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I stick my middle finger up at him and return to Archie’s side. “And they callmea prick,” I mutter under my breath.
“I think my standards are just fine,” Archie says with a grin. “I mean, have youseenhim?” He waves his hand at me as though he’s Stephen Mulhern presenting a prize on?Catchphrase.
“Nothing like being reduced to your physical appearance to make you feel special,” I say wryly.
“You’re very special,” Archie says, his eyes soft with affection. Then he leans in and brushes a kiss to my lips. It’s way too chaste for my liking, but I’m not about to start full-on snogging in the middle of the locker room.
To my surprise, the kiss doesn’t result in any smartarse remarks. I’m expecting Robbie, at least, to have something to say about us shoving PDAs down everyone’s throat, but when my gaze finds him he seems lost in his own thoughts, any interest in Archie and me clearly having evaporated.
“Okay, so Tom and Milly are together and it’s not a big deal,” Alex says, stepping forward to address the players. “It’s also not public knowledge, so we’re invoking the locker room rule.”
“Got it?” Vinnie growls, and they all bob their heads in agreement as a chorus of “yes, coach” and “yes, cap” ripples around the room.
“And before anyone offers—no, I don’t want to check any of you fuckers out,” I growl.
“Well, I wasn’t going to offer anyway,” Davey says, looking sulky.
I’m not sure whether to be relieved or offended.
Chapter eighteen
Archie
“Wereyoureallyaprick to Davey’s mum?” I ask curiously as Tom and I make our way towards the pitch for the team training session.
He shrugs, a pout touching his face. “She tried to hug me.”
My mouth falls open and I draw in a gasp. “Thenerveof the woman!”
Tom narrows his eyes at me. “Somehow I’m feeling like your outrage isn’t entirely genuine.”
I chuckle and step closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “How come you didn’t want her to hug you? You don’t mind it when I hug you…”
“Oddly enough, I’m not aiming to get my dick inside Davey’s mum.”
I let out a burst of laughter and shake my head. “Nope. Not buying it. You don’t just hug me for my arse. You hug me ‘cause youlikeit. You’re a big teddy bear at heart.”
“I amnota teddy bear,” he says gruffly, the familiar furrow appearing between his brows.
I just grin,revelling in the predictable reaction I’m getting from him. “Yeah you are. A big, cuddly teddy. All snuggly and warm…”
“Oi! You two!” I hear Vinnie shout from behind me, making me jump in surprise. “Stop being all mushy and get onto the pitch.”
Dutifully, I drop my hands from around Tom’s waist, but can’t resist giving his bum a squeeze before we run out to join the others on the pitch.
“I think everyone here needs to know something,” Robbie says, as we catch up to our teammates. “This is something very important and I will not be training unless it’s answered.”
I can’t help grinning slightly because I know that Robbie is about to say something to take the piss out of us and our relationship, but judging by the worried looks on nearly everyone else’s face, I’m? the only one who’s reading this.
“Robbie.” Alex says, warningly.
“If any of us tackle Archie in training, is Tom going to knock us out? Because I feel like it’s a real possibility and I’m too pretty for bruises,” he says, with a shit eating grin.
Everyone around us just rolls their eyes.
Tom snorts next to me. “I’ve somehow managed not to knock you out yet, Sexton. But who knows…if Archie asked me to, it’d be my genuine pleasure.” He flashes Robbie a menacing grin and starts his warm-up jog.
Robbie’s eyes flash to me and I throw my hands up, professing my innocence. “I would never ask my boyfriend to punch anyone who tackles me. Imightget him to punch someone for some other reason…guess you’ll just have to stay on my good side,” I tease, winking at Robbie before following after Tom, quickly catching up with him.
