by Paul Preston
The Adam & Eve Trilogy
Featuring The Awakening of Laura, Bella Lisa & Her Beast
& The Phantom Phillipe
by Paul Preston
ISBN: 978-1-942331-21-6
A Pink Flamingo Ebook Publication
Copyright © 2015, All rights reserved
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishers.
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USA
The Awakening of Laura
Chapter One
Sunday
When Stephen first saw Laura standing next to her husband after the Sunday service, greeting worshippers on their way out of the church, he felt at once dizzy and breathless, as if punched directly in his solar plexus by an unseen fist. Stephen wondered if Laura had seen the quick sideways glance he’d given her, as her husband stretched out his arms to give him a black-robed embrace in the foyer of Our Savior Presbyterian Church. In his one brief look he noticed how the conservative pearl-white cardigan and pleated knee length skirt she wore sharply contrasted with the stylish shiny black high heeled shoes on her pretty arched feet. Through her thin sweater Stephen observed how the fetching curves of her rounded breasts and nipples were held in tight bondage by the thick straps of her brassiere. Enfolded in the ministerial embrace, breathing in the freshly laundered scent of the flowing robes, Stephen stole another furtive glance at Laura’s breasts. He imagined unbuttoning her sweater and unsnapping her bra strap with the tips of his trembling fingers. Once freed from their captivity, he thought how soft and warm her full breasts would feel as they fell into his hands and how swollen her areoles and nipples would become after he took them into his open mouth and sucked upon them passionately.
Stephen stayed longer than was appropriate in the warmth of the pastor’s embrace, pressing himself into his prodigious girth. Laura took notice of how long the attractive gentleman stayed wrapped in her husband’s arms.
Was he looking at me? At my body?
Clearly uncomfortable with the prolonged physical contact, especially with another man, the Reverend stepped back to break the embrace.
“Are you feeling alright, my son?”
Stephen looked up into his inquiring fleshy pink face.
“Yes, Reverend.”
“Call me Reverend Rog. All my friends here do.”
OK, Reverend Rog.”
“Son, you seem… do you not feel well?”
“No, I feel fine. Why do you ask?”
“You’re trembling.”
“Oh yes. I suppose I am.”
As he had unwittingly drawn attention to himself, by now Stephen was sure Laura had noticed him, along with everyone else in line waiting to speak with the Reverend.
“Reverend, I think I’m holding up the line.”
“You’re new here?”
“Yes.”
“Is this your first visit to our parish?”
“It is, Reverend.”
“Reverend Rog.”
“OK, Reverend Rog.”
“Listen; are you free tomorrow night around 7?”
“Uhh, I...“
“Well, if you’re feeling better, I’d like to set up an appointment to meet with you. I do this with all new members to welcome them into my congregation on the first Monday of the month, which is tomorrow. We can sit down together, get to know each other a little more personally, pray together if there may be something troubling you. There will be coffee and sweets, oh; I didn’t catch your name…”
“Stephen.”
“Well, Stephen, I certainly hope you feel better by tomorrow. You may be coming down with something. You look feverish, you’re sweating. I hope you’re not contagious. I have a big business trip coming up this week.”
“I feel fine. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Well, it was a pleasure meeting a new member. Welcome to Our Savior. We’ll meet tomorrow night then.”
“Yes, Reverend, I’ll try to make it,” Stephen said, shaking the Pastor’s extended hand.
As he turned toward the door, the Reverend reached out and touched Stephen’s shoulder, an incidental touch, but one that would end up changing their lives.
“Oh, before I forget, let me introduce you to my wife, Laura.”
With trepidation, Stephen paused, took a deep breath and turned to gaze into her dark brown eyes. She held out her pale white hand and he took it, holding it lightly in his own, feeling its warmth.
“Hello,” Laura said, held captive by Stephen’s piercing blue eyes.
“Hello, Laura…”
She smiled and briefly broke eye contact with the stranger, glancing down at her hand.
“My hand?”
“Oh yes. Sorry.”
He released Laura’s hand and stood formally, clasping his hands stiffly in front of him. Stephen saw Laura sweep the tips of her fingers over the wet residue of perspiration he had transferred into her palm.
“I’m terribly sorry. My palms are wet…”
“And your name again was…?”
“My name? Yes, uh…”
“Have you forgotten your name, sir?” she asked.
I’m teasing him. Why am I teasing him?
Laura swept a strand of her thick golden blonde hair behind her ear.
She’s not flirting with me. Is she?
“No. It’s Stephen.”
“Well, nice to meet you, Stephen.”
“Thank you…”
They looked at each other for a moment longer. Laura gave Stephen a sweet half smile.
“I’m sorry, Laura, I appear to be holding up the line, I guess I’ll be going.”
Stephen looked out the door into the bright sun. Impulsively, he turned back to her.
“You know, it’s such a nice day… I was thinking, it’s only a few blocks away, would you like to take a walk on the beach?”
Stephen immediately regretted having made such a suggestion as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth.
