M.L. Skye's Blog, page 31
January 26, 2020
Sunday Snippet: Command Authority
Wow, I can't believe January is almost over. Actually… yeah, I can. It's been a strange month. The weather is definitely not winter-like, which I'm not really complaining about. It might be nice to have snow… but maybe after we get our roof repaired.
Slow week for television as I had a few projects to get caught up on. I caught a new arc of Classic Who episodes. I'm in the tenth season and have one more to go with Three.
Also watched two more episodes of Gargoyles and finished out the first season. The second is super long with something like fifty-plus episodes. I'll gradually make my way through those.
I watched the first episode season eight's Arrow. Man… I'm going to miss this show so much. I'm excited there might be carry-on with Mia and the Dinah's and I actually hope some of the others in the 2040 version of Starling City find their way to the new show.
Caught an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and loved it. I always find it fun when they have historical figures mixed in with the regular cast. And I love the soft jabs the show takes at current events.
Watched another episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and I have one left for the third season. I really love how they work Flo and Mary into the storylines and I'll be interested to see what season four has on the horizon. If there is a season four.
Started the Riverdale finale for season three. I'm so hoping Edgar is gone for season four and I know Hiram isn't but I at least I might get one wish to come true. Seriously, I hate Hiram with the passion of a thousand burning suns. Ugh.
And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Command Authority, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Addie Varns and Neal Columbo are thisclose to having everything they want, namely each other, when Neal gets promoted to commander. Used to being on equal footing, Addie needs some time to adjust to the new chain of leadership. Neal gives her some space, but if need be, he'll invoke his command authority.
And a sneaky peek…
"Hey, Addie. Did you see the new flight roster yet?" Lucia Xing called out from the shower two stalls down.Addie frowned. She had, but didn't notice any changes.She angled her head toward the other pilot. "Yeah, is there a problem?"Lucia laughed. "Hell, no. Which is exactly the point. Two full months with almost zero changes, barring that last minute switch last week when Rumbleseat whacked his head on the canopy and knocked himself out."Addie finally got it. "You want me to punch you so you know it's real?"Showoff threw her hands up, mock terrified. "No, no. Not necessary." She ducked her head under the spray, making sure all the shampoo rinsed away.Addie shut her water supply off and snagged a towel. Xing did the same and moved to stand beside Addie at the line of mirrors.Addie went for humor. "You sure get excited about the most bizarre things around here."Using her fingers to comb through her short mop of hair, Lucia shot back. "Look, when standard operating procedure is a sharp stab to the back, something like a consistent schedule takes some getting used to." She met Addie's gaze in the mirror. "But it doesn't go unnoticed. Commander's doing a damned good job." Finished with her primping, she turned and left the area to head for her locker.Addie pondered Lucia's words. James Trask, the first replacement for Ames, had been a wheeler dealer who never thought to have a command. The bastard ran the ship the way he ran his acquisition duties. More than a few of the crew felt the bite of a double deal.Addie had her own run in with Trask's system when she'd dropped a delivery of supplies at an outpost and discovered she'd been promised in the deal. Several gunshots and a wicked spiral fly out from the landing bay later, she'd contacted Neal on a secured private comm and filled him in. Acting as the Amalthea's liaison and Ganymead'sCAG at the time, Neal kept a closer watch on the commander, observing his underhanded practices and wondered aloud how long Trask could keep it up.The quartermaster feared for his life. Forced to be a go between, he took most of the heat when Trask kept using off log suppliers and short changed them on trades and payment. The quartermaster finally landed in the infirmary with several broken bones, after a severe beating from one of Trask's sources. Trask didn't fare as well. He ended up on the wrong side of the airlock. They'd found his body, floating in space, outside the base station.James Trask might have been friendlier than his predecessor. He'd had to be. To further his own agenda, he mixed business with pleasure. But his double dealing hadn't been limited to the ships in the fleet. More than a few of the Ganymeadcrew had bite marks on their ass from his tenure as commander. And they had the scars to prove it. Considering they still double checked the duty rosters to make sure they wouldn't be caught out by a last minute change—courtesy of a trademark command payoff—the wounds hadn't completely healed. Yet, Addie had noticed the solid, positive changes made and Neal's hand in getting it done. She should. When Neal had been assigned to be the Ganymead'sliaison, he'd often sought her opinion about former command initiatives, asking her what she'd change. They'd grown very close during the time they spent deep in discussion. Okay, closer. Addie never suspected he'd be commanding the ship a short time afterward. But seeing the relaxed countenance of the crew made her weird uncomfortable vibe worth it. Neal had recently brokered an arrangement for supplies in trade and it went super smooth. The crew finally trusted the flight roster and had started singing Neal's praises.Addie got a zing. She and Neal had always worked in tandem, tag-teaming to get things done for the pilots on the Amalthea. She missed it, working closely with him. But holy hell, it felt good to see the confirmation that their work had paid off. The Ganymead staff and crew had followed Trask because they had to… they followed Neal because they wanted to.And okay, she'd become part of his command staff—temporarily—but it didn't feel the same. She didn't quite have her bearings yet. Completely on her. Neal treated her the same… but she saw him differently. Addie needed an adjustment period—something new and foreign for her go with the flow attitude. Threw her off-kilter and she didn't like it.She and Neal… they had a push-pull thing. Attracted to each other, they played it fairly safe, acknowledging the heat, but not acting on it. They'd come so close a few times, but she pulled away. Neal told her to be sure, absolutely certain. Once they crossed the line, they couldn't go back.Okay, he wouldn't go back. He'd made it very clear. Then stepped back and gave her some room to figure shit out.Too bad hell landed on the hangar deck in the form of the Ganymead and it's whacked out crew. Who the hell had time to think when life went sideways and everything changed? Except maybe late at night, when sleep wouldn't come no matter how tired she got.Addie had plenty of time to think then. And she knew what she wanted with Neal. But with the game-changing stuff going on, she didn't know how they'd ever pull off making a relationship work. Throw in the possible reaction from Neal's old man and Colonel Shitface and Addie wondered which ship would implode in on itself first.
I'm excited about this story. The narrative is a little different than the usual for me and I enjoy playing with the structure.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Slow week for television as I had a few projects to get caught up on. I caught a new arc of Classic Who episodes. I'm in the tenth season and have one more to go with Three.
Also watched two more episodes of Gargoyles and finished out the first season. The second is super long with something like fifty-plus episodes. I'll gradually make my way through those.
I watched the first episode season eight's Arrow. Man… I'm going to miss this show so much. I'm excited there might be carry-on with Mia and the Dinah's and I actually hope some of the others in the 2040 version of Starling City find their way to the new show.
Caught an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and loved it. I always find it fun when they have historical figures mixed in with the regular cast. And I love the soft jabs the show takes at current events.
Watched another episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and I have one left for the third season. I really love how they work Flo and Mary into the storylines and I'll be interested to see what season four has on the horizon. If there is a season four.
Started the Riverdale finale for season three. I'm so hoping Edgar is gone for season four and I know Hiram isn't but I at least I might get one wish to come true. Seriously, I hate Hiram with the passion of a thousand burning suns. Ugh.
And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Command Authority, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Addie Varns and Neal Columbo are thisclose to having everything they want, namely each other, when Neal gets promoted to commander. Used to being on equal footing, Addie needs some time to adjust to the new chain of leadership. Neal gives her some space, but if need be, he'll invoke his command authority.
And a sneaky peek…
"Hey, Addie. Did you see the new flight roster yet?" Lucia Xing called out from the shower two stalls down.Addie frowned. She had, but didn't notice any changes.She angled her head toward the other pilot. "Yeah, is there a problem?"Lucia laughed. "Hell, no. Which is exactly the point. Two full months with almost zero changes, barring that last minute switch last week when Rumbleseat whacked his head on the canopy and knocked himself out."Addie finally got it. "You want me to punch you so you know it's real?"Showoff threw her hands up, mock terrified. "No, no. Not necessary." She ducked her head under the spray, making sure all the shampoo rinsed away.Addie shut her water supply off and snagged a towel. Xing did the same and moved to stand beside Addie at the line of mirrors.Addie went for humor. "You sure get excited about the most bizarre things around here."Using her fingers to comb through her short mop of hair, Lucia shot back. "Look, when standard operating procedure is a sharp stab to the back, something like a consistent schedule takes some getting used to." She met Addie's gaze in the mirror. "But it doesn't go unnoticed. Commander's doing a damned good job." Finished with her primping, she turned and left the area to head for her locker.Addie pondered Lucia's words. James Trask, the first replacement for Ames, had been a wheeler dealer who never thought to have a command. The bastard ran the ship the way he ran his acquisition duties. More than a few of the crew felt the bite of a double deal.Addie had her own run in with Trask's system when she'd dropped a delivery of supplies at an outpost and discovered she'd been promised in the deal. Several gunshots and a wicked spiral fly out from the landing bay later, she'd contacted Neal on a secured private comm and filled him in. Acting as the Amalthea's liaison and Ganymead'sCAG at the time, Neal kept a closer watch on the commander, observing his underhanded practices and wondered aloud how long Trask could keep it up.The quartermaster feared for his life. Forced to be a go between, he took most of the heat when Trask kept using off log suppliers and short changed them on trades and payment. The quartermaster finally landed in the infirmary with several broken bones, after a severe beating from one of Trask's sources. Trask didn't fare as well. He ended up on the wrong side of the airlock. They'd found his body, floating in space, outside the base station.James Trask might have been friendlier than his predecessor. He'd had to be. To further his own agenda, he mixed business with pleasure. But his double dealing hadn't been limited to the ships in the fleet. More than a few of the Ganymeadcrew had bite marks on their ass from his tenure as commander. And they had the scars to prove it. Considering they still double checked the duty rosters to make sure they wouldn't be caught out by a last minute change—courtesy of a trademark command payoff—the wounds hadn't completely healed. Yet, Addie had noticed the solid, positive changes made and Neal's hand in getting it done. She should. When Neal had been assigned to be the Ganymead'sliaison, he'd often sought her opinion about former command initiatives, asking her what she'd change. They'd grown very close during the time they spent deep in discussion. Okay, closer. Addie never suspected he'd be commanding the ship a short time afterward. But seeing the relaxed countenance of the crew made her weird uncomfortable vibe worth it. Neal had recently brokered an arrangement for supplies in trade and it went super smooth. The crew finally trusted the flight roster and had started singing Neal's praises.Addie got a zing. She and Neal had always worked in tandem, tag-teaming to get things done for the pilots on the Amalthea. She missed it, working closely with him. But holy hell, it felt good to see the confirmation that their work had paid off. The Ganymead staff and crew had followed Trask because they had to… they followed Neal because they wanted to.And okay, she'd become part of his command staff—temporarily—but it didn't feel the same. She didn't quite have her bearings yet. Completely on her. Neal treated her the same… but she saw him differently. Addie needed an adjustment period—something new and foreign for her go with the flow attitude. Threw her off-kilter and she didn't like it.She and Neal… they had a push-pull thing. Attracted to each other, they played it fairly safe, acknowledging the heat, but not acting on it. They'd come so close a few times, but she pulled away. Neal told her to be sure, absolutely certain. Once they crossed the line, they couldn't go back.Okay, he wouldn't go back. He'd made it very clear. Then stepped back and gave her some room to figure shit out.Too bad hell landed on the hangar deck in the form of the Ganymead and it's whacked out crew. Who the hell had time to think when life went sideways and everything changed? Except maybe late at night, when sleep wouldn't come no matter how tired she got.Addie had plenty of time to think then. And she knew what she wanted with Neal. But with the game-changing stuff going on, she didn't know how they'd ever pull off making a relationship work. Throw in the possible reaction from Neal's old man and Colonel Shitface and Addie wondered which ship would implode in on itself first.
