Page 15 of Offside Play (Love The Game #1)

Jude

“ W estern Conference Champions.”

Cody raised a brow as he handed me a beer before sinking onto the sofa next to me with his own bottle. “That has to be the fifth time you’ve said that since you got here.”

“Yeah, well. I’m proud of you, okay?”

He rolled his lip between his teeth, his lashes sweeping down as he stretched out, resting his legs on the L of his sofa cushions.

Taking a swig of his beer, he stared out at the city views.

I took the almost shy expression on his face, and I could read him well enough by now to know that he probably wouldn’t accept my compliment at face value.

Because it was just for him. Not for the team.

It had been two days since the Calgary Bobcats defeated Dallas 6-3 in the fifth game of the Western Conference Finals and became the subsequent champions. Two days that had left the entire city of Calgary buzzing.

The Stanley Cup Finals . My brother and my…

whatever Cody was to me, were going to get a chance to obtain the most important trophy in hockey.

It was the equivalent of my football team getting into the FA Cup final or being in the running to win the entire Premier League.

Not that I was likely to experience either of those things when I was inevitably transferred from Fulham to a team with an even worse track record.

Forget about football .

I pushed all thoughts of my uncertain future from my mind and clinked my beer bottle against Cody’s. “Cheers. I mean, I knew you were good, but watching you annihilate Dallas like that… Bloody hell, Cody. You were incredible.”

“It was a team effort,” he said, tipping his head back to rest against the firm cushions behind us.

I wished he could see himself the way I saw him. Still, I’d noticed the pride in his eyes before he’d angled his head away from me. I hoped he realised he was an integral part of making everything happen.

Placing my beer in the handy cupholder on the arm of the sofa, I kicked my feet up on the footstool and then dropped my head to Cody’s shoulder.

I felt him brush a kiss over my hair, and I smiled.

Tomorrow, he’d be on a plane to Toronto with his teammates, and I’d follow separately with the families and friends of the players.

But for now, we got to spend this bit of downtime together.

It was weird, thinking about how close we’d grown in such a short time.

Or more accurately, it was weird that it wasn’t weird.

Over the past few weeks, we’d been spending every moment together that we could manage.

Stolen hours between Cody’s practices and games, late nights in hotel rooms, early mornings in his apartment, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world feeling so far away.

It had been surprisingly easy to get away with it, too.

Brayden might’ve questioned me if he’d had more free time, but he was so caught up in the intensity of the playoffs and focusing on the team that he hadn’t even blinked when I’d told him I was doing my own thing.

The weirdest part was how natural it all felt.

How right. Like Cody and I had been together for months rather than just a few short weeks.

The guarded, grumpy asshole I’d met on my first day had let me past his walls, showing me a softer, deeper side, and I felt close to him in a way I never had with anyone before.

My phone buzzed on the coffee table, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I glanced down to see Rory’s name flashing up on my screen.

“Sorry,” I said to Cody, straightening up as I reached for my phone. “I’m gonna have to take this. It’s my agent.” I’d been putting off his calls for a few days, not ready for reality to intrude on my time in Canada with Cody. But I knew I couldn’t put him off forever.

“Jude! Finally.” Rory’s face appeared on the screen when I hit the button to accept the video call, his expression a mixture of relief and exasperation. “I was starting to think you’d been eaten by a bear.”

I laughed. “There are no bears in Calgary.” Glancing over at Cody, I paused, suddenly uncertain. Are there? I mouthed. He just smirked at me, the bastard.

Note to self—Google whether bears live in Calgary .

My full attention turned back to Rory when he said, “I’ve got some news that I think you’re going to want to hear. But before we get to that, how’s the hamstring?”

“Fine. All better. What news?”

I watched as my agent leaned forwards in his office chair, his excitement contagious even through the screen. “You know the transfer window is the busiest time of the year for agents.”

“Yeah…”

“I’ve been negotiating a lot of offers.”

“Yeah…”

“I have one for you.”

My heart stopped. “What? You do? Who?” This was it. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. The likelihood of me getting to stay in the Premier League…

His eyes met mine as he paused dramatically. “It’s an offer…from Glevum FC.”

