M.L. Skye's Blog, page 2

Sunday Snippet: Yearly Vigil

Whew. Ended upbeing a long week between work, home, and other projects. The biggest and bestone is helping my daughter edit her final paper for her master's degree. I'm soproud of her!

I made a small dentin the great cleanout project. Didn't get a lot accomplished but made a bit ofprogress, which I'll take.

Finished up two workprojects and continued on with two more. I have another two in flux and two newones coming sometime this week. Excited to stay busy!

Pretty good weekfor viewing. I got through my full round of shows and finished up one from lastweek. I'm still working on one of the others.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and it was one of my favorite episodes. I love agood masquerade or costume party.

Caught anotherepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries and enjoyed Gloria and Nick workingtogether. Hope to see more of that in future episodes.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. The run-up to Neville leaving is turning out to bea lot of fun. And always good to see Dwayne back. Looking forward to the next episode.

Finished up thetwo-part Poirot and loved how the resolution came together. I like itwhen the infallible Poirot gets off on the wrong track for a bit.

Watched another episodeof Elementary and quite enjoyed the mystery. Also enjoyed Joan handlingher detractor and Sherlock acting as the support system afterward.

Enjoyed an episodeof Batman Beyond. I remembered this one from my original watch. A lot offun.

Caught an episodeof Lower Decks and, again, ended up being equally charmed and annoyed. Ithink that's my standard for this show.

Finished up the Reacherepisode from last week and wow. Gotta say I didn't see the ending coming, whichis always a good thing. Hoping I can get a full episode in this week.

Almost finished anepisode of Peak Practice. Things are getting very messy in therelationship departments for everyone, and Sam, whew, what a huge pile he'sgetting ready to step into.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Yearly Vigil, anovella that pulls a couple together over a shared loss.

Here's theminiblurb:

Venessa Broyles makes a yearly vigil to the graveside ofher former lover, Hamish Blesdale, where she runs into his best friend, HoganBaird. What starts out as an awkward stroll down memory lane eventually bringstwo lonely souls together.

And a sneaky peek…

Hell, why do I care?He cocked his head. "I carebecause Hamish loved you." And Hogan wanted to understand her mindset. Why she would refuse the honor ofhaving the flag.Maybe because she'd killed his bestfriend. Indirectly, but the responsibility rested on her shoulders. When hefigured out how he felt about that specific instance, he might be able to startthe grieving process.Until then, he needed to conducthimself as Hamish would expect. "He'd want you to have the flag."Venessa shrugged. "I don'tneed a flag to remember him." Hogan frowned. "Or to rememberyour role in his death." Harsh, but the shrug got to him.She flinched like he'd slapped her,and he regretted the accusation, but he didn't take it back. He did blame her …a little. Might not be rational, but too bad.Venessa popped the door open."You're right. I'll never need a reminder about why he died." Shemoved behind the door, using it as a barrier between them. "Good that you came,Hogan. Hamish deserved to have the people who cared about him most to see himlaid to rest." She slid behind the wheel.Hogan put a hand on the top of thedoor. "If you change your mind … let me know." He met her gaze."Take care, Venessa."She blinked and gave a nod. "Yeah,you too." Then she pulled the door shut and started the engine.Hogan didn't like the subdued but dangerouslook in her eyes. He quickly made his way to his rental vehicle and decided tofollow her. No matter how he felt about her role in Hamish's death or her currentlack of emotion, he'd make sure she got home okay.Pulling out behind her, he stayed afew car lengths back. "It's the least I can do for my best friend."

Pretty happy withhow this story is coming together. Hamish and Venessa have a long road totravel, and I enjoy this journey.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on this flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yarn Spinning

Another month endis almost in sight. August is gearing up to be a busy month for me and I'm excitedand exhausted at the same time. I love being busy and having projects on mycalendar but also have to remember to take time to decompress.

Cleanout projectstalled again. I had deadlines to meet and also got a new office chair that neededassembly. Have to admit it's comfy.

Had a solid workweek with several projects ongoing and two that needed to be finished. I gotthose out of the way and started a new one that's a long procedural.

Pretty good week ofviewing. Made it through a full round of shows and started both of my back-burnerones.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the backstory of Janie and Phryne. Almostthrough the first season.

Started the newseason of Madame Blanc Mysteries and a holiday episode. Looking forwardto more of this show.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Kind of sad to see Marlon go. He ended upgrowing on me. Thrilled to see JP back for a brief appearance. The mystery alsogave Marlon time to shine, which is nice for his final ep.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot, which is the first of two parts. Looking forward toseeing how this one ends. A super-young Polly Walker is a guest star!

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. I haven't quite decided how I feel about Morelandsticking around for a while, but I did like his interaction with Sherlock. The casealso proved to be interesting.

Caught another episodeof Batman Beyond and have vague memories of this one the first timearound. Always fun to have Shriek back.

Watched anotherepisode of Lower Decks. This show annoys and charms me in equal measure.I did quite like the interaction between mom and daughter even when I rolled myeyes several times.

Started an episode ofPeak Practice. I didn't quite manage to finish it but will get it donethis week. I hope!

Also started andgot most of the way through another episode of Reacher. I only stoppedbecause I couldn't keep my eyes open. That's what watching a show at four a.m.will do.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Yarn Spinning, a novellathat puts a couple together in an awkward situation.

