Kissing Cousins
Avery Sam
Kissing Cousins
by Avery Sam
Copyright Information
Kissing Cousins
by Avery Sam
© 2025 Avery Sam
All rights reserved.
Author: Avery Sam
Contact details: averysam.parachute371@passinbox.com
Book cover, illustration: Avery Sam
Editing, proofreading: Avery Sam
This e-book, including its portions, is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced, resold, or redistributed without the permission of the author.
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Table of Contents
Copyright Information
Table of Contents
Summer Plans
Welcome to Jedburg
Sassy
Freshen Up
Teasing
Barefoot Jig
Goodnight
A Good Man
Big City
Tanning Spot
Rascal
Perfect Fit
The Right Person
Appetite
The Right Moment
Off-Limits
Ooey-Gooey
Worth the Squeeze
Pretend Boyfriend
Sweet Peach
Skunk
Natural Treasures
Maybelle
Seeing Stars
Traps
Only Fair
Oh Boy
Straight Pipe
Nightmare
Through the Fire
We Need to Talk
Coming Clean
Catch Me If You Can
Dancing in the Moonlight
Put a Load In
The Spot
Thunderstruck
Face the Music
Milkshakes
How Marvelous
Camping Trip
Sweeter
Pussycat
Sweet and Sour
High Romance
Come Along
Lovesick
Make It Rain
Mysteries
Good News
Dead Man Walking
Man-to-Man
A Ton of Bricks
All to Ourselves
Mystical, Magical
Only You
Farewell
Homecoming
Summer Plans
"Landen, honey, take a seat. We need to talk," said his mother.
"Sure, Mom, what is it?" said Landen, a big smile on his face. "Did it come? Did the letter come?"
"Letter?" said his mother, crinkling her forehead.
"Yeah, from the Sanderson Academy," said Landen. "Come on, Mom! I told you. It's the best lacrosse summer camp in the country."
"Oh, right," said his mother with a little sigh. "No, it's not about that. But it is about this summer."
"Is everything okay?" said Landen, starting to feel a rising sense of dread in his chest.
"Honey, this is hard for me to talk about, but I love you, so I'm going to tell it to you straight," his mother said, reaching across the table to take his hands.
"Mom, you're scaring me," said Landen, wanting to pull his hands back but not daring to.
"Son, I think you know I've had a hard time since your father left," said his mother. "And, well, I'm afraid that I've been drinking a bit too much lately."
"What? No. Come on, Mom," said Landen with a weak smile. "You're fine. Just a glass or two of wine after work. That's all."
"I wish that's all it was," said his mother, dropping her gaze. "But the truth is that I've been drinking a lot. Some days, it's as much as two bottles per night."
"Woah," said Landen, leaning back. "Well, I mean, it's understandable, right? You've been under a lot of pressure. And with Dad doing what he did to us, I mean..."
"It doesn't matter what the excuse is," said his mother. "The point is, I know I'm losing control, and that is a really hard thing for me to accept. And that's why I have decided to ask for help."
"Sure, Mom!" said Landen. "Anything you need. Just tell me what it is. I'll even learn to cook that fancy pasta you like. Oh! And I promise to keep my room neat and tidy."
"Thank you," said his mother, a sad smile on his face. "I want you to know that none of this is your fault. I know I've told you this before, but you're the light of my life, son. This drinking problem is my cross to bear, and that's why I need professional help."
"Professional help?" said Landen, confused. "Like, you're going to go to therapy or something? I don't understand."
"I'm going to enter a rehabilitation program," said his mother. "I did my research, and I found this place called the Greenhaven Clinic. It's got a stellar reputation. They have all the resources needed to... take care of people like me."
"Woah, rehab?" said Landen. "Well, I mean, lots of people do that, right? One of my favorite singers went to rehab last year. So hey, it can't be so bad, right?"
"I wouldn't do this to you, son, without thinking long and hard about it," said his mother. "But I need to get this thing under control before it kills me. And I want to live a long and happy life, including being there on the day you get married."
"Oh gosh," said Landen, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
"Sorry, I'm just a little emotional," said his mother, taking a tissue out of her pocket and using it to daub the corner of her eye. "This rehab place has a very intensive process. I'll send you the link to their website later, but it involves breaking down a person to their core and then rebuilding them into a brand-new person."
