Chapter 3

I awoke with a start. Knock, Knock, Someone was knocking on the bedroom door.

There she was, still lying beneath me was my Sweet Kate. As my heart swelled her eyes fluttered open. She beamed a smile of such emotion; it nearly stopped my heart to realize how much this girl had truly loved me all these years.

Knock, knock, "Adam?" It was my Aunt Judy. I started to panic and was about to jump out of bed when Kate wrapped her arms and legs around me holding me to her. "Adam? It's time to get up," Came Aunt Judy's voice. "OK, Aunt Judy I'm awake." I was thinking maybe we were getting off scott free.

"Adam?" came Judy's voice again.

"Tell Kate to hurry down and give me a hand with breakfast." I was struck dumb, absolutely speechless. Kate on the other hand let out a squeal, and started giggling. She released me from her octopus grip and promptly bucked me off which made the bed groan in pain.

Kate gave me a quick kiss. Wearing just her panties and clutching the rest of her clothes to her breast, she slipped out of my room. I heard her door across the hall quietly open then close just before. Hank's bedroom door opened. It was the same room he had always slept in while growing up in this house just down the hall from mine.

He walked down the hall toward the stairs. He stopped at my door. Not so quietly, "Come on cousin rise and shine."

Laughter trailed behind him as he walked down the stairs.

I was soon dressed and headed down stairs. I reeked like last night's sex, but didn't really feel like taking a shower. All I wanted was to eat breakfast and get to my blind so I could get some more sleep, I was tired. I was well trained in the fighting of sleep, but Whitetail bucks didn't carry guns so a little shuteye wouldn't hurt.

All thoughts of sleep left me as I walked into the kitchen. There sat my Uncle at the head of the table. He really seemed to be very interested in yesterday's paper, but John Henry was the worse. He was sitting there like the cat that ate a cage full of canaries.

As I sat down John was barely containing himself. "Morning cousin" he said.

"And how was your night's sleep?" He couldn't hold it in any more he burst out laughing. I could hear my Uncle trying not to choke on his coffee. Aunt Judy came to my rescue, so I thought.

"John Henry! Leave Adam alone! You know full well his sleep was err ... Troubled last night," she finally got out with a snicker. My Uncle Hank was quietly chuckling behind his paper. I felt Kate touch me on the shoulder as she set a cup of coffee down in front of me. This time I got a kiss on the cheek. My cousin John was enjoying the hell out of this.

As I took a sip of my coffee, John set a small can of oil in front of me. I was instantly suspicious.

"What's this for?" John Henry looked at me as if I was an idiot.

"Well you see Adam, this here is gun oil. It is used for lubricating and protecting fire arms from rust." I could indeed plainly see that it said Remington gun oil on the bottle.

"Thanks Hank" I said. Not really knowing why he was being a smart ass to a trained weapons specialist

"Of course you could use it on that damn old bed too! The rest of us would like to have gotten some sleep last night while you and Kate were Rodeoing around on that damn thing half the night."

John Henry was barely able to finish before he was laughing so hard he had tears running down his face. My Uncle Hank finally put down his paper laughing.

"God damn! John Henry" he laughed. "Leave Adam alone" His words were nice, but it didn't slow down his own mirth any.

I snaked a glimpse at Kate, and she was carefully keeping herself busy at the stove, but her beet red complexion was a dead giveaway. Kate had never had any childhood ribbing about her first love. I was her first and only love.

I can remember ages ago hearing something about Hank teasing Kate when he finally caught onto what was going on in her heart. She went crying to her Daddy, and as I remember, Uncle Hank, damn near skinned John alive. John had quickly decided teasing his sister about her "crush" on me wasn't worth the beating.

Of course now we were all grown up. That made Kate's romantic feelings toward me fare game especially now that it went both ways and was physical. That's OK you couldn't have hurt Kate's feelings with friendly jokes this morning. She was way too high, high on love and life.

As we sat at the small kitchen table eating breakfast Kate lit up the room. Her smile was bright, and her mood was very bubbly, she was radiant!

Everyone was all smiles this morning. The ribbing was over for now. These were the smiles of people who were happy. We all had a contentedness from everything finally being right in the world.

