Eduardo Verástegui could be a model for Jaret, the hero in Starlit Dreams, the follow-up to Starlit Destiny (he's Krys's partner). That is what Jaret looks like in my mind, only differences being Jaret has longer hair and blue-green eyes.
Here's a rough draft of a water scene where Jaret is wandering around in the water with more clothes on then Eduardo. I'm liable to make changes prior to even submitting it. But I like this scene so 99% sure it's staying. It happens to be the scene I was working on last. I've been doing a good job of working on writing lately actually. That's always good news. :)
* * *
ShallaMai stood on the edge of a sprawling, steaming, glacier-blue pond. Blaa Lonid filled a flat valley, but for the most part clouds of steam floating upwards obscured the landscape. Occasionally, the wind parted the mist, giving a glimpse of the mineral springs. Then the pool’s white, sandy bottom was visible as far as the eye could see.
“Good thing it isn’t commercialized yet,” Jaret said. “We have the entire valley to ourselves. Come on, join me.”
Zackson X wasn’t called Absolute Zero for nothing. Of course no one was out here swimming.
“You are insane, Jaret. It has got to be one hundred degrees below zero.”
“It is only thirty below,” he said, laughing.
“And that is supposed to reassure me? I’ll freeze solid.”
She watched Jaret’s skin turn pink as he nonchalantly stripped his cold weather gear off revealing only his swimming suit. He threw his clothes onto the cruiser and waded backwards into the water. His grin slowly turned down. His eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he started shivering so hard he was almost convulsing. “C-come on in, the, the water is gr-gr-great.”
She shook her head, insisting, “You’ll need me alive and well so I can rush you to the med-center.”
He responded with a huge grin, and winked. “What I need is for you to relax and come swimming. It’s fine. Trust me.”
Trust him? That wasn’t her biggest problem. She could no longer trust herself around him.
“ShallaMai, you’ll have bragging rights. No one will believe you went swimming in the dead of spring on Absolute Zero.”
“That’s because no one knows this place exists except locals. Everyone will think I’m a liar.”
“What are you afraid of? The water? The cold? Or me?”
She took one last longing glace at the open ramp of the Jurate, just a few meters from the water’s edge. Jaret had turned up the heat, and with the frigid temperatures outside, warm moisture billowed out. She licked her finger and felt the saliva freezing within seconds. Insane, the man was absolutely insane. “You’ll leave the ramp open? I can imagine I’ll want to run back inside very quickly.”
“Sure, no one is around.”
ShallaMai walked back up the ramp and quickly undressed, leaving her heavy winter coat and pants right by the door. But, she wore her boots again, right to the water’s edge. After hopping out of them, she ran and dived in, surfacing near Jaret.
“It’s so warm!” she whooped in surprise.
Jaret drifted toward her. His eyes were half-mast, his skin flushed from the heat. “And beautiful.”
She sniffed the air. “And stinky.”
“The locals swear no one in town has arthritis. There’s a shop in town that sells the minerals for home use. I have it on good authority that the minerals are a gimmick. Blaa Lonid is where the magic lies.”
It was magical, ShallaMai thought. The way her hair was frozen to her head in thin icicles, but the steam kept her warm. She leaned backwards, melting her hair, then started floating on her back. “I’d be as thankful for these hot springs if I lived on this planet as I am for the cold-water springs beneath my childhood home on Tahn Ror.”
Jaret’s eyes were wide with shock. “On that hell-hole?” He closed one eye and stared at the horizon. “Sorry, I can’t picture that. You have to be joking.”
She laughed at him, spraying some water in his direction. “By all means, continue to think of Tahn Ror as hell. It will keep you from showing up without invitation.”
His arms moved through the water slowly, his fingertips slid along her arm. The heated look to his eyes had absolutely nothing to do with the water. “Invite me, prove to me that I’m wrong.”
Feeling trapped, ShallaMai turned over and swam away from the shore. Dancing with his last night had been too much. She didn’t have enough strength to ward off Jaret, of that she was sure. If he continued behaving so provocatively, she’d be stupid enough to give in. And where would that get her? No where.
* * *
Here are some pics of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland that inspired this spot on the frozen planet I created.
Here's a rough draft of a water scene where Jaret is wandering around in the water with more clothes on then Eduardo. I'm liable to make changes prior to even submitting it. But I like this scene so 99% sure it's staying. It happens to be the scene I was working on last. I've been doing a good job of working on writing lately actually. That's always good news. :)
ShallaMai stood on the edge of a sprawling, steaming, glacier-blue pond. Blaa Lonid filled a flat valley, but for the most part clouds of steam floating upwards obscured the landscape. Occasionally, the wind parted the mist, giving a glimpse of the mineral springs. Then the pool’s white, sandy bottom was visible as far as the eye could see.
“Good thing it isn’t commercialized yet,” Jaret said. “We have the entire valley to ourselves. Come on, join me.”
