Put Your Head Upon My Shoulder …
Aug 18th 2007
Sabrina JeffriesGoddess Readers Speak Out & On Writing!
I love a juicy love scene as much as the next person. Heck, I WRITE juicy love scenes as often as they fit the story. But sometimes a small action—a brief physical moment—can convey sexual attraction or sexual tension so powerfully that I stand in awe.
It mostly happens in movies for me. Like in the Pride and Prejudice movie, when Darcy hands Elizabeth up into the carriage and then walks away and the camera zooms in on his hand flexing. Or how about in While You Lay Sleeping when the hero drops the ring into the slot in the token booth? Great moment.
Then there’s my new favorite at the end of North and South, when Margaret Hale is trying to explain her “business proposal” to John Thornton (played by the always yummy Richard Armitage). As she babbles, she plays with the flower he just gave her, and he reaches over and takes her hand, which stops her babbling. We know exactly what he’s saying. Marry me. Love me. Be mine. And when, with the slightest motion of her fingers, she strokes his hand, we know she’s saying “yes.” Of course, I loved the kiss that follows, but that moment with the hands is the “Yes!!!” moment for me, the release of 4 hours of profound sexual tension.
It’s harder to do effectively in a book. For one thing, it takes a LOT of description to capture such a poignant moment and then lots of introspection to give it emotional weight. Plus, you don’t have the lovely soaring musical score in the background telling you, “this is it, this is the moment, pay attention!” But there ARE a few of those glorious moments of non-sexual sex in books.
There’s Dain in Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels, unbuttoning Jessica’s glove in a Parisian cafe as he spouts Italian. There’s the moment when Edwina lifts her skirts to give Mick a look at her legs in Judith Ivory’s The Proposition. There’s all the countless long, smoldering looks bestowed by heroes on heroines. I’m a sucker for that classic in romance writing—the hero’s gaze skimming down the heroine, giving her the once-over.
What about you? What physical action, other than a kiss or a sexual act, sent you over the edge when you read it in a book or saw it in a movie? What small gesture can get your heart pumping faster than anything?
33 Comments »
33 Responses to “Put Your Head Upon My Shoulder …”
pri.r. on 18 Aug 2007 at 2:56 am #
oooohh good topic sabrina!!… um i must say though, the scenes that do it for me are definetly when the hero is physically wounded and the ever curious heroine, who by this point may be in a snit, lays aside her aggrevances to take care of him and there’s always that subtle brush between the characters, a rapid beating of pulses, and smoldering glances that just sets the sexual tension crackling and you just know they’re about to make the story excellent! hehehe… i made it sound so much less romantic right? with the whole >> lays aside her aggrievances
J Perry Stone on 18 Aug 2007 at 7:40 am #
A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E Woodiwiss
When Lord Saxton (or so she thinks) pushes Erienne in at the dinner table and then stops cold as he’s standing behind her.
Erienne wonders what is going only to look down to find her nipple has popped up above the line of her bodice.
That scene always gets me.
dbrown3400 on 18 Aug 2007 at 8:04 am #
. . . (the brother Drew) “dug in his pocket and handed over a white square, expecting her to wipe her face with it. Instead he watched in bemusement as she leaned forward and carefully dabbed at the blood encrusted around the Englishman’s mouth. And the man let her, just knelt there on his knees and let her attend him as if he hadn’t been looking daggers at her earlier, and hadn’t embarrassed her in front of family and friends, and they hadn’t just been snapping at each other” Gentle Rogue of the Malory series by Johanna Lindsey
George’s brothers had just beat the bloody devil out of James and she fainted. Her brother threw water in her face to wake her up.
I love every “a”, “and”, and “the” in that book.
Donna
jessie e on 18 Aug 2007 at 8:54 am #
What a fun topic! I love the part in While You Were Sleeping where Bill Pullman demonstrates to Sandra Bullock what “leaning” is.
This isn’t a movie, but in the American Office, every time Jim and Pam look at each other sends me over the edge. Especially the 27 seconds of silence on the deck in the Booze Cruise episode. Or maybe when they listen to Travis with shared ear buds in The Client. Or maybe when Jim gives her a “How about those skills” look in Basketball… Oh, I could go on.
Let’s see, in a book…I don’t know if this exactly fits what we’re talking about, but in the book Beauty by Robin McKinley, Beast tells Beauty she can visit her family. He’s sitting in a chair, and she kisses his palm that’s resting on the arm of the chair. He curls his hand as if to keep the kiss. When she returns to the Beast’s castle, late, he’s still sitting in the chair and his hand is still holding the kiss. That moment is so heartbreaking and poignant, it gets me every time.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Aug 2007 at 9:04 am #
I love, love, LOVE the “leaning” scene. One of my favorites. And I love that scene in GENTLE ROGUE, too. Another of my favorites. I don’t know the Robin McKinley book, but that sounds like a fabulous scene.
