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But Alex had pulled away once already, if briefly, and Lee couldn’t even blame him. Between the mess that Alex’s dad had created and the fact that this was Alex’s first practical foray into gay territory, all against the backdrop of the World Cup… It was a lot to take in. So if Lee had to tread carefully? He would do just that.
“Sounds good,” he said lightly, returning Alex’s smile.
Lee could be patient.
The next evening,Brazil annihilated Spain with a 4-0 victory.
Silence reigned after Kieran muted the match to now soundless images of celebrating Brazilians that were juxtaposed with those of Spaniards lying on the ground, covering their faces. The Spanish coach shook hands with the Brazilian one before he went to console his players even though he looked close to tears himself.
Holycrap. Alex shifted on the sofa that he shared with Lee and Jeff, leaning into Lee just enough for their shoulders to press together. The room, filled with a variety of seating options for the team and supporting staff, was lit only by the screen up front, colours changing along with the images—a yellow glow cast over the scene as the Brazilian captain stopped for a post-match interview, red and green as the camera zoomed in on Spanish players on the grass.
“All right.” Kieran got up and switched on the overhead light, sudden brightness flooding the room. “Let’s start with the positives. One, I don’t think anyone here is at risk of underestimating our next opponent. Two, we won’t have the entire host country rooting against us in the final.”
Lewis snapped his fingers. “You mean no one’s gonna spit in our breakfast eggs.”
“No mosquitoes deliberately released in our rooms,” Jeff added.
“No caffeine pills mixed into our dinners.”
“No itching powder dusted over our clothes.”
“No marching band practising under our windows in the middle of the night.”
“I think we get the idea,” Kieran said mildly although he was smiling, clearly attuned to how the atmosphere in the room had relaxed just slightly. “Get some sleep, lads. We’ll pick this back up tomorrow.”
Subdued chatter rose as everyone filed out of the room, Alex quiet while Lee, Jeff, and Oliver discussed the third goal—a beautiful free kick that had curved over the wall and slammed into the upper right corner, no chance at all for the goalkeeper. “The only way,” Oliver said, “he could have got his hands on that is an educated guess.”
Jeff whistled. “You know it was a brutal loss when it’s four goals against you, and it’s not because the goalie had a bad day.”
They split in the hallway in front of their rooms, Alex following Lee into theirs. As soon as the door closed, Lee turned and walked Alex back against the wall, bodies aligning. “Been waiting for this all day,” Lee murmured. They’d had ten minutes to themselves earlier this afternoon—not enough. Never enough. Alex carded a hand through Lee’s short hair and slotted their mouths together. It was all familiar by now, Lee’s smell and the tiny sounds he made, small gasps as they caught their breath between one kiss and the next, a half-sigh as their hips aligned.
Alex pulled back just enough to say, “I really want you to fuck me.”
Lee snorted. “Such a romantic.”
“Make love to me, then.” Once they were out, the words resonated oddly in Alex’s stomach. Love. Was this love? It felt like the songs and movies—huge and bright, a golden ache behind his ribs.
Lee didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, his voice easy and a little amused. “You know I’m versatile, right?”
Lee’s tone reminded Alex of something—weeks ago, the briefly registered confusion at how Lee seemed to be quietly laughing at something Alex simply didn’t get. “Wait, hang on.” Alex narrowed his eyes at Lee. “The first time Kieran paired us for a drill and I asked you which position you wanted to play first… You said you can go either way. Were you making ajoke?”
“Probably. Can’t say I remember.” Lee grinned. “Since you didn’t actually know I’m gay, it turned out to be a joke for one.”
“It’s funny in hindsight.” Alex slid a hand down the back of Lee’s shorts. “And I’m not picky—let’s do both.”
“We will.” Lee inserted a meaningful pause. “Once we’ve got more than a half hour between team practice and lunch or whatever. It’ll be your first time, and it’s been a while for me, too.” The left side of his mouth lifted into a lopsided smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “This isn’t porn, so spit and a prayer aren’t gonna be enough prep.”
Alex heaved a sigh. “Mustyou bring reality into this?”
“Somebody has to.”
“Somebody is a spoilsport.”
“Spoilsport?” Lee’s low laugh was barely more than a puff of warm air against Alex’s lips. “Really—is that the best you’ve got?”
Oh, it wason.
“Not at all.” Alex clasped Lee’s shoulders with both hands and gave a quick shove that toppled them both onto the bed. Grinning, he straddled Lee’s hips, making sure to bear down with his whole weight. Lee was laughing under him, halfheartedly trying to buck him off without putting any real effort into it.