I'm excited about this story. The narrative is a little different than the usual for me and I enjoy playing with the structure.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
January 19, 2020
Sunday Snippet: Come Here Often
I'm so excited! We're getting our leaky roof replaced in the very near future. I've been waiting to do a small renovation in our bathroom because I need to make sure we won't have any more water damage in there. Can't wait!!
Not a bad week for television. Caught an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and, once again, enjoyed the four main characters and their bonding. Terrific female representation in this show.
Watched the penultimate episode of Riverdale'sthird season. So many revelations in this one and nothing I'm terribly surprised by. Edgar is just as creeptastic as I suspected. I do want to know if Polly is aware of Jason being… whatever the hell Jason is. My gut says Alice is not. Can't wait to find out. Veronica pulled a savage move on Hiram and I'm totally there for more of that. I literally hate that guy and actually wouldn't mind if he died in a fire. No such luck, I'm sure.
I caved and watched a season twelve episode of Peak Practice. I'll probably go back and forth on this show, catching the entire run while also sneaking in episodes with my favorite actor.
Caught the behind-the-scenes episode of Midsomer Murders and I'm ready to start season twenty-one. Looking forward to diving in next week.
I'm excited to watch the final season of Arrow in the very near future, along with the crossover event. I'm also thrilled to have some new super-hero shows on the horizon. Should be an interesting year for watching.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Come Here Often, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt. I can't explain how much I love taking a scene or word prompt and finding the beat of what I want to do then sitting down to create a story.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Neely survives a war but not without considerable emotional damage. When Ace offers her everything she's ever wanted, she turns him down, believing they can't pick up where they left off. Ace aims to prove they don't have to.
And a sneaky peek…
The whirlwind debriefing dredged up more questions than answers, and almost earned her a stint in quarantine.But Ace had been the lone person who argued against isolating her, suggesting a normal routine would be more likely to show any signs of post-hypnotic triggers, if any were planted, and helped her reintegrate into the crew. He even volunteered to stand duty with her when no one else would. But the biggest thing he'd done? He'd given her space, accepting her wish to move forward and not look back. And he hadn't doubted her—even when proof of her "death" came to light.And she kept blowing him off and not letting him in. Because she feared going back to what they used to be. She wanted a new page but had no idea what might happen.Did it really matter? Probably not, but cutting him completely loose seemed like her only option.Turning slowly, she started back down the hill. She made it several yards when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. She stopped, almost afraid to engage in any kind of conversation. It could only end badly. But she owed Ace a chance to say his piece. Lifting her head, she turned toward him.He smiled. "Um, hi. I noticed you from up the hill a ways and I just had to make your acquaintance." He thrust his hand forward. "Name's Ace Buchanan. It's nice to meet you."Neely narrowed her eyes, not sure what the hell to do.Ace lifted a brow, waiting. The meaning behind his gesture dawned on her. The end of Jaybird and Buckman could be a new beginning for Ace Buchanan and Neely Jay. Her lips twisted and a laugh escaped. A very blank page lay open before her.She grabbed his hand, squeezing it warmly. "Neely Jay. Nice to meet you, too." She fell into step beside him and began the descent down the hill. "So… you come here often?" Ace's bark of laughter made her heart warm. A new beginning with loads of possibilities. Neely could get behind the concept.
Honestly? This story is all over the place but I love all of it. I'm slowly—very slowly—piecing the scenes together into something cohesive.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Not a bad week for television. Caught an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and, once again, enjoyed the four main characters and their bonding. Terrific female representation in this show.
Watched the penultimate episode of Riverdale'sthird season. So many revelations in this one and nothing I'm terribly surprised by. Edgar is just as creeptastic as I suspected. I do want to know if Polly is aware of Jason being… whatever the hell Jason is. My gut says Alice is not. Can't wait to find out. Veronica pulled a savage move on Hiram and I'm totally there for more of that. I literally hate that guy and actually wouldn't mind if he died in a fire. No such luck, I'm sure.
I caved and watched a season twelve episode of Peak Practice. I'll probably go back and forth on this show, catching the entire run while also sneaking in episodes with my favorite actor.
Caught the behind-the-scenes episode of Midsomer Murders and I'm ready to start season twenty-one. Looking forward to diving in next week.
I'm excited to watch the final season of Arrow in the very near future, along with the crossover event. I'm also thrilled to have some new super-hero shows on the horizon. Should be an interesting year for watching.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Come Here Often, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt. I can't explain how much I love taking a scene or word prompt and finding the beat of what I want to do then sitting down to create a story.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Neely survives a war but not without considerable emotional damage. When Ace offers her everything she's ever wanted, she turns him down, believing they can't pick up where they left off. Ace aims to prove they don't have to.
And a sneaky peek…
The whirlwind debriefing dredged up more questions than answers, and almost earned her a stint in quarantine.But Ace had been the lone person who argued against isolating her, suggesting a normal routine would be more likely to show any signs of post-hypnotic triggers, if any were planted, and helped her reintegrate into the crew. He even volunteered to stand duty with her when no one else would. But the biggest thing he'd done? He'd given her space, accepting her wish to move forward and not look back. And he hadn't doubted her—even when proof of her "death" came to light.And she kept blowing him off and not letting him in. Because she feared going back to what they used to be. She wanted a new page but had no idea what might happen.Did it really matter? Probably not, but cutting him completely loose seemed like her only option.Turning slowly, she started back down the hill. She made it several yards when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. She stopped, almost afraid to engage in any kind of conversation. It could only end badly. But she owed Ace a chance to say his piece. Lifting her head, she turned toward him.He smiled. "Um, hi. I noticed you from up the hill a ways and I just had to make your acquaintance." He thrust his hand forward. "Name's Ace Buchanan. It's nice to meet you."Neely narrowed her eyes, not sure what the hell to do.Ace lifted a brow, waiting. The meaning behind his gesture dawned on her. The end of Jaybird and Buckman could be a new beginning for Ace Buchanan and Neely Jay. Her lips twisted and a laugh escaped. A very blank page lay open before her.She grabbed his hand, squeezing it warmly. "Neely Jay. Nice to meet you, too." She fell into step beside him and began the descent down the hill. "So… you come here often?" Ace's bark of laughter made her heart warm. A new beginning with loads of possibilities. Neely could get behind the concept.
Honestly? This story is all over the place but I love all of it. I'm slowly—very slowly—piecing the scenes together into something cohesive.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
January 12, 2020
Sunday Snippet: Come Back to Me
We're having unseasonably warm weather for January. The temperature hit seventy degrees today. I'm pretty much planning on having a blizzard during prom season and possibly during my daughter's graduation in May. Just saying.
I've had the unique experience of being project-free for a whole week. I can honestly say it's actually been kind of nice to have the downtime. It's good to catch up on mundane things like clearing my inbox and deleted items files.
Had a semi-decent week of television viewing. I finished up the episode of Frankie Drake and watched a new one. I really love this show.
Caught an episode of Midsomer Murders and finished out the twentieth series. I have a behind the scenes thing to watch then off to series twenty-one. Looking forward to starting it.
Finished the Sapphire and Steel series. I can honestly say the way ended surprised me but not in a bad way. The unique spin on how time functioned ended up being fun to watch.
Also caught the Three Doctors arc of Classic Who. Very interesting to go watch this one because I didn't get to watch during its original run.
Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles. Started the second season, which is a lot longer than I originally thought it was. I've also discovered I'm pretty sure I missed the entire third season of this show. New stuff!!
Started a new episode of Murdoch Mysteries and I'm enjoying it so far. I feel like fans are on borrowed time because sooner or later the shoe is going to drop on William and Miss Hart will be the one to wield it. Not sure how I feel about that, to be honest.
Finished up a Blue Heelers episode and started a new one. Still enjoy this show so much. I love getting a look at how law enforcement works in another country, even if it's fictionalized.
