Stories for Malin

By Venice

His body is the colour of moonlight, spread out next to you. He breathes like a metronome, reliable and reassuring, while a faint smile still lingers on his face.

Sometimes you stay up a little longer just to watch him sleep. He lets go of everything, face covered in a gossamer veil of peaceful sleep. He's his own now, and you know that when he is his own, he's yours completely.

You want to use your fingers to investigate his textured body, thrilled as if it were the first time, as if you didn't know every line by heart. But you stop short of breaking through the filmsy glow of his skin, deciding it was best to leave him to be his own now.

Instead of tracing his skin, your mind traces back to that first time, that first meeting. And you wondered, of all the women there who fought for his attention, cluttering his vision, numbing his senses, why did he look for you? It was nothing more than a fleeting glance, a gentle brush of arm to arm, a split second.

"I saw something in your eyes." he whispered. "I wanted it for myself."

Seven years later you can still feel that look in his eyes like he had that first time, the one he enfolds you in when he thinks you're not watching. That's the look of being in another world, with you.

Your eyes are fixed on his mellow face, but your eyelids are heavy. You want to stay like this forever, but you're not fighting it. Because you know that by the time it dawns and his skin shimmers in a different light, turning his hair from silver to gold - you will be the one sleeping peacefully, and he will be awake, his fingers slowly drawing the line of your hair and neck with the lightest of touches.

Sometimes he wakes up a little earlier just to watch you sleep. He moves so close that his lips almost touch your ear, mouthing the gentlest of words. You don't need to be awake to hear them. They came to you in your sleep many times before. And they told you he wanted you to have him. Breath after breath, heartbeat after heartbeat he belonged more and more to you.

By Gina
Ok, just a quick note…Nando isn’t a baller in this story, just so you don’t get confused :D

Sighing heavily as she looked out of her bedroom window again, the blonde turned her attention back to the guy stood in her room, talking about something or other he’d done with his friends earlier that day. She’d given up trying to get back into the conversation a long time ago, mumbling the occasional ‘mm-hmm’ as he spoke to keep up the illusion that she was listening. He didn’t seem to notice though, carrying on with his explanation, complete with enthusiastic waving of the hands. She ducked her head as his arm swung millimetres away, nearly giving her a black eye. He stopped talking momentarily to check why she’d moved, nodding quickly as she told him to calm down before launching back into his story. She rolled her eyes and looked back out of her bedroom window. She could see the stable hand hard at work, his shirt cast to one side as the sun outside beat down on his pale skin. He looked up briefly, their eyes meeting, before his face flushed red and he looked away. She rested her forehead against the window, breathing out slowly as she felt her heart rate quicken. He disappeared back inside the building at the end of the courtyard and she sighed again, moving away from the window.

“Malin, are you ok?”
She looked up sharply, having almost forgotten her boyfriend was in the room and nodded.
“I’m fine, just a little tired. I might go back to bed for a few hours.”
“Oh ok. Do you want me to leave?”
She flashed him a quick smile before nodding, softly placing a kiss on his cheek.
“Sorry, I know you really wanted to tell me about your trip, but I haven’t been sleeping well recently and I could really do with a few hours. I’ll call you later.”
The guy nodded, heading for the door. He stopped just before leaving, turning to face her once more and checking if this was really what she wanted. With one final assurance that she’d call him later, he left and she was instantly back at her window, hoping to catch another glimpse of the stable hand.

It had been her mother’s idea to hire someone to help out with the horses while she was at school. She had a number of very important exams coming up and she needed to get good grades if she had any hope of achieving her dream of becoming a lawyer. She’d been reluctant to let someone else take care of her horses at first; they were her babies, her pride and joy. As soon as she’d set eyes on Fernando, she’d know she could trust him with them. He was tall, blonde and had a smile to die for. When she’d first met him, looking into his chocolate brown eyes, he’d smiled shyly, introduced himself and asked where the horses were. She’d taken him over to the stables and within minutes, he was inside, gentle hands running over the animals while he whispered soothing words. She’d fallen in love with him on the spot.

*Flashback*
“So, how long have you been working with horses?”
“Not that long if I’m honest. I just need some money right now, and I love horses, so when I saw the advert, I had to apply.”
Her jaw dropped open in shock, watching as her favourite horse stretched its neck in his direction, and he stroked its nose softly, not meeting her eyes. She found it hard to believe that this boy hadn’t been working with horses for that long. He seemed to have them under some kind of spell, even the most temperamental one was like putty in his hands.
“You’re a natural.”
He blushed and smiled at her again.
“I don’t know about that, I just feel comfortable around them.”
She placed a hand on his arm, instantly feeling the spark between them and she pulled away almost too quickly as he jumped in shock. Clearly he’d felt it too.
“I meant it Fernando. I’ve never seen them react to a complete stranger like this. The job’s yours if you want it.”
*End of flashback*

That had been six months ago, and since then, she’d watched him every day out of the comfort of her bedroom. They’d caught each other’s eye a number of times, but she’d tried to stop anything from happening. She was in a relationship already and it would get too complicated if she got involved with Fernando. He wasn’t going to be there forever, and she didn’t want to get hurt, but at the same time, breaking hearts wasn’t her style. It was clear that he liked her, he went red every time she attempted to speak to him. Once she was sure her boyfriend was long gone, she slipped on a pair of boots and headed down to the stables.

“Hey, still hard at work I see.”
The blond jumped at the sound of her voice, but composed himself fairly quickly, turning to meet her gaze.
“Yes, I’m nearly done here. I’m leaving early today, I have to meet some friends later. I can’t remember if I told you…”
He trailed off, uncertain if this was the right way to go about speaking to someone who was essentially his boss. She smiled and made her way over to the far end of the stable, picking up a spare pitchfork.
“I remembered, that’s why I came down to help out. Two pairs of hands are quicker than one, right?” She winked, laughing lightly as he blushed again. “Relax, would you? I don’t bite…unless you want me to?”
She bit her lip, a playful smile on her face. He looked down at his feet, then back up at her, an unreadable expression on his face as she leaned towards him, all thoughts of her boyfriend tucked away in a distant part of her brain. Their lips were just about to meet when a snort interrupted them, making them jump apart. One of the horses was stood just meters away from them, nodding its head and she walked over to stoke it. Fernando joined her seconds later, and as they stood on either side of the horses body, stroking its nose, their fingers brushed against each other. She took a deep breath, entwining their fingers as she stepped away from the horse, Fernando following her almost hesitantly.
“Malin…”
She pressed a finger to his lips to silence him before replacing it with her lips. Kissing him was nothing like she’d imagined it would be. His lips were soft, and his actions hesitant at first, until she placed his arms firmly around her waist and deepened the kiss.

An hour later, they were lying on the straw in one of the mucked out stalls, her head resting on his chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. His fingers were tangled up in her long blonde hair, a lazy and sated smile on his face. A noise outside the front of the building made them both sit up, shooting panicked looks at each other as they scrambled to get their clothes back on before they were caught. Picking up the pitchforks again, the continued working on the other stalls, just in time for her mother to walk in.
“Malin, there you are dear. I’ve been looking all over for you, I should have guessed you’d be down here with the horses. Are you done with your work?”
“Yes mum.”
“Right, in that case, when you’re done in here, dinner’s ready. Perhaps Fernando would like to join us too?”
She looked over at the boy stood next to her, squeezing his hand gently behind his back.
“If it’s not too much trouble ma’am, that would be lovely.”
“Oh no, its no trouble at all. You’re doing a wonderful job with the horses.”
He smiled softly, blushing again.
“Thank you ma’am.”
Her mother nodded, satisfied that the pair weren’t up to any mischief and headed back towards the house. As soon as she was gone, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
“That was too close.”
“Tell me about it. I thought she’d catch on for sure.”
They worked in silence for the next 15 minutes, all the while, a huge grin plastered on his face. Eventually, they dusted themselves off and looked around, proud of their work. She poked his side as he continued smiling.
“What’s so funny?”
“I didn’t know that there were perks to this job.” He replied, as he pulled her in for another kiss before they headed back towards the house, occasionally shooting shy glances at each other on the way.