J Perry Stone on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:03 am #
Sabrina, which scenes in your own books are your favorites
J-making out a reading list for Borders.
Julia London on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:06 am #
I love that scene in the new Pride and Prejudice, too. You’re right, Sabrina — its so much harder to write. And sometimes it feels like every character in my book is laying lingering gazes on someone. It just takes a little bit to go a long way, and for me the trick is knowing the line between sexual tension and hack writing. HA
darkshire007 on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:20 am #
I have to say that I’m a sucker for the hero’s gaze skimming down the heroine, giving her the once over. As for real life the one small gesture that can get my heart going is a gentle caress to the back of my neck. {shivers thinking about it}. Writing any of this, I’ll leave that to the professionals….the Goddesses!
cail on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:29 am #
that scene in pride and prej is one of my favorites as well! actually the whole movie is great!
i really need to reread the malory series- every moment in those are great. i shouldn’t be rereading right now, i have 20 books in my TBR pile. sigh.
actually, thats a great idea J! I would love it if ALL the goddesses mentioned their favorite scenes in their own books!
twolilhahas on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:30 am #
I love it when someone else enters the heroine’s space, either to flirt or to be mean, and the hero’s jaw tenses and maybe his hands flex. lol It says so much to me. He wants to take care of her, protect her, keep other would-be suitors away, keep jerks away. Love it.
I, also, LOVE the Mr. Darcy scene with his hand flexing. Have loved it since the moment I saw it.
I’m a sucker for the scenes where the hero wants to touch the heroine and feels like he isn’t good enough or that she isn’t interested…and he will almost reach out a little and then drop his hand. Such restraint…such longing. lol
twolilhahas on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:33 am #
And I love the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl where Elizabeth comes down the stairs and says basically, “I dreamed about you last night.” And her dad gets frustrated because it’s inappropriate for her to say such things. And then Will refers to her as “Miss Swann.” And she says, “Will, how many times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?” He replies, “At least once more, Miss Swann, as always.” So, then she leaves and says, “Goodbye, Mr. Turner.” And Will watches the carriage drive away and when it’s too far away for her to hear says, “Goodbye, Elizabeth,” really softly. I LOVE that!!
Ellen on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:00 am #
It always hits me subtly, and is never the obvious stroke or kiss.
It’s the slow acknowledgement that a calloused thumb pad pays to a fluttering pulse in a silken neck.
It’s a masculine flare of the nostrils as it inhales the gentle scent of a wrist.
AND ALWAYS, its his hand on the small of her back as he takes the lead.
>>>s i g h
Maggie Robinson on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:10 am #
Give me a guy who draws a circle on my palm. This really, really works. You can even do it to yourself, LOL!
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:38 am #
Scenes like this in my own books? Let’s see:
Forbidden Lord: where he takes her hand and kisses the inside of her wrist as they’re parting from the second ball.
In the Prince’s Bed: the hero and heroine are at an amateur poetry reading where he’s making jokes about the bad poets, thus annoying her and making her giggle (she loves poetry, but she realizes that the ones he’s mocking are indeed very bad). She demands that he desist once the guy she THINKS she’s in love with comes to the podium, and the hero agrees as long as she lets him hold her hand. He takes off her glove and proceeds to seduce her hand. I really like that scene. I like the jokes AND I like the idea of a guy doing something scandalous, like caressing a woman’s hand, in a public place.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:41 am #
“I’m a sucker for the scenes where the hero wants to touch the heroine and feels like he isn’t good enough or that she isn’t interested…and he will almost reach out a little and then drop his hand. Such restraint…such longing. lol”
Ooh, I just wrote one of these in the book I just turned in! I love these, too.
Claudia Dain on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:55 am #
I love every one already mentioned, so I’ll take it a step further back–with just a look.
How about that scene in the Colin Firth P&P where he and Elizabeth Bennett are sharing a look from across the drawing room? Elizabeth is seated at the piano where Darcy’s sister is playing and Darcy is so grateful for Elizabeth’s tact in protecting his sister from a painful moment in the conversation. Sometimes a look shared, a look that says, “I see you. We understand each other. I appreciate you.” is SO sexy because of the bond it’s creating between them.
Lisa H on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:59 am #
I love the types of senerios you all are describing. My most memorable one is in my all time favorite book, Shanna, by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss.
