"It seemed like forever, but it was really only a few minutes later when Julia emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in his Christmas gift. The black satin fabric accentuated the pink and cream of her skin, while the corset itself made her breasts look fuller and her waist smaller. Gabriel couldn't help but admire the exquisite hourglass that was Julia's now transformed figure. His eyes hungrily regarded the merest glimpse of black lace panties, paired with black-silk stockings that were held up by a garter belt. Finally and gloriously, a pair of black pumps decorated her feet. Gabriel nearly had a heart attack when he gazed at the shoes alone. "Bonsoir, Professeur. Vous allex bien?" Julia purred. It took a moment for him to figure out why she'd made this linguistic choice, so taken as he was by her figure and her footwear. Julia was wearing his beret.
When his eyes finally met hers, she watched him swallow hard. She pouted at him provocatively and removed her hat, tossing it at him. After he threw it aside, she walked slowly, very slowly, to the bed. "I really like my Christmas present, Professor." Gabriel gulped, at a loss for words. "Have you seen the back?" She pivoted her hips, watching him over her shoulder. He reached out a finger to touch the laces that tied the corset, dragging his hand down to the panties that cut across her pert backside. "Enough teasing, Miss Mitchell. Come here." He pulled her to him, bringing their mouths together in a forceful kiss. "I'm going to take my time unwrapping my gift - with the exception of the shoes. I hope for your sake they're comfortable."
Gabriel's Rapture, Ch. 19
~~~~~~~~~
I've had such a wonderful time exploring Belize with you, but sadly it's time to say goodbye to this incredible place. Before we go, let's stop by the souvenir store for an item or two to remember our incredible moments here.
Postcards:
(My sincere thanks to those who created such lovely fan art.)
For Book Lovers:
For Gourmets:
For Music Lovers:
For Entertainers:
For Art Lovers:
For Her:
For Him:
(Courtesy of IndiaRose)
For Them:
I'm afraid it's time to board our flight...
While I'm sure we'll all miss this tropical paradise, I've already prepared a recovery from our post-vacation blues.
I'll be back next week with the first installment in a new series of Destination posts, and I look forward to sharing some new adventures with you.
The Academy Awards will be presented tonight on American television. It's a great way to honor some of the finest films of the past year, and that got us thinking..about awards, performances, and what it means to be the "best of" anything. We decided to come up with some of our own ways to honor SR's books and writing - all in good fun, of course.
There are so many great characters, scenes, and moments in "Gabriel's Inferno" and "Gabriel's Rapture" that it's hard to narrow down the categories. Here are a few we think should be presented.
Best fashion accessory, male: “Tie” between bow ties and the beret
Best fashion accessory, female: Prada heels
Best fashion accessory, sibling: Boxer shorts with smiley faces
(Scott)
Best supporting actor, Superman Pyjama Division: Handsome Neighbor
Best word you’d never thought of before but now use all the time:
Parenthetically
Best character we never see but couldn’t do without: Snarky
Narrator
Best temper tantrum: The Professor and Julia, in the
seminar, with the broken whiteboard marker
Best use of a museum for other than artwork: Gabriel and Julia
(twice)
Best supporting performance by a fruit: mango (You know I had to
list this one.)
Best Impulsive Expletive, Mixed Species Division: "Angelfucker"
Best Impulsive Expletive; Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Ex-Boyfriend Division: "Listen, motherfucker, you're lucky we aren't in the same room or you'd be spending the evening in surgery trying to have your head reattached to your body." (Gabriel)
Best Use of a Common Household Item: the purple towel
Most Heartbreaking Body-Art Mystery: the dragon tattoo
What awards would you give to SR or his characters?
Best song?
Best location or setting for any scene?
Best "burn"? (Please let it involve Christa...)
Give us your ideas in the comments!
(Thanks to Gel for the special Gandy photo, and to Jenn, MOG, Elli, Coco and Enn for help with this post!)
"Do you ever paint your toes?" Gabriel stroked Julia's ankle, before sliding his thumb along her instep.