Finally, I've been waiting and waiting for a very long time for an old British show to make its way to the streaming services. It's finally here! I watched the first episode of Peak Practice and I can't wait to watch the episodes with one of my favorite actors. Of course, he doesn't show up until the final season and it's a solid bet I won't be able to wait to watch his episodes, but I'm trying to view in chronological order. We'll see what happens.
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Come Back to Me, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Tania and James love each other deeply, but have a complicated relationship. When Tania has a chance to right a wrong, James has to trust she'll keep her promise to come back to him.
And a sneaky peek…
Tania Greene stood at the memorial wall on the Gretna when she caught the reflection of James Lagersall. "Incoming. Brace for impact." She didn't have the heart to do battle with him right now.Not after losing the man she more or less called husband even when her heart belonged to someone else. The same someone standing behind her now. The one moving in her direction.Tania traced her husband's name with her fingertips before turning to face James.He paused less than two feet away and studied her for several long moments. Tania refused to squirm under the scrutiny… not that James wanted her to. But their complicated history usually made her uncomfortable when things got personal.His gaze went to the wall. "I'm sorry about Denny." Sincerity tinged his voice.And Tania couldn't deal with it. Anger she could handle. Contempt, definitely doable. But compassion? From James? Not so much.Because once upon a time, she'd had so much more with him.She met his gaze. "Are you really? Because his loss clears the path for you. Wanna pick up where we left off?" As if… he'd made it clear when she moved in with Denny they were over and done.James shook his head, the flash of hurt in his eyes quickly masked. "You know what? Think what you want. You always do." He turned on his heel and started down the corridor.Tania winced. Dammit. Why did she trash everything?Because she didn't deserve the peace offering. Yet she needed to mend fences.She grabbed his arm. "James, wait." Her eyes slid closed. "I'm sorry." She drew in a ragged breath. "You don't deserve my scorn and Denny certainly didn't deserve to get tangled up with me." Her face crumpled and the tears she hadn't been able to shed finally started falling. "And now I can't do anything to make up for what I put him through." Her voice broke on a jagged whisper.James wrapped her in his arms and held her close. Tania leaned into the comfortable embrace she knew so well. She didn't deserve this either, but she'd damned well take the momentary safe haven.
This one is tricky. The goal is to show how characters often end up with someone they should be with but also keep them sympathetic. Relationships can be messy and writing the ways people grow and learn is something I thoroughly enjoy.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
I've had the unique experience of being project-free for a whole week. I can honestly say it's actually been kind of nice to have the downtime. It's good to catch up on mundane things like clearing my inbox and deleted items files.
Had a semi-decent week of television viewing. I finished up the episode of Frankie Drake and watched a new one. I really love this show.
Caught an episode of Midsomer Murders and finished out the twentieth series. I have a behind the scenes thing to watch then off to series twenty-one. Looking forward to starting it.
Finished the Sapphire and Steel series. I can honestly say the way ended surprised me but not in a bad way. The unique spin on how time functioned ended up being fun to watch.
Also caught the Three Doctors arc of Classic Who. Very interesting to go watch this one because I didn't get to watch during its original run.
Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles. Started the second season, which is a lot longer than I originally thought it was. I've also discovered I'm pretty sure I missed the entire third season of this show. New stuff!!
Started a new episode of Murdoch Mysteries and I'm enjoying it so far. I feel like fans are on borrowed time because sooner or later the shoe is going to drop on William and Miss Hart will be the one to wield it. Not sure how I feel about that, to be honest.
Finished up a Blue Heelers episode and started a new one. Still enjoy this show so much. I love getting a look at how law enforcement works in another country, even if it's fictionalized.
Finally, I've been waiting and waiting for a very long time for an old British show to make its way to the streaming services. It's finally here! I watched the first episode of Peak Practice and I can't wait to watch the episodes with one of my favorite actors. Of course, he doesn't show up until the final season and it's a solid bet I won't be able to wait to watch his episodes, but I'm trying to view in chronological order. We'll see what happens.
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Come Back to Me, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Tania and James love each other deeply, but have a complicated relationship. When Tania has a chance to right a wrong, James has to trust she'll keep her promise to come back to him.
And a sneaky peek…
Tania Greene stood at the memorial wall on the Gretna when she caught the reflection of James Lagersall. "Incoming. Brace for impact." She didn't have the heart to do battle with him right now.Not after losing the man she more or less called husband even when her heart belonged to someone else. The same someone standing behind her now. The one moving in her direction.Tania traced her husband's name with her fingertips before turning to face James.He paused less than two feet away and studied her for several long moments. Tania refused to squirm under the scrutiny… not that James wanted her to. But their complicated history usually made her uncomfortable when things got personal.His gaze went to the wall. "I'm sorry about Denny." Sincerity tinged his voice.And Tania couldn't deal with it. Anger she could handle. Contempt, definitely doable. But compassion? From James? Not so much.Because once upon a time, she'd had so much more with him.She met his gaze. "Are you really? Because his loss clears the path for you. Wanna pick up where we left off?" As if… he'd made it clear when she moved in with Denny they were over and done.James shook his head, the flash of hurt in his eyes quickly masked. "You know what? Think what you want. You always do." He turned on his heel and started down the corridor.Tania winced. Dammit. Why did she trash everything?Because she didn't deserve the peace offering. Yet she needed to mend fences.She grabbed his arm. "James, wait." Her eyes slid closed. "I'm sorry." She drew in a ragged breath. "You don't deserve my scorn and Denny certainly didn't deserve to get tangled up with me." Her face crumpled and the tears she hadn't been able to shed finally started falling. "And now I can't do anything to make up for what I put him through." Her voice broke on a jagged whisper.James wrapped her in his arms and held her close. Tania leaned into the comfortable embrace she knew so well. She didn't deserve this either, but she'd damned well take the momentary safe haven.
This one is tricky. The goal is to show how characters often end up with someone they should be with but also keep them sympathetic. Relationships can be messy and writing the ways people grow and learn is something I thoroughly enjoy.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
January 5, 2020
Sunday Snippet: The Cockpit
Hello 2020! I'm quite thrilled to have a clean new year to take out for a spin. We have a new puppy named Maggie Mae and she's a sweetie. Her big sister Annabelle needed a companion and so far they're settling in together very well. I'd totally forgotten how much energy puppies have. Yeesh.
Had a limited week of television viewing but got a few shows watched. I caught a full arc of Classic Who and also watched quite a bit of the Doctor Who marathon on BBC America. Sadly, I missed almost all of the episodes from last season.
Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. I had a long hiatus mainly because I've been catching up on laundry and had so much to fold I couldn't do it in my laundry room.
Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles. Also had another great conversation with my oldest about watching this show when he was a little one.
Caught the prom night episode of Riverdale and, again, enjoyed the hell out of it. This show is so incredibly batshit I can't not have fun while watching.
Also watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I'm so on the fence about where they're going with William and Julia. To date, this show has never let me down so I'm hoping that won't be the case here.
Finally, I started an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. This is another show that rarely lets me down and I'm having a good time watching this episode.
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Cockpit, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Lark Fisher pulls R&R and hits the most happening bar on Virgonon, The Cockpit. Imagine her utter stupefaction when she finds out its owner is not only an old friend, but the one who got away.
And a sneaky peek…
Fox Wallington replaced the handset behind the bar. "Better get ready, Charlie. Got a star cruiser in orbit." Sometimes it paid to have a high-ranking parent in the military.Charlie Stax, bartender extraordinaire, quirked an eyebrow. "Should I break out the good stuff?" A running joke… Fox didn't serve anything but high-grade drinks.Fox snorted. "Might wanna call in an extra order this week." They'd need the additional stock. "A contingent of thirty-five hundred crew means at least three hundred fifty R and R passes." Possibly more, depending on why the ship pulled in for orbit.Charlie shook his head. "How do you do that?"Fox shrugged. "I knew every military ship's complement before I could read or write." His chin went up a notch. "When my dad was climbing the ranks, bedtime tended to be more about rote and structure than happy stories." Not that Fox would complain… he made bank off his firsthand knowledge.Charlie cocked his head to one side. "How'd you avoid getting sucked into the fold?"Fox chuckled. "I didn't. Served eight years before I bought this place." A career change he didn't regret.Charlie's eyes widened. "I've been working here for how long… why didn't I know you served?" He laughed. "I assumed the encyclopedic knowledge was from your dad."Fox rolled a shoulder. "Most of it is. But I—""Yo, can I get a little service here?" An obnoxious asshat slapped his palm on the bar. "I'm tired of spending my hard-earned credits for shitty booze and crappy conversation."Fox gave the guy a long once-over. "This is your third day here. Why complain now?" He held up a hand. "Wait… let me guess… you've been kicked out of every other establishment, right?"The man straightened. "I don't have to take your shitty insults." Which pretty much confirmed the accusation.Fox agreed. "No, you don't. You and your shitty attitude can leave… as soon as you settle your tab."Tough guy shifted his gaze to the side. "Yeah, about that… I'm a little short at the moment."Charlie started around the counter but Fox stopped him. "Hold up. I've got this." He directed his gaze to the loud-mouthed moron. "All right, let's see if I've got everything straight here. You've been run out of all the other venues and aren't welcome anymore." He held up one finger. "You've been here, drinking and being otherwise obnoxious for the past two days and have a good start on today." He added a second digit. "Now, you're telling me you're a little short, meaning you can't pay off the debt you've racked up." A third finger shot up. "Am I right so far?"The guy shrugged. "I guess so. Not really in a position to argue, now, am I?"Fox snorted. "No, man, you're not. And, if my guess is correct, this whole being a dick and running your mouth is a big front so the big guy here" he pointed toward Charlie—"will throw you out on your ass, yeah?"The not-so-tough-anymore guy gave a reluctant nod but remained silent.Fox shot Charlie a look. "Do you believe this moron, Charlie? What's the solution here?" Fox had a specific way of dealing with tab-jumpers.Charlie's lips spread in a wide grin. "Well, boss, I believe it's the three-strike policy, isn't it?" He clapped his hands together and rubbed them up and down. "Which means the tab for… hold on, lemme find the name here…" He made a show of rifling through the open panels. "Ah, here it is… Banta Johnson will be settled in the ring with the boss man here at seven sharp." He slid his gaze toward Fox. "I can take bets on who'll win, yeah? You know, to cover the open balance…"Fox tapped the bar. "Absolutely, Charlie." He directed his attention to Banta. "Should be a good match. Johnson here looks to be in decent shape."Charlie laughed. "Yeah, until he goes a few rounds with you." He took some chalk and wrote the odds on the board.Banta held up his hands. "Now, hold on a minute. I didn't agree to this." He started backing away from the bar.Charlie barreled around and blocked Johnson's path. "Doesn't matter. It's in the ring or in front of a magistrate… and something tells me you don't want Virgonon's local law enforcement to get involved." Notorious for making the laws up as they went along, not many people wanted to tangle with what passed as the police force on a rim planet.Johnson squared his shoulders. "Fine. But change the odds. I'm better than ten to one."Charlie flashed a toothy grin. "That's the spirit, man." He met Fox's gaze. "What do you think? Seven to one?"Fox shrugged. "Make it five. The longer Mr. Brawler here stays in the ring, the better the chance to cover what he owes." The odds didn't matter. Johnson would go down whatever they were.
