Team Tomás (The Saints Team #2) (17 page)

He began to kiss me more
feverishly and I groaned his name. I don’t think I said stop, just his name
over and over as he kissed down my neck and found his way to my bra line.

“Tomás...” I wriggled. I needed to
be strong on this, or I would hate myself later and he’d go home to her.

“I won’t touch you,” he said.
“Wednesday, I will have you, but my hands and tongue really want to touch you
tonight. Like our first two classes.”

I conceded we had done that before
but... it was crossing the line of my directive. I was so weak. He moved me
from his lap and lowered me onto the couch on my back. I pulled my dress down
and he lowered himself on top of me, holding his weight above me. Probably
safer I thought since he couldn’t grope my ass in this position, although he
was at eye level with my breasts. I breathed in as the new angle allowed him to
rub against me, and fuck me it felt so good. Each orchestrated movement of his
hips, each flex of his arms as he held his weight above me, turned me on. The friction
he caused along my mound was not good, not good at all for abstinence.

I wrapped my legs around him—they
just had a mind of their own—and I could feel his hard dick against the fabric
of my panties and my clit. Oh God, we were like teenagers in a car at the
drive-in. I didn’t need to undress, I was going to have an orgasm from the
friction of Tomás Carrera rubbing his erection against my clothes. There was
something so desperate and needy about that but I couldn’t stop him. His lips
found mine again and he kissed me roughly, as if he was getting his fill for
the days he missed and bruising my lips so that no-one else could touch me. My
nails dug into the T-shirt on his back and he moaned my name. I might have
gripped his butt in the moment, I can’t be sure.

I wanted him to stop but I didn’t
also, if that makes any sense. I gasped. I couldn’t believe it, the friction,
the feeling was unbelievable and I arched my back. For God’s sake I was going
to come just from having him on top of me, rubbing and pressing against me. I
was desperate for his touch.

“Tomás, oh my God,” I panted.

“It’s okay,
bella
,” he
whispered in my ear, holding me and then I came with a needy cry, my body
shuddering. His lips covered mine, swallowing my cries of relief and I then
felt his own body react—his shoulder muscles tensed, he buried his face in my
neck and his breath escaped between clenched teeth.

“Fuck,” he hissed as his body
shuddered and moments later, he collapsed on top of me, keeping his face buried
in my hair.

“Holy Mother of God,” he said,
panting beside me.

I started to laugh and he looked
at me and grinned. He raised himself on one arm and licked his lower lip. So
sexy.

“Well technically Al…iss, I didn’t
touch you.” He pointed out the obvious.

“You’ve just given me a no-hands,
no-tongue orgasm. We didn’t have that lesson.”

“No,” he agreed. “I was playing
catch-up.”

“I’ve never had a teacher like
you,” I teased him. I ran my hand through his hair and he met my gaze. He moved
up the couch a little, pulled me hard against him and kissed me very slowly as
though sealing our agreement.

“I want to stay the night with
you,” he said.

“No. You’ve already crossed the
boundaries of our agreement on a technicality.”

“It was only a minor penalty,” he
said.

I shook my head. “I’m red carding
you.”

He winced and moved slightly. “I
haven’t lost my load in my pants since I was a teenager.”

I grinned, pleased it was with me
and was going to be just that bit messy in his pants for a change.

“Do you want to clean up here?” I
asked.

“If I go have a shower, I’m
getting into your bed and staying,” he warned me.

“Then you can’t clean up here,” I
confirmed. I was standing my ground; I wouldn’t let him stay the night. I meant
what I said—we weren’t official until he had sent Julieta home for good. I
wasn’t his good time girl.

For the next hour or more, we
talked, shared a drink, I fed him some cereal—I would have cooked but he didn’t
want to waste time in the kitchen—and he lay in my lap as I stroked his hair. He
closed his eyes looking happy. I remembered I had to text Mia before it got too
late to tell her I was okay. I looked down at Tomás and he was asleep. I guess
it had been a long day for him. Cassie’s big L-shaped couch was perfect for
tall soccer players as luck would have it.

