M.L. Skye's Blog, page 5

Sunday Snippet: To Create a Spy

Hello 2025. I trulyhope this year is better than I expect it will be.

I have some goalsfor this year, and one is to finally launch my side project. I've been puttingit off, and I think I finally figured out why. Instead of FOMO, fear of missingout, I have FOFU, fear of fucking up or, a kinder version, FOMU, fear ofmessing up. I need to get over that.

We're under awinter weather advisory and I have to leave super early in the morning to pickmy oldest up from work. I'm debating whether I should fill up my tank now orjust wait and do it on the way. We're only supposed to have an inch of snow,but I'm not sure about the freezing rain and ice. I'll monitor and decide soon.

Very light workweek. I'm working on a readthrough of a series for a friend and I'm so excitedfor this project! I'm also hoping I have some new work starting this week. Ihave tentative dates in my calendar, but nothing set yet.

Had an okay week ofviewing. I've been in a weird mood and haven't been watching as much as I couldhave. That said, I have been getting a lot of writing done so I'm not complaining.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. Much happier with where Joan and Sherlock in thisepisode. The vibe is very different from the first two seasons, and I think I'mokay with that.

I started a BatmanBeyond rewatch. I have a lot of love for this show and look forward to divingback in again.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Once again, I didn't remember either of thevignettes, so I had fun watching.

Watched an episodeof Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I hadn't seen any of this one and thoroughlyenjoyed it. I think there's one episode left, and I'll have to find a new showto watch.

Almost through theseason three premiere episode of London Kills. This could end up being awild ride. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from To Create a Spy,a novella with characters inspired by the original series of La Femme Nikita.

Here's the miniblurb:

Mariah St. James isn't what she appears to be when she'srecruited by a covert black ops group hell bent on using her supposed skillset. But when she finds an ally in Matthew Jamison, she thinks she mightactually survive the rigorous and deadly training … until he betrays her byleaving her alone in a dangerous situation.

And a sneaky peek…

Matthew had to get a grip. He'djust put both their lives in danger. Over a kiss. Why now? Since he'd picked her up from theprison and all through her training, he'd never been compelled to act on thestrange connection he shared with Mariah. Yet today, he'd not only acted on it,but turned it into a measuring stick. Pushed at her to see if she'd learned thestuff they didn't teach. She had. And learned it well. What is it about Mariah that sucksme in? Ten yearsin Division and he'd never once been tempted to put his ass on the line foranother operative.

He'd wined. He'd dined. And yes,he'd bedded when necessary. Always on command from someoneelse. Under orders. He did what they asked, when they asked. Matthew didn't indulge inattractions with other operatives or staff. And he suffered no delusionsregarding the peril he faced by doing so now. Yet it will continue. Underwraps, completely in secret, but there will be more with Mariah. The big question in his mind? Howlong before I can't control the pace? And that begged the next query. Howmuch damage will the fallout inflict and who will be left standing?He needed to step back, assessevery angle, weigh the consequences. But his brain kept revisiting the feel ofher lips under his. Her initial surprise gave way to a soft yielding tingedwith an underlying heat. She'd wanted more, would have let him take it furtherregardless of their location. Good and bad.

Matthew didn't doubt they'd resistthe pull between them. But if either of them stepped wrong while on premises,containment wouldn't be far behind. Mariah needed to learn that. Hold it closeand never break protocol while in the confines of Division. If his decade of experience withthe ins and outs didn't stop him, she would have to remind him. And the factthat he wanted more and didn't care if it proved deadly, gave him one certainundeniable fact. She's the most dangerous thing on the planet right now.Heading back to the hub, Matthewfound Axyl and asked him to load the upcoming mission data to his panel. Abrief stint in the field would be a wise move and Matthew intended to wait noless than twelve hours to get out there.

I think thisnovella will be the opening for a three-part series. I'm having a lot of funwriting this and I'm excited to see where everything goes.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Ties Don't Bind

Time to wrap up2024 and send it on its happy way. For me, it's been a year of ups and downsand sometimes the downs packed a punch. That said, I try to focus on the upsand pull that energy into my realm.