MG's Scenario results game Part 6. More added 13th July

Steph – Roller disco, bubbles and Raul.
Venice – Music festival, tomato ketchup and VV.
Laura – Safari, black satin elbow length gloves and Cesc.
Sarah – Karaoke bar, fountain pen and Silva.


Freya- Pepe, a footballers wedding and handcuffs.

Manny and I entered the venue and were greeted by Malin and Nando. We gave them their presents and congratulated them on getting married. They were such a sweet couple and we were happy to see them tie the knot at last. Manny and I made our way to the dance floor to meet all the other Kickette girls and their dates. Manny made a beeline for the bar as, being Russian, he couldn’t go more than 20 minutes without some vodka. I went over to greet Gina and Pavi who were dancing to the Macarena. Both of them were completely off their heads and I was amazed that Gina hadn’t handcuffed anyone yet. Manny returned with the drinks and we all started dancing. Lucy and Cesc came over for a chat but didn’t stay long. They said something about Banana Body Butter and The Ramos so I didn’t question them. After a few hours I decided to go outside and get some fresh air as it was rather crowded and hot inside. I stood by the pool in silence looking up at the night sky when I heard someone stumble behind me. I turned around to see Pepe Reina waddling over to me, a stupid grin plastered across his face and a bottle of Southern Comfort in his hand. He came right up to me, bent down so his lips were brushing my ear and shouted ‘CAMAREROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!’ His voice was deafening and I retreated with his voice still ringing in ear. I couldn’t help but laugh at him. The boy that never really grew up! I remembered the victory parade in Madrid where he was all over the place and I laughed out loud. Pepe looked at me then said “Look what I found”. He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out some handcuffs. “Where did you get those?!” I asked inquisitively and we both looked at one another as I realised what a stupid question I had asked. Gina. Honestly, that girl, never without her trusty handcuffs! I saw Pepe lunge at me with his arm out stretched and quickly withdrew a step. He was trying to handcuff me! I turned and ran around the swimming pool, laughing aloud like a little child as I watched Pepe sliding all over the wet floor. He tried to take the corner too quickly, slipped and fell backwards into the pool. I stood at the poolside laughing my head off whilst Pepe floundered around in the water. He stood up, giggled like a 12 year old girl and held his hand out as if to say ‘Help me out then instead of standing there you divvy!’.

I leant forward, grabbed his hand and was about to pull him up when he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me in over his head. I stood up in the water, my hair all over the place, mascara dripping down my face and my dress well and truly soaked. I wanted to punch him so badly but the look on his face was so comical that I burst out laughing. We laughed for a good while until I noticed Pepe grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the steps of the pool. Suddenly I heard a clink and realised that he had handcuffed me to the handrail of the pool steps. Pepe got out of the water, turned to face me and I saw a smirk spread across his face. He then turned on his heel, walked to a deck chair, grabbed his bottle of Southern Comfort then re-entered the venue, soaking wet and singing “I Love You Baby” at the top of his voice. And so I sat there in the pool waiting for someone to realise I was missing then rescue me. I heard a voice behind me and turned to find David Silva by the steps on the other side of the pool. “Gina?” I asked. “Gina!” he replied, rolling his eyes.

Malin– Plane, golden syrup and Nando.

Flight 7549 to Liverpool, prepare to board please

I dragged myself from the book I was reading, peering at my husband sitting next to me, completely lost in the latest issue of Fourfourtwo.
- That is our plane, right?
- Must be, I didn’t really listen. But everyone seems to be getting up.

We got to our feet. He took my small bag without a word. He was so sweet like that, a true gentleman. Always carrying my bags, opening doors, pulling out chairs. The cutest thing about it was that he seemed so sincere with it, like it came naturally and not because he should do it. We found our places quickly, first class. We had been away to New York and Florida for a few weeks of holiday, visiting a few friends, shopping and spending some lazy days at the beach in Miami. It was early morning now and the jetlag hadn’t really got off me. I was tired, my entire body felt heavy. Fernando put his arms around my shoulder and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I smiled at him and cuddled up against his chest. We had a few hours before we would be back home. I fell asleep with the scent of him in my nose and the thought of our bed at home in my mind.

I woke up about an hour later, still with his arm around me. He stroked my arm gently and held his magazine with the other hand.
- So you’re awake now? Slept well?
He leaned in for a kiss, his lips soft against mine. His hand slide down my arm to my waist and he placed the other one on my thigh. I ran a finger over the small glimpse of tanned, toned skin showing where his shirt had gone up. His kiss got more intense, but we were interrupted by a perky air hostess who turned up with a tray.
- Breakfast?
She placed the tray in front of us, and all of a sudden I felt hungry. There was fresh fruit, blueberry muffins, ice cold orange juice, and fluffy pancakes accompanied by a bottle of golden syrup. Fernando, however, didn’t seem to be all that interested in eating. While I was trying to eat my pancakes, his lips were on my neck, down towards my collarbone. People in the seats near us watched with great interest, but he didn’t care, that was obvious. When his hand slid over my thigh again, I gasped, losing control over the fork with pancake in my hand. It tipped, a tiny drop of syrup landed on my belly. It was warm and the top I had chose ran up all the time. Fernando stopped dead, watching the golden drop resting on my skin. Slowly, he scoped it up with his fingertip and licked it off. Paralysed, I stared at him. Suddenly I was no longer in the mood for eating. For a moment, we just sat there and looked into each others eyes, and the he got to his feet, abruptly, saying that he needed to go to the bathroom. And then, just before he turned to go, he winked at me. I felt my stomach turn pleasantly inside me. Was this really happening?

I waited for a few minutes, not wanting to draw attention to myself, before I stood up and wandered away towards the toilet where I had seen him disappear. Hesitantly, I knocked on the door. At once, he opened it and dragged me in. The door shut behind me and he pushed me up against it. All signs of careful caresses were gone. We kissed feverishly, his hands running over my waist and up under my top, pulling it off over my head. I moaned quietly as his lips went down my neck. I reached for his shirt and started to undo the buttons, caressing his bare chest when it got off. His skin felt warm and soft underneath my fingers. I felt his hands on me when he unzipped my pants, pulling them down. He breathed heavily against my neck, his arms around me, when I finally got off his jeans. He grunted, pushing me harder against the wall, pressing his body to mine. I smiled when I felt really how excited he was. Next thing I knew, my underwear was gone, ripped off to pieces. We moved slowly, my legs wrapped around his waist, his arms holding me up, failing completely to keep the noises down. The sensation of his naked skin against mine and the knowledge that this was illegal, but so terribly nice, nearly got me through the roof. His movements got faster and faster when he felt me reaching it, until he tensed, pressing against me even harder, and it was over. For a moment we stood still, his soft brown eyes all blurry, buried in mine. I leaned towards him, kissed him softly, ran my fingers through his hair. The dirtiness went gone when he pulled me close and breathed in my hair, his arms wrapped tight around me, like he didn’t want to let me go.

It felt like forever before we finally managed to get our clothes back on, slightly giggly as we tried to straighten up a bit. His hair was a mess, mine as well probably. We stumbpled out through the door and went back down the corridor hand in hand, laughing, me carrying my shoes in my hand, to lazy to put them on. His shirt was merely buttoned. We fell down in a cuddly pile on our seats.
- I love you Malin.
He whispered in my ear before we fell asleep, my chin resting on his chest.

Gina– The countryside, a candle and The Davids.

Although it was a clear night, the temperature outside was below freezing. The stars glittered in the sky, their warmth a million light years away. There was a neat white blanket of snow surrounding the car, covering the ground completely. It was the middle of winter and the weather was unforgiving, the air crisp and the temperatures sharp. The wind whistled through the car window as the pair sat in silence. She had her arms crossed over her chest and she was looking out of the window, completely ignoring her companion. He tried to get her attention, placing a hand softly on her arm but she shrugged him off angrily, shooting him a glare before returning her gaze to the woodland to her right.

