Heather and Jerry were first cousins. Neither one of them would profess to know much about genetics, but it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that they would be pretty close in the gene pool. Their fathers were identical twins, big strong good-looking athletic guys with reddish-brown hair and they had married a pair of sisters. Their wives weren’t twins, but they were born a year apart and looked very much alike: slim, blond and pretty. 

The families lived as next-door neighbors in houses that were mirror images of each other. Holidays and other special occasions were celebrated together, and the brothers jointly owned a house at the beach one block from the ocean and both families would vacation there, separately, together and in various combinations thereof. Both families had two children: Jerry and Heather each had a younger brother. Understandably the families were close.

Heather was one year older than Jerry, and they were very close growing up. Aside from sharing their family experiences, holidays and vacations, they also participated in many activities together and shared many of the same friends. They were pretty tight until midway through Heather’s senior year of high school. Then Heather went off to college and they lost touch.

They went to two different universities in two different states. Heather majored in elementary education and Jerry studied business. Throughout the college years, they’d see each other at holidays and occasionally in the summers, but they each had separate lives and different agendas.

They reconnected somewhat when Heather graduated from college. She came back home and the family threw a big party for her. Then a year later, when Jerry graduated, his family threw a big bash down at the beach house. Both families and assorted friends crowded the place, it was partly a celebration of him getting his degree, but mostly a big family reunion and massive beach blast. Everyone kicked back and had a great time. This is when Jerry and Heather started to catch up on lost time.

Most of the people in both families and the horde of guests stayed for the weekend and then went back home. But, by this time Heather was a kindergarten teacher and was just beginning her summer vacation, so she was planning on staying at the beach for a good part of the summer. And Jerry was three weeks away from starting his new job as a management trainee for a manufacturing company, so he was planning on hanging around at the beach for a while as well.

Jerry couldn’t believe what a stunning woman his cousin Heather had grown into. She’d always been attractive--a slim, blonde, shapely boy magnet--but now she had matured in a very secure and sexy way. She was relaxed, loved to laugh and was comfortable in her own skin. Throughout the weekend, Jerry found himself stealing glances at her when he thought she wouldn’t notice.

But of course she did notice because she was having similar thoughts of her own, and taking peeks of him whenever she could. She admired his tall stature, his slim, athletic body, his strong chin and cheekbones, and neat brown hair.

Most of the revelers, friends and family alike, left on Sunday, and a handful of others stayed over until Monday before heading home. By Monday afternoon, Heather and Jerry had the place to themselves.

Over the next few days, Heather and Jerry relaxed and played house. They both did their own thing separately--reading, resting, walks, runs, whatever--but they also shared a fair amount of time together, going to the beach, preparing meals, talking and just hanging out around the house. Much of that time was spent catching up and reminiscing about their younger days. Jerry found himself admiring Heather’s sexy body more and more and he often wore sunglasses so he could check her out without getting caught. Her shoulders and arms and legs were tanned and toned and her stomach flat and taut. Whether she was lying on the sandy beach in her black two-piece or bopping around the house in shorts and a halter she sure looked hot and unlike any kindergarten teacher he’d ever seen.

On Thursday evening, after heating leftover pizza for dinner, they were sitting on rockers on the back porch together, talking and drinking beer. Behind his shades, Jerry was ogling Heather’s long, trim, stretched-out legs and her painted toenails resting on the railing. She wore short denim cut-offs and a sleeveless white top. As they drank the cold beers their conversation heated up.

“Hey, guess who I saw the other day?” Heather blurted, wiping beer from her chin.

“Who?” Jerry asked.

“Remember that prom queen you went out with in eleventh grade?”

“Jenny?”

“Yeah, Jenny, that’s her. I ran into her at my school. She has a son in one of the other classes.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Divorced. Looked pretty rough to tell you the truth. She still has a good body but she looked a lot older and stressed-out. I guess being a single mom can do that to you. And, I think she came on to me.”

“Get out!” Jerry said.

“I’m serious. I heard her life story in under a minute and then she started hitting on me.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me how great I looked and asked if I was seeing anyone and would I like to meet for a drink and all that.”

“No shit? What did you say to that?”

“I politely declined. Told her I was going away for the summer. I never really liked her much. I always thought she was stuck-up. I felt bad when you started seeing her. I knew she’d screw you over.”

“You were right. But she was right about one thing though.”

“Oh yeah, what was that?”

“When she told you how great you look.”

Heather turned and stared at him for a moment. “Thank you,” she said.

“It’s okay for a guy to say that to his cousin, isn’t it? Without it being creepy or anything?”

“Yeah, I guess,” she said, finishing off her beer. She rose up out of her chair. “You look pretty good yourself. You want another?”

“Sure, thanks,” he said.

