Chapter Thirty-One
Ezra
It was very hard to focus on anything work related when Danny was jogging across the pitch in shorts so tiny they should be illegal. It looked like he’d painted them on.
Thank fuck Adam was the one in charge of filming today or half the shots would be of my boyfriend’s arse.
Maybe I’d take a few pictures myself, though, in case I needed a pick-me-up on shit days.
It was the end of September, which meant the start of the new Premiership season, and the home stadium was packed with fans hoping the Knights would kick off their campaign with a bang against newly promoted Brighton.
Although they’d already played a couple of matches in the Compass Premiership Rugby Union Cup, which was a knockout competition that started at the beginning of September, the start of the Premiership season felt like more of a big deal.
At least to Danny, who’d put a countdown on his phone for it. His excitement had been ridiculously endearing, and it was proof that rugby was more than a job to him; it was his entire life.
I was a little worried that, now the season had started, Danny would have less time for our relationship, and for me, but we’d promised to talk about it and regularly check in with each other about how we were feeling.
I’d learnt my lesson from Reed, and while I didn’t like the idea of being so vulnerable, I knew it was going to be important to be open with each other.
We’d also promised to spend at least three nights a week together, even if all we did was lie on the sofa and watch sport or reality TV.
Although that wouldn’t be a difficult promise to keep because Danny’s flat was so much nicer than mine, so I preferred spending time there to my place.
Plus Danny still came up to my office virtually every day after training and half the time we ended up going home together anyway.
Maybe we were moving too fast, but it wasn’t like we’d made plans to move in or anything.
I hadn’t even told him I loved him yet.
That needed to change, though, because he didn’t deserve to be kept in limbo.
Love had snuck up on me slowly, creeping its way into my heart and seeping into every part of me, like it knew I would try and reject it if it arrived in style.
I hadn’t had some grand realisation with soaring music and butterflies and shit like that.
It happened, of all places, in fucking Waitrose when Danny was looking at bottles of vodka.
He’d had a box of Crystal Head in hand, examining the skull-shaped bottle inside and turning the packaging over to read the label. “Fuck me, this sounds pretentious,” he’d said, shooting me a smile. “We should absolutely fucking get some.”
“I didn’t think you liked neat vodka,” I’d said teasingly as I picked up a bottle of Grey Goose.
“Yeah, well, it’s grown on me,” he’d said. “And you like it. Oh, but I also wanna get some of that pina colada mix we got last time, ’cos that shit was the fucking cock. Besides, I can’t have you thinking I’m classy all the time.”
I’d chuckled and put my arm around him, kissing the side of his head.
I love him, I’d thought as I’d watched Danny wander off with the trolley in search of cocktail mixes, singing ‘The Pina Colada Song’.
He was wearing a tank top, ripped jeans, and a brand-new pair of trainers, his mullet and moustache perfectly styled, and I knew I’d never forget what he looked like in that moment.
The image seared itself into my memory and branded the emotion on my soul, undoing and remaking me all in a single instant.
If you’d told me seven months ago, when I’d first moved to Lincoln, that I’d fall in love again without even realising it, I’d have packed my bags and moved to Australia before we’d finished the conversation. But now, falling in love with Danny felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Reed might have been my spring, capturing the first part of my life, but Danny was my summer, bright and bold and glorious and unflinchingly fearless.
The love that I felt for him might be new, but it was deep-rooted and certain.
I could be myself with him, all my sarcastic, bossy, needy messiness exposed to the light.
Danny had seen me at my lowest, at my most shattered and broken, and he’d still chosen me. And there was something to be said for that.
I was terrified about telling him, but Shane had reminded me that fear was natural, especially after everything. It was how I chose to deal with it that mattered. And I was going to choose hope.
On the pitch below me, the match had kicked off and I tried to focus on the game as a whole and not just what Danny was doing.
But it was difficult. Danny was so fun to watch, especially when he wasn’t involved in play.
He’d smooth out his moustache, adjust his shorts, and shout and yell at the others, pointing and waving his hands like he was exasperatedly directing an aircraft.
I could imagine what he was yelling, even if I couldn’t hear him, and I chuckled to myself as I watched him berate Bailey for something.
But when the ball came his way, he snapped into action before I could blink, powering forward down the wing as Brighton’s defence tried to catch him.
One of them caught him around the waist, forcing him to twist in their grasp and hand off the ball to Kegan before they released him.
Danny staggered slightly but didn’t go down and immediately got stuck back into the action.
Brighton were really trying to push the Knights and prove what they were made of, but it didn’t take too long for Charlie to get the ball over the line, arm outstretched as players piled on top of him. But the whistle blew, the try was given, and the Knights opened their account for the season.
I cheered and clapped, smiling brightly as I watched Danny jumping on top of Charlie as soon as he got up, the two of them celebrating together.
I knew Danny would be ridiculously proud of his friend but also desperate to get a try of his own on the board.
Especially since I’d teasingly suggested we could implement a rewards system for each of his tries and assists.
I’d called it a bit of extra incentive, even though I’d always spoil him rotten, and Danny had immediately made me promise to swear to it.
“You won’t get two matches in and decide I’ve had too many rewards, will you?” he’d asked while sitting naked in my lap.
“No, I’d never do that to you.”
“Swear then.”
“I swear,” I’d said, rolling him over and kissing him. “And if I break my promise, you can choose my punishment.”