“Gina…”

“Don’t you dare start this right now!”

“I’m sorry. I really am. I thought this was the right way, I didn’t realise it was a dead end.”

She spun round to face him, meeting his gaze, sparks of fury emitting from the depths of her hazel eyes. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, but she bit them back, determined not to let him see her cry. She was far too angry right now, and she wanted him to know that.

“It’s a bit late for apologies! I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere in a car with a broken window in the middle of winter. It is minus seven degrees outside, I am freezing my backside off and the car has died on us because it’s too cold! As if that wasn’t enough, my boyfriend is sat in a cottage somewhere five miles east of here waiting for me, and I’m stuck in this bloody car with you!! Excuse me if polite conversation is not top on my list of priorities right now.” With that, she turned back to the other side, determined to keep ignoring him.

Only seconds later, and as if to prove her point about how cold it was, she shivered, the evening gown she was wearing not doing much to keep her warm. He sighed and shrugged his jacket off, holding it out to her. The movement caught her eye and she turned around, unfolding her arms and taking it from him silently. She wrapped it around her shoulders, the heat from the garment, which had just been removed from him warming her instantly. He bit his lip as he watched her hair fall into her face, longing to reach out and brush it away, but it wasn’t his place. She wasn’t his anymore. As if she could sense his eyes on her, she looked up, their eyes meeting and they smiled at each other.

“I am sorry, I know that tonight was important to you. Can’t you call him and let him know you’re going to be a bit late?”

“A bit late? I was meant to be there half an hour ago, I’m pretty sure he knows I’m running late. There’s no network coverage anyway.”

“I saw a pay phone a couple of meters back.”

“I’m not going out there! It’s freezing!”

“I’ll call him. I won’t be long.”

Before she had a chance to say anything, he was opening the car door and stepping out into the road. She watched him run across the road towards the pay phone, noting how the t-shirt he was wearing clung to him. She bit her lip, shaking those thoughts out of her head. They’d been there before, it hadn’t worked out. Tearing her eyes away, she turned her attention back to the woodland to her right, barely even noticing the chill anymore. A few minutes later, she heard the car door slam shut again and turned to look at him.

“Well?”

“He’s ok, just worried about you. He thought you’d stood him up at first, but don’t worry, I put him straight.”

“Good. Thank you.”

A silence fell upon them again, and he brought his hands to his face, blowing on them to try and bring some life into the frozen digits. She reached across the handbrake, taking his hands in her own.

“You’re frozen.”

“It’s minus seven out there, of course I’m frozen.”

She frowned at the sharp biting tone, but said nothing, concentrating on warming his hands up before they turned blue and dropped off. He noticed the look on her face and pulled one of his hands out of her grasp, tapping her on the nose lightly.

“Hey.”

She looked up, still struggling to hold back all the emotions that were threatening to break loose. She’d had a nightmare day, a trip to the countryside in the middle of winter had been the last thing she needed, and now she was stuck out here until dawn, if not later. The road the car had broken down on was one of those quiet, winding countryside roads, and few cars passed through.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. I know this isn’t exactly your perfect scenario, and I’m sorry for messing up.”

“It’s fine. The day I was having, I’d be surprised if this had gone to plan.”

“He’ll wait for you, you know that.”

“He shouldn’t have to. I should have been there on time. If I’d looked at the map properly…”

“Don’t blame yourself, ok? This isn’t your fault. Someone will find us tomorrow and it’ll all be over, you can go to the cottage and speak to him.”

“What if it’s too late by then? He said it was important.”

“He will wait for you. Stop stressing, that face is too pretty for a frown.”

She couldn’t help but smile at that. He’d always known how to cheer her up, even through a small, well placed comment. She looked down at their interlinked hands, thinking how right it looked. How well they fit together…like it was meant to be. Shaking her head again, she pulled her hand away from him sharply. He looked over at her, noting how she had suddenly tensed up. He hated seeing her like this, so distraught and emotional. It still tugged on his heartstrings when she was upset.

“Gina…”

“Don’t. Please just don’t.”

He placed a hand on her arm again, but she didn’t shrug him off this time. Instead, she looked up at him, their eyes meeting again. He leaned in, his head screaming at him to stop, but his heart telling him to continue. She flinched back slightly, but it was like there was an invisible force between them, drawing them together. She gasped softly as she felt his lips press against hers, but she didn’t pull away. He reached for her hand, entwining their fingers as the kiss intensified. She knew this was wrong, they both did, but they couldn’t seem to stop. Her heart was screaming at her to stay put, but her head told her to pull away, so she did, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and shuffling as far away from him as possible. Looking through the glove compartment of the car, she pulled a piece of paper out, scanning over it quickly in the moonlight. Seconds later, she was clambering out of the car, limbs flailing as she slipped on a patch of ice. He was out of the car and by her side in seconds, checking for any damage. She swatted his hands away when he offered to help her up, using the car door as leverage. When she had brushed herself off, she handed him his jacket and started walking across the road to the woodland.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to make it to that cottage to see him if it’s the last thing I do.”

“You’re not going on your own. It’s cold and it’s dark, and you don’t know the way. If we get lost, we’re getting lost together.”

She let out a low growl and grit her teeth but nodded. He was by her side before she could blink, and they walked through the trees in complete silence, neither wanting to be the first to bring up their moment in the car. That ship had sailed a long time ago, it was best all round if they didn’t go back there.

It was nearly four hours later when they finally emerged from the woods, frozen and tired, but spurred on by the thought that soon, they’d be in a nice warm cottage, sat by the fire and waiting for the heat to bring their limbs back to life. She let out a shriek of delight as she spotted a small building in the distance and set off running towards it. He followed her, just as happy that they had finally reached civilisation. As they approached the cottage, they slowed their pace to a walk, trying desperately to get their breathing and heart rates back to normal. She could hear the blood rushing around in her ears as her heart worked overtime to pump oxygenated blood around her body.

She was just about to knock on the door when it swung open to reveal David Silva wearing a smart black suit and a worried look on his face. She fell into his open arms, and he ushered the pair in, shutting the door behind them.

“I was so worried about you two out there in this weather, they said there’s a storm building.”

“It’s just as well your girlfriend is so stubborn, she just took off without warning. She was that determined to get here.”

“Thank you for looking out for her David, I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to her.”

The taller guy clapped his friend on the back, smiling at him before making his way over to the fireplace. He sat down on the rug, crossing his legs and closing his eyes as he felt the heat wash over him, soothing his aching body. He tried his best to block out the couple behind him, not wanting to intrude on their private conversation. He felt incredibly guilty about the kiss he’d shared with Gina in the car, but he knew now that he was making the right decision in letting her go. He could picture the way her face had lit up when the door opened to reveal Silva standing there. It was a look he’d grown to know and love when they were together, but it was no longer a look that belonged to him. He heard their footsteps retreating to the other room and he lay back, thinking back to a happier time when he’d had it all, only to throw it away. He knew that if there was anyone who deserved to be happy, it was the couple stood in the other room. He couldn’t stand in the way of that, no matter how much his heart broke to see them together.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Gina was stood by the door, staring at the scene before her in complete and utter shock. There were a number of candles set out on the table and as she stepped closer, she realised they spelled something out. She brought her hands up to her face as she read the message, a gasp escaping her as her brain processed the words. Turning back to the door, she bit her lip to stop the smile from spreading as she saw her boyfriend down on one knee, holding a box containing a simple diamond ring out to her. He swallowed nervously before speaking, his voice still slightly hoarse.

“Will you marry me?”

She could barely hold back the squeal of excitement as she knelt down on the ground in front of him and pressed her lips against his. She whispered only four words, but they were exactly the words he had been hoping to hear.

“Yes. I love you.”

With a smile on his face as he slid the ring onto her finger, he whispered them back, before pulling her in for another kiss.


Pavi- London, a thermometer and The Ramos.

