Passion & Romance, Can It Stand The Test of Time?

Buy Designing Passion HERE

By: Kali Willows

Being in a marriage of 18 years, often people will ask me how DH and I keep the romance alive? I have to admit, we have good times, and bad, just like everyone else. We do have to work harder at it some days, and there are others when we feel like love struck teenagers.

I would love to say “I know without a doubt it will last forever with no bumps in the road,” but that is fantasy talking, not real life. Romance in books is perfect, the heroes/heroines love, lose, conquer their foes and overcome their fear of intimacy. The author has all creative rights to ensure a HEA.  In real life, well, life gets in the way, and we have to work at it.

Intense emotions, fears, past traumas, let downs and high expectations, these are all pivotal for writers in character development and plot building, but in real life, these things often deter our romantic goals. Without a solid plan, they can hold us back from reaching our highest potential for happiness. Reality is messy and inconvenient, but it is what we have to face eventually. We and our partners don’t follow a script determined by an author with the dedication to ensure the optimal outcome. Most often we have to wing it, and pray for the best, and stand by our intention of eternal love and commitment.

DH is my inspiration in many areas of my life; love, strength, courage and passion. There are days when we are nowhere near on the same page and things may grow stale and discouraging. Others, I can’t believe how fortunate and full my life is, and the years seem to fly by.

Our secret to keeping it steamy? (sshhhh, don’t tell him I’m sharing…) In no particular order, there are key ingredients we swear by:

Trust, honesty, communication, spontaneity, team work, and one really major factor to ensure success, “only one of us is allowed to lose it at a time.”

Okay, I admit that was a line from the 1989 movie Immediate Family, with Glen Close and James Woods, but when we saw it together, that line resonated with both of us, and still does to this day; it’s our relationship mantra. On occasion, we need to remind ourselves, whose turn it is to fall apart for a little while and the other needs to stay strong and sensible, but, it does work! As long as we stick to this recipe for success, we continue to enjoy all the perks to longevity in romance.

Perhaps that was why, my very first 1NS creation was about true love and second chances. It holds a very dear place in my heart, being the hopeless romantic that I am J

Designing Passion takes place in castle in Spain, with a Venetian ball and a night of erotic passion the hero and heroine will never forget. It’s a steamy story about second chances and romantic escape.

Blurb:

Fifteen years ago, Tawny Reeve was in love, but her wealthy, jet-setting parents went to cruel lengths to separate her from her middle class lover. Emotionally barren, she despairs of ever finding love again. A friend sent her an email address with only a name in the subject line: “Madame Evangeline”. Tawny doubts she is capable of a normal, loving relationship, but maybe she can handle a one-night stand, at least meeting her body’s needs, if not her heart’s.

Wyatt Mackenzie is an accomplished architect with a lonely lifestyle. None of the debutantes and gorgeous women he dates have brought him the electrifying passion he hopes to rekindle from his youth. There was only one who captured his heart, and then smashed it into a thousand pieces. An email from his client at the Castillo hotel in Vegas, offers a solution to his passionless life: “Email Madame Evangeline, and she can make your wildest dreams come true.”

Excerpt:

At the foot of the staircase, Tawny stopped, removed her sparkling pumps, and carried them in her free hand. The cool grains of beach sand caressed her feet and buried her toes as she walked alongside him.

“What place?” Relishing the strength of his hand wrapped around hers, she stepped quickly to keep pace with his long legs.

“Down the beach is the tower and courtyard of the original castle this hotel was modeled after. It’s quite beautiful if you would like to see it?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

The thought of being out of sight of Alejandro brought about uneasiness, but she had developed a greater comfort level than she anticipated with her date. Her excitement grew.

Her weighty skirt flapped in the brisk wind, while the splashing sound of the heavy waves lapping against the sand and the rocks commanded her attention. A few stray seagulls walked solemnly along the waterline, scavenging through the swept up piles of sopping green seaweed. A flock of the squawking birds farther down the shore circled a larger prize, pulling and grabbing, then flew away with their bounty.

As an incoming wave of water and foam washed over Tawny’s toes, the ebbing tide left a starfish sprawled helplessly in its wake.

“Oh, this is so beautiful.” She gathered her skirt as she bent down to inspect the reddish, five-pointed creature. Her escort kneeled beside her.

“He’s remarkable.”

“How will it get back to the water?”

“That’s the beauty of it; when something gets lost or misplaced, nature usually finds a way of getting it back to where it belongs.” He gave a witty smile as the incoming whoosh of another wave drew closer. Taking her hand, he guided her to her feet before the cascading water arrived. Caught in his penetrating gaze, she followed his nod as he looked back to the wet sand left by the receding tide. To her pleasure, the starfish was gone.

“See, he’s finding his way home as we speak.”

Tawny returned his grin, still holding his hand. Off in the distance, the squawking of the seagulls faded as they flew away under the darkened sky. Her inhale carried the tangy odor of brine and the heady scent of musty ocean life.

They walked hand in hand while she eyed the shallow pools left in the hollows of the shoreline.

“Are you cold?” The mystery man paused, removing his long coat. Before she could reply, he draped it around her exposed shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“I look forward to taking it off, too.” He pulled the edges of the coat over her exposed flesh with a dark, sexy grin.

I want to know, what advice you would give others to help them achieve longevity in love? One that will stand the test of time? Of trials and tribulations? Of adversity or eventual boredom? Tell me what you think is the magic ingredient to success in romance, and don’t forget to leave your email address for a chance to win a Decadent eBook Designing Passion!

Happy Reading,

Kali Willows