He’d grinned and wrapped his arms around my neck. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what Danny would conjure up, but it would certainly be interesting. He hadn’t shown any interest in topping because, in his words, it was always a bit shit when he was fucking women and why would he want to do something shit? I couldn’t argue with him there.
My punishment would probably be something like letting him have as many orgasms as he wanted, whenever he wanted them. Which wasn’t much of a punishment, but I wouldn’t argue with him.
Brighton managed to get themselves a penalty, bringing the score to seven to three, but it wasn’t long before the Knights were threatening again, the whole team trying to get the ball across the line. With every step, every heave, the ball got closer. But I didn’t think they were going to make it.
Then the ball got passed out wide. And again, spinning backwards, straight into Danny’s arms.
Nobody had marked him—he was too far out and back for them to think him relevant. But that was their downfall.
And the crowd roared as he gleefully launched himself across the line, sliding across the turf and putting the ball down to score.
Good boy.
“Fancy seeing you here,” said Danny as he strolled out of the changing room to find me leaning against the corridor wall, phone in hand so I could review some of Adam’s posts.
He was wearing his usual slutty tank top and shorts, and I wondered if he’d still be wearing them in the middle of winter or whether he’d finally throw on a hoodie.
His hair was slicked back where it was still wet, because he could never be bothered to give it more than a cursory rub with a towel to dry it, and there was a soft tiredness to his body that made me want to envelop him in my arms and hold him there.
“Come here often?” I asked with a teasing smile as I slid my phone into my pocket and pushed away from the wall.
“Yeah, pretty often. Kind of my job.”
“Oh? What do you do?”
“Kick arse at rugby,” he said, putting his arms around my neck and leaning in for a kiss. “Team’d pretty much be lost without me.”
“Good thing you’re here then.”
“I know, it’s a blessing really.” He grinned as he leant in to kiss me, his lips soft and the taste of orange still lingering on them.
“Oi, oi, that’s enough,” someone said from behind us, and the pair of us turned to see Mason, West, Jonny, and Devon coming out of the dressing room.
Despite Danny’s attempts to hide that we were dating when he first came out, it had taken all of three days for the team to find out when we’d walked into the training centre together and Hunter and Bailey had seen us.
From there, it had taken maybe five minutes for everyone to find out, but nobody had seemed particularly surprised. Apparently, Danny’s weird attachment to the lollipop I’d given him on the first day had raised a few eyebrows, even if it had taken a while for people to put the pieces together.
Mason was chuckling and waving his hand at us like we were annoying teenagers he’d caught making out in the park. “Go home and shag your boyfriend there.”
“I mean I could take a leaf out of—” Danny started, and I shot him a look with a raised eyebrow and mouthed behave, because now was not the time to annoy his teammates. Behind him, Jonny and Devon shuffled slightly.
“Thank you, gentlemen, we’ll be on our way,” I said, grabbing Danny’s hand and pulling him towards the exit, my beautiful brat laughing wildly as he jogged along beside me.
“You’re a menace, puppy,” I continued as we stepped outside into the cooling September air.
“Yeah, but that’s part of the fun,” he said, sliding back into my arms. “Did you see all my tries?”
“I did.”
“And you know what that means?”
“I do.”
“Can we start as soon as we get home?” he asked. “Then I have at least one orgasm before dinner.”
“I suppose,” I said fondly. “But maybe I should take one away since you tried to humiliate Jonny and Devon. That was very rude, puppy.”
“No! I’ll apologise,” he said, looking horrified that I’d even suggest it. “But you shouldn’t be so mean to me, not after the first game of the season. Besides, I thought you loved me?”
It was said teasingly but I couldn’t help but answer truthfully.
“I do. I love you, Danny.” I kissed him softly, biting back a laugh as he stared at me in shock.
“You what?” He sounded more surprised than upset, so I continued.
“I love you. You don’t have to say it back, but I wanted you to know how I feel.
I didn’t think I’d ever feel this way again, but that was before I met you.
You’ve changed my life, Danny, and I know that sounds a bit extreme but it’s the truth.
I love you. I don’t think there’s another way to say it. ”
“Fuck, Ezra, I love you too.” He kissed me fiercely, fingers shaking as he clung to me. “Fuck, I never thought I’d say that to anyone. Not, like, seriously anyway. But then I met you and you changed fucking everything. I get to be myself because of you.”
“I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you.”
Another kiss.
“I love you, puppy. I’m going to keep telling you all night.”
“Mmm, keep saying it. Please,” he said. “Then I can keep saying it too. I love you, and I love what you do to me.”
More kisses, each one full of a million emotions we could barely control.
“Take me home before I start sucking you off right here,” Danny said, his mouth still pressed against mine.
“Let’s go then, because I am not spending tonight in prison.”
“Fuck no, I want you to spend it in me.” He grinned and slid his hand into mine, squeezing it tightly as he dragged me towards his car, his excitement so vibrant he was almost glowing.
I loved him so much it almost hurt, and while I couldn’t predict the future, there was something hopeful inside me that said this man was it for me. After all my searching and all my heartache, I’d finally found the man I’d been waiting for.
No, we’d found each other.
And together, we’d build the future we deserved, one day at a time.
It wouldn’t be perfect, but who wanted that? It would be messy and bright and imperfectly ours.
As long as we had each other, we’d figure the rest out on the way.