What. The fuck. Glevum FC . The team who, although small in facilities and fan numbers compared to some of the other clubs in the Premier League, had managed to finish eighth in the league last season—and sixth the year before, when they’d also qualified for a place in the Europa League.

“What kind of offer?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“A three-million-pound salary kind of offer.” Rory smirked at the shock that I knew was written all over my face. I’d been trying to prepare myself to sign for a team in the league below, and yet?—

“Is this real? You’re not fucking with me?”

My agent sighed heavily. “Yes. It’s real.

Why do none of my clients believe me when I tell them these things?

” He threw up his hands. “It’s a five-year contract.

Three million a year, plus bonuses. We can talk about endorsement deals, too, if that’s something you’re interested in.

This is an opportunity of a lifetime, Jude. ”

He said it was real, but to me, it seemed completely un real. Glevum wanted me , and they wanted to pay me that much? Even after I’d cut my season short with a hamstring injury?

“That’s…” I was so blindsided I couldn’t even find the words. “I honestly don’t know what to say.”

“Say ‘You’re the best agent, Rory.’” He grinned at me before switching to what I liked to call his “professional mode.” “The terms are standard, nothing to worry about there. I’ve already had legal take a look at them, and I don’t envision any obstacles.

The contract is dependent on a medical as per usual, and they’re prepared to sort that out while you’re in Calgary, depending on how much longer you’re planning to stay there.

” He paused, and I bit down on my lip, feeling Cody’s gaze on me.

“Uh…”

“Give me a date by the end of the week. If you pass the medical, which I’m sure you will, they want you back in the country by the end of June to get everything ready before pre-season begins.

They might want you there sooner. Regardless, I can look into accommodation options and sort out the logistics of getting your flat packed up if you need me to. ”

Fuck. I was gonna have to pack up my whole life—not that I had much of value or even any attachment to my London rental flat—and start over in a new place.

Excitement fizzed through my veins, banishing the apprehension. Glevum FC . I’d never imagined this, not in my wildest dreams.

Next to me, Cody’s hand landed on my thigh, out of sight of Rory. He squeezed gently, and all at once, my excitement melted away. End of June . That was less than a month away. We had so little time left together.

Placing my hand over his, I pressed down lightly. Rory was looking at me expectantly, and I made a snap decision. Fuck it. Glevum deserved to know what they were getting if they signed me.

“Yeah. I’ll let you know about dates. Uh, Rory…before we get into all the logistics, I need to tell you something. Something important that might be relevant to my contract.”

His brows rose. “What is it?”

I exhaled unsteadily, focusing on the warm pressure of Cody’s palm on my thigh as I steeled myself for what I was about to say. “I’m bi. Uh, bisexual. I need you to mention that to Glevum and make sure they’re still interested in moving forward with the contract.”

There was a long silence, during which I could feel Cody’s shocked gaze on me. That made two of us. I hadn’t even known what I was going to say until that moment.

“Okay,” Rory said eventually. “Is there anything specific that’s happened that I need to be aware of?”

Nothing, except I think I might be falling for a professional hockey player, who happens to be a man and isn’t out himself .

“Uh, not really. I’ve been doing some thinking while I’m here. Finding myself or whatever. Y’know. I don’t wanna sign a contract with a club that might have issues with my sexuality down the line.”

Rory nodded briskly. “Say no more. I understand. Though I’m not sure you’d have any issues with Glevum. They’ve got Jordan Emery and Theo Lewin, after all.”

“Yeah, I know.” How could I forget the cruel way their relationship had been exposed, and the media shitstorm that followed? “It’s just… Do you think having two out players already might make them think twice about taking on another? It’s gonna add to the pressure they’re already under.”

“Let me speak to them, but I can’t see it being an issue.” Rory’s voice was reassuring, and some of the tension drained out of me. “Harvey’s been vocal about creating an inclusive environment.”

Harvey Raines . Glevum FC’s manager. If he was on board, then maybe it would be okay. Maybe I could really have this.

My gaze slid to the man sitting next to me.

His lips kicked up at the corners in a tiny, encouraging smile, and my stomach lurched.

