Page 65 of Legend

Needless to say, I don’t think anyone’s going to be hiring us to be a new Beatles tribute band based on this performance, but Archie seemed to get a kick out of it, and that was the whole point.

“That was brilliant!” His smile is a mile wide as I approach him once we’ve wrapped up the song.

I quirk an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure you know what the word ‘brilliant’ means? Because I really don’t think that was it.”

He links his arms around my neck and brushes a kiss to my lips. “I loved it. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t go out and do something, like a nice dinner…”

His beautiful hazel eyes soften and I feel his thumbs brushing gently against my nape. “I don’t need a fancy dinner. This was perfect. Today was seriously the best birthday ever. How are you going to top it next year?”

His eyes widen the moment the words are out of his mouth, and his hands fall from my neck. I can see by the way his lips part that he’s about to go on a mad word-vomity ramble in an attempt to back-pedal, so I cut him off.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

He blinks at me in confusion for a moment, and then a slow, wide grin spreads across his face.

It’s the first time we’ve discussed anything to do with our future, and I know it’s not much, but at the same time I feel like it’s monumental.

I want to be there for all of Archie’s birthdays. And I want every one of them to be the “best birthday ever.”

I lean forward and kiss him, not nearly as thoroughly as I’d like, but I can hear our teammates around us cracking open drinks and laughing with each other. The music coming through the speakers has now changed to nineties stuff—no doubt Rory acting on Robbie’s behalf.

“Cheers to Archie,” Robbie declares, holding his drink aloft. “Happy birthday, mate.”

All the lads cheer and Archie beams at them, a faint blush touching his cheeks. “Thanks, mates.”

“And let’s not forget Tom!” Robbie calls over the ruckus, holding his drink up to me. “Who’s no longer shagging a teenager!”

Everyone starts cheering again, sounding even louder this time.

I scowl at Robbie and stick my middle finger up at him, which only causes him to toss his head back and laugh. Git.

Next to me, Archie chuckles and snuggles in close beside me, wrapping his arm around my waist. “As if that exact thought hasn’t crossed your mind today,” he says, brows arched pointedly.

Bloody hell. How does he know me so well?

Admittedly, the age difference between us has begun to mean less and less in the time we’ve been together. Archie might still need his mum to wash his clothes for him, but when it comes to all the important stuff he’s a hundred per cent his own man. His emotional maturity probably outstrips my own, if we’re being honest. I could definitely learn a thing or two from him about not letting others’ negative views impact me.

But even knowing all that, it’s still nice to no longer be that creepy old guy with the teenage boyfriend.

Now I’m just that creepy old guy with the twenty-year-old boyfriend.

Much better…

Chapter twenty-two

Archie

LazySundaysarethefucking best.?

We got a hard fought win yesterday away at Brentford so get to enjoy a nice lazy Sunday before we’re back in training tomorrow. And right now our laziness involves naked snuggling on Tom’s sofa while watchingMatch of the Day.

“Do we need to watch the highlights of our match?” Tom says from underneath me. “Vinnie’s just going to make us watch it tomorrow.

“Of course we do,” I say, pressing a kiss to his naked chest. “I want to see the goal you scored and then suck your dick. I can’t do that tomorrow. Not since we promised we wouldn’t fuck on club property.”

“Are you seriously pouting right now?” he teases, lifting a finger to tug at my bottom lip. “Wasn’t one cheeky blowjob in the club showers enough?”

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