Page 30 of Playing the Field
He shakes his head, laughing. ‘You might have to try not to distract me while the next batch is in.’
I flash him my most seductive smile and take a step towards him. ‘I don’t know if I can guarantee that.’
He reaches for his phone. ‘Hold that thought please. I’m setting an alarm this time.’ Then he draws me back towards him.
We don’t stop kissing till the buzzer rings, initially in the middle of the kitchen then back outside on one of the loungers, the last of the evening sun drying any residual dampness on our skin. Now I’ve stopped trying to tell myself I shouldn’t be doing this, I don’t seem to be able to get enough of him. Whenever his hands brush against my breasts or my buttocks it makes my whole body sing.
It’s so tempting to ignore it when his phone starts bleeping but, not wanting a repeat of earlier, he runs back indoors and emerges with the steaks for the barbecue and a bowl of perfectly golden chips, plus a fleece blanket to throw over us as the temperature drops.
We trade stories about the best steaks we’ve ever eaten while he’s cooking the meat. ‘No pressure then,’ he says, laughing. And when he sets up a speaker so we can have some background music, we discover we like lots of the same bands and chat about which ones we’ve been to see.
After we’ve eaten, we recline side by side on one of the loungers, my head against his chest, both his arms around me.
‘I reckon I could fall asleep out here,’ he says drowsily.
‘Am I boring you?’ I ask, mock offended.
‘Not at all. I’m just really comfortable around you. I think I could get used to it.’
I turn my face up towards his, thinking– but not saying it in case it sounds too cheesy– that it does feel like we fit. Even though we live in different worlds and we’ve known each other for less than a week, right here, at this moment, it feels like it’s meant to be.
But his next words slam the brakes on that line of thinking. ‘I suppose I should start thinking about getting you home in a minute. I don’t want to keep you too long when you’ve got to crack on with your studies.’
I want to insist it’s fine, I can catch up tomorrow, but he’s already shifting his weight beneath me. And it is the smart choice, so I sit up and reach for my shorts and T-shirt, which are still on the floor by the lounger where I discarded them. As much as I don’t want to rush back to my books, I know the longer I stay here, the harder it’s going to be to leave.
16
Phoebs is brimming with a confidence I wish I shared when we meet for a coffee ahead of our first exam on Tuesday. I’ve barely left my bedroom for two days, reading pages and pages of notes on corporate ethics and responsibilities, but all too frequently my thoughts have drifted to Ben– how it felt to have his arms round me, how my heart swelled when he said he could get used to it, how I might be in danger of falling for him.
But there’s a nagging doubt about him in my mind as well, because he’s notorious for the number of girls he’s hooked up with and yet he didn’t even try to sleep with me. I know we kissed, and I don’t doubt he enjoyed it, but I can’t help wondering if he cut the evening short because he decided he didn’t feel that way about me after all.
‘It doesn’t make sense, though, because he video-called me yesterday to let me know he was thinking about me and sent me a good luck text this morning, saying he couldn’t wait to see me at training later,’ I tell Phoebs.
‘Maybe he was worried it might make things awkward now you’re sort of working together,’ she says. ‘You’ll just have to see how he is with you this evening. But I did warn you not to let yourself get carried away with this.’
If I was sensible, I’d skip the training completely just for this week and next. I’ve got two more exams on Thursday, then one each on Wednesday and Friday next week. But I’m determined to always be there for the team– it’s not just because I want to see Ben.
‘I really don’t feel very prepared for today,’ I admit to Phoebs.
Also squeezed in around my revision there was the Crawford United team blog to write and our new season ticket offer to promote, after we decided to sell £100 tickets to the first one hundred purchasers before increasing the price to the £200 we hope fans might be willing to pay.
But in the end it’s not that I don’t know the answers to the questions that trips me up in the exam, it’s more that I don’t plan my time properly– which is so unlike me. So I fail to get a few key points down on paper before the bell rings to signify our time is up.
‘Thank goodness that’s over,’ Phoebs says, linking her arm through mine as we walk out of the exam hall. ‘One down, four to go. How do you think you did?’
‘As well as I could have, not as well as I might?’
‘Yeah, that sounds about right. I think I’ve done okay though. I managed to answer everything. So I was thinking, I might reward myself by taking this evening off and coming to Crawford’s training session with you. Then I can help you try to suss out where you stand with Ben... and, you know, just casually remind Craig I exist.’
‘I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten. But yes, please do come. I’d appreciate your take on things. I was going to tell Dad I’m going to yours afterwards though, to cover up sneaking off with Ben again. Will that still fit in with your plans for Craig?’
‘I just want to say hi. I’ll still be able to cover for you. I could even drop you over at his house after if it makes it easier. Then I’ll get to check out this lush pad of his. From the outside, that is. I’m not about to invite myself in and get in the way of your love life.’
‘That would be amazing. Thanks, Phoebs.’
We treat ourselves to a plate of tacos at Hamcott’s best Mexican café before we head to the academy– a mini celebration for getting our first exam out of the way– but we make sure we’re at the training session well before the players so Phoebs can try to engage Craig in a bit of banter before it begins.
It’s hard greeting Ben with a handshake when all I really want to do is kiss him. Even his hand feels different in mine today, reminding me of the feel of it touching my body. I have to force myself to let go after telling him it’s good to have him with us again.
