Original Sin and the Serpent
Believe it or not – I, an erotic romance author, am also a Bible scholar. I’ve read it – front to back – in its original languages. And there’s some really good stuff in there; ‘love your neighbor’, ‘refrain from killing your fellow man’ – that kind of thing. And have you ever read THE SONG OF SOLOMON – that sits right in the middle of the Bible near to the book of Psalms and it is – my goodness – if you ever get a chance to read a true translation of it, you’ll realize its hotter than most of our spicy erotic romance novels.
But what I want to focus on today is the first event in the Bible – the concept of original sin. You remember – two naked people in a garden setting – tempted by a sensuous serpent. If you take this episode and put it in any other book you’d thing you had come upon a BDSM scne. What I take exception to is this apple eating business. Read the scriptures – closely – there’s no apple. Eating a piece of innocuous fruit was not the problem – it was something a little bit more interesting, I think. But I’m not interested in getting into any deep theological debates – but they had it right back in the 20’s and 30’s when they sung the old song- ‘Original Sin’ – in someway, it had to be about SEX. Isn’t everything?
Now, I don’t think sex is a sin – far from it – it’s the greates blessing there is, but society has some stupid concepts of sex and what we should do or shouldn’t do. Or they say they do- sometimes I think they protest too much. Have you ever noticed that the televangelist who comes out the hardest against homosexuality is the next one to come out of the closet? And I read a poll not too long ago that sited conservatives watch more porn than liberals – (there’s our base, ladies.)
Anyway, I digress – the scene in the garden of Eden has done much to color our idea of the beauty of the nude human body, the roles of men and women, and even our relationship with the poor, mistreated, legless snake. I’ve heard ‘great minds’ say that mankind developed their strange and phobic fear of serpents because of this one Adamic incident in our ‘history’ – that it is now so firmly engrained in our genetic make-up so that we are born with a hatred of this one misunderstood species.
I think that’s hogwash. We have taught our children to distrust and fear snakes when actually they have the right to live as much as any other creature. Not they I want one in my house – – but, if he stays outside and doesn’t bother me too much, he’s safe from me.
My real dad had a phobic fear of snakes, I was a mean little child and sometimes would slip a rubber snake in his ‘lunchbox’. Many times he
‘killed’ my rubbersnake with his shovel. When we were kids we had a swimming hole not too far from our house – now this was South Louisiana and like the song said, ‘snakes hang from the trees like sausage from a smokehouse wall’. Anyway, one day we were heading to the swimming hole down a narrow path that was hemmed in by thick growing underbrush. My older cousin was in the lead and all of a sudden he stopped and we – who were running behind him – all slammed into his back. We wondered what the hold up was, and then we saw it. A massive, long black coachwhip snake was in front of him and had reared up on its tail. I swear, they were looking eye to eye. Now, a coachwhip – or a black runner snake – isn’t poisonous. There is an old wife’s tale that they will wrap themselves around you and whip you with their tale – and I can tell you truthfully – that ‘tale’ was bearing heavily on our mind as we faced off against this big snake. Well, we wanted to swim – bad. And that snake didn’t want us to swim in his habitat just as bad. So, Clarence decided to fight it out. He literally said to that legless serpent ‘put up your dukes’. He started punching at the snake and the snake would dodge – he was pretty good at this – but he did not back down. It was an amaziing sight, and somewhat unnerving sight. I think I would have fled, but I was one among a half dozen and would have been ridiculed for my cowardice, unmercifully. So, I stood and watched the two contendees battle it out. Now, it was the oddest thing – but that old snake never bothered to strike at Clarence. Maybe, it was a game to him – punch and dodge – punch and dodge. This went on for a good six or seven minutes and to me it seemed like an eternity. Finally, they called a draw – we backed up and the snake backed up. He had to have been six foot long and as strong as a horse to hold himself upright like that dancing on the end of his tail. We backed up and he backed up – and we swam another day.