Here's theminiblurb:

Torrin Becks and Gaelan Van Zant pull duty on the samescout ship, which creates a good bit of tension in the five-man crew. Torrinand Gaelan have something of a history and when the yarn spinning—who has thegreatest exploit—starts, Torrin has to decide if she'll call Gaelan out on abig fat fib or let the story stand as the winner.

And a sneaky peek…

Torrin lurked in the corridorhoping to run into her female crewmate, Emlee Natch. If she could talkLieutenant Natch into trading quarters, Torrin wouldn't have to suffer throughthe awkward situation with Gaelan. Seriously, who did she piss off to land thisduty assignment?Humming preceded footsteps on thedeck. Torrin pushed away from the bulkhead and walked toward the musical sound.Her first look at Emlee, dark hair,friendly face, and welcoming eyes, eased some of the tension in Torrin'sshoulders.Emlee grinned. "You must beLieutenant Becks." She thrust her palm forward. "Welcomeaboard."Torrin clasped the other woman'spalm. "I am, yes. It's nice to meet you." She nodded toward thebunkroom across the corridor. "You're Lieutenant Natch?"Emlee nodded. "Yep. But callme Emlee. Except for the captain, we're on a first name basis here. So mucheasier with this small crew and it's distracting to use rank when we're alllieutenants." She propped a shoulder on the bulkhead. "You gettingsettled in?"Torrin would take that opening."Uh, about that. You wouldn't be interested in switching sides with me,would you?" She hesitated to say more because she didn't want to putGaelan in a bad light.Emlee tilted her head. "Isense a story here … one you're not ready to talk about, yeah?" Torrin grimaced. "Wouldn't beappropriate, but it's not anything terrible. More like awkward." She lefther reasoning there to avoid diving too deep.Emlee gave her a commiseratinglook. "Understandable. But I won't be able to help." She leaned inand pitched her voice low. "Craig … Lieutenant Lawler … and I are, well,involved. If we weren't, I'd've been happy to switch quarters."Torrin's head bobbed. "Ah. Isee. And I get it. Thanks anyway." She dipped her chin. "Really greatto meet you. Looking forward to working with you." Easing back, she turnedand reentered her quarters.Emlee paused at the hatch. "Ifit helps, I'll trade shifts with you once we're out in the black."Torrin smiled. "Thanks. Can Iget back to you on that?" She might take Emlee up on the offer if Gaelanmade things too weird.Emlee nodded. "Absolutely. Letme know." She stepped away and crossed the corridor to her quarters.Torrin sat down on the small sofaagainst the bulkhead.Gaelan rapped on the door to herside of the bathroom. Torrin sighed. "Yeah?"He poked his head inside her space."Are you moving across the corridor?"She shook her head. "Sorry,no. We'll have to make do." She drew her knees up to her chest and restedher chin on them.Gaelan grunted. "Right. Okaythen. I'm going to grab a shower. Captain wants a quick briefing inthirty." He closed the door, and the water turned on.Torrin let out a long exhale."At least he told me." Something Eric wouldn't have done…She didn't want to think about him.And her newly formed plan would see her avoiding Gaelan as much as possible.Which pissed her off because he based his opinion of her on Eric's descriptionof their breakup.She had a good reason to split upwith him. "And it wasn't easy." No matter what her ex probably toldhis best friend.

I'm pleased withhow this story is coming together. Torrin takes the upper road and it shouldend up paying off for her.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yanking the Pipe

Getting a latestart to my day because my sleep schedule is out of whack. This has affected mygreat cleanout project, and I'm still determined to get back on track and atleast do small things each day. Stay tuned!

On a differentnote, I did get about ten pounds of ground beef cooked and in the freezer. Alsogot three bags of grapes cleaned and in the fridge. So, the cleanout projecttook a back burner, but I did get other things done.

Work is still busywith new projects coming in and I'm enjoying the variety of things I have rightnow. I've also been able to do some catchup on my own stuff. I've been strivingfor better balance between my editing work and my writing.

Had a solid viewingweek and made a full round of my regular shows and my two back burner shows. I'llbe starting a new one this week, I think. Looking forward to picking up with a newseason of something.

Started the weekwith Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the episode and gettingsome Dr. Mac backstory.

Think I finished upthe first season of Art Detectives. I really enjoyed this show and hopeto see another season. They left enough seeds to pick up if they get one.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise and ended up really loving the mystery. Not astandard path and the twists were good.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. It's one I'd seen most of before and I remembered mostof the plot. Good episode.

Watched an episodeof Elementary. Gotta say I love Joan being totally unafraid of the elderHolmes. Their interactions were very fun. And her getting the goods on himrocked the entire episode.

Caught an episodeof Batman Beyond. It's one I remembered but forgot about. Does that makesense. Great episode too.

Enjoyed an episodeof Lower Decks. This show is kind of wonky but usually adorable. Just enoughtongue in cheek to keep things interesting and fresh.

Watched the openingof Peak Practice season eleven. Sam is on a precarious journey, and Ithink his exit is set up nicely. Not really sure about Will and Kate. I'm notreally interested in them becoming the new Andrew and whatever his partner'sname is.

