Dark Currents revealed a new kind of hero for me. Adam isn’t a smartass and he isn’t a jerk. He is a class in between: infuriating. He’s old, experienced, and set in his ways. Oh, he’s sexy and dashing. I managed to see that when the steam pouring out my ears cleared enough.
My witch of a heroine Xia doesn’t know what to make of her attraction to him, and when they’re teamed up, she spends a lot of time sputtering and reminding herself of her dignity. The immovable object of curt, terse, take-me-or-leave-me-but-I-know-you-want-me meeting the emotional, stressed out Xia made for some explosive sex scenes.
I’m one of those women who doesn’t really understand “angry sex.” I mean, when I’m angry, he better keep his hands to himself. But “infuriating sex” seems really possible. It’s a variation on trying to win the argument. She gets heated, he gets immovable, she gets crazy-heated, he stays immovable, and she goes nuts all over him, trying her own brand of dominance that usually gets flipped in his favor as he manages to enjoy her aggression just fine.
I’ve included an excerpt illustrating my point, and I hope some of you might find the infuriating hero as compelling as I did.
Mima lives in the Finger Lakes of New York with three cats and her own hero. Visit her website mimawithin.com for reviews and awards.
“So…when you are no longer assigned to me, and when I’ve recovered from this neurosis I’ve picked up, you’d still be willing to see me?” Her heart banged off her ribs. She couldn’t believe she was daring to ask Adam if he’d date her in some far future.
“You have to go back in the water.”
“What?” She reared away from him.
He stood, staring down at her, and winked. “You heard me. Any woman I’m with has to at least tolerate the sea.”
She was on her feet, head tipped back, chin jutting. “Are you giving me an ultimatum I have to pass to be your girlfriend?” Her mouth flapped with outrage. “That’s—that’s so arrogant.”
“You love a challenge. Come now, you’re up to it.” He crossed his arms.
“I’ll go in the water when I’m good and ready, not because some sexy boy wants me to.”
“You’ll go in the water to finish getting healthy, because it’s long overdue.”
“You’re not my therapist.” She crossed her arms in return.
“You know what? I’m not. I’m your lover. I should carry more weight.”
“Adam!”
“Xia.”
Her blood was boiling when that smile curled on his lips. It was like some taunting smirk and the light flared white. She leaped on him, one arm tight across his shoulder, the other wrapping over his head. Her mouth hit his hard, lips jamming. She worked her jaw to get into his mouth as he grabbed her hips. Winning the cavern of his mouth thrilled her. She rolled her tongue through his, his taste warm and sweet and faintly of toothpaste.
Massive palms gathered her ass and pressed her in tight to him, her dress sliding silkily in his grip. He swirled his hips in her belly. That pressure loosened her legs and he let her stand on her own. Cradling his head, now she forced him to turn at the angle she wanted, sealing their mouths. She drank him down.
