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Sloane nodded, then pulled her clean training gear on, stuffing her training kit in her bag. She zipped it up, then stood face to face with Ella.

The electricity in the air was palpable. All it needed was one of them to lean forward again, and the fire would blaze once more.

“We still need to talk,” Ella said. “But I did some thinking over my time away. I’ve no idea where this is going. I’ve no idea if I’m going to fall for you and get my heart snapped in two. But I’m a big girl. A grown-up. Plus, I can’t do anythingbutsee where this goes.”

Sloane looked deep into her eyes, then took Ella’s hand in hers. “I feel the same. We can’t walk away from this. We can make this work.” She ran her hands over Ella’s butt. “Ireallywant to fuck you.”

Ella closed her eyes and smiled. “You’ve no idea.”

“I do.”

For a few moments, the only sound was their breathing. Hot and heavy. Then Sloane planted a bruising kiss on Ella’s lips, and grabbed her bag.

Ella grabbed hers, too. “We’re agreed? Let’s see where this goes? And next time, we really need to talk as well. About who to tell and when. Because this can’t be a secret.” Ella locked her gaze. “Despite all my protestations that I wasn’t going to get involved with anyone at work, it looks like I am. You’ve pierced my resolve.”

“We can print that on our wedding invites.” Sloane replied. “One more thing.”

Ella raised an eyebrow.

“Have you got time to drop me off?”

“If you’re really quick.”

* * *

When they walkedout of the changing room together, something had shifted. Not just Ella’s libido, which was currently grinning from ear to ear. Sloane held the door for her as they turned into the main building hallway, and that’s when it hit Ella they were really doing this. Since Christmas, events had been hazy: crisp one minute, blurred the next. Until she spoke to Sloane, stood next to her and breathed her in again, she had no idea how she was going to feel.

She absolutely did now. Luckily it was reciprocated. She and Sloane were each other’s people, for as long as they could make it so. They were going to see where this went. As they strode down the corridor, past the main offices, Ella let a smile invade her face. For the first time in forever, she had a kernel of hope in her chest. Which was ridiculous, for a player who was probably going to leave the country in six months. But right here, right now, it was perfect.

Sloane pushed through the main door, and Ella got a flashback to their first day here. When Sloane had also held the door for her, just as she was doing now. They fell into step, walking across the car park to Ella’s car. When their fingertips brushed, electricity snaked up Ella’s arm. She wrapped her fingers around Sloane’s hand, but Sloane shook it off.

That zapped Ella right from her dream.

“I don’t want photographers getting photos and outing us, when we’ve only just worked out what we are. We’ve still got to talk about who we tell and when.”

A stab of hurt hit Ella in the chest, but she nodded. She’d just told Sloane she was a grown-up. Plus, what Sloane said made sense. They’d already been snapped out together. If she was going to be Sloane Patterson’s girlfriend, she was going to have to get used to that.

At some point, though, she wanted to be able to hold Sloane’s hand whenever she wanted, or this wasn’t going to be worth it.

She wanted to live in the moment, treasure every second, just as she always told her clients. Right now, Sloane was making her a hypocrite.

Ella really hoped Sloane was going to be worth it.

That she wasn’t going to break her heart.

* * *

Later that evening,Ella’s phone lit up with a message from Lucy. The email asked if she’d be interested in working with the men’s team for the next month. Many of their backroom staff were off sick, their performance and lifestyle coach had been involved in a skiing accident, and a couple of their mental health team had physical ailments, and so were off for the foreseeable future. It would mean vastly reduced hours with the women’s team for the next few weeks while the men’s team set up a replacement. It would mean more work, more hours, more opportunity for Ella. She bit her lip as she sat back.

Had Lucy found out about her and Sloane? Was this a way of distancing them, or was this a genuine request? Ella kicked it around in her mind, then deduced it was genuine. Plus, this was what she wanted when she joined the club: the chance to work equally with the men and the women, to experience the different pressures they were under.

However, now she was totally invested in the women’s team, and didn’t want to step back. But the women’s team were in a good place. They sat second in the league and everybody was in a good head space. Ella had contributed to that. The men were currently seventh in the table. Perhaps they needed her more. She messaged Lucy back to say she’d do whatever was needed, but she’d have to see what her schedule looked like with her other clients.

There was, of course, Sloane to think of, too. But Ella couldn’t let what may or may not happen with Sloane dictate if she took this job or not. If she and Sloane worked out in the real world, that would be great. But if they didn’t, this role gave Ella the experience she wanted.

Ella had to focus on her career goals, just like Sloane.

Hopefully, her heart goals would follow, too.