Also caught anotherepisode of Reacher. Man. This show. If I ever find the time, I want todo a deep dive and dig into some of the themes and tropes I love.

And that's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Yanking the Pipe, anovella that pulls a couple apart when they choose to travel different paths.

Here's theminiblurb:

Sammie Shields and Firth Fairmountain have fun yankingthe pipe—pulling anonymous pranks—until one of their fellow soldiers getsinjured. Their commanding officer gives them a choice—transfer to a marine unitto learn discipline or get busted down a rank. Sammie opts for demotion, butFirth chooses the alternate and finds a new mission, which Sammie struggles toaccept.

And a sneaky peek…

Sammie moved her belongings to thejunior pilot quarters. The roaring in her ears started when reaction finallyset in. She didn't quite know how to deal with the idea Firth wouldn't be inher corner anymore.Their last conversation replayed ona loop in her mind.Firth scoffed. "I'm notleaving you." Sammie's eyes widened. "Yes.You are. We won't see each other if you're going to be with the marines."How could he not get that?Firth frowned then sighed."You can look at it that way if you want to. But I will still seeyou." He threw the rest of his stuff in a rucksack and headed out ofquarters.Right. He'd still see her if theybumped into each other in the corridor. Maybe.She started unpacking her gear."Hey, Lieutenant.Welcome to the lower ranks.""Wow. Does this mean I don'thave to take orders from you anymore?""This bunkroom operates byseniority. Previous rank doesn't count. You're low man on the ladder now."Getting ribbed by her former juniorofficers sucked balls. But she'd have to grin and bear it. She could listen tothis for a month … right? Because she didn't plan to accept a demotion for anythinglonger than thirty days.Placing her personal belongings inher locker, she faced her new bunkmates. "Get your licks in now. Butremember this … my time here will be short, but my memory is very long."She slammed the door shut. "Choose your digs carefully…" With a mocksalute, she turned and exited the room.The next month would be brutal. Butshe would not dive into the grunt factory and kowtow to a bunch ofmarines. She couldn't believe Firth opted for the harder route. One that took him away from her. "Somefriend he turned out to be." She wouldn't miss him one damn bit.

I'm happy with howthis scene turned out and I'm excited to get Sammie and Firth through this conflict.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yank the Chain

It's verysauna-like outside with muggy weather and lots of humidity. Makes me want apool in a big way. Went down a big rabbit hole researching what's availablethat won't break the bank and discovered some genius ideas. It won't happenthis summer, but I have a new goal for next summer!

Hit a wall on mygreat cleanout project. But I'm determined to get back on it this week. Even ifI only get a little done each day it's something. I'm thinking I might make achart and log increments of time spent. If I see the forward progress it helps.

Ended up having asuper busy work week. Several projects came back at the same time and a new onestarted. It's been a plate-spinning couple of months with so many different thingsstacking up against each other. I love the variety and I think that helps keep mefrom losing my mind.

I did end up havinga great viewing week. I did a full round of shows and got to include the two Itend to keep on the back burner when things are jammed.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm almost through the first season and this istotal comfort viewing.

Watched anotherepisode of Art Detectives and I'm really enjoying this show. Shazia is alot of fun and the mystery with Mick's dad is intriguing. Looking forward tomore.

Caught an episodeof Death in Paradise. Love to see Selwyn with his daughter. The mysteryended up being excellent and the resolution had a nice twist.

Enjoyed another episodeof Poirot. I'm kind of fond of the episodes that don't have murders. Thisone was kind of madcap and that's always fun.

Watched the seasonfour premiere of Elementary. Watson being ready to kick the shit out of theHolmes patriarch is awesome. I loved her interaction with one of the stooges.And the first glimpse of Holmes the Great? So incredible. Excellent choice ofactor to play him. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Caught another episodeof Batman Beyond. It's one I remembered, and I enjoyed it. Terry and Maxare a great team.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks and definitely plan to stick with this one. Evenwhen I'm annoyed by some of the character bits, it's a fun watch.

Got to get theseason ten finale of Peak Practice viewed. Interesting to have Kate back,especially since Will is kind of ready to move on. The vehicle accident playedout with lots of tension and the two little girls with Tom ended up beingbetter than I thought it would be.

Last but not least,I got to watch another episode of Reacher. This show, man. It's so good.And that ending. Wow. Reacher's big feet keep stepping in steaming piles. Justsaying.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Yank the Chain,a novella where a couple get to put a superior officer in his place.

Here's the miniblurb:

When pilot Riley Wang refuses to cave in and sleep withan arrogant major, she ends up in hack a week before graduation from flightschool. Moss Mordecai bails her out but keeps her from going after her superiorofficer. If Riley wants back on the roster, she needs a plan and spending moretime in the brig isn't a good one.

And a sneaky peek…

Well,fuck. Did not see that coming.

