At some point I’m going to have to get organized and keep track of how often I feature a certain book for Snippet Sunday. Looking back, I’ve only featured Comfort Object once, and it’s one of my favorite books. It’s also one of my earliest books and my first “traditionally” published book. I love going back to read Comfort Object because while I was writing it, I just didn’t care! And I mean that in the best way. I was writing without a fear of scrutiny or reader reaction, because I was just writing it for some friends and I never thought it would be published. Once it was published there was certainly reader reaction…some good, some bad. It certainly seemed to spawn a lot of conversation. 🙂
A huge part of Comfort Object is the “contract” between Nell and Jeremy. It takes on so much weight it’s almost another character in the novel. I haven’t read 50 Shades of Grey in its entirety but I heard there was a contract in that book as well. There’s something about engaging someone contractually for sexual purposes that so twisted and hot! In fact, there are entire groups on Fetlife dedicated to “Contract Play” and the creation of sexual and/or BDSM focused contracts. The focus is normally on slave contracts but you can write up a sexy contract for just about anything.
Just ask Jeremy Gray, who was coming up with contracts long before that other Grey guy:
Jeremy slid the papers across the table.
“Why don’t you just read them? Let me know if you have any questions.”
There were five or six full pages of job description. I smiled, resting my head on my hand. Okay, the high salary made sense now. I began to scan the first page, also written in something akin to legalese.
“I guess you keep your lawyers busy with all these papers and contracts,” I said.
“Yes, I do. But I think it’s important to have everything perfectly clear and written down in black and white. It’s easier for everyone involved.”
“Yes, of course.”
The document began with more verbiage about privacy, discretion, the outward appearance of normalcy. Outward appearance of normalcy. Okay, that was a little weird.
Near the bottom, it got even weirder. The applicant will tender public displays of affection as needed…
The applicant agrees to cooperate with photo opportunities and/or candid interviews regarding the love relationship of Jeremy Gray and the applicant with a positive, convincingly affectionate tone…
I stopped reading, my pulse suddenly beating in my ears. “I don’t… I’m not… Okay. I’m a little confused.”
“About what?”
“So…this sounds like I’m supposed to pretend to be your girlfriend.”
“Yes, that is part of the job. A big part of the job actually. The public part.”
The public part. I wondered what the private part amounted to. I flipped over to page three, page four.
The applicant agrees to provide sexual relations on demand, to include vaginal, oral, and anal sex. The applicant agrees to comply with regular blood testing and remain monogamous while in the employ of Jeremy Gray, excepting group sexual encounters at the discretion of Jeremy Gray, to include but not limited to m/m/f, f/f/m, f/f/m/m, m/m/m/f encounters.
The applicant understands that she will act as submissive and/or sexual slave to give comfort and relaxation in private, and function as a loving and affectionate girlfriend in public, and under no circumstances will behave in any way that exhibits or suggests her submissive status in public.
The applicant understands the protocols and expectations of the dominant and submissive relationship and agrees to comply with all requested protocols in private, to include obedience, sexual subservience, and constant availability.
Sexual subservience and use may include but is not limited to sexual intercourse, the use of erotic toys and aids, the use of multiple partners and multiple penetration, the withholding and control of orgasms, sexual objectification, and diverse sexual practices, which the applicant may or may not find repugnant.
The papers fluttered from my fingertips. There was more, much more, but I had seen enough. The knot in my throat made it impossible to speak, and I couldn’t look at him, so I simply stood and started to walk. Walk away, walk outside, walk home. I didn’t care. I didn’t care as long as I was walking away from him.
But of course he followed. He took my elbow, and we waited for his car. He helped me in like nothing in the world was wrong, tipped the valet, started driving. I fumed beside him on the seat. How dare he? Just because he was some big-time movie star, that gave him the right to try to hire me as his personal slave? To spring his contract on me, to humiliate me?
“Nell, listen…”
“Please, just take me home.”
“Talk to me.”
I turned on him. “What do you want me to say? You said you wanted an assistant. Someone to help you, keep you organized–“
“It does help! It does keep me organized!”
Oh, God help me, I love me some Jeremy Gray. He is certainly a man who knows what he needs. And here’s a funny story… When I submitted the original manuscript to Loose Id, the contract in this snippet was about five times longer. Literally, it went on and on in explicit detail. My editor wrote this big red bubble: THIS IS TOO LONG!! CUT IT TO HALF A PAGE. Yes, I have always been into erotic contracts. I went back and tried to find the original contract in my old drafts but I couldn’t. If I ever uncover it, I’ll be sure to post it for you all. It was a scream.
If you haven’t read Comfort Object, you’re missing out. It’s so dirty, so crazy, so emotional, and so fun. Click the cover below to find a blurb and buy links.
Oh, poor people who don’t know what really hot, sexy well-written erotic romances are available and think they have stumbled onto some daring publishing secret when they get their hands on those other books about a certain Mr. Grey. They really don’t know the half of do they? You, Cherise Sinclair and Joey Hill is who I always recommend to someone who admits to reading those other books and being interested. They always return and rave (while blushing) about how hot the books are…I then point out how much better they are written. This usually leads to a discussion of other authors they might like and soon I have corrupted yet another group of my friends, family and acquaintances.
I love all the comfort books and need some more please
Well, goodness, I think is it time to read this again. Then I will have it all fresh to post on Goodreads. I have tooooo many ‘have reads’ to review.! Slowly getting there. I do hope you will read Fifty with an open mind. YES, you did do it first. Ha, Ha…of course, Fifty was torn apart by a lot of readers, but that is just the way it seems to go. I , however, enjoyed it. It made me laugh . Love ya.
I believe this was my first ebook from you, someone on Romantic Times recommended it. Love this book I have it on my PC my kindle and my bookshelf. Too bad they made you cut the contract in half would to see what was in that contract.
You know, you just gave me a idea for when I graduate: I’m gonna be a sex contract specialzed lawyer.hahaha
I would have the best clients ever.
Maryara, That’s a great idea but just think about the problems with arbitatation…and mediation. You would be constantly stuck in the middle, so to speak, when one party or the other violated one of the terms.
Yeah, you’re right! I was not serious about it, I’m too soft for this.
Actually, depending how attractive your clients were, being “stuck in the middle”…oh, never mind me. 😛
I so, so want to read the original long version. You are such a tease. I love the original Mr. Gray. His contract was better. Way better. And Nell actually signed it, unlike some other characters … and other heroes who played with them despite that minor detail for fear of losing them… I can’t see Jeremy ever compromising on that. He was such a stickler. And so hot. I recently re-read most of CO because I was looking for something and kept forgetting what I was looking for because I kept getting sucked into the story. It’s like a time warp.
A time warp, I love it! You have no idea how great that makes me feel as a writer. I will keep looking for that longer contract. It was naughty. 🙂