Fox is a fun guy to write. He's going to have his hands full between taking down Banta and having a star cruiser in orbit.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Had a limited week of television viewing but got a few shows watched. I caught a full arc of Classic Who and also watched quite a bit of the Doctor Who marathon on BBC America. Sadly, I missed almost all of the episodes from last season.
Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. I had a long hiatus mainly because I've been catching up on laundry and had so much to fold I couldn't do it in my laundry room.
Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles. Also had another great conversation with my oldest about watching this show when he was a little one.
Caught the prom night episode of Riverdale and, again, enjoyed the hell out of it. This show is so incredibly batshit I can't not have fun while watching.
Also watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I'm so on the fence about where they're going with William and Julia. To date, this show has never let me down so I'm hoping that won't be the case here.
Finally, I started an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. This is another show that rarely lets me down and I'm having a good time watching this episode.
That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Cockpit, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Lark Fisher pulls R&R and hits the most happening bar on Virgonon, The Cockpit. Imagine her utter stupefaction when she finds out its owner is not only an old friend, but the one who got away.
And a sneaky peek…
Fox Wallington replaced the handset behind the bar. "Better get ready, Charlie. Got a star cruiser in orbit." Sometimes it paid to have a high-ranking parent in the military.Charlie Stax, bartender extraordinaire, quirked an eyebrow. "Should I break out the good stuff?" A running joke… Fox didn't serve anything but high-grade drinks.Fox snorted. "Might wanna call in an extra order this week." They'd need the additional stock. "A contingent of thirty-five hundred crew means at least three hundred fifty R and R passes." Possibly more, depending on why the ship pulled in for orbit.Charlie shook his head. "How do you do that?"Fox shrugged. "I knew every military ship's complement before I could read or write." His chin went up a notch. "When my dad was climbing the ranks, bedtime tended to be more about rote and structure than happy stories." Not that Fox would complain… he made bank off his firsthand knowledge.Charlie cocked his head to one side. "How'd you avoid getting sucked into the fold?"Fox chuckled. "I didn't. Served eight years before I bought this place." A career change he didn't regret.Charlie's eyes widened. "I've been working here for how long… why didn't I know you served?" He laughed. "I assumed the encyclopedic knowledge was from your dad."Fox rolled a shoulder. "Most of it is. But I—""Yo, can I get a little service here?" An obnoxious asshat slapped his palm on the bar. "I'm tired of spending my hard-earned credits for shitty booze and crappy conversation."Fox gave the guy a long once-over. "This is your third day here. Why complain now?" He held up a hand. "Wait… let me guess… you've been kicked out of every other establishment, right?"The man straightened. "I don't have to take your shitty insults." Which pretty much confirmed the accusation.Fox agreed. "No, you don't. You and your shitty attitude can leave… as soon as you settle your tab."Tough guy shifted his gaze to the side. "Yeah, about that… I'm a little short at the moment."Charlie started around the counter but Fox stopped him. "Hold up. I've got this." He directed his gaze to the loud-mouthed moron. "All right, let's see if I've got everything straight here. You've been run out of all the other venues and aren't welcome anymore." He held up one finger. "You've been here, drinking and being otherwise obnoxious for the past two days and have a good start on today." He added a second digit. "Now, you're telling me you're a little short, meaning you can't pay off the debt you've racked up." A third finger shot up. "Am I right so far?"The guy shrugged. "I guess so. Not really in a position to argue, now, am I?"Fox snorted. "No, man, you're not. And, if my guess is correct, this whole being a dick and running your mouth is a big front so the big guy here" he pointed toward Charlie—"will throw you out on your ass, yeah?"The not-so-tough-anymore guy gave a reluctant nod but remained silent.Fox shot Charlie a look. "Do you believe this moron, Charlie? What's the solution here?" Fox had a specific way of dealing with tab-jumpers.Charlie's lips spread in a wide grin. "Well, boss, I believe it's the three-strike policy, isn't it?" He clapped his hands together and rubbed them up and down. "Which means the tab for… hold on, lemme find the name here…" He made a show of rifling through the open panels. "Ah, here it is… Banta Johnson will be settled in the ring with the boss man here at seven sharp." He slid his gaze toward Fox. "I can take bets on who'll win, yeah? You know, to cover the open balance…"Fox tapped the bar. "Absolutely, Charlie." He directed his attention to Banta. "Should be a good match. Johnson here looks to be in decent shape."Charlie laughed. "Yeah, until he goes a few rounds with you." He took some chalk and wrote the odds on the board.Banta held up his hands. "Now, hold on a minute. I didn't agree to this." He started backing away from the bar.Charlie barreled around and blocked Johnson's path. "Doesn't matter. It's in the ring or in front of a magistrate… and something tells me you don't want Virgonon's local law enforcement to get involved." Notorious for making the laws up as they went along, not many people wanted to tangle with what passed as the police force on a rim planet.Johnson squared his shoulders. "Fine. But change the odds. I'm better than ten to one."Charlie flashed a toothy grin. "That's the spirit, man." He met Fox's gaze. "What do you think? Seven to one?"Fox shrugged. "Make it five. The longer Mr. Brawler here stays in the ring, the better the chance to cover what he owes." The odds didn't matter. Johnson would go down whatever they were.
Fox is a fun guy to write. He's going to have his hands full between taking down Banta and having a star cruiser in orbit.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
December 29, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Clubbing on Space Station Delta
Welcome to the last post of 2019. I hope everyone had a terrific holiday or the best they could have given the trash fire that has turned into a raging wildfire of possible corruption and back-channel maneuvering in the RWA. I'm not a member of the organization but I stand with marginalized authors. Period. Full stop.
I believe I made it through the mild case of the flu. I'm still a little stuffed up and achy, but otherwise doing well. I caught some decent television time also.
I watched an episode of Riverdale and thoroughly enjoyed it. Once again, the play on theme of the episode title worked so well. I'm sad because it's almost the end of the season and that means no more Luke Perry soon.
I finished Dirty Sexy Saint and ended up really liking it. I also caught the new Quickie, The Naughty List and loved that also.
Caught another episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed the different approach. The episode played out almost like a dinner theater murder mystery and I'm totally there for that.
Frankie Drake also had a different style of episode and I loved it. The cold opening had me wondering for a few moments if we'd lost a major cast member. Well done.
Watched an episode of Midsomer Murders and, weirdly, it reminded me of Doctor Who if only because two of the actresses in this episode guest-starred on the series. I've been watching some of the marathon leading up to the New Year's premiere of the new season.
I'm finishing out the week with a full arc of Sapphire and Steel. I started season three and since there's only one assignment for this season, I'll have it finished up later today.
And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Clubbing on Space Station Delta, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Macie Gunn discovers a very different side to Nix Handleman, her commanding officer, when they get some downtime on Space Station Delta. Macie likes what she sees, but wonders if Nix will keep the stick out of his ass once they return back to duty.
And a sneaky peek…
Nix has had the stick up his ass for too many years. Nix replayed Macie's offhand comment over and over in his mind. He didn't mean to eavesdrop on her conversation with Jenna, but it had been hard to avoid. Once the briefing room emptied out, voices carried.He shook his head. "I don't have a stick up my ass." Then again, he didn't exactly burn through good times like he once used to.Not since his best friend Eick Nambi died because of a stupid barroom brawl.Maybe that should change. Eick's death had been eight years ago. Nix advanced up the ranks and made captain.He snorted. "By working my ass off, not by shoving a stick up it." Cutting through the mess hall, he stopped outside his office.Macie's observation stung more than he wanted to admit. He liked her, the newest member to his squadron. She'd transferred in almost six months ago.Keying in the entry code, he nudged the hatch open with his shoulder. "I should get to know her better." A matter of pride… especially now.Not like he didn't have the general basics down. Her remarkable skill in the cockpit put her ahead of some of his seasoned crewmen. And she believed in working as a team, sharing glory and accolades. Vivacious, witty, and gorgeous, she didn't let the beauty go to her head.Hooking up with her wouldn't be a hardship and the relaxed regulations no longer made fraternization a forbidden taboo.Nix huffed out a breath. "Discretion is crucial though." Which could be a problem.Because… Macie loved scuttlebutt. She enjoyed nailing her fellow pilots with embarrassing information and drawing attention to them. And she rarely missed an opportunity to offer an opinion on the latest and greatest fodder from the rumor gristmill.Even if Nix wanted to pursue something more with Macie—and he didn't right now—he wouldn't trust her to keep her big yap shut.Leaning back in his chair, he tapped his pen on the desk. "Doesn't mean I can't shake up her perception a little." And prove he most definitely did not have a stick up his ass.
