I sat on the floor with my cousin in her parent’s basement. She backed away from me, releasing our kisses. I still held her hand while looking at her face, oval in shape and flushed now, blushing. Her smile wide, showing her braces that had felt funny to my tongue. We were both 14 and experimenting. She brushed her collar-length dark hair with its bangs back behind her ears, a move that seemed so innocently sexy to me. Of course, to a fourteen-year-old boy, anything a girl did was sexy. She looked away, breaking our gaze, shy now. When she looked at me again, her hazel eyes shown bright with innocent mischief. She leaned backward, lying down on her back with me sitting there beside her.

Kimberly, Kim to me, was my first cousin and only female first cousin I had. We were both the same age, only months apart. She was petite, not even five feet and could not have weighed more than 90 pounds, which was ideal for me, being just a couple inches and maybe fifteen pounds heavier. Our moms were sisters and were currently sitting upstairs talking, leaving us alone.

Luckily, we were always quiet, well usually, so they would not be suspicious of the lack of rowdiness coming from downstairs. Ok, sometimes we were rather boisterous, giving shrieks and laughter as we chased each other around their big basement or outside in their acre wooded lot. However, that was usually because her younger brother was with us. Her brother was always bothering her, teasing and running both mouth and feet a mile-a-minute.

But this time, he was away for the weekend and thus it was just the two of us. It was raining outside so we stayed in. Their house was a four-bedroom two-story plus a finished basement. We were in the basement. There was a ping-pong table, an old TV with a small couch and beanbag chairs. One side was the yard tool storage and a side door leading out to the backyard. The other side had a half-bath and the washer/dryer. Where we sat was on some old blankets that Tommy had pulled out so he could lie in front of the TV and never got around to putting away.

Kim looked at me, seemingly shy and nervous now. Had she known, I was far more nervous than she, considering what we were doing. While she had lain on the blankets beside me, I contemplated life and the reason for existence ... NO, actually I was scared to death and didn’t know exactly what to do next. I just sat frozen looking at her. She grinned and then giggled as we held hands. We had discovered the magic of hand holding a few years earlier. However, this new enchantment of long kisses had come just this year. Actually, only a few minutes ago.

She had greeted us at the door, hugging me, embarrassing me in front of my mom. We were welcomed and came inside, but as my mother and aunt became distracted from us, Kim led me downstairs as we usually did. We talked while we went, catching up on all that had happened in the months since we had last seen each other.

Kim and I had known each other from when we were just little kids. I remembered going over to her house on many Christmas Eves, all decorated with lights, trees, and gifts hidden underneath their wrappings and bows. It was that one Christmas, the one where it had snowed and we stayed the night. Her mom served us fresh baked cookies and milk. Kim, Tommy and I were playing in the basement in front of the TV that was showing the ubiquitous A Christmas Story while the music of Christmas songs floated down from upstairs.

As night drew on, her mom came down and hauled little Tommy away, telling us it was time for bed. We were eleven or twelve, Tommy was five years younger and a total brat. But now that he was gone, the TV off, the music still softly playing White Christmas, she, my cousin, leaned forward and kissed me. Kissed me right on the lips. Not a little peck, but a real kiss. My first. She then stood up, turned to say good night, sweet dreams, and left.

It took my mom several calls to rouse me from my shock. I had been kissed. Kissed by a girl. On the lips. It was the best Christmas gift ever! However, it was the next morning that ended up overshadowing even that magical moment. The event that would eventually lead to us, two years later to lying on those blankets.

Christmas day, all of us were awake at the crack of dawn, no problem getting up this morning! Downstairs, presents were being opened; laughter and chatter filled the house. But it was THAT game that would become my favorite toy ever. Tommy had it spread out in no time. Twister. The three of us played Twister.

Tangled arms and legs, with Kim wrapped around me one time and I wrapped around her the next. Tommy had tired of the game after one or two plays, being too small to do well, particularly against two infinitely flexible twelve-year-olds. Her face, inches from mine, bright and smiling, giggling and laughing. Bare legs and arms, still in our pajamas, collapsing into a pile of tickles and laughter. I could smell her hair, all shampooed from last night. I could watch her eyes shine with happiness and a little mischief. I could feel her body, soft and still bony, laying on mine. Fortunately for us, our parents weren’t terribly attentive after the first game or two and now moved about from kitchen to dining room leaving the two of us alone downstairs.

“Come on kids! Breakfast!” was called down.

Kim, twisted up in half a game, turned and fell, pulling me with her. We collapsed into a heap, laughing till tears flowed. Then she stopped wiggling. I had ended up on top of her. We looked at each other. She kissed me, again right on the lips, then giggled as she pushed me off of her, running upstairs in her shorty pajamas.

As fourteen-year-old Kim laid there on her back, pulling on my hand, I finally understood. I settled beside her, our faces almost nose-to-nose. Her lips parted ever so slightly, braces still hidden, and face softened to a look I always remember. That look a girl gets when she wants to be kissed. I overcame my shyness, with hormones overpowering the social norms of our close kinship as well as my young teen awkwardness. I leaned in and we kissed. A beautiful kiss. Ok, maybe not beautiful. We bumped noses and mouths, giggled and laughed as our heads tried to maneuver. But it worked. Our mouths were together. Our lips were parted. A real kiss, continuous and heated.

