I can’t think of anything sexier than the almost-kiss. Those scenes that balance on the edge between sense and insanity, that draw out the moment and make it feel like you need to tip over that edge more than your next breath. Loitering in that sexually charged moment of tension is sexy as hell.
There’s more to it than just aborting a kiss or leaving the characters hanging in mid-air, though. It all starts with a thought, that moment when the character glances across the room and sees him there, and a primal awareness hits. There is an acute awareness of him, of his body, of his masculinity. It leads to wondering how that body would feel, what it would be like to be pressed together from ankle to lips.
Those lips draw the attention then. the shape of them, they way they move, the way he smiles. how would they feel? Would his kisses be soft and gentle or would they be hard, forceful?
The characters are pulled by all of this, drawn together like two halves of a whole. the moment is quiet, almost sacred between them. Every move, every heartbeat brings them closer together. Soon they are face to face, his breath is a warm wash over her face and she can almost taste him in the air.
Unable to resist, his head dips, just a little, reaching for her oh-so-slowly, knowing they shouldn’t be doing this but powerless to stop. Common sense tries to intrude, their lips so close they can imagine the scalding heat of skin-on-skin. Hearts thunder, breath catches, and the world ceases to exist.
They might kiss, or the real world might interfere. They might come to their senses or they might cave in to the sheer carnality of the moment.
Whatever happens afterward, that moment, where pure need drives them to forget every reason why they can’t, has snagged me. I need that kiss on a visceral level. There is nothing sexier.
Here is an almost-kiss moment from Forsaking Eternity. Enjoy.
Note: This kiss is m/m
~~~~~~~~~~~~
They reached the language studies building and Adam led Ren inside. Adam’s office held the same quaint charm and timeless appeal as the grounds. Dark wood floors squeaked under their feet as they entered. Two large windows dominated the wall opposite the door, stretching from knee-high to a handsbreadth of the high ceiling. Wooden shelves, their stain nearly black with age, lined the walls on either side of the room and matching wainscoting graced the bare walls. The plaster was a plain white which gleamed in the midday light streaming through the glass.
“Is it too bright for you? I can close the blinds if you’d like.” Adam took a stack of books from a battered chair and set them on his overfilled desk. He began shuffling papers, straightening the desk. “I like the light so I keep the blinds up most of the time. Natural light is much better for working, at least it is for me, but if you don’t like it…”
Adam stood still as a statue for a hesitant second. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
“Perhaps a little.” Ren ducked his head and smiled.
“Please, make yourself comfortable. I don’t have much time, unfortunately.”
Ren didn’t move. He couldn’t. His feet were firmly planted on those aging boards, held captive by this man, this simple human. After an eternity of living among wonders beyond this or any man’s comprehension, how was it that Adam, in all his base humanity, could fascinate him so?
“I don’t really wish to sit.” He peeked up at Adam and his gaze caught on the expression on the human’s face.
Adam slowly circled the desk once more until he stood close in front of Ren, closer than socially acceptable, closer than comfortable. Something deep in Ren’s chest responded. It pulled at him, tugged him toward Adam until he swayed.
“Why did you come, Renatus?” The words were a whisper, their speaker so close Ren could feel them ghosting over his own lips.
“I wanted to be with you, if only for a few more moments.”
Ren couldn’t say which one of them moved, or if maybe they both had. He just knew that in the next moment his jacket brushed against the tweed of Adam’s, the near-contact of their bodies so overwhelming that he could feel every fiber as they caught and clung. Adam’s breath fell hot and fast against his face. Ren’s lids grew heavy, his head tilted and he began to lean in.
I am a big fan of reading challenges. Yes, I know they abound on the interwebs…but I love them and what better than to make your new year a sexy one? So, here is my challenge to you:
with. Not that it matters too much because everything you read while googling? Probably not true for what actually happens with the sexting in Rough Ride. Now, I’m not going to post that scene here because that would be like getting all the good funny parts before reading the book. omg, I hate that when I go to the movies and realize I’ve already seen the good parts advertised on my tv for weeks now. How do I know I know the sexting scene is a good one? Because people told me it’s funny, they loved it, and I’m totally gullible.