Heather returned with two cans of beer and handed one to Jerry.

“Thanks,” he said, and removed his sunglasses since the evening was now in deep dusk. “This reminds me of when we were kids, our families sitting on the porch in the evening. Only back then the grownups had the beers and us kids had cold lemonade or tea.”

“Can I ask you something?” Heather said.

“Of course,” he said. He took a big swig of his beer because he didn’t know what was coming.

Heather turned to face him and said, “When we were kids, we were so close. We went swimming, to the movies, played games, played ball together…”

“Yeah, you were a better ballplayer than most of the guys I knew.”

“...And we were close most of the way through high school. But something happened the second half of my senior year. Something changed. You became angry, distant.”

“Bruce,” Jerry said.

“Bruce? What’s he got to do with it?”

“Yeah, Bruce. I knew Bruce pretty well and I regretted introducing him to you and was mad when you started dating. I didn’t trust him. I knew he didn’t have much respect for women and didn’t treat them very well. I knew it would end badly. He wasn’t good enough for you.”

“Well, I don’t disagree with that, he turned out to be a real jerk. But didn’t you trust me enough to figure that out for myself?”

“I knew you would eventually. But I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Aw, that’s sweet. My younger cousin being the big brother I never had.”

“I know, I was wrong, and I was too stupid to admit it. I’m sorry it took this long. But that’s not really all of it.”

“No? What do you mean?”

Jerry took a healthy gulp of his beer. “I was jealous,” he said, the breathy words nearly lost in his throat.

It was now dark but Jerry could feel Heather’s eyes glaring at him.

“Jealous?” she asked incredulously. “What do you mean, you were jealous? Jealous of what?”

“I was jealous of all your boyfriends. But especially Bruce. I was pissed that a jerk like Bruce could be dating you. You were one of the hottest girls in school…and my cousin…and it just irritated the shit out of me that he could be with you, and…”

“And what?” She was now on the edge of her rocker facing him.

“I’m sorry Heather, I’ve said too much already.” He drained his can and said, “I need another beer.” 

He started to get up but Heather grabbed his forearm and pushed him back onto his chair. He was surprised at the cool, damp strength of her hand on his arm.

“And what?” she repeated.

Jerry leaned forward and rubbed his brow. 

“I was jealous it was Bruce and not me,” he rasped softly. “There, I said it.”

After a moment of repose, Heather responded, “But you’re my cousin, Jerry. We’re family.”

“I know that. But, as close as we were, did you ever think about what might have happened between us if we had just been neighbors, and grown up together…and our fathers hadn’t been brothers?”

“But they are. And our mothers are also sisters.”

“Yeah, there’s that too,” he said with a sigh. “Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair. Two people could be a perfect match but it’s off-limits because their fathers are brothers.” He laughed and shook his head. He got up and went to the kitchen and returned with two more beers. He sat and tried to hand one to Heather.

“Nah, I’ve had enough,” she said and wobbled up and out of her rocker. “And thank you, Jerry, I appreciate your honesty. And I wouldn’t be completely honest if I told you I’ve never given it a thought. I have. It was just too taboo and I forced it out of my mind.”

She leaned down and kissed him on the top of his head and said good night. Then she wobbled into the house and up to her room.

Jerry sat in the dark and nursed his way through both beers and the second one was warm as piss by the time he finished it.

----

When Jerry woke up the next morning and dragged his ass out of bed Heather was missing in action. Her car was gone. So he fixed some coffee and ate some corn flakes. Then he took an old beat-up wooden surfboard down off the wall of the one-car garage and lugged it down to the beach. He spent the morning riding the tepid waves and in the afternoon went for a run and read a book on the beach. When he got back to the house in the late afternoon Heather’s car was back in the driveway.

That evening they decided to go see a movie at a hotel on the beach a few blocks south. It was an old hotel, not one of the modern high rise monstrosities. It was called The Reefer and was owned by an old hippie couple who were film buffs and on Friday nights, weather permitting, they showed old movies outside for free. The north exterior wall of the place was painted white and they used it for the screen and there were two beach volleyball courts right below. On Friday nights they would take down the nets and people would flock in early with their beach chairs to get good seats. The proprietors would set up an outside bar and sell drinks and popcorn and project the movie up onto the wall. It was a local summertime tradition that had been going on for years.

They grabbed a couple of beach chairs and hoofed it on down to The Reefer. It was well before dark when they got there so they were able to get a great spot right up front. Jerry got them beers in plastic cups and a big bucket of popcorn. It was a hot, sticky night and the beers went down cold and quick and he soon went to the bar for refills. As the twilight turned to dusk they talked about the movie they were about to see. It was ‘The Big Sleep’, an old Philip Marlowe film noir from 1946 with Bogie and Bacall.

