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Kiera Murphy hates rugby. It’s sweaty and rough and barbaric. And there’s too many dumb rules for her to wrap her head around.
But Aiden loves rugby and Kiera loves her brother, so she goes to every last one of his dumb, stupid rugby matches. Not happily, but she does it.
For an hour and a half every Saturday morning, Kiera braves the sun and the screaming rugby fans to watch her brother toss a ball around a field and get tackled by other grown men. How anyone finds it entertaining and goes to these things willingly she’ll never know.
Rolling her eyes, she wades through the sea of tipsy lads and still-celebrating players from the previous match. There’s a few wolf-whistles and hollered pick-up lines from the guys as she makes her way to the snack bar.
Yet another reason she didn’t like rugby, she’d never met a rugby player who wasn’t a total prick. And yes, she was counting Aiden in that number too.
“What’s a beour like you doing here?” one of them asks, jogging up beside her.
It’s an instant ick. Who actually uses beour? Born and raised in Dublin, Kiera had only heard that word when her brother and his mates were going on about girls they thought were easy. Certainly no one had ever been bold enough to call her that to her face .
At the very least, it’s a word with a rather questionable connotation. At the worst, he basically just called her a slut.
“Not interested,” Kiera hisses.
Unfortunately for her, she’s trapped in the queue, unable to escape. And if she doesn’t get some coffee soon, she’s gonna fall asleep standing up.
“Aw, come on. I bet you’d really like me if you got to know me.”
Kiera gives him the once over. Between the wannabe Jesus look and the most random tattoos she’s ever seen, it takes less than a second to reaffirm the fact that he is most definitely not her type.
“No thanks.”
The scent of some pretentious ipa lingers on his breath as he leans in a little closer, his eyes narrowing into what she’s sure he thinks is a seductive expression. His tongue darts out to wet his lips before starting to form a sentence and then-
“She said, no, Finn.”
The speaker's voice is soft, but the irritation there is impossible to ignore. Whoever it is doesn’t sound like someone who confronts people often, and for some reason that makes the gesture very endearing.
Hipster Jesus, Finn apparently, scoffs and storms off as Kiera turns to thank her savior and… Damn.
Finn is nothing resembling her type, but this guy certainly is. His black hair frames his face in loose curls, the edges still slightly damp from his morning shower. Soft blue eyes shyly meet her gaze as he nervously shifts his weight from side to side. And he’s built too. It’s not the bulging muscles of someone who spends all their time at the gym, but the toned body of someone who’s body is honed from use. His simple white button-up and khaki shorts look out of place in the sea of athletic wear, but it somehow suits him.
“Thanks,” Kiera stammers.
Her heart pounds in her chest as he looks at her. God, this boy is so cute it’s unfair. Her tongue feels too big in her mouth and suddenly she has absolutely no idea what to do with her hands.
“No problem. Some guys just can’t accept when a pretty girl says no,” he says with a soft smile.. Immediately, his eyes go wide. “I mean- it’s just- now I sound just like him, don’t I? I’m sorry, I’ll just go…”
Go? He’s a stuttering mess and somehow it’s utterly adorable. The last thing she wants to do is have him walk away.
“No!” she shouts. “It’s just, I have a feeling you’d accept it.”
Her mystery savior’s face falls as he turns to walk away. “Sorry, I-”
“Hey, I didn’t say ‘no’.”
Oh my god, that smile of his is incredible. It’s the sun coming out after weeks of rain, completely transforming his face as his joy takes over. Just the sight of that smile has Kiera feeling like she’s about to swoon like some old-timey romance heroine.
“My name’s Tom,” he says.
“I’m Kiera.”
“So, are you a rugby fan, Kiera?”
She clutches her side as she doubles over with laughter. “God, no. My brother plays and I’m apparently unable to say no to him.”
They make more idle chat as the queue dwindles. Tom’s adorably sweet, just a little bit of awkward goofiness peeking out. And, because apparently she couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect guy, he even insists on paying for her coffee.
