Strike (Sphere of Irony 2)

“That’s a great idea,” Gavin adds with one of his killer smiles. The kind that makes me think the man should be modeling posh watches or expensive men’s wear. He’s bloody gorgeous. Literally achingly beautiful.

“Dax?” I turn to see what he thinks of going to my last regular season game. It’s a big one, against California, one of our big rivals.

“I thought you’d never ask, angel. I’d love to see you play.” He leans in for a quick kiss, his hand skimming over my knee.

“Dirty, dirty, boy,” I whisper in his ear as his hand moves up my thigh.

“So are we going?” Gavin asks.

I glance around the room. Adam and Gavin are excited, Abby is smiling like crazy, Hawke is, well, being Hawke—staring at his food with a blank look on his face. Dax, the sexy thing, he’s moving his hand higher and higher up my leg and pretty soon we’ll have to kick everyone out so we can get naked again. Six whole weeks without sex has my hormones on a hair-trigger.

“I’ll have five tickets left at the box office,” I tell them. “Unless…” I pointedly look at each of the guys, “you want to bring someone with you.”

Hawke’s head snaps up, the disinterested pouty look replaced by a sly smile. “Maybe.” His eyes betray him when they flick over to Abby for the briefest of seconds. Is he trying to make her jealous?

“Right, okay. Adam? Gavin? Either of you need an extra?”

“Nah, I like to keep my options open,” Adam laughs.

“Of course,” I answer, my tone dry.

“Gav?”

His cheeks redden slightly. “No. I just want to see you play, no distractions.”

Poor Gav. The stupid promotions team at their label, including that cow Lila, has told him not to flaunt his sexuality because it detracts from female fans’ fantasy of him. God forbid he be seen with a man in public.

I would have told them to buggar off, but it’s not my call to make.

“Okay, so six tickets. It’s Saturday at three. I’ll leave them under my name.”

Everyone agrees to meet out front before entering the stadium. I’m excited. None of my non-footy playing friends except Abby have seen one of my games. Now I’ll have my own cheering section.

Dax is back and all of the freaking out I’ve done over the last six weeks seems like an overreaction. The paparazzi, the pictures with Lila, feeling inadequate… it falls to the wayside as long as he’s with me. The guys are like family to me, and I can’t wait to show them what I can do on the pitch.

Dax

“Hell, it’s too early for someone to be calling.” I tuck my head under my pillow, trying to block out the shrill sound of my phone.

“It’s ten, Dax,” Kate mumbles sleepily, wrapping herself tighter around my waist, burying her head into my chest.

“Bloody hell.” The phone stops, then immediately kicks in again. Several texts ping in at the same time.

Trying to shed the heavy layer of sleep that is making my body sluggish, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and promptly fall arse over tits when the duvet refuses to release my feet. “Shit!”

“Are you alright?” Kate’s face pops over the edge of the mattress, imprints from the sheets still on her cheek.

“Yeah, angel. Just not quite awake yet.” I manage a smile so Kate rolls away, probably to go back to sleep. Then her mobile starts to ring.

“What’s going on, Dax?” It takes me a minute to find my own phone as it’s still tucked away in last night’s jeans. Kate’s rings again, and now I’m beginning to get worried.

Eighteen missed calls—three from Rachel, two from Ross, one from Gavin, and eleven unknown. “What the—?” Flicking through the texts, there’s more of the same, Rachel asking me to call, Ross demanding that I call, and Gavin asking if I’m okay.

Okay? Why wouldn’t I be okay?

“Dax?” Kate is standing next to me, her mobile in her hand. She’s fully awake now and she looks very unhappy. Kate’s normally bright expression is sullen, brows knitted tightly and that perfect mouth turned down. “I forgot to tell you something,” she whispers, sinking down onto the edge of the bed.

“Huh?” I don’t quite catch what Kate says with my head all up with horrific scenarios that would cause both of our mobiles to blow up simultaneously.