Guest Blog: The Modern Sheikh
by Tara Quan
I’d like
to thank Shiloh for hosting me today. I recently interviewed her about Saltwater Lover (here), and now she’s invited me over to
promote my new release. Delicious Delay
is a contemporary multicultural romance that takes place entirely in a Middle
Eastern airport. If I’ve managed to pique your interest, the blurb, excerpt and
buy links are at the end of this post (or here).
I wrote Delicious Delay on a lark—I was stuck
in an airport in Abu Dhabi, it was the height of summer, and I had an endless a
view of the desert. As I sat there staring at a plane that wasn’t about to take
off any time soon, I couldn’t help but wonder what a modern-day Sheikh romance
would be like. I’d never tried writing an Arab hero before (living in the UAE
for two years might have something to do with it), and giving it a whirl seemed
like a fun challenge.
Many of
us grew up seeing covers of Sheikh romances line drugstore shelves. Harlequin
once (and might still) have an entire line dedicated to modern retellings of Arabian Nights. There’s something
intrinsically romantic about rolling sand dunes and a quasi-royal billionaire
with long dark eyelashes and midnight eyes. Even though I have come to
associate flowing white robes with reckless driving, I must admit to still having
a soft spot for them.
As I
started writing Delicious Delay, I
discovered the line between privileged royal and alpha-hole (yes, romance
readers utilize such a term) can be surprisingly thin. While I take certain
liberties when writing in the fantasy subgenre, I wouldn’t dream of making my
modern-day heroine put up with behavior I would personally deem unacceptable.
Since my
hero sees the world through an entirely different filter than a typical
American, he’s arrogant, overprotective, accustomed to getting his way. The
more I developed his character, the less charming my Sheikh turned out to be. Instead
of fighting the inevitable, I embraced his flaws and had my heroine give him
hell.
Delicious Delay
Stranded
in a Middle Eastern airport, Michelle Day finds herself the object of interest
for an abrasive, but all-too-sexy stranger—a stranger who tempts her with the
forbidden in a land where indecency could get her killed. But how does one say
no to such a deliciously, relentless pursuit?
Khalid
Al Dehri takes one look at the red-headed spitfire in the business class lounge
and knew he’d either been transported to heaven—or hell. Her tart response to
his surliness intrigues him beyond all propriety and the longer he spends in
her company, the more he can’t deny his forbidden attraction. But will she
explore the sensuality between them or will society’s rules keep them apart?
Excerpt
He
grinned. “So I have a proposal.”
She
tried to get her breathing under control, without much success. “Why am I sure
it’s an indecent one?”
He
motioned his head toward the far end of the lounge. Latticed wooden screens
gave that particular section more privacy. In an L-shaped room, the tucked-away
location prevented a direct line of sight from the dining or reception areas.
He got
up and offered her his hand. She hesitated for a long moment before taking it.
With faltering footsteps, she followed him. More private or not, limits on how
far this could go existed due to them being in an airport lounge. Since her
self-control had chosen today to take a vacation, she appreciated the imposed
constraint.
He
lowered himself onto a plush leather sofa deep inside the cordoned area. With
walls on either side and screens strategically angled, the space seemed to have
been designed as a spot for people to nap.
On the
brink of crossing a dangerous line, she hesitated. “What exactly do you have in
mind?”
“I’m
just giving you the opportunity to have your way with me,” he offered, his face
the picture of innocence.
She
hadn’t expected that answer. “I don’t quite follow.”
He
kicked one of his legs out and tangled it with hers. She stumbled and
instinctively moved her hands forward to brace herself. Her palms flattened
over his hard muscled chest when she landed.
She
traced the shape of his pectorals. “What do you do all day? Work out?”
He
chuckled, the low rumble all male. “I have access to the best personal trainers
money can buy. They help keep me honest.”
She
shook her head in disbelief as the man preened. “Have you heard of a concept
called humility?”
“It’s
not one of my virtues,” he admitted. “I’ve never understood the point.”
She
sighed. “It’s the polite thing to do.”
He
placed his forefinger under her chin and tipped her head up, his expression
playful. “So what is a sweet, polite, goody two shoes doing on top of me?”
About Tara
Globetrotter,
lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting
tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels,
Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic
contemporary locales, fantasy worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Armed with
magical powers or conventional weapons, her characters are guaranteed a
suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after. Learn
more at www.taraquan.com
Website: http://taraquan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taraquanauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laylatarar
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/taraquan
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B19HWJQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taraquanauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laylatarar
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/taraquan
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B19HWJQ
Thanks for having me over!
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