<em>- Bo in dining room with others -</em><br/><br/>As he listened to the girls' responses, Bo took bites of his buttered roll.  It really was delicious.  And he was so hungry.  Mari seemed to have an interesting past, and her voice was so smooth and sexy that it made him want to lean into her to listen more closely.  He resisted the urge to close his eyes and soak in the sound.<em> "...without jealousy or insecurity."</em>He glanced at her when she spoke those words.  That was going to be the true test, wasn't it.  Looking around the table he wondered if it was truly possible for all of these individuals to develop attachments for one another and not have jealousy rear it's ugly head.  Only time would tell for sure, but Bo certainly hoped that they could pull it off.  The key, he thought, would be developing a strong bond with the other men.  While it is possible to be jealous of your brother, it is much more likely that one's love for him would override those negative feelings.  Bo knew that his brother back home had always been a little jealous of his military success, but when they were together they were like best friends.  Their bond was too strong for small wishes to find a way into the cracks.  Bo knew that his bond with these other two men would have to be just as strong, and he began to contemplate ways in which that could become real.<br/><br/><em>"I'm here because my life is missing something.  I think what it's missing is the five of you."</em><br/><br/>Mila's words caught Bo off guard.  He stopped chewing with half a roll still in his mouth, his heart leaping about in his chest,  as his gaze went to her.  The conviction with which she delivered the words after just describing what must be one of her most painful personal memories led strong credence to her feelings.  And that struck Bo profoundly.  He realized that he could have said those very words himself, and looking around the table thought that most of the others probably felt the same way.  Years later, when asked, he knew that it would be this moment that he would remember as the moment his heart truly opened up to these people and this experience.<br/><br/>He had a powerful urge to take Mila up in his arms and thank her.  Instead, he said his thanks with a warm glint in his eyes as he finished chewing the bite of roll in his mouth.<br/><br/>