As we were heading out Aunt Judy was pushing sacks with sandwiches into our hands as Kate handed us each a thermos. Our trucks were warming and our gear already loaded. As Kate handed me my thermos, she put her arm around my neck and pulled me in tight for a kiss that took my breath away.

"Damn Katie let that boy go. You keep that up and Adam is going to miss opening morning." She looked straight at my Uncle Hank.

"He wouldn't be missing a thing Daddy." My Aunt, Uncle, and cousin John all laughed. Kate and I were in a race to see who could blush the brightest, the quickest.

Uncle Hank still chuckling said, "Come on Boys, let's get out there."

We left the house headed for our trucks. "Good luck Daddy," said John. Looking at me he said, "Good luck Adam, oh yeah and good luck hunting too!" He let out a whoop and headed for his truck.

My Uncle stood there laughing. "Good luck this morning Adam" he said. "Thanks you too Uncle Hank" I replied climbing into my truck.

I was heading just a quarter mile down the road to my parent's farm. Well I guess it was mine now, but I still thought of it as my Dad's.

As I pulled up to the back Gate I shut off the truck and grabbed my stuff. The rifle I was carrying was not the one I had carried for years. The old .300 savage had burnt up in the house. That old lever action had been my grandfather's. Grandpa Callahan had given me that gun. Callahan was Aunt Judy and My mother's maiden name.

I still remember the Day the old man had given me and Hank our rifles. These weren't guns that he had gone down to Wal-Mart and bought. No, these were rifles plucked right from his own collection. He had given me the savage and to John Henry he gave his own .30- .30. We were 13 years old. A tear ran down my cheek remembering that day.

Grandpa Callahan had died less than a month later of cancer. Those rifles had been prized possessions to Hank and I, then Grandpa was Gone and we cherished them even more. John, like myself owned better and nicer guns, but always carried the "Callahan rifle" Opening day. It was a tribute to our Grandfather. I surely missed mine.

I thought of all these things and many more walking to my blind. Uncle Hank had it all ready for me. There was a chair with cushion and an old wool blanket for some extra warmth or for my lap if my legs got cold.

As I set there awaiting first light, I couldn't help, but think about last night with Kate, what a wild cat. For a mature woman with no experience, she caught on fast, Kate had blown me away. I had never realized, no! I had never let myself admit to my feelings for her.

I guess I was ashamed that I was attracted to a little slip of a girl all those years ago. Combine that with her being my cousin. I had buried it deep! I never admitted to myself or anyone else that I was in love with Kate. Now for the first time I was not in denial.

My Uncle didn't seem to mind one lick that I was fucking his daughter last night and Aunt Judy not only didn't seem to mind she seemed to be encouraging it. Though I knew I loved Kate. I was having a hard time with all of this. I was overwhelmed I guess.

I was better suited for a combat zone then I was for dealing with women's emotions. Hell I didn't know how to deal with my own feelings of love and the confusion that went with this particular situation.

I was still contemplating my thoughts when daylight started peeking its way through the eastern wood line that ran along this field.

How was I going to do right by Kate? Hell I loved her, but getting married? This was a small town and more than half the people in this area knew Kate and me. I didn't really care what they thought about me, but I didn't want people whispering behind their hands and hurting Kate.

I was pretty sure no man would run his mouth where I could hear it. I'm not stuck on myself or anything, but as far as 99 percent of the people around here were concern I was out of their league. There are not too many guys that really wanted to go toe to toe with me. I had over nine years of martial arts training in various art forms. Not to mention, everyone who knew me, knows full well I'm a green beret.

No, they didn't want to piss Adam Rourke off, but that didn't necessarily extend to Kate the same courtesy from the women.

As I thought about my future with Kate I caught a slight movement off to the west. Clearing my mind, I picked up my binocs and scanned for movement. Sure enough there was a small buck running a scrape line that was along the fencerow. I could tell he was tending scrapes that were not his own. He was acting so damn nervous they couldn't be his.

Most off the time I would have passed on this little guy, but in truth I didn't really feel like being out here I wanted to be with Kate. It suddenly dawned on me how she had felt for almost seventeen years she had been following me around with love in her eyes. Here I was morning number one and was ready to throw in the towel.

