Unconsummated love affairs

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

I'm a bit confused when it comes to which forum to put this in. I considered 'erotica' but when you look at the thread title...!

I've had an idea for a mystery-type novel. It involves a man and a woman getting together to solve said mystery. (She's about 25, he's ten years older). Anyway, for some sad reason, circumstances, blah blah (John Malkovich saying "It's beyond my control," springs to mind) she refuses to give in to this mutual attraction; he agrees it's for the best.

So - while I wish to keep this thread clean

D) I was wondering if it's realistic to expect a reader to believe a man and a woman could be overwhelmingly sexually attracted to each other, be able to refuse to consummate the relationship and still 'work' together over the course of some months. Neither are seriously involved with any other parties.

And I'm trying to think of ways I can show this attraction without getting into overt sexual activity. I know it doesn't make sense, but it's at the bare bones stage and the skeleton isn't even half-complete yet!

Tirjasdyn · Sep 29, 2006

Lost in Translation

I may the only person in the world who loves this movie but the best unconsumated love affiar ever.

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

Never seen it. Am I the only person?

I'll rent the DVD.

davids · Sep 29, 2006

don't see why not-the trick being to keep them from going at it-the tension could be terrific-the ways and means committee of their lusts and how they manage to work together-be successful? and stay out of each others pants-could be quite a story if you can pull it off-good luck-talk about tension-WOW!!!!

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

Of course, that's not the main thread of the story, it's just something that arises (*cough*) through the course of the book. I say book, it's just an idea in my head and a scribble in a notebook at the moment. I wouldn't say it's a point I had a problem with, I just wondered if it was credible. The woman more or less says no for moral reasons, and we're living in an increasingly immoral word. I want her to be admirable, not a goody-goody readers would think of as a stick-in-the-mud. But we'll see how it goes.

I'm excited about this. I'm already thinking of her as a real person.

Plus, it gets me out of the usual embarrassment I feel at 'having' to write a sex scene!

SpookyWriter · Sep 29, 2006

There was a detective series on T.V. in the 80's that starred Pierce Bronson and Stefany Powers (sp?) who had that type of relationship. Can't remember the name of the show, but it had all the same elements that you can imagine for two people who just don't get it on... :tongue

...and continue to work together for years and years. I wonder if they ever got together...hmmm...

ChaosTitan · Sep 29, 2006

SpookyWriter said:
There was a detective series on T.V. in the 80's that starred Pierce Bronson and Stefany Powers (sp?) who had that type of relationship.

Remmington Steele, Spooky?

Bubastes · Sep 29, 2006

For some reason, James Bond and Miss Moneypenny comes to mind.

ChaosTitan · Sep 29, 2006

scarletpeaches said:
The woman more or less says no for moral reasons, and we're living in an increasingly immoral word. I want her to be admirable, not a goody-goody readers would think of as a stick-in-the-mud. But we'll see how it goes.

Once you start developing her character, I'm sure you'll come up with a good reason why she'd prefer to abstain from a sexual relationship.

Recent break up with "love of her life."
Medical reasons.
Doesn't feel attractive, potent, desirable (again, for any number of reasons).
Is knitting a sweater (Grey's Anatomy fans will get that one).

Right now, she's a sketch. Once she's developed, her reasons will become clear. Good luck!

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

What if he were the ex of someone close to her...?

Lyra Jean · Sep 29, 2006

This worked in X-Files. They didn't do anything for nine years but man was it worth the wait. I think things started to actually happen in season 7. I'm still waiting for it so I'm not sure. But hey, it's seven years.

You should do it.

Bravo · Sep 29, 2006

watch Angel.

kinda hard to consumate a love if youre going to turn evil after the act.

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

rosemerry said:
This worked in X-Files. They didn't do anything for nine years but man was it worth the wait.

You should do it.

But my characters won't. :roll:

ChaosTitan · Sep 29, 2006

rosemerry said:
This worked in X-Files.

And it's working right now on Bones.

SpookyWriter · Sep 29, 2006

chaostitan said:
Remmington Steele, Spooky?

That's it. Thanks...

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

Bones? Unfortunate choice of title!

I was thinking this could be a chance to concentrate on a love affair that truly is a love affair - not two people fancying each other, waiting the requisite number of chapters, then humping-by-numbers, mindblowing sex, yawn, what a cliche.

But I don't want it to be Mills & Boon romantic - I want it to be realistic in the sense of bad things happen, not everyone has a happy ending, not every couple can be together. But not maudlin either.

I need to shut up and write the thing.

ChaosTitan · Sep 29, 2006

Bravo said:
watch Angel.

kinda hard to consumate a love if youre going to turn evil after the act.

Or if you're going to impregnate your vampire ex with an annoying teenager who grew up in a hell dimension determined to kill you...

Bravo · Sep 29, 2006

yeah...cept he never loved her.

sheesh.

ChaosTitan · Sep 29, 2006

Bravo said:
yeah...cept he never loved her.

sheesh.

Sounds like a moral lesson about not having sex with someone you don't love....

maestrowork · Sep 29, 2006

It's possible. The characters in my novel didn't consummate their love...

But you have to be careful about attraction... a professor told me, attraction is nice and all, but it's what they DO with the attraction that drives the plot. It doesn't mean they have to "do it." But there has to be tension and they have to at least try to do something, or try NOT to do something... We mentioned X-Files, Lost in Translation... there are many other examples... Moonlighting? ER? The Office? Lots of TV shows have that kind of sexual tension in their plot. The thing is, they don't just talk about it. There is always some kind of "yes/no, should I/shouldn't I" and awkward situation when they want to do something but couldn't, etc.

Now, if they're both single, unattached, you will have to convince us why they don't get together. Is it because it's against rules on the job? Is it because they have that "Taming of the Shrewd" personality conflicts? Sometimes you introduce a third person just for the conflict (as in "The Office"). But to be believable, there has to be a reason why they don't bonk each other silly...

Kate Thornton · Sep 29, 2006

It can be a realistic situation - there are a lot of reasons why people who work together - even when they are very much attracted - don't have sex with each other - I think your story can work!

kikazaru · Sep 29, 2006

Perhaps she was married (badly) but before she could leave (or maybe on the night she left), her husband was in a car crash and now has been in a coma for several years.

Or perhaps she was "this close" to taking her vows as a sister in the Holy Order of Perpetual Virgins but for some reason never went thru with it, but now has some "issues" regarding sex.

scarletpeaches · Sep 29, 2006

I say 'work', but it's not an office situation. They get together to try to find a missing person. So it's kinda 'work' even though they're not in law enforcement.

I doubt it makes much sense at the moment. But I'm enjoying reading everyone's opinions.

wordmonkey · Sep 29, 2006

A Few Good men does this senario between Cruise and Moore's characters.

aadams73 · Sep 29, 2006

You can be really attracted to someone but still be fully aware that they'd be all wrong for you.

Unconsummated love affairs

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