Love Unexpected Ch. 02

"I'll ask him, but if he says no, then we won't be going." Paul stripped out of his clothes and started pulling on his shorts and rugby jersey. "Besides you can meet him after the game either way."

Paul's attention was drawn away when the coach told them it was time for warm ups and they all filed out the doors. After warm ups it was time for the game to start and Paul felt the familiar rush he always got before a game, only this time he felt an even bigger pride at the fact that there was someone in the stands that was there just for him. The game was a tough one, the teams were pretty evenly matched. Paul threw all of himself into his games, as did all of the team. Each and every one of them loved rugby to it's core. They had a good team and one of the few schools that offered scholarships for playing rugby so they had a pretty good set of fans. Tonight everyone in the stands was going crazy over the close game and every now and then Paul could hear his name being shouted over the noise by that amazing pair of lungs. Even in the press of bodies, sweat, dirt and grass stains it managed to make Paul smile. They won the game.

After showering faster than anyone else, Paul gathered his belongings and made his way to the bleachers, where Derek was waiting on him. He smiled at Paul and said, "That was pretty exciting, even though I'm still really confused about some stuff." The grin on his face did something funny to Paul's insides.

Paul wasn't sure if it was the high he had from the game or the happiness he saw on Derek's face, but he lifted Derek off the bleachers without thinking and planted a kiss right on his lips before setting him down with a grin. Derek laughed and said, "You sure aren't shy."

"Does it bother you?" Paul asked.

"Not one little bit." Derek answered.

Paul could hear the rest of the team beginning to make there way out of the locker room. Paul remembered the guys talking about going out tonight. "Hey Baby, would you want to go out with everyone tonight? If you don't want to it's fine, but I want to introduce you to everyone and they want to meet you, too." Paul was answered with a huge grin.

"Yeah, I'd like to meet your friends."

Paul found out where the team was going, and he and Derek made their way to the truck and then the bar. Neither of them were old enough to drink, but Paul just wanted to hang out and Derek told him he didn't drink. They were given wristbands at the door, and Paul found them a table so Derek wouldn't have to stand on his injured foot. It didn't take long for all the guys to come meet Derek, and Paul was touched at how nice they were to him. No one said anything mean, even though a couple of them did say some pretty embarrassing things. More than one guy warned him not to wear Paul out on game days, and one or two daring souls told him they wouldn't want to be in his position. Derek seemed a bit confused by this until one leaned and whispered something in his ear. Paul shot the guy a warning glance when he noticed Derek's face pale a bit.

Paul was pretty sure they guy was saying something about Paul's size, so he leaned in and whispered right into Derek's ear, "I would never hurt you, just remember that." Paul was relieved when Derek reached for his hand under the table and nodded almost imperceptibly. Paul was glad none of the guys mentioned the incident of Derek's attack, even though almost all of them had been involved. He really felt like the team had become his family. He felt it even more by the way they had accepted him, and now his boyfriend.

Paul looked up to see John making his way towards the table with a chair behind him. He set it down right at the table and plopped down in it, he looked right at Derek with a big smile and said, "Hi. I'm John and you must be Paul's thing." Paul saw anger flash in Derek's eyes before John clarified himself by adding, "When he came out to the team, he told us we didn't have to worry because guys like us aren't his thing. I've been dying to know what was since then. He's got it bad for you so you better not hurt him, unless you want to take on the whole rugby team. I gotta tell ya that our reach is pretty big, we actually found you for him after you got spirited away that night." Paul watched as Derek choked on the soda he had been drinking.

Paul patted him on the back while Derek sputtered and coughed. He handed Derek a napkin to when he noticed his eyes watering. Paul shot John and evil look and said, "Dude, you have a big mouth." It seemed that Derek had recovered because he began laughing hysterically. Paul and John just looked at him, unsure what to make of his amusement. After a few moments Derek calmed down and once again wiped his eyes with the napkin.

"Just to make sure," Derek said, "You are saying that you used the rugby team to find me? To find the gay guy you were looking for? And they actually helped you?" He issued another bit of laughter before adding, "Man, college really is different from high school."

"Yeah, I guess it is." John said with a laugh of his own. He shook Derek's hand and then said, "Well, I guess I'll let you two lovebirds enjoy your evening. It was nice meeting you Derek, I really mean that."

"Thanks. You, too." Derek answered. Paul watched John mingle with the rest of the team before looking back at Derek. Derek was starting at him with hooded eyes. "Did you really tell the team that you wanted to find me after that night?"

"Yeah. I did. And by the next night I had that information about your Biology class, so I ambushed you there."

Paul couldn't decipher the look that Derek was giving him. Derek's eyes were slightly hooded, his head just barely tilted to one side, and one corner of his mouth was turned up in a small half smile. If he was going for seduction then he had it down pat. Paul was suddenly reminded of his first impression of Derek, when he had wondered if he were an angel or a devil. With the look Paul was receiving now, and the hand that was slowly traveling up and down his thigh, he was sure Derek was the latter. He could feel himself getting an erection that he was going to have a hard time hiding. He was sure his desire for Derek was stamped on his forehead. When Derek leaned forward and whispered, "Take me home," right in Paul's ear, he practically carried Derek out on his shoulder.