"Woah, that does sound intense," said Landen, now curious to get out his phone and see what celebrities had gone to Greenhaven.
"Yes," said his mother. "And the whole process takes six weeks."
"Six weeks!" said Landen. "But... but... I mean, what about your job?"
"Mr. Brookman was very understanding," said his mother. "And he promised to hold my job for me. But what this means is, son, that I'm not going to be here with you this summer."
"Oh," said Landen, images of throwing parties and inviting Stacy Cunningham racing through his mind. Why, with the house to himself, the potential of climbing the popularity ladder at school was endless!
"Now, I know you're growing up fast, but I just don't feel comfortable leaving you alone here all summer," said his mother.
"What? Come on, Mom," said Landen, hating the whiny tone in his voice. "For goodness' sake, I already have my driver's license. I'll be fine."
"I'm sure you would," said his mother with a wry chuckle. "But six weeks is a long time for a teenage boy to be on his own. And that's why I called your Aunt Jackie. She is absolutely delighted to have you down there with them this summer."
"Aunt Jackie?" said Landen. "Woah, you mean our cousins down in Alabama? Who live in the middle of nowhere?"
"Don't say that," said his mother, frowning. "Jackie said they have an extra bedroom since Sonny joined the military, so you'll have your own space. And I think the fresh air will do you some good."
"Jeez, Mom! I mean, like, it's been forever since you took me down there," said Landen. "And besides, I really wanted to go to lacrosse camp. With the instructors they got, it could be my ticket to getting a college scholarship."
"I know you did, son," said his mother. "But the Greenhaven Clinic isn't cheap, and I just can't afford that and to send you off to another fancy sports camp. Besides, I thought you might be excited to see your cousin Savannah again."
"Um, not really," said Landen. "All I remember about her was she was a pig-tailed brat who was always drinking chocolate milk and spilling it down the front of her shirt while annoying me with her dumb questions."
"Well, she's sixteen now, and Jackie said she's turning into quite a lovely young woman," said his mother with a little laugh. "I'm sure you two will get along great."
"Ugh," said Landen. "She's probably into boy bands and talking about clothes all day long. Can't I just stay here by myself? I promise I won't do anything crazy."
"Son, please. I need you to support me on this," said his mother with a sad sigh. "Going through the rehab process is going to be really difficult for me, but I'll feel a lot better knowing that you're with family."
"Fine," said Landen. "But do they even have internet down there? I mean, come on, Mom, they live in the middle of nowhere."
"Yes, they have the internet," said his mother, glaring at him. "Aunt Jackie and her husband are good, upstanding people, and so are their neighbors. I grew up in that little town, and some days, I really miss it."
"Wow, now that is hard to believe," said Landen with a laugh.
Sometimes, it was quite surreal knowing that his mother had come from such a backward place, especially now that she was a high-power attorney at a prestigious law firm in the big city.
"So, do we have an agreement?" said his mother. "You'll go spend the summer in Jedburg with your cousins?"
"Fine," said Landen, images of his glorious summer playing lacrosse at Sanderson waving goodbye as they disappeared over the horizon of his mind.
"Wonderful!" said his mother, rising to her feet and walking over to him. "I love you, son. This means the world to me."
"I love you, too," murmured Landen, cringing when his mother wrapped him up in a big hug and then planted a wet kiss on his forehead that was only faintly redolent of sour wine.
Welcome to Jedburg
The flight down to Huntsville had been long enough, but the grueling bus ride to Jedburg had Landen feeling exhausted by the time he arrived.
After stepping out of the bus, Landen was hit by a wave of muggy hot air, and the cracked pavement outside the post office which served double duty as a Greyhound bus stop was so hot that he could feel it through the soles of his canvas shoes.
Landen wasn't sure what to expect upon his arrival in that dinky little town, but when the bus pulled off and disappeared out of sight, leaving him all alone, he was more than a bit confused. Hadn't his mother told his cousins that he was coming?
Pulling out his phone, Landen saw that there were no messages informing him of a rampaging crocodile that escaped from the swamp or a fire at the moonshine distillery or whatever else might pass for an emergency in a place like Jedburg, so where in the world was his Aunt Jackie?
Not sure what else to do, Landen opened the door to the post office, wincing a bit at the sound of an old-fashioned metal bell going off above his head to announce his arrival.