This 700 Sendaro is very much like the rifle I use went I am designated sniper for my squad. The Vari-X3 long range M3 scope was a highbred son of the Vari-X3 and M1 sniper scope. Needless to say it was a nice fit. I set the scope for 450 yards, braced myself, and gently depressed the 3-pound trigger.

The six point dropped on the spot. His legs twitched and then his body convulsed sending him completely into the air. When he landed he moved no more.

I had seen this type of reaction before. Severe head wounds can cause all sorts of reactions. It's from the nerves really, but with the brain being the center of the nervous system headshots can cause dramatic effects. I had seen deer do it before and yes, I had seen men do it many times too.

I had my little buck field dressed and had arrived at the house when Kate came out the back door.

"Back already Adam," A question to the obvious.

As I stepped around the truck Kate was in my arms kissing me passionately. I was trying not to touch her with my bloody hands. She must have noticed. As Kate stepped back she now could see the blood on my hands and wrists.

"Oh, you got one already," she exclaimed, happily. Me shooting a deer was nothing new. However I was usually much pickier, and didn't shoot the first scraggly buck that came along.

Looking into the back of the truck she said, "He is a nice one!" Her eyes were smiling at the fact that there was a deer in the back of my truck. It just goes to show you. That in some parts of this country, skill as a hunter and woodsman still matter.

"Well not really I corrected. But I really didn't feel like hunting." She looked at me with concern. "Oh?" "Well you see Kate: I really wanted to spend time with you." If there were such a thing as first prize for saying the right thing I would surely have won.

Kate's eyes flashed electric blue at me. Her smile was as bright as the summer sun. She put her arms around my neck and pulled me to her. This kiss was not of the hunger variety. It was of the simmering, passionate kind. The kind lovers share with when they are happy. The kind of kiss that we were both just learning about.

As we turned toward the house I could see my Aunt Judy smiling out the window. I was a little self conscious about it, but I think she was truly happy that Kate and I were together.

I never knew of the many nights Judy had held a heartsick daughter as she cried. Nor would I know how touchy a situation living in this house was when I wasn't around or if I wasn't home. Living in this house with a miserable Kate, was like living with a live hand grenade and no pin. Very volatile!

Had I known any of this, it would not have surprised me that an otherwise sober old fashion couple could accept their nephew sleeping with their daughter, but like I said, it would be a while before I understood the full magnitude of the situation.

Aunt Judy met us at the door, "My, Adam that was quick. Here dear, wash at the sink." Judy pushed me and my bloody hands toward the stainless basin.

"Would you like some coffee Adam?" Kate asked. "Please if you don't mind." She looked at me with lovesick eyes. "Adam, I have never minded, and I never will." Instead of pouring the coffee she walked over and hugged my back as I washed my hands. Her head was pressed to the back of my shoulder and the rest of her was like a second skin.

Though I did feel the slightest bit uncomfortable it was obvious Kate did not. I turned my head slightly looking for a towel. Aunt Judy handed me one. As I took it I looked at her face. Her smile was there. But there were also moisture in her eyes. With a catch in her voice she said. "You two are the sweetest thing I have ever seen. I have waited so long for you to come around Adam."

She quickly turned and left the room. I am pretty sure she was crying.

I had turned around to face Kate. I was leaning back against the counter, Kate's arms around my neck. She was pulling me in for a kiss. Her lips were just parting to receive mine when Uncle Hank opened the door. Kate and I both jumped, and she let out a surprised, high-pitched squeak.

Uncle Hank smiled. "Sorry princess didn't mean to startle you." Her arms never left my neck. Come to think of it I never let go of her either. "It's OK Daddy, I just didn't hear you coming," she said with a little color coming to her cheeks.

She let go of me. "Adam go ahead and sit down and I will get you and Daddy some coffee."

As I sat down my Aunt Judy reappeared. "I thought I heard your voice," she said smiling at her husband. "Would you boys like some pie?" We both nodded in unison. Kate delivered our coffee. Uncle Hank smiled his thanks at her. As she sat mine in front of me, I said, "Thanks Katie." She kissed me on the top of the head and said, "you are very welcome my love."