I have a hundred snake stories – funny ones, scary ones, mysterious ones – but I can say this. Not once have I ever been harmed by one of them. I, for one descendant of Adam have endeavored to put aside my ‘taught’ revulsion of this beautiful creature and try to see its worth.
Now Libby of Cowboy Heat is a different story – she’s scared of snakes – and it works to her advantage – let’s look at two scenes.
The cover and the link are at the bottom.
Scene I – the first mention of a snake
Climbing from the bed, Aron pulled on his jeans. He held his shirt up for her to wear, since all she had worn to the stock tank had been a towel. That hit him sort of funny. “I can’t believe that you snuck out of the house in only a towel!”
“You had me all hot and bothered, all I could think about was cooling off,” she admitted.
“Cover up more next time, baby doll. I’m the only man that I want looking at your body.” Before she could answer, he picked her up and stalked off.
“I can walk.”
“Yes, you can, but you don’t have to. You’ve got a big, strong man to carry you. Besides, you’re barefoot ““ there might be grass burrs or snakes crawling around.”
At the word snake, she catapulted upward in his arms, almost draping herself around his neck. “Hey! Now I know what to say to make you snuggle closer. Afraid of snakes, are you
pumpkin? ”
“Horribly, I can guess one could say ““ phobic.” She was still shaking, just thinking about the horrible, slimy creatures.
“Good thing I’m tall then, they’d have to be on stilts to reach you up here ““ or ““” he snorted, “fall out of a tree on you.” That elicited another movement in his arms, this time she burrowed into his chest and he just laughed some more. “You are so cute.”
He propped her up on one knee while he opened the door, then locked it behind him. Carrying her up the stairs, he stole a few kisses on the way ““ just for good measure. When they passed Bess’s room, she grunted and made a little motion with one foot. He just kept on going until he was behind closed doors. His bedroom doors. Laying her on the bed, he set the alarm clock and went to the bathroom. Returning with a wet washcloth he wiped her off gently between the legs, then kissed her right dab on the clitoris. She moaned sleepily. “Are you sure you want me to sleep in here with you?”
“Baby, this is where you will sleep from now on.” He didn’t even realize the implications of what he was saying.
“Until it’s time for me to go,” she added and he grunted noncommittally. That didn’t sound right. Where in the hell did she think she was going?
Scene II – Libby’s 2nd Snake episode
“Hold the reins like this, sweetie. Not too tight.” He led the old horse around, adjusting Libby’s feet in the stirrups. “That’s right. You don’t have to be afraid. Molly is as gentle as a lamb.
Libby wasn’t afraid; it was just a long way to the ground. Her balance wasn’t the best in the world, but this was one thing that she had promised herself that she would do while she still felt good. “You’re doing great, Libby. I’m going to walk you over to the corral and you can just go round and round in a circle until you feel secure enough to take a real little jaunt.” Jacob’s words were reassuring. She knew that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, not if he could help it. Smiling, she knew Jacob was fond of her, but he was also scared of Aron.
Aron cared about her. Libby knew that he did. But, even if Aron changed his mind about the nature of their relationship, it still wouldn’t change the reality of her disease. No, she was in remission, she reminded herself. Remission. She knew the statistics, there was no use playing like she didn’t.
“Okay, take off.” He set Molly and Libby into a safe little circular path. Or it would have been safe if a big old chicken snake hadn’t decided to crawl across the enclosure. Those old chicken snakes knew no fear, Aron wouldn’t let any of them be killed because a) they didn’t have any chickens or eggs and b) chicken snakes ate their weight in rats, regularly. Molly didn’t know they were harmless, however, and Libby was deathly afraid of even a rubber snake. So when Molly shied from the snake; Jacob hollered, causing Libby to jerk. Molly bucked and Libby trying to hold on saw the snake ““ all hell broke loose. Libby came crashing down. Jacob thought that everything was all right. It was just a little fall. The snake hadn’t looked back and Molly didn’t step on Libby. But, Libby didn’t move. He ran to her and found blood all over the back of her head. She had hit the top railing of the fence on her way down to the ground.