This story is so much fun! I love writing characters who have to move past preconceived notions. Macie is in for a big surprise.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
I believe I made it through the mild case of the flu. I'm still a little stuffed up and achy, but otherwise doing well. I caught some decent television time also.
I watched an episode of Riverdale and thoroughly enjoyed it. Once again, the play on theme of the episode title worked so well. I'm sad because it's almost the end of the season and that means no more Luke Perry soon.
I finished Dirty Sexy Saint and ended up really liking it. I also caught the new Quickie, The Naughty List and loved that also.
Caught another episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed the different approach. The episode played out almost like a dinner theater murder mystery and I'm totally there for that.
Frankie Drake also had a different style of episode and I loved it. The cold opening had me wondering for a few moments if we'd lost a major cast member. Well done.
Watched an episode of Midsomer Murders and, weirdly, it reminded me of Doctor Who if only because two of the actresses in this episode guest-starred on the series. I've been watching some of the marathon leading up to the New Year's premiere of the new season.
I'm finishing out the week with a full arc of Sapphire and Steel. I started season three and since there's only one assignment for this season, I'll have it finished up later today.
And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Clubbing on Space Station Delta, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Macie Gunn discovers a very different side to Nix Handleman, her commanding officer, when they get some downtime on Space Station Delta. Macie likes what she sees, but wonders if Nix will keep the stick out of his ass once they return back to duty.
And a sneaky peek…
Nix has had the stick up his ass for too many years. Nix replayed Macie's offhand comment over and over in his mind. He didn't mean to eavesdrop on her conversation with Jenna, but it had been hard to avoid. Once the briefing room emptied out, voices carried.He shook his head. "I don't have a stick up my ass." Then again, he didn't exactly burn through good times like he once used to.Not since his best friend Eick Nambi died because of a stupid barroom brawl.Maybe that should change. Eick's death had been eight years ago. Nix advanced up the ranks and made captain.He snorted. "By working my ass off, not by shoving a stick up it." Cutting through the mess hall, he stopped outside his office.Macie's observation stung more than he wanted to admit. He liked her, the newest member to his squadron. She'd transferred in almost six months ago.Keying in the entry code, he nudged the hatch open with his shoulder. "I should get to know her better." A matter of pride… especially now.Not like he didn't have the general basics down. Her remarkable skill in the cockpit put her ahead of some of his seasoned crewmen. And she believed in working as a team, sharing glory and accolades. Vivacious, witty, and gorgeous, she didn't let the beauty go to her head.Hooking up with her wouldn't be a hardship and the relaxed regulations no longer made fraternization a forbidden taboo.Nix huffed out a breath. "Discretion is crucial though." Which could be a problem.Because… Macie loved scuttlebutt. She enjoyed nailing her fellow pilots with embarrassing information and drawing attention to them. And she rarely missed an opportunity to offer an opinion on the latest and greatest fodder from the rumor gristmill.Even if Nix wanted to pursue something more with Macie—and he didn't right now—he wouldn't trust her to keep her big yap shut.Leaning back in his chair, he tapped his pen on the desk. "Doesn't mean I can't shake up her perception a little." And prove he most definitely did not have a stick up his ass.
This story is so much fun! I love writing characters who have to move past preconceived notions. Macie is in for a big surprise.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
December 22, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Close Quarters
So, I'm pretty much caught up on the holiday shopping and just in time. We adopted another doggo this week and I ended up with a mild case of the flu. So far, a multi-symptom medication is taking care of the flu and the puppy is chewing her way through anything she can sink her teeth into. We're working on the little shredder to help break her of tearing into everything.
Slow week for television, but I did watch a Classic Whoarc. I think I have one left of season nine.
Caught two more episodes of Gargoyles. I had a great conversation with my oldest about the shows we watched together when he was little. Some great memories shared of how much fun we had.
Started Mr. 365, a Passionflix original, but stopped it about halfway through because I'm behind on everything and I wanted to catch Dirty Sexy Saint, the holiday movie for this year. I'll finish up Mr. 365 soon.
I'm in the middle of Dirty Sexy Saint and, so far, love it. I'm so glad I got a founding member's subscription to Passionflix.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Close Quarters, the second novel in the Scorched Homeworld series.
Here's the mini-blurb:
After trying to out maneuver their crew mates who bet on whether they'd ever hook up, Molly and Sloan discover an abiding love and embark on a committed relationship. Their biggest problem? Trying to figure out how to live in close quarters without making each other insane.
And a sneaky peek…
The brush of Sloan's chest across hers and the sting of his teeth on her skin sent shock waves straight to Molly's toes. She welcomed it. The pressure continued to build and Molly waited for the swirl of pleasure to hit. Sloan's hot breath in her ear sent a delicious shiver down her spine and she edged closer to the precipice. He changed up the pace, thrusting faster, harder. Molly toppled over the edge, pleasure exploding like a starburst and she shattered, moaning Sloan's name. Her release pulled him into the vortex after two more surges and he came hard, breathing raggedly as he gasped against her throat. Spent, Sloan collapsed and rolled to his side, hauling Molly against his chest, her face lying over his pounding heart. He caressed her arm as their breathing returned to normal. When coherent thought was an option, he lifted her chin so he could see her. "We're pulling an all-nighter, aren't we?" He groaned when she chuckled and nodded affirmative. Amused by his reaction, Molly playfully walked her fingers up his chest. "We could always stay in bed, if you'd prefer." She knew that as much as he'd want to, the neat freak inside him wouldn't allow it. His grimace confirmed her knowledge. "I didn't think so." She sat up and pulled him along with her. "Let's go, Captain. We've got a lot of work to do." She grabbed a robe from the back of the door and slid it over her shoulders. Sloan wished she hadn't decided on the robe. It was his favorite—short and silky—and he'd be distracted with her wearing it. He pulled on some sweats and followed her out into the living area where she was making what passed for coffee. As she reached up to the top shelf to get two mugs he caught a glimpse of the rounded flesh of her behind and decided they would have to take a break every couple of hours or he'd go insane. When he looked back up, Molly was grinning at him… that had been her plan all along. He gave her his best CAG glare, which only made her laugh.Keeping his face stern, he gestured to the profusion of paper. "Okay. Where do we start?"Molly wasn't fooled at all. She spun and danced around the stacks of papers somehow managing to not move a single sheet. The loosely knotted robe slipped open, exposing a line of flesh down her middle. She didn't fix it, just plopped down on the hastily cleared cushion and grabbed the stack closest to her. "Why don't you go through these and weed out the non-qualified applicants." She waved the pages at him when he didn't respond and caught him gazing at her barely covered breasts. "Sloan… hello? You do want this mess cleared, right?"Sloan's eyes snapped back to her face, the evil grin on it told him she knew exactly what that robe did to him. He shook his head. "You are so bad, Molls." He grabbed the papers with a determined look in his eyes. "We willhave at least a third of this room cleared within two hours." He sat down beside her and started to review the first application.Molly smirked and stood up. "Two hours?" She grabbed another bunch of pages that were already disqualified and looked around for a file to stick them in. "Why two hours?" She found a file on the floor and bent over to pick it up, exposing herself to his perusal. Sloan didn't say they couldn't have a little fun while they cleaned up her mess. His strangled oath didn't mean he hated the view.Sloan willed his body not to respond to Molly's blatant teasing. "Because in exactly two hours I'm carrying you back to our bed so I can screw you senseless for torturing me." He gave her a look, daring her to contradict his statement.Molly gave him a wide grin. "Is that a promise?" She scribbled 'qualified apps' on the side of a box and shoved it his way. She'd go through those later. Sloan raised an eyebrow. "Do you doubt me?" He picked the box up and set it beside him, then nodded at the floor. "Get busy… time's a wasting." He went back to reviewing the next application to the sound of her laughter.
I love writing Molly and Sloan and it's fun to dive into how sharing space changes the dynamic of a relationship.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Slow week for television, but I did watch a Classic Whoarc. I think I have one left of season nine.
Caught two more episodes of Gargoyles. I had a great conversation with my oldest about the shows we watched together when he was little. Some great memories shared of how much fun we had.
Started Mr. 365, a Passionflix original, but stopped it about halfway through because I'm behind on everything and I wanted to catch Dirty Sexy Saint, the holiday movie for this year. I'll finish up Mr. 365 soon.
I'm in the middle of Dirty Sexy Saint and, so far, love it. I'm so glad I got a founding member's subscription to Passionflix.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Close Quarters, the second novel in the Scorched Homeworld series.
Here's the mini-blurb:
After trying to out maneuver their crew mates who bet on whether they'd ever hook up, Molly and Sloan discover an abiding love and embark on a committed relationship. Their biggest problem? Trying to figure out how to live in close quarters without making each other insane.
