A CULT BUILT ON SIN

I’d been taking care of Amanda since she lost her parents in a plane crash. Her father - my best friend, had left her with the heavy responsibility of the company and life far too huge for someone that young to handle. He spent every breath of his making me promise to look after her if anything ever happened. I doubt he imagined the same death will take his wife along.

I looked at Amanda who sat on the passenger’s seat, sleeping peacefully. Her head tilted against the window. Amanda had just turned nineteen. That little girl that couldn't get her hair in a bun without my clumsy help had become this brilliant, confident and heartbreakingly beautiful.

She'll be leaving for college and picked a school close to home, insisting that she'll commute. It took weeks of convincing to make her stay in the dorm. Amanda had always been close to safety. I was her safety. was certain she'll fit perfectly in college, just a few adjustments and she'll be good.

We got home pretty late. When I hit the breaks she didn't stir.

I carried her inside, careful not to wake her and laid her gently on the bed. She turned to the side a little as I tucked the covers around her into bed, I closed the door behind me gently as I left her room.

The shower ran longer than usual, hot water washing away the day's exhaustion. When I finally stepped out, the house was dark and quiet except for the trees that rattled in the wind. I reached out for water on the bedside table but realized the bottle was empty.

I walked down to the kitchen for water. And there she was.

Amanda sat at the top of the kitchen Island, swinging legs in the air, licking vanilla ice cream from the tub. She wore one of my old T-shirts, oversized on her but not oversized enough. The hem covered barely the top of her thighs. Bare skin. No panties. Nothing underneath.

She glanced up and smiled,slow and aware. Then dragged the spoon across her tongue again.

“Couldn’t sleep?” I questioned in a rough voice - unintentional.

“Late night cravings.” She responded, her eyes wandering on my body, from my bare chest down to the waistband of my pajama pants, again and back up. “You should walk around more like this Uncle Xavier.”

I cleared my throat and moved to the fridge, “You know… that shirt isn't covering much?”

“I wasn't expecting company.” She slowly licked the ice cream on the spoon. A bit of melted ice cream resting on her lower lips before her tongue wiped it away. “Wnen did you get so built?”

I smirked. “Suit covers a lot.”

She chuckled. “Why don't you open up more.” She suggested.

Silence stretched, thick and sudden. I drank my water too fast, throat running, trying not to look at the smooth bare skin between her legs every time she shifted.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” She questioned suddenly.

This was the first time Amanda was going to be asking about my love life and it caught me off guard.

“Why?”

Her eyes stayed on mine. “Have you seen you? She paused. “I'm just wondering why any lady in her right mind will say no to you or are you the one rejecting them?”

I set the glass down harder than intended.

“Or don't you know how to have sex?” She asked with a flare of spark in her eyes.

Heat flared in my chest but it wasn't anger, “Amanda!”

“What? It's possible.” She slid off the island, bare feet silent on the tile. The shirt shifted higher as she walked to the freezer to put the ice cream away. The curve of her ass peeking beneath the hem, perfect in the low light.

My pulse was hammered.

“Is that what you younglings do now in a relationship?” I paused. “Have you had sex?”

Amanda didn't reply. She crossed the space between us in three steps.

“Uncle Xavier.” She whispered.

I opened my mouth to tell her to go to bed, to remind her who she was talking to but the words never came out and then she rose on her toes and placed her lips on mine.

Cold. Sweet. Vanilla and her.

Her tongue slid into my mouth, pushing a trace of melting ice cream against mine, daring and cold. For a second I let it happen, let myself taste her before my brain screamed and I jerked back.

But it was already late- she was already gone, running barefoot down the hall the soft pad of her steps fading towards the room.

I stood glued to the floor, lips tingling, heart punching through my ribs.

Did that just happen?

I didn't sleep.

When I got down that morning the table was set for two - fresh toast, fruit, coffee. She had done this over the years but today it felt different. Amanda appeared in the doorway wearing tiny denim shorts and a tank top that clung to every curve. Her hair was up in a bun, cheeks flushed and she didn't meet my eyes.

“Morning.” She said lightly as if she hadn't kissed me six hours ago.

I gripped my coffee mug tighter. “Morning.”

She slid into the chair across me, took a bite of toast then looked up. Those small, almond and familiar eyes except now they held something new and it made my tummy tight.

“So,” she let out softly, licking a crumb from her lip, “how was your sleep?”

I held her gaze. “Not even a little.”

Her smile was small.

“Good.”