I sneaked out from under Tomás. He
was giving me a dead leg, and I gently pushed a pillow under his head. He moved
onto his side, crossing his arms over his chest, but didn’t wake. I stood back
and looked at him; this was my Tomás and he was divine. As I moved through the
lounge I heard Cassie’s key in the door and I raced over to open it for her.

“Shh,” I warned with my finger to
my lips as she came in. I pointed to the couch and she grinned and squeezed my
arm. We moved to the kitchen bench where we could see Tomás and talk.

“How was your night?” I asked in a
quiet voice.

“So wonderful,” she said. “I
didn’t stay because Rick has his mother visiting for the week. His mom is in
the guest wing so we’re pretending we don’t sleep together but I’m so
frustrated I may have to visit his office at college tomorrow.” Cassie rolled
her eyes.

“That’s cool, you should do that,”
I agreed.

“I know. Turns me on thinking about
it.” She looked to Tomás. “Is it sorted?”

I nodded. “It’s over with his old
girlfriend and she leaves on Wednesday. He just couldn’t call it off over the
phone. They’d been together a long time, and he had promised her the trip—there’s
a lot of history there. But it’s over, and from Wednesday, we’re on.”

She put her arm around my
shoulders and squeezed. “I’m so relieved for you. Why wait until Wednesday?”
she asked in a hushed voice with a glance to the couch.

“My rule,” I said. “I want to be
sure there are only two of us in the relationship.”

She nodded. “Good thinking…
amazing willpower.”

We looked at Tomás as he slept.

“That couch is huge,” I said.
“Good for sleeping but not so good for cuddling.”

Cassie grinned. “It was a left
over from one of my parents’ investment places, so I grabbed it. You can sit on
one side by yourself while the other half of the ‘L’ fits four people with a
games console. I know, I’ve test driven it.”

Tomás turned, groaned and winced—and
we watched, fascinated. I’m guessing the wince was from sore muscles postgame
and not the sticky mess in his pants.

“He really is very pretty, isn’t
he?” Cassie said.

“That he is,” I agreed.

Tomás’s phone rang and he jolted
awake and sat upright. He ran a hand over his face as he looked around trying
momentarily to work out where he was. He saw me and smiled before grabbing for
his phone. He answered and spoke quickly in Spanish.

“Sexy,” Cassie said.

“Hell yeah,” I agreed.

He hung up and pushed himself up
off the couch.

 “Tomás, this is my housemate,
Cassie,” I said, and introduced them.

He took her hand in his and greeted
her, then he returned his gaze to me. He ran his hand through his hair.

“Ah, sorry to fall asleep on your
couch,” he said, looking sheepish.

“Best couch ornament I’ve ever
had,” Cassie said, and I nudged her. She laughed.

“Thanks,” he said, looking a
little embarrassed. “Well I’d better go. Al...iss won’t have me until Wednesday,”
he said, looking to Cassie for sympathy.

“Good for you Al...iss,” she said,
imitating his pronunciation of my name.

Tomás grinned and shook his head.
“Ganged up on, that’s fine. Goodnight Cassie, goodnight
bella
.” He
reached for his things.

“I’ll walk you to your bike,” I
said, and followed him as he grabbed his jacket and helmet. We walked downstairs
and he put on his jacket and straddled his bike. I shivered in the night air
and he pulled me closer, pushing me against his chest and wrapping the folds of
his jacket around us both.

“I know we haven’t made love yet, Cookie,”
he nudged my neck with his nose and kissed me lightly, “and we will... it’s the
next step in our learning curve...”

“I can’t wait,” I said, my eyes
alive with anticipation.

“But you will wait for me? We
agree now that we are a couple?” he asked.

A couple
. I drank those words
in like they were water and I was dying of thirst in the desert… such wonderful
words. “I will definitely wait for you,” I said, and couldn’t help but beam at
him.

Matching my smile, he gave me a
kiss that would have felled nations.

“I want you to know something
before I make love to you,” he said, “but I’ll tell you again before then.”

“What’s that?” I asked and bit my
lip. I had the motherlode of confessions tonight—I was kind of up on my quota
without hearing any more.

“I love you, Al...iss,” he said.

I inhaled sharply. I wasn’t
expecting that, not for a minute, and before I could respond he released me, started
the bike, kissed me again and slipping his helmet on, sped away.