“Are you… here with anyone?” he asks as they make their way towards the pitch.
This nervous, shy energy of his needs to stop or Keira’s gonna end up needing medical attention. It’s way too endearing and somehow is giving her heart palpitations and is making her want to jump his bones.
“Not today.”
Tom brightens immediately. “Me neither, I’m here to watch a mate play, but… well, obviously he’s on the pitch and…”
Laughing, Kiera grabs his hand. It’s like all those fairytale cliches come to life. The birds sing, butterflies erupt in her stomach, the whole nine yards.
And Tom freezes .
Vibrant blue eyes, the exact same shade as the sky on a sunny day, meet hers. That look carries an ocean and in that moment, she knows he felt it too. A part of her expects him to pull away, but instead he weaves his fingers through hers and pulls her towards the stands.
And he just… doesn’t let go. Not when they take their seats and his leg brushes against hers, making Kiera damn near jump from the heat of it. Not when cheering fans push them even closer together.
“I’m going to take a stab here and guess that your brother is the winger over there with the red hair,” he teases, gently nudging her with his shoulder.
It’s not a far reach, Aiden’s the only person on the pitch who shares Kiera’s fiery waves and obscene number of freckles.
“Yeah, that’s Aiden. Full disclosure though, I’ve been watching him play forever and I’m still not completely sure what a winger even does .”
Laughing, Tom gives her a quick rundown of the positions. And, as the game continues, he keeps going. Everytime he notices that she’s lost, he patiently explains. It would be helpful if she didn’t keep getting so distracted by the way his long lashes flutter when he blinks or the way his lips curl into the most inviting smile.
God, she really wants this boy to kiss her. But infuriatingly, Tom just seems happy to hold her hand and watch the game.
But for the first time in her life, Kiera doesn’t hate watching rugby. It’s one hundred percent because of the gleam in Tom’s eye as he watches the players fight their way out of a scrum or the way he cheers when his mate makes a good tackle, but hey, it’s an improvement.
And, for the first time ever, she doesn’t want the match to end. Which, of course, means that it feels like the fastest game ever played. One moment she and Tom are giggling together and blatantly flirting (at least on her end) at half time, the next the referee is signaling that the game is over.
Nervously twirling a strand of her hair, Kiera turns back to Tom. This anxious, uncertain feeling in her gut is something new. She’s used to being the one unafraid to make a move and has always subscribed to more of a ‘if they don’t want me, they don’t deserve me’ mentality. But something in her really doesn’t want to let this one go.
Before she can say anything, Tom blurts, “Can I have your number?”
“God, yes.” She practically trips over her own feet trying to pull her phone out of her pocket, Tom’s quick reflexes the only thing that keeps her from face planting. “Can we just forget you ever saw that and promise that we’ll see each other soon?”
With that same smile that makes her stomach do backflips, Tom winks at her. “I can do you one better. I play your brother next week.”
The blood drains from her face. He’s a rugby player. Not only that, but one for Aiden’s rival team . Aiden had been talking about this match since the season started, ready to get revenge from the previous season. And he would see this as the ultimate betrayal.
Rugby was more than just a sport or a passion for Aiden, it was his life . He dreamed of playing at the professional level, of making a name for himself in the sport.
And he’d be livid if he found out that she’d spent this entire match flirting with the enemy. Literally.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Tom asks.
The concern written all over his face makes Kiera feel like crying. It’s not fair. Here was this guy: funny and cute and sweet who seemed interested in her, and pursuing him would mean pissing off her best friend.
Her words sound hollow and empty when she finally finds her voice. “I didn’t realize you played…”
“Yeah, I’m a fullback.” With a grin, he nudges her with his arm. “The one who fields the kicks. But I don’t-”
“You should’ve told me.”
“Why? It’s just something I do for fun.”
God, she can’t look him in the eye. She really, really likes this guy and this sucks . “But it’s not just fun for Aiden. Tom, if he knew we were hanging out today he’d stop talking to me.”