When Shanna goes to the prison to find a husband, she meets Ruark and offers him a bargain of sorts. He tells her he would never buy a horse hidden beneath a blanket and asks her to remove her cloak.
When she does, he is so overwhelmed he must sit down. The language Kathleen uses is so romantic and the passion nearly sizzles off the pages. This all occurs in Chapter 1, and is the beginning a a sweeping incredibly romantic, sexual and deep love story.
If you have not read this book, you are missing out, it is sooooo good!
I do not mean any disrespect to any other authors, because I greedily read you goddesses and all the ladies over at the now closed Squawk Radio, and enjoy the sexual tension you all weave.
dbrown3400 on 18 Aug 2007 at 1:55 pm #
Staples is delivering an additonal bookcase Monday so my weekend project is to organize my books. Sabrina, you have successfully thwarted my forward progress as I’m pulling my favorites looking for those subtle moments you’re looking for in this thread.
What wonderful scenes I’ve found. WHITNEY MY LOVE: Clayton playing ladies maid to Whitney after he thought she was leaving him. That exchange was as charged with love as any I’ve read.
The scene in MACKENZIE’S MOUNTAIN where Wolf rescues Mary in the snow and sub-zero temperatures and needs to take off her panty hose is very sensual.
DIAMOND BAY when Kell Sabin finally tells Rachel his name and she asks to shake his hand . . .
Must keep organizing, honest. db
Kelly Ann on 18 Aug 2007 at 3:13 pm #
My favorite is when the hero cups her face in his hands, talking to her or demanding something from her and then he gently kisses her brows or eyes before claiming her mouth! Makes me melt everytime.
I also wanted to say that while shopping in Walmart this morning I bought Karen Hawkins new book “To Scotland With Love” - tonight, after dinner I’m getting cozy on the coach and reading the whole thing! I feel like I just received the best present ever! I almost screamed the store down this morning I was so excited. I don’t usually find the early books so I got a little carried away!
gannon on 18 Aug 2007 at 3:17 pm #
Oh, I love both scenes that were mentioned from each P&P! Those subtle gestures speak volumes!! *sigh*
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Aug 2007 at 6:37 pm #
I love that P&P scene, too, Claudia!
MJ on 18 Aug 2007 at 9:15 pm #
Well….in addition to those great P&P scenes (and don’t forget the one where E. has just read the shocking news and is overset…and Darcy briefly touches/takes her hand while asking what he can get “for her present relief”….sigh)
I’m also a sucker for….
1) kisses on the inner wrist or the palm of the hand (and does that create shivers)
2) when the heroine gently lays the back of her hand against the hero’s cheek (or vice versa, though I can’t recall seeing that one)
3) the ‘almost but not quite’ touch to the back of the neck…somehow it can be felt, likely because he touches the hair…..
Absolutely - sublety…. that’s the turn-on…..
MJ on 18 Aug 2007 at 9:17 pm #
Yikes - sorry for the terrible typing. My spelling is actually better than that (usually).
doglady on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:31 pm #
I’ve got Karen’s book too and a whole day off tomorrow! I love in Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas at the end when they are taking Daisy off to “powder her nose” and run into St. Vincent and Daisy is the only one who sees him rest his hand on Evie’s stomach for a moment. She thinks “Evie has a secret.” but it is just such a tender, heart melting moment. Then in Devil in Winter after Evie has removed her wedding ring. St. Vincent takes it from her and she doesn’t find out until he lies wounded that he has been wearing it around his neck. It just says so much. In Mary Balogh’s Slightly Dangerous, Christine has kept one of Wulfric’s quizzing glasses and at the ball to end the Easter holiday he sees her across the room and starts to raise his quizzing glass when she pulls the one she has from her reticule and raises it to look at him. He laughs out loud. I love that scene.
Santa on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:51 pm #
I love that scene from ‘Slightly Dangerous’.
Here are some of my favorites:
When Draven from Lisa Kleypas’ ‘Dreaming of You’ touches his hand to his waistcoat and removes Sarah’s spectacles. Saints alive it gets me every time.
Also in Diane Farr’s ‘Fair Game’ when on their way to her bethroal dinner, they become stranded in the carriage and while waiting for help, he picks her up and envelopes her in his cloak to keep her warm. They still don’t speak, their hearts racing and she can’t resist moving further into the warmth he provides. Works for me every time.
I can’t think of movies unless we talk about Captain Wentworth as he writes the note and slides it under the ink pot, nods to her and walks out the door. She reads it and those words and then she goes out and meets him and well, it just rocks!
