Match Pointe

Friends?

Noah and Eloise spent the next week cruising around the canals of greater London. She met his friends, ‘the lads’ as he called them, in various pubs along the waterways, and found them just as easygoing and unpretentious as he was. No one would have guessed Noah was one of the top tennis players in the world, and rapidly rising further up the ranks thanks to his Wimbledon performance.

Eloise was privy to a world she’d never imagined could be possible for a professional athlete. Her life with the ballet had ensured she was strict and disciplined with herself around the clock – regardless of whether she had the day off or not – and her enforced breaks over summer had only meant an opportunity to train harder to ensure she was always better than her peers. Noah, on the other hand, happily drank with his friends as though tennis was the furthest thing from his mind. She had to wonder how someone so nonchalant had the stamina for the demands of the game.

On their first afternoon together, lazing in the sunshine, it was impossible for Eloise not to admire his loose locks tickling his shoulders and delectable shirtless body as his feet dangled over the side of the boat. She didn’t even bother to hide her sideways glances towards him.

When he casually lit a cigarette as though it weren’t an issue at all, the look on her face sent him into a fit of laughter. She watched, frankly aghast, as he deeply inhaled.

‘What? Don’t tell me you’ve never had a smoke before?’ He took another drag and began puffing smoke rings towards the water.

Eloise was speechless. Even more so when he offered it to her!

‘Well …?’ He paused to look at her more intently. ‘My God, you haven’t, have you? You’ve never had a single puff of a cigarette!’ He shook his head in disbelief, smiling nonetheless. ‘It’s not illegal, you know …’

She had no idea whether it was the look of horror he saw on her face that eventually made him reluctantly stub it out. Next, in one swift move, he grabbed her, dangling her upper body over the water while keeping a grip on her thighs and legs, a giant grin on his face all the while.

‘No, Noah, don’t …!’ she shrieked, for the first time not thinking about who was around or what people might think.

‘Have you or not?’ he insisted, threatening to cleanse her of her prim and proper attitude, completely ignoring her shrieks as her mass of loose hair dangled precariously close to the murky water.

‘Noah, please – you could drop me!’ she panted as he gave in and hauled her back up.

‘I promise you, I would never, ever drop you, Elle.’

Instead of letting her be, he carried her into the cabin, tossing her easily onto the bed and pinning her arms by her sides as he straddled her body. He tickled her mercilessly until she couldn’t hold back any longer, her hysteria eventually replacing any trace of nervousness as she begged him to stop. She had never been treated that way, not having grown up with any siblings or cousins of her own.

They stared into each other’s eyes as they both took a moment to catch their breath.

‘I’d give anything to kiss you right now.’ He lowered his face towards her, and just as his soft lips touched hers she reluctantly turned away. He guided her face back to meet his questioning gaze.

‘I’m sorry, I just can’t … It might go too far …’

Their attraction to each other had been all too obvious since their first night out, but until this point had remained unspoken. Although Eloise’s desire had been supercharged since meeting up with Noah again, she had done her best to bury it. She had never made the first move in the few relationships she’d had – it just wasn’t her style and the potential for rejection caused her no end of fear – but this time she knew she couldn’t have even if she’d wanted to. Being well aware that nothing would ever happen with Ivan anyway, she would have given anything to say yes to Noah, right here, right now, and take their relationship to the next level. But heaven forbid the wrath of Caesar, not to mention the thought of kissing her future financial freedom goodbye. The clause in her contract about sexual relations with anyone other than her Number One was abundantly clear and always top of her mind; it just wasn’t worth the risk.

With a sigh, Noah collapsed beside her on the bed, placed his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, suddenly deep in thought.

‘You’ve gone all quiet on me.’ Eloise didn’t know what to say, but wanted some kind of response from him at least.

He turned onto his side, facing her, and started playing with her hair, their bodies almost touching but not quite, though their feet comfortably rubbed against each other.

‘I’m not quite sure what to say. I thought …’

‘Noah, it’s not you. I’d love to – honestly. It’s just … so complicated.’ She couldn’t help but tense at the words.

‘Let me guess: complicated in a way you can’t explain.’ He couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice, and it upset her deeply.

‘I’d give anything for my situation to be different, but it is what it is and I have to honour the agreement I’ve made.’

‘Are you with Ivan? Is it more than just ballet?’

‘No. I only dance for him, but …’ She was at a loss as to how to explain it to him without disclosing the details. Details she was not at liberty to discuss.

‘I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re so beautiful, vivacious, graceful, oh so incredibly hot, and – what’s the word I’m looking for? – oh yeah, pure at the same time. How could I forget that? It’s a lethal mix for any guy.’ His shook his head in dismay.

‘Noah, I think the same about you, but I just can’t do anything about it at the moment. I promise you, I would if I could.’

