I don't know who first said you've gotta love the bad boy but for eons it seems to have been true. Personally I'm going to stick to romance bad boys from now on rather than real ones, the real life ones never seem to work out, not that I'm surprised about that. But a romance bad boy, that's a different story all together.
So what is it about a bad boy that attracts so many of us? The answer is...I don't know. Research often talks about women being attracted to the element of danger associated with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks. Theories of women wanting to rebel against society or family, opposites attracting and Florence Nightingale syndromes, where women need to save or fix whatever makes our bad boy the way he is abound. The theories may be true, as I said, I have know idea. I just know I like what I like and bad boys do it for me. It does pose some difficulty when writing romance though, especially when Florence Nightingale raises her ugly head.
While I was writing Finding Angel I became so attached to my villain that his role in the book changed significantly from the original story I'd plotted. In short, I redeem him somewhat. As I got to know him I couldn't do anything other than offer him a modicum of salvation. My villain, Adrian Hastings is a crime boss, he's involved in some horrible activities but as the book progressed I learnt he had the capacity to love and, as he'd aged he'd grown, changed, even regretted some of his actions. Yes he was a villain, a bad boy, but there was something endearing about him.
If you'd like to decide about Adrian for yourself, enter the competition below to win a copy of Finding Angel. All you need to do is comment below and answer this question...Which "bad boy" revs your motor? Is it a hero or a villain or even a secondary character? Remember to include your email address when you comment.
Excerpt: Finding Angel
Angel
woke with a start as she felt a hand run up her stocking-covered leg. She was
just about to scream when a large hand covered her mouth, and she thought she
saw the glint of steel out of the corner of her eye.
“Samuel,”
she gasped in her semi awake state as the hand tightened over her mouth.
“Hello,
Angel, you look particularly ravishing. I hope you wore that dress for me,”
Adrian said, one hand still firmly over her mouth and the other climbing slowly
up toward her thigh. “Do you promise me that you won’t scream if I take my hand
away?”
Angel
nodded beneath his grip, Adrian removed his hand from her mouth.
“You
look incredibly tempting this morning.” Adrian smiled down at her. He ran his
hand down the side of her face and neck before letting it roam around the
cleavage at the top of her dress. Angel tried to sit up, attempting to push him
away as she shimmied closer to the head of the bed.
“What
are you doing here, Adrian?” Angel’s voice was flat and emotionless. She
realised the lounge room light was on, casting a soft light into the bedroom.
She had been sleeping so peacefully before his intrusion. “How did you get in
here, and who is in the lounge room?”
“I
used my key, and I’m here alone. I put the light on when I walked in, but you
didn’t wake up. You were sleeping like a baby. I made myself a drink, had a
look around, and decided that you were definitely the most interesting
thing in this whole house. By the way, you haven’t said you’re happy to see
me.” Adrian smirked.
“I’m
not, and how do you have a key to my house?” Angel pushed his hand out from
under her dress. “Stop touching me and tell me what you want,” she demanded as
forcefully as she could.
Adrian
stood up, removing his jacket and hanging it on the handle of the wardrobe. He
walked around the other side of the bed and lay down next to her.
“I
want many things from you, Angel, but mainly I want to talk.” He rolled onto
one elbow to face her. “I want to say thank you for finding the information
that Samuel had in regard to me. Did you read any of it before you called me?”
“No,
Adrian, I just assumed when I saw pictures of you in the envelope that it must
have been what you were looking for. I didn’t read any of the papers because I
didn’t want to know anything about you. I have no intention of knowing anything
in case you feel I may be some sort of threat. I happen to value my life,”
Angel responded honestly.
“You
are very wise. I knew you were more than a pretty face. The only problem is you
didn’t give me everything that I wanted. You see, I am missing an accounts
ledger, and Samuel had it before he passed away.” Adrian moved closer to Angel.
The smell of his expensive aftershave tantalised her senses. If nothing else,
Adrian always smelt delicious. “You don’t happen to know where that might be,
do you?”
“I
didn’t find any ledger. I gave you everything I found. Anything I didn’t give
you is in garbage bags in Samuel’s bedroom.” Angel moved slightly, trying to
extend the distance between Adrian and her. She’d be damned if she’d give into
the urge to nuzzle into the crook of his neck just to take in more of his
scent. Moving away was the best option to relieve the strange desire to do so.
Not wanting to let her go anywhere, Adrian placed his arm around her waist and
pulled her closer until he had her virtually underneath him.
“I
collected that rubbish earlier tonight, just in case you overlooked something
important while you were cleaning up.” He nuzzled his head into her neck,
brushing against her hair with his face. “You do smell so nice. I’d rather fuck
you than kill you, Angel. I need that ledger.”
Angel
couldn’t believe he had just placed her right where she didn’t want to be,
surrounded by the delicious smell of that aftershave that was now mixed with
male body heat as he lay against her.
“I
don’t have it, Adrian, and I would certainly rather be fucked than killed.”
Angel knew it was a stupid thing to say, but she was starting to get anxious,
and strangely aroused…Good God, she was never going to drink again. All she had
to do was keep her wits about her. If she did the wrong thing, Adrian would
kill her without even blinking. He was that kind of man.
“Take
your time and give a little thought as to where it might be…I’m in no rush.”
Adrian kissed the side of her neck before looking into her eyes. “Where would
Samuel keep a ledger?”
Angel
felt Adrian’s hand move from her waist upward, cupping her breast. He smiled at
her as her nipple hardened under the tight bodice. His fingers flicked over the
tiny bump a few times only moving away after he had elicited a reluctant little
moan from Angel’s lips.
“Are
you thinking about what I asked, Angel?” His hand left her breast and slid
firmly down over her abdomen.
“Yes.”
Angel hated the fact that he had aroused her. She reminded herself that she
hated this man, feared him. She wanted nothing to do with him.
Enter the grand prize draw by clicking here and don't forget to visit the other blog hop participants and see what else you might be able to win.
Enter the grand prize draw by clicking here and don't forget to visit the other blog hop participants and see what else you might be able to win.
