Loving Cousin

Niro's looked a little like a brown house from the outside, but the interior featured a green and white theme with garish accents in yellow and red. We lined up and ordered our dogs, taking seats in the crowded dining room. Mine was fully loaded with tomatoes, pickles, peppers, and onions, and I knew I'd pay for it later, but I hadn't been able to resist my favorite. Jules had hers with everything except the onions.

"You're going to regret that later," I said.

She looked up at me, puzzled. "What?"

"Not eating onions." I looked at her with a wicked grin. It was still so odd to see her and want to kiss her. I kept thinking of her as my friend, but then my racing heart would correct me every time I looked at her.

"I don't mind onion breath." Picking up a single fry, she slipped it between her lips seductively, and whispered, "As long as it's yours."

I could feel my face grow hot and had to look away for a moment. When her foot slid up my calf, I chuckled. "You'd better eat fast. I'm alre