Zeus is going to kill me but a brush of his knuckles along her chin gets me every time.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Aug 2007 at 11:59 pm #
I thought about mentioning that very scene from Persuasion in my blog, Santa! Great minds think alike and all that.
MJ on 19 Aug 2007 at 12:40 am #
Ok - on the topic of Persuasion… (that and P&P are my all-time fav watches)…. the scene at the end when she joins him on the bridge and is looking around with a smile on her face (you can see she’s extremely happy to be beside him)…and he finishes with the telescope and glances down at her - that look is so laden with love, pride…..it’s palpable.
And earlier…..when they’ve been ‘for a long walk’ and he sees her slipping with weariness…then they come up to his sister and husband in a carriage. They offer to ’squash up’ and give one of the party a ride the rest of the way (to save ‘full a mile’) and he whispers to his sister that Anne needs to be driven so she is specifically invited. He helps her into the carriage….his hand on her bottom/thigh, even through the velvet cape - you can see the effect on both of them….
And the scene you’ve already described - the simple taking of her hand in his white-gloved one….and he rubs his thumb over her fingers….sigh!
Tracy Kay on 19 Aug 2007 at 3:19 am #
Kresley Cole’s “If You Deceive”
Ethan MacCarrick has a really terrible scar on his face because of a woman who accused him of trying to rape her (he didnt, obviously!)
Years later, he meets the woman’s daughter, Madeline Van Rowen. After a lifetime of ridicule and shame, Madeline is not at all affected by his scar, and doesn’t think less of him because of it..
Anyway…the first time she touched his scar, he flinched and pulled her hand away. But after he unknowingly began to fall for her, she touches his scar and he flinches, but doesnt stop her. Cole makes the whole scene feel like he’s so in love with this woman that her touch heals his scar and all of the emotional pain that went along with it.
I don’t know if I explained that right, but when I read it, it sent a shiver up my spine - it was so perfect!
Sonja Foust on 19 Aug 2007 at 11:33 am #
I love how Nora Roberts’ heroes tend to box the heroines in against counters, cars, whatever, and then kiss them silly. But as far as subtlety, I have to say the hand seduction scene from Sabrina’s “In A Prince’s Bed” is one of my absolute favorites.
And I LOVE the leaning scene from While You Were Sleeping, so I second (or third) that.
I think my favorite is from “Return to Me” when Bob asks if he can hold Grace’s hand. So cute!
Nicole Jordan on 19 Aug 2007 at 11:42 am #
Oh, these are all great.
I’m a sucker for locking gazes across a crowded room. In fact, one of my faves is in A&E P&P when Colin/Darcy looks away from Lizzy, then looks back at her as if he can’t help himself.
Kathy Jennings on 19 Aug 2007 at 12:05 pm #
I just started reading Karen Hawkin’s new “To Scotland With Love” and on page 91 the two childhood friends Gregor and Venetia are just now noticing sensual awakenings about each other. Gregor reaches out to touch a curl on
her head and begins to think of his elbow on her hair on his pillow. Look out the sparks are going to fly between these two, I can just see it!! Karen, Sabrina and the rest of the Godesses know how to make the love scenes in their books sizzle!!
Karen Hawkins on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:06 am #
Lol! Thanks, Kathy! I love best-friends-who-realize-they’re-in-love because they have such history that these little moments are natural for them, but take on new meaning. SUCH fun to write!
Sabrina, I love these moments! It’s the simmer before the conflagration. I think the best one is in one of Judith Ivory’s books — can’t remember which, they’re all so good — when the hero painstakingly unbuttons the heroine’s long gloves, then pressed a kiss on her wrist. WOW! Very sexy, very sensual, and very telling! I about burst into flames right there myself!
(And btw, the leaning scene in While You Were Sleeping is AWESOME. For once, the right guy got the girl!)
NM on 28 Jan 2008 at 11:46 pm #
There is a scene from “Mine Till Midnight” by Lisa Kleypas where Amelia’s youngest sister explains that she knew Merripen was in love with their sister Win by the way he ‘washed her window.’ She explained that when they lived in their old house and Win was recovering from scarlet fever she would sit in bed and watch out her window for hours because she was too weak to do anything else. One day she complained that the window was so dirty even the sky looked Grey. Since then Merripen made sure the glass was spotless. Even climbing a ladder to clean it despite his fear of heights. He said the sky should always be blue for her. *sigh*
In “A Dangerous Lord” I loved the scene where Daniel asks Helena to play Billiards with him. She tries to refuse him saying her bad leg makes it impossible but he brings a chair to support her weight while she played. More than willing to “lift a wee thing” to facilitate her every shot. When she finally agrees he hurries to set up their game. Melts my heart