The Preacher's Daughter

by Valerie Reyes

  “In case you run into car trouble again,” she said with a wink. And with that she turned, got back into her Mustang, and drove away. Nicole stared after her until the car disappeared over the top of a hill.

  Nicole couldn’t think about anything else for the rest of the afternoon. Cassidy occupied her every thought. Finally, her heart beating nervously in her chest, she dialed the number that Cassidy had written on her palm. She picked up on the third ring.

  “Hello?”

  Nicole froze for a moment, unsure of what to say.

  “Hello?”

  “So,” Nicole finally said, “How about that drink?”

  Chapter 4

  Nicole chopped bell peppers and onions as she waited for Cassidy to show up. She had suggested dinner at her place instead of going out for drinks. It seemed a bit much like a date, which she kept trying to tell herself that it wasn’t. But she wasn’t really big on going out and drinking and there just weren’t that many options in a small town like Mason.

  She poured herself a glass of Merlot to help calm her nerves. She had just finished it and settled into the warm glow of a buzz when the doorbell rang. The sight of Cassidy when she opened the door took her breath away.

  It was the first time that Nicole had seen her that she wasn’t covered from head to toe in grease. She wore a short pleated skirt and black boots with a low-cut top that had ‘SLAYER’ printed across the chest. She offered Nicole a single red rose. Nicole opened her mouth to point out that this was not a date, but then she stopped. So what if it was a date? Would that really be so bad?

  “Thanks,” she said, accepting the rose with a smile. “Come in.”

  Cassidy looked around the room with clear admiration as Nicole found a vase, filled it with water, and put the rose in it.

  “I love your place,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Nicole said. “Would you like a glass of wine?”

  “That would be great,” Cassidy said, joining her in the kitchen. God, that voice. Nicole practically melted every time she heard it. She got another wine glass and filled both glasses before she started cooking.

  “Anything I can do to help?” Cassidy asked.

  “Would you mind setting the table? Plates are over there, and silverware is in that drawer,” Nicole said, pointing.

  “Sure thing,” Cassidy said. She set the table and then sat down to wait while Nicole finished cooking. It didn’t take long.

  “So,” Cassidy said once they had finished their meal, “Not to be cliché, but what’s a nice girl like you doin’ in a place like this? I mean, how did somebody like you end up stuck in such a little Podunk town?”

  Nicole shrugged.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Just grew up here I guess. I could ask you the same thing.”

  “Same, I guess. I left when I was 16, but I came back to take care of my grandpa.”

  “That’s good,” Nicole said. “I mean that you would do that for him. How come we never met though? I mean since we both grew up here.” Cassidy shrugged.

  “I kept to myself a lot,” she said. “I remember seeing you around sometimes. You were a year behind me in school.”

  “Ah,” Nicole said. “That explains it.”

  They continued to talk and Cassidy helped Nicole clear the table before they went into the living room.

  “You play?” Cassidy asked when she saw the guitar. “That’s awesome.”

  “A little,” Nicole said. “I’m not very good at it yet.”

  “May I?”

  “Of course.”

  Cassidy took up the guitar and sat down on the couch. Nicole sat down next to her and waited for her to start playing. She closed her eyes and let herself be swept away by the music as Cassidy began to play Stairway to Heaven. Her voice was a rich, smoky alto. When the last notes of the song had faded away she shrugged and handed the guitar over to Nicole.

  “Your turn,” she said.

  “No, I couldn’t,” Nicole said. “I’m really not that good.”

  “That’s ok,” Cassidy encouraged her. “I want to hear.”

  Nicole took the guitar hesitantly. She had never really played in front of anyone before. But something about the way that Cassidy looked at her, earnest and expectant, made her feel at ease. She began to play a song that she had written, clumsily at first and then with growing confidence. Cassidy placed a hand on her knee as she played, sending shivers of electricity through her.

