The summer sun blazes over my uncle’s farm, a sprawling patchwork of fields and forests that feels like a world unto itself. The air is thick with heat, carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers and the earthy musk of livestock. I’m 14, restless, and burning with a hunger I can barely name, my body alive with the reckless energy of youth. Today, I’m here with my cousin Joleen, a year older and dangerously unaware of the effect she has on me. Her body has changed in ways that haunt my dreams — curves that beg to be touched, a sway in her walk that sets my blood on fire. We’re headed for a secluded lake, just the two of us, with only the horses and my grandma’s dog, Max, as witnesses. As we pack our gear and saddle up, my mind races with fantasies I’ve never dared voice — filthy, forbidden thoughts of her naked skin against mine. Out there, far from prying eyes, the line between want and reality feels razor-thin, and I’m not sure I can hold back.