Team Tomás (The Saints Team #2) (16 page)

Chapter 29

Tomás was not having a good game. I sat gripping
Mia’s pillow across my chest, burying my face in it and not looking but then
having to look. Lucas on the other hand was having a great game and The Russian
was pulling his weight too. It was nearing the end of the first half, when one
of the opposition’s defenders charged at Tomás,
and then found
himself charged with violent conduct in return by the referee—justice served. But
not before
Tomás decided he’d dish out his own justice and went for him.
Lucas was there in a flash, pulling Tomás away and he and Lucas had a few words
in a bit of a fiery encounter which wasn’t a clever move on Tomás’s behalf
either. So not good.

Then Johan pulled Tomás off the
ground and substituted him for a brief time to let him cool off. The
commentators were discussing why he was off form and the camera cut to him a
few times as he sat on the bench unable to keep still; he looked angry,
distracted, out of whack.

“The magic of Tomás Carrera is
missing today,” one of the commentators said, and I watched as Tomás came back
on and Lucas ran up to have a word to him, accompanying him back to the goal
area. Tomás rubbed his side, the result of an enormous leap to ward off a ball followed
by a crash to the ground. It was unbearable watching. The other team—the Salt
Lake Spears—were always tough competitors and while the score was even, today Tomás
had not played a major part in that.

“I know it is just a game,” Mia
said, “but it is so much more at this level.”

“I hear you,” I agreed. “Tomás
needs to chill a bit, he looks so wired.”

They played for another ten
minutes or so before the siren went and the players left the field for
half-time. Mia and I got up to make tea and then my phone rang. I fished for it
in my bag hoping it wasn’t Dane since I was in Tomás mode. I had to will Tomás
to have a better second half and hope it reached him through the universe
wires. I wondered if Julieta was watching too.

I didn’t recognize the number but
thumbed the screen to answer.

“Alice, it’s Lucas.” I heard a
slightly breathless voice down the line.

“Lucas?” I looked to Mia,
confused. “Are you looking for Mia?”

“No, you,” he said. “I need you to
talk to Tomás—he’s super fucking aggressive and distracted and I don’t know
what’s going on but The Russian said to tell you he’s calling in the favor.
Kiss and make-up, whatever. I’m putting him on.”

“Hold on, Lucas,” I said. “You
can’t be serious?”

“Oh, I’m serious. He’s rubbish out
there. Take one for the team, Alice and just do it,” he snapped.

I was pissed, who did these guys
think they were? I was prepared to do it for The Russian as agreed, but for
fuck’s sake, they’re professionals—play the game and get over it.

“Don’t bully me, Lucas,” I said,
and drew a deep breath.

Wow, I can’t believe I said that to
the Saints’ most valuable asset, especially when I was working for the team too
and Lucas could make big trouble for me. But there’s work and there’s after
hours and I didn’t like the way he was demanding it. I could see Mia in the
background, biting her lower lip. This was the old Lucas that was such an
asshole when she first met him.

I heard the cleats on Lucas’s
soccer boots tapping on a concrete floor as he paced impatiently. He took a
deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Alice.” He started
again and spoke politely. “As a personal favor to me, as a friend, will you
just have a word to him please?”

As a friend? Wow
. I guess
he was living with my best friend and was in my friend circle.

“Sure,” I said. Who could resist
that?

I heard him breathe a sigh of
relief. “Thanks Ali,” he said. “Hang on, I’ll get him.”

I heard Lucas’s shoes clap their
way up the corridor and he yelled out Tomás’s name. There was the sound of more
shoes clacking and I heard Lucas say, “call for you.”

“What?” Tomás sounded confused and
then his voice came on the line. “Hello.”

“Tomás, it’s Alice,” I said,
breathing out.

“Al...iss, why are you calling
me?” He still sounded confused.

“I’m not, you’re calling me.”

“Oh, right.”

I pictured him standing there
looking gorgeous in the Saints’ shirt and shorts, sweaty and ruffled.

 “Tomás, I need you to come and
see me when you come back. I want us to talk.”

“Really?” His voice lifted, and he
sounded happy. “That’s great Al...iss, great.”

“So you’ll come over?” I asked,
bringing it home.

“I’ll come straight from the plane
on Sunday.”

“Mm, shower first,” I teased him
and he laughed.

“Thanks, Al...iss,” he said. “I
need to see you badly.”

“I miss you,” I answered.

Then Lucas’s voice came down the
line. “Thanks Ali, Tomás has to go. See you soon.” He hung up. I put my phone back
in my bag.

“What the fuck was all that?” Mia
asked, wide-eyed.

I shook my head. “Half-time
therapy I think.”

“Was Lucas being an ass?” She
narrowed her eyes. The good thing about Mia was she didn’t let him get away
with much.