‘Honestly?’ His eyes were hopeful and his mischievous grin returned when he added, ‘You think I’m pure?’

She laughed, punching him lightly on the arm, and he pretended to roll over injured.

‘Very funny!’ she responded. ‘No, I’m not as pure as you think I am, just because I’ve never smoked – and by the way, as an athlete you should never smoke, ever! Particularly not if you want to be Number One.’

‘All I do know is that I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, ever!’

He made sure he emphasised the word in the same way as she had. Neither of them could hide their smiles. ‘Anyway, what gives you the impression I want to be Number One?’

‘Why do you play if you don’t want to be the best?’

‘I’m young, I happen to be good at tennis – which is lucky because I love playing. I get to travel the world – which I also love. I have great friends on the circuit. So life’s good, much better than I ever expected. Until playing against Ivan I suppose I’ve never really believed I could make it into the top ten and now that might occur.’ He shook his head in disbelief and looked directly into her eyes. ‘Why, do you think I should take it more seriously?’

‘It sounds as if you haven’t really had to work too hard to get to this position.’

‘Don’t get me wrong, I love winning and I work hard when I need to but I suppose I haven’t had the desire to take it too seriously. There is a lot of losing involved in tennis you know!’

‘I just can’t imagine not wanting to be the top of your field.’

‘Well, maybe you are the motivation I’ve been lacking until now, Miss Lawrance.’

‘And maybe you are what I need to relax and enjoy life a little more, not take things so seriously …’ she reflected.

‘See, we could be a match made in heaven if only you would give us a chance.’ He laughed before he tenderly tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear. ‘So are you going to tell me how you feel or are you avoiding the topic?’

‘Even if I did, what good would it do? It wouldn’t change anything …’ She sighed, disheartened by this turn of events. Her heart and body were yearning for his touch but her mind was resolute.

She tried to sit up but he held on tight to her hand, ensuring she stayed lying next to him on the bed.

‘Let me ask a different way, then. If you didn’t have this “complication”, would you want to be with me?’

Eloise looked away. She honestly didn’t know what to say. Of course she wanted to be with him, she was attracted to him in every way. It felt like forever since she’d been with a man. And now, before her very eyes, within her grasp but beyond her reach, was the unimaginable oasis of Noah. He was like milk chocolate and sunshine morphed into one delectable package – and the most fun-loving, easygoing, playful, warm-hearted guy she had ever met. His body was as sculpted and toned as that of any male ballet dancer, and she couldn’t deny that the thought of being intimate with him was exciting beyond her wildest dreams. He was everything she’d ever hoped for and more. She yearned to say yes, but Caesar’s rules were abundantly clear, and what if he found out? She’d be left with no contract and no ballet. She couldn’t decide whether to answer with her head or her heart, and was ultimately afraid of being betrayed by both. Telling him the truth just wasn’t an option and the last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Noah.

‘Elle?’

She stroked his cheek with her hand, letting her fingertips rest on his delectable lips, which proved frustrating for both of them that she couldn’t take things further. ‘Believe me, I would love to be with you, Noah, but only when the time was right.’ Heart then head felt like the right answer.

‘And that would be when?’ He pushed for an answer while holding her fingers and kissing them gently.

‘Just not now, Noah. I can’t … I’m so sorry I wish it could be different.’ Tears began to well in her eyes such was her disappointment in having to say no to this precious man.

‘OK, OK. You just don’t know how hard it’s been for me to keep my hands off you since the moment we first met in the pub.’

‘So far you haven’t!’ She lifted her hand, still being squeezed by his, to prove her point and lighten the mood.

‘Well, other parts of you.’ He chuckled in an attempt to cover his own disappointment.

‘I would love for us to be more than friends, Noah, I’ve never felt like this before either. It’s just that for the next eighteen months … well, the commitment I’ve made needs to take precedence …’

‘But I shouldn’t give up, I should just wait a while?’

‘Quite a while, but yes, I’d be devastated if you gave up on me.’

‘Then I won’t – ever!’ He rolled her over and playfully slapped her butt. ‘Let’s go for a run.’

‘I hear you.’

With sexual tension still oozing but knowing the air was clear between them, Eloise was more than happy to join him for a jog and release some of the pent-up frustration between her legs.

Chaste

There was only one bed on the narrow boat, and each night they shared it, but only for sleeping. Most evenings they talked way into the night, eventually falling asleep holding hands, their bodies barely touching – thwarted but still preferring to be close. Eloise was continually torn between admiring Noah’s chivalry and heroic restraint at her insistence on not taking their relationship further, and desperately wishing he’d have his wild way with her – were it not for Caesar. Her feelings could fluctuate between the two in any given moment, but in the end she was grateful that he respected her wishes with fortitude, even though they were both denying themselves the sexual release they fervently desired.