And a sneaky peek…
The brush of Sloan's chest across hers and the sting of his teeth on her skin sent shock waves straight to Molly's toes. She welcomed it. The pressure continued to build and Molly waited for the swirl of pleasure to hit. Sloan's hot breath in her ear sent a delicious shiver down her spine and she edged closer to the precipice. He changed up the pace, thrusting faster, harder. Molly toppled over the edge, pleasure exploding like a starburst and she shattered, moaning Sloan's name. Her release pulled him into the vortex after two more surges and he came hard, breathing raggedly as he gasped against her throat. Spent, Sloan collapsed and rolled to his side, hauling Molly against his chest, her face lying over his pounding heart. He caressed her arm as their breathing returned to normal. When coherent thought was an option, he lifted her chin so he could see her. "We're pulling an all-nighter, aren't we?" He groaned when she chuckled and nodded affirmative. Amused by his reaction, Molly playfully walked her fingers up his chest. "We could always stay in bed, if you'd prefer." She knew that as much as he'd want to, the neat freak inside him wouldn't allow it. His grimace confirmed her knowledge. "I didn't think so." She sat up and pulled him along with her. "Let's go, Captain. We've got a lot of work to do." She grabbed a robe from the back of the door and slid it over her shoulders. Sloan wished she hadn't decided on the robe. It was his favorite—short and silky—and he'd be distracted with her wearing it. He pulled on some sweats and followed her out into the living area where she was making what passed for coffee. As she reached up to the top shelf to get two mugs he caught a glimpse of the rounded flesh of her behind and decided they would have to take a break every couple of hours or he'd go insane. When he looked back up, Molly was grinning at him… that had been her plan all along. He gave her his best CAG glare, which only made her laugh.Keeping his face stern, he gestured to the profusion of paper. "Okay. Where do we start?"Molly wasn't fooled at all. She spun and danced around the stacks of papers somehow managing to not move a single sheet. The loosely knotted robe slipped open, exposing a line of flesh down her middle. She didn't fix it, just plopped down on the hastily cleared cushion and grabbed the stack closest to her. "Why don't you go through these and weed out the non-qualified applicants." She waved the pages at him when he didn't respond and caught him gazing at her barely covered breasts. "Sloan… hello? You do want this mess cleared, right?"Sloan's eyes snapped back to her face, the evil grin on it told him she knew exactly what that robe did to him. He shook his head. "You are so bad, Molls." He grabbed the papers with a determined look in his eyes. "We willhave at least a third of this room cleared within two hours." He sat down beside her and started to review the first application.Molly smirked and stood up. "Two hours?" She grabbed another bunch of pages that were already disqualified and looked around for a file to stick them in. "Why two hours?" She found a file on the floor and bent over to pick it up, exposing herself to his perusal. Sloan didn't say they couldn't have a little fun while they cleaned up her mess. His strangled oath didn't mean he hated the view.Sloan willed his body not to respond to Molly's blatant teasing. "Because in exactly two hours I'm carrying you back to our bed so I can screw you senseless for torturing me." He gave her a look, daring her to contradict his statement.Molly gave him a wide grin. "Is that a promise?" She scribbled 'qualified apps' on the side of a box and shoved it his way. She'd go through those later. Sloan raised an eyebrow. "Do you doubt me?" He picked the box up and set it beside him, then nodded at the floor. "Get busy… time's a wasting." He went back to reviewing the next application to the sound of her laughter.
I love writing Molly and Sloan and it's fun to dive into how sharing space changes the dynamic of a relationship.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
December 15, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Chasing the Sun
There's nothing quite like hitting the third week of December and realizing less than half my holiday shopping is complete. I need about five more hours each day to get everything finished up. Something tells me I'm not going to see that extra time.
Had a decent week of television viewing. Caught an episode of Riverdaleand, wow, I'm seriously impressed with how the relationship with Betty and Alice is being portrayed. I'm on the fence with the Hal stuff. Was completely thrilled I didn't have any Hiram to deal with and loved the father / son stuff between FP and Jughead and Archie and Fred. It's so bittersweet to watch Luke Perry's scenes.
Caught another arc of Sapphire and Steel. I should be getting ready to start the third season next week.
Watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. Really not sure what to make of the neighbor interaction. My gut says the wife is probably some type of murderer. We'll see if I'm proven right. I have a vague idea of who I think she'll end up taking out if she is.
Also watched an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. Enjoyed seeing a family member added to the fold. Loved Nora's mama bear protection instincts.
Also caught another episode of Midsomer Murders. Very happy this has another season coming up.
That's pretty much it for television this week. I also dived deep into the holiday music on a couple of days. Tonight's post is from Chasing the Sun, a sexy short that might end up turning into a novella.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Chance Martin and Rena Chavez are best friends, and maybe something more, if their work will stop getting in the way. But when Chance can't deal with a set of orders to remove an admiral with lethal action, he starts a downward spiral he can't stop. Rena has to pull him back from the edge, no easy task because she always follows orders.
And a sneaky peek…
Rena sat reading the after action report from the Moru Zasu explosion. The space substation held a key position on the relay route from their home planet Xanxia to the newly discovered Celestene, a planet the central government coalition hoped to start settling soon. They had to if they wanted to ease the current population burden.God, what a close call? Complete with bodies flying out of the blast area with the recon ship just barely getting clear of the explosion.She huffed out a breath. "Did Chance even bother to mention it?" Nope. Just wrote down the facts and went on with his duties. Closed the file.A full week ago.Yeah… something's just not right with him.Her pen tapped the pages of the report and Rena pondered how distant he'd become. "Chance Martin can do aloof and biting on his best day, but lately he's been over the top with it." Maybe that explained his almost complete withdrawal from social activities. "He never shows up for the late night poker fests anymore." And he sure doesn't haunt the tiny little bar in the far cargo hold of the Valor.She'd looked for him on multiple occasions.She hadn't seen him around much since his spacewalk. And truth told… she hadn't made much effort to hunt him down—other than checking the bar and poker games. She wondered if anyone had. Probably not. She didn't like the guilt trip that set in. It had teeth.God, she hated when her conscience reared its ugly head.But, dammit, Chance had stunned her when she had reached out after he ejected during a battle. His admission of not wanting to come back knocked her for a loop. Rock-solid Chance Martin had a death wish? It boggled her mind. "And I don't know how to deal with it."So… she hadn't been there for him. Not really.His confession messed up the way she viewed him and she had no idea what to say. "After all, I'm not the one who's supposed to skirt the boundaries and pull my ass out of the fire." No, that would be Chance, much to his father's dismay.Being the son of a government official made him push against boundaries, sometimes going too far.Rena played by the rules. Always went by the book unless everything else failed. And, okay, she tried to keep things loosely defined when it came to Chance, because he got her on a level no one else did. "But he's not allowed to do things like give up and not want to come home."He was supposed to bounce back and be the same guy she'd known longer than anyone else on the ship. Not disengage from life and crawl inside his head to hide away from everyone who cared about him. But he did exactly that.
This one is coming together in fits and starts. I've got a solid idea of where I want things to go but the sages aren't always on the same page.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Had a decent week of television viewing. Caught an episode of Riverdaleand, wow, I'm seriously impressed with how the relationship with Betty and Alice is being portrayed. I'm on the fence with the Hal stuff. Was completely thrilled I didn't have any Hiram to deal with and loved the father / son stuff between FP and Jughead and Archie and Fred. It's so bittersweet to watch Luke Perry's scenes.
Caught another arc of Sapphire and Steel. I should be getting ready to start the third season next week.
Watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. Really not sure what to make of the neighbor interaction. My gut says the wife is probably some type of murderer. We'll see if I'm proven right. I have a vague idea of who I think she'll end up taking out if she is.
Also watched an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. Enjoyed seeing a family member added to the fold. Loved Nora's mama bear protection instincts.
Also caught another episode of Midsomer Murders. Very happy this has another season coming up.
That's pretty much it for television this week. I also dived deep into the holiday music on a couple of days. Tonight's post is from Chasing the Sun, a sexy short that might end up turning into a novella.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Chance Martin and Rena Chavez are best friends, and maybe something more, if their work will stop getting in the way. But when Chance can't deal with a set of orders to remove an admiral with lethal action, he starts a downward spiral he can't stop. Rena has to pull him back from the edge, no easy task because she always follows orders.
And a sneaky peek…
Rena sat reading the after action report from the Moru Zasu explosion. The space substation held a key position on the relay route from their home planet Xanxia to the newly discovered Celestene, a planet the central government coalition hoped to start settling soon. They had to if they wanted to ease the current population burden.God, what a close call? Complete with bodies flying out of the blast area with the recon ship just barely getting clear of the explosion.She huffed out a breath. "Did Chance even bother to mention it?" Nope. Just wrote down the facts and went on with his duties. Closed the file.A full week ago.Yeah… something's just not right with him.Her pen tapped the pages of the report and Rena pondered how distant he'd become. "Chance Martin can do aloof and biting on his best day, but lately he's been over the top with it." Maybe that explained his almost complete withdrawal from social activities. "He never shows up for the late night poker fests anymore." And he sure doesn't haunt the tiny little bar in the far cargo hold of the Valor.She'd looked for him on multiple occasions.She hadn't seen him around much since his spacewalk. And truth told… she hadn't made much effort to hunt him down—other than checking the bar and poker games. She wondered if anyone had. Probably not. She didn't like the guilt trip that set in. It had teeth.God, she hated when her conscience reared its ugly head.But, dammit, Chance had stunned her when she had reached out after he ejected during a battle. His admission of not wanting to come back knocked her for a loop. Rock-solid Chance Martin had a death wish? It boggled her mind. "And I don't know how to deal with it."So… she hadn't been there for him. Not really.His confession messed up the way she viewed him and she had no idea what to say. "After all, I'm not the one who's supposed to skirt the boundaries and pull my ass out of the fire." No, that would be Chance, much to his father's dismay.Being the son of a government official made him push against boundaries, sometimes going too far.Rena played by the rules. Always went by the book unless everything else failed. And, okay, she tried to keep things loosely defined when it came to Chance, because he got her on a level no one else did. "But he's not allowed to do things like give up and not want to come home."He was supposed to bounce back and be the same guy she'd known longer than anyone else on the ship. Not disengage from life and crawl inside his head to hide away from everyone who cared about him. But he did exactly that.
