Secrets and Guys

You may remember "Secrets and Guys" as "Expanded Definitions."  It's previously published by lyd and also appeared in my anthology "My Mistress' Thighs" but I decided "Expanded Definitions" wasn't the most intriguing title, so I changed it.

Most of the stories in my "Transgender and Genderqueer Erotic Romance" series feature trans women.  This is one of the few that's about a trans guy.  I had a hell of a time choosing categories when I uploaded it, because most retailers, instead of having an LGBT category, they have categories called "Gay" or "Lesbian"... or "Gay and Lesbian."  Well, the people who fall in love in Secrets and Guys are a trans man and a cis woman who identify as straight, so...?

Anyway, above all else, this is a romance:

Secrets and Guys by Giselle Renarde

When Patrick claims he's satisfied by nothing more than giving a woman pleasure, Alison doesn't believe him. They’ve only just started dating, but she's pretty convinced men are only out to use her body. Can Patrick the true romantic expand Alison's definitions of sex, love, and gender, or will his secret scare her away for good?

Warnings: This transgender love story contains throbbing hearts, explicit romance, and light bondage. Originally published as “Expanded Definitions” in the anthology “My Mistress’ Thighs.”


Excerpt:

“The trick,” Patrick told me, “is to find someone who complements you.”

My throat produced a familiar noise, something like a giggle that only comes about when you’re trying not to cry. “Yes, you really don’t compliment me often enough. I’ll feel much better if you tell me I’m pretty.”

“Of course you’re pretty, but that’s not what I’m talking about.” The off-handed compliment made my heart soar. “What I mean is that if you look for someone who’s identical to you, there are too many sames.” To illustrate his point, he withdrew his fingers from mine, only to press his fingertips against my fingertips so they exerted some pressure. “When someone’s the same as you, all the sticky-outy parts meet up and you deflect each other. You see what I’m saying?”

“Yes.” It suddenly occurred to me that this might be a break-up conversation, which I don’t think I could have handled on a first date.

“But when you meet a person who complements you—and I don’t mean this in a sexual sense—all the sticky-outy parts on you correspond to all the curvy-inny parts on them.” Patrick brushed his fingertips down a touch until his were between mine. Our fingers no longer deflected one another. Now, they snuggled in, fingers woven between fingers, until we were holding hands again. “You see? When people complement each other, they fit together so easily.”

Was he talking about us? I didn’t want to ask, but it was too early on. Instead, I sat perfectly still, gazing at our interwoven fingers as though they might open to reveal a crystal ball. Was that my future cradled in the sweating palms of our hands? I had my doubts, but I could so easily be swayed.

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Other titles in the Transgender and Genderqueer Erotic Romance series include:

Friends of Dorothy
Dressing for Dinner
Third Rail
A Wolf in Grandmother’s Clothing
Eclipse the Stars
Licorne
Spring Fever
Everybody Knows
Glitter in the Gutter
…and more!



Oh yeah, forgot to mention I bit the bullet and set up an Amazon self-publishing account: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG8SGJW

You can also get it at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374723

Coming soon to Kobo, All Romance, Coffee Time Romance, and other retailers!

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Giselle Renarde is a queer Canadian, avid volunteer, and contributor to more than 100 short story anthologies, including Best Women’s Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bondage Erotica, and Best Lesbian Romance. Ms Renarde has written dozens of juicy books, including Anonymous, Ondine, and Nanny State. Her book The Red Satin Collection won Best Transgender Romance in the 2012 Rainbow Awards. Giselle lives across from a park with two bilingual cats who sleep on her head.