It was a pleasant evening. Their conversation was free and easy and didn’t go near what they’d talked about the night before. After the movie, on the way back, they decided to go into a place called The Sandbar for a snack and a nightcap. It was popular with young people and had a reputation as a singles bar, but it served good food at reasonable prices and was so convenient to the beach house that they had both been there many times. There was seating inside and out but since they were wet with sweat they chose to go inside.

“Oh shit!” Heather said as they approached the entryway.

“What?” Jerry asked.

“There’s that creep who was hitting on me the last time I was here. His name’s Jason.” She pointed to a guy in cargo shorts and a tank top sitting at the outside bar. “Must be a local, that’s the same stool he was sitting on last time. Pretend you’re my boyfriend!”

Heather grabbed Jerry’s hand in a vise grip. Their fingers interlocked and they walked up onto the deck. Jerry liked the feel of her fingers and the dampness of her palm. They had to wait a minute or two at the door before they were seated. Jerry stole a sideways glance toward Jason. He was staring right at them.

They were seated at a deuce in the corner by the window with a great view of the highway. Jerry leaned their beach chairs against the wall and they sat down facing each other. Playfully he immediately slid his chair around the small table so it was adjacent to Heather’s and put his arm around her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, shying away.

“You said to pretend I’m your boyfriend,” he whispered into her ear. “So that’s what I’m doing.”

Heather cackled and said, “Well, back off Romeo, and behave yourself.” Pushing him away. “I’ll let you know.”

Jerry was laughing as he scooted his chair back to where it had been. He caught the eyes of a couple at the next table. They were a good-looking pair perhaps a few years older. They had witnessed what he’d done and were smiling.

“He always gets frisky after we go to the movies,” Heather said, and they all laughed.

They ordered more beer and shared a couple of appetizers. They talked about the movie they’d just seen. There were a number of murders in the film but not all of them were solved.

“Who killed the chauffeur, anyway?” Heather asked.

“Hell if I know,” Jerry said.

They talked a little bit here and there to the couple at the next table. Bob and Fran, attractive, thirtyish, married four years. After Bob paid their tab he and Fran rose from their table and took a step closer to Jerry and Heather.

“Hey, do you guys swing?” Bob asked in a quiet voice.

Jerry and Heather looked at each other and shook their heads.

“Ah, too bad,” Bob said. “Are you straight? Or maybe bi-curious?”

“Straight,” Heather and Jerry said in unison.

“Too bad,” Fran said, looking right at Heather. Then they turned and walked away.

“Well, that was weird,” Heather said.

“Yeah, sure was. You’re quite a popular girl tonight.”

“Oh yeah, how’s that?”

“You have a guy out at the bar who wants to hit on you, the woman who just left wants to hit on you, and you have a pretend boyfriend right here at this table who’d like to hit on you but can’t.”

Heather’s eyes bored into his and with a coy smile she shook her head. “We better get on home. We’ve had too much fun for one night.”

----

Back at the house, Jerry stowed the chairs into the garage and went into the house and up to his room. He pulled fresh clothes out of the dresser and went into the bathroom. He showered and when he returned to his room he noticed that Heather’s bedroom door was slightly ajar. He walked over and looked in. She was standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair. He tapped lightly on the door. She beckoned him in and continued to brush.

He opened the door and walked over to her.

“I just wanted to say thank you for the hot date,” he said. “It was fun being your fake boyfriend for a night. Maybe we can go again next Friday. They’re showing ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. Weather-permitting, of course.”

Heather’s mouth twisted into a wry smile. She turned toward him and said, “Yes, it was fun. You were a great date. We made a handsome couple.”

“That’s what Bill and Fran thought. And just think, if we were bisexual swingers we’d would have both got laid.”

“Ugh,” she said with a shiver. “That was creepy, strangers approaching us like that.”

They just stood there for a frozen moment peering into each others’ eyes.

“May I kiss you goodnight?” Jerry said in a low croak. He hadn’t planned it, it just popped out. But there it was.

Heather didn’t react at first, she just stood stock-still staring up at him. Finally with a slight shrug of her shoulders she nodded.

Jerry pressed his mouth gently against hers and instantly melted into the softness of her lips. He kissed her gently at first, then with more potency he pressed her lips with his and placed his hands on her hips. After about thirty seconds he pulled back. They stood close, their faces inches apart and their eyeballs wide and locked.

No words were exchanged, but after a silence that was probably not as long as it seemed Jerry could see Heather’s head shaking ever-so-slightly back and forth as if trying to comprehend a language she could not speak.

Jerry’s mouth found hers again and his hands left her hips and climbed their way around her back. Heather’s hairbrush fell onto the wood floor with a sharp clonk and her arms surrounded Jerry’s upper body. She felt his tongue trace along the subtle cleft...