I barely remember rolling and ending up on top of her. Our faces too busy to notice. My hands, still with hers, our fingers interlaced. This was a very overtly sexual kiss. Had our parents appeared, we would likely have been grounded from ever seeing each other again, at least not alone. But they did not appear.

Our legs and bare feet stroked against each other with toes wiggling. Our hands shifted above her head as we kissed. My body seemed to move on its own, slowly grinding into hers. Her legs parted and mine went in between. When we broke our kiss to catch our breaths, she was panting, mouth wide, braces now visible in a grin. Her face blushed red. I’m sure mine was too. We looked at each other as I continued a slow grind.

I released her hands as she pulled them away, hers went to my shoulders and mine went to her breast. I was touching her breast! Though it was still covered in a shirt and bra, I was feeling up a girl’s breast. She sucked in a breath when I touched it. We resumed our kisses. She moaned as I lightly squeezed. My hips pressed more into hers, I know I was stiff, aching, and sticky. I rocked on her. Her arms were around me, holding me to her.

Suddenly, she stopped. She pushed at me to get off. Her face was scared. I was afraid I had hurt her. She must have seen the fright in my face because she laughed, with her cute girlish giggle at me. Right at that moment, her mom called down, lunchtime. We rolled apart in a flash as if we had been struck by lightning. We stood, straightening ourselves. She grinned a brace-filled smile at me. She wasn’t mad. I think she had just realized how far we had gone and was not quite ready for more. I know I wasn’t, even though I wanted to. We were still too young.

Nevertheless, that would change.

The next time I saw her, we were sixteen, nearly seventeen, with our birthdays in November and December. It was late August. Both would be seniors in high school that fall. My parents had to go to visit a sick relative so I was to stay with my cousins for a week.

Kimberly pulls up in her car, a used but very nice Mustang. Me, I have not even started driving yet.

“Hey, Rick! Long time, no see!” she calls out.

I am in a bit of shock. We have not seen each other in nearly two years. She has changed. Really changed.

Instead of the cute little petite, short brown hair, braces smiling face, I am greeted by a knockout beauty with long bleached blond hair and a streak of purple. Her pure white smile radiating, face glowing as she smooths her wind-blown hair back into place.

All I can think of to say is, “Nice car.”

I climb into the passenger bucket seat, tossing my bag into the back. It’s then I truly see her.

She has transformed from that sweet little braces and curls fourteen-year-old into a magical being. Her curves are the perfection of a wondrous young woman. Breasts pressing fully against her tight stretch top. Headlights shine in my eyes as she turns to greet me. She holds out her hand as if for a pat or handshake. I take that delicate, long-fingered and long-nailed hand, just touching it. She giggles.

I see her belly, flat and muscular. Her athletic top ends below her chest. My eyes fight to free themselves from staring at her belly button, only to, unfortunately, note the shorts she has poured herself into. They start so far down her tummy and end so far up her thighs, I know I must have blushed red. And those legs, those endlessly long, tightly muscled legs, spread apart to match the pedals.

“Rick, I’m up here,” she laughed.

“Wow! Kim...”

“I’m glad to see you too, Rick.”

Suddenly, I feel completely self-conscious. Because, me, I’m the ugly duck beside the gorgeous swan. I’m gangly, totally out of proportion. Hardly grown but a couple of inches. My face feels like it’s full of new pimples, real or imagined. My arms are sickly white sticks against this tanned beauty. My wobbly legs are even worse, only by luck covered in jeans. My hair is unkempt, not seeing a barber in over a year.

Even so, with this dorky kid beside her, she leans over and gives me a quick peck on the lips. I’m in heaven as she leans back, cranking the muscle car with its guttural roar.

“Fasten your seatbelt, Rick. We’re off!”

And with that, I’m thrown back into that passenger seat as the gee forces hit. We are flying down the highway when I finally notice the tattoo on the back of her shoulder and another on her hip as she changes gears. I realize that this girl has changed.

“So Cousin...” she exaggerates the word, “How’s life?” she yells over the wind and the radio.

My voice is still somewhere behind us as it sounds an octave higher and monosyllabic.

“Ah, good, I, guess.”

I’m trying to watch the road at the same time as I watch her as she weaves around the traffic. I am in awe.

I stutter out, “You’ve changed, Kim.”

She laughs heartily, head tossing back as she dodges around another car.

“You’re cute as always, Rick.”

Cute. I am cute. Just cute. Not handsome. Not hunk. Not even a ‘my you’ve grown’. But wait, cute. She thinks I’m still cute. That’s actually good! I’m a cute boy. I blush yet again, but my long hair is blowing so much, that she probably can’t see my face well anyway.

“Thanks, how’s school been? I hear you are a cheerleader,” duh, obviously, with that bod.

She laughs again, “Yeah, I guess. You kiss any cute girls lately?”

I assume someone other than my older sister, soon off to college. Sorry, digress. I kiss a girl? Ha! They don’t know I’m even alive.