Riley endured the colonel's kissfor several moments then broke away. "Um, I've got someplace I need tobe." She ducked her head to hide a grimace and swallow down the bilerising in her throat.Cabella cleared his throat. "Fine.But don't forget our agreement. And don't be late." He snarled the words.Turning, she shot a comeback."Don't forget what has to happen." She headed out of the office andswiped the back of her hand over her lips. "Bleh." Then she slammedinto Moss's hard body.He steadied her, his grip goingtight on her bicep. "Cabella is going down. Now." He started towardthe office.Riley shook her head. "No.That's not how we're playing this." She grasped his hand and tugged himaway from the door.Moss stopped and pinned her withhis gaze. "Are you all right?" He scanned her face with narrowedeyes.She suppressed a shudder."I'll live. Let's go." She started forward, swallowing bile again.Moss caught up to her. "Backto quarters." He put his arm around her for the short distance. She preceded him into the bunk areathen turned and hauled him close. She didn't have to tell him what she needed.He tilted her chin and caught her lips with his. He backed her up against thewall and the kiss spun out and deepened. When she finally got the taste andfeel of Cabella out of her mind, she eased away. "Thank you for remindingme what a great kiss is like." And wiping away one that sucked balls.Moss rested his forehead againsthers. "Any time, Riley. Ready for the next phase?"The civilian news team wantedconfirmation of her name back on the roster.She gave a nod. "It's the onlyreason I stopped you from going after him. He has to follow through or thatfarce of a lip-lock was for nothing." And she couldn't stomach thethought.Moss grunted. "Yeah, sorryabout that. I wanted to throat punch the asshat." His hands clenched intofists.Riley made a solemn promise."If my name isn't where it should be, you can get in line behind me tofollow through on that action."

So happy with howthis story is coming together. Riley and Moss are setting a huge trap and it'sgoing to be fun to write that scene.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: XO on the Warpath

It's the weekend oftrying to keep my doggos from losing their minds. I love fireworks, don't getme wrong, but I feel for all the pets out there that freak out over them.

I continued with thegreat cleanout stuff this week. Honestly, I did more organizing than cleaningbut being organized helps make cleaning and clearing a little easier.

I'm finally at a manageablelevel of projects. I have a few odds and ends to finish on a couple of them butthey're with the authors or the designer and I'm waiting in the wings to reviewrevisions.

Had another decentviewing week. Having a lighter workload does help. And I'm not as scattered onthe attention span side of things.

Started out with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm finding new things in the episodes, which isone of the reasons I love to rewatch a series I've seen before.

Watched another episodeof Art Detectives and I'm enjoying this show. I'm very interested in thebackstory of Mack's dad. I'm also hoping for more backstory with his partner.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Good to see the commissioner's daughteragain. The mystery also ended up being intriguing.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Very fun to not have a big murder to solve and seehow Poirot uses his skill to ferret out what's going on.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and, wow, season three ended on a big downer. I'mstill trying to decide if Sherlock ended up relapsing or if he's just horriblydistraught from Oscar's machinations. Oscar needs to die in a fire. Justsaying.

Caught anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Loved the spin on anurban legend that had a grain of truth in it.

Started a new to meseries with The Lower Decks. Enjoyed the first episode and ended upbeing happy I clocked the relationship between the captain and the know-it-allcrew member. I'll enjoy watching more of this one.

Ended the week on anepisode of Peak Practice. A lot going on in this one. And the tragicleap Will's patient made kind of surprised me. Kerry finding out the truthabout her parentage kind of bummed me out, but I'm also seriously irritated byher parents being such ninnies about the whole thing. Definitely feel bad forSam.

That's pretty much itfor the life update this week. Tonight's post is from XO on the Warpath,a novella about a couple who have to survive a series of mistakes that set oneof them off.

Here's the miniblurb:

Garrick Mellark, executive officer of the Methone,is on the warpath. His crew is bucking orders and he's not going to deal withit anymore. Shay Vamper gets elected to soothe the snarly XO into his usualjovial self, which shouldn't be hard considering she's his current flame.

And a sneaky peek…

Garrick left the ship commander'squarters after briefing him on Garrick's zero tolerance policy. "Can't sayhe's thrilled with me right now." He didn't often cross swords with hissuperior officer, but he didn't mince words today.Moving down the corridor to hisquarters, he undogged the hatch … and found Shay pacing back and forth inside.Heaving a sigh, he shut the door."I can't right now, Shay." He crossed to his duty locker and yanked thelatch.Shay paused with a hand on her hip."Can't what? Talk? Listen? Or hear what I have to say?" Crossing herarms over her chest, she arched her brows.Garrick closed his eyes. "Allof the above. I'm done talking. I just listened to Warff disagree with mystrategy, and you're not going to say anything I'm ready to hear yet." Hisfingers undid the buttons on his shirt, and he shrugged out of it.Shay flicked her tongue against herteeth. "So, you're still pissed off and cranky. Got it." She turnedto exit his quarters.Garrick shook his head. "Don'tgo. Please." He moved and wrapped his arms around her. "Stay with me."His lingering anger drained but exhaustion filled him. "My head hasn'tstopped spinning and I'm terrible company, but I'm not mad at you. I'm reallynot."Shay turned and rested her foreheadagainst his. "When was the last time you got at least three or four hoursof sleep?"He huffed out a breath. "Idon't know. A week ago?" More like a month.She nudged him toward his berth."I think you're off by about ninety days, Garrick." Patting themattress, she waited until he got stretched out then slid in beside him.Had it really been three monthssince he'd had a full eight hours of sleep or even half that? He shuffledthrough his memory. Damn. Pretty much.Biting back a yawn, he sighed."Geez. I need a vacation." He tucked on arm behind his head andwrapped the other one around Shay.She chuckled. "Don't we all?But you … definitely need it the most." She lifted the cover of hisshelving unit and set an alarm. "Get some rest. I'll run interference ifanyone comes looking for you." Putting her head on his shoulder, sheburrowed closer to his side.Garrick didn't respond. His eyesdrifted shut and sleep claimed him.