Zackson X wasn’t called Absolute Zero for nothing. Of course no one was out here swimming.
“You are insane, Jaret. It has got to be one hundred degrees below zero.”
“It is only thirty below,” he said, laughing.
“And that is supposed to reassure me? I’ll freeze solid.”
She watched Jaret’s skin turn pink as he nonchalantly stripped his cold weather gear off revealing only his swimming suit. He threw his clothes onto the cruiser and waded backwards into the water. His grin slowly turned down. His eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he started shivering so hard he was almost convulsing. “C-come on in, the, the water is gr-gr-great.”
She shook her head, insisting, “You’ll need me alive and well so I can rush you to the med-center.”
He responded with a huge grin, and winked. “What I need is for you to relax and come swimming. It’s fine. Trust me.”
Trust him? That wasn’t her biggest problem. She could no longer trust herself around him.
“ShallaMai, you’ll have bragging rights. No one will believe you went swimming in the dead of spring on Absolute Zero.”
“That’s because no one knows this place exists except locals. Everyone will think I’m a liar.”
“What are you afraid of? The water? The cold? Or me?”
She took one last longing glace at the open ramp of the Jurate, just a few meters from the water’s edge. Jaret had turned up the heat, and with the frigid temperatures outside, warm moisture billowed out. She licked her finger and felt the saliva freezing within seconds. Insane, the man was absolutely insane. “You’ll leave the ramp open? I can imagine I’ll want to run back inside very quickly.”
“Sure, no one is around.”
ShallaMai walked back up the ramp and quickly undressed, leaving her heavy winter coat and pants right by the door. But, she wore her boots again, right to the water’s edge. After hopping out of them, she ran and dived in, surfacing near Jaret.
“It’s so warm!” she whooped in surprise.
Jaret drifted toward her. His eyes were half-mast, his skin flushed from the heat. “And beautiful.”
She sniffed the air. “And stinky.”
“The locals swear no one in town has arthritis. There’s a shop in town that sells the minerals for home use. I have it on good authority that the minerals are a gimmick. Blaa Lonid is where the magic lies.”
It was magical, ShallaMai thought. The way her hair was frozen to her head in thin icicles, but the steam kept her warm. She leaned backwards, melting her hair, then started floating on her back. “I’d be as thankful for these hot springs if I lived on this planet as I am for the cold-water springs beneath my childhood home on Tahn Ror.”
Jaret’s eyes were wide with shock. “On that hell-hole?” He closed one eye and stared at the horizon. “Sorry, I can’t picture that. You have to be joking.”
She laughed at him, spraying some water in his direction. “By all means, continue to think of Tahn Ror as hell. It will keep you from showing up without invitation.”
His arms moved through the water slowly, his fingertips slid along her arm. The heated look to his eyes had absolutely nothing to do with the water. “Invite me, prove to me that I’m wrong.”
Feeling trapped, ShallaMai turned over and swam away from the shore. Dancing with his last night had been too much. She didn’t have enough strength to ward off Jaret, of that she was sure. If he continued behaving so provocatively, she’d be stupid enough to give in. And where would that get her? No where.
Here are some pics of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland that inspired this spot on the frozen planet I created.
Oooh... Great scene, Annalee! Can't wait to read more. BTW, gorgeous merman pic. Sure to inspire many fantasies. *winks*
ReplyDeleteWow. He could inspire me to jump in too!
ReplyDeleteGreat scene, can't wait to read the rest.
Wow! Did I inspire this post? Woohoo! I think the spreading of Eduardo is going to pick up steam now!! *wink*
ReplyDeleteI really did enjoy how you wrote your scene. A bit of humor, sensuality and adventure. All there. Nice!
I tried looking up the Blue Lagoon. Wasn't sure where to go, I guess I got side tracked by that quote from Sue Stone:
"you're only as old as the man that you feel"
Picture that with the Merman and you've got yourself a blushing moment.
So glad I stopped by today!!
Beautiful, but it still makes me wanna shiver when I look at that water, lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm not into scales and tails, but the scene was superb. Good writing, Annalee!
ReplyDeleteTanya
I enjoyed reading that Annalee, well done girl.
ReplyDeleteSilma, Karen - He is a hunk!
ReplyDeleteLaine - I want to go to Iceland too. Greenland, too. You got me thinking of a woman I met from Greenland saying that and I went to their website (they've got a band), and they're on myspace! Cool, now I can listen to their music.
Michele - Yeah, that pic got me mooning of the hero. :) That Blue Lagoon is in Iceland.
Faith - Shiver! Yeah... I used to visit some hot springs in the winter near Fairbanks, AK. So I know how tough it is to get into them when it's -30. Once submerged it's wonderful though.
Tanya - Thanks. There is a "mermaid" in the first story Starlit Destiny. But the idea is used for imagry, no characters are actually mermaids.
Thanks Leann. :)
well done chica!
ReplyDeleteMuch love
K