Hardly Ever Here

They looked a little happier.

"To make improvements, we're going to have to look at what we've got quite objectively. It's not about hurting people's feelings, it's about being honest about people's strengths and weaknesses."

"We know what you're good at," muttered Nicole slyly to Izzy. Izzy nudged her firmly in the ribs and Julie shot them a disapproving look.

"Who's the best player on the team?" I said. "I think you all know."

"Amelia," they chorused. Amelia, bless her, blushed crimson.

"Exactly," I said. "Amelia. But you're playing Amelia in the wrong place."

"But she's amazing at shooting!" protested Izzy. "None of us are anything like that good."

I nodded. "Yes. But Amelia's going to the best in any position she plays in. And the key for you is to have your best player in the middle of the court, not the end. She spends too much time waiting for the ball, out of the game completely. If she's in the middle, she can help break up attacks and she can get the ball out quickly to your attackers up front."

Some nods mixed in with some doubtful looks.

"So who should be our shooter?" said Izzy.

"Well, if I was picking the team, it'd be Julie," I said. "She's tall and she's fast. You can throw high balls in, she's going to be able to reach them and she'll be able to turn and shoot before the other team even know what's happening."

"Not much good if I miss," said Julie. "I mean, I'll try, but... I've never been that good at shooting, really. Not compared to Millie."

"Well, we're going to make you better," I said. "That's really just practice, relentless practice. The way Amelia reads the game and knows what to do... that's hard to learn. But shooting and scoring... muscle memory can make a big difference. So, you're going to shoot a hundred shots every night for the next two weeks. Different positions on the court, different distances, sometimes with your left hands, sometimes your right... I think you'll see a big improvement."

Julie shrugged. "OK," she said. "I'll try it, if you think it'll help." She didn't look completely convinced.

I passed on a few other small tips, about feinting and bluffing your opponent, I made them do a few drills, and then I left them to it.

As I watched, Julie came over.

"Thank you," she said. "We really appreciate it."

I smiled at her. "You're welcome. I really hope it's of some use. When's your next match?"

"Not until the end of the month. We've got time to really try these things out. I think you're right about Amelia being in the middle. And you don't mind me coming out to practice every night?"

"Not at all," I said. "I probably won't be here much."

But already part of me was wishing that wasn't true.

**

The following day I was sitting at my desk around 4pm and I realised I'd been staring at the same email for nearly quarter of an hour. I was doing nothing useful, and I had nothing urgent or outstanding to do. Tomorrow could well be a different story, but for now... why was I staying in the office just for the sake of it?

Half an hour later I was at home.

Julie was there, shooting. She was dripping with sweat. When she saw me drive up she darted over to a chair by the court and picked up a small towel and hastily dried herself off a little. But she could do little about the way the shirt stuck to her. Even from a distance I could see the outlines of her nipples pressing through the material.

"Hey! Mr Cooper! I didn't think you'd be here... do you want me to go?"

"Carry on," I said. "Sorry... I wasn't planning to be here. Just suddenly realised I was killing time in the office so I thought I'd come back early for once."

"No, that's great!" She seemed genuinely pleased. "I don't suppose you'd watch me shoot for a bit? Just when I think I'm getting a bit better I'll miss, like, ten in a row."

"How many shots have you done so far?" I asked.

"Oh god, loads. Over a hundred."

"Then take a break," I said. "Sometimes your brain needs a bit of time to let things sink in. And you need to cool down from the looks of it."

She looked down at herself and flushed. "Yeah... I'm in a bit of a state, aren't I? Gross! Sorry."

"Not gross at all," I said. "Want a cold drink?"

"Oh yes, I really do," she said. "I've been promising myself one for the last fifteen minutes, but not until I got five in a row. But if my coach is telling me to take a break, I guess it's OK."

"It is and I am," I said. "Come on."

I led the way to the backdoor and unlocked it and went in. She followed me in what felt like a rather timid manner. I suspected her mother's warnings were ringing in her ears. A teenage girl in the house of a middle-aged single man. Terrible things could happen here.

Without warning an image flashed into my mind of her peeling that top off to reveal the thin sports bra underneath. Her eyes locked with mine as she hooked her thumbs into her shorts and began to drag them downwards...