“Ah,” I get smart, “other than you?”

She giggles and floors it to pass a big rig that’s pulling out.

“OH! Ah, Kim, you always drive like this? Where are we going? Your home is back that way.”

She glances over at me, her eyes sparkle, “You like to smoke?”

Taken aback from the shift in question and never knowing she smoked, “Uh, no, not really.”

“I mean weed.”

Boom! I’m floored with that one. Sweet little cousin Kimberly, miss goody two shoes?

“Oh, uh, ah, sure. Yeah. Well sometimes.”

Like maybe once with my friend Charley, but I think it was only oregano, ‘cause it didn’t seem to do much. I don’t tell her that.

“Good, I gotta drop by my friend’s place and then we’ll go smoke one.”

“Oh, ok,” my heart is thumping ... girl, car, drug dealer, in that order.

Ok, maybe drug dealer is first now. I never bought drugs. Charley seemed to always handle that. Beer, weed, (or oregano) ... I just hand over my allowance to him.

“You got any money?” she asks innocently as young, hot girls do.

“Ah, yeah, sure, some.”

I don’t even wait but pull the crinkled twenty out of my pocket. It was supposed to last a week. I suspect it’s going away now. I hand it to her. She looks at it quickly, eyes back on the road, smiles and says thanks.

“I noticed you have some, uh, tattoos.”

She laughs, raising her eyebrows, “You like? Maybe I’ll show my other one.”

I blush again. The one on her hip seemed rather risqué to me. But another, hidden under this skimpy outfit?

“My boyfriend bet me I wouldn’t get them.”

Another bombshell. Well duh, Richard, what do you think? Why would I believe this teenage fox in her fast car and faster body wouldn’t have a boyfriend? Wake up and get with the program, man.

“Oh ... boyfriend?” I hesitate.

“Ex.”

Has a two-letter word ever sound so good? A rush more powerful than that fake weed washes over me.

“Oh, sorry to hear that.”

She laughs and guns around a curve and slides to a stop in front of a house.

“I BET you are.”

She’s brushing her hair again, checking her makeup in the mirror.

“You wait here. I won’t be long. He doesn’t like strangers much. Especially guys.”

I have no issue with sitting right here. I fight to keep from staring at her perfectly rounded butt with legs stretching as she climbs out of the car. I suck in a breath.

I do rummage through her glove compartment, really looking for mints, but watching out for maybe a gun or something? I find something, better than mints or a gun. A box of condoms. Oh my lord. My sweet little cousin. I may be naïve, but I’m not stupid. I sweat as I sneak a couple out. Luckily the box is mostly full. Mostly.

She’s coming back out. She seems lighter, happier, almost skipping. Those long legs are wondrous. She piles back into the car and holds up a little baggy, tossing it to me as I fumble to catch it. She smiles wide at me.

“Now DON’T OPEN it yet! The wind!”

I hold onto it as if it was a bomb about to go off. We take off in an explosion of horsepower.

I hesitate, “Your boyfriend, I mean, EX-boyfriend, he got you to smoke?”

She tilts her head with a little affirmative.

“Uh, and other things?” I venture into more dangerous territory.

She looks right at me and smiles, “Yeah, I kinda miss him.”

I quickly change the subject, “How’s Timmy?”

“It’s Tommy, and don’t call him that. Its TOM now. At eleven, you would think he was a preppy. We will soon be calling him THOMAS, Esq.”

She rolls her eyes as she guns around another car.

“You always drive like this?”

“Scared?”

“Well, I kinda would like to stay alive. I haven’t done much with my life, yet.”

She noticeably glances down at my crotch for a moment before her eyes are back on the road and another car is passed.

“I BET you haven’t, COUSIN!” again inflection on cousin.

I’m beginning to think she has a plan, maybe spur of the moment, but still a plan. Involving me.

We zoom into a little county park and over to one corner. No other cars around. As I look about, I can surmise why. The place is pretty junky. Trash cans overflowing, busted bottles, spray paint. Not someplace I would take a girl, particularly one like I was with right now as if I would get to take a girl like this one anywhere at all. Except I do have a girl. Ok, my cousin. But...

“This is kinda our hangout ... well, on weekends. It doesn’t look this bad at night.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

Duh, she could take me to a garbage dump and I wouldn’t mind. Ok, maybe this is a garbage dump. I still don’t mind.

We’re out of the car, top up, windows rolled up and alarm set. I hope the car feels safer than I do. I follow her down a little trail into the woods. I forget to look around as my eyes are locked to the motion of her bottom, with just a hint of butt cheeks protruding with each step.

She can feel me staring, “Whatcha looking at, Rick? We’re here.”

I look up, yes, another blush, and we are at the edge of a small lake. The breeze blowing little wavelets and rustling the trees around us. There’s a grassy area with a little beach. A small bench to one side, with an old campfire ring full of ashes. A few crushed beer cans and lots of cigarette butts and a couple of candy bar wrappers. I don’t look too closely for other kinds of wrappers. Otherwise, it’s pretty nice here. Ok, with her, it’s the most beautiful place on the planet.