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When a night out turns into a matchmaking scheme, 

they thought communication would be their biggest challenge to their happily ever after.... 

Signs of Desire

by Tempeste O’Riley

Desires Entwined, #4

M/M Erotic Contemporary Romance 

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Release Date: November 30, 2014 (ebook/print)

Length: Novel / 200 pages

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What made you decide to make one of your MCs Deaf (and why is the “d” in caps?)

I don’t know that I “decided” so much as I knew that Adrian had so much more to him than we saw in Desires’ Guardian. Though, he wasn’t the other main character I’d initially planned to go with Simon, lol. The characters set me straight on who went with whom, lol (read the first scene in the book and you’ll understand, promise). I’ve been asked why I keep making “disabled” characters, but I don’t see Adrian as that, so it wasn’t a “thing” to me. I just saw a man in need of love and a perfect match for the bruised and heart-sick Simon.

As for the D, that’s a common thing in the Deaf community to capitalize Deaf when referring to people who identify themselves as members of the distinct linguistic and cultural group whose primary language is ASL—the Deaf community—and lowercase it when referring to people who have a hearing loss or to those Deaf people who prefer oral methods of communication (so says the The Chicago Manual of Style). This is how I was accustomed to writing and thinking from my time studying Deaf culture and ASL in university as well so I wrote it that way in the story. The one this I did that still looks a little odd to me is I wrote Hearing with a cap H for the same reason I did the cap D for those that hear... just for consistency, lol (it made the editors happy).

But honestly, I didn’t decide to make a Deaf MC... I just wrote the story of two men that fell in love, one just happens to be Deaf.

Simon Tyler knows his job as a gay romance author makes his lack of faith in love more than a little ironic, but he’s tired of being used for his wallet. When a night out turns into a matchmaking scheme orchestrated by his best friends—though he’s not the target—Simon’s not thrilled, but since he’s sworn off happily-ever-after anyway, he goes along with it… until he meets the object of their efforts, Adrian, and finds perhaps he hasn’t given up on love after all. 

Professor Adrian Keys has tried to date hearing men before, but being deaf himself, he’s never had any success at making a connection. After his friends con him into going out and Adrian realizes it’s all an elaborate plan to set him up, he braces for yet another failure, only to discover there is a spark—except it’s not with the man his friends had in mind, but with Simon Tyler instead. 

Not all their friends have found a way past their romantic failures, but Simon and Adrian might be on the path to happily-ever-after.

The darkness of the parking lot stretched out in front of Adrian Keys, and the door to the Mexican restaurant spilled light onto the pavement every time someone opened it to exit or enter. Stupid. He regretted letting his friend talk him into going out with “the guys.” By the time he reached the door, he had almost talked himself out of going in, but no such luck. A gentle tap to his shoulder broke him out of his paralysis. When he turned, he was face-to-face with Chase, his one-time date turned friend.

Distracted by his concerns, he barely noticed Chase was dressed in a light blue button-down shirt that conformed to his lean and lithe chest. He wore low-rise black jeans that were faded on the thighs, chunky biker boots, and a platinum wrist cuff on one wrist—Adrian knew the cuff was new. When they’d met, Chase had worn a double-buckle black leather one instead. The thing that caught his attention, as it always did, was Chase’s eyes. They were one part amber, one part blue, and another part green, with the most beautiful flecks of gold in them.

Shaking off his inappropriate distraction, he tried to smile, and said and signed, “Hi.”

“Hi, Adrian. You’re not leaving already, are you?” Chase signed. Adrian loved how hard Chase worked to improve his ASL and how he always used it with him now. Even though he could read lips quite well, communicating in his native language and style was more fluid and comfortable for him.

“No.” Adrian bit his bottom lip, looking away from Chase. He glanced at the restaurant a moment, not sure his worries would make sense to anyone Hearing before returning his gaze to his friend. “I’m worried your friends will be uncomfortable with me or that I won’t be able to keep up with the conversation.”

The grin that spread across Chase’s face was both endearing and unnerving. “There’s only a few of us, and it’s really good food. Promise.” He winked. “Tonight is a night for fun!” Before Adrian realized what was happening, Chase draped his arm around Adrian’s shoulders and pulled him in for a hug.

Adrian allowed Chase to drag him inside, and before he knew it, he sat at a long, curved booth with six others, including Chase. Warmth blanketed him on all sides thanks both to the warm bodies and the heater that valiantly fought off the frigid temperatures outside. Milwaukee in the early spring was cold, icy, and just plain miserable to be out in, though he would take cold over heat any day of the week—you can always put more on, after all.

“Adrian, you know Rhys, and these guys are Dale, Simon, Jamie, and Grayson,” Chase explained, signing as he spoke, making sure to gesture to each man in turn. “We’re only missing Vaughn, but he’s still overseas doing his teacher-swap thing. Boys, this is Adrian.”

He worked hard to smile and waved. “Hello.”

They all replied with heys and his as he looked between the men.

   

“I found it a beautiful tale of unhappiness changed to romance and then love with a happy ending.”

—Rainbow Book Reviews, on “Designs of Desire”

“Designs of Desire is a tough realistic book that is touched by violence countered by the growing love between the two heroes.”

—Sensual Reads, on “Designs of Desire”

“It’s a great book to fall into and enjoy some really good characters.”

—Love Bytes, on “Desires’ Guardian”

“This is my favorite in this series so far. I love seeing how these characters are growing, all of them. As individuals, as couples, as friends, and as a family.”

—MM Good Book Reviews, on “Desires’ Guardian”

“The writer did an excellent job with the characters, they are likable and perfect. Not perfect in the way that they have no flaws, but in a way that they grab you and complement each other.”

—Love Bytes Reviews, on “Temptations of Desire”

Designs of Desire – Simple Desires*+ – Bound by Desire* – Desires’ Guardian – Temptations of Desire – Truth in Lace* – 
Desires’ Pride* – Micah’s Medicine+ – Caged Sanctuary – Whiskers of a Chance

*shorts in series +shorts in anthologies

Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual genderfluid whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what they couldn’t—defy the hate and come out. He has been their hero ever since.

Tempe is a hopeless romantic who loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, they has done many things in their life, yet writing has always drawn them back—no matter what else life has thrown their way. They counts her friends, family, and Muse as their greatest blessings in life. They lives in Wisconsin with their children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.

Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America^®, WisRWA, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Tempe’s preferred pronouns are they/them/their/theirs/themselves. To learn more about Tempeste and their writing, visit http://tempesteoriley.com.

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