Pansies (Spires #4)

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

1 . Paragraph begins with: Fen’s arms were tight.

Alexis: Given how vulnerable Fen is for most of the book (physically, emotionally, even financially), it seemed important the relationship find places to self-balance. Like, as much as Alfie would love this to be a mansel in distress story, where he sweeps in and rescues Fen, it’s more of a Pretty Woman situation: he rescues him right back.

2 . Paragraph begins with: And then they were off.

Alexis: I was wondering where best to mention this in the annotations. But, since we’re on the scenery, this seems as good a place as any. Did you know Turner painted South Shields in 1823? Yep yep. You can Google it: Shields, on the River Tyne . It shows keelmen (the folks who used to work on the keels, large boats that carried coal from the riverbanks to the waiting collier ships) working through the night at the mouth of the Tyne.

3 . Paragraph begins with: “Apparently driving your car really fast…”

Alexis: Can’t disagree.

4 . Paragraph begins with: “Oh shit.” He forced open his eyes.

Alexis: Again, this might be a personal preference thing, but I don’t always like the magical “and they came together in perfect harmony” that is generally the gold standard of romance novel fucking. I mean, sometimes it’s nice for sure, but I resist it as a default sign of successful sex. I mean, let’s be real, simultaneous orgasm is incredibly logistically difficult to—no pun intended—pull off. Bodies are different, and arousal peaks and troughs in different ways. I don’t like the implication that you’ve failed at sex, or failed to be a good partner, if you ejaculate at the “wrong” time. And it’s kind of inherently phallocentric because it focuses sex entirely on the actions and reactions of a single dong.

5 . Paragraph begins with: A few hard pulls and…

Alexis: I actually laughed at myself when I read this line—mostly affectionately. Like “warm semen spilling riotously” is…so much my bullshit I cannot even. I’m into it though. Obviously one wants one’s warm semen to be riotous. Screw all that well-mannered and civil warm semen.