M.L. Skye's Blog, page 3

Sunday Snippet: Win's Maneuver

It's a long weekendin the US for the Memorial Day holiday and also graduation weekend for our localhigh school. Seems like a great time to have lovely weather, right? It's Ohioso the answer would be probably not. It's cloudy with a chance of rain. But atleast the temperature is in the high sixties instead of the low fifties, whichis more like March instead of May.

I'm making headwayon the multiple work projects. Two have shifted off my plate for the next stepin the publishing process and the other six are coming along. I should have atleast two more finished up this week. YAY!

Had a pretty solidweek of viewing. I did make it through my regular slate of shows and gotstarted on my two new ones. Or, one new one and one that always seems to simmeron the back burner.

Enjoyed anotherepisode in my rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The firstcouple of episodes do such a great job of setting up the dynamic between thecharacters and I thoroughly enjoy the actors so much.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and like how awkward things are betweenSelwyn and his daughter. I also kind of enjoy Katherine being in his face but Ialso think she kind of oversteps sometimes.

Caught another episodeof Poirot and enjoyed it. I often feel like the relationship betweenPoirot and Japp is shortchanged because we don't really see how that started,but the interactions are fun.

Enjoyed another BrokenwoodMysteries. Kind of weird but awesome the victim is someone we met in anearlier episode. And the mystery took some wild turns, which is always fun.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and loved the interactions with Joan and Sherlock.The ice cream touch at the end is perfection.

Caught an episodeof Batman Beyond and it's one I don't really remember much of but alsoone that I quite enjoyed. There's nothing like a storyline where a character istrapped in a computer and wants to escape to the real world. It's a weird tropethat I love.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. The two vignettes are ones that were new to me, and Iliked both. Weird bit with some out of order information as the Finsters werestill calling their dog puppy instead of Pepper.

Watched another episodeof Return to Paradise and I'm still enjoying this one. I'm veryinterested in seeing what happens with Mackenzie and her ex-fiancé. There's alot of good potential to be very messy with this situation.

I got started on anew episode of Peak Practice but didn't make it all the way through. I'lltry to finish it up this week.

Also started a newepisode of Reacher, but paused because I need to pay attention andcouldn't focus like I wanted to. I'll definitely finish this one up this week.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Win's Maneuver,a Star Chasers novella that I'm just getting started.

Here's theminiblurb:

Winston Ashcraft, president of the Star Chasers—a mazerunning club—doesn't like complications … especially when his best friend dropsone at Win's feet. Darcy Abbott has a price on her head and Win has no choicebut to help her … because she saved his best friend's life.

And a sneaky peek…

Luce strolled into Win's office."Got a minute?" He arched his brows.The question—loaded withlead—didn't suggest he'd wait.Win grunted. "Sure. What'sup?" They still had some tricky shit to work through and might as wellstart now.Luce dropped a bomb. "I wantyou to claim Darcy." He dropped his large frame onto the stool across fromthe desk and rolled it up to the edge. "She needs help, and I want you totake point, if only as payback for the whole Marnie debacle." He didn'tquite snarl the words, but he came damn close.Fuck. He couldn't really say no. IfMarnie made the guys froth at the mouth, Darcy would likely cause a riot. Shedidn't have the grief status Marnie had when they all thought Luce dead. Nope.Darcy pretty much came free of any kind of baggage. Which meant she should befair game.The way his gut clenched at thethought did sit well with him. He didn't want a significant other. Not whenhe'd just lost the previous one … fake as it had been.Then again, he owed Luce.Pinching the bridge of his nose, Winreluctantly agreed. "Fine. But I really don't need this shit right now."Even knowing what the price would be, he couldn't quite accept defeat.Luce snorted. "What's theproblem, man?"Win made a rude sound. "It'slike cockblocking part two. First Marnie staked a claim so the rest of the clubwould leave her alone. Now this Darcy Abbott is going to be parading around asmy woman, so she's got the mantle of protection that entails."Luce gave him a pointed stare."And?"Win flung a hand out. "Andthat means I can't just grab whoever's free for a romp in bed." WhichLuce, the fucker, already knew.Luce's lips twitched. "Youcould try to muster up your nonexistent charm and see if Darcy's game for thefull Winston Ashcraft treatment."Win rolled his eyes."Something tells me she wouldn't be able to handle it … or me." Shehad fragile … handle with care … written all over her.Luce leaned forward, placing hispalms on Win's desk. "It would be a mistake to sell her short. Shesurvived on that ship for months before she ran into me. The woman's gotgrit."Win lifted a shoulder. "She'llneed it around here." Time would tell if Darcy had the wherewithal tosurvive in the Chaser's club.

I think this storyis going to be a lot of fun. Win is very grumpy, with good reason, but Darcy isgoing to surprise him.

 

That's it for this week.Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wings Get Clipped

May is flying by ata rapid pace. This week has been intense with burning the candle at both endsfor me. This is a good day to take some downtime, which I'm trying to do today.

Work exploded thisweek with multiple projects dropping into my inbox. I have four nonfictionmanuscripts and three fiction manuscripts in various stages of editing. I don'tnormally have seven different projects going at the same time but, so far, I'mmanaging them. It'll make for a nice June once they're all turned in.

Had an amazing weekof viewing. I got a full round of shows in and caught a couple of extras. Alsostarted a new show that might be sporadically viewed until it's available forstreaming.

I started a rewatchof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries this week. I'm waiting on some new episodesof a few other shows to drop and this is such a comfort series for me.

Caught anotherepisode of Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very twistyand turny, which is always fun.

Enjoyed another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm happy to have some Naomi backstory. I'd loveto see a bit more of that for the characters.

Started a from thebeginning run of Poirot. I've seen quite a few episodes of this show buthaven't watched any of them in order. This is another filler series until newepisodes start dropping of my current shows.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. I'm always interested whenweird cases pop up and the cryogenics angle ended up being interesting.

