Page 71 of Sass in the Grass

Chapter Eighteen

Thatevening,Cherokeedecidedthey would go for a walk down the shore of the lake.

As much as Jovian thought they’d head back to the cabin and make love, Cherokee was definitely putting the brakes on, and that was okay, too. Someone wanted to get to know him.

When he was coming to collect Jovian, he had a strange feeling in his stomach. He thought he’d gotten food poisoning, but it didn’t hurt and wasn’t even uncomfortable.

He told Mike about it, and Mike laughed before he explained, “Does it feel like something is moving, maybe flying around?”

“Well…yeah! What is it? Am I dying?”

Mike fell back on his bunk, cracking up so he could barely speak. “No! Oh, God…Jovian!” He finally calmed his laughter and said, “It’s butterflies!”

“Butterflies? Did I swallow some damn bug in his primitive hellscape?”

“Oh, fuck, Jovian, no! You’ve never heard of it? Never had them? Butterflies in your stomach, waiting to see some guy you really like?”

He had, after he thought about it. “Oh! Is this that?”

“I think so. You don’t feel like puking, do you?”

“No.”

“Then, I’d guess that’s it.”

He told Cherokee about it as they walked along the shore. “You gave me butterflies in my stomach.”

“Oh, yeah? That’s cool.”

“It is?”

“Sure. It means you really like me.”

His huge hand had swallowed Jovian’s much smaller one as they walked hand in hand by the lapping water.

The air was cool enough to be nearly cold, and the moon was bright enough to see across the glistening water.

“I do really like you.”

“I think I know that. I like you that much.”

“I liked your class today. I liked the part about tying pieces of cloth to the trees.”

“Why?”

“Well, whenever I camp from now on, I’m bringing multicolored pieces, so I can make a bohemian forest.”

As Cherokee laughed, Jovian laughed with him.

“I like that.”

“And, I know from that old nursery rhyme, never leave breadcrumbs.”

“That’s a good tip.”

“Cherokee?”

He stopped and turned to listen to Jovian, giving him his full attention.

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