A few months after finishing school I found myself without a direction in life so I decided to move to London since some of my best memories were in that city. Once I arrived I set about trying to find a job and on a whim I decided to apply for a position at Arsenal FC as the Manager’s assistant. I never thought I’d get the job in a million years but a few weeks later I was getting the official tour of the club and meeting all the staff and players.

Meeting the players was a surreal moment because I had read so much about their lives and followed some of their careers for such a long time. When I met Philippe Senderos I couldn’t help but think about the numerous posts I had seen about his WAG, Moonie on Kickette. The last two players, David Silva and Sergio Ramos, were new to the club and had completed their transfers following their unbelievable win at the Euros.


As I walked over to meet Silva I remembered he had just gotten married to his long-time girlfriend Pau two weeks ago. “Congratulations on your wedding, you both looked incredible.” He just gave me a shy smile and thanked me.

Next I walked over to Ramos to introduce myself, “hello my name is Pavi, and I’ve been a huge fan of yours for years.” He just said “thank you” but he seemed so shy and completely different than what I thought he would be like. As I was about to turn and walk away I thought I caught him winking at me but I just figured it was my eyes playing a trick since I had secretly lusted after him for a few years.

A few weeks after I had started working there I felt like I had finally gotten the hang of how things worked. One afternoon as my day was winding down; Ramos came into the office looking a bit like a child being sent to see the headmaster, I tried very hard to stop myself from laughing. He looked at me for a few seconds before saying “I’m here to meet Arsene, he told me to come after training.” I instantly noticed that his English was improving since he’d been in London. “Arsene’s on the phone at the moment so it will be a few minutes, just take a seat.” He just smiled at me and went to go sit down but I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. All of a sudden I heard a phone ringing and realized it was Ramos’ phone, he picked up and said “Hi Nando how are things going in Mersyeside?” He laughed at something Nando said on the other end and his next question was “how are Malin and the kids doing?” As he was finishing up his conversation, Arsene came out of his office and signaled for him to come in, as he was walking into the office he turned back to me and gave me a smile which I returned.
The next day I had gone into the office early to finish up some paperwork, I started to feel a little sick and thought I might be coming down with a fever. So I went to the nurse’s area to get a thermometer to check my temperature. As I reached out to grab the thermometer, another hand reached out from behind me to grab it.

I whirled around to see who it was and of course it was Ramos since he seemed to be popping up everywhere lately. “I’m sorry I need the thermometer for Silva, it seems he’s not feeling so well today” he said. I instantly burst into laughter and he just stood there with a confused look on his face. After I gained control of myself I just looked at him and said “it reminds me of when you checked Fernando’s head for a fever during the Euros, you seem to be the team doctor.” He looked annoyed for a few seconds before he burst into laughter himself.

With Silva, the thermometer and my fever forgotten we ended up talking about how we were both new to life in London and how we were settling in. Before I knew it he was grabbing the back of my head and kissing me. He began to unbutton my shirt while I was lifting his shirt over his head. He lifted me up so we were both standing and then picked me up and put me on the examination table. We could barely wait until we were both undressed so he just pushed my skirt up and lowered his shorts. It was anything but gentle and before I knew it I was screaming his name into his shoulder and I could feel his muscles tensing up.

We both collapsed in a heap on the table and I didn’t think I would be able to move for a very long time, but the next thing I knew I heard voices coming down the hall. We both jumped up from the table and began dressing in a hurry. Before we left the room he leaned over and kissed me passionately before whispering “until next time” in my ear.

Villa baby- Xabi, Desert island and black elbow length gloves

“Please, don’t panic! It’s all going to be OK!” the captain was shouting while running over the deck. I didn’t understand what was going on until I’ve heard one woman screaming and throwing herself over the fence into the ice cold water. “What the hell is going on?” I wondered, but soon it all became clear to me. We were about to hit a giant iceberg in the middle of the ocean. “Oh my God, we’re going to die!” were mostly the only words I could hear while people were running around looking for a safe place to hide. And I acted as I wasn’t aware of the situation, just stood in one place without a word or a scream. Suddenly, I felt a big strike breaking our boat apart. And after that, I remember nothing…

* * *

Day 1

I woke up in an unknown place, all alone, surounded with sand and palm trees. It took me a while to remember what actually happened. It would be better if I hadn’t. Horrified and scared, but still curious, I spent the whole day wandering around the island, not looking for anything particular. I found some water, that encouraged me a bit, but I still don’t what will happen to me.

Day 2

I decided to swim up to that what’s left of our boat and find something I could use. Amongst the other things, I took one small wooden box, not knowing what’s inside. When I made it to the coast and took care of the things I’d brought, I openned the box. It surprised me to see black satin elbow length gloves. “Whose were those?” I wondered. They looked really nice, but were completely unuseful in that moment.

Day 3

As walking down the beach, I noticed a man laying in the sand. I was far for seeing him well, but I recognized the Spanish NT jersey he was wearing. When I’d came closer, I wanted to assure he was alive. When he opened his eyes, I offered him some water and helped him to get up.
“Hi, my name is Xabi!” “Xabi, who?” I thought. He seemed aware of me not knowing who he was and continued: “Xabi Alonso, I’m a Spanish footballer.”
“Oh, yes, that explains your shirt! Sorry, it might be the sun affecting my memory.”
“Never mind. What’s your name again?”
“Oh, sorry, it’s Olja, but feel free to call me Villa Baby.”
Then he told me what happened to him and apparently we were on the same boat.

Day 4

I get along with Xabi very good. He’s such a nice guy. Today we decided to find some place to sleep and hide from the sun.
“It would be the best for us to build an improvised roof just to keep us away from the direct sunlight. And we can sleep on the ground as we did earlier.” I agreed. While taking the tools and other things he needed, he found those gloves and asked:
“Do you mind me taking these gloves? You know, my MXA doesn’t like when my hands aren’t soft and gentle. Hope these’ll help.”
“Be my guest!” I answered while trying to hide a smile

Paris– Beach, a baby pram and Xabi.

I had been working hard all year taking on extra shifts till all hours, and thought I had earned my well-deserved vacation to Madrid; the beach was breath-taking the sun was glistening. I could finally relax or so I thought. Suddenly I heard a scream a woman running towards the ocean “My baby, my baby, someone help please” she cried.
I jumped up, to my horror I saw a baby pram rolling rapidly towards the ocean. Unexpectedly a rather well endowed gentleman came out of nowhere sprinting towards the pram; I began to hear yelling from a number of individuals,
“Xabi, that’s Xabi Alonso”. Could it be was Xabi Alonso going to save the helpless child from drowning? In the distance I could see Xabi had caught up to the pram he gripped his right hand on to the handle of the stroller and gently pulled the child to safety. A roar of applause and cheering came from the many people at the beach. Xabi turned to his admirers and waved “Thank you, it was nothing” he replied. He walked through the crowd that continued there endless applause. Still standing I could see Xabi walking towards my direction, he whispered in my ear “follow me” he brushed my hair away from my neck and kissed it, his supple lips sent a shiver through my body. I followed him to the other end of the beach it seemed abandoned; the bellow of Xabi’s fans was a distant memory. The silent atmosphere was perfect. I turned to Xabi he gave me a mischievous grin, his hair was wet as were his swimming shorts which clung to his lower body. He took my hand and pulled me towards him, I felt a rush of excitement. He put his hands on either side of my waist and began to kiss my neck that same feeling came over me. I looked into his dark eyes for a few seconds, yet it felt like we had shared an everlasting moment. Abruptly I pushed him away and ran to the ocean, I could hear a loud laugh from Xabi as he followed me. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned in and kissed his neck, countless thoughts were running through my mind, I can’t do this, is this too spontaneous? The sensation that it was so wrong made the experience more thrilling. We continued to kiss until a wave struck the two of us thrusting us beneath it deep into the ocean. I moved my arms and legs fiercely to escape the water and take in a breath.
“Xabi where are you” My question was answered with nothing but the sound of the thudding waves. Worried, I continued to call for him, again no reply. Out of the blue his comforting laugh came to the surface and a large smirk returned to my face, he was safe. “That wasn’t funny I actually thought you were hurt”
“I’m fine you don’t need to worry, do you really think I would leave you out here”
As I turned away from him I could see a boat, it was closer than the dry land and I figured it would be safer to approach the boat as the waves were becoming more violent. We both swam to the boat; I clasped both hands on to the handle and pulled myself up with Xabi’s assistance. The weather had taken a turn for the worst I felt like I was still in London rather than Madrid. Unfortunately, the isolated boat was less than a masterpiece, Xabi was searching through the cupboards and came across some towels he wrapped one around me and held me close. We sat down on the edge of the boat using the towel to keep us warm. He ran one hand up my thigh and we were undressed in an instant. He was tender yet still powerful; I had never experienced anything like it. The feeling lasted for a while, again I caught a glimpse of his gleaming eyes that still made me walk I knew we would never forget this moment.