Chapter 31

Next morning, Monday, and Tomás loves me, sorry I
don’t know how that slipped in. I sent a text to Jim and Sasha to let them know
I was whipping by the hotel before work to check all was on track for the
Saints’ Sisters luncheon on later today. When I got in after nine, they were
all hard at it and basking in the glory of the Saints’ weekend win.

Sasha Saxon from the Saints
squealed as I walked into our office area wearing a Sasha Saxon original. I did
a pirouette for her and Kay.

“It’s by Sasha Saxon,” I said,
showing off the fitted designer original dress. “Ladies, you’re looking at a
long line tuxedo dress in passion red, a blend of elastane and polyester to
show off all the right curves, fully lined with button front closure.”

Kay laughed at my fashion speak
and catwalk impersonation, while Sasha was jumping on the spot clapping her
hands.

“Oh my God, you are the best. I
didn’t know you had bought that.” Her eyes narrowed. “I mail out all orders and
I didn’t mail that to you.”

“No, you mailed it to my friend
Miranda who I paid to buy it for me so you wouldn’t know. And I’m going to wear
it to the lunch today so that when all the girls ask about my outfit—and they
will,” I said, “I can tell them where to get it.”

“You look a million dollars,” Kay
agreed, beaming at us. “You’ve got talent Sasha, a real talent.”

“Thanks Kay, and thank you Alice,
I mean it, thanks a lot,” Sasha said, and ran over to hug me just as The
Russian walked past.

“You wait long enough, your fantasies
come true,” he said, looking at Sasha and me embracing. We both gave him a
look—Sasha’s look said
you’re a sick bastard
, my look said
What? Oh,
ewww!

“Great game hey Russian?” I
grinned at him, even though he dobbed me in to Lucas and called in his favor.

“Well done Alice, you played very
well too.” He winked at me and I’m sure I went three different shades of red.

I cleared my throat. “Um, so
you’ll be in your Saints’ suit and at the luncheon by noon Mr. Star Guest?”

“Yes, bossy. I’ll be picking up Tomás
so he doesn’t arrive ruffled on his motorbike and we’ll be there.”

“Thanks.” I nodded. I was a little
anxious about the lunch. The Russian and Tomás were both quiet personalities
and I hoped the interviews would be a little bit of fun and lively. Loretta,
our master of ceremonies, had her work cut out. Failing that, let’s hope the
champagne was flowing, the girls tipsy and no-one cared if the boys were quiet
since they were such good eye candy—much better plan.

I downloaded the weekend game photos
from our photographer’s server and updated all the Saints’ social media
channels. Then Kay and I headed off to the hotel just after ten-thirty to set
up the registration table and name tags. Sasha was coming later and Jim would
drop in but he wasn’t allowed to stay because it was girls only. I think he was
relieved.

I couldn’t wait to see Tomás,
especially in the navy suit that was the Saints’ uniform. I texted him as soon
as I woke up, and I woke up the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. This
love thing is so complex.

ME: Breathless this morning, can’t
stop thinking about U

TOMÁS:
Bella
, I’m the
happiest man on planet. On Wed I will b uncontrollable

ME: Can’t w8. C U @ noon

TOMÁS: Nervous about pack of
women, goin 2 hide behind U

ME: I’ll protect U.

TOMÁS: I meant what I said when I
left

ME: I’m counting on it

I didn’t want to tell Tomás I
loved him too until I saw him in person. Telling him by text or phone for the
first time wouldn’t do.

I brought my attention back to the
day and ensured the name tags were ready and checked the room which was a
mixture of Saints’ colors and pink; not that they went well together but what
can you do? Then I spotted Loretta from Kiss FM radio station walking towards
me. Bless her for being early. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, as if we were
old friends. She was an attractive woman, a bit taller than me, blonde with
very green eyes and probably in her early thirties.

“So no scratchings?” she asked me
looking at the rundown.

“Nope, all going to plan,” I
assured her.

“The players, today’s talent for
the interviews, can they talk?”

“The Russian and Tomás... they’ll
be fine. They are not big mouths, but they can answer a question.”

“Single?”

