I had just finished clearing out my ex-roommate's room when I heard my cousin's little buggy pulling into my rocky apartment complex driveway. Perfect timing.
See, her house was undergoing major renovations and they had basically gutted the entire house and it was essentially unlivable for the next couple weeks. My aunt and uncle are on the wealthier side and supposedly they're spending up to 800k on this addition. I suppose it was then convenient then that I, Elena's favorite cousin, lived only 90 minutes away and happened to have a room free due to me evicting my horrible last roommate.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited. I'm 22, and she's 25, and even though I know it's taboo, I always thought she was extremely attractive. And I was reminded of this as I looked down at her getting out of her car in the driveway from the upstairs window. The same slender blend I had always remembered - completely flat stomach, probably just under a D cup, and long,
really
long curly black hair. It's no wonder at all that, of everyone in my family, she's the one that become the model. Her most recent gig, she tells me, was an Ed Hardy billboard. She said they made her wear a shirt one size too small to make her boobs look bigger. I know she was just being playful, but her talking to me about her boobs made me feel a little naughty.
There is one memory I have of her from when we were younger - I was in middle school and she was about to graduate high school. A bunch of the cousins were playing chicken in the pool at one of our semi-weekly BBQ's we'd have at my aunt's house. I remember her boyfriend had her on his shoulders, and because her bikini bottom was a little loose from the heavy water, when she fell off his shoulder, they slipped off and everyone in the family, including myself, saw her butt. It was a little butt. Perfectly round handful cheeks. I only saw it for about a fraction of a second - but I think of it fondly almost every time we talk.
We hugged and said our greetings as she walked in and put all her stuff down in the living room. Over the next half hour or so I showed her to her room and where she could put all her stuff. She was gonna be staying for up to 3 or 4 months so why not get settled in? Her parents are staying with my uncle's brother-in-law and there was no other room there, by the way. That's why she's here.
The one unfortunate thing about the apartment was the shared bathroom, meaning the two bedroom are connected by a bathroom. This wasn't too much of a problem with my last male roommate, but with her, it might cause some issues.
"Now this..." I said as I opened the door to the bathroom from her room, "is the only part of this apartment I wish I could change. We share a bathroom. I'm really sorry."
"I think we'll be okay," she replied.
"Just make sure you lock the door at all times. I can't tell you how many times I walked in on Jerry because he never fucking locked it from my side."
She chuckled.
The next couple hours were great. I helped her rearrange the room and get settled in, then we headed back downstairs for some beers and reminiscing.
I told her all about my decision to quit college. I was going for graphic design with a minor in photography but decided to bail after the software and camera they provided me with taught me everything I needed to know better than my professors.
As it always does, the conversation turned towards my cousin's modeling career.
"So what can I expect to see you in next?" I asked.
"Um, actually, I just did a Victoria's Secret ad."
"Oh, really? I didn't know you were into that."
"Yeah, well, I was a little hesitant at first, but the photographers there make it very comfortable and that kind of modeling pays
really
good."
"You don't have a problem with people seeing you in your underwear?"
"No...not really. A photo is different than in person. Plus it's in a magazine. Not like people are gonna see it on a billboard driving down the highway or anything. Plus, and this what I think of most, in terms of what you see it's much different than when the family goes to the beach."
"That's true."
There was a brief pause as we sipped our beers over my little kitchen counter/table.
"What about you?" she asked. "How's
your
photography going? What kind of stuff have you been shooting?"
"Not much, honestly. I've been so busy working. I kind of just photograph whatever I find outside. I haven't shot a model in...Christ, probably a year a half almost. I've honestly almost stopped completely."
"Well, that's not so bad. Hey, now that I'm here - we can help build each other's portfolios."
That's not what I expected to here, but it got my attention, for
sure.
"How do you mean?" I replied.
"You can shoot me. I get more modeling pics for my portfolio and you have more time to practice shooting them. And then if they're good you can put them in yours too."
"Shoot you how? Like for what?"
"I dunno - anything. Whatever we can think of."
"I never thought of that, but hey, this is why we got along."
I liked where this was going.
Fast forward three weeks. An issue of Women's Health arrives in my P.O. Box. I was confused, but then I remember it was for Elena. Then I thought...
is this is the magazine?
Does this magazine have a picture of my beautiful cousin in her underwear in it? I'll find out later...
Later on when she came home, I heard her exclaim from the other room "Oh, it's here!"
I paused my movie to walk into the kitchen to see Elena discovering the magazine that I left on the kitchen counter.
"So that
is
yours? I was like...I don't subscribe to this." I said.
"Yes, it's mine! My modeling photos are in here! I asked them to send me the issue. I hope you don't me getting some mail sent here."
"No, not at all."
I went and stood beside her as she flipped through the pages.
"This is the, uh, Victoria's Secret thing?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yes!"
"You don't mind if I see, do you?"
"No, of course not. This is what I wanna do for a living."
She flipped through the pages some more until she eventually came to it. It was a two-page spread featuring her and two other women standing next to each other in bra and panties with the words "LOVE YOUR BODY" in big yellow text. My cousin was wearing a lacy bra and skin colored (we're white) almost booty shorts-like underwear. While the other two women were facing the camera, she was turned kind of to the side so I could see a lot of her side buttcheek. It looked like same firm cheek I remember from childhood.
"Oh, it came out so good!" she yelled to herself.
I just stared at it without saying anything. I had seen photos of her in bathing suits on social media, and she walked around the apartment the other day with a bathing suit top on, but something about seeing her in fancy underwear, all dolled up for the camera, making a sexy pose...I started hardening up immediately. Good thing I was wearing jeans.
"What do you think?" she asked me.
Not expecting to be asked for a comment, I was silent for moment.
"I think it looks really good." I said eventually. "You look really good. And comfortable. I like the other models too."
"Ooo, I love it, I love it, I love it I'm glad you like it too."
"How much did they pay you for that, if you don't mind me asking?"
She chuckled before she said, "$970"
My eyes widened. "Christ!"
"I know, haha. That's how I'm paying you rent this month."
"How much do the photographers make?"
"Fat stacks. I don't know the exact amount but I know it pays a pretty pennie."
"Damn."
A short silence.
"You should try to become one." she casually suggested.
"Oh no, I could never be that good."
"Oh, come on. Don't discourage yourself."
"I'm decent but I don't I'll ever think I'll be on that level."
"All you need is some practice. Show me what you've already done!"
Using her computer which was already on the counter, I accessed my Flickr page and opened up the model folder. There was only 2 sets - one of one of my exes, when she wanted to do some lingerie shots for a Suicide Girls audition (never panned out), and one of a cosplayer my roommate hooked me up with in a Street Fighter Chun-Li outfit. Personally I don't think either are great, but maybe I'm wrong.
She opened the one of my ex in lingerie. About 11 photos. Nothing to risquΓ©, but definitely NSFW. There was one where she had her bra strap falling down and you could see a little bit of nipple. I don't think she knew it was my ex and I was kind of glad of it. If she did, she didn't say anything.