All characters of this story are 18 and older, and all were 18 or older before any nudity or sexual activity occurred in discussing past.
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"Thanks for letting me stay with you," Stephen said as he looked over the menu.
"Oh, Stevie," smiled Kim. "There's no way I'm letting you waste money on a hotel. Besides, when you have a guest bedroom, you're supposed to have guests. I've been in this house alone for over two years now, and nobody has slept in that room that entire time. Not even my kids."
"How are Kiley and Kate?"
"Well, Kiley seems to have inherited my bad taste in men," Kim said, shaking her head. "Almost 30, and she has already caught husband number two cheating on her. In her own house. In her own bed."
"That sounds familiar. No offense."
"Right? Brad was a smooth talker, and I fell for everything. I think I was so broken after Wade that I was just wowed by how he could make me feel by just saying the right things. He even talked me into giving him a second chance. And a third chance."
Stephen's eyes got big. "He cheated with three different women?"
"No. He cheated with more than that. He couldn't keep his little pecker in his pants. I'm convinced he talked such a good game because he couldn't perform well with that small thing. He was awful in bed. He's literally a dog. Bark and bark and bark to get noticed, but when he catches the car he's chasing, he has no idea what to do."
Stephen laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at what you went through. But you just described him perfectly. He always came across as all flash and no substance."
"So why didn't you tell me that?"
"I met him at your wedding. I didn't think it was a good time to bring it up that night!"
"Fair enough," Kim said. "So why not after that?"
"To be honest, I'd only been around him two other times. Once at Uncle Bob's funeral."
"Yeah, dad didn't like him either."
"And the other time was at Kate's wedding. Where I caught him groping one of the aunts of a bridesmaid. Or something like that."
"And I knew all about that. They fucked in the kitchen, and Kate actually caught them. Bastard ruined her wedding night."
"So how are Kate and Jeremy?"
"Are you all ready to order?" the waitress asked. Stephen motioned to Kim to order first.
"I'll have the chicken skewers with rice. Ranch with my salad."
The waitress said, "Very well, ma'am." She turned to Stephen and smiled wide, either expecting the man to pay and, therefore, leave a big tip, or she liked older men. Probably more the former. "And what whets your appetite?" she asked, a little naughtiness in her eye, her hip shifting closer to him. So yeah, maybe it was the latter. This was flirting, for sure.
"Start us with the boom boom shrimp."
"You can never go wrong with a little boom boom," the waitress replied. She did a quick raise of her eyebrows as if to nonverbally say, "You know what I mean?"
"Right. And I'll have the aged ribeye, medium rare."
"That's pretty pink in the middle but still very hot," the waitress said, and her eyes now seemed to be filled with lust. Kim didn't look happy when Stephen glanced at her.
"Yes, that's how I like it. Give me the smashed potatoes and a small Caesar salad."
"Excellent choices, sir. Excellent. Would you like more drinks before the appetizer?"
"Yes. We will each have the same. Right, honey?" Stephen asked as he took Kim's hand.
"That would be perfect, babe." Kim still could go along quickly and playfully. Maybe it was the improv classes in college. "I like a little buzz before the boom boom arrives."
The waitress' smile disappeared. That settled it. She was definitely flirting. With Stephen and Kim both ringless, she assumed they weren't married and, likely, hoped they were work colleagues. "I'll be back quickly with those." She turned and stopped at the bar to get the drink order going.
Even at 53, Stephen still caught the attention of much younger women. Growing up, he was tall and lanky. Too lanky. At 6'2" and just 140 pounds, he didn't grab the attention of the opposite sex. At least not the right attention. He was withdrawn around girls, and he never had a girlfriend. His first college roommate got him into lifting, and his confidence soared as he got muscle on his frame. He looked much younger than he was, and he was keeping the grey hair away. His dark hair was still very thick, and he exuded the kind of confidence that Kim always loved in men.
"Excellent choices, sir. Excellent," Kim said mockingly. She was voted best eyes in high school, and her blue eyes and black hair were something he always found attractive. He was glad she went all out on dressing up tonight. She had confessed to him several times over the years that she was unhappy with her weight gain. At 5'1", her big curves always seemed bigger. Her 36 D's looked even bigger than that, and every guy in school noticed. Stephen defended her honor when guys went too far, but he was too weak to do much. She still loved that about him, not having a brother to do that. And here he was, taking up for her again. Surely, the waitress thought that this now overweight woman couldn't be on a date with this hot older guy. "I have to say, making it seem like we are on a date completely threw her off her game. She was so flirting with you."
"She just wants something big in the end."
"Don't we all?" Kim laughed.
"Poor Brad," Stephen laughed. "I shouldn't laugh at another man's, um, shortcomings."
"Nice choice of words." Kim noticed that she and Stephen were still holding hands. It had been too long since she had felt any intimacy at all, so it was nice. She didn't pull away, even if it was a show for the waitress.
"So, back to Kate and Jeremy," Stephen suggested, circling back to where they were before ordering their meal.
Kim went on to describe Kate's problems. It wasn't so much that Jeremy was cheating on her, at least sexually. He was neglecting her by spending most of his time drinking and gambling. It had cost him his job, and the neglect and toll it put on the family's finances were enough for Kate to file for divorce.
"I really liked Jeremy at first, but he has demons," said Kim. "Kate tried to get him help, but he just refused. She tried and tried, but she had to leave him." The waitress returned with fresh drinks, and she showed a little disappointment that the two were still holding hands. Stephen noticed her looking at their hands.
He didn't pull away, though. Like Kim, he thought it felt nice. Having been divorced for over a year, he missed little things like this. The conversation hit a small pause that could easily prolong into an uncomfortable silence, so Stephen raised his glass. "To the best cousin I could have been given."
Kim took it as genuine and not something Stephen said out of pity. She knew him too well, and she knew he meant it. Nobody accepted her into the family as perfectly as him when her mom married Stephen's Uncle Bob. Moving to a new town when you're 13 is hard, but Stephen helped her transition easily. He was very popular, and Kim benefited from that, making friends quickly. But none were as close as her and Stephen.
"Second best. I can't top you!" she exclaimed, clinking his glass.
After three hours of great food, better conversation, and way too many drinks, Stephen paid the tab. He did give the waitress an obscene tip, partly because Kim wasn't very nice to her all night. Kim had fun playing the jealous girlfriend.
"Thank you for paying, Stevie. I'll get the Uber."
They both stood, the first time they had since arriving. They both felt the effect of the alcohol. Kim fell into Stephen. He reached out to grab her, catching her right arm but missing when he reached for her left. Instead, he grabbed her huge left tit, and it was far bigger than what fit in his hand.