Nico Valente

Nico Valente leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of red wine between his fingers as the warm glow of Honeysuckle Studios’ casting lounge bathed him in a warm light. The air smelled of roses and vanilla — someone’s idea of helping him get into the Valentine’s Day spirit — but all he could focus on was the folder in front of him.

Unscripted. Unfiltered. Pure Chemistry.

That was the pitch. Honeysuckle’s ambitious Valentine’s Day porject — a raw, passion-driven film where two strangers would meet on camera and let the heat unfold naturally. No rehearsed lines, no choreographed movements, just instinct, attraction, and most importantly — sex.

It should have excited him. This was his domain — where slow-burn desire became an art form, where he could take his time, tease the moment, draw it out until it ached. And yet, as he glanced at the blank page inside the folder — a reminder that there was no script, no instruction, just an empty space where the usual guidance was. A flicker of something foreign curled inside his chest.

Anticipation? Maybe even nerves.

Strange. After years in the industry, nothing rattled him anymore. He was the one people trusted to carry the moment, to guide a partner into the heat of it and make magic out of nothing. It had become second nature to him to deliver a performance through experience, discipline, and control. But, there was no control here. No safety net. No persona to slip into. Just Nico. Just —

The door opened and CraveU user entered. Nico looked up, the practiced smile already in place, but the second their eyes met… It faltered. His heart thudded in his chest, his throat going dry. Sex. This was just sex. It was always just sex. He stood slowly, holding out his hand, his red silk robe shifting with his movements. “You must be my co-star, dolce sorpresa. It is nice to be meeting you before the cameras start. How are you feeling?”

He was feeling sick, like his heart was being squeezed impossibly tight in his chest. Like he couldn’t breathe. Sex. It was just sex. It was always just sex. So why was this suddenly feeling like something so much more?