“Oh, now you act like you can barely talk,” Julia said.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s done and over with. I’m here. You’re here,” Samson said as he stood up and tried to wrap his arms around Julia.
Julia resisted at first. Samson touched her chin. “Come on. Let me see those dimples. Pleeeease,” he cooed.
Julia pouted. “Samson, I don’t know if I’ll be able to deal with this as first lady—the midnight calls and not knowing when you’ll be home. I just don’t know.”
Julia turned away from Samson and walked near the large bookshelf located on the opposite side of his office. Samson went and stood beside her. He reached for her hand. “Julia, you’ll be a perfect first lady. You are my Proverbs thirty-one woman. Peaceful Rest will be blessed to have you as its first lady. Not to mention me.”
Julia’s frown turned to a smile. “I guess the wedding is stressing me out.”
“It’s going to be all right. In two weeks, we’ll both look back on this time and laugh.” Samson rubbed her hand and then pulled Julia in for a hug. He got a strange feeling that between now and their wedding, the drama was just beginning, and it’d be no laughing matter.
Chapter 3
Delilah sat in the church parking lot listening to her favorite morning show as she attempted to calm her nerves. She could slap Elaine for not putting her call through to Samson. She knew why her calls were being filtered when she pulled up on the lot and saw Julia’s green Mercedes parked next to Samson’s SUV. Delilah watched from a distance as Samson walked Julia to her car.
He’s such a gentleman, Delilah thought as she watched him hold Julia’s door open.
She waited until she was sure Julia was off the church grounds before zooming in to the parking spot Julia had just abandoned. Before Samson could re-enter the church, Delilah was on his heels. “Just the man I wanted to see,” Delilah said as she touched his shoulder.
Startled, Samson jumped before turning around. “Whew, Delilah. You almost gave me a heart attack.”
Pretending to be shy, Delilah apologized. “I hated the way you left this morning.”
Samson interrupted her. “Let’s stay outside. I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation.”
“But, Pastor, it’s eighty degrees out here, and you know brown sugar melts,” Delilah teased with her eyes.
“It is hot for April. Follow me to my office. I’ll just tell Elaine to hold all of my calls.”
Delilah smiled as she followed him to his office. She didn’t bother to speak to Elaine as they passed by her. In the past, Elaine had made it obvious that she didn’t like Delilah, and as far as Delilah was concerned the feelings were mutual.
As soon as Delilah closed and locked Samson’s office door, she pounced on him. Samson didn’t resist her as she stuck her tongue down his throat. He moaned, giving her the desired effect she wanted, and that’s when she pulled away from him. She straightened her skirt and took a seat in one of the chairs across from his desk.
It took Samson a minute to recover from the French kiss. “Delilah, we can’t keep doing this,” he said as he took a seat behind his desk.
Delilah made sure the short skirt she wore eased up even more as she crossed her legs, giving Samson a view of what he would be missing if he didn’t continue their liaison. “You still have time to call off your wedding,” she said.
“Why would I do that?” Samson asked, looking puzzled.
Delilah leaned in closer, showing her cleavage. “You could have this every night if you would tell Ms. Prissy to take a hike.”
“I love Julia,” he responded.
Delilah laughed. “Yeah, right. If you loved her so much, there’s no way you would have been in my bed.”
“That was an accident. I had too much to drink.”
Delilah enjoyed watching Samson squirm. He didn’t think she would let him get off the hook that easily, did he? She was not a piece of old clothing he could just throw away. No, she was human. She was flesh, and she was in love with him.
“Is that the excuse you’re going to give her when she finds out about us?” Delilah asked.
“There’s no need for either one of us to say anything to Julia. It happened one time, and it won’t happen again,” Samson said in a low voice.
Delilah stood up and eased her skirt up over her hips. She walked around the desk and swirled Samson’s chair around.
“What are you doing?” Samson asked, stuttering.
She sat her naked bottom on his lap. “Oh, you might be a man of God, but you know exactly what I’m doing. And if you don’t, he sure does,” Delilah said, pointing between his legs.
Samson panted, “The door. Anybody could walk in.”
“The door is locked. The only way anyone will know what we’re doing is if you make noise.”
“We can’t,” Samson said unsuccessfully as Delilah unbuttoned her shirt.
Samson’s resistance turned into participation as he played with Delilah’s chest, and they both went at it as if they were at a buffet and hadn’t eaten in months.
Less than thirty minutes later, Delilah viewed herself in the mirror and fixed her hair. She put on more lipstick so she wouldn’t raise any suspicion with Elaine. “Now what was that you were saying about us?” Delilah asked as she turned around to face Samson.
Samson scared her when he fell down on his knees and started praying. “Father God, please forgive me. Lord, I’m weak. Temptation keeps knocking at my door, and I keep answering. Please remove the desires of my loins so that I can remain faithful to you, Lord. Lord, please forgive Delilah, as she is only a pawn of the enemy. Change her heart so she too can resist the temptations of evil. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Delilah didn’t know if she should be mad or throw in an amen herself. There was some truth in his prayer. She was being used by his enemy to get him to do something he didn’t want to do. Now, the fact that he was a willing participant in sleeping with her not once, but now twice, didn’t have anything to do with William Trusts or the devil. He slept with Delilah of his own accord. Delilah knew it, and Samson did too. Delilah wanted to tell him while he was down praying to ask God to forgive him for lying—lying about not wanting her the way she knew he did, or the way she wanted him.
“Pastor, I’m leaving you for now. This thing between us”—Delilah pointed her finger at him and then back at herself—“is just getting started.”
Delilah left Samson staring at her as she walked out of his office. Elaine rolled her eyes at her when she walked by her desk. Delilah put more bounce in her step and slung her shoulder-length hair weave as she walked toward the bathroom.
While Delilah was washing her hands, Elaine entered the bathroom. “I know what you’re doing, but it’s not going to work,” Elaine said with clenched teeth.
Delilah viewed herself and Elaine in the mirror. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Elaine stepped closer. “Look. I can see through the games. Pastor can’t, but I can. There are plenty of single men in this church. Go try to snag one of them.”
“It sounds like someone is a little jealous,” Delilah said. “What is it about me that you wish you had?”
Elaine didn’t bother to respond. She left Delilah in the bathroom with a huge grin on her face. “I don’t know who she thinks I am,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. “I don’t care if you’re short or tall, big or small, I come from the Grove, and in the Grove we’ll snatch anyone up who steps to us the wrong way.”
Elaine had Delilah reminiscing about her earlier years when she had to fight just to survive the streets. That was an era in her life she was really trying to forget, but folks like Elaine and William just wouldn’t let her.
Chapter 4
Samson did his best to concentrate on his upcoming nuptials, but thoughts of Delilah in his office a few days ago seemed to be on the forefront of his mind. He prided himself on walking in the Spirit of the Lord, but lately lust for Delilah had taken
center stage. He stared out the window at the open space in his backyard. Thoughts of Delilah were soon replaced with thoughts of the family he would have with Julia—the woman he loved.
“Lord, why now? I’ve been able to control my carnal nature for years. Now that you’ve sent me the woman I’ve prayed for, why now?”
He walked away from the window and took a seat behind the desk in his study. He picked up the black leather Bible his father had given him the day he dropped Samson off on the campus of Grambling University his freshman year. He could recall the speech he’d given him also. “Son, I’ve tried to protect you as much as I could. You’re going to be faced with many temptations. Don’t try to fight them on your own. I’m giving you a new Bible to start a new stage of your life. Use it. Let God fight your battles.”
During his time at Grambling, Samson was able to resist drugs and alcohol, but he wasn’t prepared for the onset of girls who constantly hounded him. His innocence and Creole good looks, combined with his Southern charm, was an automatic attraction. He spent many nights going from one young woman to another. He barely passed his freshman year. He gave his parents the lame excuse of trying to adjust to being away from home for his lackluster grades.
The cell phone ringing brought him out of his thoughts. He hadn’t bothered to look at the caller ID. The voice of the one person he had been trying to avoid for the last few days squealed from the other end. “Why aren’t you returning any of my calls?” Delilah asked.
Samson leaned his head back in his chair and swiveled it around. “I’ve been busy.”
“We need to talk.”
“There’s nothing else we need to talk about. What happened in my office the other day was a mistake.”
Delilah seemed to purr her words. “We both know you wanted it as much as I did.”
Samson couldn’t argue with her. Delilah told the truth. He hated himself for succumbing to her, so his only recourse was to keep his distance—by any means necessary. “Let’s pretend like none of this happened. We can go back to being just friends.”
“Friends? You have got to be kidding.” Delilah laughed.
Samson’s doorbell rang. He held the phone, listening to Delilah go on and on. He was grateful for the interruption. He would thank whoever it was responsible for getting him off the phone. He opened the door, and to his surprise Delilah stood on his front porch. She closed her flip phone. “Surprise,” she said, with an evil grin, moving past him into his house without waiting for an invitation to enter.
She turned and looked around. “You have a nice home, Samson. I’ve wondered why you never invited me over before.”
Samson stood by the door, never taking his hand off the door knob. “Delilah, what are you doing here?”
She removed the dress jacket from her shoulders and threw it on the chair. “Like you don’t know.” She began to unbutton her shirt.
Samson rushed from the door and grabbed her jacket. “This has to stop.”
Delilah swayed her body from side to side. “It doesn’t have to.” She continued to unbutton her blouse.
Samson’s reflex automatically threw the jacket at Delilah, throwing her off guard. She bent down to get it, but while stooped she moved closer to Samson.
“What is going on here?” Julia asked, as she whisked through the opened door.
Samson, stunned and lost for words, couldn’t talk. Julia asked again, “Samson?”
Delilah winked at Samson as she stood up. “I lost one of my contacts on the floor, so Samson, I mean Pastor Judges, stood still until I could locate it.” Delilah plastered a fake smile on her face as she faced Julia. “And I did, so I’ll be going.” She turned around and with her back toward Julia winked at Samson again. “Pastor, thank you for the advice. I feel better now.”
Delilah held her jacket in front of her, and Samson hoped and prayed she wasn’t showing too much cleavage when she whisked past Julia. Julia slammed the door behind Delilah, missing her back by inches. “Good riddance.”
“You could have tripped her,” Samson said.
“Humph. Like I care.” Julia moved closer to him. “When we get married, these home visits by your parishioners—that’s going to stop.”
Samson didn’t know if he liked this side of Julia. “Dear, you can’t dictate how I run my ministry.”
She crossed her arms in front of her. “If you think for a minute that I’m fooled by the likes of Delilah and other women like her who come to Peaceful Rest, you have another thing coming.”
“There’s nothing going on between me and those women. I’m their pastor.”
“Uh-huh.” Julia never did uncross her arms.
Samson attempted to kiss her on the lips, but she turned her head so fast his lips landed on her cheek. She pulled away. “Samson, I’m going to give you the opportunity to change your mind if you want to. Are you sure you’re ready to marry me?”
“Yes, I’m ready to marry you,” Samson didn’t hesitate to respond. “You’re the woman I’ve prayed for. I love you, Julia.”
She sulked. “It’s hard to tell.”
Samson rubbed her back. “We’re both stressed, so just chill out, okay?”
Julia faced him. “I love you so much, Samson, but I’m not going to be like some of these first ladies in the city. I refuse to share you with anyone.”
“You’re not going to have to share me. I’m a one-woman man.” Samson hoped God wouldn’t strike him down. In his heart, he was a one-woman man. He just had to figure out a way to get Delilah out of his system. He would keep his distance from her—he had to.
