Page 16 of Resilient Love

I shake my head. “Absolutely not. I’ve been your coach for long enough to know you’re formulating some plan that’s bound to get me in trouble. This isnotmen against women. Split up with equal numbers of footballers and ruggers on each team,” I announce, and much to my disappointment, the women don’t deflate. They still look just as lethal as they had moments before.

This is about to be brutal.

Wordlessly, the women divide up equally, and it doesn’t escape me that the less experienced players, the ones who’ve recently sustained injuries, and those who generally don’t play as well for one reason or another all end up on one team. Elise motions for Nakoa, Jelani, and several of our other strongest players to join her team. Her eyes meet mine, and she winks before choosing Elijah, our newest rookie player. I can’t help but chuckle. She’s strategic, and begrudgingly, I find it impossibly sexy.

No, you don’t, you bastard.

I shake out the thought, running over to the side of the field with the players I’m now partnered with, and we get right to it.

“Iknewsomething was up when these women got ‘the look’ in their eyes,” Trey says, making air quotes. He sighs, whining as we slug down water, desperately trying to recover from the back-to-back losses we’ve been suffering ever since this game started.

The dark clouds overhead are growing nearer, and it feels like an omen.

“Our team is good,” I tell him but add, “they just happen to be better. They chose the most seasoned players. It was good strategy.”

Trey chuckles beside me. “Yeah, most seasoned,except for Elijah.Anything not to have you, Cap,” he says, still laughing as he jogs back into his position on the pitch.

It’s more than clear based on how these women are leading the game that not only are they allveryaware of how to play, but Elise has likely used rugby as a way to further hone their defensive tactics for use in football as well. I’ll live a lot longer if I learn not to underestimate that woman.The end of their season can’t come soon enough.

We all get into position on the halfway line, each team's forwards binding together. Our scrum half throws the ball into the middle of the tunnel, and we’re off. Our hookers use theirfeet to manoeuvre the ball, each team fighting for dominance while simultaneously pushing the other team backward.

As much as my team tries, we fail, to absolutely no one’s surprise. Jelani takes possession of the ball on their end, and we split off across the field. My feet carry me as quickly as they can down the pitch, but I’m not fast enough. Jelani tears by me, passing to Letty, who’s basically the GI Jane of women. My teammates track her down, encroaching on her as she nears the goal line, but she swivels, throwing the ball to Elise, who jumps up high, gaining even more vertical height thanks to Nakoa, whose hands are digging into her hips as he hoists her in the air. A primal need to shout at him not to touch her slams into me, but I reel it back in. She’s not mine to get jealous over. Her arms wrap around the ball, and the moment her feet hit the ground, she’s off, tearing down the field at a breakneck speed.

She’s so fast I practically miss her until she’s past the goal-line, skidding across the turf, pressing the ball into the ground, and securing her team the win.

Her team mauls her, piling on top of her, screaming their heads off, and the fluttering feeling in my gut has absolutely no business being there.

And it’s certainly not from the bright smile she’s wearing that lights up the whole damn pitch through the grey English sky.

Shit, this woman is my personal nightmare.

CHAPTER TEN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2

Thankfuck,this seemed to actually work.

After Elise took over the field, making everyone do exactly as she wanted without a single word spoken, she and her team dominated the pitch. This only confirms my suspicions that she’s previously used rugby during her team practices, and it’s even more obvious that her father has taught her about as much as he’s taught me.

Her speed, power, and sheer will to win is admirable and has my skin burning hot. It’s warm today,I tell myself, but the lie doesn’t stick as I peer down at the goosebumps lining the skin of my arm, the chill in the air cooling the sweat clinging to me.Goddamnit.

Ireallyneed to make more of an effort to remind myself that Elise isn't someone who could mutually benefit from a romp in the sheets. We're in two extraordinarily different places in our lives, and I need to get myself a pocket pussy or something because I'm starting to act like a horny fool.

I refocus my attention on the turf. The women are smiling brightly as they make their way to the locker room, and it settles a part of me that has been so consumed by anxiety these last couple of weeks.

I’m not sure that these ladies are really going to toleratememore, but if they have any interest in drooling over my teammates' asses again, they sure as hell better try.

I make my way down the field, drenched in sweat, my shorts clinging to my thighs. I want nothing more than to shower and head home to my quiet apartment free of the noise these women seem to carry around with them. The only woman I need in my life right now is Mrs. Purrito. She’s loud enough as is.

The light feeling of relief from the day nearing an end is disrupted as quickly as it came. My eyes snag on Elise and Chelsea huddled together, and I watch intently as Chelsea passes Elise something, which she takes and swallows.

Her gaze swings around the field, clearly checking for any prying eyes, but she’s too late.I’ve already seen her.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2

I take the pills,swallow, and double-check that no one is looking, my stomach doing a little flip when I see our new coach storming down the field. His hands are clenched at his sides, and a furious expression mars his absurdly handsome features.

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