor to fall through.
“If I haven’t told you for the millionth time, I’m so proud of you,” AJ says, wrapping me up in another hug as we sit up in bed.
“I’m still shook no one had a problem with it, not that I’m complaining about it.”I snuggle into his broad frame and kiss his chest.
“If they did, I’d march down there and bang them out.”
I burst out laughing, and he smacks me on the ass.“Oh, have I been a bad boy?”I ask, arching my eyebrows.
“Very,” he says, his tone hovering between laughter and firm.
“I’m sorry, but just because you’re tall, it doesn't mean you're intimidating.”
“But they don’t know that,” he pleads, looking down at me.
“Keep telling yourself that you’re this big hulking guy and I’ll keep putting you in your place in the bedroom.”
“Is that a promise?”
“It’s a guarantee,” I say, stretching my hand down to his already hard dick.I wipe the precum from his head and lick it off my thumb.
“Mmmm, looks like I need to go to the source,” I say, slowly making my way under the covers and wrapping my lips around his length, swallowing him whole.
Pre-game sex has turned out to be one of my favorite things, and it will take a convincing argument to tell me otherwise.However, getting up the next morning and trying to catch a very important flight with little sleep can get in the bin.
Despite waking up next to each other and heading to the same destination, we have to travel with our respective teams.We say our goodbyes in the airport car park and gave each other a little nod when we see each other again at the check-in counter.
Now I’m on the flight, headphones in, listening to Fleetwood Mac on my Compact Disc.I’ve had more shit about that than I had about the gay thing.Whitney was the first to ask if I’m okay with banter, and I said if he can back it up if he crosses the line, then there'd be no problem.Everyone seems to have respected that.They all know my dedication to the team, and I won’t let anything get in the way of lifting the trophy.Not even if my boyfriend is on the opposite team.
Next thing I know, we’re landing.It felt like I was in the air for no more than fifteen seconds.