This one is coming together in fits and starts. I've got a solid idea of where I want things to go but the sages aren't always on the same page.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
December 8, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Call to Come Home
I wish I could say it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it's so not. LOL I'm hoping I can add some holiday cheer to the casa sometime this week. I think I'm going to make 2020 my year to finally purge a ton of stuff we no longer need or use.
Didn't have a great week of television, but did get a few things watched. We got a Disney + account through our wireless carrier so I did start a rewatch of the Gargoyles series. I have so many fond memories of this show when my oldest was little.
I finished the Gilmore Girls marathon and had some pretty intense feels. I watched sporadically when it originally aired, mainly because I had three youngish kiddos at the time. I really love the vibe of this show, even when I wanted to strangle the characters sometimes.
Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and also realized series twenty isn't the last one. Yay!!
Caught a full story arc of Sapphire and Steel along with a full arc of Classic Who. I'd forgotten how much I truly disliked the Master way back when.
I finished out the week with The Trouble with Mistletoe, a Passionflix original. If you're not a member, consider signing up. I love the service!
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Call to Come Home, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Hollace is on a mission in enemy territory to retrieve power cells to keep their temporary base station running. She bumps into a man she shares a past with, the presumed-dead son of her commanding officer. When Verge refuses to leave with her, ignoring the call to come home, she takes matters into her own hands to reunite father and son… and to pick up where she and Verge left off.
And a sneaky peek…
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Hollace Winter stepped inside her commanding officer's space.Vasser Olafsson glanced up from a stack of papers and Hollace bit back a gasp of surprise and alarm. He'd aged overnight. At least in the eyes that had seen too much fighting and devastation over the past two years.Vasser nodded toward the seat across from his desk. "I did, Lieutenant. Take a seat." He shuffled the pages and tapped the bottom against the battered surface of the desk. "I have a mission for you but I'm not making it an order." He turned the pile of pages in her direction and pushed them toward her. "We're leaving Altera behind. You can see, starting on page three, the detailed list of why, but the reasons distill down to the planet is dying from this stupid, bloody war." He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.Hollace flipped through the report, skimming the bold points, each one direr than the last. In essence, they had less than two months to get as many people off the anchorage that orbited Altera and hopefully plot a course to find a habitable place to call home.She blew out a breath. "What's the mission, sir?" She'd do just about anything Olafsson asked because she respected the man who'd become a father figure.Vasser opened his eyes. "Turn to page ninety-seven. You'll get the general idea." He waited until she found the big red empty box on that page. "If we're going to have any hope of making an evacuation a success, we'll need those power cells. If we don't get them, we can't start the agriculture project we'll need to feed everyone." He leaned forward again. "But you and I both know where those cells will be." His mouth thinned into a slash across his face.Hollace nodded. "In enemy hands. That's why you won't make this an order, isn't it?" He'd hate to put anyone in such a precarious position, but his reason for not wanting her to take the mission had an added wrinkle.Her history with Vasser's son, Verge, a former captain who'd resigned his commission before the war started. When Verge decided to pursue a degree in eco-preservation, the old man blew a gasket. Hollace didn't get between them when they all but came to blows but she wished she had.Losing Verge had taken a toll on the stoic commander.Olafsson folded his arms over his chest. "It's one of the reasons. The other is not wanting to risk any of my pilots. If we're going to evacuate, someone has to fly CAPs and the galley crew won't cut it." He shook his head. "A solo mission isn't ideal, but it's less intrusive than sending a full platoon down to stir up more fighting."Hollace didn't hesitate. "I'll go, sir. But let's keep the details under wraps. I'll report to only to you and we launch with only the deck chief and landing signal officer's knowledge." Warming to the concept, she added a few more thoughts. "If I leave from the dark side of the station, I can be out of the tube and halfway to the planet before I show up on the radar."Vasser gave her idea consideration. "Okay, you have a go." He pushed away from the desk and stood. "Lieutenant, it goes without saying I need you to come home… but I'm saying it anyway." He moved around and extended his hand toward her when she got up.Hollace grasped his palm. "I appreciate hearing it, sir." She pulled him into a hug. "I won't disappoint you." Stepping away, she turned and headed for the exit.Vasser followed her to the door and gave a nod before she left.So much left unspoken, the biggest being how much regret he carried over the fallout with his son.
I love writing reunions and family drama. Hollace gets both is this story.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Didn't have a great week of television, but did get a few things watched. We got a Disney + account through our wireless carrier so I did start a rewatch of the Gargoyles series. I have so many fond memories of this show when my oldest was little.
I finished the Gilmore Girls marathon and had some pretty intense feels. I watched sporadically when it originally aired, mainly because I had three youngish kiddos at the time. I really love the vibe of this show, even when I wanted to strangle the characters sometimes.
Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and also realized series twenty isn't the last one. Yay!!
Caught a full story arc of Sapphire and Steel along with a full arc of Classic Who. I'd forgotten how much I truly disliked the Master way back when.
I finished out the week with The Trouble with Mistletoe, a Passionflix original. If you're not a member, consider signing up. I love the service!
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Call to Come Home, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Hollace is on a mission in enemy territory to retrieve power cells to keep their temporary base station running. She bumps into a man she shares a past with, the presumed-dead son of her commanding officer. When Verge refuses to leave with her, ignoring the call to come home, she takes matters into her own hands to reunite father and son… and to pick up where she and Verge left off.
And a sneaky peek…
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Hollace Winter stepped inside her commanding officer's space.Vasser Olafsson glanced up from a stack of papers and Hollace bit back a gasp of surprise and alarm. He'd aged overnight. At least in the eyes that had seen too much fighting and devastation over the past two years.Vasser nodded toward the seat across from his desk. "I did, Lieutenant. Take a seat." He shuffled the pages and tapped the bottom against the battered surface of the desk. "I have a mission for you but I'm not making it an order." He turned the pile of pages in her direction and pushed them toward her. "We're leaving Altera behind. You can see, starting on page three, the detailed list of why, but the reasons distill down to the planet is dying from this stupid, bloody war." He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.Hollace flipped through the report, skimming the bold points, each one direr than the last. In essence, they had less than two months to get as many people off the anchorage that orbited Altera and hopefully plot a course to find a habitable place to call home.She blew out a breath. "What's the mission, sir?" She'd do just about anything Olafsson asked because she respected the man who'd become a father figure.Vasser opened his eyes. "Turn to page ninety-seven. You'll get the general idea." He waited until she found the big red empty box on that page. "If we're going to have any hope of making an evacuation a success, we'll need those power cells. If we don't get them, we can't start the agriculture project we'll need to feed everyone." He leaned forward again. "But you and I both know where those cells will be." His mouth thinned into a slash across his face.Hollace nodded. "In enemy hands. That's why you won't make this an order, isn't it?" He'd hate to put anyone in such a precarious position, but his reason for not wanting her to take the mission had an added wrinkle.Her history with Vasser's son, Verge, a former captain who'd resigned his commission before the war started. When Verge decided to pursue a degree in eco-preservation, the old man blew a gasket. Hollace didn't get between them when they all but came to blows but she wished she had.Losing Verge had taken a toll on the stoic commander.Olafsson folded his arms over his chest. "It's one of the reasons. The other is not wanting to risk any of my pilots. If we're going to evacuate, someone has to fly CAPs and the galley crew won't cut it." He shook his head. "A solo mission isn't ideal, but it's less intrusive than sending a full platoon down to stir up more fighting."Hollace didn't hesitate. "I'll go, sir. But let's keep the details under wraps. I'll report to only to you and we launch with only the deck chief and landing signal officer's knowledge." Warming to the concept, she added a few more thoughts. "If I leave from the dark side of the station, I can be out of the tube and halfway to the planet before I show up on the radar."Vasser gave her idea consideration. "Okay, you have a go." He pushed away from the desk and stood. "Lieutenant, it goes without saying I need you to come home… but I'm saying it anyway." He moved around and extended his hand toward her when she got up.Hollace grasped his palm. "I appreciate hearing it, sir." She pulled him into a hug. "I won't disappoint you." Stepping away, she turned and headed for the exit.Vasser followed her to the door and gave a nod before she left.So much left unspoken, the biggest being how much regret he carried over the fallout with his son.
I love writing reunions and family drama. Hollace gets both is this story.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
December 1, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Call the Ball
Whew! Welcome to December. I had a crazy week of trying to find a working stove… okay, a stove with a working oven. It's funny. We get a new furnace and literally two days later, our oven takes a flying leap. The good news is, I didn't have to cook for the US Thanksgiving and we found a new stove.
Television took a back seat to both work and shopping for kitchen appliances. I did get the Murdoch Mysteries episode finished up and enjoyed it a lot.
I also caught a binge-watch of the Green Hornet. I love the vibe of that show. The movie vibe? Not so much.
Then… I fell down the Gilmore Girls rabbit hole and got sucked into a marathon that's still going on. I'd forgotten how much I really liked this show… even when the characters sometimes drove me bonkers.
I will say it's a great show to watch when insomnia strikes. And, man, the insomnia has been a right pain in my ass this past week. Actually, it's been longer than the week, but it really kicked in on Monday and hasn't backed off yet.
That's pretty much it for the mundane real-life stuff this week. Tonight's post is from Call the Ball, a sexy short that started with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Gwen keeps a tightly controlled leash on her feelings for Tag, thinking if she gives up control, she'll get lost in the passion. But when a simple game throws them together, she has to take a chance to see if sparks fly and, if so, how to quench the flame.