“Only for a moment, but he came
around. It’s all good. I think you might have worked wonders with him.” I told
her the details.

“I’m glad you stood your ground and
I’m glad he respected that,” she said. “You know you’ve just invited Tomás
around tomorrow when he gets home?”

I nodded. “I have, haven’t I?” I
looked at the clock, and it was after three p.m. “Is it cocktail hour yet?”

“Somewhere,” she agreed and grabbed
two wine glasses.

The game started up again and Tomás
was different, he had a spring in his step, as though the weight of
responsibility and sadness had been lifted off his shoulders. I got it, I felt
that too. My heart was feeling lighter, everything seemed a bit brighter, I
even felt a bit hungry which I hadn’t felt for almost a week since... you know.

Tomás had a blinder for the rest
of the game. He prevented several opponents’ goals and the commentators went berserk.

“The Carrera magic is back,” one
of the commentators was saying. “Don’t know what the captain or coach
threatened him with at half-time but they should bottle it.”

“The sweeper keeper is in his
element... look at that.”

“He’s the commander of the offence,
marvelous work.”

“Where was he for the first
half... did he have the wrong boots on or something? Because he’s back now.”

“A miraculous save! He makes hard
saves look easy.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and
guiltily, I was beyond stoked that I could make a difference to his game. I
never wanted to do anything that would make him less than perfect ever again.

*****

That night I cooked some Cup Noodles and drank some
wine—my diet needed improving since leaving home, so I’d definitely review that
on Monday. I decorated my room and it looked fantastic, even if I say so
myself. I chose a crystal drop lamp for the corner of the room and a cream color
theme with gold trim. So classic, it just looked lush.

Dane rang and I let it go to
voicemail; I felt terrible about that, but I just didn’t know what to say at
the moment and having a long chat tonight would only make us closer, I was
sure. Then my phone pinged with a text from Tomás.

TOMÁS: I love that U called 2day

ME: Well done on a good game

TOMÁS: Only after I spoke 2 U. I
need U Alice

ME: I miss U Tomás, but we’ve got
2 sort some stuff out

TOMÁS: Agreed. I’m not giving up
on U, 4 anything or any1

ME: C U 2moro

TOMÁS: We land @ five, I’ll b
there by 6.

ME: Sleep well. Ax

TOMÁS: I will now. Tx

I slept the best I had slept since
the first day I set eyes on Tomás Carrera. My life was looking brighter. I just
hoped that what Tomás could promise would be enough to get us over the line.

Chapter 30

By the time Tomás was due to arrive at my door I was
a nervous wreck. I had changed several times and opted for a soft blue dress
that went to my knees and slip-ons that I could easily slip off. I was lucky
that Cassie wasn’t due home until later tonight, so we’d have some time alone
to talk. I clock-watched, estimating when he got on the plane, got off the
plane, got on the bus to the club house, got off the bus, got on his bike, got
here to the address I had texted him this morning when he woke me early with a
morning text. God he was adorable, I could just kill him. Then not long before
Tomás was due to arrive, Ryan rang to say Dad was on a date and he’d lost his
keys, and could I come and let him in.

Crap, shit, damn it
. I
looked at the clock. I’d make it there and back in time. I told Ryan I was on
my way and I texted Tomás to let him know I was doing a mercy dash and I
wouldn’t be long should he arrive and find me missing. I jumped in the car,
raced over, let Ryan in and gave him my house keys until he got another set cut
and raced back to my new apartment. I realized Ryan’s interruption might be a
good thing; I wasn’t sitting at home waiting for the knock at the door now, I
was racing to get back for it.

As I ran up the stairs to the
front door of Cassie’s and my place, Tomás sat sprawled in the stairway, his
back against the wall, his eyes closed. I stopped and took him in—what a
beautiful sight. He wore his jeans and a long-sleeved marble grey T-shirt. His
leather jacket and helmet sat on the stairs below. He opened his eyes when he
heard me and he gave me a slow and very sexy smile. I went up the stairs
towards him but he didn’t rise. He turned to face me and pulled me between his
legs. He pressed his forehead against my stomach and wove his arms around my waist.
It was so damn sexy and vulnerable.

I heard him exhale as if the
troubles of the week were leaving him and I ran my hands through his hair,
resting them on his shoulders. After a few moments, he looked up and I
sidestepped him so he could rise. He stood, grabbed his gear off the step and came
up behind me as I unlocked the front door and let us in. His eyes glanced
around my new pad and he put his leather jacket and bike helmet down on a chair.
Then he returned his focus to me, pulling me closer and leaning down to kiss
me. I didn’t want to start here; I wanted to get everything sorted out first,
but I could feel him in every part of my being and I just wanted this for a
moment. We hadn’t said one word yet and maybe that was the ideal thing.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, gently
testing me, and I met it with my own, inviting him to take more of me. Oh God I
needed this so badly, and so did he—his grip tightened on me and he made a
strangled sound in his throat. Relief coursed through me. When he pulled away,
we stared at each other. My eyes were probably desperate and wary and his were
pained and so dark and deep.

I cleared my throat. “Why don’t I
make us some tea and we can talk?” I managed to say and he nodded.

I went to the kitchen and he sat
at a stool opposite me across the bench and watched my every move. Very
disconcerting.

“Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”
I asked as I placed two cups on the counter.

“Not yet,” he said, “my stomach is
a mess.”

“I know what you mean,” I agreed.
I grabbed the milk from the fridge and I watched as Tomás moved to the lounge,
turned on a lamp and turned off the overhead light. I met him there with our
teas and placed them on the coasters on the coffee table. I sat in the middle on
one side of Cassie’s L-shaped couch. It was huge, damn her.

I watched his movements. His
shoulders were slightly hunched and I could almost hear him thinking as he moved
to sit nearer to me, leaning against the arm of the couch.

“Did you find this place easily
enough?” I asked, making the small talk that I hated.

He nodded. “I know this area a
bit. We’ve trained at a pool not far from here.”

His arms reached for me, resting
behind my butt as he slid me closer to him. My legs were entangled with his
long legs, so I pulled them free and crossed mine in front, pulling my dress
between my legs and sitting to face him.

He swallowed and began. “Al...iss,
please hear me out, just until I finish and then you can ask me anything or
throw me out or keep me, with luck,” he said with the slightest hint of a
smile. God he was beautiful, did I mention that?

I nodded. “I’ll listen,” I promised
him. My insides were flipping out with anxiety.

He looked away for a moment then
back at me. “I’ve chosen these words very carefully.”

Of course, Spanish was his mother
tongue, so no wonder he was tripping up under pressure in the office the other
day and I impatiently shut him down.

“Did you have a childhood
sweetheart?” he asked me.

I nodded. “Paul Murphy.” I said
his name.

Tomás smiled. “Where is he now?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, it was
just a silly school thing. We were always associated together and then we moved
on.”

“Julieta and I are the same. We
met in school and we were boyfriend and girlfriend all through high school.
Everyone knew. She was a family friend and a church friend. It was just
expected we would be married and produce beautiful
bebés
,” he said with
his fluid accent.

He stopped to reach for my hands.
“But you know when we met I told you that I didn’t want any responsibility?”

I nodded.

“Part of that was that I didn’t
want any relationship at all, even one from the past. I broke it off before I
left home to come here, but she was very upset and asked me to wait and give us
some time, that the break might be all we needed. I suggested a year and that
we’d talk at the end of my first season. And so, I escaped here—I set up my
family so they would not need anything and I had complete freedom from all
responsibility. It was great.” He smiled. “I am even more clear after a year
that I do not want to marry Julieta or be in that relationship. I came here to
start new and find me… I guess is how you would put it. Do you understand so
far?”

 “I do, but do you feel
responsible for Julieta?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No. My family
was disappointed that I called it off. I think getting the contract and calling
if off at the same time wasn’t the cleverest thing, they thought me arrogant.
But it had run its course some time before. She would not be here now except it
was a promise I made and I couldn’t after all those years call it off over the
phone. She had the flight and told everyone long ago she was coming to talk
about moving here. She wanted to see Valentina too and some other friends and family
she had here. I was going to deal with it when she came in person, and then I
met you. ”

“So now that she is here, how do
you feel?” I asked and held my breath. I really only wanted one answer.

“I feel the same. I love Julieta
like a sister, a friend, but I don’t love her like a lover. It was such bad
timing. I think of it like two waves coming to shore from different directions:
Julieta arriving and meeting you, and I didn’t know how to manage either,” he
said.

I watched him explaining and
thought about his analogy. I understood it.

“Why could you not tell me about
her coming and trust in me?” I asked.

“I gave it some thought,” he said,
honestly. “But Al...iss, when I met you, I wasn’t ready either. I was just
playing casually...”

“Playing the field,” I said.

“Yes, and that required nothing
that would distract me from the club and the game. Then I tried not to want you
but that didn’t work.”

I smiled. He shook his head when
he said it, so cute.

“I made a decision to not contact
you at all and I didn’t for the first week, but then I couldn’t stop myself because
you were driving me crazy, and I sent you a text.”

“I remember,” I said.

“Then there was that college
football player around you and I wanted to remove him. So I knew then I had to stop
playing casually. And I asked you out and you chose me over him and then I
still had the problem of Julieta arriving.”

I nodded, listening attentively.
He was so sincere and his eyes were trying to read me as he told me how it
unfolded. I believed every word.

“I thought if I told you, you would
drop me and go back to college guy and if I didn’t tell you, I might be able to
just manage it so that Julieta returned home and was not in our lives at all. I
wanted us to be about the future, not all that I’ve left behind. I’m sorry if
that doesn’t make sense.”

“I get the bigger picture now,” I
said. “But I was devastated, Tomás, when I saw you and her together at the jazz
bar. How would you have felt if you saw me all over Finn?”

“I would have killed him,” he
said, sincerely. “Are you seeing the conference guy who sent those flowers?”

“I saw him Friday night, and we
went dancing. Nothing happened. I didn’t invite him in,” I said. I wanted to be
completely honest. “Even though you are still living with your girlfriend,” I
reminded him.

Tomás rose and paced, and he
looked pissed off.

“She’s an ex-girlfriend. Did he
kiss you?”

“Does it matter?”

“Hell yes, Al...iss,” he said, and
spun around to face me.

“Have you slept with Julieta?” I
asked. Then I covered my ears, rose quickly and went behind the couch.
“Actually don’t answer that, because I’m not sure I could cope with the
answer.”

He strode over and pulled me to
him. “I have told Julieta that we are over. She is staying in my house in the
guest room until Wednesday when she flies back home. It hasn’t been easy for
her, I think she thought I would propose when she came over,” he said, with a
sigh. “It’s an awful thing to hurt someone.”

I nodded. “Did Valentina know you
had tried to break up?”

“Of course. She thinks it is her
business to know everything about me, she’s my sister.” He smiled. “Besides,
she never thought we were good together.”

I took that all in. I was right
about Valentina, she hadn’t given me the tickets to the jazz club to hurt me.
That was a relief, especially that I wouldn’t be filling the shoes of someone
she loved and wanted with her brother. I could feel my chest getting lighter.

Tomás cleared his throat. “Will
you forgive me, Cookie? Are we good?” he asked, his face a mask of worry.

I touched his face. “We’re good.”

His face lit up with a smile.
“Really?”

I nodded. “Really.” I narrowed my
eyes. “As long as you really are ready to stop playing casually and you
definitely have your guest in the guest room?” I teased him, using his
expressions.

“I want only you Al...iss.” He
leaned on the back of the couch and pulled me between his legs.

“But...” I said.

Tomás raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” He
slipped his hands under my dress and without even thinking I pushed him back. He
fell back onto the couch taking me with him. He didn’t let me go, protecting me
from the fall as I landed on top of him.

“That works for me,” he teased as
I stumbled up to straddle him.

“My but...” I said.

“I know. I love your butt. I’ve
seen it up close.”

“No, I mean, the ‘but’ I was going
to add...”

He put his hands on my hips and
positioned me on the hard bulge in his pants. He reached round, grabbed a
cushion and stuck it behind his head, his long legs extended down the length of
the couch. He looked as if he was settled for the night.

“Go ahead,” he encouraged me.
“What is your ‘but’….” He watched me and looked so kissable.

I drew a deep breath and tried to get
past that his erection was pressing against my sex. I kept talking. “But... I
don’t want us to start again until Julieta has gone home. You can’t have us
both Tomás. When she is gone, definitely gone, then I want to have you and have
you inside me.”

My words had an instant effect on
him; a soft growl emanated from his throat and his eyes drank me in.

“What about event guy? Will you
see him again?”

“No. Not if we agree tonight that
we will start from Wednesday. I will only have eyes for you Tomás.”

“You won’t let him touch you?” he
asked again.

I shook my head. “I won’t let him
touch me.”

“No one has touched you? You are
still my virgin?” he asked, his fingers dancing around the borders of my dress.

I nodded. “I’m stuck with only
qualifications in hand and tongue class.”

He laughed and then sat up,
holding me tight, as he swung his legs forward onto the floor, still holding me
as I sat in his lap on the couch. He leaned back and studied me.

“I want to have you Al...iss, I
want to be the first to touch you and be inside you and the only man to satisfy
you. Okay?”

“Yes.” I nodded, unable to get
more words out than that and then Tomás pulled me close to his chest and he kissed
me with all the passion and healing powers of a true make-up kiss. Relief flooded
us both. I was so in love with this man and one day soon I would tell him.

The deeper he kissed me the harder
he seemed to become and the more I wanted him. His hand slipped beneath my
dress again and I pulled it out.

“No Tomás,” I said, breathlessly between
kissing him. “You still have a woman living with you.”

His denim-clad erection kept
pushing against me and my hips betrayed me, swaying with him as he pressed me
hard against him.

“Touch me, Al...iss,” he begged.

“No. Wednesday we begin.”

He groaned and the ridge of his
erection pushing against me increased the need in us both. I wanted to move
away but fuck I wanted him. I wanted to hold on to my principles too but what a
price to pay—I must be crazy.