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Thanks For Indulging Me

by Olivia Cunning
“I had fun talking to you. Thanks for indulging me.” Myrna picked up her laptop case and left the lounge, the eyes of every man in the room following the gentle sway of her hips.
“And thank you for en-bulging me,” Sed muttered.
Had to share that bit of dialogue from my book, Backstage Pass. Because our theme is indulgence, those few lines run through my head every time I have visited the Casablanca Authors' blog this month. I hope by posting it there, it will finally leave my brain alone. It's driving me nuts!
The same thing happens when I get a song stuck in my head. The only way for me to get a song out of an infinite loop is to sing it at the top of my lungs for days (which makes dogs cry), find a less offensive song to set on repeat in my gray matter, or post a video of it on my blog in a feature I call "One Track Mind".
I've been trying to think of ways I indulge myself. Most involve food. Not healthy or flattering to the figure, but temporarily satisfying and quick. I do indulge in rock concerts when they're nearby. I go to several a year. I'd like to go to several a week, but for some reason, Nebraska isn't a big draw for many rock bands. Hmmmm.... I considering reading an indulgence. I used to read voraciously, but now I'm so busy, it makes me feel guilty. To read. Isn't that just sad? Music is not an indulgence. It's a necessity. I can listen to it while I do other things, so no guilt involved.
So since I'm so dull (all work and no play), I decided to share a little indulgence that occurs in a scene from Rock Hard, the second book in the Sinners on Tour series (coming this April).
“It’s okay, baby,” Sed murmured, squeezing her tighter. “I’ll fix it. I promise.”
She struggled out of his embrace and glared up at him. “You can’t fix this, Sed. You can’t. This is an unfixable situation.”
He cupped her face in both hands and kissed the tears from her cheeks. “I said I’ll fix it and I will. Don’t cry.”
The cab pulled to a stop outside the Bellagio hotel and Jessica scrambled out of the car. People waiting in line for the next available taxi gawked at her as she hurried into the hotel. They’d probably seen her video. Or maybe they found the tears dripping from her jaw and her runny nose interesting. Whatever it was, she wished she had a bag to put over her head.
When they reached the room, Sed directed her to the bathroom. He turned on the taps to fill the large, garden tub.
“What are you doing?”
“Pampering you. Get in the tub. I’ll call room service.”
“I don’t want to be pampered.”
“Too bad. I’m pampering.”
That big tub did look inviting. And there was a complimentary bottle of bubble bath on the edge of the tub. “Okay.”
Sed let out a relieved sigh. He probably thought this fixed things. Well, it didn’t. Nothing would fix this.
“I’ll be right back.” And when he kissed her—for a fleeting moment—she started to believe that things really were going to be okay.
Less than twenty minutes later, she was already feeling more like herself. Fragrant bubbles tickling the bare skin of her shoulders, Jessica leaned forward in the tub and opened her mouth to accept the spoonful of chocolate mousse Sed offered. Her eyes rolled up in her head as she licked every decadent trace of dessert from the spoon. Smooth, sweet and rich. She rubbed the mousse between the roof of her mouth and tongue, reluctant to swallow. Chocolate made everything better. Even her f*cked up life.
Jessica groaned. “It’s so good.”
“It can’t be half as good as watching you eat it.” He grinned at her and scooped another spoonful from the tall parfait glass.
“Aren’t you going to have any?” she asked, eagerly accepting another bite of his treat.
His grin widened and one of his adorable dimples made an appearance. “I’m saving my appetite for dessert.”
“You can climb in here with me, you know.” Sex with Sed was even better at taking her mind off things than chocolate. And more than anything, she longed for blank thoughts.
Sitting next to the tub, still fully clothed, Sed shook his head. “We both know where that will lead. You’ve had a hard day, sweetheart. I want you to relax.”
She’d forgotten how sweet he could be at times. “It’s hard to relax when I keep thinking about that stupid vid—”
He silenced her by stuffing a large strawberry in her mouth. She chewed, the sour tang of the fruit contrasting with the sweet chocolate still stimulating her taste buds.
“Then stop thinking about it.” He reached across the expanse of lily-scented bubbles and stroked a strand of hair from her cheek.
“You are taking my mind off things.”
Both dimples made an appearance this time. Her heart skipped a beat. Why couldn’t he be like this all the time?
“I am?”
“Well, you and the chocolate.” She opened her mouth, ready for her next bite.
Now, I'm ready to indulge in some Sinners' vocalist Sedric Lionheart. So yummy. Too bad he's fictional.  Do you consider reading a necessity or an indulgence?
And because today is my only son's 18th birthday (look out world, he's legal), I'll be indulging in some guilt-free birthday cake later.

Comments

  1. Some of the cover art is alomost embarrassing I mean, if someone saw me reading this on bart!

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  2. I could practically taste that chocolate mousse. Drool. And Sed? Double drool. I love to read and squeeze it in whenever I can. I can't do as much of it as I would like. Happy Birthday to your son. I still can't believe you have an 18 year old!!! You look like a kid yourself!