If anything, it was even hotter and muggier inside the post office, with an elderly man behind the desk the only person in the building.
"Excuse me," said Landen, fruitlessly tugging at his collar in an effort to get some relief from the heat. "I was wondering if you could help me."
"Eh?" muttered the man behind the counter, giving him a quizzical look.
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but you wouldn't happen to know the Hatfields would you? My aunt Jackie was supposed to meet me here, and I don't know where she is," said Landen.
"Son, I can't half hardly understand a goshdarn word coming out your mouth," said the elderly man, shaking his head. "You ain't from around here, is you?"
"No, no, I'm not," said Landen, feeling his irritation rise. "I said, do you know a Jackie Hatfield?"
"Jackie Hatfield?" said the man, looking as if Landen had just spoken an ancient incantation in Chinese. "Lives over way yonder by the old dock?"
"I don't know. Maybe?" said Landen. "I'm her nephew. Does she live close by? Maybe I can just walk to her place."
"I rightly reckon you could," cackled the elderly man. "Although it's fixin' to be hotter'n hell today. But knock yourself out, sonny."
"Well, can you give me directions to this old dock place?" said Landen, seriously wanting to reach across the counter and strangle the insufferable old man.
"Sure," said the old man, an idiotic smile on his face. "Just head down Main Street and then hang a left where the old widow's place used to be. Go down 'bout half a mile and then hang a right when you get to a big stump from that cypress tree what burned down a couple of years ago. Can't miss it."
"Um, thanks," said Landen, muttering the rest under his breath. "For nothing."
"'Course it'd be a lot easier to call Ernie," said the old man, giving him a reproachful look. "But whatever floats your boat, son."
"Ernie?" said Landen, now completely exasperated.
"Dang, you really ain't from around here," said the old man with a laugh. "Why, Ernie runs the taxi business in town, if you can even call it a business. But you best be giving him a call now before he gets too far down in his boots. Prefers to drink his lunch, if you know what I mean."
"Ah, thanks, but I think I'll take my chances on my own," said Landen, stepping out into the fierce midday sun.
He'd only been in this town for ten minutes, and already he was sorely missing home. Why in the world did his mom have to send him to this hellhole? And how had she ever managed to escape?
But before Landen could orient himself to find some random tree stump or whatever else the old man had said, an enormous, somewhat rusted-out old pickup came roaring up to the post office, kicking up a cloud of dust and pebbles behind it.
As Landen stood and watched, a huge man with a beard and dressed in overalls clambered out of the front seat and made his way around, an enormous grin on his face when he spied Landen standing there with his duffel bag in hand.
"Well, well, if it ain't little Landen Knight," roared the man, clapping Landen in a bear hug. "Welcome to Jedburg."
Trying not to let himself get crushed to death in the man's arms, Landen finally realized that he was being accosted by his Aunt Jackie's husband, a man that everyone called Big Buck.
"Hey, uh, good to see you," said Landen, gasping for air when the man finally let him go.
"Why, you was just knee high to a grasshopper when you came down here with your momma," said Big Buck with a throaty laugh. "And now you done grown up good. Well, good on you, son. Good on you!"
"Um, thanks," said Landen, discreetly glancing down to see if Big Buck had left a handprint on what was one of his favorite polo shirts.
"Been waiting here long?" said Big Buck, one hand resting on his generous belly.
"Um, not too long, no sir," said Landen, anxiously eyeing his uncle's pickup truck, which barely looked to be roadworthy.
"Momma said you'd be here at four sharp, but you know how them bus companies is," said Big Buck, snatching Landen's duffle bag out of his hand and casually tossing it into the back of his truck. "Slicker'n owl shit with their fancy talk, ain't that right?"
"Um, sure," said Landen.
After Big Buck lumbered around to the other side of the truck, Landen gently squeezed the handle on his side, the door opening with a loud squeal of protest.
Inside the cab, the floor was littered with all kinds of wadded-up fast food wrappers and other items that Landen could scarcely identify.
"Here, let me just clean that up," said Big Buck, using one arm to sweep a new load of junk off the bench seat and onto the floorboard. "Hop on in, Landen. My, ain't you looking sharp in that shirt. You city folks living good, ain't ya?"
"I suppose," said Landen, grimacing as he climbed into the truck. There were a few patches of stuffing sticking out of the torn plastic fabric of the seat, but otherwise, it looked okay.
