His chest is solid and warm, and his scent seeps into my senses, making me let out a small sigh.
After a few seconds, he lifts his arms and gently drapes them across my back.
“Thank you for doing this, Sebastian. I appreciate it more than you know,” I tell him, and look up into his face.
He gulps, then drops his arms and murmurs, “It’s nothing, Lily.”
It doesn’t feel like nothing to me, but he’s obviously not a hugger, so I step out of his arms.
“Should we continue?” I ask, desperate to make the awkwardness go away. It was just a hug; he doesn’t have to be weird about it.
Men.
They can be weird about affection sometimes.
As we make our way around the stadium, Sebastian introduces me to a bunch of courteous staff and workers.
Everyone seems to know each other, and I try my best to memorise as many names as possible.
When we get to the training facilities, we meet the first of his teammates.
There are several guys in the gym, working out whilst listening to music or talking with fellow players. A group of three guys pauses their workout when they spot Sebastian and make their way over to us.
“Lily, these are some of my teammates. Not quite as good as me, obviously, but they’re okay,” Sebastian says, with a playful tone.
He gestures to the man closest to me, Fredrick, who has a handsome look, with light brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a bright smile directed at me as he takes my hand and gently squeezes it, introducing himself.
“I’m Fredrick. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lily. Don’t listen to Sebby here; he’s full of shit.”
I chuckle, enjoying his fun spirit and the freaking nickname.
I’ve never heard anyone refer to Sebastian by anything other than his name, and I make a mental note to tease him about it later.
Next, we have Dean, a charming Brit with a buzzcut and tattoos covering his arms and up his neck. His piercing blue eyes are stunning, and I find myself envious of his looks.
What is it with athletes and having unreal good looks?
It almost seems like a requirement to become a professional athlete that you are also suited for modelling gigs.
Lastly, I’m introduced to Ian, who seems like the quiet one in the group. With his deep red hair and reserved smile, I decide that he is probably the most responsible in the group. He’s also the only other American in the group; Fredrick is from Germany, and Dean is from the UK.
The idea that a sport brings people together from all over different countries is so cool, and I ask the guys if they’re part of their national teams back home as well as playing here in London.
Next year, the World Cup in football is happening, and Sebastian has mentioned talks about joining Team USA.
The tournament is taking place in South Africa, and the guys seem eager to have a shot at representing their home countries.
When we’re all up to date on football and the latest happenings, it’s time for us to leave.
Dean steps closer to me, a flirty smile appearing as he takes my hand in his own.
“I’m available to give you a tour of London, or anywhere else, darling, whenever you want.”
I swear Sebastian grumbles under his breath before he gently grabs a hold of my elbow, pulling me away from Dean and his touch.
“There will be no tours of that kind, idiot,” he says to Dean, and even though I want to tell Sebastian to calm down, I don’t want to upset him anymore.
“It was a pleasure guys. I’ll see you around,” I say before we start walking.
