Page 60 of Sass in the Grass

“We’ve got a lot to teach him.”

“Will you both please stop talking about me like I’m not here?”

“Why?” Alan asked. “You never listen to us, anyway.”

Jovian took offense to that. “I do. At times.”

“Well, listen to this, Jovian,” Alan said, and his voice was much warmer and more patient. “I know that man likes you. We’ll help all we can, but we will not be there when you’re alone. Just…just remember, he’s a real man with real feelings.He doesn’t care about money or things. He cares about people and this place.”

Mike agreed, “He’s right. Don’t play coy or be aloof. He won’t understand that.”

“I don’t want to do anything that would hurt him. I think it would hurt me as much if I even tried.”

Kathy lay her head on Jovian’s shoulder. “I think you’ve come a long way already.”

That evening, everyone gathered around the dock, letting their feet dangle as they ate hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drank generic soda.

Jovian sat with his friends, but he was soon taken away when Dixon tapped him on the shoulder. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Alan was the one to say, “Oh, Coach, we’re good. We were just gonna hang here for a while longer, then take the swim, and he won’t. He doesn’t want to swim in. What was it, Jovian?”

“Smelly fish and smelly fish piss,” Jovian answered. “That’s just disgusting. You know that water gets into…places you’d rather it not.”

Dixon grabbed his hand and hefted him to his feet. “No swimming in smelly fish piss then. Come on. I want to show you something.”

Jovian gladly followed Dixon, but it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. Dixon’s strong grip on his hand made him follow. It was hot, like the caveman they’d discussed earlier.

He was led to the office, and once the door was closed, Dixon grabbed him into his arms and kissed him solidly. “I couldn’t wait to see you alone. I guess that makes me lame.”

Jovian’s entire body lit in happiness. “Really? You…really?”

“Yeah. Why does that surprise you?”

It shouldn’t. The old him, the one before he’d ever come to the camp, would have told him he knew all along he’d come back for more. In his heart, however, he doubted Dixon would ever wantto see him again. “It doesn’t,” he tried to say with confidence. It came out barely above a whisper.

“Well, it surprised me. You’ve got me spun around, Jovian.”

Before he was put on the spot to say words he didn’t have, Dixon held him a little closer, kissing him in the sweetest way. Jovian felt like a prince, but not the kind of prince he’d always pictured.

There were no mansions in a future with Dixon. There was no huge pool, media room with a wall sized television, and rows of reclining chairs.

There was no wing for his clothes and makeup.

But he had arms that surrounded him in strength and security. He had eyes that chilled him even as the man they belonged to warmed him through. Jovian had a voice that told him the best things, things he needed to hear, without realizing he did.

Dixon smiled as he pulled away and pinched Jovian’s chin. “Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“Anything. I want to know your thoughts.”

“I’m not known for my thoughts,” he said, trying to be funny, but it was unfortunately true.

“Well, I’d like to hear them. I want to know you, Jovian. The good and the bad.”

Jovian moved to kiss him again, and he thought Dixon would pull away, but instead, he swept Jovian up into his arms and kissed him while holding him.

“I told you I’ll get used to this.”

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