Page 58 of Sass in the Grass

“Ha! Jovian, that’s detailed!”

“I think about horror stories sometimes, you know, when I am in certain situations, and it calls for that. Like this.”

“Oh, like a hermit bringing a beautiful young man to the woods, and because his skin is so cared for and perfect, I picture wearing it as a skirt?”

Up and leaning on an elbow, Jovian laughed, “Like that! But, if that’s true, my face would never make a skirt for you. In fact, it would barely make a decent sized clutch.”

“It would barely make an eyepatch for me.”

“Ew!”

Dixon laughed as he looked up at Jovian. “That’s where you draw the line? Being an eyepatch?”

“No, I’d make a stylish eyepatch,ifthey were stylish, which they’re not! I refuse to be made into anything that is unstylish!”

Dixon pulled him down and kissed him roughly, then bit his bottom lip before letting him go. “You’re a weird little fucker, that’s for sure.”

“Good weird or bad?”

“Weird is almost always good. At least, from my perspective.”

“Oh. Okay, great. So, more kissing now?”

“More kissing, yes.”

In his arms, on that blanket, Jovian could, for once, block out everything else. There was nothing but them, the breeze that had gotten a little more aggressive, and the sounds of the birds in the trees. In those strong arms, Jovian felt protected by the world, and he felt, for the first time, what having a daddy actually could be.

Not someone spending money on him, buying him trinkets and clothes, letting him sit by a pool or taking him to four-star restaurants. It was where he was, on a lumpy piece of ground, separated from it by only a thin blanket, being held and kissed slowly, seductively.

It was being in Dixon’s arms, the warmth of the man, the beautiful man that he was falling for, despite his reservations of ever letting himself fall for anyone.

When Dixon parted from him for a little breath, Jovian pled, “Don’t hurt me.”

“Never. Don’t hurt me either.”

“I still don’t see how I could, but I promise.”

When it was time to leave their picnic spot, Dixon packed up the rest of the food, the plates and blanket, then slung the backpack over his shoulders and then picked Jovian back into his arms. “Snakes, you know.”

“I might really get used to this and make you carry me everywhere.”

“I might just do that. You feel pretty good in my arms.”

Jovian wrapped his arms around Dixon’s thick neck and kissed his cheek. “Carry me away.”

When Dixon left him at Cabin C, Jovian waved, then ran up the steps to find his friends all sitting on Mike’s and Kathy’s bunks.

Jovian plopped down on Kathy’s, next to her, and Alan and Mike stared at him. “What happened to you? Did you guys already fuck?” Alan whispered.

“No! He’s…he’s honorable or whatever.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Or whatever. So, tell us.”

“It was…the best time I think I’ve ever had without being naked.”

Kathy sighed heavily. “How romantic.”

“It was! You would never think someone like Dixon could be romantic!”

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