They were reclining in bed, she with her head on a
pillow, he lying at her feet. The gentle rhythm of the rain hitting the roof of
their hut filled the warm, humid air. “Sometimes. But it’s so cold in my apartment, when I
get out of the shower I just want to get dressed.” Gabriel frowned, but continued his foot
massage. “We have to move you out of
that apartment.” She sighed. “We
talked about this.” “You can paint
your toes at my place.” He gave her a searing look. She wiggled her toes. “Why wait? You can paint my
toes here.” “No.” He placed her foot
gently on the bed. “No? For a man
with a shoe fetish, that’s very strident.” “I don’t have a shoe fetish. I simply admire women’s
shoes because they’re sexy and they enhance a woman’s attractiveness. And I’m
not into feet.” “Oh, really,
Professor?” “Oh, really. So no toe
painting, Miss Mitchell. Or toe sucking.” He winked and slid his hand up her
calf. “That’s disappointing,” she
pouted. “What else can we do on a rainy afternoon?” “I have a few ideas.”
********
In
one swift movement he covered her and pressed their mouths
together.
“You’re very intense,” Julia
breathed. He was over her, inside
her, his sapphire eyes focused and unblinking. “I’m with a beautiful woman, having fantastic sex.”
He increased his pace and moved to her neck, nipping and sucking at the
skin. “I feel like we’re the only
ones in the world.” “Good,” he
mumbled, kissing across her shoulder. “You make me feel beautiful.” In response, he licked her breast until she began to
groan. “I love you.” Gabriel lifted his head. His eyes glittered, then
grew determined. “Nothing can
separate us,” he growled, quickening his pace. “Nothing can separate us because I love
you.” Without warning, Julia felt the
pleasure overtake her and she moaned incoherently. Gabriel continued thrusting
until he too, was overcome. “Nothing,” he whispered, as he lay on top of her,
their bodies covered with a thin sheen of perspiration. “Nothing.”
Gabriel's Rapture - Outtake
~~~~~~~~~
Water.
I need lots of water.
And air.
I need fresh air, preferably accompanied by a sea breeze.
So ... Umm ...
It looks as though Gabriel and Julia are still quite preoccupied with one another. I guess we better occupy our time in Belize with a tourist attraction ... or four.
Let's do ourselves a favor though, and begin our expedition in a place where we can cool ourselves off just a bit:
The Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the mainland of Belize City.
The hole is circular in shape, over 300 metres (984 ft.) across and 125 metres (410 ft.) deep. The world’s largest natural formation of its kind, the Great Blue Hole is part of the larger Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Great Blue Hole is a world-class destination for recreational scuba divers attracted by the opportunity to dive in crystal-clear waters and see many species of marine life including tropical fish and spectacular coral formations.
The marine life in these areas include nurse sharks, giant groupers, and several types of reef sharks such as the Caribbean reef shark and the Blacktip shark. Dive excursions to the Great Blue Hole are full-day trips, that usually consist of one dive in the Blue Hole and two additional dives in nearby reefs.
And if you want an idea of what's underneath those beautiful waters, come on a virtual dive with me. I promise it's worth your while and perfectly safe:
The nice thing about a virtual vacation is that we're not hampered by pesky, logistical things like distances and travel time. Now that we've cooled off under the sea, let's head inland into the wilderness for a truly awe inspiring experience:
Caracol
Situated high on the Vaca Plateau, 500 meters (1650 ft) above sea level, Caracol is the largest Maya site in Belize. It was once one of the largest ancient Maya cities, covering some 168 square kilometers (65 mi²). At its peak around 650 AD it had an estimated population of about 150,000, more than twice as many people as Belize City has today.
Ancient Caracol was occupied as early as 1200 BC. Its greatest period of construction occurred between 484 AD and 889 AD when over 40 monuments were built. The largest pyramid in Caracol is Canaa (Sky Place), at 43 meters (143 ft) it is still the tallest man-made structure in all of Belize.
Caracol was first reported by a native logger named Rosa Mai, who came across the site in 1937 while searching for hardwood trees.
As you may have guessed by now, Belize is a country for nature lovers. I'm not entirely certain I can picture The Professor backpacking into the jungle, although something tells me we'd all be in very capable hands if he led us inside one. Either way, I'm sure he would have a certain appreciation for our next stop-over:
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the biggest, protected destinations in Belize. The reserve was founded in 1990 as the first wilderness sanctuary for the jaguar. Although roughly 60 of Belize’s 700 jaguars are believed to live in the sanctuary, your chances of seeing one are very slim. However, it’s an ideal environment for plant-spotting, bird viewing or seeking out other wildlife, and the trail system is the best developed in any of Belize’s protected areas.