“What?” Laura asked, as if she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“Uh, I was just saying, wouldn’t it be great to take a stroll on the beach… but I’m quite sure you and your husband are busy…”
“I haven’t been to the beach in years… almost 3 years…”
After she uttered the word beach, Laura’s mind seemed to drift off. Stephen noticed her looking toward the shimmering stained glass windows, the sun pouring through them, her eyes narrowing wistfully.
“Anyway… I’m sure you’re both busy… sorry for holding up the line. Pardon me.”
On unsteady legs, Stephen somehow managed to make his way out the front door of the church. Laura watched him disappear into the sun.
Stephen’s Diary Entry: Sunday Night
Well, can you believe it? I’ve sunk to a new low – lusting after the body of the pretty minister’s wife. Since I can’t seem to take these debauched thoughts out of my mind, I’ve decided to stop trying to be someone I’m not. As for my faith, my body and spirit have always been at war within me, and now I know they can no longer coexist. Since God supposedly granted us all free will, and I have to choose, I choose the body. You will be better off without me Laura, lusting after you, fantasizing about you every Sunday, while your husband delivers the sermon. I’ll have to take that walk on the beach without you.
Laura’s Diary Entry: Sunday Night
Dear Diary, I finally have a bit of tit
illating news to report to you, after so many months and years of boring journal entries. The monotony of my life was relieved meeting a most attractive man at church today. (Listen to me, I sound like I have a schoolgirl crush.) He looked to be in his early thirties, so charming and handsome, with the scruffy golden light brown hair of a surfer, slender and well-dressed in a fashionable suit – European cut, perhaps? He greeted me in a most charming and gentlemanly fashion, holding my hand as if it were a delicate flower, then forgetting he was holding it as we lost ourselves gazing into one another’s eyes. He was quite nervous and shy, like a boy on his first date. Our whole interchange took less than two minutes perhaps, but so much transpired, I feel.
After some small talk, he surprised me out of nowhere by inviting me to the beach! Me, a married woman. I can’t erase this man from my memory. All day I’ve fantasized about meeting him there. All day. Which beach we’d go to, which bikini I would wear, one piece or two. I tried to take a jog to shake him from my mind. I ran harder and faster than I’d run since college or even high school, as if imbued with a new strength. But no matter how much I sweated, I could not shake him from my thoughts. So there he remains. I know I shouldn’t be thinking about him, but I can’t help it.
Dear Diary, I’ve tried to love my husband these last three years and tried to be a good supportive wife. I am devoted to him and respect him. But, though I feel quite guilty about it, I ask you, can’t I have just one day to feel these feelings again – the ones that I lost long ago? If only I could have met him 3 years ago, before… but I know now it is too late. When I am an old lady, dear diary, surrounded by my grandkids, and I stumble upon this diary in an old musty shoebox, pull it out and read this entry, I want to be able to remember his name.
Stephen.
His name was Stephen.
Chapter Two
Monday
Stephen drove to the front of the church and nearly drove by before noticing the front door was left ajar. He parked, walked into the empty foyer and noticed a door open in the alcove to the left that said “The Fellowship Room” on it.
In and out. A quick chat and I’m out of there.
He opened the door wider and saw Laura, standing by a coffee table, who turned to face him with a tight smile. They stared at each other for a long moment.
“Laura?”
“Stephen. I was hoping you would make it.”
“Am I in the right room?”
“Oh yes, the Fellowship Room. This is the place.”
Laura did not greet him as she would have any other guest, with a warm Christian hug, but instead busied herself arranging and rearranging items on the table. She talked quickly in a nervous chatter, without taking a breath and only stopped when she ran out of air.
“Yes, hello, please sit down; make yourself comfortable, my husband sends his sincerest apologies. He was called away to minister to a sick member of our parish in the hospital who took a turn for the worse apparently, and since we had no way of contacting you, he sent me in his place in case you or any other new member might drop by, since the Monday meeting for new members is advertised on our newsletter and website. I know I am a poor substitute for Reverend Roger and I know you were expecting to meet with him, and I could get his secretary to call you to reschedule a meeting, but I’m afraid it could not be until next week at the earliest. He’s leaving on a five city book tour tomorrow to promote his new book, “Lessons in Life”. Five cities in five days, he always says when he goes off on these book tours. Five cities in five days. He won’t be back until Saturday evening…”
“How exciting,” Stephen said, smiling, as Laura caught her breath.
“Have you read any of his other books?” “Lessons in Love” or “Lessons in Marriage?” Laura asked.
“Catchy titles, but no, I haven’t.”
“My husband is very proud of them. “Lessons in Love”, his first book, was a bestseller among Christian publications. His second book “Lessons in Marriage” is said to have helped many young married couples through some rough patches… Are you married, Stephen?”
Why did I ask him that? It’s none of my business.
“No… I had a girlfriend a few years ago, but never married… Anyway, he seems like a really great guy, Laura.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any kids?”
“No not yet. But, maybe one day soon. My husband is always saying how he wants to “put a bun in the oven”.
Oh God, why did I tell him that? Too much information.