"Aww, ain't no need for all of that," said Big Buck with a laugh after Landen started looking around for the seatbelt. "We ain't but just a couple miles down the road."
"Alright," mumbled Landen, using one hand to brace himself against the dashboard as Big Buck sent the truck careening down the road.
A few minutes later, they were outside of town, the houses disappearing in favor of long stretches of some rather angry-looking, tall grasses. But with the windows down, at least there was a bit of relief from the ever-present heat.
"Whoowee, gonna be a hot one today," said Big Buck, using just one finger to hold the wheel as he fished out a small metal can from the front of his overalls.
"Oh," said Landen, already feeling himself becoming drenched with sweat. He simply couldn't imagine it getting any hotter than it already was, and he prayed that there would be some air conditioning in the house.
"Yup. Weatherman said it's on account of global warming or some such happy horseshit," said Big Buck, taking out a pinch of something from the can and then wedging it into the side of his mouth. "But I say, it's summertime. Always been hot and always will be. Am I right?"
"Sure," said Landen, feeling queasy as the truck bounced and rattled as it flew down the increasingly narrow road toward a line of trees that stood in the distance.
Never in his life had he felt so homesick as he was at that moment.
Sassy
“You chew?” said Big Buck, offering Landen the can.
“Um, no sir,” said Landen.
He’d known a few guys at school who were into tobacco like that, mostly baseball players, and just the smell of it made him sick.
“Fair enough,” said Big Buck before turning to hawk a disgusting stream of brown juice out the window. “Gotta keep your pearly whites pearly white, am I right?”
“Um, yeah,” said Landen.
Was this really how the rest of his summer was going to play out? Like some kind of horror movie where he was trapped in a tiny town full of tobacco-spitting hillbillies, irritating elderly postal clerks, and suicidally fast drives down narrow roads in a rusted-out pickup?
If so, it would be a miracle if he could survive. But hey, at least it might make for an interesting story to tell his friends when he got back home.
“Your Aunt Jackie’s been cooking up a storm since the rooster done first crowed this morning. Hope you’re hungry!” said Big Buck, turning to grin at Landen. “Boy, when she heard you was coming, she got all kinds of excited. Her and your momma was real close.”
“Ah,” was about all Landen could say in response to that.
“Sassy, too, 'course she was acting like she wasn’t,” said Big Buck with a laugh before firing off another stream of brown juice out the window.
“Sassy?” said Landen, now grateful that he hadn’t eaten anything on the plane because his stomach was doing backflips.
“Sure, your cousin Savannah. You remember her, don’tcha?” said Big Buck, once again taking his eyes off the road to look at Landen, which sent chills of terror racing down his spine. “Wasn’t but four or five years ago you was down here with your momma if I'm remembering it right."
“Oh, right. Savannah,” said Landen. “Yes, I remember her. She was, uh, quite an inquisitive child.”
“That’s one way to put it,” said Big Buck with a laugh. “Anyway, I remember you two hitting it off like gangbusters. Followed you around like a puppy, she did. Reckon you two will get along just fine, yes sir, I do.”
“Um, I’m sure we will,” said Landen, being polite.
“Anyway, tell you the truth, I’m sore glad of having you around this summer, Landen,” said Big Buck. “To keep watch over her.”
“Keep watch over her?” said Landen, confused.
“Just between us, man-to-man and such, when girls get to a certain age, and every boy in town starts to come flocking around wanting some of that honey, if you catch my drift,” said Big Buck, giving Landen an intense look. “That’s why I’m happy you’re here, son, to keep them away. Shoo ’em off with a baseball bat, if you have to.”
“Ah, right,” said Landen, trying and failing to picture why anyone would be interested in an annoying brat with chocolate milk stains on the front of her shirt.
“Well, here we are, home sweet home,” announced Big Buck, pulling up in front of a small but trim-looking house located just a hundred feet or so from what appeared to be an endless stretch of pine forest.
“Oh wow, yeah, I remember this place now,” said Landen, smiling to himself as he got out of the truck.
Once he had his feet planted on firm ground again, he was relieved to find his stomach was a lot calmer.
“Jackie, shake a leg! We’re here!” hollered Big Buck before going around to the back of the truck to get Landen’s duffle bag.