Perhaps that's enough of the outdoors for the time being. Besides, what journey with The Professor would be complete without a trip to the museum?
Museum of Belize:
The Museum of Belize, located in downtown Belize City (Gabourel Lane), and on the grounds of the Central Bank of Belize, was the country’s first national museum, inaugurated in 2002. The Museum is housed in a refurbished British colonial prison built in 1857 and evacuated in 1993.
The Museum of Belizehas retained its link with the past as each window of the structure signifies a cell that was built for one inmate. One cell has been restored to give visitors a glimpse of what prison life used to be like.
What used to be a dwelling for inmates is now where valued Belizean treasures are on exhibit. Both permanent and rotating collections are on display. Maya Masterpieces is a permanent museum collection that spans the ancient Maya civilization from 600 B.C. to A.D. 1500. Many artifacts displaying the legacy of ancient Maya achievements are exhibited. Rotating exhibits include “Insects of Belize” a colorful collection of butterflies, including the spectacular Blue Morpho, and “Stamps of Belize” which, features a stamp commemorating the Coronation of King George VI (1937).
"Without warning, she moved so she was straddling his lap and placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling him toward her. They kissed passionately for a moment before she took the mango and knife from his hand and placed a piece temptingly in her mouth. He gave her a heated look before he brought their lips together, tugging the piece of fruit away with his teeth. "Mmmmm," she hummed. "By the way, I don't think I ever saw the security video from our date at the museum." She gently squeezed a piece of mango over his chest and began kissing and sucking across the droplet trail. "Ah - ah --" Gabriel had trouble finding his words. "I've seen it. It's pretty hot." "Really?" She sat back and languidly ate a piece of fruit in front of him, licking her fingers slowly. "I'll show it to you later." He pulled her into a tight embrace, his hands sliding up and down her back. Then, when he couldn't stand it any longer, he tossed everything aside so he could lift her into his arms. "Where are we going?" she asked, slightly alarmed. "To the beach."
Gabriel's Rapture, Chapter 19
~~~~~~~~~
I have to tell you, I'm a bit relieved that Gabriel and Julia are leaving the hut for a little bit.
Next week will be our final one in Belize and no vacation is complete without browsing for souvenirs. So while our favorite couple is busy enjoying the surf and sand, I'll be setting up shop.
I hope to see you there. I'm pretty sure you'll find something to take home with you.
You still have one day left to enter the Valentine's Day Giveaway on SR's website. There are some amazing gifts available so be sure to venture over and check it all out.
Enter the drawing here!
And the winners are...
results powered by Random.org
Entry #20912Lucia
Entry #13457Veronica B.
Entry #12197Chloe M.
Entry #13819Alison S.
Entry #522Louise H.
Entry #4777Karen B.
Entry #7826Diana K.
Entry #1822Cerstin W.
Entry #8139kristi
Entry #18986Hali H.
Entry #3317Paula Y.
Entry #10978Jasmine G.
Entry #8812Cristina
Entry #14365Kelly B.
Entry #23373Brittany N.
Hugs for my Doppelganger and her romantic Mog ;-) ~Iris~Elli
Cranberry Sonnet
Render me mute my random Valentine
My art is filled with your sweet honey soul
Such a cute and shy fandom gal-o-mine
My heart is stilled when you tweet with control
I could dress up in the professor's clothes
(With you in one of Julianne's nighties)
Or I could show off with a Gandy pose
(Although I would need some tighty whities)
I hope you know that my depth of passion
Is rivaled only by my sincere trust
Not to mention you've improved my fashion
Because it's Argyle Empire or bust
Promise me to sing when a strange wind blows
And that the only thing you'll change is clothes
ETA:
Cranberry has requested the Tighty Whities ;-)
There's still time to vote for SR in the Author category of the 5th Annual Shorty Awards. Nominations are open until February 18th, and as of this morning, SR held the No. 7 spot. Only a few hundred votes seperate the Top 7 so every vote added can quickly influence his placing in the poll.
The Shorty Awards honor the best in social media; recognizing the people and organizations producing real-time short content across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Foursquare and the rest of the social web.
