Hi! Here I am again on Love Bytes, taking full advantage of their kindness in offering me a spot. (Thanks again, Dani et al!) As you see from the title, I have kink on my mind and I’ll get to that in just a bit.

First, I love all the comments I get for the contest entries! Last month, we talked about audio books, and the answers varied a lot, as expected. No majority on thumbs up or down, which demonstrates that readers (in this case readers of LGBTQ books) have a wide variety of likes and habits. Then again, almost everyone named Loving Luki Vasquez as one of my books. That’s fine, because it makes me think many of you really do love Luki, and maybe Sonny too. Thanks! Last month’s random winner is Julie Small. Congrats, Julie! (I’ll be in touch.)

Speaking of varying likes, how about kink? Narrowing down the field a bit, I’ve read that novels about BDSM (in all its variety) aren’t bestsellers in the romance field, but they seem to have a core of dedicated readers as well as “sometimes” readers. I’m far from an expert from the field, and I’d class myself as a fairly inclusive “sometimes” reader. The more I have come to understand about bondage and D/s, in particular, the more I’m able to love these stories and the characters in them. After writing A Shot of J&B, my only novel including real kink—shibari, light on the BDSM scale—I got to wondering what readers think about kink in stories, especially romances.

So, keeping things short and sweet (or kinky) this month, that’s the contest. Tell me, do you are you a dedicated reader, a “sometimes” reader, or a “never touch the stuff” reader, and if you feel generous, maybe add a few words as to where you draw the line as to your comfort level with BDSM in novels. Another option, tell me your fave authors of kinky stuff, or your favorite book or series. Or, if you don’t want to disclose that info on line, tell me “MYOB, Lou.” That will count as an answer, and Luki will get to say “I told you so, Ms. Sylvre” once again. Of course I always include a part B, and the question for that must come from the excerpt that follows, from A Shot of J&B, which really has no kink in it, so even though it’s NSFW, it safe regardless of stance on kink. The question: This is obviously not the entire excerpt: Do you think I’m evil to tease you so?

Brian squeezed his hand, and they kept walking, their feet marking time by chance rather than design. Jackie reflected that, as far as he had come in his pursuit of wellness and enjoyment of life, this simple moment of togetherness exceeded everything—perhaps even the lovely sex he and Brian had enjoyed two nights ago.
Remembering that night, though, made him think about the possibilities for this night.

Possibly, Brian’s thoughts had taken a similar turn, for he sounded a little breathless when he spoke. “It’s such a pleasant evening, and I’m enjoying your company out here so much. But I’m thinking I might be ready to enjoy your company in private. Shall we head back to the hotel?”

In unison, they performed an about-face, Jackie slipped his other arm through Brian’s, and they walked back the way they’d come but at a decidedly brisker pace.

As soon as they were both in the room with the door shut and bolted behind them, Jackie turned toward Brian, hungry for the man. Brian stepped over to him, not smiling but intent, and the masterful look of him heated Jackie to the core. By the time Brian wrapped his arms around him and met his lips for a kiss, Jackie’s breathing had already become heavy, and his sex had already become hard and ready.

When Brian ground his hips against his, Jackie’s excitement soared at the feel of his lover’s long, strong erection. Jackie couldn’t stop the small moans and even mewling sounds he made as Brian thoroughly tongued his mouth, sucking and nipping and taking extra time to tease the sensitive flesh on his upper palate. Jackie did his best to return the play, and Brian responded by moving his hands to Jackie’s ass and pulling their hips against each other, grinding hard.

They broke for air, and Brian panted against Jackie’s ear. His voice a low, sex-drenched whisper, he said, “Remember that shower in there? Wanna play in the rain?”

They left a trail of clothes along the path to the shower, and then, while the water warmed, they kissed against the glass enclosure, their hands roaming over each other as if they studied desperately for a quiz in five minutes. Once in under the warm “rain” in the roomy enclosure, Brian tucked Jackie’s hands onto a bar and proceeded to soap every inch of his body, liberally lathering in one long caress. The sensation was brand-new to Jackie, and so sensual he felt nearly hypnotized. When the cleaning was done. Brian turned him, held his hands back against the wall of the enclosure and kissed him nearly senseless while the water rinsed him down.

When that was done, Brian lifted his own arms out and wordlessly conveyed the message that Jackie’s turn to reciprocate had come. Gladly, smiling and biting the end of his tongue in concentration, Jackie did as instructed, washing Brian down, but going much slower, more carefully, continuing to explore the man’s impossibly fine body inch by inch. He moved his hands in small, slow circles starting with the planes of his face, moving down his neck, singling out nipples that became gloriously hard nubs under his touch, delving into hollows and dips. He moved down the outside of Brian’s thighs, and then up the inside until he reached tight balls, tender-fleshed perineum, and the sensitized opening that puckered and flexed at Jackie’s touch.

When he moved back to Brian’s cock he applied two hands in a stroke-and-twist that seemed to coax it even harder. When he looked up at last to meet Brian’s gaze he found an unguarded expression there, hooded desire but mixed with something different, something more, something that contained amazement within it. Jackie had never had anyone look at him like that, so honest and open, yet indecipherable because he couldn’t name it. Yet he thought it might be the most beautiful sight he’d ever feasted on.

Without warning Brian lifted Jackie’s face to his own and kissed him hard. The next thing Jackie knew, the water had stopped, his back was against the enclosure, his legs were spread, and Brian’s thigh pressed between them. Brian pushed Jackie’s hands flat against the wall and captured his gaze with his intense green eyes. “I want to suck you, and I don’t want you to move at all.”

Jackie swallowed but before he managed a word or even a nod, Brian spoke again.

“Can you do that? Will you be still for me?”

Jackie nodded, breathed, “Yes,” but it made him wonder. He could see Brian needed to take charge; dominance was written plain in every movement, every expression. But as soon as Jackie asked himself why Brian asked instead of ordered, the answer came to him. This wasn’t a session: they hadn’t talked about limits or safewords. Brian cared about Jackie’s safety in every way, and even here and now, when Jackie clearly offered him everything, Brian wouldn’t take him for granted.

The thought turned Jackie on in a whole new way—how wonderful it felt to know that this beautiful, one-of-a-kind man had begun to cherish him.

By the way, there will be a wonderful lineup for a panel on this very subject at this year’s Gay Romance Northwest Author/Reader Meetup (Seattle, in October). Charley Descoteaux will moderate, and Morticia Knight, Grace Duncan, Vicktor Alexander, Joseph Tonlet, and (I believe) Amelia Gormley will field questions. That list represents a wide variety of approaches to writing kink, and the emphasis will be on doing that responsibly, respecting readers. Unfortunately I can’t be there, but it’s my favorite con, if you can I highly recommend this small, personal, inexpensive gathering.