"Coke or Fanta?" I said.

**

I went back outside with her and we sat at the garden table, sipping our drinks. I asked her about the history of the team and about some of the other girls. She was closest to Amelia, and there was obviously a bit of a rivalry within the team between the Amelia / Julie faction and the Izzy / Nicole set. Julie was too discreet to say anything too damning, but I sensed a note of disapproval whenever she spoke about those two.

Then she went back to work on her shooting. I made a few suggestions about adjusting her balance and flexing her legs when she shot. Then we did a few drills where I made her run from side to side of the court and I would throw the ball to her and she'd have to stop dead and immediately shoot from wherever she was at the time. I began to see a gradual improvement and she could see it too, which made her even more enthusiastic.

In the end I had to call a halt.

"You'll injure yourself," I said. "And we need you fully fit."

She gave me a dazzling smile. "That's so nice you said that!"

"What?"

"You said 'we'. Not 'you'. That's so cool!"

I shrugged and grinned back at her. If she'd been sweating before it was really pouring off her now.

"You need a shower," I said.

"I know... I must look awful... and I've got to go over to Amelia's straight after this! I'm going to stink all night!"

"Have a shower here if you want," I said, not really thinking about it.

She stopped dead and looked at me. "Really?"

"Er... yes. Sure. You know where everything is, right?"

She hesitated. I'd put her in an awkward situation.

"I need to go out anyway... get some stuff from the supermarket. I'll be an hour or so. Just lock up when you leave."

I didn't need anything from the supermarket. But I was suddenly very anxious to make it clear that my thoughts were pure. I remembered the suspicion on her mother's face, and how it would sound if it got around that "Mr Cooper lets us use his shower." Yes, that wouldn't sound at all dodgy, would it?

I found her some towels, pressed them rather hastily into her arms, and got the hell out of there.

**

The following night I left early again. I knew I hoped Julie would be there, and I was disappointed when she wasn't. But just as I was going into the house she came racing up the drive on her bike, breathless and red-faced.

"Sorry," she said. "I had to go to the library before coming over."

"No problem," I said. "I'll leave you to it."

Her face fell. "Oh no! Work out with me, like you did last night. Please? It's so much more fun!"

I didn't really need much persuading. We did some more drills and I worked her hard. Occasionally I found my eyes lingering on her, her smooth legs, her pert and firm backside, those smallish but undeniably perky breasts. I was careful to only watch when she was shooting, when her attention was focused on the hoop... but I sensed an atmosphere building between us and I knew I was straying into dangerous territory.

Eventually I told her that was enough and she should head back. Reluctantly she agreed.

She looked down at herself and winced.

"Can I use the shower again? Yours is so much better than the one at home."

"Er... I guess," I said. "But... maybe it wouldn't be a good habit to get into, you know?"

She looked at me. "Why not?"

"Well... I don't think your mum would approve. Face it - she wouldn't."

Julie sniffed scornfully. "I'm eighteen now. She can't tell me where I can't shower. Or..." - and she was suddenly very mischievous - "who I shower with."

She rummaged in her bag. "And I brought my own towel."

"Right," I said. "Well, in that case I'll go and... run some errands."

Another scornful look. "Mr Cooper, nobody has 'run errands' since the 1950's. You can't dash out of the house every time I have a shower. I'll lock the door, just in case you're unable to control yourself."

I tried to think of a smart comeback to that, but nothing came. She went into the house. I followed. The balance of power between us had just shifted somehow. I didn't quite know where things now stood... but certainly I wasn't entirely sorry.

**

The following night was practice night for the whole team. I supervised the training session and it worked well. Amelia was a revelation in the centre of the court and I sensed the confidence building and spreading through them. Julie's shooting had also come on enormously. I found myself looking forward to their next match - I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed coaching, and how rewarding it could be when things finally click into place.

At the end of the session I left them to cool off and chat and I went inside to get myself a beer from the fridge.

"Can I have a sip of that?"

I turned around in surprise to see Nicole standing there. I hadn't heard her follow me in.

"I don't think that would be legal," I said.

She giggled. "You'd be surprised at the things I've done that aren't legal."

