by Fiona Jayde, guest blogger and author of Cold Victory.

I've been hooked on romance novels ever since my best friend in eighth grade let me borrow The Pirate and the Pagan by Virginia Henley. I never really understood what it was about romance that I liked, but I would rarely pick up a non-romance book. And only recently, when my editor at Loose Id gave me some terrific advice about punching up Cold Victory, did I understand what exactly about romances drew me.

Sexual tension. It doesn't matter the genre of the book, the label, the slot, the shelf in a book store. If it has coiling sexual tension between characters - before, during and after the big deed - I'm hooked.

To list a couple of my favorites:

Han Solo and Princess Lea. Empire Strikes Back will always be one of my favorite movies. Yoda was great, Luke had to grow up, but it was Han and Lea that held me captivated. (My parents always wondered why I would watch the movie over and over and yet keep fasting forward on some of the parts) That scene where Han tells Lea he's a "nice man" before kissing her?? HOT!

Starbuck and Apollo from Battlestar Galactica the re-imagined series: So many reasons why they couldn't be together. And yet the tension between them was so tight it all but melted my screen. (That scene where Lee's eyes all but bugged out when Starbuck cleaned up nice with that red dress? YUM!)

Buffy and Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I can hear Angel fans cursing me now... Actually I used to be one of them. But this is where Joss Whedon's brilliance shines - a perfect example of sexual tension. Those two characters seriously hated each other, and that hatred literally brought down the house when they finally got it on.  I loved the scene where Spike was fighting Buffy and tried to kiss her - both of them shocked, and both of them wondering what it would feel like.

Naked in Death by J.D Robb is something I consider a classic. A tough yet vulnerable heroine, a mysteriously sexy hero hot enough to melt through her detective shield... A cop who falls for the murder suspect - talk about sexual tension there!

In Cold Victory, Zoya Scott must choose between her duty and the growing desire for the ship's Commander. I hope you enjoy the result:

“We both know what’s happening.”

She didn’t want to go there. “We don’t.” A straight cross finally made contact. His head snapped back; those wild, blue eyes flared. Excitement pumping through her blood, she lifted her fists, expecting payback. Instead, Stark caught her arm, spun her around so that her back pressed hard into his chest, his hand gripping her wrist, the heat of him fueling the tug of need inside her.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t force herself to think. In a slow, controlled motion, he banded his other arm around her, bringing her flush against him, back to chest, her buttocks pressed against an unmistakable arousal.

A biological reaction. Nothing more. And yet her pulse shuddered in her throat, her muscles tightening against him, wanting to get away, yet needing to get closer.

“I keep thinking about this,” he muttered in her ear, his rough voice an unwanted and delicious rasp over her senses. “I can’t get it to stop.”

Cold Victory © Fiona Jayde

BUY LINK:    http://www.loose-id.com/Cold-Victory.aspx

***

Blurb for Cold Victory:

Intergalactic warfare has not been kind to humans. Convicted pilot Zoya Scott has the chance to avenge her family, redeem an act of desperation with that of sacrifice. She’ll end this war if she betrays the man whose touch burns through her soul, the man whose ship and crew she must destroy. The man who is her bloodmate.

Commander Galen Stark never expected the convicted pilot on his ship to be anything more then a good looking inconvenience. A small brush of their hands grips him with vicious lust, a need he can’t control. She is his bloodmate – a biological reaction burning through his veins.

Except she carries an explosive. And Stark may have to give the order to destroy them all.

BUY LINK:    http://www.loose-id.com/Cold-Victory.aspx

Author Bio

Fiona Jayde is a space pilot, a ninth degree black belt in three styles of martial arts, a computer hacker, a mountain climber, a jazz singer, a weight lifter, a superspy with a talent for languages, and an evil genius.

All in her own head.

In life, she is an author of kickass, action packed, steamy romances, possesses a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do and blue belt in Aikido, a web developer, scared to death of heights, loves jazz piano, can bench-press about 20 pounds — with effort, speaks English and Russian fluently, and when not plotting murder and mayhem enjoys steamy romance novels, sexy spy thrillers, murky mysteries and movies where things frequently blow up.

Website link: www.fionajayde.com

To the readers: what are some of your favorite examples of sexual tension between characters?

Take a Look at These Fun Posts

• Get into Bed with Tessa Dare (Author Interview)
• Fantasy in Real Terms
• Review: Beauty and the Beast by Hannah Howell
• Review: An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan
• Top 10 Reasons You Will Fall in Love with General Dominic Raikes from The Fire Lord’s Lover

Potentially Related Websites

• China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power
• Weight of our Choices
• hatching doodles
• Kids Say the Darndest Things v2
• Friday Update: An Excerpt from Beth's Acceptance

Online Stores

• Walter Lantz/Woody Woodpecker Animation Characters Animation Art, Characters Collectibles
• Belts, Belt Buckles Police Historical Memorabilia Collectibles
• Cold Room Steam Saunas Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Booklets Back of Book United States Stamps
• My Scene Dolls Barbie Dolls Barbie Contemporary (1973-Now) Dolls Dolls & Bears

Categories:

Guest Blogger, J-L

Tags:

angel fans, battlestar galactica, buffy the vampire slayer, cold victory, empire strikes, Fiona Jayde, j d robb, naked in death, nice man, pirate and the pagan, princess lea, red dress, romance book, romance novels, sexual tension, sexy hero, starbuck, terrific advice, virginia henley, vulnerable heroine