Lying on the bed in her summer pyjamas – a singlet and boxer shorts – Eloise would enjoy watching Noah as he stripped off his shirt before settling in next to her. She still got a thrill from having him so near her each night, and took every opportunity to gaze at his sculpted torso, knowing anything more than that was strictly forbidden. Though she’d had sex a few times before, this small degree of intimacy she shared with Noah felt so much more meaningful – albeit physically infuriating.

‘Your eyes are glazing over, Elle, you look a million miles away,’ he said to her one night.

‘I was distracted by you,’ she replied as he jumped in beside her.

‘I’m more than happy to distract you a bit more; just say when.’ His hand slid over to her knee.

‘Noah, you know how hard this is for me already!’ She grudgingly removed his hand and instead gently touched the tattoo on his shoulder, a four-sided shape that looked a bit like a knot. ‘Have you had that for long?’ she asked.

‘About five years, I suppose. I got it when I was nineteen.’

‘I like its symmetry. Does it have any specific meaning?’

‘It’s called Mpatapo, a West African symbol of peacemaking and reconciliation.’ He grinned at her curious eyes as she lightly touched it once more. ‘I had it done after my parents got over themselves and became friends again. I’d always wanted a tattoo and it’s a useful reminder to them whenever they start squabbling like kids; all I do is flash my shoulder and they stop. Having them both on the same side has had a huge impact on my tennis, so now they behave – for the greater good.’

‘It’s weird, I’ve never had parents but I always imagined the fairytale kind. You know – a mother and father who will love each other until the day they die. Never ones who hate each other.’

‘Well, I’d rather have my mum and dad than not, that’s for sure. It must be so hard for you …’

‘It’s difficult to explain, but you don’t know what you’re missing if you’ve never experienced it. Sometimes I just feel really alone and empty; other times I don’t think about it until something triggers the feeling of never really belonging to anyone or anything. The ballet is the closest thing I’ve ever had to family, and I walked away from it. But then again, if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you …’ She smiled, then yawned, resting her head near his chest so she could fall asleep to the beat of his heart.

He smiled a heartfelt smile, twisting her long, voluminous hair between his fingers, and marvelling at her beauty inside and out as she drifted off to sleep beside him. He wondered just how long they would have to wait before they could be together. But of one thing he was sure: it would be when, not if they were together. For he knew deep down that he had found his soulmate.

This thought provided him with great comfort, as the warmth of her body and the canal boat’s ever so gentle rhythm eventually lulled him into slumber.

On their last stop before returning to London they visited Oxford, and Noah surprised Eloise with the gift of a snow dome. Ensconced within the glass was a canal boat, featuring a boy and a girl and a dog sitting on the rooftop.

‘Just like us!’

‘I know, that’s why I couldn’t resist.’

‘Now all we need is a dog.’

‘One day … Who knows?’

‘Thank you, Noah. I’ll treasure it always.’

‘As I do you.’

Eloise was so touched by the unexpected gift from Noah that she couldn’t prevent a stray tear from escaping her eye. She flung her arms around his strong neck and buried her face in his chest, never wanting to let go. Gifts had been few and far between in Eloise’s life; each passing birthday had only reinforced how alone she was in the world.

Though slightly taken aback by the strength of her reaction, Noah held her tight against the warmth of his body. Their hug was long-lasting and meaningful, as their time together touring the canals came to an end.

Eloise had felt happier than she had ever been over this past week, and the vision in the snow dome gave her hope for the future – one they might share together. She knew that every time she looked at it, she would remember how precious her relationship with Noah was. He brought sunshine to her life. That night, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep, grateful for the good fortune of having had this time with him.

She had always wondered what it might be like to feel cherished, and with Noah she felt more special and accepted than she ever had before. It was a feeling she hoped would live with her for a long time.

At the end of their chaste yet flirtatious time together, both of them knew that, had circumstances been different, they could have become so much more than friends. Having to be content with their shared camaraderie – for the time being at least – they said their goodbyes, knowing their paths would indeed cross again on the other side of the Atlantic, sooner rather than later.

During their long and meaningful conversations throughout the course of the week, Noah had detected a strange undercurrent in relation to Eloise’s arrangement with Ivan and her involvement in tennis, but he’d respected her need for privacy and hadn’t pressed her too hard for details. Instead, he’d encouraged her to be true to her passions and to pursue her dreams as soon as she was ready. Something he promised himself to help her achieve.

Even though she had never had a best friend before, Eloise knew that there were some secrets that shouldn’t be shared until the time was right, and sensed that giving away any more details about her relationship with Ivan fell into that category.

What she hadn’t sensed during her perfect week with Noah was the photographer who had been discreetly tracking and photographing their every move together.