Why Did We Have to be Cousins

This is a new venture for me. This is my first into an incest story with my now 21-year-old cousin. Hopefully, it is received well.

All sex is between consenting adults, who are all over 18.

It's completely written so the chapters should flow pretty quickly.

Growing up in the upper portion of Norther Wisconsin outside the little village of Athens in the 50s and 60s would seem boring to some. It was family and the outdoors that provided all the entertainment we needed through those early years of our lives.

It was a small village of around 1,000, and everybody knew everybody, be that good or bad. Our families were close-knit. My uncle was a mail carrier, and my dad worked in a nearby dairy as a maintenance worker, specializing in sanitary stainless steel welding. Back then there were no automatic welding machines, all the sanitary welding was done by hand.

I had a sister and then there were my cousins. Ellen was the oldest and a year younger than me. Then there were her three sisters, including a set of twins.

Both my dad and uncle, Fred, had been carpenters in their early lives before they got married. They built the house that I grew up in and many years later, they both built my uncle's house that was probably ten minutes away. Our playground behind each house consisted of tall pine trees.

I remember that our families always did things together: birthdays, the 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes... just because. I don't remember doing a lot with Ellen as we grew up, she was just there... my cousin. I do recall that as pre-teens and during those early hormone-raged teenage years, whenever there were family games she was always on my team. Always close by. Whenever there was a dispute, Ellen sided with me, and I did the same. If I heard of anybody giving her a hard time in school, I took the guy aside and made it clear... very clear to knock it off.

Being in Northern Wisconsin, we were surrounded by lakes and plenty of pine forests. We spent many summer afternoons in the woods building forts and even a couple of crude tree houses. And then there were those unofficial 'Holidays' that every northern Wisconsinite longed for: the first day of Walleye season and the opening of deer season.

Winters in Northern Wisconsin start early and last for, what seems like forever and everybody was always bundled up, even when lounging around the house. Baggy flannel shirts, bulky sweaters, and sweatshirts were the norm.

It was spring, at the end of my freshman year. It was the first really warm day, if you want to call being in the high sixties 'warm', that brought the families together at our place for the first outside picnic of the summer. There were games and plenty of food.

When Ellen got out of their car, I did a double-take. My 'little cousin' wasn't so little anymore.

As high school progressed. Ellen and I got closer, especially in the summer months. At family picnics, we would go for walks in the woods behind our houses, and just visit away from everybody else. On one of our walks, she asked me if I had ever kissed a girl. I looked over and saw the playful grin.

By now, I was a junior and always seemed to have a date for school dances. No real girlfriend. I laughed, as I said I had only kissed one girl and it only lasted a couple of seconds.

"But you still remember. Don't you?"

"Yes. You'll always remember your first kiss."

I told her that two weeks later, one of her girlfriends handed me a note outside my locker. My 'date' said she didn't want to hang out anymore during school. My first crush and kiss. I was devastated. But, as they say, 'Life goes on'.

That year Ellen had turned sixteen and her parents allowed her to start dating... with strict early curfews... like 10:30. Although for school dances the curfew time was extended to half an hour after the dance ended.

She had been on a few dates, as had I. We always shared the details. I mean, it wasn't like I got hot and heavy with my dates. In fact, there were no goodnight kisses or even pecks on the cheek. Everything was just for fun on both of our parts.

One time, when we were off by ourselves, Ellen told me about her last date. It was the third time she had gone out with the guy, who she told me would remain nameless. They had first gone to a movie, had some pizza, and then the guy drove to some back country road and parked. Ellen knew what the guy had on his mind. She wasn't ready for any of that and told him to take her home. He did. He only pulled up to her house, waited for her to get out, and then took off as soon as she was clear of the car. Never walked her to her door. Ellen added with a grin, "Good riddance". Now I know why she didn't tell me his name. I probably knew him, and I could have seen myself making sure he knew, in no uncertain terms, 'that was no way to treat my cousin'.

