Sexual tension is one of my favorite elements in romance.
I love reading it and I love creating it in my own stories.
What is sexual tension? It isn't sex. Nope. Sexual
tension is the anticipation, the chemistry, the excitement, the wanting, and
the waiting that may eventually lead to sex. Or maybe not. Tension and suspense
are created when the outcome is unknown. Will they or won't they? There is a
push/pull synergy going on in sexual tension. The two people are drawn
together, but something also pushes them apart.
Laying the groundwork for strong sexual tension
means thinking about the conflict that already exists between the hero and
heroine when they meet. Are they from different social stations? Are their
families/ clans/ countries enemies? Are they from two different worlds and
won't be allowed to stay together? Did they have a major conflict in the past?
If you make sure this stumbling block is big and realistic, then strong sexual
tension will be easier to create.
The first appearance of sexual tension in a story is
often that first glance between the hero and heroine. They notice each other
and are attracted. They each want to move closer to the other person and talk
or touch. The more the hero learns about the heroine, the more he wants to
know. With each scene, the sexual tension grows and heightens until the
characters and the reader can hardly stand the suspense any longer. Will they
kiss? Will they get together? Will they confess their feelings for one another?
Many elements of fiction will help you create strong
sexual tension. For instance, the five senses can bring sexual tension to
vibrant life on the page. When two people are physically and emotionally
attracted, they notice tiny details about each other—sexy scents, the exact
shade of blue of his eyes, how soft her skin is, how hard his muscles are, how
sweet her kiss is. Dialogue is another tool you can use to heighten sexual
tension, as you will see in my example below.
Emotion lights the fire under sexual tension and
gives it power. Without emotion, there might be sexual attraction, but that
will burn out fast without the corresponding emotions to keep it alive.
Something as simple as the touch of a hand can
create an inferno of sexual tension, longing and arousal in the hero and
heroine. But sexual tension is more than arousal. It affects people in
physical, emotional, and visceral ways. If we're talking about your heroine,
maybe her heart pounds, her stomach aches, her breathing grows shallow, her skin
flushes, and she feels feverish or has chills. The emotional and the physical
are tied together, creating something powerful. Once sexual tension and emotion
build higher and higher, this leads to falling in love. And this is what
romance is all about.
Here is an example showing several of the things
I've talked about, an excerpt from my latest book, My Daring Highlander. The
blurb explains their external conflict, or the large stumbling block, that
keeps them apart for most of the story.
Blurb: Beautiful and fiercely protective of those
she loves, Lady Seona Murray captured Keegan MacKay’s attention when she first
set foot in Dunnakeil Castle. Though she is a chief’s daughter and forbidden,
Keegan has fallen in love with her from afar and burns to possess her. But so
does the clan traitor, Haldane, an obsessive outlaw bent on murder and
kidnapping.
Sinfully handsome, Keegan MacKay is a fearsome guard
as well as the chief’s cousin, but Seona’s father would never consider him a
worthy husband for her because he is not a titled laird. Seona has secretly
watched the sensual, tawny-haired warrior from across the crowded great hall
for months, but when he is tasked with escorting her across Scotland, back to
her home, their simmering attraction flames into sizzling passion with just one
kiss.
Though she fears she is endangering Keegan’s life,
Seona cannot resist his seductive charm or his spellbinding kisses. Keegan sets
fire to the memories of her sad past and shows her what it means to truly live.
But her father has other plans. He’s arranged for her to marry a wealthy
Lowland laird. Is Keegan daring enough to steal her away? Or will the
vindictive Haldane snatch her first?
Example/ excerpt of sexual tension from My Daring Highlander:
Seona stared after
Isobel as she disappeared up the steps, a bottle of wine and flask of whisky in
one hand and the lantern in the other. What was she up to, leaving Seona alone
with Keegan in the kitchen?
Well… Seona knew Isobel
wanted her and Keegan together. She encouraged her at every opportunity,
because she wanted Seona to have a happy marriage like she had. But Seona did
not see how that could happen.
Her gaze darted back to
Keegan. He watched her as an osprey watches a salmon, with a concentrated focus
that might be called hunger. Aye, she hungered for him as well.
His brows quirked in a
wee, concerned frown. “Are you afraid?”
“Nay.” Did she look
afraid? She tried to smooth out her features. She certainly didn’t fear Keegan.
Only what he represented—everything she wanted, standing before her, just
waiting. She still wasn’t sure she was brave enough to grab hold and face down
all the obstacles.
“Good. I would never
want you to be frightened of me, Seona.” His deep, soothing voice was spellbinding.
“I’m not. I trust you
more than anyone.” ’Twas the truth and she was not shy about admitting it to
him.
“That means more to me
than I can say,” he whispered. “But ’haps you shouldn’t.”
His words should have
alarmed her, but they didn’t for she suspected she knew what he was about to
say. “Why not?”
His gaze grew more
penetrating. “Because I wish for things I have no right wishing for.”
Another
kiss?
“When I’m alone with
you…” he said, shaking his head, “I find I want to…” He blew out a sharp breath
and glanced away. “Hell, why am I telling you this?”
“I want you to tell
me.” She yearned to know his every thought. “I couldn’t sleep.” That was her
confession. Surely he would understand her meaning—she couldn’t sleep because
thoughts of him kept taunting her, especially after he’d consumed her mouth
earlier.
“Would one more
goodnight kiss help?” His expression remained serious. Passionate.
Her heartbeat thumped
in her throat. “Aye.” ’Twas a lie. The kiss would not help her sleep; it would
keep her awake the rest of the night. But ’twas the one thing she craved most,
as a starving person craves bread.
***
Please let me know if
you have any questions about sexual tension and how to create it in your own
writing.
Thanks!
Vonda
