Del didn't know what to say for a moment, and he turned away from Theo to regain his composure. "Why does anybody break up with anybody? You grow apart, you realize you're not in it for the same reasons, you realize you're not happy. Sometimes, you're just not happy and it's enough."

"And he wasn't happy."

"Basically. He said he was tired of waiting. I'm not entirely sure what he was waiting for."

Theo nodded and picked up the guitar again. He started picking out a tune absently. "My last boyfriend was like that. He was a good guy. He didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't big or dramatic. It was just, he didn't feel like forever."

"And you want forever?" Del said.

Theo concentrated on the song a few moments before he answered. "I want that hope."

Del pushed the porch swing slowly with his foot. "So, you're not seeing anybody right now?"

"Not anybody serious, no. Too flaky." He glanced up with a smile.

Del nodded and watched the wind make the branches of the pine trees sway. "You're not that flaky."

Del was never certain who moved first, but he moved and Theo moved, too, and Theo took hold of Del by his collar and kissed him. Del's lips parted, his tongue touching Theo's, and Theo stifled a groan and gripped Del's shirt in his fist. Del threw a leg over Theo's thigh and held Theo's face, teasing Theo's mouth with his tongue. He ran his hands down Theo's neck and over his shoulders, as Theo clutched at his shirt with trembling hands.

They broke away from each other and leaned their foreheads together, Theo breathing hard. Del whispered, "I think Jeff would kill me if he knew about this."

"So we won't tell him," Theo said, and when he glanced up at Del there was a glint in his eyes, hazel and gold and green, bright and full of life. Del sighed regretfully and slid off the swing.

"I'm sorry. You're gorgeous, you really are, and at any other time I'd be all over you, but you're my best friend's brother."

"And I live a thousand miles away," Theo said. "And I'm sure Jeff has told you about my exploits in high school, since he likes doing that."

"He told me a few things," Del admitted.

"I bet he didn't tell you I had one boyfriend all through college," Theo said. "And that we were together until last year."

Del was quiet a moment. "No, he didn't. That was the guy who didn't feel like forever?"

"Yeah." Theo sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Look, you can believe what you want to believe about me. But I think you're more observant than that. I'm not here to mess with you or break your heart. I just want to see my brother get married. You being gorgeous and awesome is just, you know, a bonus."

"You find a lot of things awesome," Del observed.

"I spend a lot of time around five-year-olds," Theo said. "I'm used to using small words." He reached for Del's hand and wove their fingers together. "If you don't want me that's one thing, but I think you do."

"I do," Del whispered. "I do."

Theo smiled and stood, enormous and broad, and held Del's face to give him a slow and sweet kiss. Del stood as they kissed and pushed against him, reveling in his long, hard body. "Oh, yeah, you want me," Theo whispered, amused, "and I want you."

"Wanting a thing doesn't make it right," Del whispered.

"Are you that scared of being close to someone?"

Del looked at Theo and licked his bottom lip, not failing to notice the way Theo watched his mouth, the way that his eyes darkened and his breathing came out faster. Del held onto Theo's hips and nudged his cheek against Theo's palm. "I don't meet someone I click with like this every day. But eventually you're going to get on your plane and go home, and then what?"

"Phone sex?" Theo whispered, and Del chuckled dryly and looked away. "I don't know, man. We could just see what happens. Isn't that part of the fun of these things? Just seeing what happens next?"

Del swallowed hard. "I want amazing things to happen next. You deserve it."

"Then let's do it." He kissed Del's forehead and then his mouth, and Del thought he could be reckless, just this once.