I think what brought us closer happened when I was a senior. Ellen had a science project that she was struggling with. Normally, a very smart girl, but the required science class and project were pushing her boundaries. I had taken the class the previous year; so, it was natural that I would help her. It gave the families some time to visit, while she and I would go to either her room or the basement to go over the assignments. I didn't know it at the time, but, she was secretly faking her lack of understanding on the subject. She had a crush on me, her cousin. I was oblivious.

I did have a high school girlfriend, Gloria, throughout my senior year. She was in the same year that I was, making her 18. We were pretty much exclusive from the summer before, and up until a few months before we graduated.

During that time, we messed around on back country roads like hormone-raged teenagers have for like... forever. We were each other's 'first' in a lot of ways but never did the deed. I was terrified of getting her pregnant and I kind of knew that Gloria wanted her first time to be someplace other than the backseat of a car.

Gloria introduced me to the 'clit' and we both discovered that her nipples were really sensitive and that she really loved it when my tongue would bathe each. I helped Gloria perfect her hand job technique. She quickly realized that slow and gentle stroking on the sensitive glans, which was always lubricated by copious amounts of pre-cum, would keep me on edge for as long as she wanted me to. And then, when she was ready, the explosive release of all the backed-up semen that had filled my aching balls.

Throughout my senior year, when it was just Ellen and me off by ourselves, she would casually ask about Gloria. I think that she was curious about the extent of our 'activities'. I was not a 'kiss and tell' guy. I just said that we had fun.

The way Ellen's birthday landed, she missed the 6-year-old requirement by September 1 by a month. So she wasn't able to start kindergarten until the following year, making her one of the oldest in her class. The nice part about that was that she was the first in her class to get a driver's license. That put us at the same age over the summer months until I turned 19, before going off to college, making me one of the youngest in my class. And yes, one of the last to get a driver's license and the last in my class to have signed up for the draft.

The families had gathered to celebrate Ellen's eighteenth birthday. During a lull in the birthday activities, we were out for a slow walk in the trees behind her house. It gave me an opportunity to give her the birthday present I had found at a local handmade jewelry shop. It was a delicate silver bracelet with an inscription on the inside, "Believe in yourself. Like I believe in you."

Ellen wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body into mine for really the first time. She felt wonderful. Pulling back, her eyes pooled in tears.

"Thank you. It is the most heartfelt gift I have ever received. I will wear it every day and read the inscription after you've left for school, and I'm still here."

The look on her face told me that she was contemplating her next words.

"Is it fun, kissing?"

"Yeah. It's fun. I enjoy it and I know that Gloria enjoys it too."

"I've never been kissed. I guess I could have let that guy, who I told you about, kiss me, but I think at the time he was looking for more than just a kiss."

Ellen went quiet for a few minutes, like gathering up the courage for what was on her mind. And then in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Bill, would you kiss me?"

I think my breathing stopped, as I stopped mid-stride from our walk. Looking over at her, for really the first time, and taking in the features of her face, not as my cousin, but as a beautiful young woman.

Ellen had a smooth and fair complexion, probably from our German heritage, which is probably why she had to be careful during the summers when she was outside, especially when she went swimming. Although, when she did tan and it was always a light soft tan, never the deep golden copper-colored tan. Her hazel-colored eyes gave her face a warmth, and the thin strawberry-blonde eyebrows that matched her hair gave her a look of innocence.

I had to be careful here. Ellen had put herself out there. I knew that she was asking for more than just a quick peck on the lips. Could I go there?

Up to this point, we had never gotten into a really personal conversation where our feelings for each other were put out there. She was trusting me. I knew that if I made a miss-step like flatly refusing, it would have a long-lasting effect on her and between us. On the other hand... did I want to kiss her?... My cousin.

"I just want to know what it's like to be kissed by someone who I know likes me, and who I feel comfortable with. And not just by some guy as a trophy or something to brag about. I know that we're cousins and all. If you think it's weird, then I understand."