This story is a funexploration of how reaching a breaking point can lead to good and not so goodthings.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Xanthic Flu

Well, the end ofJune is going to be a welcome sight for me. It's been a long month and yet somehowflew by in a blink.

Work projects arefinally slowing down a little and I feel like I can breathe again. I have toplay catch-up on some things that I had to let slide while trying to getthrough the bulk of my work. Hopefully, I'll get back to some cleaning projectsand get more writing done.

Actually made itthrough all of my shows and finished up two that I had on the back burner. Wehad a lot of rain and some severe storms, but the power stayed on, so I got alot watched.

Watched another episodeof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and it's one I always look forward to.I love getting into Phyrne's history and her time in France explains so muchabout her.

Enjoyed another episodeof Art Detectives. Nice to have a little backstory for the characters. Alsoenjoyed the mystery of this one. Messy rock-star drama added a nice twist.

Caught another Deathin Paradise episode … possibly the one hundredth ep because Camile made anappearance. Excellent throwback to the very first episode also.

Watched another Poirotepisode where he's either still on holiday or taking another one. I had seenmost of this episode before and it's nice to have all the pieces fall intoplace.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson decide to stay with theeleventh and Iiked him seeking Joan's help with vetting his possiblereplacement. The overarching mystery also ended up being nice and twisty.

Caught another episodeof Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and liked the team-up of Terryand Max. Bruce had some good lines in this episode.

I think I finishedup the Classic Rugrats rewatch. I might go back and make sure I didn'tend up skipping a season or two. I'll probably switch over the new episodes.

Finally finished upthe episode of Peak Practice I started a while ago. Did not expect tosee Sam propose even though I knew it would happen at some point.

Also finished up thesecond episode of Reacher. Gotta say, I really love this show. Glad I haveseveral more seasons to view!

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Xanthic Flu, a novellathat puts a couple together in isolation and gives them time to explore whatthey have between them.

Here's theminiblurb:

Rowan Buel and Fuller Beckett are competitive by nature,but when they contract the Xanthic flu—a nasty virus that turns the skinyellow—at the same time, it takes their game of one-ups-manship to the extreme.Isolated and quarantined together, the duo learns working together can actuallybe fun.

And a sneaky peek…

Rowan woke slowly,taking stock of her condition.Cotton mouth?Gone. Nighthydration seemed to be working.Headache?Nope. A true bonus.Yellow skin?She cracked one eyeopen.Ugh. Yep. Stillthere.

Body aches from thelumpy mattress?Sweet universe, no. But … something harddid poke her in the back.No. Way.

Fuller Becket had asignificant erection? While lying next to her?She turned carefullyonto her other side and faced him. Being able to study him while sleeping, shenoted his handsome visage … even with the yellow tinge.His eyelashes castshadows on his cheeks, with their high bones and slight scruff from needing ashave. His lips were slightly full and very tempting. Kissable, for sure.She blinked. I didnot just think that.Yeah. She did.His eyes popped openand widened. His face flushed when realization hit, giving a bit of an orangecast to his skin. He immediately tried to shield his hard-on and his mouthopened but she pressed a finger against it.She quickly bushed herlips over his. "Thank you. I slept great for the first time since gettinginto iso." She would not make a big deal out of his predicament.He shook his head."No thanks necessary. Glad you finally got a good night's rest." He apologized."Sorry for … well, for the…" His gaze lowered to his groin.She palmed hiserection. "Don't be. I'm flattered." She leaned in. "And alittle turned on. I had no idea I could do that to you." She slid out of thebed. "Do you want the shower first? You know, to take care of anythingcausing discomfort…" Her gaze drifted to the outlined ridge under hisboxers.If she thought for amoment he would accept, she'd be more than happy to rectify his situation.His face reddened again."Uh, no. Thanks for the offer." Sitting up, he swung his legs overthe edge of the mattress, his fingers closing over the side with awhite-knuckled grip.Rowan bit back a grinand turned to grab her kit. "If you're sure? I'll be quick." Sheducked into the alcove and started the water, setting the temperature to justshy of cool…Because knowing she hadan effect on Fuller made her very hot and bothered.

Writing this scenemade me happy. I love the dynamic between Rowan and Fuller.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: X-Ray Tango

If anyone is headedinto a major heat wave this week like I am, stay hydrated! And try to stay cool,especially if your location is as humid as mine is. Humidity is a nightmare.

Had a busy andproductive week. Making good progress on two of my projects and sliding in somerandom finishing bits on a few others.

Started a huge cleanupjob in the kitchen. My poor countertops need to be reorganized and cleared of clutter.I got the largest one scrubbed down and mostly organized. Still need to find a newhome for a few items.

Also have somemundane tasks to plow through this week. Not sure I'll make it but I can't putit off any longer. My procrastination skills are top notch!

Had a decentviewing week. I ended up making it through my usual slate of shows, whichrather makes me happy.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the episode again. The characters inPhyrne's past are always fun.

