New Sensation

     “If you want to kick my ass, I’ll understand.”

     Johnnie turned to him, a storm brewing in his greyish blue eyes. “Is there a reason you need your ass kicked?”

     “Not really.” Leo stepped back anyway. “I mean, I tried to kiss her, but she wouldn’t have anything to do with that. In fact, I thought she might kick my ass.”

     “You did what?” Johnnie roared as his fists turned to balls at his sides.

     Did Melanie not tell him?

     “I’m sorry.” Leo lifted his hands in front of him, cowering, waiting for an attack. “It shouldn’t have happened. She was being so nice to me, and I assumed she was like the other women. But she’s not.”

     “What other women?”

Leo grimaced. “She told you about the other women, right?”

     Johnnie glared at him.

     Oh crap!

     His voice came out as barely a whisper. “The ones who paid me to have sex with them.”

     “What!” Johnnie paced back and forth. “My wife brought home a gigolo to be our son’s nanny?”

     “I can explain. The same way I did with her.”

     “Unbelievable.” Johnnie walked toward the rocks. He threw his hands out to his side. “And to think for a minute I thought this might work.”

     “Please, Mr. Vega.” Leo chased after him, pleading. “Give me a chance. I never asked the women to pay me, they just did. I did it because I enjoyed having sex with beautiful women. Surely you can understand. Melanie’s beautiful and you like having sex with her.”

     Johnnie turned around and yanked Leo by the collar. “You will not say my wife’s name and sex in the same sentence.”

     “I’m sorry. But she told the cop you guys have a great sex life and . . .”

     “Cop? What cop?”

     Leo smacked his hand against his forehead. “She didn’t tell you about the cop either?”

     Johnnie shoved him away. “All she talked about was how great you are with Michael. How terrible your childhood was. How much you look like my best friend.”

     “That’s all true.”

     “The cop?”

     Leo stared at the ground. “He thought Melanie was picking me up for sex.”

     “Holy fucking shit!” Johnnie grabbed his head in his hands. “My wife almost got arrested for soliciting a prostitute?”

     “She straightened it out.” Leo looked up and smiled.      “She’s amazing that way.”

     Johnnie pointed at him. “Don’t smile like that when you talk about her.”​

“        Like what?”

    “Like Caesar.”