Actually, I didn't think I would be. Nicole was, shall we say, the most physically developed of the girls. She was certainly the bustiest - you can't help noticing these things as girls run around - and she had a sexy, sly self-confidence that set off warning bells.

She reached over and took the bottle out of my hand. She sipped and made a face.

"Yeuch," she said.

I made to take it back and she playfully held it out of my reach so my hand brushed against her shoulder. At the touch she straightened up and pushed out her impressive chest in my direction. Her eyes dared me to do more. I firmly took the bottle back from her.

She reached forward and gently ran a finger down my arm.

"Such a nice arm," she murmured. "So strong."

"Nicole, come on!" Izzy was calling her from outside. Nicole pouted.

"That's a shame," she said. "Just when I was having fun."

Then she turned and walked away slowly, her body swaying very deliberately as she did so. I watched her go, my eyes drawn to her rolling hips and her full, rounded buttocks.

I looked up and saw Julie was standing at the door, looking in. Nicole gave her a catty smile as she passed. Julie looked furious. Then she looked at me, and the look of disappointment almost broke my heart.

**

Luckily it didn't impact on their performance that weekend. They were terrific, and they trounced the other team who came off the court a little dazed - they didn't know what had hit them. Julie seemed to score nearly every shot she tried and Amelia was every bit the midfield general I hoped she would be. Nicole and Izzy also worked very hard... they all pulled together and there was a genuine warmth in all the hugging that went on at the end.

I stood and applauded with the assembled friends and parents and returned Julie's enthusiastic two thumbs up sign that she gave me from the court. I felt proud of them, and if I'm honest, more than a little pleased with myself.

I was getting into my car to drive home from the game when I heard her calling my name. I turned and saw her striding towards me, still grinning, still high from the adrenalin and the victory.

I smiled as she approached but wasn't prepared for the intense bear hug she gave me and the resounding kiss on the cheek.

"Whoa," I said.

"Oh, I don't care! Mum's not here anyway. And thank you, thank you! That was so great!"

"You deserved it," I said. "You've all worked for that."

"Yes, but you showed us the way. And it feels so good!"

"I'm glad," I said.

She looked at me. I looked at her. Suddenly there was a slightly awkward silence between us.

"I should get home," I said. She nodded.

"Could you give me a lift?"

"Um... yes, sure."

I opened the passenger door and she climbed in. I went around to the driver's side. Once again I felt off balance, in unfamiliar territory.

She was silent for most of the drive home.

I was about to pull into her drive when suddenly she spoke.

"There's nobody home."

"Oh," I said. I could see the house was dark.

"They're away, visiting my dad's sister. I said I'd be fine on my own, and of course I had the game so I couldn't really go. Now I'm not really looking forward to being there. It's kind of... spooky."

"Come on," I said. "I'll come in with you and check for axe murderers."

Luckily for us both there were indeed no axe murderers, rapists, ghosts or ghouls in the house - at least none that I could see. She tried to persuade me to stay for coffee but I was conscious that I needed to quickly step back over the boundary that I'd somehow strayed beyond. So I left her looking a little forlorn and drove the half mile back to my house, feeling both loftily virtuous and very sexually frustrated. Perhaps I should take up some of those offers from the women in my office. I needed to get laid.

I showered, changed and fell asleep watching something on Netflix. Around two in the morning I woke up and turned the TV off and realised I was horribly thirsty. What I really wanted was some ice-cold water.

I made my way downstairs and rather blearily got a bottle of water from the fridge. I stood chugging it in the middle of the kitchen, the light from the fridge illuminating most of the room.

"Mr Cooper?"

Jesus H Christ. I choked on the water, depositing large amounts all over myself as I twirled to face the pale shape of my intruder.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Julie," I gasped when I got my breath back. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

**

She seemed rather sheepish and evasive.

"I just felt... a bit lonely on my own. And it is... spooky."

"You can't just come and let yourself in and curl up on my couch!" I protested. "You could have called me, at least - given me some warning. Or gone to Amelia's house. You could get me into a lot of trouble."

"I know," she said. "I said I'm sorry... it's just... it's just..." She trailed off and looked at the floor.

"Just what?" I said. I was still angry from the shock, and not best pleased at being soaking wet.

