Sunday took forever to come round; work had never seemed so dull. My colleagues all kept asking what was up?

I wanted to talk about falling for Miguel too quickly, but I was used to playing my love life, or lack thereof, close to my chest so said, “I’m all good.”

Then finally it was Sunday and I got to see him again, he was just as tall and handsome when he greeted me.

I think Miguel caught me watching his body as we changed but he didn’t say anything, just smiled and pulled his shirt off over his head, giving me an even better view of his muscles.

When we left the club house, I introduced Miguel to the families who regularly come to watch us play.

Larry’s wife Ellen and daughter Sarah came straight towards us. Neither of them are over 5’2” which made us a comic group with Miguel and I 6’4” and 6’1”.

I saw the nervous look I have when meeting new smaller ladies on Miguel’s face, and I put my hand on his back, “no one here is scared of big guys like us.”

“It wouldn’t be the first-time people have freaked out when meeting me.” Replied Miguel quietly.

Walking forward with my hand on his back, Miguel still looked apprehensive.

The 18-year-old little lady Sarah, looked between me and Miguel, then smiling like the sun, she jogged ahead of her mum and before anyone said anything she wrapped her arms round Miguel’s waist.

Miguel froze and a laugh burst from my lips. To see a huge muscular guy who was slightly taller than me, scared stiff by a little teen lady was too funny.

Leaning her chin on his chest, Sarah said, “you must be Miguel, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Pulling her daughter back by her hood, Ellen said, “sorry Miguel, this is Sarah, she is a hugger. I’m Ellen I’m married to Larry, he told us you were a hard hitter.”

Smiling Miguel relaxed and shook Ellen’s outstretched hand, “nice to meet you, Larry is a heck of a runner.”

The other ladies came over and I got to introduce Miguel to them all, it was sad how nice it felt, almost like introducing my boyfriend. What are you thinking? Don’t get carried away, sadly Miguel isn’t yours.

Then we were out on the pitch playing against another local team. Being his first week Miguel just watched, ready to play in case anything happened. It was a long game of gloriously knocking down the opposition and being flattened by burly men, but I really wanted it to be Miguel’s shoulder hitting me to the floor.

Every time we stopped play for one reason or another, I would glance round at him, and more often than not he was watching me. Come on now, don’t get too excited, he is supposed to be watching you to learn how we work as a team.

All too soon we won, I was so preoccupied with Miguel that I barely enjoyed being flattened.

I got to the shower and for the first time, I wasn’t straight out hard, I guess I was just sad that Miguel didn’t need to shower and was currently getting changed where I couldn’t see.

“What’s not up with you Stiffy, get hit too hard and no longer sensitive?” Joked Kevin.

With mock horror Burt teased, “he is now 30, maybe he just can’t get it up like he used to.”

The room erupted in yells of, “don’t even joke about that!” and the like.

Burt was slapped hard on the back by many of the lads, and I got a lot harder imagining it was me being slapped by Miguel.

After getting clean we all went over to the fox and hound again and had lunch, some of the men’s wives and kids were there and it became a lively afternoon.

Sat on the long sofa-bench I was surrounded by the single guys and luckily for me, Miguel was by my side again.

Again, his hand brushed my leg under the table while we were talking, each time it lingered a little longer and my hopes got up that I could be his.

Towards the end of the evening I sucked up my courage and shifted my leg a little so it rubbed against his, but also could just be seen as me getting more comfortable.

I love being with him, I love it when he slams me onto the ground and I love listening to him talk, shit I really am falling for him.

A lot of people left early, and there was just us single guys sat chatting till the early evening, then even we had to call it a night too.

I got to spend most of my Sunday with the guy I like, this is the best Sunday ever!

As we were leaving, a couple of drunk ladies bumped into Miguel and one screamed, “argh gargoyle! He scared the shit out of me.”

They all backed up then scampered off to the bar.

I growled and took a step after them, “that was rude, come back here...”

Before I could chase them down and make them apologise, Miguel’s large soft hand landed on my shoulder, “it’s alright, with a face like mine I’m used to it.”

“What do you mean, ‘with a face like yours?’”

The other men looked at me with shocked expressions and Miguel asked, “you really don’t see it?”

“See what?”

Paul asked from behind me, “what do you see when you look at us all?”

“Bunch of good-looking guys.”

The others burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

Yon said through his laughter, “our fairy really has strange taste in men.”

“What? You are all good looking.”

The laughter around me intensified, and Paul said, “we look like a bunch of thugs! Even Cap as the nicest looking of us big guys looks scary when he’s angry.”

Cap laughed, “cheers Splurger, I didn’t know you fancied me so much.”

Sticking his tongue out at Cap, Paul said, “my attraction aside, no offence Miguel but you look like Spanish lurch!”

Mirth curved Miguel’s lips, “that’s a new one, normally I get likened to a gargoyle or a golem, like that woman did.”

“What?! No way, your dead handsome.” I insisted.

Paul slapped me on the back and said, “no wonder you’re single, your taste is very different.”

Their joking right? No way they think they are anything but sexy.

Miguel’s large arm wrapped round my shoulder, “thanks for the vote of confidence, but I know my face scares people.”

“Hmph, no way, it’s my face that scares people, yours intimidates them because you’re so good looking.”

The others laughed harder as we walked outside, and Miguel’s arm tightened in a hug, “you are one strange man Stiffy.”

I slightly tensed, it was the first time Miguel had used my nickname, for some reason it sounded strange in his eloquent tone.

His head was right by my ear as he whispered, “you don’t like me calling your nickname?”

I could feel my face heating up as I whispered back, “I like it when you call me anything.”

This is the most forward I have ever been with a burly man, please don’t backfire on me!

His hum was non-committal and I wanted to ask him more, but VD said loudly at just that moment, “the love birds are whispering again! Get a room you two.”

Miguel roughly pulled me round into his arms and said over my head, “what makes you think I didn’t just proposition our cute little Stiffy?”

“Ooooo, some ones getting some tonight.”

“Way to go Stiffy!”

“You’re a brave man Stiffy, taking on that bigger a one for your first go.”

“Aw poor Stiffy he won’t be able to walk right for a week.”

Joked my teammates around me, but I didn’t care, the feel of Miguel’s arms around my back was like a dream. The warm firm embrace made my heart melt, please don’t let me go.

But unfortunately, he did release me and we all headed our separate ways.