And a sneaky peek…
Tag frowned. "Why does she always clam up around me?" Every single time he entered her vicinity, Gwen got quiet and edgy.Or snarky and snappish.He huffed out a breath. "Flies like a seasoned veteran though." The woman could make planes dance to her tune.Turning around, he found an empty table and settled down in one of the seats. He liked Gwen. She had a solid rep among the pilots and she worked her ass off to earn her promotion, which he helped decide. Her skill in the cockpit gave her high marks. But her people skills lacked polish. And he could help her develop those.He kicked back in the chair. "If I can get a handle on why she gets skittish around me." He wanted her transition to the senior ranks to go smoothly.Maybe the rec room antics later would loosen her up a little. If not, he'd have to have a discussion with Gwen to find out if she had issues he didn't know about. Earning her trust mattered, especially when the senior officers had to work so closely together. He enjoyed a great rapport with all of his pilots and he wanted to find an inroad with Gwen.Barlow Biggles stopped by the table. "Is everyone going to be there tonight?"Tag nodded. "Yeah, just had West confirm. Party of eight at eight."Barlow's lips kicked up in a grin. "Nice to have new blood. I hope she's down for having a good time with our crazy bunch." He strolled away to dump his tray.Tag had no idea if Gwen would enjoy the silly and sometimes juvenile games the senior pilots loved to play. But it would be a good test to see how well she'd fit in. And hopefully give him a clue how to get him to open up a little.
This is a fun little story to dive into. I'll see if I can't get it finished up and out into the world.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Television took a back seat to both work and shopping for kitchen appliances. I did get the Murdoch Mysteries episode finished up and enjoyed it a lot.
I also caught a binge-watch of the Green Hornet. I love the vibe of that show. The movie vibe? Not so much.
Then… I fell down the Gilmore Girls rabbit hole and got sucked into a marathon that's still going on. I'd forgotten how much I really liked this show… even when the characters sometimes drove me bonkers.
I will say it's a great show to watch when insomnia strikes. And, man, the insomnia has been a right pain in my ass this past week. Actually, it's been longer than the week, but it really kicked in on Monday and hasn't backed off yet.
That's pretty much it for the mundane real-life stuff this week. Tonight's post is from Call the Ball, a sexy short that started with a writing community prompt.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Gwen keeps a tightly controlled leash on her feelings for Tag, thinking if she gives up control, she'll get lost in the passion. But when a simple game throws them together, she has to take a chance to see if sparks fly and, if so, how to quench the flame.
And a sneaky peek…
Tag frowned. "Why does she always clam up around me?" Every single time he entered her vicinity, Gwen got quiet and edgy.Or snarky and snappish.He huffed out a breath. "Flies like a seasoned veteran though." The woman could make planes dance to her tune.Turning around, he found an empty table and settled down in one of the seats. He liked Gwen. She had a solid rep among the pilots and she worked her ass off to earn her promotion, which he helped decide. Her skill in the cockpit gave her high marks. But her people skills lacked polish. And he could help her develop those.He kicked back in the chair. "If I can get a handle on why she gets skittish around me." He wanted her transition to the senior ranks to go smoothly.Maybe the rec room antics later would loosen her up a little. If not, he'd have to have a discussion with Gwen to find out if she had issues he didn't know about. Earning her trust mattered, especially when the senior officers had to work so closely together. He enjoyed a great rapport with all of his pilots and he wanted to find an inroad with Gwen.Barlow Biggles stopped by the table. "Is everyone going to be there tonight?"Tag nodded. "Yeah, just had West confirm. Party of eight at eight."Barlow's lips kicked up in a grin. "Nice to have new blood. I hope she's down for having a good time with our crazy bunch." He strolled away to dump his tray.Tag had no idea if Gwen would enjoy the silly and sometimes juvenile games the senior pilots loved to play. But it would be a good test to see how well she'd fit in. And hopefully give him a clue how to get him to open up a little.
This is a fun little story to dive into. I'll see if I can't get it finished up and out into the world.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
November 24, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Breaking Through
Hard to believe November is almost over. I think the whole furnace fiasco made the month seem a lot shorter than it actually was. That and my workload hasn't decreased… not that I'm complaining.
Had a somewhat slower week with television. I stuck mainly to marathons during the day. I did get some old-school Midsomer Murders watched along with several episodes of JAG.
I watched another episode of Riverdale and, man, Edgar is super creepy. Also, I still dislike Hiram with the passion of a thousand suns. I actually loved the whole shakedown of the gargoyles. The filming of that scene had me glued to the screen.
Other than that, I'm halfway through an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and really hoping they're not going to have Julia and William break up over the doctor who has the hots for her. I'd be very disappointed.
I also had a run of Classic Who episodes on Pluto TV. Nice to have that on in the background when I'm getting the dishes done or folding clothes.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Breaking Through, a follow up to Guarded Chance, featuring Echo and Race on the next part of their journey.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Race Markington finally has Echo Dart, the woman he wants to spend the future with. His one problem? She's been brainwashed by the enemy and he has to find a way to break through and get his Echo back.
And a sneaky peek…
Echo Dart came to with a violent jerk. "What the hell?" Zip cuffs secured her wrists and ankles.Her mind flashed back to the compound and she struggled to get free."Echo, don't. You'll only end up hurting yourself."Race. Memories flooded her brain. (Add in the detail about the sex?) She swung her gaze toward him and bile rose in her throat. His arm sported a bandage and, added to the dull throb along her temple, she put a few of the pieces together. A vague image, just a little out of reach, of her hand closing around a knife hovered in her memory. Fuck. I'm the reason he's injured.She groaned. "What did I do?" Her eyes slid shut and she resisted the urge to scream.Race traced a finger along her cheek. "You don't remember?" He kept the touch brief, easing back.Echo's eyes popped open and she glanced in his direction. "It's there but it's not." She shrugged. "Almost like I can see what happened, but I don't remember doing it." Her shoulders slumped. "That sounds so stupid." The whole being free thing kind of sucked right now.Race shook his head. "No, it's accurate. That's pretty much what happened." His forearm rested on his knee. "It's like you were acting without volition. You were the one wielding the knife, but your eyes were vacant, lost." His hand absently rubbed at his bandage.Echo straightened as much as the restraints would let her. "Shit. It figures. The soul mate crap didn't take so they formulated a backup plan." Her gaze met Race's. "Make me kill my fellow soldiers." Fear, real and deep, bit down hard on her heart. "How the hell do I come back from that?" Better yet… how did she stop it from happening?Race didn't waver. "I don't know. But you will come back, Echo. We'll find a way." We. We'll find a way.When he should abandon all hope, he didn't. An odd warmth spread through her. Finally. Finally, she could and would rely on someone to fill the dark places and empty spots in her life. She didn't need a savior, but she wanted a partner; someone to calm the storm or spur her to action.Race.Angling her head to the side, she rested it on his shoulder. "You know, I think we will." Reaching her pinkie finger out, she hooked it around his.A tiny gesture, but until they discovered her trigger, she didn't want to risk too much.
I think this book and the preceding one are going to be in a special group called Mind Games. I have a few different stories started that feature some type of mind-bending trope.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
Had a somewhat slower week with television. I stuck mainly to marathons during the day. I did get some old-school Midsomer Murders watched along with several episodes of JAG.
I watched another episode of Riverdale and, man, Edgar is super creepy. Also, I still dislike Hiram with the passion of a thousand suns. I actually loved the whole shakedown of the gargoyles. The filming of that scene had me glued to the screen.
Other than that, I'm halfway through an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and really hoping they're not going to have Julia and William break up over the doctor who has the hots for her. I'd be very disappointed.
I also had a run of Classic Who episodes on Pluto TV. Nice to have that on in the background when I'm getting the dishes done or folding clothes.
That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Breaking Through, a follow up to Guarded Chance, featuring Echo and Race on the next part of their journey.
Here's the mini-blurb:
Race Markington finally has Echo Dart, the woman he wants to spend the future with. His one problem? She's been brainwashed by the enemy and he has to find a way to break through and get his Echo back.
And a sneaky peek…
Echo Dart came to with a violent jerk. "What the hell?" Zip cuffs secured her wrists and ankles.Her mind flashed back to the compound and she struggled to get free."Echo, don't. You'll only end up hurting yourself."Race. Memories flooded her brain. (Add in the detail about the sex?) She swung her gaze toward him and bile rose in her throat. His arm sported a bandage and, added to the dull throb along her temple, she put a few of the pieces together. A vague image, just a little out of reach, of her hand closing around a knife hovered in her memory. Fuck. I'm the reason he's injured.She groaned. "What did I do?" Her eyes slid shut and she resisted the urge to scream.Race traced a finger along her cheek. "You don't remember?" He kept the touch brief, easing back.Echo's eyes popped open and she glanced in his direction. "It's there but it's not." She shrugged. "Almost like I can see what happened, but I don't remember doing it." Her shoulders slumped. "That sounds so stupid." The whole being free thing kind of sucked right now.Race shook his head. "No, it's accurate. That's pretty much what happened." His forearm rested on his knee. "It's like you were acting without volition. You were the one wielding the knife, but your eyes were vacant, lost." His hand absently rubbed at his bandage.Echo straightened as much as the restraints would let her. "Shit. It figures. The soul mate crap didn't take so they formulated a backup plan." Her gaze met Race's. "Make me kill my fellow soldiers." Fear, real and deep, bit down hard on her heart. "How the hell do I come back from that?" Better yet… how did she stop it from happening?Race didn't waver. "I don't know. But you will come back, Echo. We'll find a way." We. We'll find a way.When he should abandon all hope, he didn't. An odd warmth spread through her. Finally. Finally, she could and would rely on someone to fill the dark places and empty spots in her life. She didn't need a savior, but she wanted a partner; someone to calm the storm or spur her to action.Race.Angling her head to the side, she rested it on his shoulder. "You know, I think we will." Reaching her pinkie finger out, she hooked it around his.A tiny gesture, but until they discovered her trigger, she didn't want to risk too much.
I think this book and the preceding one are going to be in a special group called Mind Games. I have a few different stories started that feature some type of mind-bending trope.
That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye
