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My formerly boring lounge with no personality whatsoever, all plain white walls and beige carpet, had been transformed. Thanks to my research, I knew Theo liked soft, darker colours and lots of warm wood. So the walls were now painted a rich, inky blue, and I had plenty of wood accents everywhere, including a giant coffee table made of reclaimed wood, sanded and stained in a warm cedar colour. The carpet had gone, replaced by wooden floorboards, and a huge rug in blues and greys and creams covered the centre of the room. A large standing lamp in the corner next to a vintage wingback chair I’d commandeered from Theo’s house provided a glow of warm yellow light. There was also a Tiffany lamp, again, stolen from Theo’s former flat, illuminating the opposite corner of the room. I’d placed it on top of a wooden sideboard in the same colour as the coffee table, and I’d printed and framed various photos of us, arranging them next to the lamp. I’d left the walls bare so that he could choose whatever art was to his taste.
Theo swallowed hard, his throat working. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say…Jordan, when your football career is over, you could become an award-winning interior designer.”
That seemed to snap him out of his frozen state, and he met my gaze for the first time since he’d stepped into the lounge. Stepping closer, he wrapped his arms around me, trailing soft kisses up my jaw to my ear. “Jordan.”
“Yeah?”
“When your football career is over, I have no doubt that you’ll succeed in whatever you choose to do. And I’ll be here supporting you, every step of the way.”
Oh. The teasing smile dropped from my face, and I cupped his jaw, kissing him slow and deep. “I fucking love you, you know.”
“I know. I love you too.” He brushed another kiss across my lips before releasing me with a sigh. “As much as I’d love to keep kissing you, we need to get ready for our guests.”
“Before we do that, I have something for you.” I dug the piece of metal from my pocket and pressed it into his palm. “You already have all my security codes, and this is the only thing left to give you.”
He stared down at the shiny new key I’d had cut for him, a slow smile spreading across his face. Digging his hand into his own pocket, he pulled out the key ring I’d given him on his birthday and added the new key.
“It’s official. I now pronounce you lord of my manor.”
“Don’t fucking start, brat. You’ll pay for that comment later.”
“I look forward to it, my lord.” I shot him a bright grin. He growled and launched himself at me, but I sidestepped him, laughing.
Our fun was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, and within the space of ten minutes, our house and garden were both full to bursting with most of the football team, some with partners and kids in tow. Rory, Amir, and Amir’s wife showed up soon after, and I managed to talk them into helping with the food prep in the kitchen because feeding that many people was not an easy task. We were keeping it simple with a barbecue, and Grant took over manning the grill, chasing away anyone who tried to help him.
The doorbell rang again, and by the time I’d pushed through the crowds to get to the door, someone had already opened it.
“Oi oi!” Two Jugs John came into view, hoisting a twenty-four pack of lager over his shoulder. Then my dad’s grinning face appeared, followed by two of his other friends, Buzz and Gary. As a good host, I welcomed them in, accepting the slaps on the back that was their way of showing their friendly support.
My dad pulled me aside with a hand to my arm as Theo showed the others into the kitchen. “Theo settled in, then?”
“He only officially moved in about twenty minutes ago, but yeah. I guess he’s been unofficially living here for a while. Some people will probably think it’s too fast, but we didn’t want to waste any more time. We’ve done enough of that since the island.”
My dad nodded. “Makes sense.” Lowering his voice, he moved a bit closer. “Has anyone been giving the two of you any trouble?”
“Not really. After the Brighton match…I dunno. It was clear how much support we had, and the media loved it. You probably saw the headlines.”
“Yeah. You two are the next Posh and Becks, from what I’ve heard.”
“Posh and Becks? Okay, old man.” I smirked as I thought about Theo’s reaction if I started calling him “Posh.” Although… “Which one of us are they saying is David Beckham? Because I think Theo might actually be the better footballer. Don’t tell him I said that.”
Arms wrapped around my waist, and a firm body pressed against my back. “I heard that.”
“You heard nothing.”
My dad laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you two to it.” He disappeared into the kitchen, and I leaned back against Theo.
“How long until everyone leaves? I spent all day waiting for the hot tub to get to the right temperature.”
“Hmm.” His lips skimmed over my ear, making me shiver. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If it involves you and me getting naked in the hot tub, then yes. Although…we’d better use condoms. I’m not cleaning cum out of it. Unless you’re prepared to deal with it.”
“I’d rather not.” He smiled and then lightly scraped his teeth over my skin, followed by a trail of soft kisses down my throat. “Fuck, you’re so gorgeous, Jordan. I wish we were alone. I’m looking forward to making you pay for the comment you made earlier.”
Fuck. Why did he have to be so fucking delicious? My cock was already lengthening in my jeans, and any minute, someone was going to notice. “I’d like to see you try.”