Aron was homesick. He hadn’t even been gone a whole day, but he was nearly aching with longing. And it wasn’t Tebow he was homesick for, or his brothers. Aron was homesick for Libby. She had slept in his arms all night, but right now he felt as if a piece of him had been cut off. Never would he have believed that a little slip of a girl could get under his skin the way she had. He thought about her all the time.
Libby had surprised him; she fit into their life like she belonged. Nothing was too much trouble; she pitched in and helped in every project they took on. That is ““ she tried ““ Aron had a hard time trying to keep her safe. Other than her overblown fear of snakes ““ she was absolutely fearless. Just the other day, he had caught her trying to coax one of their biggest Beefmaster bulls into a stall so she could give him a bath. The dignified, registered, blue-blood Warpaint was not amused. Neither was Aron.
Again and again it hit him how different from Sabrina that Libby was. He had received a call from their neighbor, Clyde Cummings, an elderly widow. He had requested one of the boys to come over and help him pull a tractor loose that he had got stuck in the mud. In the process of trying to free it himself, he had hurt his back. Libby had taken Clyde casseroles and soups for a week, until he was feeling up to par. Nothing like that would ever have even occurred to Sabrina. The nice things that Libby wanted to do for others reminded Aron of his mother.
The day before yesterday, one of Aron’s prize heifers had begun to calve. It was her first, and Aron was worried about her. The bull that he had bred her to was big and he didn’t want to risk any birth complications. Nothing would do Libby but she attend the blessed event. When Aron had been forced to put his arm up the cow’s birth canal and turn the calve Libby had been right there with hot water and towels. (Not that he needed hot water and towels, but he humored her.) When they finally pulled the little bull free of his mother, Libby had thrown her arms around Aron and almost knocked him down. She had named the little bull Muffin, now how was that going to look on the official Beefmaster Association Breeder’s forms? Actually, Aron didn’t care. He was so enamored of Libby and anything she did that he was almost giddy.
And the sex. Lord have mercy, as he always said. The sex was utterly incredible. She was so sweetly responsive, eager and uninhibited ““ yet, at the same time, enchantingly innocent. It was a heady combination and one that kept him in a state of constant arousal.
Libby had made herself at home.
At Tebow, and, most especially, in his heart.
Although the trip had been a necessary one, Aron was glad that it was almost over. Never had the road seemed so long from Austin to Kerrville. Never had he been so tempted to floor it. When he got to the last leg of the journey, the dirt road that led from the blacktop to the Tebow ranch gate had never looked so welcoming. He noticed the wildflowers that grew along the way. Had they always been so bright and colorful? Everything seemed better somehow ““ the air was sweeter, the food tasted better, hell, he even liked his worthless brothers more.
Mostly, he couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms again. Last night’s loving had only left him hungry for more. That was the way it always was ““ he just couldn’t get enough of Libby Fontaine. Lately, he had been rethinking his future. He had made a decision. A huge decision. He wanted Libby in his life; there was no way that he could face a lifetime without her. Marriage wasn’t the word he would use just yet, but he was definitely thinking long-term.
The only problem was convincing her of that. Something was holding her back. He knew that she cared about him. There was no doubt about that, she showed him every day in more ways than he could count. Why was she so adamant that their time together was short? Yeah, he knew that it had been his idea to start with. Hell, he was ready to admit that he was wrong. Yet, every time he had put limits on the relationship, she had been only too happy to agree. Aron didn’t like that she agreed so damn readily. He wanted her to fight for him. So, when he got home ““ the mission had changed. Win Libby Fontaine ““ that was his new goal.
When he started up the drive, he knew instantly that something was wrong. It was only three o’clock and all of the brother’s trucks were there. They were pulled haphazardly around the front, as if they had all been in a hurry to get out and get into the house. His heart clutched in his chest. He didn’t want anything to happen to any of his brothers, but all he could think about was ““ Oh God – don’t let anything have happened to his precious Libby.