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  3. I'm like Sara, YOU have an 18 year old? You must have been 8 when you had him!!! Happy birthday to him, and great post, Olivia!!! Love your covers too!!!

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  4. Your opening line gave me a chuckle this morning--thanks!

    I find reading both a necessity and an indulgence. Like you, I used to read voraciously (3-4 books a weeks). But once I started writing, that number went down to one a month--and lately, zip--until I found the audio book section at my library.

    Thank goodness for technology!

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  5. Great excerpt! Your hero is really scoring points.

    Reading is a must for me.

    I just bought a cover for my Nook and it has a quote engraved on it. I loved the quote so much, that's what made me buy that cover. It says:

    "Literature is a luxury. Fiction is a necessity." G.K. Chesterton

    Love it!

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  6. Reading? Oh, my, without it I would (this is for Amanda)have to crawl up in my casket, cross my arms over my boobs and draw my last breath!
    I used to tell people a good day in my world was 5,000 words and a good thick book. These days a good day is the words and hopefully a book a week instead of one a day.
    Loved the excerpts! Had to take an extra "hot flash" pill!

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  7. Olivia - great post and fabulous excerpt. Who can resist a man who understands that women need pampering now and again?

    Reading Romance is a necessity in my life. It has been since I read my first romance at the age of thirteen.

    Now chocolate...that's an indulgence;)

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  8. Kenney - the covers are tame compared to what's inside. heh heh I don't win awards for hottest sex scenes for nothing.

    Sara- I shall join you in drooling over Sed. And actually, I think the world needs to look out for me, rather than him. I never got to sow my wild oats in my twenties. ;-)

    Tracey- I used to listen to audio books when I had a long commute, but now I don't get enough story in those 8 minutes it takes me to get to work. They are great on a long road trip!

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  9. Ashlyn- Great quote! I'm not much into "luxury". Give me genre fiction any day.

    Carolyn- You always bring a smile to my face. I probably read a book a month. I do read every day. Maybe a chapter instead of a whole book though.

    C.H.- I'd say chocolate is a necessary indulgence. Is that an oxymoron?

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  10. Olivia, Sed can pamper me anytime he wants to. :)

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  11. Oh, Olivia, I KNEW there was a reason Sed has always been my favorite! YUM!!! And reading isn't an indulgence for me--it's more like oxygen. And absolute necessity. Can't wait to get my sweaty little hands on this book! And you KNOW how much I love birthday cake, no matter who's it is! Have an extra piece for me (or actually, jut lick off the frosting--that's the only REAL reason cake exists. As a frosting conveyance device!)

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  12. Reading is a necessity to me. I will pick purses by the slot they have for a book. Never go amywhere without a book in my purse. When I've started a book, I have to have next ones on deck. MY TBR pile is ridiculous. My hubb y & son think I'm a freak but I know in book blog world I'm normal LOL..

    Love excerpt & I can't believe you have a 18 YO. HB to him.

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  13. Mmmm... Sed is hot AND sweet. Gotta love him!
    For me, reading is a necessity and always has been. My family reads endlessly, and books have been the center of our family life as long as I can remember. Like everyone else, I read less now that I write - but I still read a couple books a week. Being in a fictional world is relaxing, like deep breathing, for me.

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  14. Chocolate mousse, Sed, and a hot tub. Pampering at its best!

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  15. Lydia - Me, too.

    Kat - Sed is gonna melt your panties. Just sayin'...

    Mary - I think I need to get me a purse like that! And thanks.

    Joanne - Sed has his moments. *smirk* I'm glad you're able to read a couple books a week. It is wonderful to escape into a book not our own.

    Cheryl - You said it.

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  16. Yeah, I'm with everyone else: Sed, chocolate, bubble baths and cake.

    Your Sunday beats my Sunday, hands down!

    off to find some cake...

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  17. Reading is both indulgence and a necessity to me. It is my way to unwind and even a few pages can take me away from my cares enough t feel better.

    Sed's form of pampering is just the kind that I like.

    Happy Birthday to your son!

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  18. I've ready 44 books since the beginning of the year. So they are a necessity. Also, they're a delay tactic--my thesis is trying to kill me. So I procrastinate and read a book.

    Can't wait for some Rock Hard candy!

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  19. I love to read and pretty much consider it a necessity....love the cover for "Rock Hard"

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  20. Books are a necessity. Gotta ingest and digest those words. Chocolate, that's one of the major food groups, right? And a hot bath is heaven. Sounds like the perfect combination, Olivia.

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  21. Have to agree with the post above...pure Heaven!!

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  22. How do you spell sex? S. E. D. Lionheart. The pages will singe your finger. Enough said.

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  23. Ha ha, Cat! I didn't intend for Sed's name to be so close to the spelling of sex, but I've got to wonder if there was something subliminal there. Same with Trey, who must have a menage (three) relationship to be completely satisfied. Brian ends up with a brain-y heroine. Not sure about Jace and Eric though. :-)

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