The door to the house swung open, and out stepped Landen’s Aunt Jackie wearing a kerchief in her hair and a simple house dress.
“There he is!” crowed his aunt Jackie, enveloping him in a big hug, the smell of her triggering an avalanche of memories in his mind, including sitting on the back porch and dipping cornbread into a glass of buttermilk, something he’d completely forgotten about.
“It’s good to see you again, Aunt Jackie,” said Landen.
“Ain’t he done growed some?” said Big Buck, approaching the two of them with Landen’s duffle bag slung over his shoulder. “And he’s got that fancy city talk and everything. Hard to believe we're kinfolk!”
“Oh, you hush,” said Aunt Jackie to her husband before turning to look at Landen. “My word, you’re become a handsome young man. And polite, too. Your momma raised you right, I am happy to see.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Landen.
“Sassy! Get on out here and say hello to your cousin Landen,” bellowed Big Buck.
Standing there with his aunt Jackie’s hand clasped around his shoulder, Landen watched as the door to the house swung open and out stepped his cousin Savannah, nearly causing his jaw to hit the floor
The annoying little twerp with pigtails was long gone, transformed into a gorgeous young woman with long, glossy hair, her lithe body fully on display as she was dressed only in a pair of skimpy denim shorts and a cropped T-shirt that barely covered her small but well-formed breasts.
“Hey,” said Savannah, giving him a half-hearted wave.
“Hello,” said Landen, barely able to speak, his breath taken away by her beauty.
My god, she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. It was no wonder her father needed help keeping the boys away! Heck, if she wasn't his cousin, this could be a case of falling in love at first sight.
And that’s when Landen realized that maybe spending the summer in Jedburg might not be so bad after all.
Freshen Up
"Well, what are we all doing just standing here in the sun?" said his aunt Jackie with a laugh. "Come on inside the house, y'all."
Landen grinned as he followed everyone through the front door and into the living room, unable to avert his gaze from Savannah's backside, the lower curve of her ass cheeks enticingly visible under the frayed hem of her skimpy shorts.
"I hope you're hungry," said his aunt Jackie with a smile. "Because I've cooked up a whole mess of food."
"Yes, I didn't eat anything on the plane," said Landen, his stomach rumbling as he caught the first delectable whiffs of food coming from the kitchen.
"Wonderful!" said his aunt Jackie. "Sassy, go ahead and show Landen where to freshen up while Buck puts your luggage in your room."
"All right," said Landen, feeling giddy, although whether that was from the anticipation of enjoying his aunt's home-cooked food or being in such close proximity to Savannah, he couldn't tell.
As Big Buck headed off the hallway, Landen eagerly followed Savannah to the first door on the right. But whereas he expected her to just gesture for him to go in by himself, he was surprised when she walked right in.
"I know it ain't as fancy as what you're probably used to," said Savannah, waving her arm to show off a simple shower, sink, and toilet set-up, her thick drawl delighting him in a way that he never would've expected. "But this is what we got."
"No, it's fine," said Landen. "In fact, I believe you've renovated the place since last I was here."
"You're funny," said Savannah with a little laugh that made Landen's heart beat faster, although he had no idea why. "But yeah, every few years or so, my momma gets a wild hair up her ass and makes daddy tear everything out."
"Ah, I see," said Landen, still not quite sure why she felt the need to give him a grand tour.
"Oops!" said Savannah with a giggle, clapping her hand over her mouth. "Momma said I was s'posed to mind my P's and Q's around you."
"No, that's quite all right," said Landen, finding himself enamored by just how lovely his cousin had become. She had big, green eyes that were utterly captivating, and even standing still, her body seemed to be dancing with some kind of bewitching feminine energy.
"'Course, this here is the shower," said Savannah, drawing back the plastic curtain adorned with dolphins arching their way up from bright pink waves. "You let me know when you need to use it 'cuz fiddlin' with the water knobs takes some getting used to."
"All right, I will," said Landen, simultaneously mystified as to why she was still hanging out in the bathroom with him and excited to spend another moment in her presence.
"If we don't get some rain soon, Daddy says the well might dry up," said Savannah, giving him a little wink. "If that happens, we'll have to watch how much water we use."
"That, um, sounds sensible," said Landen, wishing that he could find some excuse to reach out and touch her hair, which shimmered every time she moved.