Every year, millions of people visit the Shorty Awards site to support their favorite social media content creators by tweeting nominations. All those tweets culminate in a highly anticipated awards ceremony that celebrates the winners as chosen by categories. The Shorty Awards also honors the industry's best agencies, brands, and social media professionals.
The Shorty Awards ceremony will be on April 8, 2013 at the TimesCenter in New York City.
So vote and spread the word to your fellow Argyle Lovers!
"I think we missed our dinner because we were feasting on - ah - other things."
"And what a feast it was, Professor. At least there's a fruit basket."
She sat up, wrapping the sheet around her torso, while he walked over to the large basket that was sitting on the coffee table. He found a Swiss army knife in the kitchenette, made an adjustment to the music, and brought a mango with him to bed.
"I needed to match the song to the fruit," he said, his blue eyes sparkling. "Now lie back."
She felt her heart rate begin to increase.
"You don't need this." Boldly, he pulled the sheet away. Now they were both naked.
"Who's singing?"
"Bruce Cockburn."
He began cutting the mango slowly, his eyes exploring Julia's body.
She gave him a quizzical look. "Naked lunch?"
"More like a naked midnight snack."
Gabriel's Rapture, Chapter 19
~~~~~~~~~
Last week, we arrived in Belize and explored our accomodations at the Turtle Inn Resort. I don't know about you, but all that activity made me hungry, so let's see what's on the menu in our tropical paradise.
My research on Belize has revealed there is no truly distinctive cuisine for this culture. As we ponder our choices, it is safe to say we will discover a combination of Caribbean, Mexican, African, Spanish and Mayan influences.
With miles and miles of coastline, it should be no surprise that Belize is best known for its seafood. And if you like to indulge in lobster you're in luck because it's readily available and inexpensive.
However, there's no need to panic if seafood isn't really your thing. Stew chicken is considered a national dish.
Stews are also popular, including Chimole (black gumbo) and Sere, a coconut based seafood stew.
Another widely available dish is conch fritters, which are popular appetizers.
I've come to understand that no Belizean table setting is complete without a bottle of Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce. I wonder if the Professor's neighbor back at the ManuLife would appreciate some?
However, there is one bit of bad news for the Professor and Julianne. According to Frommers, "Belize doesn't have a very extravagant or refined dessert culture. After all, the country was colonized by the British, not the French."
But we all know the Professor enjoys a challenge and I'm sure he could find a creative way to introduce his Beloved to the wonders of the locally produced Goss Chocolate.
Is it hot in here? I'm suddenly feeling a bit thirsty. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious beverages for us to enjoy. While fruit shakes are common, someone in a more adventurous mood might try out the local delicacy known as a seaweed shake.
This is a concoction made of dried seaweed, evaporated and condensed milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and blended with ice. They are sometimes kicked up with a shot of rum or brandy (which I would definitely request).
Speaking of rum...
The Caribbean is world famous for its rum production and Belize is no exception. I highly recommend a local brand called 1 Barrel (but please don't let Sailor Jerry know that I said that).
And if you're wondering what beer the Professor might have been enjoying as he sunbathed on the beach with Julianne, I would guess it was likely a bottle of Belikin.
But if for some reason, none of these dishes hold an appeal for you, there's always the mango.
With deft fingers he cut a small slice of the fruit, juice dripping from his hands and onto her abdomen. She arched an eyebrow.
"Hmmm." He peered at the juice with an impish expression. "I'll have to take care of that."
She opened her mouth as he leaned forward to feed her. "You have a feeding fetish," she said, licking her lips and angling for more.
He bowed before her in obeisance, his tongue snaking out to capture the liquid from her stomach. "Pardon?" he asked.
Julia groaned incoherently.
"It isn't a fetish so much as an act that gives me joy. I like to care for you, and there's something sensual about sharing food with a lover." He eschewed her lips to kiss her shoulder, the tip of his tongue tasting her skin. Withdrawing, he cut another slice of fruit. A few droplets fell like liquid sunshine on her left breast.
"Damn. Forgive my mess."
~~~~~~~~~
Since it looks like Gabriel and Julianne will be enjoying another feast for two inside their private hut, we best find other ways to occupy our time in Belize. Next week, I'll be back to show you what kind of things you can do in Belize (besides the Professor).
