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Bennett’s big hands began smoothing down Nico’s back, over his sweat-damp shoulders. Nico tried not to move, to hold still and soak it in, his brain hyper-aware of each brush, each tiny caress. God knew Nico didn’t deserve them, but he was selfish enough to take them anyway.

“What about prego? What does that mean?” Bennett asked.

“Many meanings, but mostly you’re welcome or go ahead.”

“Hmm.” Bennett fell silent for a few seconds and Nico could hear the other man’s heartbeat, strong and steady, beneath his head. “What’s the word you say during sex all the time?”

A cold rush of panic moved through Nico. The word could be anything from a curse to an endearment. Who knew what might have slipped out as Nico was undone and trembling in Bennett’s bed? Bracing himself, he asked, “Which word?”

“Kaht-so.”

It took a second to untangle the word into something he knew. “Cazzo?”

“Yes, that one.”

Nico’s body sagged into Bennett, everything loosening at once. Thank fuck he hadn’t revealed anything monumentally stupid. “It literally means dick, but we use it like fuck.”

“Your language is very dramatic. I like it.”

“Sì, sì. I told you this already.”

“No, you said Italians were dramatic. Which is also true.”

“Same thing.”

Bennett’s fingertips drew patterns on Nico’s back, along his spine. Nico was too tired to track them, but he hoped they were words. He liked the idea of Bennett leaving sentences on his skin, a story only the two of them would understand.

“My teammate caught me the other night,” Bennett said, his tone casual but Nico heard the weight of it underneath the words, everything Bennett wasn’t saying. “Coming back to my room from the penthouse,” he added, as if it wasn’t clear. Which it had been.

Nico pushed up onto an elbow so he could see Bennett’s face. Except Bennett was staring at the ceiling. “And?”

“And he said I had sex hair. And bite marks. So, it was kinda hard to deny that we slept together.”

“You denied it?”

“No, not really. But I didn’t confirm it, either.”

“You let him think you were attacked in the elevator by, what? A sex ghost?”

Bennett chuckled, the sound low and soothing. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say. I was caught off guard.” He turned his head to meet Nico’s gaze. “I didn’t have a big coming out speech prepared. I’ve never had to think about it before.”

Nico dropped down again, flat, covering Bennett’s chest like a blanket. “That is unwise of you, no? Anything could have happened at any time with one of your dry couch fucks.”

“God, stop calling them that. It makes it sound like I’m fucking a dry couch.” But Bennett’s mouth had formed a grin, so Nico took that as a win. Bennett added, “And I was careful with them.”

Bennett’s hand was stuck, resting on his shoulder blade, so Nico twitched his shoulders in a not-so-subtle message for Bennett to resume his gentle caresses. It worked. Bennett continued with the patterns and designs, and Nico inwardly sighed with happiness. “These men signed NDAs, no?” he murmured.

“Uh, no.”

“Then you were not careful.”

“As if you’re always careful,” Bennett scoffed. “Ordering me to stay the other night in front of your cousin.”

“Yes, and now he knows we are fucking.”

Bennett’s entire frame jerked, the mattress creaking in protest. “Are you serious?”

“You think I would lie about this?”