  When Nicole had finished playing she set the guitar back in its stand and neither of them said anything for a long moment. Cassidy leaned forward slowly and gently brushed her lips against Nicole’s before leaning back and looking into her eyes, as if waiting for some sort of sign or permission. Something about the intensity of that gaze set Nicole on fire. She leaned forward and pressed her lips hard against Cassidy’s. It was all the encouragement that Cassidy needed.

  She pushed Nicole back against the couch and wound her fingers through her hair, her tongue parting Nicole’s lips. Nicole opened her mouth willingly, her tongue searching out Cassidy’s hungrily. Every inch of her burned with her need, a need that had never been satisfied. She let out a low moan.

  Cassidy pulled away for a moment, her nipples clearly visible through the thin fabric of her shirt. Nicole quivered with anticipation as Cassidy slowly slid her hand up her thigh beneath the fabric of her skirt. She drew a shuddering breath as Cassidy pulled aside the fabric of her panties and slipped a finger inside of her. She moaned softly as Cassidy slowly withdrew her finger and traced slow circles around her clitoris.

  “Bedroom?” Cassidy breathed huskily.

  “That way,” Nicole answered, pointing.

  Cassidy pulled her up by the hand and Nicole led the way into her bedroom. She turned to face Cassidy. The want and the need in Cassidy’s eyes echoed her own. Cassidy pushed her gently back onto the bed and laced her fingers through Nicole’s as she sought out her mouth again.

  Nicole moaned as Cassidy released one of her hands and moved to caress her breast. She moved her hand under Cassidy’s shirt to feel her it. She wore no bra and it was warm and soft, her nipple a gentle point against Nicole’s palm. Cassidy sat up and pulled her shirt off, allowing Nicole a full view of her full, round breasts. Nicole bit her lip as she drank in the sight.

  Cassidy leaned down and pulled Nicole’s shirt over her head and Nicole sat up to give Cassidy room to unclasp her bra. Cassidy pulled the bra off of Nicole and threw it to the floor before leaning down to trace circles around her nipple with her tongue.

  Nicole quivered, almost bursting with desire as Cassidy kissed her way up her neck until her mouth Nicole’s again and her hand crept once more up Nicole’s thigh. Nicole felt the world reduce to a single bright point of light as Cassidy slipped two fingers inside of her and worked them rhythmically as she massaged her clitoris with her thumb.

  Nicole cried out and rocked her hips against Cassidy’s probing fingers as a lifetime of need gathered between her thighs and shattered, waves of pleasure slowly ebbing away until she was left weak and panting. Cassidy kissed her gently before sitting up to pull her boots off. Then she lay back down and wrapped Nicole in her arms and pulled the blanket over both of them. Nicole realized as she drifted to sleep that here in Cassidy’s embrace was the first place that she had ever truly felt that she belonged.

  *****

  Nicole turned her face toward the hot water, trying to sort through the riot of emotions that bombarded her. Elation at her newfound relationship with Cassidy warred with her doubts, doubts planted by a lifetime in her father’s church.

  What would it be like? To go to hell? She wondered.

  On the other hand, she was pretty damn sure that she had just found out what heaven was like.

  But her parents would probably disown her, and not in a temporary way either. She knew without a doubt that if she came out to them that they would never claim her as a daughter again. They would never cool down and reconsider. That would be that.
>
  But with Cassidy she finally felt that she had found something she had searched for her entire life. She felt a sense of being home when she was with Cassidy that she had never felt anywhere else.

  Underneath it all, though, was that creeping fear, the one that her mind kept circling back to. What if her parents were right? What if all of her father’s Sunday morning ravings were true, and by being with Cassidy she was damning herself to an eternity in hell?

  She pushed those dark thoughts away as she shut off the water and reached for a towel. She tried to quiet her mind as she towel dried her hair and pulled on an oversized Beatles tee shirt. She wiped away some of the steam from the mirror and studied her face as though she could find the answers there.

  After a moment she turned away from the mirror and went back out into the bedroom. Cassidy was still in bed. As Nicole watched her sleep, a small smile crept over her face. Maybe there were some things worth going to hell for.