MG- Minty, a belt and a hospital.

‘Mr Torres please!’ I called, smiling as a tall, dark haired man stood up and made his way into my treatment room.
God I love this job I thought to myself admiring his broad shoulders and toned back as he walked in front of me.
Being a sports masseur isn’t as glamorous as everyone seems to think and much of my previous work had involved overweight men with frozen shoulders from golf excesses or perma-tanned middle aged women with tennis elbow! However since landing this position at the private health clinic used by the Real Madrid and Spanish squads things have definitely began to look up!

‘Ok if you’d like to take your trousers off and lay face down on the treatment bed please I’ll be with you in a minute’
He looked a little startled but I didn’t have time for coyness so with a grin he undid his belt and stepped out of his jeans. As I washed my hands I explained that I would begin with a gentle session the first time building up the intensity each week so as not to aggravate the original injury.

Standing at the side of the bed looking down on him I almost licked my lips in anticipation. I had seen many bodies over the years - some good some bad but this one had to be the absolute best!! The previously admired shoulders and back led down to a firm peach shaped bottom, steely thighs and taut, brown calves.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself I began the slow firm strokes I’d done on hundreds of thighs before. This time however it felt so different, the rippling of his muscles beneath my fingers made my head spin and the urge to continue up and under his shorts was almost unbearable!

I was so focussed on controlling my own desire it was only when I heard a deep groan from the bed that I realised my patient was also getting a little overheated himself.
‘Maybe we should take a break?’ I suggested, rather embarrassedly ‘It’s getting quite er…. hot in here!’
Sitting up he turned to face me and following my downwards gaze grinned sheepishly,
‘Sorry!’ he shrugged ‘I guess it must be a hazard of the job?’
‘Sometimes’ I nodded ‘although it doesn’t usually effect me as well!’
This was obviously the sign he needed to take things further as before I had a chance to object he had pulled me too him and was kissing me; Gently at first then harder and faster as his desire grew. Greedily he sucked my bottom lip between both of his and made love to my mouth with his tongue.
I allowed myself a moment to luxuriate in the sensations this created within me before pulling my mouth away while I removed his shirt with trembling fingers. Having unwrapped my prize I stood back to admire it for a moment before losing myself in him once more.
With a feather light touch I ran my tongue over his chest causing a strangled cry to escape from the his throat and following the braille like pattern of goose bumps moved up to the hollow of his neck, before sharply nipping the tender skin with my teeth. He flinched slightly at this new sensation then watched in fascination as I caught the thin trickle of blood on the end of my finger and raised it to my mouth, allowing the sweet, metallic taste to intoxicate my senses.

Suddenly the slow sensual pace was gone, replaced by the fervent tearing off of clothes and the desperate need for satisfaction. As he picked me up and carried me to the bed the sound of the telephone broke into my almost delirious mind.
‘I must get it’ I sighed, ’it’s the receptionist and if I don’t answer she’ll come to see if I’m alright’
‘ Ok!’ he whispered putting me down on the edge of the desk ‘But be quick!’
‘Hello!’ I answered picking up the hand set and trying to sound as professional as possible.
‘Oh hi its Miranda - just to let you know Mr Torres has arrived for his thigh massage’
‘Yes I know’ I replied closing my eyes at the delicious trail his lips are creating on my skin, ‘I’m attending to him now!’
‘Oh no not that one’ Miranda answered officiously ‘That’s Miguel Torres he’s your 3.30 shoulder massage! I’m talking about Fernando Torres your 3 o clock appointment - he’s a bit late, says he’s really sorry!!’

‘Tell him its ok - I must have got the wrong Mr Torres’ I sighed replacing the receiver as Miguel demonstrated quite emphatically that I most definitely hadn’t!!

Pau– Funfair, helium balloons and Silva.

I was having a blast at Edinburgh´s annual funfair. Everything was just perfect, the weather not to cold, my kickettes and I having an amazing time together. Even when we have gone to the funfair with a different goal (stalking the Spanish ballers) we were having an amazing time together.

Everything had happened so fast! One day I was checking Kickette as usual when I saw the new post:

Spanish ballers spot all around Edinburgh!

I immediately grab the phone and I called everyone! Pavi, Ali, Steph, Gina, Lucy, Freya, MG, VB, Laura, Venice, Malin and MXA! Next thing we are all meeting each other in King´s Cross to start our 4 hour journey to Edinburgh! We have such a great time, but when we hit Princess Street we were very alert, pretty soon we realized we were been ridiculous so we just start having fun..

We were disusing if Olalla had or not a boob job when a sexy tall blond guy approach us and with a perfect English he asked Freya, Lucy and Malin to go with him in a beach walk..
- You are Fernando Torres!! – Screamed Freya and Lucy at the same time. Malin was about to faint..
-
He smiled and assent,
-I noticed you are wearing my jersey so I thought maybe you will enjoy it
Before you could even say “Niño” Freya, Lucy and Malin had disappear with Nando.

We were shocked! But still the girls and I managed to have lots of fun.
-Oh my! - I say- Is that Whoreida???
And Yes! She was, using nothing but a 90´s bikini even when the weather wasn’t THAT warm. You could spot her nasty legs from 10 yards, and she was..
- Flirting with The Ramos! – Ali say!
- We cant aloud this Ali- answer Pavi!

The two friends grab each other by the arm and with a determined walk they approach The Ramos and scare away Whoreida. The Ramos who is actually a pretty shy person was very grateful with Ali and Pavi so he asked them to join him in lunch.

The rest of us look at each other and laugh. We continue walking and gossiping, when Steph trip with a boy. He smiled at her and apologize. Steph was mute, it was Bojan!
Bojan continue walking but he turned to look Steph he winked and with his head he point to the “Mirror House”
-Excuse me – Steph said before following Bojan.

Suddenly Mr Xabi Alonso (yes! Mr Xabi Alonso!) Appear in front of us
-excuse me, lovely ladies, would you be interested in buying tickets for lotto? The first price is a romantic dinner with.. – suddenly Xabi shout up and gave an intense look to MXA, whom instantly blush.
- with who, Xabi?- I asked, and everyone giggled
-with ah.. oh.. sorry, Raul- he answer with his eyes still stick on MXA- excuse me what´s your name?

MXA smiled, took him by the arm, and as she walk away with him she simply say you can call me MXA..

-well girls that leaves.. where are you going?- I start laughing when I saw Laura, MG and Venice were going in the same direction MXA and Xabi have gone..
- A romantic dinner with TOH? Are you kidding we must buy all the ticket available!- answer Venice..

Gina, VB and I exchange looks and we continue walking around the funfair who was huge and very crowded..
-Villa.. were the hell is Villa- said Gina
- I know- replied VB- everyone has meet her fav ballers but us!..