Caught anotherepisode of Art Detectives and, I have to say, I thoroughly enjoy this show.Looking forward to the next episode.

Watched the seasonthirteen holiday special of Death in Paradise and enjoyed meetingNeville's mom. Should be fun to watch the last season of Inspector Parker'stenure.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Kind of fun to see him on holiday and solving amurder. I'll admit the resolution came together a little oddly for me but aninteresting episode nonetheless.

Caught another episodeof Elementary and quite enjoyed Sherlock's revelations about friendship.So fun to watch Marcus chill with Sherlock at the end.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond. Having the Royal Flush gang back proved fun. Also likeTerry making a solid choice at the end to stick with Dana.

Enjoyed an episodeof Classic Rugrats. The holiday themed episode is one I remember and Ireally need to add it to my holiday watch list if I do one this year.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from X-Ray Tango, anovella that puts a couple together under fraught circumstances.

Here's theminiblurb:

Kellan Gates and Josh Robertson do not get along,constantly vying for top position in their squadron. But when they'retransferred to another ship, Josh is targeted by a former nemesis that usesprogram X-ray Tango to keep Josh in check, which fires up Kellan—no one isallowed to give Josh a hard way to go except her.

And a sneaky peek…

Aw, fuck.

Josh heaved a sigh. "Notreally, but you deserve to know what we're heading into." Where did hestart?Probably the beginning.Josh glanced around to make surethey didn't have an audience. "The CAG of the Achilles and I go wayback. Taylor Bradford is an old nemesis. Let's just say there's some bad bloodbetween us and leave it at that for now." He met her gaze. "I'm notbeing an ass when I say you'd be wise to stay away from him. Not that you needa warning." Or would appreciate one.Kellan narrowed her eyes. "Youknow, that won't be hard to do. If he's who I think he is, I don't like himeither." Her lips twisted with distaste.Josh's eyebrows arched. "Wheredid you meet him? If you don't mind me asking." Bradford got around butalso gravitated toward the higher ranks.Kellan snorted. "Flightschool."Josh's eyes widened. "You werea year behind us, right? Wonder what brought him back." Didn't seem to fitwith Taylor's one-step-ahead plan.Kellan huffed out a breath."He came in as a guest lecturer. Very full of himself. And socondescending we all hated him." Her fingers curled into a fist.Josh gave a slow nod. "Ah.Makes sense. He'd view running a class as his divine right to share howeveryone could benefit from his colossal intelligence." Bile rose in histhroat just saying the words.Kellan chuckled. "The onlything he actually showed was his ass. And only for a day. He didn't get invitedback the following week." Her lips curved in a smirk.Josh could literally pictureBradford strutting around the class, spewing all kinds of so-called wisdom butcoming off more like a pompous dick. And … if Taylor hadn't gamed the finals,Josh would've been the guest lecturer. No doubt, Taylor got the tap becausehe'd been top of their flight class. But Josh didn't need to share thatinformation with Kellan.Why give her ammunition?Kellan snatched the orders andshook her head. "This is going to suck on multiple levels." Her gazemet his. "Adding your history and hell … even mine … with him to the mixadds to the challenge, right?"Josh couldn't disagree so henodded. "Probably."Kellan sighed and got up, mumblingsomething about hating change before she headed for the exit.Josh watched her leave. "Thisis one time I'm not down with it either."But at least she didn't give himshit about anything. Maybe they had some common ground they could meet on.

Gotta say thisstory is coming together in ways I didn't expect. Kellan and Josh are keepingme on my toes.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wounded Birds

Happy Father's Dayto all the dads, mentors, and father figures out there! And if this is a roughday for anyone, please find peace and joy where you can.

Seriously busy weekand I didn't feel the greatest. Heading in for an annual physical soon and hopeto nail down why I'm kind of down right now. My guess is my sleep schedule is horribleat the moment.

Somewhat goodprogress on work projects. Friday and Saturday ended up being challenging daysbecause of not feeling well. I'm a little behind on two and hope to make thatup in the next couple of days.

Spent a couple ofdays doing tedious personal life stuff, but I made it through my standard slateof shows this week. I'm considering a new addition to the lineup but haven't madeup my mind yet.

Enjoyed an episodeof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The plot's twisty turns are fun andit's nice to see the tentative partnership with Jack and Phryne taking root.

I totally lied whenI said I caught the season twelve finale of Death in Paradise. It hadone more episode, which I ended up enjoying a lot. I'll be starting thirteenthis week.

Caught anotherepisode of Poirot and enjoyed it. This one had some twists but it wasfun for Poirot to have a case in his own backyard … or building as the case maybe.

Started a new seriescalled the Art Detectives and liked the first episode. The leads havegreat chemistry and I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Watched an episodeof Elementary and enjoyed Sherlock coming to terms with being friends withAlfredo and not just sponsor and sponsee. Joan was really great in this episodealso.

Enjoyed another episodeof Batman Beyond. It's fun when Terry has to be a big brother and I lovehow he handles Tim. The big bad was also interesting.

Watched anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Both were new-to-me vignettes and I likedthem. The one with DeeDee's college class was a lot of fun.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wounded Birds,a novella that forces a couple into isolation after a big goof on their part.

