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8
Selena
* * *
I’ve been with Clancy for about three months now, and things are going really well. Swimmingly, in fact. I sleep in his room, and at this point, neither of us are pretending that this is just a temporary arrangement. We’re just so compatible and the chemistry is so hot that sometimes I pinch myself, unable to believe my good fortune. I have a man who adores me, and who wants me to be safe and comfortable. Not only that, but Clancy worships the ground I walk on, and in turn, I worship him too. It’s the perfect arrangement, and all of my days are filled with laughter and enjoyment now.
But this afternoon, I’m out with my little cousin, Zoe. Zoe’s seventeen and her mom is Rochelle’s distant relative whom I don’t really know. Nonetheless, Zoe’s in from Great Falls, Michigan, and somehow she got my number. She’s here to visit the big bad city, and I think her parents want her to scope out colleges. But I know my cousin’s not doing that at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if Zoe’s played hooky every single day, going to clubs at night while waking up late and chasing boys in the afternoons. Hell, she’s probably chasing boys 24/7.
To be honest though, I adore my little cousin because she’s bold and sassy in a way I never was. She’s flirts outrageously with men triple her age and seems very experienced in bed too, so I’ve actually already confided to her about me and Clancy. Zoe was shocked at first, but not judgmental, which I appreciate. Nosy and annoying, I can handle, but not judgmental.
“Remind me how it started?” she giggles while popping a tortilla chip in her mouth. “Who made the first move?”
“Have you met me? Of course, Clancy did because I would never! I like the guys to do the initial legwork.”
Zoe raises an eyebrow playfully.
“Yeah, but this is your stepfather we’re talking about. There must have been a sassy wiggle or at least a wink to get him going, right?”
I laugh.
“Okay, okay, maybe I encouraged him a little. I was going out and I had a slutty outfit on—”
“Mmm, how slutty?” Zoe asks with one eyebrow raised.
“Very slutty,” I say definitively. “So slutty that I was practically naked.” I can hardly believe I’m having this conversation with my little cousin, but then again, kids grow up fast these days. Sure enough, Zoe’s totally unfazed.
“That’s a good type of slutty,” she says approvingly. “Go on.”
I giggle again.
“Anyways, so Clancy saw me in the outfit and basically lost it. He screamed at me, and then before I knew it, we were kissing and that was that.”
“And you’ve been sleeping with him ever since?” Zoe asks.
“Yep,” I respond cheerily while taking a bite of my burrito. “And girl, you better believe me, but it is H-O-T. Don’t listen to what they say about older men because this older man is hung and he knows how to wield his tool.”
Both of us dissolve into giggles because obviously, we’re very immature whenever we’re together. But then Zoe gets serious.
“Yeah, but has sleeping with him made it harder to live with him? I mean, aren’t there lots of mixed signals and such?”
I think about that for a second, and then shake my head.
“No. If anything, I think it’s made it easier,” I say truthfully. “When I first dropped in on Clancy, I thought it was going to be really awkward because I was basically forcing him to provide shelter to someone he hasn’t seen much of in fifteen years. But now that we’re together, it’s more like I’m living with my boyfriend, so it’s not uncomfortable at all.”
She clicks her tongue, while taking a bite of her tostada. “Yeah, but are you guys really boyfriend and girlfriend? Would you go that far?”
I nod, a little offended.
“Yes! I mean, absolutely yes. Clancy adores me, and I adore him as well.”
My little cousin raises a brow and pops another tortilla chip in her mouth.
“Just checking. Don’t be mad, Selena, because you know that I just want what’s best for you. But has your stepdad actually said that he loves you? Has he spoken those three little words?”
I frown, pausing for a moment. Where is she getting these ideas? I swear, relatives can be so annoying sometimes.
“No, not exactly, but I know he does,” I say in a slow voice. “I can feel it every time we’re together.”
“That’s good enough,” responds Zoe, nodding happily. “A woman’s intuition is never wrong, after all.”
But I’m starting to feel uneasy now, and my stomach churns. Goddamnit. Zoe’s words are getting under my skin and it bugs me. Then again, my physical discomfort is real. Is the sour cream and guac going bad, or is it this conversation that’s making my head spin? Meanwhile, Zoe prattles on like nothing’s wrong.