"If it gets real bad, we might even have to double up and share," said Savannah, her voice low and husky as she looked at him with a curious glint in her eye.
"Oh, um, yeah," said Landen, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
Was she seriously talking about taking a shower with him? No, that couldn't be, could it?
"Anyway, I'll leave you to freshen up," said Savannah, skipping over to the door before stopping to turn and look at him. "And don't you dare use that little fancy pink shell soap there. That's for company."
"Right, I'll, uh, remember that," said Landen.
And then she was gone, leaving him feeling stunned as he twisted the faucet open and began washing his hands.
It felt like his whole body was buzzing, and he was having trouble thinking straight. It must be the hot weather, he told himself.
Being careful to use the big bar of plain yellow soap and not the ornate pink shell one, Landen turned off the water and thoroughly dried his hands on the hand towel.
He then glanced in the mirror, surprised to see that there was a touch of color on his face. He'd only been in Alabama a short while, and yet apparently, the sun had already had its effect.
Landen's eyes went wide as he made his way into the kitchen and saw an enormous repast laid out on the table, a dozen different platters and bowls heaped with food.
There was a simple red-and-white checked tablecloth that lent the whole room a cheerful atmosphere, and the rest of his family was already seated, looking up at him with an expectant expression on their faces.
"Wow, this all looks amazing," said Landen as he sat down.
But just as he was about to reach for the plate of fried chicken and help himself to the big drumstick that was calling his name, he felt Big Buck's calloused fingers reaching for his hand.
A moment later, Savannah snuck her petite little hand over to him from the other direction, and that's when Landen remembered their custom of saying grace before eating.
"Big Buck, why don't you do us the honors?" said his aunt Jackie in a quiet voice.
Following their cue, Landen bowed his head as his uncle mumbled a long litany of thanks for everything from the food to Landen's safe arrival, ending on an earnest beseechment for the Lord to send them some rain if it was in His blessed well.
After everyone said their amens, the feasting began. Normally, Landen ate no more than a couple of skinless chicken breasts with maybe a side of green beans for lunch, but his aunt's home cooked food smelled too good to resist, so he piled a little bit of everything onto his plate.
No one seemed dismayed by his voraciousness as all of them had full plates as well, including Savannah, who looked like she might weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet.
Grinning as he worked himself through a helping of macaroni and cheese, the top nicely browned from being in the oven, he was flooded with memories of all the delicious food he'd eaten on his last visit.
As Landen happily worked his way through not two but three helpings of potato salad, he made a vow to himself that this was a one-time celebration.
Otherwise, he'd be going back home at the end of the summer looking like a beached whale. Yet for all the calories that were being dispatched by his extended family, the only one with any bulk was his uncle, which assuaged Landen's worries a bit.
"Better save some room for dessert 'cuz I made my famous apple pie. Plus, we got cherry cobbler and homemade ice cream for them that wants it," announced his aunt Jackie, eliciting a round of groans from the others.
Yet to his surprise, Landen was happy to accept a fat wedge of apple pie later, along with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
His stomach was full to bursting, yet somehow he enjoyed every single bite, his tongue marveling at the rich buttery texture of the ice cream.
When all was said and done, the table looked as though it had been attacked by a pack of wolves, but his aunt Jackie looked quite pleased as she scurried around, clearing off the plates and bowls.
"Thank you so much, Aunt Jackie," said Laden, patting his stomach. "That was delicious."
"Thank you. Sassy, honey, why don't you show Landen to his room so he can have a little lie-down," said his aunt Jackie as Big Buck went clomping off in the direction of the front porch.
"Sure, Momma," said Savannah, hopping to her feet with an airy grace that Landen knew he had no hope of matching, not as full as he was.
Staggering down the hallway after her, Landen felt himself growing sleepier with every step. Savannah led him into a small but tidy room about halfway down that had a few sports posters on the wall as well as a couple of shelves that were covered in shiny trophies.
Landen wasted no time in getting horizontal, sighing with pleasure as his head hit the pillow. Turning to look at his cousin, he saw she had an amused look on her face.
"Sweet dreams, now," said Savannah, leaning in to give him a quick peck on his forehead before darting out of the room.
The last thing he remembered before he slipped beneath the waves was the lingering heat from her lips against his bare skin, and then he was out like a light.