"Ellen... Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm not asking you to kiss me like, I know that you kiss Gloria. Just a little 'First Kiss' kiss."

By now we were standing face-to-face, as our hands found and held each other. Our eyes bored deep. It was like nothing I had ever felt.

"You'll always remember your first kiss," I said softly as I lightly stroked her cheek with the back of my hand.

"I know. Just like you have. And that's why I want it to be with someone who cares for me, like you."

Kissing her forehead, as a sign of my care, our friendship, and that she was special to me before lightly brushing my lips across Ellen's soft lips. She let out a low and prolonged "mmmm", our embrace, tightening into a warmth shared by each of us for the first time. As our hands roamed over each other's backs, Ellen pressed her young body into me as our lips sealed the unspoken connection between each of us. It would be a connection that we would each carry with us for the rest of our lives, no matter what path our lives would follow.

Pulling back, our faces inches apart. Ellen's eyes were soft and serene. And then there was the gentle smile.

"Thank you. It was more than I ever dreamed. You're going to make some girl very lucky."

And that was that. We both realized that it was a one-time thing. It was difficult to act 'normal' around the rest of the family from that point on, but somehow we pulled it off. Still, every time we looked at each other, there was a shared look.

..........................................

She had more dates, but nothing like the previous one. But, Ellen would just talk about whatever they did the previous night. It was always casual. She did confess that she had let him kiss her... Then added, that he could still use more practice.

On one of our family picnics, Ellen had the current guy-friend there and I was with Gloria. We hung around together the whole afternoon. It was fun.

Later, on our familiar country road, and coming up for air after a particularly steamy half an hour of bare skin to bare skin dueling tongues, nibbling, licking, and stroking those supper sensitive spots, I just thought out loud, "What would you think if the four is us went out to a movie or something?"

Gloria looked at me and just said, "I think that would be pretty uncomfortable for the guy."

"Why? What do you mean?"

"You don't know? She has a crush on you. I saw it the first time you introduced us. And for some reason, it's stronger."

'Oh shit,' I thought. If Gloria saw it, what about the rest of the family? That would be the last thing that we would need.

............................................

1968 and the end of the summer. Gloria and I knew that each of us was heading off to begin new lives at college, meet new people, and experience new things away from our little secluded town. Gloria was going to go to the University of South Dakota to study nursing and I was headed to the University of Wisconsin in Madison to study Mechanical Engineering... basically in opposite directions.

It wasn't a real 'break up' it was more like two close friends parting. It was like, 'It's been fun. Wish you the best. Maybe, we could still get together next summer'.

We never did get together. It was mainly because she decided to go to school year-round. And our Holiday schedules never really matched up.

That fall, I headed off to school in the southern part of the state, three hours away.

Going from growing up in a very small conservative town where everybody knew everyone and then suddenly being immersed in a sea of unknown faces was almost overwhelming. Watching my parents turn and drive away that first day, and then sitting in the cafeteria that evening... alone, I asked myself, 'Are you sure of this?'. I don't think I slept at all that night.

The next day my roommate showed up. I guess that I was lucky, he also came from a small dairy town located on the eastern part of the state. We quickly became good friends as well as the rest of the guys on the floor.

I quickly settled into the daily routine of classes, homework... lots of homework. In high school, I was mostly able to get my daily assignments done during the day. College was a different beast all together where each of my classes required at least 3 hours of intense study time. Some met daily and some three times a week. My evenings were spent at the library for four to five hours.

Some kids adapted and would be back the next year, some didn't and the guys were off to Vietnam. This was before the draft lottery the following year and was a tremendous motivator. As long as you maintained your grades you kept your 'student deferment'.

Then there were the world and national events that kept colleges in a constant state of turmoil. Vietnam with the almost weekly protests and demonstrations that were led by a mixture of on-campus students and outside agitators. Their intensity and passion for the issues were something I had never seen. How did these students find time to study?