Fuck. I was about to achieve my professional dreams, but at the same time, I was going to lose something that had become more important to me than anything I could have ever imagined.

I cleared my throat, giving my agent a brief nod of acknowledgement. “Okay. I haven’t decided whether I want to come out publicly yet, but I want the team to know, at the very least. I don’t want to start a new chapter of my career hiding who I am.”

Rory nodded. “Leave it with me. It’s better to have everything out in the open from the start.”

“Thanks, Rory.”

When the call ended, I threw my phone onto the cushion next to me and turned to face Cody, finding him sitting upright, an unreadable expression on his face.

“So.” He exhaled, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. “You’re bi.”

Was this a surprise to him? His dick had been inside me, after all. “Yeah, obviously,” I muttered, but he was continuing to speak, and I slammed my mouth shut.

“That’s a big thing to tell your agent. And the club that wants to sign you.”

I shrugged, trying to appear more casual than I felt. “If they have a problem with it, then it’s not the right place for me.”

Tilting his head back against the sofa, he rubbed his hand across his mouth. “Fuck. I wish— Never mind.”

“No, what?” I leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Tell me.”

“I wish I was more like you. You’re so fucking brave, Jude. Just coming right out and telling your agent. And, I dunno, you’re just so confident in knowing what you want and going for it. So…likeable. Not like me.”

Fucking hell. My chest hurt.

“Cody.” I gripped his jaw firmly, pulling him up to face me.

“Listen to me, okay? You’re confident. I’ve seen you on the ice.

You don’t let anyone or anything stop you when you put your mind to it.

” He opened his mouth to protest, but I clamped my free hand over it, ignoring his warning glare.

“And you’re likeable. Fucking hell, Marcus and his dad practically worship the ground you walk on. Or the ice you skate on, I guess.”

Curling his fingers around mine, he removed my hand from around his mouth. “That’s different.”

“It’s not. And don’t forget, I like you.

A lot more than I probably should, given this whole situation.

” I didn’t have to spell it out—we both knew we were on borrowed time.

“You protect your privacy, and yeah, that means keeping people at a distance. But that’s okay, Cody.

You don’t have to let everyone in. Just the people who care about you.

Like me. I’ve seen past your exterior, and do you know what? I really fucking like what I’ve found.”

“Jude,” he rasped, tugging me into him and sliding his mouth across mine. When we broke apart, he blinked rapidly, rubbing at his eyes. My chest ached so much, and I wished more than anything that he could just see himself through my eyes, to know how special he was.

In an effort to lighten the mood, I nipped at his jaw, smiling at his warning growl. Grumpy fucker.

My grumpy fucker.

“Speaking of being bi. Remember the day we first met, and you got all growly when I asked you about gay bars and said you weren’t gay?”

Cody rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m not gay. I’m bi, but I wasn’t about to admit that to a stranger.” As soon as he’d said the words, his eyes widened. “Fuck,” he whispered.

“What?”

“That’s the first time I’ve ever said that aloud to someone.” He fixed his gaze on me, his blue eyes filled with emotion. “How do you do that? How do you get past my walls?”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Because you know you can trust me. I’d never do anything to hurt you. Not on purpose.”

A humourless laugh fell from his lips. “I don’t know how that happened. Right from the beginning, I was an asshole who was trying to scare you off.” He shook his head. “Then I told myself you were just a random hook-up.”

“And now?”

“Now?” His mouth slid over mine. “Now, I trust you with my life.”

How had this happened? And how the fuck were we supposed to move on when all of it came to an end?

“Cody—”

He cut me off with a shake of his head. “Don’t. Let’s forget about all of that shit for tonight.”

“But we’ll have to face it eventually.”

He sighed against my lips. “I know we will. But not yet. Tonight, I just want to celebrate with the only person I want to be with.”

The only person I want to be with.

I managed a nod, and I felt him smile.

“Good.” He kissed me again, deeper this time, before releasing me. Dragging me upright with him, he mouthed down my throat, pressing his hardening cock into my thigh. “I think we should move the celebrations to my bed.”

“Mmm. Lead the way,” I said.