Page 89 of Sass in the Grass

“I told my buddy I was going, and I left in my car.”

“I know. I looked. So, tell me what was so important that you missed class. The hike and camp is this weekend.”

“I know. I do know, Cherokee, but this was really important, and I can’t tell you what it was.”

Cherokee’s eyes stabbed into his. “Secrets? We’re barely together and you’re already keeping things from me?”

“Please, Cherokee. I swear, it’s nothing bad. I swear. It’s really important and…it’s something I’m trying to do to help someone. That’s all I can say.”

Cherokee’s face softened considerably. “Really?”

“Yes. I promise.”

Cherokee cupped his cheek gently. “I thought…well, for one that you wanted to get out of the survival camp. Then…well, my mind took me other places.”

“I’d never, ever, ever cheat on you. Cherokee, if you can’t tell the way I feel, then I must be better at being mysterious than you thought.”

“I know. I feel the same way. Come up here with me.”

“Gladly.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Holdinghimonthatcouch, after being so worried. Well, Cherokee was exhausted from the stress alone. Jovian kept yawning, and fuck, Cherokee didn’t think he’d ever seen a cuter sight in his life.

“Are you tired, little baby boy?”

“I am. I’ve been working hard. Alan’s tutoring me.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“I want to do good for you.”

“You do. Let’s go to bed and, for once, just sleep.”

He wriggled a little as he yawned again. Then he whispered, “If you can keep those big hands off my tiny, perfect ass.”

“You’re so conceited.” He got up without making Jovian get off his lap, and once he was standing, he kissed Jovian’s forehead. He was already falling asleep.

After tucking him under the quilt, Cherokee took off his shoes, pants and shirt, and crawled in beside him, pulling him close. “Yeah, I’m in love with you,” he said to a sleeping man. “Can’t even help myself, you little fuck-wad.”

He held his boy while he fell asleep, and when he woke, he was glad to see Jovian still resting. He looked exhausted, but when he arrived, he had no idea he’d be learning so much about being a real human. That had to be tiring.

After getting on his robe, Cherokee started the stove and got the water on to boil in the electric kettle. He didn’t like to use it much, but it was already a warm morning, and having the fire going in the stove wasn’t his idea of a nice morning.

He made his coffee in his French press, then sipped it while sitting outside in the backyard. As much as he wanted to make breakfast and have it ready for Jovian, he had too much on his mind to think about food.

Jovian. From the first he’d seen the man, he thought he was possibly the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. Tiny, sweet ass and pretty little face. God, and those eyes, how they flashed when he was annoyed.

Of course, he was much less cute when it came to his attitude, but past that, Cherokee saw it. It was a defense technique to keep people from getting too close. If anyone got too close, they’d see that Jovian was his worst critic.

Hard on his looks, his height, his station in life. Sure, he wasn’t from a poor family, but he was less than wealthy. So, he’d set his sights on a rich man, so he could rise and look down at people instead of constantly looking up at them.

That was possibly why Cherokee fell so hard, so damn fast. Jovian should never feel that way. It didn’t matter how much money was in his pocket. He should always be able to look at everyone right square in the eye, not up and not down.

“Damn,” he whispered before he laughed at himself. Cherokee Dixon never thought he’d be the type to fall in love so quickly. But Jovian was special, even if he didn’t see it about himself.

“Hey,” Jovian said from behind the screen door.

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