Laura sat stiffly in a folding chair during the awkward pause in the conversation, with crossed legs and a forced smile.
“Well, Laura, to answer your question, I don’t need to reschedule the appointment. I’m happy to talk to you. In fact, it’s a very pleasant surprise for me. And you are not a poor substitute.”
Stephen stared at Laura and smiled. Trying to escape from his gaze, she turned her back to him and faced the coffee table.
“Would you like a little sweetie, Stephen?” she asked.
Stephen stared at her faded blue jeans that hugged her trim figure, his eyes lingering on the sensual curves of her cheeks.
Yes, Laura, I would like to have a little sweetie.
Images of forcibly taking her from behind on top of the coffee table played out in his mind. Pulling her jeans down her legs, ripping her panties off, coffee cups flying off the table, shattering on the floor, pastries grinding into their skin, grabbing her hair roughly with one hand while pinning her body down by the neck with the other and thrusting and thrusting himself into her over and over and over until… Stephen took a deep breath and adjusted the growing bulge in his pants while her back was turned.
Down boy, be good, we’re in church, for god’s sake.
“Oh, no thank you, Laura.”
Laura turned to face him.
“How about one of these mini-hotdog appetizer thingies?”
“No thanks, Laura, I’m a vegetarian.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“That’s OK.”
“Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?
“Oh, no thank you.”
“Are you certain? I mean, it would be no trouble, really, I don’t mind”-
“You’re very kind, Laura, but no thank you,” Stephen said.
Stephen and Laura exchanged a long awkward moment.
“Actually I just dropped by for a moment really. It turns out my job is transferring me to another town back east so I will be leaving California soon.”
Laura’s chest visibly dropped. She seemed to be truly disappointed.
“Oh… that’s too bad. When are you leaving?”
“Well, they said it might be in just a few short weeks from now.”
“Oh... But, I was going to introduce you to all the people here.”
“Yes, well, duty calls I guess. Thank you for the nice chat Laura. I really should be going.”
Stephen turned toward the door.
“Can you stay awhile to talk, if you’re not too busy? It’s just that I’m stuck here until 8PM and it’s only 7:20 and it doesn’t look as if anyone else is going to show. Will you stay and keep me company?” Laura asked impulsively.
“Will I get points in heaven for doing that?”
“Yes, you will.”
“Then I guess I better stay...”
They stared at each other for a prolonged time, as if words were unnecessary between them. Then Laura abruptly broke the stare.
“I know what we can do to pass the time. Why don’t you tell me how you ended up becoming a Christian?”
“Oh, I’m not sure we should go there, Laura.”
“What do you mean? Why not?”
“It’s just that my story is, how shall I put it, uh… rather sexual.”
“Oh. You needn’t feel ashamed to tell me. I’d never judge you.”
“I certainly don’t want to offend you.”
“I’m sure I won’t be offended.”
>
“You know, Laura, let’s be honest. Do you want to be honest with me?”
“I thought we were being honest.”
“It’s just that if I open up to you now and tell you this story, it may open a door for you, and there is the risk that in going through it, the door may close behind you and you may not be able to find your way back home…”
“Well, wow… I’m not quite sure I know what you mean, but, as I said, you needn’t worry Stephen. No matter what happened, I would never judge you. I know I might look like a prude, but please believe me, deep down, I want you to know, I’m not that kind of person…”
Stephen took a deep breath in and exhaled.
“OK, Laura, I’ll tell you the story I’ve never told anyone before. I’ll tell you exactly how I happened to become a Christian and I won’t leave out a single detail. Actually, it will be good to finally tell someone. I’ve tried to sort this out over the years, with no success.”
“I know we’ve just met, but… you can trust me, Stephen.”
“I know I can. I feel like I can trust you, even though we just met. So, in ninth grade, when I was around thirteen years old, I was cast in the junior high school musical, “Oliver”!
Laura’s eyes widened and she sat up excitedly on the edge of her chair, smiling.
“I love that show! I don’t mean to interrupt, but are you interested in the theater?”
“Oh yes. Very much so.”
“Me too. I’m a Drama Major from Cal State.”
“B.F.A. in Drama from St. Mary’s.”
“This is just amazing. You’re a drama major! I had a feeling we had a lot in common.”
“I did too, Laura.”
“I’m sorry, Stephen. Go on. I promise I won’t interrupt again…”
“Well, a very pretty Latin-American girl, Elizabeth, the older sister of a classmate, came to see me in the musical. She was two or three years older than me, she seemed to like me. We started calling each up on the phone, flirting as kids that age will do. One evening I told her I was stronger than her and she said she was stronger than me and I told her how I could beat her in a wrestling match so she challenged me to do it. Since her parents were away for the evening, she invited me to come over that night. I took her up on the challenge, went to her house and we went down into her basement and began wrestling. Though I think she may have been stronger than me, she let me win after rolling around on the floor and I ended up on top of her, pinning her arms to the floor. I remember it was hot in her basement, I was sweating. I didn’t know what to do, I just stared at her, and that’s when she kissed me, my first kiss. I wrote about it in my journal.”