I was so happy that I haven’t think about him, David Silva. I had met him a few weeks ago, after a Valencia- Chelsea match in Stamford Bridge, I was sitting in first row and If you ask me what happened there I can´t answer, my eyes were staring at Silva the entire match, and I must say he maybe notice it because when the match ended he went where I was sit and offer me his jersey.. I was petrified. And the idea of seeing him today was so marvelous I didn’t want to think about it…

-Look! Helium balloons!- exclaimed Gina, - are you thinking what I am thinking?
We ran like little kids to the balloons stand and started to make funny voices.
-say it Gina- VB say between laughs
-ok!- Gina inhale some helium from the balloons and with that particular voice start- I want to lick Villa´s hip dips.. jajajaja
We were laughing so hard we didn’t notice the gorgeous tan man that was standing behind us, carrying a little girl..
- Ok you can lick them, but not in front of Zaida- the man laugh
VB open her mouth of surprise but couldn´t say anything, Gina was about to die there..
- No! I mean oh stupid helium voice- Gina start to say, but in fact the helium effect hadent pass so she still had that funny voice-
- Let us invite you and Zaira an icecream- snap VB, pulling embarrassed Gina and Villa to the closest Ben and Jerry´s stand..
I stood there and laugh, but suddenly I felt lonely.

I started walking round the funfair, when I saw a huge mechanic ride, being as lonely as I was I decided to have a little of fun by myself, so I purchased myself a ticket and I got in line. When it was my turn to get in I realized I was going to seat with someone else so I got a little uncomfortable..
-sorry ´mam- the man in charge of the ride give me a sorrow look- but there is someone in the VIP line, so I have to pass him before, you don’t mind sitting with him, or you prefer to wait to next turn?
- Excuse me sir – a soft voice said- but I think you should let the lady enjoy the ride with me.
David Silva was standing behind and smiling in a way that made my knees tremble.

I smiled back at him and I sit in the rollercoaster car.
When he sat next to me, I whisper to his ear
- I am sure I´ll enjoy the ride.

Ali- Villa, Disneyland, and (fire) torch.

It was your typical magical day. Birds sang, children laughed, and frazzled parents adjusted their fanny packs. All was well in Disneyland...or so it seemed. Deep in the depths of Space Mountain, I (who was there for as yet unknown reasons) stumbled upon the ruler of Disneyland, Senor David Villa, who was finally rising after passing out from a month long post-Euro victory bender. He was bleary eyed and wearing only a pair of golden boots. In his hand he clutched a crumpled note from his wife. "Read this note to me!" he commanded and caught up in his aura of magical power I immediately complied.
The note read:

Dear David,
After watching your unrequited man love for Fernando Torres during the Euro's and then waiting for a month for you to return home I could not take it anymore. I fear your duties for Valencia and your country as well as being ruler of Disneyland is taking too much of a toll on our relationship. I have taken baby Z and moved back with my parents.
Good bye.

A bit surprised by the state of his affairs, Senor Villa gave me a moody glare and and sent me off to find him some proper clothes. The first person I came across was Tarzan and after some begging was able to purloin his loin cloth. Moodily Villa went striding off to the Cinderella castle in his classy, leather manwrap while I attempted to help Tarzan cover himself with discarded cotton candy.

David's moody glares were so intense that the day became stormy and thunder and lightening began to flash through the sky. His Disneyland minions knew that all was not well and quickly made their way to the castle to await their leader. As he arrived they began to chant:

"Master, Master of..Sex Education."
As that didn't seem to be cheering him up they switched their chant to
"Hip Dip God, Hip Dip God!"
"Silence", he yelled!

Everyone quickly became silent except for Sebastien who just never knows when to be quiet.

"Master Senor Villa," he said. "Unfortunately, because you no longer have a Master-ess you can't really tell us what to do anymore. According to the ancient laws, you must have a wife or all your power will be gone."

Having lost his clothes, wife, and daughter all at the same time Villa could not bear the thought of losing Disneyland too. He ran to the dungeons to wallow in despair. As he lay in the steamy dungeon, the many torches flickering light over the sweat running down his chest and chiseled hip dips, he heard the sound of metal clanking.

He looked over and saw a beautiful lady chained to the wall with handcuffs. Her beauty was so great that he was struck speechless and could do nothing but stare at her moodily.
Once he was done with all that staring, he released her, and they embraced. No words were necessary, they knew they were meant to be.

And so Villa found a new wife, whom he would later affectionately call his Gina Pina. They were married in a lovely wedding with watermelon wedding cake. At the wedding Tarzan came up to me and thanked me for helping him with his wardrobe earlier. We had both come alone so he asked me to be his date and I soon learned his full name was Tarzan Beds. ;)

David Villa and Gina Pina ruled Disneyland for many years, Baby Z came to stay with them every other weekend and some holidays, and we all lived happily ever after. The End!


Blue_Skyz- Raul, on a plane, black satin gloves.
(this story is inspired by MG’s ‘sport’ massage and Pau’s SBAers reunion – and apologies for bringing one non-Spanish baller – I couldn’t help it – Joaquin no longer does it for me and the others were taken… hehehe)

That morning we were on our way back to Madrid. The team was in the mood to celebrate Spain’s World Cup win aboard the plane, despite the fact that most of us were still nursing hangovers from the party last night.
It was getting dark outside, and everyone seemed to be (finally) resting – it was a long flight from Johannesburg.
I glanced around the cabin and smiled after seeing all my friends sleeping blissfully next to their Spanish ballers.

The Spanish Football Association really, really liked their famous website – the SBA - and as a token of appreciation, the bosses decided to give the girls a special spot in the Spanish National team entourage during the World Cup. And they were clearly having the time of their lives!
*
At the front of the cabin, I could see Callie snuggling up with Iker – they look so cute together!

Venice and Raul were sitting next to them… hang on… where’s Raul? He must be looking for some cookies.

Not far away – MXA was resting her head on her true love’s shoulders – Xabi.

Bojan Krkić - who missed Euro 2008 – I’ve never seen him so happy since he started hanging out with Steph.

Poor Laura and Erin – they’re sitting not far away from drunkety –drunk–drunk Pepe, who was snoring loudly. They must be missing Dan Agger and Stevie G.

Nando was falling fast asleep in his seat – he’s sitting in between Malin and Lucy – that guy just can’t make up his mind… I’d definitely give him a slap if he ever breaks their hearts!

Speaking of a trio: El Ramos was hugging both Ali and Pavi!
I was so scared that they would have some uncomfortable moments during the World Cup.
But Sergio was more than happy to share his charms around.

Well – those trios are not the most complicated scenarios…
Gina - who always had eyes on David Silva - suddenly decided to switch to the other David – Villa - after seeing him sunbathing with Villa Baby (VB). She fainted upon the sight of David’s hip dips.
What a simple girl – you think? Hohoho…
Tell you what –if you look closely you could see that David Villa was handcuffed to his seat (courtesy of Gina), with VB and Gina resting on his shoulders. The poor boy must be so exhausted - judging from the amount of watermelon seeds on his shirt.

And, what happened to dear Silva? The heartbroken Silva… lucky Pau was there to comfort him. It seemed that he was falling for her. I heard he’s already making plans to go to Mexico.
Just across from my seats, Moongirl was just resting her head on Miguel’s lap… I’m so glad Moongirl could get time off her private clinic in Madrid – without her help, we wouldn’t be able to keep the team to as fit as they are.
*
It was really hard work being part of the medical team for a team of ballers. After a season with Real Madrid, my boss dragged me to join his medical team for the Spanish National Team.

Yeah, yeah – you’d think it would be nice having all these hot ballers waiting to get their massage or check-up. Just wait until one of them turned up with a suspicious rash and there goes the hotness.
And after a while – I just got so used to them – I don’t even bat an eyelash anymore.

But that’s before I met Christoph – well… Metze.
Ooh – dear Metze - I’m so worried about him – it must be so hard losing the final game to Spain – again. He had his fair share of being mocked when he returned to practice at Real after the Euro finished.
But he told me not to worry as we parted at the airport this morning – he had to go back to Berlin for the team parade. After a long kiss, he gave me a box containing a pair of gorgeous black satin gloves.

He said, “Hope these ones are nearly as nice as your Grandma’s.”
He smiled warmly and was looking so lovely without that horrendous beard.

I lost the gloves that my late Nan gave me after a stupid airline misplaced my luggage several months ago. Those gloves reminded me of my Nan a lot and I was upset that they were lost.
But I didn’t expect Metze to remember such a little detail.