Race issues and the tension that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King over the summer carried through the fall. You could feel the uneasiness. Having grown up where I did, race was never something I had been exposed to or thought about, as everyone was Caucasian. But here, I was exposed to something new and at times intimidating, at least in my young and naïve mind.

Ellen and I wrote back and forth about three times a week. It was always a high point in my day, to see a letter in my mailbox. She asked if what she saw on TV was happening at my school. It wasn't to the degree that was on the nightly news but, it was still intense. She always wrote about any dates she had been on, including some details about their activities. Still not interested in 'doing the dead', much to the frustration of a few of her dates.

But, there were fun things. There was always something to do. Nobody on the floor was 21 or had a fake ID, so alcohol was out of the question. Still, you could always find a card game going on somewhere on the floor. The lower floor of the cafeteria and a game room with about 8 pool tables and 6 ping-pong tables. The bad thing was that on the weekends there was a waiting list.

The dorm had a 'recreation' budget. No, they couldn't use it for beer. The first year the dorm coordinated with one of the woman's dorms on a cookout at a local park. Not being a social butterfly, it was a nice way to get to know a few women. Nothing developed beyond just a casual 'Hi' in passing in the cafeteria... Oh well.

Being three hours away and without a car that first year, meant that my parents would have to drive down to pick me up. That was why the only times I got home during the school year were: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break.

Each of those times, the families would get together and I noticed that Ellen never seemed to have a boyfriend when I was home. From our letters, I knew that she had a few dates during her senior year and went to a few school dances: Homecoming and various school dances, each time with a different guy. I asked her about it and all she said was that 'they didn't interest her'. I just let it slide.

Being away at school, I missed her 18^th birthday party, but, was lucky that my school let out for summer break just in time to attend her high school graduation.

Seeing her for the first time since the holidays I think my heart stopped. Those half-apple-sized mounds that I had seen the year before, were gone. The halves had grown into full-size apples... a pair of nice full "B" cups. Her waist was still nice and narrow, and the shorts hugged her cute butt. Her strawberry-blonde hair had grown out and nicely framed her face, matching her thin and delicate eyebrows.

She wore a cotton pullover paisley blue top, with a gentle "V" neckline and a pair of white shorts that came mid-thigh. Her legs were nice and smooth, the color of cream.

It was a full family party at her house. I was greeted with a full-body hug. She felt nice. The first real hug since the 'kiss'.

There were games and food, enough to feed an army. Ellen was always by my side, or nearby. Sitting around with our burgers, everyone was asking how my school year went. If I had met any girls. I hadn't. I was a lowly freshman. College girls were drawn to those lucky upper-classmen.

Ellen had been accepted at the University of Eau Claire, which was about an hour away and probably two hours away from where I was going. She hadn't decided on a major yet but was leaning toward Education, maybe elementary education.

From my letters, Ellen had a fair idea of college life. But being together for the Holiday, gave us more time to leisurely talk about what to expect.

She asked what college was like. How much different was it from high school? Roommate issues. Homework. The turmoil and demonstrations. And of course, parties and other social activities. Being the late 60s, the dorms were still segregated between men and women. So, there weren't any opportunities for 'extracurricular' activities, unless you were really... really careful and discrete.

We spent a lot of that summer together. We even went out together at times for just casual stuff, usually movies and a pizza afterward. None of the families had a problem with it, so I guess we were doing a pretty good job of hiding the feelings we had for each other. But, I do remember one conversation that I had with my dad one afternoon when we were just hanging out and away from everybody else.

"You and Ellen seem pretty close."

"Yeah. We enjoy each other's company. I guess we always have. She wants to know all about college life and stuff. You know, the same things that I wondered about, but didn't have anybody to ask. She's mainly concerned about the roommate thing. Moving in and living with a complete stranger. Hoping that they will get along. What the freshman classes are like. Homework. Trying to study in a dorm. Things like that. And, we just enjoy doing casual things together. Just hanging out. I mean, I haven't kept in touch with any of my high school friends, so it gives me someone to do things with."