Erika Gardner On Sex And The Dragon in The Garden (@Erika_Gardner)

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I love, love, love this line from K.D. Grace’s Bio, “In the end, it really IS all about sex, well sex and love.” She’s right, of course. And I dig that she owns it and has built a career around it.

I get tired of the same old expectations being placed on women and their desires, life choices, and aspirations, even in books. Don’t get me wrong, I like a traditional happy ending as much as the next person, the blissful couple riding into the sunset, yadda, yadda, yadda. I just wonder, why does it always have to come back to marriage? Why is that the magical panacea? Does society truly believe that is the one thing that completes every woman? Because clearly it does not. There are plenty of examples of women who are married and miserable and lots of women who are single and loving it.

Women are sexual beings. In many ways we are even more sexual than men, though we are rarely portrayed that way unless it is in a negative way. Too often women and girls are made to feel ashamed of our sexuality, when we should embrace it. (Maybe someone’s jealous of the whole multiple orgasm thing? I mean, it is pretty awesome.)

One of the themes running through Dragon is choice. Who makes the choice, the choices that we make, and the reasons for these decisions. Choice is power and freedom. My main character, Siobhan, is an independent soul caught between destiny and free will. She’s like most of us, except battling the forces of evil and saving mankind.

Here’s an excerpt from the book featuring Turel, a fallen angel, and Siobhan, our protagonist. Hope you enjoy!

 

TheDragoninTheGardenbyErikaGardner-200I loved his hawk-like profile, his dark hair, and the distinctive Persian cheekbones. My gaze lingered on his short beard and mustache that did little to disguise the sensuality of his lips. The urge to run my fingers along his olive skin intoxicated me. I hesitated, trying to decipher from his words and actions over the last week what he wanted. A little voice inside of me took the reins and gave me a daring I would never have. What did I want?

Thought transformed to action as my other hand stroked his cheek. He turned at my touch, his dark eyes intent on me. I faltered for an instant; his presence overwhelmed me. “My desires?” I whispered. “Whatever I desire?”

He did not answer, but his breath quickened.

Before I lost my nerve, I leaned closer, to his neck. On the side, at the precise point where his pulse beat, I nuzzled a soft kiss.

“And if I desire to do this?”

He did not move as I withdrew my hand from his grasp and slid both of mine carefully over his chest, mindful of his bruises. His warmth and the clean, hard lines of his body made rational thought difficult.

I pressed closer. We faced one another, my lips close to his. “Or this?” I whispered. I leaned in and for the first time, I kissed Turel, instead of being kissed by him.

His lips parted for mine, and his hands slid around my waist to draw me closer. He made a sound in his throat somewhere between a strangled growl and a groan as our embrace intensified. For a moment the sheer pleasure of his kiss overwhelmed all other thoughts.

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This post was written by Erika Gardner. She’s a native Californian, lifelong lover of fantastical adventures, and a dedicated Whovian.  If you enjoyed it, please sign up to receive updates on www.erikagardner.com   You can follow Erika on Twitter @Erika_Gardner, “Like” her Facebook page Erika Gardner- Writer and Storyteller. Or check out her contributions to the BBB Blog.