  Dana’s Discovery

  1.

  Dana sat on her plush sofa and looked at Steve scrolling through his phone. Periodically it would ding or make a beeping noise. When he would feel her staring at him, he would look up and quickly put the phone back in his pocket. They were on one of their few date nights and had decided to spend the evening together cuddled up on the couch, eating Chinese food and streaming an old movie. She looked into Steve's deep blue eyes and felt a shiver of longing. He was what most girls would have considered classically handsome. He was tall with blond hair and built solidly. He worked out every day and took care of himself. Steve was athletic and, despite nearing his mid-thirties, was a personal trainer at the gym in town. Dana looked at Steve and smiled. She considered herself lucky to have found a good man with a good job. He was kind to her and normally had a good disposition and a great sense of humor. He was always pulling practical jokes on his coworkers at the gym and would tell her all about it. She loved his smile and the way he always made at least a little time for her during the course of the day.

  Remembering the day he walked in to the insurance office she worked at, she smiled. He was getting a new policy on an SUV he just purchased, and his boyish exuberance had shown. He was so struck by her beauty that he stopped mid-sentence asking about prices. When he finished his transaction she could see him trying to work up his nerve to get her number. It was then Dana took the initiative and handed him a bright pink card that had her information on it. She smiled at him, sensing his nerves, and just said, “You call me whenever you feel like it, Steve. I get off work at five.” She then turned back around in her chair to her computer and began typing up some emails, running her fingers through her long, blonde hair. She smiled and blushed, already wondering if the handsome stranger would call.

  Arriving home from work, she greeted her faithful Lab mix, Spark. Spark ran up to her, wagging her charcoal-colored tail and sat down while Dana cuddled and pet her. She had gotten Spark from the local animal rescue organization to go with her when she walked or jogged in the park and Spark quickly found her spot in Dana's heart. Grabbing Spark's leash, she looked at the happy dog and said, “Spark, let's go for a walk. There's a lot we need to talk about. I met someone at work today and he may be coming over later.” Spark just woofed in response and they exited the apartment. Dana walked Spark to the small park a few blocks away and they quickly made a few laps, taking in the sights and sounds. On the route back, Dana's phone rang. It was Steve, and they made dinner plans. Dana was pleased he had called her so soon. “Spark, that was Steve. We're going out tonight. Isn't that wonderful?” The lab just woofed and wagged her tail as they walked home.

  Steve became a permanent fixture in their lives from that night forward and Dana blossomed in her new relationship. She always had a penchant for picking men who had troubled pasts. She wanted nothing more than to fix them. Steve was different, though; he was kind, generous, smart, and good-looking. She deserved a break and thought Steve was her reward for all of her previous terrible relationships.

  Looking at her, Steve sighed deeply as his phone beeped once more. “I'm sorry, honey. These clients are non-stop tonight. I think I better call it an early night.” She tried sliding closer to him on the couch and putting her hand on his thigh. He moved away from her, and Dana frowned.

  “Are you sure you can't stay?”

  “Nah, babe. I've got some meetings early in the morning.”

  “Oh, well...you should let me take some of that stress off of your mind.” She gave him wink and a devilish smile, indicating that she wanted him for more than a sleeping companion that night.

  He got up from the couch then and walked towards the door. As he did, he pulled his phone out of his pocket once again. Dana stood up also, following him to the door. “Who are you texting anyway?!”

  “Really, babe, it's nothing you need to be concerned about.”

  “If it's taking time away from us and our relationship, it's something I need to be concerned about.”

  She reached for his phone then, and he jerked it away, but in that movement, she saw the client he had been talking to. It was a woman much younger than herself. The “client” definitely was more than a professional contact, as she saw the picture that Steve had been sent. The attractive woman was clad only in a skimpy black thong and most of her body was exposed.

  “Babe, really it's--”

  Dana's eyes filled with tears and her voice shook with anger. “It's what?! Nothing?! Oh my God, how could you do this to me?! We have a future together!”