"Don't be cross with me... I really don't want you to be cross with me... I thought maybe you'd... maybe you'd... want to, well, you know. And then I lost my nerve and thought I'd sleep on the couch and just creep back home in the morning."

I gestured helplessly. "You thought I'd want to... what, exactly?"

She looked at the floor and muttered something incoherent.

"I can't hear you, Julie."

"Sleep with me."

My jaw probably fell open. "Sleep with you!"

She looked near tears. "I know... it was a stupid idea. I know you don't fancy me. You don't look at me the way you look at Nicole."

"I haven't done anything with Nicole!"

"But you'd like too. All the boys just follow her around, drooling."

"Nicole is not my type," I said firmly, and perhaps not completely truthfully. "And I am not a boy. I am twenty - hell, twenty-five - years older than you girls."

"Yeah, like that counts for anything," she muttered.

"Julie, you're a beautiful girl, really... and I'm very flattered... but nothing is going to happen here. You should be with somebody your own age."

I paused, searching for inspiration. "Josh is coming up soon... he'll be here for a week. I think you and he should go out on a date."

"Josh!"

"Why not? You used to have quite a thing for him, if I remember."

"I never had a thing for him!" She was quite indignant.

"Oh, come on Julie... there was a time we could barely get you out of our house."

"And why do you think that was?" She seemed suddenly angry now.

I stared at her blankly.

"God, men are so STUPID!"

She stormed off back into the living room and started gathering her things back into her bag. I followed her, feeling that the moral high ground had once again mysteriously shifted against me.

"What are you talking about now?"

She turned and glowered at me. "I spent all that time here back then because of you, you stupid... stupid... man!"

"Me?"

She let out a growl of frustration.

"You should go and fuck Nicole!"

"What?" I was genuinely confused now.

"That's about the level of subtlety you're capable of picking up on."

"So... you had a crush on me?" I am not quick, but I get there eventually.

She let out another noise that sounded like a howl.

"Oh GOD! I just want to DIE! This is so AWFUL! Forget I said anything, ok? Please! I'll go home and you'll never see me again, EVER EVER EVER!"

She tried to push past me but I grabbed her wrist and swung her around to face me. She wouldn't meet my eyes. She tried half-heartedly to pull her arm free but I held her firmly.

"Let go of me! I'll scream!"

"I don't think you will," I said.

She stared at the floor. Suddenly she looked like that girl I remembered, doing her homework on the living room floor. And to think that while she'd been there she'd been watching me...

"I don't want to fuck Nicole," I said softly.

Slowly her eyes rose to look at me.

"But if you're saying that making love to you is an option..."

She seemed to stop breathing. I felt her arm suddenly relax.

I pulled her slowly towards me. I kissed her forehead, and slipped my arms around her. Her breathing was ragged against my chest.

"Well... I would love that," I said.

Her mouth was on me then, greedy and frantic. It was as if she was worried I'd change my mind, and she wanted to make the most out of the few moments she had. I kissed her back and ran my hands slowly down her back. It seemed to send an electric shock through her and she convulsed and twitched and made a little whimpering noise. She squirmed against me, trying to get as much of our two bodies in contact as she could.

I broke the kiss and looked at her.

"Come upstairs then," I said. "If you're sure."

"God... I've never been so sure of anything. Don't you dare change your mind now."

"Not much danger of that," I said. "Come on."

I started to lead her upstairs. I expected her to be eager and in a rush, that was very much how she usually was - but instead she seemed to pause between each step on the staircase.

"I want to make the most of this," she murmured. "Finally I'm going upstairs to your bed... you have no idea how long I've waited for this... you're taking me to bed."

She looked up at me. "Tell me that's what you're going to do."

"I'm going to take you to bed, Julie."

"Oh god yes... say my name like that."

"You're coming to my bed Julie, and you're going to be there all night."

"What are you going to do to me there?" she whispered. "And don't be polite. Say what you're really thinking."

"I'm going to fuck you Julie. I'm going to fuck you, and I really hope I make you come, over and over, because I know you're going to make me come - such a lot."

She closed her eyes. "Yes... I'm nearly there already... I think if you touched me now, just about anywhere, I would just..."

I let go of her hand and gently ran it down her chest, drawing a circle around her left nipple. She cried out almost in pain.