Here's theminiblurb:

When weeping sickness hits a space carrier hard, pilotsMinka Kovak and Channing Santclar are two of the first to go down, whichcreates a problem since the fleet relies on them to keep the planes in the air.But when the duo gets through the worst of the virus—without killing eachother—they end up working from their isolation alcove to shuffle the scheduleand fill the flight roster.

And a sneaky peek…

Minka finished the next flightrotation schedule and closed the file.Her eyes narrowed when she glancedup to find rolling privacy panels being wheeled to surround the iso chamber.She slid her gaze sideways towardChanning. His head remained bent while he pored over some after-action reports.How did he not notice the commotion going on outside?Or did he…Minka got up, planting her hands onher hips. "What the hell is going on?"His head lifted and he cast a quickscan around the now enclosed space.Minka arched a brow. "Don'tkeep me in suspense. What did you do?" No way would Nameth think to givethem some actual privacy.Channing gave her a wide grin."Me? I didn't do anything more than work a little magic." He got upand held out a hand. "We've got eight hours of downtime." Claspingher hand, he nudged her toward the beds.Her eyes went wide. "What?How?" She settled on the edge of her mattress.Channing rolled a shoulder."Remember when we got the schedule all straightened out?"She nodded. "Of course. Wesaved the day." And then some.He sent her a smug look. "Iused that as a bargaining chip to get some privacy and some quiet time."The lights dimmed. "Right on cue." He reached out for her and pattedhis bed with his free hand. "Come join me."She couldn't believe he pulled thisoff. She got to her feet and crawled onto the bed with him. He scooted over andbrought his legs up onto the surface.She turned sideways and snuggled inclose to him. "Okay, how did you manage this without me knowing?" Theyliterally lived in each other's pockets.He smirked. "I used a commpanel and put a request in with the XO. Told him we'd worked hard to solve theflight schedule and didn't deserve to be a public spectacle anymore." Hislips curved. "The XO forwarded my comments to Nameth and the doc messagedme. Called me a pain in the ass but figured we'd finally suffered enough."She laughed. "About damnedtime." Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt loose. "This isamazing, and I'm duly impressed." She'd had no idea Channing put anythingin motion.What a surprise!

Minka and Channing gotthemselves into a mess but they're figuring things out as they go along.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

It's been a longweek with a lot going on. My dad turned eighty last Sunday and my oldest turnedthirty-two. Yep. They have the same birthday. My brothers always give me abunch a grief over getting my dad a grandson for his birthday.

We had a nicereception for my dad, and I got to reconnect with a lot of people I hadn't seenin a long time. So nice to catch up.

Work projectscontinue to keep me busy. I'm making good progress but often feel like I'mspinning my wheels because they're big projects that take a lot of back andforth. This isn't a complaint; it's more an observation.

Had a slow viewingweek but did manage to get through my main group of shows. The backburner onesdidn't make the cut this week.

Started out with BatmanBeyond and enjoyed it. I have memories of this one where Terry's secret isexposed and he finally has something of an ally.

Watched another ClassicRugrats and both were new-to-me vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed the shoppingone and the one with the snow was fun also.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. As a comfort show, theamazing cast is always ready to help me slide into a happy place. Even ifthere's a murder to solve.

Caught the season twelvefinale of Death in Paradise. Good to see Neville's team work hard toclear him of the professor's death. Nice to see the dangling plot threads tiedup also. Looking forward to starting thirteen this week.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot and rather enjoyed the mystery. A lot gets packed intothe hour-long episodes and sometimes feels a little rushed.

Really enjoyed theepisode of Elementary with the dual mysteries and some insight into thecaptain's daughter and how she operates.

Also watched what Ithink is the first season finale of Return to Paradise. I'm reallyenjoying this show.

I think I found thenew show I'm going to start this week, but I'm not absolutely set. Stay tuned.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary,a novella that explores how a couple communicates without words and make otherwonder how they do it.

Here's theminiblurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot ofinsight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. Londonand Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet theircommunication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

Special kind of strangedefinitely described them. But also maybe … a strange kind of special. BecauseBraun knew things about her she'd never put a voice to.Like how much she lovedthe way he nuzzled her throat. She hadn't told him how much the actionheightened her awareness.Especially like now,when his breath fanned against her ear showing how much he wanted her before hetipped her sideways and maneuvered around to get more comfortable.And the way the rasp ofhis tongue over her nipple shot heat straight to her core? Never one had she mentionedhow hot that made her.And now … when he drewa pebbled tip between his lips, she squirmed with anticipation and need to havehim buried deep.Or the way he'd pressopenmouthed kisses down along her torso, each glide of his lips over her skin creatinga tingling eagerness the lower he moved.When his tongue dippedinto her navel, the question of whether he'd go further down … or make his wayback upward … flashed in her mind before he settled between her thighs andstarted the journey in reverse.Up it is…She met his mouth,welcoming the way it quieted her moan when he entered her with a smooth thrust.Her hands smoothed down his back, cupping his ass. Something else she loved …the feel of muscle and sinew under her fingers. The way they came togetherproved to be a tactile delight, always starting slow and easy then gainingmomentum, building friction until they reached the best part…And her favorite … theway he grasped her hips when he got close to his climax. When his fingers duginto her flesh, and his breath came in short, static bursts, she let thepleasure spiral and nudge her over the edge into orgasmic bliss.And he'd fly right afterher. One thrust … another … and a gasping shudder when he tipped over. Hecollapsed to his side, spooning up behind her, his lips ghosting over hershoulder. She turned and he eased onto his back, giving her space to burrowclose to his side.Wrapping an arm aroundhis waist, her head rested on his chest … her favorite pillow … and she driftedoff to sleep … sated and content.All without saying aword.

