“Almost doesn’t count,” Cooper said, stoic.
And then silence as Nico stared out at the city streets below. The ceremony was over and the crowd was dissipating in droves and yet here he stood, on the roof.
“Have you made a decision for next year?” Nico asked, breaking the ice. Deep down, he knew the answer but needed it to be confirmed before he considered his next move. Nico could push the un-retired quarterback off the roof and a lot of his problems would disappear. Nico elbowed Callahan playfully. “You going to come back as my coach again?”
“I think we’re beyond that,” Cooper said, still dry and emotionless.
“I had a feeling that was the case.” Nico sighed and brought his hands up to shelter beneath the pits of his jacket. “May the best man win.”
“That’s what you think this is? A competition?” Cooper broke character, letting out the smallest laugh imaginable. More of a polite cackle. “You can’t compete, you know that, right? Unless I go down, you’ll be sitting on the bench all year.”
Nico narrowed his eyes on the other man. “I think I liked you better when you were a retired quarterback.”
Cooper twisted to catch Nico’s gaze. “And here I was thinking we both hated each other.”
This was news to Nico. “You hate me?”
Silence, but the shift in facial expressions on the other man’s face spoke volumes. He petted a thumb over his bottom lip, contemplating. “Not at all.”
That was better, easier to hear and digest. Sure would be weird to crave an enemies dick so damn bad, not that it would have stopped Nico. Just would have made things slightly awkward. Slightlymoreawkward.
And then Cooper spoke again, voice low, “What room are you staying in?”
“I’m not staying,” Nico said regretfully. “Flying out to San Francisco for the Bowl.” He forced himself to look away from Cooper. To look back out at the beautiful city of Boston. “Maybe watching the big game up close is what I need for a proper kick in the ass. Watch the best of the best play in the championship.”
Cooper stepped backwards and brushed a hand over the small of Nico’s back. “I really wish you were staying the night.”
Nico swallowed a gulp and turned to find Cooper had made his way to the side of the door that led to the stairwell. It was a dance he’d learned all too well. A dance he couldn’t resist, even if he was acutely aware his former coach was basically stealing his fucking job.
“The way you’re looking at me right now,” Nico said. “I wish I was staying too.”
“Then stay.”
“Can’t.” Nico approached Cooper. “I’m flying with my sister and she’s already grown suspicious. She thinks I’m dating a superstar and not telling her.”
“She’s wrong about the dating part.” Cooper reachedfor Nico’s hand and pulled him against his body. “Not so wrong about the superstar part.”
Maybe it was the freezing cold Boston air. Maybe it was because Nico hadn’t been with anyone since tearing his ACL. Maybe he lost his whole goddamn mind, but Nico melted into the other man.
Callahan was warm.
Callahan was safe.
Callahan nuzzled his hot mouth against Nico’s ear. “What time are you flying out?”
“In two and a half hours,” Nico said and returned the favor, planting a kiss on the side of Cooper’s neck. He reached his arms into Cooper’s jacket for equal measures of warmth and to be close to him. He angled himself back, met the other man’s gaze, and dreamed longingly about the idea that maybe… just maybe he could stay the night.
Cooper leaned forward and Nico met him halfway, pressing his lips against the other man’s. But Cooper shifted quickly, offering his neck to Nico.
One of the few things Nico had learned about Cooper during their trysts was that Cooper required that things be kept casual. Fucking, sucking, frotting. Cool. Cool. Kissing? Absolutely fucking not. That first kiss was the last kiss, but Nico always tried to press his luck anyways.
Maybe one day he’d hit the jackpot.
Until then, he settled for kissing everything else.
Everything that wasn’t the lips.
Nico flicked his tongue over the bottom of Callahan’s ear, and then mouthed his way down to the base of his chin. Kissed him there and then on the side of his neck. GrabbedCooper by the back of his head and forced him to still as he bit gently into Cooper’s neck.
