“You also asked me about guys before tonight, you know. You asked me if I ever did anything with guys one of those nights we talked. Down in the study room.”

“Who the fuck remembers back that far?”

“I do. I told you no, but I wanted to. I was reading your psychology paper. Or some paper. After everybody else went to bed.”

Ben licked his lips, reaching for his watch, and checked the time. “Oh yeah. I remember now.”

“See.”

Ronny said, “You never answered my question.”

“And I ain’t going to answer your question. You pissed me off asking that. You got a smart mouth, you know. You’re going to say something like that one of these days and I’m not going to stop long enough to think about it before I smack you.”

“I’ll try to watch out for that.”

“You’re a guy, there’s no rule I can’t hit you.”

“You mean other than just plain ordinary civilization and all.”

“Fuck you. You know what I mean.”

Ronny leaned his head back under Ben’s chin, and Ben pressed down and caught him there. For a long time they listened to each other, breath and heartbeat. Tuning out all the rest. Fine, dark beard on Ben’s jaw, heavy. A curly hair in his nostril. Fine, tiny pores in his skin.

“What?” Ben asked, after the quiet.

“No, I don’t know what you mean.”

Looking at Ronny and then away, out the window. Sounds of beach music drifted from outside. “I mean, I don’t want to hit you or anything but you get to me.”

“Okay.”

“That can be a good thing and that can be a bad thing. I mean, I like you get to me like this,” bumping his partly erect self against Ronny’s thigh, holding it there. “But you say this stuff that makes me nuts and I never know how I’m going to react.”

Their skins grew moist all along their plane of contact. Ronny let him have the last word and lay there feeling their heartbeats, out of synch. Ben started to move again, sliding one arm around Ronny, reaching for Ronny’s erection, the touch running through him like lightning.

“Get on the floor,” Ben said, “on your hands and knees. Will you do that for me, baby?” His voice hung at the edge of Ronny’s ear, hushed, but still commanding. “Do you have any baby oil around?”

“Man,” Ronny said, shaking his head, feeling threads of electricity through him head to toe.

“You ready?”

“I think so.”

“You asked for it.”

“I know. Oh, man. I want to say stupid stuff to you. But I better shut my mouth.”

“You say stupid stuff to me all the time. What’s the problem?”

“Never mind. Yes, I have oil. You want to get off me so I can get out of bed?”

“In a minute. Now that we know what I’m going to do let’s just think about it awhile.” They lay there quietly. Ronny had one hand behind him on Ben’s bare backside. Ben put his hand around Ronny and pulled on him again, rough skin on the palms, Ronny’s breath changing. “You’re as bad off as I am. You’re not as big as I am but you’re as bad off.” He snickered.