Caught an episode ofBatman Beyond and have some vague memories of the first time I watchedit. I'm wondering if the Ts are in any way a throwback to Mr. Terrific. I mighthave to dive down that rabbit hole at some point.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of these vignettesand I liked both.

I finished up anepisode of Peak Practice and might start another one this week. This isone of my back burner shows and I'm happy I got to finish watching.

Started a new-to-meseries and watched Reacher. Gotta say I loved the first episode. I did abit of dive into write-ups of future seasons, and I think I'll stick with thisone.

Also got aminimarathon of Return to Paradise in over the weekend. I'm looking forwardto streaming this one when it's available in the US. Really enjoyed the firstthree episodes and I'm excited to see the rest.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Wings Get Clipped, anovella that brings a couple together when they get caught up in a vendettabetween their superior officers.

Here's theminiblurb:

In the middle of a war, a long-standing personal vendettacomes to light against Schuler Grace and Gren Gambolina's commanding officerand it puts the two soldiers directly in the line of fire. Fighting the enemywithin, while doing battle with their adversaries on the warfront, Schuler andGren form an unbreakable bond to see them through their biggest challenge.

And a sneaky peek…

Schuler skidded to a stop next toGren, blinking in confusion. What the hell? He's not getting updates andhe's playing with wood and glue?Wharton didn't even glance up fromworking on the model ship. "What's the problem here?" He added a dabof glue to a sail and affixed it to the mast.Gren and Schuler started a verbalback and forth, finishing each other's sentences."Sir, you know the admiral hasit in for you. Transferring us—""Only serves to isolate youeven more. He knows we'd have your back—""No matter what. Why are youdoing this without a fight?"He continued working, mulling theirconcern. "Maybe I think you'll be better at covering my six while firmlyensconced in enemy camp." Another dab of glue, another piece added.He had a point. A good one. But…Gren threw a hand out. "Doesanyone else not see how we're talking about members of our own fleet as theenemy?"Schuler snorted. "So? They'reour foes. They don't play by the same rules. The fact they're gunning for ussort of proves that, yeah?"Wharton paused. "Not everyoneon that ship is against us. You'll find allies." He glanced up from histedious work. "But choose them wisely. Lotta people like to play bothsides." His gruff voice held a wealth of experience.Did he make a mistake early in hiscareer? Trust the wrong person? That would explain one hell of a lot.Gren tried to dig a little deeper."Commander, maybe if we knew what we're up against, we'd have betterresults."Wharton set the glue and modelpiece aside then briskly rubbed his hands together. "What don't you know,Lieutenant? My two top pilots and squadron leaders have been reassigned to theadmiral's flagship." He got up, grabbed a towel, and wiped any remainingglue residue from his hands. "You're the new blood on deck, meaning youhave to earn respect and fight for a place to call yours." He pinned bothwith his piercing stare. "You'll have your hands full, which you're usedto but they don't know that." An eyebrow raised, a silent question ofwhether he needed to go on.Schuler gave a terse nod. "Andthat gives us the opportunity to wait, watch, and win some people over."An exercise in extreme patience.Wharton's lips curved. "Soundslike you have everything you need." He glanced toward the hatch."You're dismissed."With little choice, Schuler turnedon her heel and started toward the exit.Gren followed but delivered aparting shot before leaving. "Sir … I can't shake the feeling somethingdark is coming. I don't like it."Wharton didn't pull his punches."Something dark isn't coming, Lieutenant. It's already here."Well, hell.  

I'm happy with howthis story is coming together. I love writing a good vendetta, especially whenone of the character's is unhinged.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Why We Fight

Happy Mother's Dayto all the moms, mentors, and mother figures out there! Enjoy the day, and ifit's a hard day to celebrate, take care of you.

Another wildly busywork week but a lot of projects moved ahead and some were completed. Onecontrary work thing took an unexpected turn and I'll be trying to figure thatone out later today.

Had a decent weekof viewing despite the busy schedule. I made it through a full round of myshows, minus one—Dark Winds—because it's not on the streaming service Ihave anymore. I think it's on another one, but I've been too busy to track itdown.

Started the weekoff with Brokenwood Mysteries. This one ended up being a lot of fun witha couple of interesting secrets being revealed. Truly hope to see more of Trudyand Ray's mom.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Really not surewhat Neville's DI friend is doing on the island but have a feeling it's notgoing to mean anything good.

Loved the BeyondParadise holiday special for this past Christmas. I'm looking forward todiving into the rest of the season when it's available in the US.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Elementary. Interesting to get some backstory of Sherlock'stime under the influence. Also intriguing that he stayed somewhat in thebackground. I like that kind of character progress.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond and didn't really have any recollection about this one.I did enjoy seeing Terry use his Batman moves while out of the costume.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and enjoyed both vignettes. I didn't remembereither of them so more new-to-me stuff.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Why We Fight, anovella that puts a spin on the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Here's theminiblurb:

Emmett Barley, an embedded investigative reporter, pushesPier Luphen, the squadron leader, for honest answers about the war they'refighting. She tries to take the status quo, but Emmett won't have it. He'sheard the military party line his entire life and he wants the truth ornothing. He also wants Pier, but she's not willing to compromise her missionregardless of how she feels about Emmett.

And a sneaky peek…

After a full week withthe unit, Emmett had some ideas for stories. "Right. Filling half anotebook is more than a few…" Of course, some of his notes could beconsidered fiction about a certain liaison officer.When a knock sounded athis door, he tucked the booklet into his satchel.He blinked in surpriseto find Pier outside with two dinner trays. "Um, hi." Stepping back,he motioned for her to enter.She flashed a quick smile."Thought I'd return the favor and bring supper." Handing one of theentrees over, she arched her brows. "Unless you had other plans or wouldrather eat alone."He shook his head."I'd like company. Thanks for this." He cleared space on the smalldesk and pulled up an extra chair.Pier took a seat andremoved the cover from her plate. "I didn't interrupt anything, didI?" Her gaze landed on his open satchel.Emmett's lips curved."Not really. I was going through my preliminary notes, trying to settle ona topic for my first report." The aroma of baked steak wafted from his tray."Ah … this brings back memories of joining my dad for meals at the basemess hall whenever my mom had other plans.Pier chuckled."It's probably the one meal every branch of the armed forces makes just alittle bit differently, but they can't possibly screw up." She noddedtoward his notebook. "What are some of your ideas for stories?"He took a bite of food,trying to decide which one to discuss first. "I'd like to do a series abouthow the joint forces keep track of everything. You know, receiving supplies, fillingthe orders, then scheduling the transports to get goods delivered." Thesheer magnitude of allotments, from food, clothing, and weapons to hospitalsupplies and aid station equipment, could be mind-boggling.And this hub handled morethan half of the requisitions. Not to mention the protection of the base,personnel, and transport units en route to the various substations and shipsthey were supplying.Pier's brows furrowed."Not exactly scintillating stuff." She stuffed a forkful of greenbeans into her mouth.Emmett shrugged."Maybe it's not guts and guns, but if something happens here to haltgetting the supplies out, the ripple effect could be catastrophic." Whichmade for an interesting story with a human-interest angle.Pier cocked her head toone side. "I'm a little pissed I have to revise my opinion on reportersbecause of you. You're definitely not like the jackass glory-seeking hound wejust got rid of."Emmett huffed out abreath. "Um, thanks. I think." He jabbed at her a little."Pretty sure it wouldn't take much to improve your low opinion ofreporters though."She laughed."Okay, true. But seriously, you already got points for not bringing awardrobe of flashy clothes to the middle of a warzone."Emmett rolled his eyes."When the reporter puts themselves at the center of the story, they're nolonger reporting. They're playacting on a stage." His dad and brotherswould flip if Emmett ever dreamed of doing something so stupid.Pier gave a slow nod."Very aptly put."They dug back intotheir dinner and ate in companionable silence.Once they finished, hecleared away the dishes and set them by the door. "Do you have to reportfor duty or are you free for a while?" He hoped she'd stick around.Pier shook her head."I'm off for the night." She took a spot on the small two-seatercouch.Emmett retrieved abottle from his footlocker. "Would you care for some?" He held up aglass.Pier shrugged."Sure. I don't report until the afternoon watch." She kicked her feetout and crossed them at the ankles.He placed a tumbler onthe camp stool to her left, and he settled next to her. "I heard somerumblings about the action moving closer. Will that affect your incoming oroutgoing shipments?" He mainly wondered if the closer proximity wouldthrow a cog in a well-oiled machine.Pier studied him for along moment. "Can I request to be off the record?"He narrowed his eyes."You still don't trust me?" So much for making headway.She tsked. "It'snot that. It's because I trust you that I'm asking for it to be off the record."She waited a beat. "What I'm going to share is classified."Well, hell … he didn'tsee that one coming. "Consider yourself off the record."She leaned in andpitched her voice low. "The shipments won't be affected. Part of what wedo on our transport runs is gather intel and fortify our perimeters. We don'tdeviate from our schedule for that reason." She met and held his gaze, sayingthe unspoken part with her eyes. They weren't just asupply hub. They ran covert ops from this location.He exhaled slowly."Shit." Amazed that she did trust him, he let the truth sink intohim. "Okay. No wonder you wanted to be off the record. I don't blame you.That's a powder keg of information." And he'd have to sit on it for thetime being.She made a bit of apromise. "It is, and if this ends up in some sound byte I'll come for you.Doesn't matter where you are or who your family is." She picked up herdrink and drained the glass. "Just saying." Putting the tumbler backon the stool, she held his gaze again.He read a lot in hereyes. She put herself on the hot seat. He could break this story and lay openthe true purpose of this facility for the entire planet to see. But he understoodthe importance of the mission too much to do anything underhanded like that.And he respected her and the trust she'd placed in him to not violate his promise.Taking a chance, hecupped her face. "I do not break confidences." His thumbs stroked hercheeks. "Or go back on my word." Leaning in, he tested the bondfurther by brushing his lips over hers.He didn't mean for thekiss to spiral out of control, but she opened her mouth, and he slipped histongue past her teeth. She made a low moan and fisted her hand in his shirt. Okay,he hadn't imagined the crackle of attraction between them.He didn't know who cameup for air first, but he dragged oxygen into his lungs and leaned in again.She backed away andheld up a hand. "Sorry. That should not have happened." She got upand paced back and forth.He narrowed his eyes."I'm not sorry it did."She worried on herlower lip. "I'm not either. I'll admit my curiosity got the better ofme." She met his gaze. "But this isn't a good idea. I'm responsiblefor your safety and getting involved more than we already are can muddy thingsup." A frustrated sigh escaped her lips.He pushed back alittle. "So, it's not one-sided? There's something here between us."He got to his feet and motioned between them.She gave a jerky nod."There could be … if you weren't you and I wasn't me."He didn't like theanswer, but he understood. "I can accept that. But, for the record, if youweren't who you are and I wasn't who I am … we'd be great together in—"She held up a handagain. "Don't. Don't say it." She scooted past him, pushed the dooropen, and angled her head around. "Also, for the record? I'm notdisagreeing." She ducked out before he could formulate a response.Which … all thingsconsidered … gave him more fictional ideas to imagine.

Very happy with howthis scene came together. These characters are a lot of fun to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: While We Still Can

May the Fourth bewith anyone who celebrates! And, wow, a shiny new month that's off to a wildstart so far. Our weather has been crazy intense with loads of rain. Mydaughter graduated with a master's in arts administration, and I unfortunatelyhad to miss due to being under the weather. But I'm so proud of her!

Work projects keptme very busy. I'm getting to a finishing point on one that's been difficult toget through and I have a new one getting ready to start. The weather has beenwreaking havoc on productivity because the possibility of losing power is a constantconcern.

I did have a decentweek of viewing and made a full run through my regular slate of shows. Istarted a movie but didn't have time to finish it.

I caught an episodeof Dark Winds and I'm still intrigued by everything that's happening inthis show. I love that the FBI agent's cover is blown by episode two and Ican't wait to see what happens with the fallout from that.

Also watchedanother episode of Brokenwood Mysteries. This is truly one of my happyplace shows. I'm rather curious about whether Gina is still rooming with Kristinor not and if not, what happened there.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Very curious where things might go withthe Sophie and Neville thing and also where the whole last prepper standingthing will end up going since he's watching Neville.

Loved the season twofinale of Beyond Paradise. Humphrey and Martha are so much fun, and thesurrounding cast of characters is so good. I'm not always sure about Anne, butshe's growing on me.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary and rather enjoyed Sherlock's attempt at takingcare of Joan. And her solution to having her own space is genius.

Watched an episodeof Batman Beyond with the beginning of season two. Ended up rememberingmost of this one. This is such a good follow up to the original series.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I have some vague memories of bothvignettes, which is so weird because most of the ninth season is new to me.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from While We Still Can,a sexy short that brings a couple together during a tense situation.

Here's theminiblurb:

Maura Sells and Cobb Kinkleman are fighting in a long andbloody war. During a rare moment of downtime, Cobb decides they need to getwhat they can, while they can and quickly convinces Maura with a heated kiss.They face a bleak future and stealing a night of hot passion may be their onlyreprieve.

And a sneaky peek…

Maura brought her bird in for roughlanding. "At least she's still flying." Damage to the tailfin made gettingback to the hangar deck a bit tricky.But she made it back.Holy shit. They made itback.The trap caught her landing strutsand locked on to start the smooth glide to the main hangar deck. Maura's headspun with the realization … she'd live to see another day. The entire slow tripdown to the lower level one thought kept running through her mind—if she'd beenwith anyone else out there, the operation would've ended a lot differently.Pulling off the impossible? Onlywith Cobb Kinkleman.If she'd flown with anyone else,she'd be dead right now.The hydraulic hiss of her canopyreleasing then sliding back startled her and she quickly removed her helmet.A deck hand grinned when Maura exitedthe craft and headed down the stairs. "Good to see you, sir. Nice flyingout there." She took Maura's gloves and cover and headed for herworkstation.Maura stood at her bird for asuspended moment, the noise and commotion on the deck fading into thebackground. Her mind filled with Cobb, and she thought about a possible futurefor once. Because she loved him.More than she feared losing him.Movement from the other side of thehangar drew her attention and her gaze clashed with Cobb's. His eyes filledwith everything he couldn't say earlier. But … he felt the same.Slowly—with purpose—they walked acrossthe hangar deck and met halfway. Cobb cupped her face and leaned in. Her lipsmet his and they kissed passionately for any and all to see.After all, they'd beaten the odds.If anyone tried to take issue with their public display, they could go out inthe black and do the impossible … then get back with Maura and Cobb on appropriatebehavior.When a round of applause started,Maura eased away from Cobb, glancing around at the happy faces of the deckcrew. A round of cheers went up and Maura gave Cobb a sheepish smile before shegrabbed his hand to lead him out of the hangar and down one deck to the alertpilot quarters. They had some celebrating to do.Privately.

Really like howthis one is coming together. Maura and Cobb have some facts to face in the nearfuture.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: We Have a Winner

This is going to bea super busy week. The best part is my daughter is graduating from grad schoolon Friday. I'm so excited for her. And very proud of her accomplishments!

Our weather did thewarm up then plummet back down thing this week. Gorgeous, though. Everything isturning green and blooming. I love those first signs of new growth.

Got a lot finishedup with work projects. I think I'm getting closer to having a work-life balanceagain. I hope so because I have a busy May and June coming up and need to getsome things done around my house.

Pretty decent weekof viewing. I ended up keeping Dark Winds on the back burner because oneof my faves dropped new episodes.

I finished up therun of London Kills. I'm quite happy with where things ended up on thechance there won't be any new episodes. I will say I'm not keen on the other DIso I'm hoping that's not going to be a thing if there is more to this series.

Brokenwood Mysteries is back! Watched the premiere episode andit didn't disappoint. Kind of twisty and turny and a little bit bonkers, whichis perfect. Also rather nice to see Mike's house again. It's been missing thelast few seasons.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and liked it. I'minterested in how things with Selwyn's daughter will end up playing out.

Caught another episodeof Beyond Paradise. I'm almost finished with the second season and hopethe third will be available soon. Really liked the episode. I loved theinteractions with Esther and Zoe. And really loved watching Anne deal with theletdown of finding out her new man is married.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond. I have vague memories of this one but don'tremember enough to know if Blight will end up making a return. My money is onyes.

Finished out theweek with an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, both were new to me.Actually loved the crawl space one. And, weirdly, I really enjoy Taffy.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from We Have a Winner, a fun storyabout a betting pool of a when will they get caught couple.

Here's theminiblurb:

Kella Yates and Weston Grogan can't fight theirattraction and everyone knows it. The entire crew of their ship waits inanticipation for their inevitable hook-up. When they finally cave in to theirlust, the winner of the when will it happen pool can be declared.

And a sneaky peek…

Kella should've figured Westonwould be on the same wavelength with her. After the interlude on theobservation deck, the craving for more kicked in. Someday—hopefully soon—theywouldn't have to have stolen moments at random locations. They'd have the samebunk assignment.But not tonight.At least they didn't have to worryabout being interrupted. Finally, they could have their sexy way with eachother. As much as she wanted to go slow, she doubted they'd be able to. But …they would get fully naked.After checking to make sure theyhad a clear path, Kella darted to the small arms locker and keyed in the accesscode. Weston followed and undogged the hatch. Kella's blood heated when Westonentered and tugged her in behind him.Weston pushed Kella against thebulkhead and worked the zipper of her sweatshirt down. His mouth burned a trailfrom the column of her throat, down over her shoulder and lower, lower, untilhis lips closed over the taut nipple he'd exposed. His hands shoved Kella'spants past her hips and she stepped out, twisting around to grab hold of Weston'stanks, hauling him close to mesh her lips with his. Using both hands, she backedhim against the bulkhead and repeated his movements. Tanks up and off, pantsundone and shoved down. She went one step further, sinking to her knees andenveloping his hard length between her lips, going deep.Weston moaned, his fingers tanglingin her hair. "Damn, Kella. Give a guy warning next time." She grinned around his cock,drawing back, but grasping the girth in her hands. "Now where's the fun inthat?" Her tongue swirled around the tip, flicking back and forth."Besides, you didn't give me any the last time."Weston's lips quirked. "Ididn't, did I?" He reached down and hooked his hands under her shoulders."As much as I'd love to keep your lips around my dick, I gotta havemore." His fingers delved between her thighs and found her wet and ready.Kella bit back a moan. "Yeah,I get it. I'm so ready." She hitched her leg around his waist and sankover his hard length.Weston groaned. "Ah, yeah.I've missed you…"

This story is goingin a direction I didn't anticipate, which is always interesting to me.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wasted Credits

Very long week. Onceagain, the weather is all over the map, but spring might be peeking around thecorner. Or, well, possibly summer. We could see eighty degrees (F) this week.

I might be seeingthe light at the end of the tunnel on numerous work projects. I'm kind of excitedabout a couple of them being closer to the author's publication date. I haveseveral nonfiction projects that have been super challenging but they're greatbooks.

Had a decentviewing week. I did skip my new show this week. Didn't have the mindset towatch. Dark Winds will hopefully return during this upcoming week.

I'm almost finishedwith London Kills and it's such a good show. I've really enjoyed the waythe weekly cases weave in and out of the overall story arc. And the charactergrowth has been well done.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise with the season twelve holiday episode.Really good storyline! It's fun to get Selwyn backstory.

Watched anotherepisode of Beyond Paradise. Sad to see Anne get caught up in a not-so-greatsituation. Loved the way Martha handled Zoe's mistake. Also fun to have Humphreyand Martha approved for fostering.

Got blown away byanother episode of Elementary. The case ended up being intriguing andthe end? Wow. Did not expect that to happen.

Watched an episodeof Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I remember this one from my originalrun through and loved the call back to Batman: The Animated Series.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of the vignettes andparticularly liked the video game one.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wasted Credits,a novella that pulls a couple together while they're stationed at a miningcolony.

Here's the miniblurb:

Valora Prime can't figure out why a smart, attractive manlike Hackett Barnes pays for sex. When she corners him to find the answer, hisresponse catches her off guard and she has to make a quick decision. Let him inor let him go.

And a sneaky peek…

Damn. He couldn't make it any moreobvious that he wanted to spend time with her. Or admit how deep his feelingsfor her ran. Not without making her bolt for the door.He shrugged. "Look, if youdon't want me to waste the credits, why not spend time with me? It's a simplerequest." That had a lot riding on it. Mainly his sanity.Val opened her mouth. Closed it.Frowned.Then shook her head. "No. Noway. Never work." She made a hand-wave motion. "Uh-uh."And maybe protested a little toostrongly.So he pushed. "Why?"Her brow furrowed. "Did youmiss the first part of this conversation?"He shook his head. "No. ButI'm asking for one week. No more. No less."She huffed out a breath."You're serious."He gave a nod. "I am." Heleaned back and folded his arms across his chest.She got up and paced."No." She paused, her feet sinking into the plush carpet. "No.Uh-uh." Her head tilted to one side. "No. Can't." She waffledback and forth for several more moments.Hack got up and walked toward thebar. "Sounds to me like you're the one with the problem, Val." One hefinally understood.She couldn't handle it when he cavedand tried things her way.She backpedaled. "No, I'vejust known you a long time. This isn't you."He splashed some liquid in atumbler. "And I'm finally on board with your way of doing things and you'rethe one backing out." He gave her a moment to respond and when she didn't,he jerked his head toward the door. "Fine. I'll see you when I get back tothe colony." He turned away from her and picked up the glass.He waited until the door slid openand shut before downing the contents.He'd laid everything out and shewalked away. "Didn't really expect anything else."But damn if I'm not disappointed.

I like how this oneis coming together. I had a small wobble but it worked itself out.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wait No More

Geez, halfway throughthe month already and I feel like I'm stuck in reverse. Not to say I'm notgetting anything done. I am. Most of it is work related, which I'm notcomplaining about. But … I do need to do a better work-life balance. Even mydaily oracle card draw is pointing me in that direction.

I'm still buriedunder multiple projects, and all are making solid progress. I've never had somany nonfiction manuscripts and I'm actually enjoying being able to switch backand forth between the variety of genres there and with my fiction manuscripts.I have a holiday horror story, a romance, and a mystery in fictional work.

Not a bad viewingweek. I made it through my usual round of shows did get to add the new show. I enjoyedit and will add it to my current roster. There's one additional show I'd liketo work in, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

Caught anotherepisode of London Kills and, yep, the beginning of the showdown withDavid and Vivienne started. Can't wait to see what happens next. Rob and Billieshould probably brace for impact.

The new show I startedis Dark Winds. So far, really enjoy the premise and the pacing. Theacting is top-notch also. I had a sneaking suspicion the new deputy would endup being more than met the eye. Glad I was right about that.

Watched another episodeof Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'd seen most of this one at somepoint on Ovation and I liked having the full episode from beginning to end. I'malso enjoying Darlene a lot. Glad they added her to the team.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Beyond Paradise. It's so much fun watching Martha's mom goingon dates. I'm also interested in how things shake out with the fosteringsituation. Very cool to have some Margo backstory also.

Caught an episodeof Elementary and I'm kind of sad Kitty is headed for parts unknown fornow. I do love that her story had a satisfying resolution. Also so happy we gotto see how she kind of saved Sherlock from himself.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond. Inque made another appearance and that was fun. Alsokind of cool to see Bruce back in the field and how much Terry tried to protecthim.

Finished up with anepisode of Classic Rugrats. Enjoyed both vignettes and also discovered Ihave more episodes than I thought I had left. This isn't bad news.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wait No More,a novella that explores a reunion for a couple.

Here's theminiblurb:

Zoey Blythe pushes Cash Mateson out of her life when shesees how much good he can do as an elected official. Ten years later, theirpaths cross again and Zoey realizes she should have fought a little harder tostay by Cash's side. Heading up the security detail for Cash's campaign, Zoeyfeels the spark again, but marriages and careers are on the line, even if shedoesn't want to wait anymore.

And a sneaky peek…

Cash woke up alone and frowned."What the hell?" He'd bared his soul last night and Zoey couldn'teven wake him up before she left?After grabbing a quick shower, hegathered his gear and coffee and headed out, determined to find Zoey. He madeit as far as her unit house, only to find her missing. Where else would she be?He bumped into her CO. "I'mlooking for Zoey, er, Constable Blythe." He juggled his satchel and tuckedhis ever-present clipboard under his arm.The commander schooled hisfeatures. "Did you want to file a complaint about Constable Blythe? Didshe cause problems on the last leg of the campaign?" His face shifted intostern countenance.Cash blinked in surprise."What? No, nothing like that. Just wanted to check in with her." Hepaused, searching for a good reason. "Wrap up some final notes on thecampaign." He took a big sip of his coffee to keep from blurting anythingstupid out.The commander relaxed the tense setof his shoulder. "Oh. Good, good. But you'll have to wait a few days …she's on her honeymoon." He rocked back on his heels and grinned.Honeymoon?Cash almost choked on his coffee. "I'msorry, did you say honeymoon?" No way.She can't be married.

The commander gave a nod. "Yeah.She got herself hitched bright and early the morning after the election. Someguy she dated the first year at the academy." He leaned in a little."He washed out, but they kept in touch. Decided to tie the knot and shetook her saved leave."Cash pasted on a wide smile. "Well… good for her. When she returns, please wish the happy couple luck with thenew marriage." He made a hasty exit, muttering under his breath. "Thinkthey're gonna need a lot of luck." Especially if Zoey could marry a guyless than four hours after the wild romp in Cash's bed.He blindly made the walk to thecampaign headquarters, which would now become the precinct office. One thoughtran rampant through his mind. "I'll never, ever fall in love again."Dumping his now-cold coffee, he slowly made his way to the office of theirnewly elected delegate.Stram Barton welcomed Cash with ahearty handshake. "Cash, my boy, glad you're here." He stepped aside,revealing a lovely woman with pristine features and a cool demeanor. "Wantto introduce you to someone. Delia Morgan." Sweeping his hand toward thewoman, he added. "She's a mover and shaker, very politically connected,and quite possibly perfect wife material … for someone like you." Hewaggled his eyebrows.Delia rolled her eyes. "Stram,I'll thank you to stop matchmaking. I'm sure Cash and I can get acquaintedwithout any assistance." She stuck her hand out.Cash took her palm. "Hello.It's nice to meet you…" Her firm no-nonsense grasp and direct gaze becamethe beginning of a lovely arrangement.

I love writing thisone, but the sages are shifting back and forth on the timeline. Here's hopingthey'll figure it out and settle on something soon.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Victory Is Hollow

April is off to aweird start. We had a tornado warning in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Thatwas fun. The temperature warmed up then dropped back down with a chance of snowtomorrow or Tuesday. But, sure, we aren't having any climate issues.

Still pluggingalong on multiple work projects. I did finish up two and added another new oneto my pile. I'm very happy to be busy!

Had a decent viewingweek. Ended up making it through my full slate of shows and I think I knowwhich new program I'm adding to the lot. I'll give it a view and report back.

Actually realized Idid finish up London Kills last week, so I ended up watching anotherfull episode. Things are headed for a showdown with David and Vivienne and I'mhere for that.

Watched Death inParadise and enjoyed the episode. Discovered Izzy is still around and,well, still not a fan. If she returns, maybe she'll grow on me.

Caught BeyondParadise and thoroughly enjoyed it. So nice to have a little backstory forEsther. And, if rumors prove true, a potential love interest in season three.That'll be fun.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. I'm definitely interested in how things will play outwith Kitty's attacker. I can't wait to see if it gets resolved in the nextinstallment.

Watched an episodeof Batman Beyond. This is one I remembered from my original run through.Quite liked seeing it again.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and it's one I don't remember so a new-to-me episode.Thoroughly enjoyed it. Only a few more left before I move on to the rebootagain.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Victory is Hollow,a novella that brings a couple together after a huge mistake.

Here's theminiblurb:

Patience Clew and Del Mindhapel are elite armsinstructors for their training academy and have a lot of tension bouncing backand forth. When two of their cadets go head to head in an illegal duel and oneends up with an almost mortal wound, the top teachers are confined to quartersand that's when the tension really goes out of control.

And a sneaky peek…

I'm not looking for compromise.Del gnashed his teeth. "Soit's your way or no way?" She'd never accomplish what she wanted that way.Patience shrugged. "Prettymuch." She went back to reading her book.Del shook his head. "Then yourvictory is hollow. Because if cadets lose their lives to prove your point, itmeans nothing. The price is too high." Then again, maybe it wouldn'tmatter.If they couldn't come to anunderstanding, this discussion would be moot.She frowned and met his gaze."What are you talking about? Our cadets didn't die." She went back toher book.He snorted. "This time."He paced back and forth. "What happens when one does?" He stopped andglared at her.She rolled her eyes. "You'remaking more of this than you need to." Her focus went back to the page,but her knee bobbed up and down.Del resisted the urge to punchsomething. "Live ammo, Patience. The duel aside, we train with live ammo. You'reinsane if you don't think it can happen. Because it could." And definitelywould if she refused to consider any kind of compromise. "Especially ifyou're not willing to bend a little and come at this topic from a differentangle." He bit back a sigh. "All I'm saying is you better be preparedto face a tribunal when the worst finally happens." Out of steam, he satat the table and pulled out his paintbrushes. "Do you really wantthat?" Uncapping the paint, he dipped the tip into the vibrant red.She stayed silent, but her legbobbed nonstop.But … he didn't push for an answer.Because, honestly, he didn't have the desire to argue about something thatshould be simple to understand. Working on the model ship, he hoped like hell he'dgiven her an idea to chew on.

This story isbouncing all over the place, but I think I've finally got the main beats down.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Victory

Even though Marchis my birth month and the birth month of my mom and one of my best friends, I'mkind of glad to kick it to the curb. It's been a wild ride this month. Thatsaid, it's also been intensely productive, so I'm really not complaining.

The weather is stilldrunk, wildly surging one direction then lurching back only to zing forwardagain. My sinuses hate me right now. And my throat has that I just swallowedglass with a gravel chaser sound at the moment.

Still buried withwork but I'm making great progress on all fronts. I added another new hourly projectto the pile and made a big dent in that one yesterday.

Not a bad week forviewing. I got through my usual slate and did a marathon watch to finish outthe week.

Ended up watchingtwo episodes of Elementary and both were actually terrific. I'm veryinterested in seeing how things with Kitty play out in the next few installments.

Caught two episodesof Batman Beyond. Always happy to see the Royal Flush show up and I likedthe throwback to Bane.

Also enjoyed two ClassicRugrats episodes. I'm about halfway through the final season and I thinkI'll pick back up with the new reboot once I'm finished up.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise and I'm enjoying having Darlene working with theteam. She's a great addition. Also glad to see Neville's sister exit. Maybeshe'll grow on me, but I didn't enjoy her at all.

Watched the first officialepisode of season two Beyond Paradise. Really enjoyed the way the mysteryunfolded. Also loved the resolution.

I ended up notquite finishing the episode of London Kills but I should have that onecompleted this week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Victory, a novella that sees acouple make a wager about public displays of affection.

Here's theminiblurb:

Nevin Fram and Chase Barlow put everything on the linewhen they wager who can get the drop on the other first with a hot kiss. Nevinexecutes a plan to catch Chase during a sparring match, but he turns the tableson her and wins. Nevin wants to go double or nothing, but first her brain hasto start functioning again.

And a sneaky peek…

"Damn. You two should find anempty causeway and get it out of your systems."Nevin Fram glanced up at the rudestatement then discovered what set the commentary off. Two newer crewmates weregetting rather hot and heavy in a corner booth in the mess hall.Nevin snorted. "Newbs always haveto stake a claim within the first week of arrival." Usually in public,which they'd learn didn't have to happen.With a roster ranging from ahundred to a hundred and fifty, sooner or later everyone knew everything abouteverybody. Whether anyone wanted to or not. Transport ships—even ones withparamilitary ranking—were notorious for scuttlebutt and shenanigans.Nevin kicked back and put her feetup on an empty chair. "Too bad I don't have any cheese corn." Fromthe running observations and ribald comments, the show would get good in thenear future.A tray slid in front of her with a bowlof cheese corn and two drinks on it.Chase Barlow—her partner in and outof bed—dropped down on the seat next to her. "Newbs strike again."His lips twisted in a smirk.Nevin nudged his shoulder."You always know exactly what I want." Pulling the bowl close, shegrabbed a handful of the fluffy, savory snack.Chase propped a leg beside hers onthe makeshift footrest. "You make it easy. I love knowing what you likeand don't like." He folded his arms over his chest and scooted down to acomfortable position.Rogee Blatten called out. "Yo,Barlow. How long have you and Fram been a thing?" He rocked back on thestool to reveal four curious people at his table.Chase pondered a moment. "Aboutfive years." He slid Nevin a sideways glance. "Sound aboutright?"She gave a nod. "Prettymuch." Resisting the urge to squirm under the scrutiny, she shot anarrow-eyed gaze toward Rogee. "You planning on throwing us a party orsomething?"Rogee held up his hands. "Nothinglike that. Just asking." He leaned against the table. "Like, everyoneknows you're together, but no one really knows how it happened."Heads bobbed up and down. Not justat Rog's table, but elsewhere in the mess hall … even the newbs came up for airto listen.Chase grunted. "You beeninhaling the cannon oil again? How doesn't matter." He met Nevin's gaze."Does it?" He arched one brow.Nevin shrugged. "Not to me."And not an interesting story.Well, not to anyone but her andChase. She'd never gone for guys who made big exhibitions about their feelings.Chase didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, but he made subtle gestures—like thecheese corn—that showed her she meant something. Why the curiosity now? Afterthey'd been together for so long?Maybe Rogee had been spending toomuch time in the armory with the ammo and lubricant. Rog tsked. "Come on. You neverdo the usual couple thing. No lip-locks in the corridor or holding hands onmovie night." He flung a hand out. "You have something against publicdisplays of affection?"Nevin blinked. "Guess I'm notreally into the whole sharing with the universe deal." She didn't thepoint as long as Chase understood how she felt.Chase snorted. "Yeah, I don'tsee the need. Kind of like staking a claim." He paused a moment. "Whyis it necessary? Almost reeks of being desperate." He rolled a shoulder."But each to their own, right?"Nevin tensed up a little. Thestaking a claim comment hit sideways. Probably because she'd had the thoughtearlier. Did she need Chase to make it clear—to everyone—how he felt about her?Not really. But … did he take her for granted? Maybe they'd become a little toocomfortable together. Or maybe she just wanted to push a self-imposed boundary.Rog rolled his eyes. "Okay,okay. I can see this conversation is going nowhere." He looked at hisgroup. "Let's hit the rec hall. It'll be more interesting than watchingthe newbs get hot and heavy or prying any kind of dirt from the oldhands." He slid off his stool and clomped toward the hatch.The rest of his group followed suit,shuffling out behind him, and the two new crewmen sheepishly straightened theirclothes and made tracks also.Chase shifted around to face her. "Yougot quiet. What's going through your mind right now?" His eyes narrowedand his head tilted to one side.Great question. She had no idea whyshe got salty about Rog's prodding and the way Chase responded. But she did.She took a moment before answering."I don't know why, but I'm thinking we need a wager to give Rog a hard kickin the mind his own business section of his ass." And maybe see what thenext step would be for her and Chase.Chase straightened and blinked in surprise."Where's this coming from? Since when does his opinion matter to us?"He leaned forward and propped his forearms on the table.Nevin lifted a shoulder. "Notsaying it does … and here's the completely wrong part…" An imaginary lineappeared in her mind, and she hesitated to step over it. "When you saidpublic displays were kind of like staking a claim, I'd had that thought when Ifirst noticed Brant and Gemma making out. Yet … when you added the bit about itreeking of desperation, I don't know. It hit weird." And she made zerosense right now.Chase frowned. "Weird bad orweird good?"Nevin lifted her chin. "Bit ofboth."

I'm enjoying howthis story is coming together. Nevin and Chase are fun to write, and I can'twait to see where they go next.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: V Is for Victory

Geez, I can'tbelieve we're almost through March. This has been such a busy month and it'sflying by. A few outside distractions added to the mix this week and weresomething of a big time suck.

My work projectsare still chugging along and I'm making progress on my side gig I hope to launchsoon. Technically it's already out in the world but I'm adding a big layer tothe whole thing. Of course, I pick a moment in time when I'm crazy busy. But Ilove a good challenge.

As usual, theweather is all over the map. We've had a lot of wind rolling through, stirringup dust and who knows what else. And the temps are doing the back-and-forthdance. I'm looking forward to having some even, leveled-out days … wheneverthat might be.

Slow viewing weekagain. Partly due to work stuff and I'm also in a bit of a slump. I might beedging toward a binge-watching phase, which I haven't really done for a longwhile.

I got most of the waythrough the episode of London Kills I started last week. It's theopening ep of the fourth season so I kind of want to pay attention and I keepmissing key things, so I'll finish it when I have more brain power.

Watched an episodeof Death in Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd seen bits and piecesof this one so kind of knew what to expect. I very much remember absolutely dislikingNeville's sister with an intense passion and that didn't change. Maybe she'llgrow on me, but I doubt it.

Also caught theholiday episode of Beyond Paradise and totally loved it! Christmas showsmake me happy and this episode seemed to pull the periphery cast into eachother's orbits and I loved that. Looking forward to diving into the rest ofseason two. And, oddly, the timing ended up being perfect for the crossoverlast week when Humph returned to the beach. Not sure how I did that.

I did another bingemarathon of Peter Gunn also. I'm loving some of the live channels onPlex.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from V Is for Victory, anovella set in the V-World universe.

Here's the miniblurb:

When Ric Biden is kidnapped by Nemesis to further hishold on V-World, Deandra Wilder vows to help Mallory and Surge bring Ric backin one piece. After all, she's the reason Nemesis found their headquarters. Andshe's willing to do anything to get Ric back … even if it means entering the VZand ghosting herself to keep Ric from succumbing to Nemesis's mind games.

And a sneaky peek…

Deandra Wilder drummed her fingerson the metal table. "So, we agree? I'm going in to find Ric." Theidea made her queasy, but she'd do whatever it took to save him.Even if she ghosted herself orended up shredded.But Surge and Mallory wouldn't letthat happen. Would they?No, her gut said they'd have herback. Surge wanted to take Nemesis down once and for all. And Mallory wantedher brother home in one piece … hopefully with his incredible brain intact. IfDeandra ended up not making it … it would be her choice and done to save Ric.Man, if anyone would've told hershe'd be ass over tits for a giant brainiac, she'd have laughed them off theplanet. Yet here she sat, gearing up for battle because she'd fallen truly,madly, deeply for one. And, dammit, they'd only had like five fucking minutesto get started.Surge nudged her wrist. "Dea? Youget that, right?" He wore his serious Surge face, so whatever he'd saidmust've been important.She shook her head. "Sorry. Whatam I getting?" Exhaling slowly, she focused on the two people at thetable.She couldn't fuck this up.Mallory's eyes flashed withimpatience, but she spoke calmly. "Nemesis knows where the ranch is. Wehave to go mobile before you go in." Her gaze drifted around the room."That means making some arrangements to cover the day-to-day operations,get set up at a new location, and finding some way to get you inside withoutdrawing a lot of attention to ourselves." A sigh escaped her, and hershoulders slumped.Surge grunted. "Actually, I'vegot just the thing we need." He frowned. "But it'll take a couple ofdays to get it outfitted." He whipped out his started swiping throughscreens.Deandra balled her hands intofists. "A couple of days? Surge, you know what Nemesis can do to someonein less than twenty-four hours." She got up and paced back and forth."We don't have a couple of days." Dammit, maybe she should do thisalone.Mallory snorted. "Don't eventhink about trying to sneak off on your own. Ric will buy us the time weneed." Her voice held conviction.Deandra sat back down. "Fine. Butif anything happens to him…" She huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes."Right. What the hell am I saying? If anything happens to him it's onme." For the millionth time, she wished she'd never met Nemesis.Mallory leaned forward. "Look,it would be easy to let you shoulder all the blame. But it wouldn't be fair."She held Deandra's gaze. "This team, which includes Ric, is myresponsibility. Security is never completely foolproof. That's why I haveSurge. To test the limits and use that knowledge to shore up ourdefenses." A shoulder lifted. "There aren't a lot of people who cando what we do, so we all have to dig in and do the work. You're part of thatnow. And we need you. Maybe more than you need us, especially since you didn'tsign up to be a team player…"Surge cut into the conversation."There're perks to having a team." He shifted his gaze to Mallory."Ask me how I know…" He turned his attention to Deandra. "We'llbe with you every step of the way. You're not alone anymore."Deandra gave a jerky nod. "Iknow. I do." She sighed, folded her arms on the table, and rested her headagainst them.She might not be alone. Sheappreciated having people in her corner now. But…I won't be complete without Ric.

I literally juststarted this one and I'm so excited to see where things go with this universe.Pretty sure one of the other side characters is pushing to have their storytold also.

 

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

 

ML Skye