Boys Gone Wild – Talos and Aidan

A friend forwarded me this link to NY Times article about romance sales. It verifies something I have been saying all along.

… on the popularity of romance novels during this recessionary period.

http://nytimes.com/2009/04/08/books/08roma.html

People will buy books to escape uncertain times and they want happy endings. You can long for more fulfilling creative license as an author to give out just barely happy for now or deep meaningful, reality-based unhappiness in your stories but romance readers, all 20 bazillion of them (to use a New England term*g*), want an engaging fantasy with a happy ending. They want to escape to worlds full of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifter, magic and suspense where the main characters triumphant over insurmountable odds and have their happy ever after. Reality need not apply. If they want reality they can read a newspaper or the disappearing 401K balance statement.

I get tired of hearing “that wouldn’t happen in real life”, whether it be a reviewer or a fellow author. Of course it wouldn’t. Romance books aren’t real life, but committed couple, HEAs, a touch of fantasy and a large drop of sensual loving is a winning combination, IMO. That’s why ‘I’ read and write romance. That ‘feel good’ satisfaction that comes with that hard earned HEA. And I’ll keep writing that way, too. And publishing those stories that reflect that process, formulaic in nature or not. If you see yourself as a more literary author, write something else. Don’t put your work out there in romance venues and then scoff at it as substandard, unrealistic writing. If I want realism, I can go to the day job. Romance reading/writing, for me, is about escape from that world.

Enough discussion. My offering of feel-good, a snippet from Talos and Aidan’s world, my 26th century alien bounty hunter and his captured 18th century pirate. I’m incorporating this sort into the coming novel GENETIC SNARE. It’s more xmas than spring time celebrating but it’s what I have to offer:

******

Suddenly the water cabinet’s door popped open. Taken back for a moment, Aidan was unsure if he was in the same place he and Talos called home.

The room was a wash in red and green lights, their hues soft and muted. He had no idea were they came from, the colors just were. The sharp bite of cloves and several other coveted, valuable spices made his nose wrinkle. Pale white candles flickered all around the room, perched on every surface that could support them safely. The effect was exotic and festive at the same time.
Shaking off the lingering water droplets along with is his confusion, Aidan’s cock hardened to half mast. His walk turned to a sexy saunter as he approached his silently waiting mate.

Talos stood in the center of the room, wearing his usual dress of nothing but a pair of multi-pocketed, thin pants and boots. His broad, heavily muscled chest and arms were naked, invitingly so.

Aidan pressed close, making Talos’ skin drip with water from his body. Aidan reached out and rubbed his palms over the hard cartilage nubs on the warrior’s breast plates. He didn’t understand why, but he knew it inflamed the hunter’s desires and he was very much interested in a bit of fire to warm up with right now.

“You’ve redecorated a bit whilst I was enjoying the rain.” He smiled up into Talos’ brilliant violet eyes, a wry twist to his full lips. “Like the candlelight, but can’t say the green and red do much for your eyes, luv.” He tipped his chin in a questioning tilt. “What’s the grand occasion?”

Grabbing onto Maymon’s wet, slippery ass and tightly muscled thighs, Talos kneaded the smooth flesh, reluctant restraint in his expression. “Humans seem to want to be reminded of their birthplace during this religious ritual time.” Talos’ lightly kissed Aidan lips. “I wanted to give you pleasure.”

“I know a better way for you to give me pleasure, luv.”

The pirate seized the opportunity and pulled Talos’ hairless, thick-skinned head back down to ravage the hunter’s skilled, sensual mouth. Talos was the first male to actually kiss him as a lover and Aidan had discovered he loved doing it. Besides, the alien tasted like brandy, Aidan’s favorite beverage.

After one startled second, Talos returned the voracious attention, stroking Maymon’s tongue with his own, drawing a low moan of pleasure from his lover.

Aidan’s fully erect cock jabbed against Talos’ thigh. The pirate squirmed trying to get closer then shoved Talos backwards. Still entwined, they both bounced on the large bed behind them. The pirate refused to release his hold on the warrior, keeping their lips sealed together and his tongue down Talos’ throat.

Straddling the Hunter’s chest, Aidan tucked his knees into both of the Oracan’s underarms, planting his bare ass on Talos’ sternum and sat up straight, his eager cock bobbing in the air between them.

“Never celebrated Christmas the way your commander and Doc Rice do. This is all very lovely, mate, but doesn’t mean much to me.” He rubbed his palms over Talos’ chest and delighted in the way his rough tough lover seemed to melt into the bed.

A frown pinched together the nubbed ridges that ran above Talos’ eyes. “With all the English sailors around Jamaica during that period in Earth’s history, I thought you’d have acquired used to their customs just like you did their accent.”

“Learned to speak the King’s English on board ships and from the sailors in port, but me mom raised me and she’s Indian, luv. ‘Sides, the Caribbean does things might differently.” Aidan caught a fleeting glance of disappoint skitter across his lover’s face. “But it were a lovely and kind thought.” He wiggled his ass still resting on Talos’ chest and watched the light in the hunter’s eyes turn heated and bright.

Slowly sliding backwards off the warrior’s long thick body, Aidan evaded Talos’ grasping hands and got to his feet.

“Caribbeans celebrate with Jonkonnu with dance. Performers parade down the streets of town and entice villagers to pay them for songs. If you pay you get a blessing on you and if you don’t you get a biting song to embarrass you. But the dancing is the best part of the fun. I’ll show you.” Aidan shook his hair out of his eyes and ran his hands over his naked body in slow, provocative strokes. “Consider it my gift to you.”

Grabbing a slim candle holder, Aidan blew out the flame and removed the candle. Taking a firm grip on the stick, he began beating out a primal one-two-three beat on the table top for several minutes, then he tossed the make-shift musical instrument in the air to Talos. The hunter caught in one beefy fist.

“Beat it like I just showed you. On the floor.” He winked and gave Talos a cocky smile. “Easier if you can hear the music in me head this time, too, luv.”

A deep, pulsing rhythm filled the room as Talos began beating the wooden candle on the floor, occasionally adding a tap to the side of the bed. As a member of warrior race, primitive ritual was a part of his heritage and he was very familiar with the sexual implications of the beat of drums. He glance locked on Aidan’s naked, now swaying body, as his fist beat out the tune. His free hand found his own cock and he stroked it in time to the movement of his lover’s hips.

Written by Laura Baumbach

Visit The Author's Website