Day Six of #TemptedToWrite

Day Six:  Who Makes the First Move?  And How?

I never really mind who makes the first move, though I am a big fan of building up the tension beforehand.  It's far more exciting for that moment to come at the height of anticipation and then for it to be one of all-consuming passion...

And I think that's what's important for me.  There's got to be some kind of passion there; passion that cannot and will not (luckily for us readers) be denied.  Modern Tempted readers like our sex hot; though that's not to say that you can't do all the build-up, and then just close the door on the actual sex if you feel more comfortable like that.

Also, if your hero's making the first move, be very aware of your heroine's reaction.  Remember, she's not a drip; she should either give as good as she gets, or be absolutely furious!  She's a strong character and shouldn't just do something without just cause.

Example Number One:  Shweta and Nikhil in Shoma Narayanan's The One She Was Warned About

 

Shweta glared at him.  "You just said it isn't any of your business, and I wholeheartedly agree," she said.  "Why are you so bothered about me and Siddhant, anyway?"

"Because I don't want to feel guilty when I do this," Nikhail said, bringing his head down to hers and kissing her mouth very, very gently.

Shweta stood stock-still, frozen in shock.  A kiss was the last thing she'd been expecting, but the sensation was incredible, his lips warm and teasing beneath hers.

What makes this move stand out?  Not all kisses are rip-your-clothes-off-hot immediately.  And this first move means that Nikhail and Shweta - despite their passionate interchanges - are actually rather compatible.  It's the moment when we know that this could work.

Example Number Two:  Lu and Will in Joss Wood's If You Can't Stand the Heat...

Will placed his hands on her hips, pulled her towards him...and his mouth had barely brushed hers when the office door opened and Kelby bounced inside.

What makes this move stand out?  Unlike most first moves, this occurs midway through the book, and even then it's interrupted.  Joss Wood builds the tension between the characters by having them fall for each other slowly and rather cautiously - they're both incredibly attracted to each other, and that attraction can't help but grow as their story progresses.

And as for my favourite, it has to go to Jane Madison-Jones:

Stella threw herself at Todd. Threw herself. She thought he wanted her. Thought he was waiting for her in his room that night, all those years ago. She was so excited. She’d had a crush on him forever and finally he’d noticed she wasn’t a kid anymore. She was wearing the sexy negligee he’d given her for Christmas. That and an enormous smile. Her dreams were finally coming true. 

It turned out he’d actually given her a Sponge Bob t-shirt and although he was happy to be thanked for the gift, he hadn’t been expecting sexual favours from his best friend’s little sister. So he turned her down, which he did regret later, but she never knew that. She only knew that rejection was agony, the humiliation was awful but mistrusting your own judgement was worst of all. 

So what was she doing now, five years later, making her second first move on Todd? Was she nuts?

What makes this move stand out?  I like the fact that this isn't just a standard move - Firstly, it's a flashback, and secondly it fully explains the couples dynamic in the present.  Plus I'm dying to know what happens when she makes her second first move...  Will Todd cave like we want him to?