Page 38 of Couple Goals

Despite her pounding heart, Maeve tries to seem nonchalant as she scans her ID card into the gates.

‘Mmm,’ Maeve nods, not wanting to admit that she just spent the two days wracked with worry and looping footage of Kira playing international matches, pausing the screen when Kira’s face was shown. ‘You?’

‘Eh,’ shrugs Kira. ‘It started off promisingly, but the weekend was a bit of a let down after what I got up to on Friday night.’

Maeve’s ears flush scarlet in surprise. As they stride down the corridor side-by-side, Maeve’s heart is racing.

‘Oh yeah?’ Maeve swallows. ‘What was that then?’

‘Well, I don’t mean to be unprofessional,’ says Kira, still with a poker face. ‘I don’t know how much your team share with each other about, you know, life outside the pitch.’

‘Try me.’

‘Well,’ Kira lowers her voice and leans into Maeve. ‘Basically, I hooked up with this incredible woman, and it was so hot I spent the whole weekend thinking about what else I’d like to do to her.’

Maeve makes an odd squeaking sound. Her flush is quickly spreading over her body.

‘Really?’ she says finally, her voice high pitched.

‘Yeah,’ Kira continues. ‘Very vivid. But sadly my imagination couldn’t live up to the real thing.’

They have got now to the doors of the team’s changing room. Kira opens the door politely for Maeve.

‘Do you… Do you think you’ll see her again?’ asks Maeve.

‘I don’t know,’ shrugs Kira. ‘I’d definitely like to, but, I guess we’ll see if she–’

The doors close behind them, Maeve takes in that the room is empty, and in the same second, pushes Kira against it and kisses her, hard. Kira moans her agreement into her mouth. Maeve can feel her smiling even as she kisses her back.

‘Thank God,’ Kira mutters, pulling her in closer. Kira’s hands run over Maeve’s hair, her neck, her waist, and Maeve feels herself melting into her. One brain cell remains, however, bringing Maeve back to reality. Their teammates will be arriving in an hour, and she questions whether they should really be getting turned on when they’re meant to be practicing together.

‘Shouldn’t we be training?’ Maeve asks, staring at Kira’s mouth.

‘Who says we’re not?’ says Kira, seriously. ‘I think there are a lot of transferable skills.’

Kira’s thumb runs under Maeve’s top, tracing circles on the soft of Maeve’s side, making her shudder, and the one brain cell of resistance loses resolve.

‘That is true,’ says Maeve, as Kira kisses her neck. ‘What is it you’re meant to be practicing this morning?’

‘I believe I’m working on my touch,’ Kira runs her hands down Maeve’s back, squeezing her bum.

‘Maybe later,’ says Maeve, and grasps both of Kira’s wrists, pinning them behind Kira’s back. Kira grins in pleasure.

‘You’re right,’ she says. ‘It’s good for me to remember to use my whole body.’

Kira’s leg slides between Maeve’s, and Maeve presses herself harder against her. She’s so turned on, she would happily stay doing this all morning, but she has other priorities.

‘I believe thatI’mmeant to be practicing defensive clearing with head.’

‘Ihavebeen thinking a lot about what your head game might be like,’ Kira teases her.

‘Oh have you?’ says Maeve. ‘Thank you for caring so much about my performance.’

Though there’s a playfulness between them, it’s also charged with a burning desire. It makes Maeve’s nervousness melt away, and she feels instead the confidence and elation that she normally only gets on the pitch. Focus, intent, her body alive.

Maintaining eye contact, Maeve slowly and gracefully kneels down before Kira. Kira swallows and a moan escapes her throat before Maeve has even touched her.

Maeve lingeringly unknots the tie on Kira’s shorts, and pulls them down to the ground. She looks up at Kira in her boxers, her hands still dutifully held behind her back.

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