I'm happy with howthis story is coming together. It's fun to balance actual dialog with theunspoken discourse.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wires Crossed

Had a super busyweek between work projects and personal projects and, whew, I'm exhausted.Also, the weather is being contrary with lots of rain and chilly temperatures.I don't think we got above sixty degrees with the exception of Thursday when wetopped out at seventy.

I'm still jugglingsix work projects but two are in a state of simmering on the back burner, whichisn't optimal, but it does help manage the load.

Had a slow viewingweek and didn't quite make it through my usual round of shows. Too much goingon that needed my full attention.

I did end upcatching an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It's one of myfavorites with Phyrne showing off her flying skills.

Also watched anepisode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A holiday episode that I thoroughlyenjoyed. I'm kind of bummed there aren't any new episodes until the nextseason.

Death inParadise kind of blew mymind. I knew what would happen and it still caught me a little off guard. Ithink because Neville acted so out of character. I have a really good idea ofwho killed the professor, and I hope I prove myself right.

Got another episodeof Return to Paradise viewed and I'm really enjoying this show. I'm veryon the fence with Glen's engagement to Daisy. I really think things could get verymessy.

Finished out theweek with another Poirot episode. I kind of pegged who the kidnapper wasfrom the beginning, and I loved the razor-sharp way Poirot called the guy out.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wires Crossed,a novella that pulls a couple who don't see eye to eye together to work theirissues out before someone gets hurt.

Here's theminiblurb:

Vanessa Twill and Justin Hardwick don't always see eye toeye and the tension between them is thick and taut. When a training exercisegoes bad, the duo is grounded until they get their act together. Forced tocommunicate, they work out some issues and realize they didn't have their wirescrossed … a saboteur did. Literally.

And a sneaky peek…

Chastised and humbled, Vanessanever wanted to face another stinging rebuke from the CO. But she needed toknow what the hell happened? Staying angry obviously wouldn't help.Justin didn't offer any discussion,but he couldn't be happy with being grounded either. One of them would have tobreak through the wall of silence they'd erected between them. And waitingwouldn't get them any closer to being back out in the black.Vanessa ventured a comment first."Why did you change the plan?" She kept her tone quiet and non-accusing."I honestly thought you followed orders to a painful level." Whichoften annoyed her.Justin stopped a moment. "Ididn't change the scenario. And I tried to tell you before the CO grounded us."He raked a hand through his hair. "I mean, think about it. When would Ihave had the time?" He started forward again. "I thought youaltered the game plan." Frustration came through his voice but no heat.She stopped and grasped his arm."If you didn't and I didn't. Then…" Her stomach churned withsomething nasty and bitter.Justin frowned. "Whodid?"Vanessa gave a nod. "Obviouslysomeone and that's a problem." A big, huge shiny one.She ducked into a small conferenceroom and dragged Justin in behind her. They didn't need an audience right now.Or eavesdroppers.Her voice lowered. "Look,we've had our wires crossed in the past … are you sure you didn't decide weshould run option C?" Justin folded his arms over hischest. "I'm sure. You said A. I didn't agree, but I let it slide. Like yousaid, I follow orders." His eyes narrowed. "No matter how painful thelevel is."Yeah, okay. She probably deservedto have her words handed right back to her.Vanessa sighed. "Well, Ididn't like option B so no way would I have changed it—not even to spiteyou." And definitely not to put their recruits in danger.Justin lifted his chin. "Whichbrings us back to who did and how we ended up with such a cluster fuck?"Yeah, she wanted to get whoever tamperedwith their scenarios alone for five minutes. But they had to figure out the whoand how part first.Vanessa met his gaze. "How doyou wanna go about this? Should we work together?" It would save time, butshe wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to be anywhere near her.His eyebrows arched. "You'reasking?" He relaxed his stance and propped a hip against the conferencetable.Vanessa nodded. "Well, yeah.This affects both of us. I mean, I want answers now, but that might not happenif we're both poking around on our own … so…" She shrugged. "If wecoordinate our efforts…"Justin finished her thought."We'll smoke out whoever made the change, and hopefully do it before theycan cover their tracks." His head bobbed up and down. "Yeah, wefigure it out together." He thrust his hand forward.Vanessa's lips quirked and sheclasped his palm. "Together." She squeezed his fingers then let go."I have a maintenance shift to get to, but I'll be free later." Shehoped he'd have time to get started today.Justin grunted. "I'll findyou. Since I'm free, I'll ask around and put some feelers out." He pushedaway from the table and headed for the hatch but paused before leaving. "We'llget to the bottom of this." He held her gaze a long moment then exited theroom.Vanessa had a new appreciation forJustin. Because she believed they absolutely would solve the puzzle of whathappened.

Here's to thebeginning of a new path forward for Vanessa and Justin. This one is very fun towrite.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye