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Was he embarrassed by the way Nico’s family had oohhed and ahhed over their short but electric kiss at brunch? He’d felt Luke tremble beside him after they were done and had clasped a steadying hand on his knee under the table.
Just a friendly squeeze. Just to say thanks and are you okay?
Luke had been the one to thread his fingers over Nico’s and place their joined hands on the table where all the family could see. Luke had been the one to kiss him in front of his family again before they left for the train . . .
But maybe, that weekend behind them, Luke felt silly how into the fake thing he’d gotten?
Nico sighed, tried not to recall the delicious pressure of Luke’s lips against his own.
He changed and stretched. If Luke didn’t stay late or go out with coworkers, he’d be home soon. Nico could start cooking then. Otherwise, he’d go for a run and make dinner when he got back.
Sitting on the living room floor, he reached forward until he felt it in his hamstrings. He’d switched legs twice and was about to do the right leg the second time when Luke popped through the front door. He jumped when he saw Nico on the floor.
“Crap, you scared me.”
“I have that effect on people.” Nico leaned into his stretch without looking up.
“I’d ask the obvious, but I assume you’re going for a run?” Luke walked past him and into their bedroom.
“I wasn’t sure when you’d be home tonight.” He stood and loosened up his quads. “Now that you’re here, I’ll make dinner.”
His tie gone, Luke stepped into the common room, unbuttoning his white dress shirt. “So you do wait for me to make dinner.”
Nico stared at the slip of threadbare undershirt that did little to hide Luke’s defined chest. “Huh? Oh.” Nico pulled his gaze to Luke’s face, forcing himself to shrug nonchalantly. “I told you I don’t like eating alone.”
“Me neither. Do you mind waiting? I’d love to go running with you.”
“You want to run with me?”
“Why do you sound so skeptical? Afraid I’ll smoke you?”
The smug jock-boy look on Luke’s face reminded Nico why he preferred running alone. “Please. I’ve been running since I was ten. Even after soccer, I kept up my training. Maybe I’m skeptical because I don’t want you to slow me down?”
“Ouch.” Luke grimaced. “I totally deserved that, didn’t I?”
“And more. Get changed, stretch, and we’ll see who smokes whom.”
Nico opened their door, flushed from the exercise.
They’d stayed pretty much even, but Nico had been running every day since they arrived. Luke hadn’t been since he left Harrison and had ended a bit winded. Still, they ran well together, and Nico enjoyed it more than usual.
“I thought I’d make macaroni and use the last of Nonna’s gravy.” Nico didn’t wait for an answer before detouring into the kitchen.
“Translation: pasta and pasta sauce.” Luke seemed proud of himself.
“That’s what I said. I didn’t say madanad, because I remember how that confused you.”
“That’s because it’s a made-up word.”
“Only to those not from New York.” Luke was right, but Nico had grown up hearing everyone use the word instead of marinara.
“Nope, I looked it up. Even the New York Italian-American websites say it’s bullshit. I believe the quote was ‘just because everyone knows what you mean, doesn’t mean it’s a real word.’”
“Fine, we’re having pasta and mar-in-ara. Happy?”
“Oh, you sound so sexy when you talk like that.” Luke leaned back and fanned himself with his hand. “Say it again?”
“Whatever.” Nico opened the refrigerator for the madanad. “If you want, you can shower while I cook.”
“Hardly seems fair that I shower first.” Luke pulled out two tall glasses and then got the pitcher of water from the refrigerator. “We should do it together.”
Nico nearly dropped the container of sauce. The image of them naked under the spray popped into his head, and his dick was real interested.
He faced the oven, biting the inside of his cheek. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think there’s room in that shower for us both.”
Luke sprayed water over Nico’s face and neck. Plucking two paper towels, Nico wiped his face.
“Sorry,” Luke said, lips wobbling on a laugh. “I meant we should make dinner together.”
“Oh, my bad.” Nico fanned his face like Luke had done. “I thought you were still pretending I was sexy. I played along.”
Luke let a belly laugh ring out, closing his eyes, hands waving about.
Nico smiled tightly. This was why he shouldn’t let any feelings grow between them. Luke was just like any other jock in the end, and while they might get on okay as friends, while they might even have this weirdly kinetic connection, nothing substantial would last between them.
“God.” Luke took another sip of water and choked as another laugh broke free.