I gave him another long kiss, stroked his face, and said “Thanks – I love them… I’ll miss you terribly.”
“I’ll miss you too,” he said, holding me closer with his strong arms.
I sighed as he breathed in my hair, and said “Please send my regards to Malte and your family, OK?”
We hugged for a while before we had to board our planes.
*
I stroked the black satin gloves and kept thinking about Metze… until I heard some noises from the nearest lavatory.
Straight away – I looked for Malin and Nando – but they were still asleep.
Then I heard a quiet sobbing…

Worried that the person was hurt, I knocked on the door.
The sobbing stopped and a weak voice answered, “Just a minute, please.”
I recognized that voice – “Raul?? Are you OK?”
How the heck did he manage to slip away from Venice, I thought. She’s been taking great care of him ever since he injured his right knee in the quarterfinals.

The door opened, and Raul was in a really bad state… you could see that he had put on a brave face for the team for too long and now he was such a mess.
“Do you happen to have some cookies? I really need them now,” he said.
“Raul – no – you ate every single one on the plane. Enough with the cookies. Let’s just get back to our seats and we’ll figure something out.”

He nodded weakly and we headed to my seats since there was lots of empty space around it.
“Are you having a headache or stomachache now?” I asked.
“Just a bit of a headache… but… be honest with me… will I be able to play again after the knee surgery?” he asked me with a very worried look on his face.
“Raul – the doctors said the injury is not that serious, but you’ll need time to recover. Don’t worry – you’ll be able to play again.”

He breathed deeply and there was a sign of slight relief on his face.
Then he said, “So you really don’t have a cookie? It will make me feel better… seriously.”

I feel like smacking him in the head, but I feel a bit sorry for him – the man just couldn’t help himself.
If only there is such a thing as Addiction to Cookie Rehabilitation, we would definitely put him in the intensive program.
“No – Raul. You do know that Venice is worried sick about you not eating anything but cookies lately. Tell you what… I’ll give you a quick head and neck massage to help you relax, OK?”

So I started massaging his head, starting from the top towards his neck.
He started to relax a bit and I was admiring his long eyelashes - before he gazed into my eyes with those deep, brown eyes.
I had to admit that Raul’s eyes are mesmerizing and I couldn’t help but feel attracted to those eyes.
Well - he’s TOH (The Original Hottie) after all.
But it’s so wrong – I’m falling madly for Metze and Raul is with Venice.

“Erm… Raul… why don’t you close your eyes, it will help you relax,” I said quickly – I could feel the heat creeping towards my cheeks.

“You have beautiful eyes,” he replied.
OK – this just won’t do – I thought.
“Raul – I don’t want to get into trouble with Venice… so I’m just going to cover your eyes with these, OK?” I said – showing him the black satin gloves.
Before he could reply, I just tied one of the gloves to cover his eyes and just about to continue the massage.
Suddenly I sensed that someone was approaching us…
*
Raul was clearly enjoying his shoulder massage, “Hey – I could really get used to this you know.”
Then he removed the glove… and there was Pepe… just centimeters away from his face.
“Ay – mi amor… you like my massage? MWWAHHH!” Pepe planted a big sloppy kiss on Raul – he was clearly still a bit drunk.
“ARRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!!! Get away from meeeeeee!!!” Raul screamed in horror – shoving frisky Pepe away.
Raul scrambled to the corner of his seat – his face was pale white. The whole cabin was awake and everyone was staring at us.
“MWAHUAHAHAH… mission accomplished then,” laughed Pepe – giving me a quick wink, “He’s no longer feeling sad.”

Lucy – Police station, salad tongs and Cesc.

Cesc and I were having a house warming BBQ to celebrate our moving in together. He had bought us a swanky apartment in London and me a tres expensive engagement ring. I accepted it on the condition that for as long as we live, he would never, ever wax his forearms or legs, but especially his forearms, again. And so on the morning of our BBQ I had my arm wrapped around his as we strolled round our local Tescos looking for last minute supplies. We made sure we had plenty of sausages, burgers and buns and bought the salad in packs since we were feeling lazy. We also got some solid metal salad tongs because we didn't have any. Then we hit the alcohol aisle.

Twenty minutes later with our trolley now ladened down with mainly booze (Pepe and MXA were invited after all), we made our way to the car. At that moment, a chavvy looking youth approached Cesc proclaiming to be a fan. This happened all the time, especially in places like supermarket car parks, so Cesc chatted to the boy for a bit whilst I started to load the boot up. Suddenly out of nowhere, a second chav appeared and quickly grabbed a load of six packs from the trolley. Before I could shout anything, the first chav had pushed Cesc, also grabbed some packs, and ran after his friend. The next part happened so fast... Cesc angrily grabbed the pair of salad tongs from the trolley and threw it after the boys.
'Cesc! Nooo!' I screamed - they were metal! I was impressed at his manly leap into action but scared at the potential damage! Naturally though, his aim was very good and the tongs caught the first boy running in the neck. He toppled over whilst crying out. The second ran straight into him and he too fell over, quite nastily. Cesc quickly ran across to retrieve the tong evidence, but a crowd was already forming, and even in his baseball cap and shades some people were already whispering about 'that footballer' and his 'rather attractive girlfriend'. I was tempted to correct them by flashing the rock on my finger, but since we were standing over two injured boys with Cesc brandishing a metal weapon in his hand, I decided it was not the time. I looked down and saw more blood than I cared to see and shuddered, rooted to the spot in shock.

Half an hour later, Cesc and I were at the police station explaining ourselves. Well actually it was Cesc who had to explain himself - throwing a metal implement at someone is a serious offence! Especially since the boy had to have stitches to the back of his neck. Cesc was shocked, angry and upset all at the same time and even cried a little in that way he does. I gently rubbed his back as he admitted his Spanish temper had got the better of him. As luck would have it, the police officer was a huge Arsenal fan and after Cesc offered to sign his Arsenal shirt and get him a season ticket, he was let off with just a mild caution. After all, the chav assaulted Cesc and then had stolen from us!

The BBQ that evening went ahead as planned and turned out to be mucho fun, even though I had to get Cesc his salad for him because he thought seeing the tongs again would make him too mad. I made a note of this and kept them in my bedside drawer for future use - he was irresistibly hot when angry.

SBAers are a talented bunch! 2 fantastic stories by our resident authors

For Gina, by the Fantastic and eloquent Venice

She closed her eyes, allowing the small drop of sweat to slide down her eyelid to the cheekbone, only to dissolve in the soft fabric of her skirt. The air condition wasn't working, and she was stuck in the car on the road in a jam she couldn't see the end of.

She could almost feel the smell of watermelon her lover had brought to her lips that morning, gently waking her up. She smiled lazily back then, with her eyes still closed, slightly parting her lips to allow that small piece of refreshing sweetness in her mouth, brushing her tongue on his fingertips which softly smeared the soothing moisture of the watermelon over her dried up lips. She woke up with the feeling of being enwrapped in a thin layer of perspiration, with the back of her neck under her hair damp from the heat. It was early morning but the air was already sultry. The air condition wasn't working, which for some reason seems to be happening often when she's around.
"It's because you're too hot to take." she remembered him whispering the night before, and smiled.

She was still stuck in traffic, and cursed her decision to take that particular route. She cupped her hair and tied it in a ponytail, feeling instant relief at the back of her neck. A thin line of perspiration ran down her spine, making her gasp instinctively. It brought back the memory of him lifting her hair from the back of her neck. She bit her lip shuddering while he gently blew across her hairline cooling it off.

She opened her eyes wide in anticipation as he reached out by the side of the bed and grabbed another piece of the fresh watermelon. Smiling mischievously he sensually bit the melon and disappeared from her sight again, until she felt the overwhelming coolness sliding down her neck and shoulders. He took his time there, nibbling her delicate shoulders, breaking through the film of condensed heat on her body with his cool touch, in a manner which made her close her eyes and bite the pillow under her chin, for her skin was alarmed and her heart palpitated.