“Kiera-”
“You don’t get it!” She knows she sounds desperate, but she doesn’t even care anymore. “My brother has been my best friend for all twenty years of my life. He was two when I was born and still refused to leave my side. But no one holds a grudge like my brother. And if he doesn’t like you, then he expects me to go along with it.”
One hand comes up to cup her cheek, almost as if on instinct. “Look, Kiera. I’m not good at this stuff. I get nervous and I say the dumbest stuff around girls and…” He pauses and takes a deep breath before looking at her determinedly. “What I’m trying to say is that I really like you. And I’d love to take you out sometime.”
“Tom… I really like you too, but-”
Aiden and his best friend burst out of the dressing room, loudly bantering and shoving each other back and forth. Not that Aiden’s shoves have any effect, Tai’s nearly double Aiden’s size. As soon as she hears her brother’s loud voice, Kiera jumps back as if she’s been shocked.
And it kinda feels like she was. The pained look on Tom’s face is certainly as painful as an electric shock would be.
Frowning deeply, Aiden pulls her towards their car. “Why were you talking to Tom Beresford-King ?” he demands.
“He’s a snake,” Tai snorts, throwing his and Aiden’s bags into the boot.
“No, he’s not,” Kiera snaps. She’s never been overly fond of Tai. “He was nice.”
“Kiera, he’s literally a snake. It’s his team mascot.”
Oh. That’s what she gets for zoning out all of Aiden’s rugby rants.
“But we’re gonna chop the head off that snake next week,” Tai crows.
Rugby is a brutal sport and the thought of Tom getting hurt turns her blood to ice. She’s always hated seeing Aiden get hit, knowing that he was going to be banged up and bruised after. But it’s so much worse now. Who would’ve known that spending less than two hours with some cute stranger would have her feeling this way?
Her thoughts are consumed with the thought of seeing him again. Already, her fingers are itching to text him, to apologize and ask for a do over.
But as Tai and Aiden continue to banter, confidently exclaiming that they’re going to win next week's match and describing exactly how they were going to ‘rip apart’ the members of the opposing team, she restrains herself from texting him.
Until they get home.
As soon as she’s in the privacy of her own flat, Kiera is unable to hold herself back.
Kiera: Hey
Honestly, she’s expecting to get nothing in return. She didn’t exactly leave him in the best circumstances, but to her surprise, he texts back immediately.
Tom: Hey. Everything okay?
Kiera: No
Tom: Anything I can do to help?
Considering this is all his fault, there’s not much he can do. But honestly, just two short text messages have her feeling loads better. Something about picturing him, lying on his bed the same way she is and beaming at his phone, makes her feel warm and fuzzy all over.
Kiera: You’re already doing it
Tom: Okay, you have to know how melty that sounds.
Kiera: Shut up!
Tom: Why? It’s cute.
Oh god, her face is probably redder than her hair. But at the same time… him saying he thinks she’s cute has her squealing and kicking her feet like a little kid.
And with every text exchange, Kiera’s crush on this man deepens.
When they stay up way too late texting three nights in a row, she can’t bring herself to regret it, not even when she almost falls asleep in the middle of class. Every time her phone chimes, Kiera races to answer it. Even when it’s not going off, she’s checking it obsessively, waiting for that next text to come in.
“Who have you been texting?” Aiden demands, whipping around in the passenger seat until he’s looking her in the eye. The knowing, teasing big brother look on his face is one she’s seen a thousand times and is one she knows will vanish as soon as she admits the truth.
But she’s really damn tired of hiding the fact that she’s got strong feelings for the sweet, goofy boy she’s gotten to know this week.
“Tom.”
The brakes squeal as Tai’s foot comes down a little too forcibly. “ Beresford-King? That Tom?”
“Like the guy we’re about to beat down, Tom?!” Aiden shrieks.
“Yeah.” The pain on Aiden’s face hurts a lot , but she’s done putting other people first. “Don’t look at me like that, Aiden. I really like him.”
“But he’s trying to take this win from us.”
Kiera can’t stop herself from rolling her eyes. “It’s county level rugby , Aiden, not the Olympics.” She softens at the wounded look in his eyes. “Look, you know I love you. But you can’t seriously expect me to put your rugby rivalry, which Tom doesn’t even care about by the way, above the chance of a real relationship.”
No one speaks for the rest of the car ride. She can feel Aiden’s disappointment and Tai’s anger, but she doesn’t really care. It’s like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.
She spoke her truth and they could accept it or not. Didn’t change the fact that it was true.
Kiera can tell that it’s still bugging both of them as they warm-up for the match. Tai’s stubbornly refusing to look at her, Aiden staring at his feet in stunned disbelief. But it’s all worth it when Tom catches sight of her.
Immediately, his face breaks into a wide smile, his blue eyes sparkling with an excitement she can see from across the pitch. One hand comes up to wave enthusiastically, a cute blush rising to his face as some of his teammates poke fun at him.
The blush (and subsequent snickers) only increases as she returns his wave, butterflies erupting in her stomach at the awestruck look on his face. God, he’s adorable.
For the first time ever, Kiera actually pays attention once the game starts. She still has very little idea of what’s actually happening, but she knows enough to cheer when Tom makes a nice catch or Aiden scores a try.
At the midpoint of the second half, it’s tied twenty to twenty. And Kiera can’t decide which team she wants to win. On one hand, she really wants Tom to do well, on the other, Aiden will be a lot more forgiving if his team is able to pull out a win.
Tensions are running high as Aiden’s team goes to kick off. It’s obvious in the set of their shoulders, the way members of both teams are practically glaring at each other.
Tom jumps up to catch the ball and Tai comes in from nowhere, absolutely slamming into him before his feet have even touched the ground. The two of them hit the ground hard , Tom doubling over immediately.
She’s on her feet before she even knows what’s happening, rushing onto the pitch with the trainers. “Tom!”
Oh god, it’s so much worse up close.
Tom’s breath is coming out shaky and uneven, his gaze unfocused. From the position he’s lying in, it’s easy for Kiera to convince herself that Tai cracked some ribs or worse.
Completely ignoring everything else, she drops to her knees and grabs his hand.
“Hey, Kiera.” His voice is soft and pained, a wince on his face as he tries to laugh. “Did it really look that bad?”
Tai grunts. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.”
Kiera silences him with a look. If even she knows it’s a blatantly illegal hit, then it has to be bad. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ve been better,” Tom admits. Shakily, he reaches up to brush the tears off her face. “Not worth crying over though.”
“Shut up,” Kiera sniffs. “ I get to decide who’s worth crying over and you most definitely are worth it.”
Somehow, leaning forward to kiss him feels like the most natural thing in the world. She knows that there’s a ton of people watching, that the trainers are trying to examine him, but it all fades away as their lips meet.
Tom’s kiss is as soft and sweet as he is. It’s as if he can’t quite believe it’s happening, the hand gently cupping her face stroking her cheek tenderly. He’s definitely a little weak still, but he’s smiling throughout the kiss.
It’s the type of kiss that feels like a beginning, a promise for more. And god, she can’t wait to see what that more entails.
“Kiera…” Tom whispers, looking at her in wonder. “I’m dreaming right?”
Laughing, she ruffles his hair. “Tai hit you hard, but not hard enough to make you black out, babe.”
“I got hit?”
“Come on tough stuff.” With the help of one of the trainers, she gets Tom standing and starts to lead him off the pitch. “I think you’re concussed.”
Tai glares at them both as they pass, the barely disguised hurt in Aiden’s eyes making Kiera’s heart lurch, but she stays strong.
Kiera Murphy hates rugby. It’s boring and rough and a waste of time. And there’s too many ways to get injured.
But rugby brought her Tom and Kiera is starting to realize that she could very well fall in love with him, so she will happily spend another ninety minutes every Saturday watching Tom play. Because the two most important people in her life play rugby and seeing their smiles when they see her in the stands is more than enough to make it worth it.