Temptations of Desire, by Tempeste O’Riley

Desires Entwined, #3

Today Tempeste O’Riley stops by to talk about book three of her Desires Entwined series, Temptations of Desire.

Good morning, Andrew Q. Gordon and my lovely readers! I thought I’d do something a little different today. I’m talking about body perceptions in connection to Temptations of Desire, my newest release in the Desires Entwined series. You see, Dal is 6’2”, very muscular, loves bikes, leather, has pale skin with little toffee colored freckles on the bridge of his nose and upper cheeks, and is a cop, so very masculine / butch, right? Well, other than the cute little freckles, at lease 😉

Alex is sort of his polar opposite physically. Alex is a light black man (physically); about 5’9″, high cheekbones, light tan / amber eyes, soft, chocolate brown hair, and is genderfluid. Alex is never the truly butch boy, even when he’s feeling all boy that day. It’s simply not him.

The main problem is that Dal’s appearance is what most expects of him, never something he has to fear, or questions. The worst he’s going to get is teased for being a ginger boy (very auburn/red hair!). Unless the clothes come off at least. He has something about his body that has been an issue in the past as well, but isn’t something most would realize unless he’s nude.

While Alex struggles to find comfort in his skin, no matter his gender identity that day, Dal does not. It’s never a question. Dal, however, has dealt with a couple of exes that have made him feel like a freak for not being ‘cut’ like so many men his age are. No, these issues are not the same in any way, or are they? In each case, the person struggles to find comfort and love of their body because of the words and actions of others. Dal can hide his with everyone, but a sexual partner, while Alex cannot. Not if he wants to be true to how the gender he feels shifts from day to day.

One of the things I strove to show was how love and acceptance of self is important to the security and hope each character felt. Whether it’s being rejected for being fluid in your sense of gender or you have something about your body that you’ve been emotionally hurt because of, it all matters to the person and is something we all deal with.

Who doesn’t have something about their body that they hate? That they have been picked on, hurt because of, or makes them feel “less”? It doesn’t matter if it’s only by your own perception, it all matters. In Alex’s case, it took finding Dal, a man that loves and embraces Alex no matter how he dresses, feels, or is at any given time. For Dal it was being loved by someone that thought him perfect, just the way he was.

What’s something you struggle with? Have you lashed out at others for being, looking, or acting differently than you would? Can you change that? Not how you look/are, but how you react to others. How we perceive ourselves is more important than how others do, but sadly, their input often warps our own view. Next time you want to tease, lash out, or insult, think. How would you feel? Only we can chose how we treat others because of our differences. It might just you that needs the kindness next time.

Description:

Alexander James Noble is a gender fluid gay man who gave up on finding Mister Right a long time ago. He’s not asking for much, though. He just wants a guy who loves all of him and appreciates his feminine form too.

At the local LGBTQ center where Alex regularly volunteers, he meets Dal Sayer, an officer of the Milwaukee PD. Because he’s been rejected one too many times, Alex doesn’t trust the huge cop and the interest he shows in him, but once Dal sets his mind on something, he goes all out. Pushing aside his preconceived notions, Alex opens up just a little and soon caves.

From their first date—while dealing with his father’s failing health and his parents’ demands for him to settle down and have children—Dal never takes his eyes off his goal of making Alex his. But proving to Alex he isn’t like all the men who couldn’t see him for who he truly was and only wanted to hide him away is harder than he thought.

Buy Links:

Dreamspinner Press

All Romance

Amazon

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About the Author:

Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud omnisexual / bi-woman whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since.

Tempe is a hopeless romantic that loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.

Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Rainbow Romance Writers, and WisRWA.

Learn more about Tempeste and her writing at http://tempesteoriley.com.