He embraced Julia and blinked a few times when he glanced at one of the living room windows and saw Delilah blowing him kisses. Before he could react, she walked away. He squeezed Julia without once taking his eyes off the window. He had to think of a way to deal with Delilah or risk losing Julia—and that’s one thing he wasn’t ready to do.
Chapter 5
Delilah laughed all the way to her car. She got a rise out of watching Samson squirm around Miss Goody Two Shoes. She couldn’t wait to burst Julia’s bubble when she walked away with her man and the status of first lady. Samson wanted to play games with her emotions; she would show him how to play. Delilah thought about the video of her and Samson together. She wouldn’t give it to William, but she sure would use it to get what she wanted from Samson.
Two hours later, Delilah sat across from several other church members as they all discussed what the Pastor’s Aide committee would be doing for their pastor’s upcoming wedding.
Dorothy Neely, the president of the Pastor’s Aide committee, said, “Julia says she doesn’t need our help, but I feel we should be doing something. What do y’all think about helping out at the reception?”
Dorothy was the oldest member on the committee. She went to school with Samson’s mother and never let the other committee members forget it.
As far as Delilah was concerned, there would be no wedding. She leaned back in her chair and waited to see what the other eleven members had to say.
With arms adorned in big, red bangle bracelets, Michelle Thompson spoke first. “Ms. Dorothy, it is their wedding, so I think we should honor Julia’s wishes.” Some of the other members, including Delilah, nodded in agreement.
“Nonsense,” Dorothy responded. “I say we take a vote. All in favor of not doing anything at the reception raise your hand.”
Six hands went up. Dorothy smiled, but her smile soon faded when Delilah’s hand went up, making the number seven and sealing the majority. Dorothy huffed. “Well, we can at least take up a special collection so we can get them a nice gift.”
Delilah uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. “No disrespect, Ms. Dorothy. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m on a budget.” Delilah looked around the room. “I can’t afford to buy them an individual gift and then donate money for another gift.”
Michelle jumped into the conversation. “I say, let’s chip in for one huge gift and then sign our names to t
he card.”
“I’ve already gotten them something, so I’ll pass,” Delilah responded.
Lora Stampley, who was about the same age as Dorothy, said, “Dorothy, why don’t we just all get individual gifts?”
Dorothy rolled her eyes and ignored her. She looked around the room and said, “All in agreement with one big gift instead of doing individual gifts raise your hand.”
Several of the other women had bought their gifts already too. Those who hadn’t raised their hands. Dorothy said, “You ladies can still sign your name to the card.”
Lora whispered in Delilah’s ear, “I can’t stand her sometimes.”
Delilah couldn’t help but chuckle. She was glad to learn she wasn’t the only one who had her fill of Dorothy. Delilah smiled as they continued to discuss other upcoming church events. The only reason she joined the Pastor’s Aide committee was so that she could get closer to Samson. She used being part of the committee as an excuse to see him one-on-one in his office. She was sure Elaine could see past that, but Delilah didn’t care. She watched the other women in the room, and besides Ms. Dorothy and Michelle, who was happily married to a prominent Shreveport attorney, she had a feeling most of the other women were on the committee for the same reason she was. They could step back because as soon as she got rid of Julia, Samson was all hers.
Delilah heard her name being called a few times before snapping back into reality. “Just ignore Dorothy,” Lora said.
Too late. Dorothy had Delilah’s full attention. “You ladies need to start setting an example for the young women of the church. How are we to tell them how to be modest if we’re dressed any kind of way?”
Delilah rolled her eyes. “I dress for me, not everybody else,” Delilah said.
“Don’t think I’m singling you out,” Dorothy said.
“It sure sounds like it. I don’t see you saying anything to anyone else in the room.”
All eyes were on Delilah. “Ms. Dorothy, why don’t we table this discussion for another time?” Michelle asked as she pulled the top of her blouse closer together, covering her cleavage.
Delilah Page 2
