You always need a villain to keep a good book interesting. Villains can be anyone, male, female, pretty or ugly, rich or poor. But for me it’s always more interesting when they don’t look like they should be bad, yet they’re pretty much horrible. You can keep your emotional energy focused on the main characters, but the villains there to add the angst you need to keep a story moving in the right direction.
In this snippet from my latest WIP “Saints and Sinnas” – which picks up where last week’s blog left off – I introduce the other woman. Not in the traditional sense of romance novels tropes. She’s not the other woman as in hero’s side piece love interest. She’s the wanna be other woman. The silly broad who won’t let go of her own pathetic fantasy despite the hero very obviously not giving a shit about her.
The picture is of one of my favorite South Korean actors Gong Yoo. I keep coming back to watch the sex scenes in his move A Man and a Woman. Just ’cause they’re so pretty, you know? Gong Yoo looks like he would be absolutely stunning in bed. Generous, intuitive, he looks like an intoxicating kisser.
Sex scenes can be so revealing. Either he and the actress who plays his female lead in the film are phenomenally talented, or they have ridiculous chemistry. Either way I can’t take my eyes off them, and all the world knows how much I love a love story.
Let me know what you think of the snippet!
XOXO,
SS
“Why are you suddenly scowling?”
“I need to work.”
He just grinned at her, looking both innocent and sexy as he wheeled in the table. He peeped at her from beneath long eyelashes as he sat on the bed and pulled her into his arms. He stroked her back to soothe her bad temper. The smile faded as he looked at her mouth.
See? That hungry look right there. That was a problem. She saw it and thoughts of work, food, damn near everything leaked right out her ear. All she wanted was just what she got, to be rolled beneath his big body and kissed breathless. Well, actually…
“When are we going to sleep together?”
“When you agree to marry me.”
“What?!”
“Marry me,” he repeated, nibbling on the soft skin beneath her ear.
She shivered. “I gotta marry you before we fuck?”
“You sound surprised. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She scowled at his prim tone, and he just laughed. “I’m not even your girlfriend.”
“Of course you are!”
“You never asked me to be.”
“You are,” he informed her. “And I would sleep with you this instant, Sinna-ssi. But then I lose what little leverage I have over you. If I make you want me badly enough, maybe you will want to keep me.”
She blinked against sudden tears. “That’s probably the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
He smiled gently. “Will you marry me then?”
“Boy, please.” She rolled from the bed. “I gotta get back to work and eat at the same time. One of the costumes was damaged in transit. Don’t you need to go?” She began to gather her e-tools.
He sighed. “Yes.”
“See you later.” Sinna knew he was looking sadly at her back as he left, but she didn’t turn around.
Were you with Sinna-ssi? Bik asked on their way to the photo shoot.
“Dae.”
Why are you sad?
I mentioned marriage. She did not take me seriously.
Bik rubbed his back. Don’t be discouraged, my friend. We just need a strategy!
Yes.
We may have to try a few things, but don’t despair. Sinna-ssi is an American woman. They are very independent, and do not need as careful handling.
Tan perked up at that. Should I just put the ring on her finger?
Perhaps! Do you think that would work?
It might. Let me think on it some more. Maybe I could ask Saint what he thinks?
“Tan-ny!” Hua
“Dae?”
You better work fast with your strategy. Choon Hee is in Japan.
Bik looked stricken. Tan’s response was more succinct.
“Shit.” What is she doing here?
Park Choon Hee was the current “it” singer in Korea. Billed as the Asian Mariah Carey because of her extensive vocal range, she was tall, slender and beautiful. She often showed throwback pictures of her younger self on social media to ensure the public knew that her delicate features and porcelain skin were 100 percent natural and not the work of Gangnam’s finest surgeons.
She also came from an extremely wealthy family. Originally one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea, her rapidly increasing popularity was helping her ambitious family reclaim some of the ground they’d lost when the world economy took a hit a decade before.
Recently, she’d ended a long relationship with a very successful older actor and immediately set her sights on Tan. Gossips speculated that Tan was the reason for their breakup. She did nothing to quell the rumor, but Tan’s management company wasted no time clarifying that he and Choon Hee barely knew each other.
Undaunted, she in turn cast doubt on the denial with a series of contrived, “natural” meetings here, there and everywhere there were a lot of cameras. She let it be known without saying a single word that he was the perfect candidate to be her next lover. That he could care less was incidental.
When Hua gently pointed this out to her, she waved it away: Don’t be silly! He’s only being coy. He just doesn’t know me.
And doesn’t want to, Bik whispered, loudly.
Sherrod Story - Here lies your book boyfriend...naked. 