Teasing
The last rays of the afternoon sun were fading away by the time Landen awoke.
His dreams had been plagued by strange, chaotic images, including of Savannah where she had been dancing around in a most enticing manner as she listened to some stupid boy band song.
When Landen sat up, he realized he was soaked in sweat, and he also had a rather vigorous erection going on, which he preferred not to think about.
Luckily, his duffle bag was just a few feet away, so Landen stripped out of his clothes and changed into a T-shirt and pair of shorts.
The hot, muggy air was still nearly unbearable, but in a fresh set of clothes, he felt a tiny bit better.
After waiting for his cock to get under control, Landen peeked his head out of the bedroom and then made his way down the hall and into the kitchen.
To his surprise, his Aunt Jackie had all the burners going on the stove, and it looked like she was preparing yet another gargantuan feast.
"Well hey, sugar, how was your rest?" said his aunt, turning to favor him with a big grin.
"Um, I feel refreshed. Thank you," said Landen, amazed to see that she wasn't even sweating despite the roaring heat in the kitchen.
"You're looking a bit peaked," said his aunt. "It's gonna be a while before supper's ready. Why don't you go get Sassy and tell her to take you down to the dock? I think you'll find it's a bit cooler down there."
"Um, sure," said Landen, feeling unexpectedly nervous. "Remind me again where her room is?"
"Sure, it's the first one past yours, on the right," said his aunt Jackie with a smile before turning back to the food.
Cautiously, Landen made his way down the hallway. When he got to Savannah's room, he saw that the door was open. Looking inside, he saw that she was dancing, her eyes closed as she swayed to music that only she could hear through her headphones.
Immediately, Landen felt a fresh round of sweat break out on his forehead. This was almost exactly like what he had dreamed about!
And sure enough, his body started to react to the sight of seeing her lithe, gorgeous body moving and swaying as she enjoyed herself, utterly unaware that he was watching her.
"Um, excuse me, hi," said Landen, quietly at first. But then he repeated himself when he saw that she hadn't heard.
But just as he stepped into her room, she caught sight of him. Instantly, she threw off her headphones and ran over to her phone to shut off the music. Panting a bit, she looked over at him, her cheeks aflame with color.
"Why, you little pervert!" she said. "You were spying on me."
"No, no, I wasn't," stammered Landen, urgently crossing his legs to prevent further embarrassing himself. "Your mother told me to come get you."
"Uh-huh, sure," said Savannah, playfully sticking her tongue out at him as she used one hand to fan herself, a sight that left him breathless. "Just admit it, you was watching me."
"No, I swear!" said Landen. "I went into the kitchen, and your mom said you should take me down to the dock or something because it's cooler there."
"Aww, I was just teasing you," said Savannah, brushing past him as she exited her bedroom. "Don't you know girls like it when boys look at them?"
"Right," gulped Landen, more confused than ever as he followed behind Savannah.
Once out of the house, she led him down a narrow path that wound its way through a thick strand of trees.
The combination of the warm ground and the aroma of the pine needles triggered memories of his first visit down here, and he began to have faint recollections of swimming in a muddy creek, although everyone around here referred to it as a "crick."
As Savannah sauntered her way down the path, Landen couldn't help but watch her well-toned legs as they flexed and moved. His fascination with her physical attractiveness was starting to become too much, and he reminded himself once again that she was his cousin.
After a while, the terrain opened up a bit, and Landen saw that there was a small lake off to one side. And sure enough, there was a rather weathered-looking dock that jutted out a few feet.
"Don't be scared," said Savannah, giving him a playful smile. "Just don't step on any of the soft boards, and you'll be alright."
"Right," said Landen, following her out to the end of the short dock.
The air out here might've been marginally cooler, but only a little. Yet he did have to admit that the view across the water was spectacular, especially when the occasional orange-gold ray of the sun glinted off the surface of the lake.
"This is where I come to think when I need time to myself," said Savannah, turning to look at him with a strange expression.
"It's, um, rather beautiful," said Landen. "And quiet. Really quiet."
"Sure, if you don't mind all those bugs hollering," said Savannah with a laugh.
"I swear, I don't know how you all deal with the heat," said Landen. "Back where I'm from, we'd be pumping the air conditioner twenty-four-seven."
"Well, you get used to it, I s'pose," said Savannah after thinking for a moment. "Say, if you want to cool down, you should take off your shirt."
"What? No, I couldn't," said Landen, feeling his face grow warm.
"Aww, come on, why not?" said Savannah. "You afraid to show me your man titties?"
"What? That's ridiculous!" said Landen, only realizing a moment later that she was teasing him.
Between lacrosse and baseball, he was in great shape, although some of the guys he knew who played football had much bigger muscles.
"Well then, what you waiting for?" said Savannah, a mirthful glint in her eyes. "This ain't the big city. Take off your shirt!"
"But, um, it wouldn't be polite, I don't think," said Landen, not quite sure why he was so embarrassed. During training, all the guys would take off their shirts on really hot days. And the weather down here certainly qualified as hot.
"Now you're just being rude," said Savannah. "Unless you got some plug-ugly scar you're hiding or some funky ass tattoo, pop that top, boy!"
"Fine, fine," said Landen, realizing he was out of options. And so, with one quick motion, he took off his T-shirt.
"Wow," said Savannah with a low whistle as she gave him a thorough appraisal. "My momma said you played sports, and I can see she wasn't lying. That's quite some washboard abs you got there."
"Um, thanks," said Landen, now more worried about the stirring he felt in his pants than the way she was looking at him as if he were a side of beef.
"It's so hot, I'd take my shirt off too, if I could," said Savannah. "But that would be rude, wouldn't it?"
"Um, yeah, I guess," said Landen, finding it hard to swallow. Her tiny crop top was barely covering her tits as it was. And just the thought of seeing her without her shirt on was doing all kinds of things to his dick.
Luckily, Savannah decided to sit down on the end of the dock just then, giving him a moment to collect himself as he carefully took a seat beside her.
Together, the two of them spent the next few moments silently enjoying watching the sun set over the horizon.
After a while, Savannah spoke up and said, "Look at all them stars. Do you think it's true that each one is a world like ours? And maybe the folks on those planets are looking up in their skies at us?"
Not wanting to ruin the mood by pedantically pointing out that the stars in the sky were actually suns, not planets, Landen just said, "Yeah, it could be."
A few more moments went by, and then Savannah sighed and leaned her head on Landen's shoulder, causing him to freeze in place.
Part of him wanted to wrap his arm around her waist, and the other part was too scared to do it, not wanting to offend her.
But the part that wanted to get closer to her won out, and he slowly reached around her back and rested one hand on her side.
Savannah said nothing, instead choosing to snuggle closer to him, silently letting him know that she was okay with him touching her like that.
Her skin felt incredibly warm to the touch, and combined with the soft breeze blowing in over the water, Landen felt a shiver run down his spine.
Why, if she were some pretty girl he knew back home and not his cousin, he'd consider this the perfect date.
It was only when Savannah shifted a bit that the trouble began. Her slight movement had caused her cropped tee to ride up a bit, exposing just the tiniest bit of the underside of her breast.
That and the fact that his hand was mere inches away was causing all kinds of completely inappropriate biological stirrings to occur.
Despite his raging boner, Landen sat there perfectly still, not daring to call attention to his body's betrayal.
On one hand, he was in heaven, his arm wrapped around a pretty girl on a lovely summer evening, and on the other hand, he was in a kind of perfect hell.
"I have a confession to make," said Savannah with a sigh a few minutes later, sitting up straight.
"Oh yeah?" said Landen, feeling dizzy as he discreetly eased his free hand down to cover his lap.
"When you and your momma came to visit us that one time, I had the biggest crush on you," said Savannah, looking out over the water.
"No," said Landen, his mind racing.
"Yeah, I thought you were the handsomest boy I ever saw," said Savannah with a little laugh.
"Wow, um, thanks," said Landen, feeling his whole face grow uncomfortably warm.
"But not anymore, you dope," said Savannah with a giggle, hopping to her feet with one effortless motion. "You're too old for me now."
"Oh, right, sure," said Landen, hating the fact that he knew his face was beet red.
"Gosh, don't you know I was just teasing you?" said Savannah, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Come on. Momma gonna be calling us for supper soon. And put on your shirt. Otherwise, Daddy will think the two of us have been doing naughty business."
"Right, of course," said Landen, finding it hard to swallow as he went over to retrieve his shirt and put it on.
My word, he'd only been in Jedburg for half a day, and already he was feeling completely lost.