He slowly slid down her spine all the way to the small of her back and traced it back up even more leisurely with his tongue waking up every last nerve in her body.

Or so she thought.

She sighed in both relief and disappointment when he disconnected from her, letting the wet trail on her body dry up to cool her overheated skin. She kept still but her eyes followed his movements. He reached for the bowl of fruit again and took two pieces of watermelon this time. He slowly bit one as he looked deeply in her eyes. The corner of his lips raised in a half-smile as he winked and dived behind her back again.

She closed her eyes and relaxed as she felt the now familiar chill of him sliding down her back. But her eyes opened wide and her body arched as she sensed the same cooling presence at the base of her knee, overloading the nerve cells she didn't even were there, making her more aware of his presence than ever before.

He moved closer, leaning into her so she could feel his washed up, firm body pressed against hers while he drowned her neck and shoulders in more kisses. His dry warmth all along her side and the cold climbing up her thigh put her in that intangible position of softly crying for more without being sure she could take it. As he reached the highest point, he lingered some more until the chilling sensation enfolded her from head to toe spreading from the center, and finally dropped it only to gently press his fingers.

The jam finally moved. She sighed in relief as she glanced over the groceries in the back seat. She needed to get them in the fridge as soon as possible, or the effect of pineapple rings wouldn't be anywhere near what she'd planned.

"I won't be a second", she promised as she once again checked his fascinating body spread across the bed.

Handcuffed to the bedpost, David sighed and nodded in compliance.

For Malin, by the superbly magnificent Gina


It was strange that after living here for little under a year, Fernando felt like he was out of place. He didn’t belong, this wasn’t his home. He dreamed of sandy beaches and warm rays of sunshine, yet all he got was a bitter lashing of rain and a breeze strong enough to blow him away. He wanted to find his place in the world, but more than anything he wanted to find someone to share it with.



He was back at the dock again, waiting. Glancing down quickly at his wrist only to find that he’d forgotten to put his watch on, he made a mental note to be more organised next time. It had to be time for her to make an appearance by now. She was always there at seven o’clock on the dot. He’d made it a habit to take a walk by the dock first thing in the morning in the hope that he would see her. He’d been there for little more than five minutes when a movement to his left caught his eye. He held his breath as he watched her walk towards her favoured spot, leaning against the railing and looking out over the water. There was always a distant look in her eye, like she was troubled by something. He’d been over the scenario many times in his head. She would stand there for half an hour before dropping the rose she’d been carrying into the water and making her way towards the other end of the dock, disappearing from sight.



He swallowed nervously as his eyes traced over the tall blonde’s figure. She had her back to him, seemingly oblivious to his presence, as always. She was wearing a simple black dress with killer heels to match, and she looked every bit the perfect woman she was. He’d seen her many times before, he’d recognise those legs anywhere. He’d dreamt of her many times before too, desperate to find out more about this mystery woman. There was only one thing stopping him from going over to talk to her. The last time they’d spoken, things hadn’t exactly gone to plan. He’d gotten nervous and fumbled his words and she’d just given him a stern look before walking away. That had been then though; he was a different man now. He’d grown up a lot since then. Running his fingers through his hair, he took a deep breath and prepared to go over. Right at that moment, she snapped out of her daydream, reaching into her pocket and pulling her phone out. After looking down at the gadget in her hands, she sighed heavily. Placing the phone back in her pocket, she dropped the rose into the water and turned to leave. He cursed as he realised he’d missed his chance again.



This went on for more than a year, and each time, the same thing would happen. He’d pluck up the courage to go over, and then she’d look at her phone, sigh and walk away, the distant look always on her face. He wished he could do something, anything to make her smile. She always seemed so lost, a forlorn figure on the dock watching the sunrise over the water. Eventually, he decided enough was enough. He was tired of waiting. Walking over slowly, he stood beside her, their bodies barely touching. She didn’t look at him, playing nervously with the keys in her hand. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she broke the silence.

“I’ve seen you watching me.”

He cleared his throat, not really sure how to respond to that.

“It’s ok, clearly you like what you’ve seen, or you wouldn’t keep coming back. Why do you do it?”

He wanted to speak. He wanted to tell her that he was captivated by her, that he wanted to put a smile on her face, to stop her looking so lost, but the words caught in his throat.

“Do you ever talk?”

He nodded dumbly; completely dumbstruck by the effect this girl was having on him. She bit her lip as a buzz sounded from her pocket, looking down at her phone.

“I have to go.”

Before he could reply, she was walking away. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he spun round.

“Can I at least know your name?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, not even bothering to turn around before replying. If she had, he’d have seen the smile he was so desperate to get to know spread across her face.

“It’s Malin.”

“It’s nice to meet you Malin. I’m Fernando.”
“I know.” He didn’t have time to question how she knew his name before she spoke again. “I’ll see you around.”

And with that, she was gone again. She’d disappeared from sight so quickly; he had to pinch himself to convince himself that he was awake. He shook his head again, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking in the opposite direction, unable to stop the inane grin spreading over his handsome features.


The next morning, he got to the dock earlier than usual; standing at the spot she always appeared at instead of hiding in the shadows. He waited for hours, but she didn’t turn up. Disappointed, he trekked back to his apartment in the city center, already looking forward to the next day. He didn’t know why he cared so much; he knew nothing about this mystery beauty aside from her name.


It wasn’t until the end of the week that she made a reappearance, taking her place next to him on the dock in silence. He glanced over at her, trying hard not to get caught looking as he took in her features for the first time. Her long blonde hair was covering her face and he longed to reach out and tuck it behind her ears. Her eyes sparkled as she turned her head, their eyes meeting.

“Why did it take you so long to come and talk to me again?”

The question was direct and it took him by surprise. He cleared his throat again, running his hands nervously through his hair.

“I didn’t want to seem like I was stalking you.”

“Well, you kind of are, no? You’re here everyday.” She tucked her hair behind her ear.

“How do you know that? I might have been busy this last week.”

“I saw you standing here waiting for me. I wanted to come over, but I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s complicated. I’d rather not talk about it.” She looked down at her feet, the distant look back in her eyes. Her hair fell into her eyes again, and she made no attempt to push it out.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s fine. I get like this sometimes, most people wouldn’t stick around as long as you.”

“Then they’re clearly missing out.”

She tried to bite back the smile somewhat unsuccessfully, looking down again. He plucked up the courage, reaching out and tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear again, his fingers brushing her cheek. The contact sent sparks up his arms, straight to his heart and she leaned into his touch. He looked into her eyes, looking for any signs that his next move was going to be unwelcome, but she held his gaze, closing her eyes as he leaned in. His warm breath ghosted over her face, giving her mere seconds to prepare for his lips covering her own. Her heart was racing as he pulled away, a shy smile on his face.

“Was that worth the wait?”

“You are.”



*Fast-forward five years*



He was stood at the dock again, looking out at the water, feeling the warm breeze on his face. This place had started it all for him. He had the perfect life now, no matter how long it had taken to get there. His daydream was interrupted by an excited shout.

“Daddy, daddy, look what I found!”

He turned around, kneeling down as his daughter ran into his outstretched arms.

“Hola, princess.”

He stood up, picking her up in his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt a hand on the small of his back and he turned around, greeting his wife with a kiss.

“Daddy, Jose was being mean to me. He said my pigtails look stupid.”

Fernando let out a laugh, shifting her weight onto his other arm as his son joined them at the dock, leaning over the railings and dropping a stone into the water. He clapped his hands excitedly as it hit the surface, creating a ripple of waves.

“Jose, what have I told you about being mean to your sister? Apologise to her please.”

“But Papa…”

“But nothing. Apologise, or no football for you when we get home.”

“I’m sorry for saying your pigtails look stupid Eva.”

The small boy crossed his arms over his chest as his sister beamed at him. Fernando put her down and she wrapped her arms around her twin brother, placing a kiss on his cheek. Taking his wife’s hand in his own and calling out to their children who were currently running just ahead of them, he smiled, happy that now, he was truly home.