[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Alecia Monaco Ancient Pleasures: Forbidden Fruit - 30 -
In fact, she thought, gasping as he began to suck the sensitive peak, quite the
opposite.
* * *
Eve exhaled, letting relief flood her entire being. With Adam off taking his late
afternoon walk with the Father, she had time alone with her own thoughts. She was
never invited to join them on their walk, nor did she want to be. She relished the time
alone, away from the endless pressure brought on by the problems in her relationship
with Adam.
She found herself wandering the Garden during those times, studying the
staggering variety of plant life, cataloging them all in her memory, even though she
hadn t been tasked with the duty to do so, like Adam had. Sometimes she gathered
flowers for her hair wreaths. Other times she selected the most appealing fruits and
brought them back to share with Adam when he returned. That usually seemed to
please him, although he enjoyed the flowers in her hair, too, and always made a point
of smelling the fragrant blossoms before kissing her.
She finished weaving a wreath of purple irises and settled it among the heavy
waves of her hair. The grass where she sat was cool and dampened from the mists that
rose late each afternoon to water everything that grew from the ground, and she lay
back on it, stretching luxuriously, feeling almost newborn again.
She watched a flock of birds flying in a V across the sky and sighed, envying
their ability to take flight. Maybe Adam never wondered about the world beyond the
gates, but curiosity tugged at her relentlessly. There had to be more to life than what
she d been given as a resident of the Garden. She knew it would be impossible to leave.
And maybe Adam was right -- why would she, when her every need had been
provided for by the Mother and the Father? But the harder she fought her restlessness,
the stronger the impulse to wander out of the Garden and into the world beyond
became.
Alecia Monaco Ancient Pleasures: Forbidden Fruit - 31 -
She stood up and yawned, putting those thoughts out of her mind and
concentrating instead on the marvelous feeling of the cool breeze blowing over her
dew-covered skin.
Enough sitting around, wondering about things that can never be. She d gather a
supper of fruits for Adam, and take joy in his delight over her gathering skills.
Butterflies of every shade and variety fluttered through the air, and fireflies
danced through the grass like wayward sparks from a fire. The smell of freshly watered
grass and a thousand different flowers wrapped around her, soothing her senses and
easing her mind. With such beauty all around her, how could she ask for more?
There is more to life than just beauty, the small voice inside her mind said,
determined to tempt her.
She silenced the mental intruder before it could speak again, and followed the
butterflies to the grove.
She stopped first at the fig tree, gathering some of its plump fruits and putting it
in the hide pouch Adam had given her for such purposes. Next she came to the apple
tree, with its red globes hanging thick from every branch. Picking two of the ripest, she
moved onward to the tree beside it.
She reached up to grab one of its fruits and stopped herself just in time, realizing
with shock what she d almost done.
Towering above her like a sentinel was the Tree of Knowledge.
They had been forbidden to take fruit from it. Any other tree or plant that grew
in the Garden was theirs to enjoy, but of this one tree they couldn t eat.
Eve drew back in awe, staring at the fruit as if it would develop the power of
speech and reprimand her for what she d almost done. What would Adam have said if
she d committed such a transgression? What would the Mother have said?
Eve shuddered. What would the Father have said?
She shot a surreptitious glance around her, making sure she hadn t been seen,
and prepared to turn and walk away.
A thumping sound stopped her.
Alecia Monaco Ancient Pleasures: Forbidden Fruit - 32 -
Halting, she turned around slowly, as if she expected to see the Father himself
standing behind her, ready to condemn her actions. But instead, she only saw a single
fruit from the forbidden tree sitting on the grass where it had fallen.
It rolled down the slight incline at the base of the tree and came to a trembling
stop. Eve studied it, taking in its ruby red skin and shiny, ripe appearance. Her mouth
watered, imagining how it would taste.
Surely it wouldn t hurt to pick it up and get a closer look. After all, they hadn t been
forbidden to touch the fruit, only to eat it. She was being perfectly reasonable. Of course
she was.
She crossed the few steps from where she stood over to the spot where the fruit
had landed. With a hand that shook from reverence, she picked up the round red treat
and held it close to her face.
It was the most tempting shade of red she d ever seen, a color more rich and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]