I grinned at her. “I think The
Russian is, but I’m pretty sure Tomás is taken.”

She looked disappointed. There was
going to be three hundred women looking at Tomás today, and I would just have
to deal with it. Let’s hope he didn’t look back.

The ladies starting rolling in
right on time and the room sounded as if a flock of birds had landed with all
the chatter and clinking glasses. The coach’s wife, Elizabeth, arrived with a
friend and we had a brief chat and I could see some of our major sponsors in
attendance—a good showing. I also met Maggie, Jim my boss’s wife. She was a bit
like him, small and wiry only she was a little nervy with plenty of energy. She
was there with a lady she introduced as Anne, the wife of our office accountant
Derek.

“We always worry that the office
girls are going to steal our husbands,” Maggie confessed to me
sort-of-jokingly.

I smiled and eased both of their
minds.

“Maggie, Anne, you couldn’t be
more wrong. If I wanted to save my marriage, I’d love my husband working at the
Saints,” I told them.

They both frowned at me, confused,
so I elaborated. “The office girls are surrounded by hot, fit, players, all day,
every day, coming and going. My office is right next door to The Russian and Ed.
Even the coaching staff in the office is made up of former players. So, not to
say that Jim and Derek aren’t lovely men, but I promise you there’s lots to
distract the office girls.”

Both women chuckled and they
brightened considerably as Maggie squeezed my arm and they left to find their
table. Yep, Jim would get me for that but the sisterhood is important.

Then Valentina entered. I almost
choked on a gulp of air. I grabbed for the guest RSVP list. I didn’t see her
name on it, so maybe it was booked in the name of her guest. She hadn’t seen me
yet and I hesitantly glanced up praying and offering up a thousand Hail Marys
that Julieta hadn’t accompanied her, but really, what were the odds? Of course
she’d be there. Valentina turned and then I saw her guest, an older lady I
didn’t know. Thank you God, thank you, I breathed. Valentina saw me, waved and
came over, kissing me on both cheeks.

“Don’t you look beautiful, Alice,”
she said.

“Thank you. You were wonderful by
the way. I came to the jazz bar,” I explained.

“I saw you but you didn’t stay to
say hello. I haven’t seen much of you of late Alice, you’ve been most remiss,”
she scolded me, which kind of convinced me she was clueless as to what was
going on in her brother’s life despite what he said. She moved her guest, the
older lady, forward to introduce her.

“This is my friend, Michelle,” she
said. Michelle offered her hand, and we shook.

“Alice is a friend of Tomás’s,
and...” she read my name tag, “the Saints’ Event Coordinator.”

I nodded, welcomed her friend and
helped them look for their name tags. Our receptionist Suzie had typed them up
otherwise I would have spotted Valentina’s right away and known she was coming.

“This is my first Saints’ Sisters
lunch,” she told me. “With Tomás as a guest of honor, I couldn’t resist.”

“It’s my first too,” I confessed.
“Let’s just hope it goes to plan.” She gave me an encouraging pat on the
shoulder.

Then I saw Tomás and The Russian
arrive; wow, what a sight—two tall, handsome, fit men in dark suits and ties.
How I would love to have Tomás on top of me in that suit. Sigh. Right, try not to
glaze over and remember you’re working, I told myself. Tomás looked a little
pained to be there and his eyes searched the room. When his gaze landed on
mine, his face relaxed. He nudged The Russian and they headed towards where Kay
and I stood at the reception table. He went to kiss me hello and The Russian
stopped him.

“Ah yes, hello Al...iss,” he said,
then noticed his sister. “Hi Tina, Michelle,” He gave them both a kiss.

I introduce The Russian to
Michelle and to Valentina, not sure if they’d met before, but whatever and then
suggested they all find their seats. Tomás lingered behind and whispered in my
ear.

“
Bella
, that red dress and
those four buttons, if I undid those...”

I looked up and he was yanked away
by The Russian. He shrugged as he was led off and I couldn’t help but laugh.
Well done Russian, a man on a mission to uphold the professionalism of the
lunch, damn him.

The event kicked off with Loretta
welcoming everyone and sharing some funny stories about her life in radio and
her love of soccer. During this the entree was served, there was a raffle and
our resident D.J. for the lunch played some good tunes. I didn’t get to sit
down for long and I placed myself at the worst table near the door, so I could
keep jumping up and down. Tomás and The Russian were on the best table at the
front with Loretta and some of our top female sponsors and of course,
Elizabeth, the coach’s wife who hosted the table for us.

I felt my phone buzz with a text
and grabbed it. I hoped there wasn’t a drama with the catering or at the
office. I smiled as I saw the message from Tomás.

TOMÁS: Need 2 kiss U, immediately

I looked to his table and found
him watching me. I gave him a smile that I hoped read all my lustful thoughts.
I sent a teasing reply.

ME: Behave and be a good star
guest

Before he could text back, Loretta
took to the stage again, this time to introduce our ‘talent’ and I held my
breath hoping the boys were at least a little entertaining and gave the girls a
bit of value for money, although I think the chance for lunch out and a
champagne seemed to get them all across the line. Loretta called them up and gave
Tomás and The Russian a microphone each; she stood between them on the stage. I
could see Tomás searching for me again and he found me in the corner near the
stage. I gave him an encouraging smile and he didn’t reciprocate, we’d have to
practice that.

Loretta began. “Ladies, I would
like to introduce you to two of the hotties... um, I mean talented professional
players of the Saints team...”

The girls broke up laughing and
cheered.

“... Tomás Carrera and The Russian,
who must have a first name, but I forgot to ask, and what a great game they
both had on the weekend and a big win for the Saints.”

The room erupted in cheers. Loretta
did a general interview with them both about how long they had been with the
Saints, what they loved about the game, their biggest challenges and their
training schedule. She made both of them show their muscles and they both
rolled their eyes and carried on, but secretly loved it by the look of them.
Such bigheads. Then bravely, she opened it up to questions from the floor—three
hundred women on the bubbles... good grief.

I moved into the crowd with the
spare microphone—my job was to head to whomever Loretta selected and give her
the microphone. She picked someone on the complete opposite side of the room to
me and I gave her the look. Again the girls laughed as Loretta commentated my journey
across the room.

“Alice, the Saints’ Events Coordinator
is making her way across the room... she’ll be there soon... don’t forget that
question... yes she should have worn her runners,” she said.

I grinned, playing along with
Loretta, and finally getting to the woman with her hand raised. I gave her the
microphone.

“What’s your favorite position?”
she asked.

The room erupted in laughter and The
Russian and Tomás took it in good grace. Loretta nodded to Tomás.

“Well I play goalkeeper,” he said,
with his sexy accent, “and I like that position because it can make or break
the game.”

“So,” Loretta frowned, “it’s a
position you have to stay on top of to be good at?”

The girls in the audience tittered
again.

Tomás nodded. “Yes although I’m
not always on top of it, my first half wasn’t good on the weekend.”

Loretta’s expression was
definitely in the gutter even if Tomás was unaware of the innuendo with the
translation.

The Russian interrupted. “I think
what Tomás is trying to say is that we have to maintain our fitness and
constantly improve our skills to remain on top.”

“Yes, thank you, Russian, that’s
what I would have said except you did,” Tomás agreed and the girls smiled, watching
him with adoring glances, as if they all wanted to help him with his
translation. Good grief.

“What position do you play,
Russian?” Loretta asked.

“Forward. But you know that
Loretta.” He turned the tables back on her.

“Yes, I do,” she agreed. “Next
question.” The hands shot up and she picked a lady on the opposite side of the
room again and everyone laughed as I made a show of pulling off my heels and
hurrying over.

Loretta continued, “That’s a
stylish outfit you’re wearing Alice. A label?”

“Yes,” I said speaking into the
microphone, “an original Sasha Saxon, available at sashasaxon-dot-com,” I said,
and, spotting Sasha, wrinkled my nose at her. I reached the young woman with
black rimmed glasses who was next to ask a question and handed her the
microphone.

“Do you both get homesick
sometimes?” she asked.

The Russian started first this
time. “Well I’m not actually from Russia, I’m from Boston.”

Several cheers went up in the
audience and Loretta added, “Well we have some Bostonians in the room.”