  “Babe, I'm sorry...she was at the gym, and it just...happened. I don't know what to say.”

  “Go. Get out. I'll send your things.”

  Steve didn't say another word. Instead he just walked out the door. Dana went and sat back down on the couch, and sobbed while Spark went and lay by the front door, whining pitifully. Dana took the next week off of work and packed up Steve's things. She would pause occasionally when picking up one of his baseball caps, or one of the sweatshirts he'd left for her, stopping to inhale his scent. She allowed herself a few tears before she folded the items and placed them in boxes.

  2.

  Dana was nearly finished packing Steve's belongings and ready to have them shipped. One day at the end of the week, however, she went to get Spark's leash for their daily walk but Spark didn't respond. She didn't come running and wagging her tail like usual. Dana called out for her repeatedly, but the dog didn't come at the sound of her voice like she always had. Dana panicked and went from room to room calling to her furry friend, and the dog still didn't respond. Walking into the bedroom, she found Spark lying on the foot of her bed, despondent. She bent over the dog and patted her head while talking to her in a soothing voice. “Hey, honey. I was calling for you. What's wrong, baby?” The dog merely looked up at her with sad, brown eyes and didn't even wag her tail. Concerned, Dana felt the dog's nose, it didn't feel warm to the touch, so it didn't seem to be a fever. She stroked the dog's fur and tried to provide her comfort. The dog didn't even lick Dana's hands. Dana left the room and came back with a couple of treats. Spark didn't attempt to eat the treats, just sniffed them and laid her head back down.

  Dana had never seen Spark behave this way in all the years they spent together. She decided that she didn't want to chance Spark's health. She called her vet's office and made an appointment. The office had just had a cancellation, so Dana had the opportunity to take her in immediately. Looping the leash through Spark's collar, she coaxed the dog from the bed and out to her car. Spark was normally excited to go for a ride, but today she just obediently hopped up in the back seat and lay down. “Oh, sweetheart, we're going to the vet. We're going to get you taken care of. I hate seeing you sick, my Spark.” Dana took off and looked worriedly in the rearview mirror at the dog. She hoped Spark would be okay. She honestly didn't know what she would do if something happened to her bestie.

  Dana pulled up to her vet's office and noticed that it was mostly empty. She was fortunate that the day's appointment
s had been taken care of and they were able to work her in on such short notice. She coaxed Spark out of the car and led her by her leash into the office where she stood and checked in. The receptionist took her information and Dana handed her a credit card for payment. When she was signed in she took Spark and sat in the waiting room. She talked to Spark reassuringly and patted her on the head, then stroked her sides. The dog was still despondent, and Dana frowned.

  A petite, red-haired vet tech came to the window and called out for Spark to come to the examination room. The tech ran her hands through her hair and gently took the leash from Dana. Dana felt their hands brush and felt an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. She thought to herself that the week must have taken a toll and her nerves were acting up. The vet tech noticed Dana's worry and smiled at her reassuringly as she picked up Spark and put her on the exam table. “Don't worry. We'll get your pal fixed up. Hi. I'm Alex. I'm a vet tech, well, vet-in-training. I'll be seeing Spark today. Dr. Summers had to leave for an emergency in the country a few minutes ago. Apparently there's a colt being born.”

  Dana extended her hand again, when Alex offered hers in greeting. “I'm Dana. It's nice to meet you.”

  “So, tell me what's wrong with Spark here. Other than she's too cute for words.”

  Dana smiled and responded, “Well, that's the problem. Usually, she's much cuter...more playful. She just hasn't been herself; she won't come to me on command like normal. She's not wagging her tail. She's just lethargic. She won't touch her treats or play with her ball.”

  Alex nodded and pulled a small pen light out of her pocket. She looked into the dog's eyes and then patted her on the head. She then placed her hands on the dog's body feeling her muscle mass. “Has she been drinking water?”

  “Yeah. I saw her drink some this morning. But she won't eat.”

  “Well, don't worry, we'll figure out what's going on.”