Page 141 of He's the One

Col stumbled to a halt.

Theo turned round laughing, and walked backwards. “We’d leave it alone and call the police.”

“Is it possible?” Col caught up with him just in time to stop him tripping over.

Theo faced forwards again. “A teenager found one not far from here last year. First time he’d used his machine, but the chances are small. No one detecting for fun in the UK has ever been injured or killed by finding a bomb.” Theo climbed into the next field. “I’m not worried.”

“Because you’re going to make me do all the digging?”

Theo waggled his eyebrows. “But of course.”

“It was just when I told my parents what we were doing, my dad made a joke and my mum slightly freaked out. If they hadn’t been about to board a plane, she’d have been asking me to text every few minutes to let her know I was still alive.”

Theo elbowed him. “That’s lovely.”

“But I still have to do the digging?”

“Iamthe heir to this stately pile.” Theo put on a very posh voice.

“But you wish you weren’t.”

“If it was because Piers was here, yes. I know I’m not perfect. But I am what I am. Wow! I think I’ve stopped worrying about it.” He grinned.

“I don’t like the idea of you feeling unhappy because you had no choice.”

“At least I didn’t spend my entire childhood knowing what was in store. I was the Spare. Piers was always under pressure to do the right thing, say the right thing. I got away with a lot. It didn’t matter if I was stupid.”

“You’re not stupid.”

“Not as stupid as they thought, but I wasn’t good at much. Piers was brilliant, smart and clever and quick witted. Great at everything.”

Except perhaps for staying alive, Col thought.

“I like to think of him living in some South American country with a wife and kids. Maybe running a factory or a farm. And happy. If he is alive, I just hope he’s happy. Like me.”

Theo stopped walking and turned to face Col. “You make me happy. Ever since we met, I’ve hardly been able to think of anything but you. What you look like, what you feel like, what you sound like, the way it feels when you’re with me and the way it feels when you’re not. How my heart sings when we kiss and touch.”

He took a deep breath. “It’s as if I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt, except not hurt, but energised. The only person who’s ever made me feel I’m enough is myself. Now I have you. I don’t dread the future because we can have one together. You’re mine. I’m yours.”

Something exploded like a firework inside Col. Despite the confidence in Theo’s words, there was a look of vulnerability on his face that made Col’s heart ache. He didn’t care that they might be seen, he put down what he was holding, took the detector from Theo and put that down too, then pulled Theo into his arms.

Col wanted the kiss to say everything he was feeling. How much he loved him, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making sure Theo was always happy, that Theo was his world.

“I want to be with you forever,” Col whispered. “You’re everything to me.”

Maybe too soon for the L word but Col felt it.

“Don’t lick my ear or I won’t be able to control myself.” Theo moaned.

Col breathed on it and Theo moaned louder. “I’m rethinking the future.”

Col laughed and let him go. They picked up the equipment and set off again.

“I’m feeling like maybe I should do the digging, just in case,” Theo said.

“We’re not going to lose each other. Nothing’s going to break us apart.”

“Not even death?”

---