‘ Our gran is understanding’

and that my brother Tony lived nearby. Then one night, she invited Tony round for dinner to surprise me – she knew how much I wanted to meet him. I was mortified when I realised I’d already spotted Tony just hours earlier – he’d been doing some roofing work on Grandma’s house that day and I’d instantly been attracted to his muscular physique.”

Getting to know each other over dinner, Liza discovered Tony had grown up in Britain and the US, and had found their grandma Maree a few years earlier. Liza says: “We got on brilliantly, and spent the next two weeks finding out about each other’s lives. Tony had been in a long-term relationship, but was now single – he didn’t have any children.

“He was so attentive, and I really fancied him, even though I knew it was wrong. Every time we hugged goodbye I wanted more – I felt disgusted with myself. I had no idea if he felt the same.”

CONFESSION TIME

Terrified by her feelings, once home Liza did some research online and discovered Genetic Sexual Attraction (GSA), a condition siblings can find themselves experiencing if they meet for the first time as adults.

Liza says: “I felt relieved there were other people who’d experienced the same feelings as I had. I spoke to a therapist, who told me not to act on how I felt as it would be wrong, so I tried to put my feelings to the back of my mind. ” However, when Tony visited Liza a month later, in July 2013, the pair couldn’t deny how they felt any longer. Liza says: “One night we had a few drinks and, suddenly, Tony passionately kissed me. It didn’t feel wrong. I was glad he felt the same and we made love. Afterwards we confessed we loved each other. I’d never felt this strongly about anybody. We discussed our feelings and we both agreed that we shouldn’t be ashamed.”

The couple decided to start a new life together, and moved to Montana – where

LOSING FRIENDS

Liza says: “Tony was introduced to my son Stevie as an ‘uncle’, and I haven’t explained to him that we’re siblings. I’ll tell him when he’s older. I hope he’ll understand.

“Amazingly, our grandmother has been really understanding – I guess she doesn’t want to lose us just after finding us. Unfortunately, we’ve lost friends as a result of our relationship and I’m no longer in touch with my adoptive dad, but no one knows our history where we now live and we keep to ourselves.”