He drove faster as he got closer and ended up skidding his King Ranch dangerously close to the wide front verandah steps. Leaping from the cab, he took the steps three at a time. Charging through the front door, he yelled. “What the hell is wrong? Libby! Libby, answer me sweetheart, right now!”
“We need to call Doc Mulligan.” This was Jacob’s voice. A doctor? Who was Mulligan? By, God he’d find out. He followed the voices.
“Shit, Aron’s here.” That was Isaac.
“Like he’s not going to find us.” Joseph stage whispered. “We’re in the den, Aron!”
Aron barreled into the “man-cave’ as Nathan called it and saw four of his brothers kneeling in front of the leather sofa. And behind them was ““ aw hell, it was his Lillibet.
In a few short moves, he had displaced brothers both left and right. Kneeling at her side, he whispered, “Libby? Sweetheart?” She was so small and pale and her eyes were closed.
“What the hell happened?” he looked directly at Jacob.
“Aron, O Aron.” Libby opened her eyes, held out her arms, and as he took her, she began scooting over into his lap. “I am so glad you’re here, Aron. So glad. I missed you, so.”
As Aron cuddled her close, he demanded again. “What happened to her?”
“She fell off of Molly.” Jacob’s voice was level and quiet.
Aron’s hands at once began moving over her body.
Isaac snorted. “It’s her head, Aron.” Laughing, “I thought I’d tell you before you felt her up in front of us.”
“Hush up, Isaac. There”s nothing funny about this.” Aron’s voice was direct and succinct. He held her with one arm, while he began parting her hair, looking for a wound.
“She hit her head on the fence when Molly threw her.” Jacob sounded as guilty as he felt.
At Aron’s indrawn breath, Libby feared for Molly and Jacob’s safety. “It wasn’t Jacob’s fault, I begged him to teach me. And it wasn’t Molly’s fault ““ it was that humongous, horrible deadly snake that scared us!” Aron fought with everything he had not to smile; this was too serious.
“It was a chicken snake.” Jacob said dryly.
“A huge, ugly, vicious chicken snake!” Libby was very anti-serpent.
“Why aren’t you in the hospital?” He looked at Libby, then at the brothers.
“No, no, no, no.” She clung to his neck. “No hospital! Some of the worst days of my life have been spent in hospitals.” Aron cuddled her close.
Jacob knelt by her and took her hand. Aron’s eyes widened.
“Libby, see the doctor, please.” Jacob’s voice was low, but he spoke from his heart.
“I’m fine, Jacob. I don’t need to see him.” Her eyes pled with him to let it drop. Knowing that Aron would take up Jacob’s mantra, Libby changed her tactic. “Aron, please take me to our room. I want to lie down and I need you to hold me.”
That’s all it took, Aron rose and started off with her. Before he left the room, he turned and faced his brothers. “If I ever come home again and find her with so much as a paper cut, there will be hell to pay. I go off and leave the most precious thing I have in the world in your care and you let a horse throw her,” he paused and a small smile escaped his lips, “and a Godzilla size snake nearly swallowed her whole. It will not happen again!” With that he stalked off, his baby held close to his heart.
“Yeah, this is a temporary thing. You can tell. He don’t care a thing in the world about her.” Isaac observed dryly.
Cowboy Heat is the first in the Hell Yeah! Series about the McCoy Brothers of Tebow Ranch – it’s sequel Book 2 – HOT ON HER TRAIL is available now and HER MAGIC TOUCH will be released at the end of April. Feel free to visit me at website listed below in the link or email me at sablehunter@rocketmail.com. I write erotic romances in three categories – paranormal, cowboy and contemporary. I have 10 releases under 2 pseudo’s. My hometown is New Orleans, Louisiana but at present I live near Austin with my husband Jason. We raise registered Longhorns and Beefmaster Cattle and Palamino, Arabians and Appaloosa horses. We have assorted cats – one dog and one precious little boy. I love to cook Cajun – ghost hunt – read – travel in my RV and write spicy stories to entertain myself and others.
thanks for reading
Sable Hunter
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