One Sexy Boy ~ A Modern Mr Darcy for My Sexy Saturday

Good morning, dear readers! Ready for a NEW My Sexy Saturday?

This week’s theme is One Sexy Boy!

We all know it just takes one sexy boy to get us going. That boy will turn into the man of our dreams. They can start out on the wrong side of the tracks, the right side of the tracks, the rich side or even the poor side. They can be good or they can be bad, we will love them all the same.
They give us hidden looks, a longing gaze, with love’s promise shining in their eyes and all the things that come with love. We love sexy and it’s always so fun to share.

So this will sound apropos to nothing, but my laptop decided to stop working over a month ago.  I thought it was an issue with the operating system and tried to wait out my free upgrade to Windows 10. In the meantime, I ran several other checks on it, however, which eventually indicated a problem with the hardware. Well, it is a really old computer, missing the letter 'H' and medical tape holding the power cord in because the battery only lasted approximately two minutes.

Once my AmEx card recycled, I ordered a new one. I do like it, but it's taking a lot of adjusting. That being said, I finally have iTunes again for the first time in >3 years because my old computer one day decided it didn't like Apple and would shut down any time I opened iTunes.

No, really!  I am going somewhere with this! You see, music has always been, eh-hum, instrumental in my storylines; and so I created a new playlist called "Novels" with all the songs I use in my books. After listening to all of the songs (one of which is below, btw), I really wanted to read The Proud and the Prejudiced again. I know - my own novel - but I hadn't read it in so long, and I do love the characters, Alice and Peter. (They are the modern stand-ins for Elizabeth and Darcy.) Wow, I think Peter is sexy. Of course, I did write im that way! And he is always staring at Eli--ALICE, and she thinks only to find fault.

For headwriter Alice McGillicutty, the past year has had enough drama. Her mother passed away, her last relationship ended in disaster, and now poor ratings are catapulting her long-running soap opera All My Tomorrows toward cancellation.

When scandal rips Hollywood bad boy Peter Walsingham off the tabloids and into her studio, Alice doubts the small screen is big enough for his ego – or his entourage. In their battle of pride and prejudice, will Peter’s vanity and arrogance compel Alice to write him out of her script, or can she find a role for him in All My Tomorrows?

Now this is only supposed to be 7 paragraphs, but it was really difficult to judge since they are reading from a script with clipped dialog and little narrative.  In this scene early in the novel, the lead actress Giselle has a "trifling little cold," and ultimately Peter convinces the soap's director Mr. Peacock to have Alice stand in during the rehearsal.

So they are on the set for the soap opera, and Alice is acting the part of Sienna and Peter is acting the part of Tristan (who was thought to be lost at sea). Got it? Now.... ACTION!

Alice narrowed her eyes at Peacock giving him her best evil-eye, which he ignored, then took her mark on the set with Peter. “OK, we’re going to take if from the top. You know where to start. I’ll call out the rest of the blocking.” Once back in his chair, Peacock said, “Action.”

Sienna (nervously, eyes averted) – It..it’s been a long time, Tristan. Since you went away.

Tristan – I know. Too long.

Sienna (meets his penetrating gaze) – I began to be afraid you would never come back again. Then everyone said you were lost at sea, but I hoped. I hoped it wasn’t true

Tristan – They were right, Sienna. It’s true, I have been lost, lost in my own head. I had to find myself before I could come back to you. But now I’m here.

Sienna (turns around, nervously fidgeting) – A lot’s happened in Valley View Bay since you went away. You know Lucas is married now. Do you remember Damien? He was in an accident and –

Tristan – A lot has happened to me as well. I want to show you that I have changed –

Sienna (walks away; Tristan follows) – Yes, I hardly recognized you.

Tristan – No, I want to show you that I have changed on the inside. Being at sea, traveling the world, it’s a humbling experience…

Sienna (stops on her mark)

“Tristan,” Peacock’s voice bellowed from the shadows, “you keep walking until you’re about a foot behind Sienna.

Sienna (stands on her mark, Tristan walks toward her) – No one has to run off and join the Merchant Marines to change, Tristan. People themselves alter so much, there’s something new to be observed in them forever.

Tristan – Have you changed, Sienna?

Sienna – Of course. I’m not that naïve girl you abandoned anymore.

Tristan – I wasn’t leaving you.

Sienna – I was just collateral damage.

Tristan (places his hand on her upper arm) – I never meant to hurt you. What I did was selfish and without a thought to anyone’s feelings, how my actions affected others. I was ruled by my temper and resentment toward my father. I couldn’t forget his vices or his offenses against me.

Sienna – But even when he died, you didn’t come back.

Tristan (turns Sienna to face him eye to eye, grasps both her arms, pulls her closer to him; emotionally) I never claimed to be perfect. I have my faults, but I want the chance to redeem myself in your eyes. I want to prove that I have become worthy of your love.

(He lifts his hand to her face and strokes her cheek with his thumb.)

Sienna – (gasps! This is not in the script!)

Tristan – (peers into her eyes) Can you give me that chance?

Sienna (trembles under his touch) – Hu-How do I know you won’t leave again?

Tristan – (lowers his hand to hold her neck, where he can no doubt feel her pulse racing, and rubs his thumb along her lower lip) I won’t make promises I can’t keep. But you can’t have such an attachment to this place. You couldn’t have wanted to stay in Valley View Bay forever.

Sienna – (closes her eyes, melting from his ministrations, her breathing accelerated; raspy) I…I don’t know what you mean.

Tristan – (places his hands on either side of her head, raising her face, waiting for her to look up at him) If I leave, I’ll want you with me.

Sienna (wonders if he’s been sucking on a butterscotch, reminds her of butterscotch schnapps sweet in her mouth, sending a river of warmth through her and pooling below her belly; realizes he is leaning in as if…as if to kiss her! - widens her eyes; yells ) – CUT!

Peter did not step away or release her, so Alice repeated, “CUT! CUT! CUT! CUT!” and pulled away from him, although he still held her with his gaze.

“You’re quite the actress, Alice,” he said, dropping his voice so only she could hear.

"Engagingly written & entertaining: Laugh-out-loud funny and filled with endearing characters, the novel's greatest strength is its masterful dialogue and the banter between the players. Skillfully rendered love scenes add heat to the romances, which the author keeps interesting through a roller coaster of plot twists." - Publishers Weekly

 
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