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Jason
“I’ll have an old-fashioned,” I grunt as I slide onto the bar stool next to my buddy Gray. The bartender nods and starts preparing my drink without comment.
“You good?” Gray smirks, staring at me. He’s a handsome bastard with dark hair, penetrating blue eyes, and an athletic frame. Somehow, however, my bud gives off a “taken” vibe although there’s no ring on his finger.
“What are you talking about? I always order an old-fashioned at this place,” I reply. “It’s the only joint that knows how to do it right.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, bro,” he grins. “You’ve met someone, Jason. I can tell. You look all…,” he looks me up and down with a squint as he pretends to search for the word. “Feral,” he finally settles on.
“Feral?” I echo, my brows shooting off my forehead. “That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think? Have you been reading too many romance novels recently?”
Then again, my bud’s not far off the mark. I do feel like a filthy animal given the way I’ve been lusting after the teenage girl next door.Emily. I was hoping to put her out of my mind by grabbing a drink with my friend, but it seems I won’t be afforded that relief.
“Yeah, feral,” he repeats. “So who is she?” he asks, taking a sip of his own drink.
“It doesn’t matter,” I hum dismissively. “It’s not happening.”
Gray whistles.
“You’re not usually one to pass up a challenge,” he says in a wry tone. “Why isn’t it happening?”
“Because, apparently,” I sigh through clenched teeth, “she’s underage.”
“Right,” Gray nods. He pauses for a moment, staring at his drink, but then turns to me. “How underage, exactly?” I shrug.
“Underage, my man,” I growl. “Does it matter by how much?”
“I’d say so,” Gray shrugs, crunching on an ice cube. “There’s almost twenty-one. There’s sixteen. That’s a five year gap.”
“Fuck, man,” I growl. “Sixteen? Now who’s feral?”
“I’m not saying I condone it,” he shrugs again. “I’m just saying there’s a difference.” The bartender places my old-fashioned on a little black napkin and I take a huge gulp, letting the alcohol sear my throat until it burns. “So, which is it?” Gray continues to prod. Seeing that my buddy clearly won’t let this go until I tell him, I let my guard down a little.
“In the middle,” I reply begrudgingly.
“So eighteen?” he asks, and I simply nod as I throw back the rest of my drink and immediately order another. Gray whistles again.
“Whoa, you’re really choked up about this girl, huh?”
“Look, it’s just wrong, alright?” I say through clenched teeth. “To want a woman so badly and to know it’s so wrong. I wish I’d known how young she was before I set eyes on her.”
“I get it,” Gray shrugs. “I’m forty-five and Vanessa’s only twenty-two. We’ve got this huge age-gap, too. It was taboo in the beginning, but you get over it.”
“Yeah,” I snort. “But at least Vanessa’s not in high school.”
Gray lets out a long, low whistle.
“True,” he agrees. “That’s a little young. But it could be worse. I mean, she could be in junior high.”
I merely shake my head with disgust.
“You’re a fucking perv, you know that?”
Gray merely chuckles again, not at all offended.
“Maybe, because don’t forget that Vanessa used to be my stepdaughter. So yeah, shit is pretty fucked up at my house.”
“No kidding,” I snort.