Wild weather, perusual. We had sixty degrees yesterday, so my husband went golfing. He's been downwith a nasty cold and wanted / needed the fresh air and exercise. Today it'sraining and dreary outside.

Finished up asection of a developmental edit I've been working on. So excited to have it done,because we're almost to the finish line on this story. One more chunk ofchapters then a full read through and we'll be ready to go.

A semi-decent weekof viewing even with the holiday thrown in this week. I still need to pick anew show to watch on one of my streamers and I finished another show and willneed to replace it also.

Started seasonthree of Elementary. I'm not sure how I feel about Harsh Joan or New Watsonworking with Sherlock. Also feel a bit off by Gregson's backhanded bitchslap toSherlock. I do love that Sherlock is seeing consequences for his actions, evenif they were to preserve his sobriety. Season three could prove to beinteresting.

I finished TheBatman series and thoroughly enjoyed the rewatch. I feel like there's atleast one episode I missed, but maybe I'm remembering a different series.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and didn't remember either of the vignettes. Lovedthe babies thinking they were helping and the grown-ups getting locked in the playpen.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I think I have two more episodes left inthis series. It's a fun show and I'm glad I watched from the beginning.

Finished up thesecond season of London Kills and I'm excited to start season three. Theweaving of the plot lines is something I really like about this series. Lookingforward to seeing what happens next.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. Really interested to see what happens with JP. Ilove his character and I'll be sad to see him go, if he does.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Ties Don't Bind,a sexy short that brings a couple back together after big life changes.

Here's the miniblurb:

Gemma Neal, a soldier, shares a past with Tripp Macintoshand wants to reconnect with her former friend and lover. But when Tripp getselected to a parliament position, trading fatigues for a suit and tie, she'snot sure how to proceed … a foreign concept for the take-charge lieutenant.

And a sneaky peek…

Gemma smiled. Catching Tripp offguard happened to be one of her favorite pastimes. With their separatelocations, she couldn’t indulge as often as she'd like anymore.She gave him a questioning glance."What's it look like I'm doing, Tripp?" Her fingers edged along thewaistband of her pants then pushed them down so she could step out of them. Turning, she walked toward the bedwearing nothing but his tie. She glanced back at Tripp, almost laughing at thestunned look on his face. Sitting on the edge of themattress, she cocked her head sideways. "You gonna join me or stand therewith your mouth hanging open?" Tripp moved fast. His pants hit thefloor, and he crossed the deck in three strides. Lifting her up, he tumbledthem both to the soft surface, kissing her on the way down. His lips, her teeth, and his tonguewere used to soothe, nip, and lave, fanning the flames. His hands smoothed overher skin, teasing, stroking, plying her with ease. Her fingers dug into hisflesh, grasping, straining, seeking. Limbs entangled, her body fit easily withhis, moving in sync like a finely tuned machine.With her hips raised, she took himin deep and gasped his name. Gah! She'd missed him so much. Moving against herand in her, Tripp moaned in unison to his thrusts. Her head thrashing on thepillow, Gemma let the tension build until she couldn't stand it anymore.Holding his gaze, she licked her lips then raised her head to mesh her mouthwith his. Her breasts tingled from the contact with his chest, and it sent herflying over the edge … with Tripp careening right behind her. Collapsing back into the pillows,she fought to catch her breath. She wondered how it could be possible to feelexhilarated and lethargic at the same time. When Tripp landed with an exhaustedthud beside her, a look of sated contentment on his face, she figured it was.Turning, she molded herself to him, hands stroking over his skin, relishing thetactile connection. His hand came up to cup her head,fingers stroking through her hair. The rapid beat of his heart against hercheek became a soothing balm. Eyes drifting closed, she let the sound lull herinto slumber.

I enjoy exploringreunions after breakup and Gemma and Tripp have been fun to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Threshold

Seasons' Greetings!

For whateverholiday you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous time filled with cheer andmerriment. We'll be low key per usual with a trip to my dad's and hopefullysome FaceTime with my brother in Arizona.

The weather isstill playing back and forth. We have a bit of snow and it's pretty cold rightnow. The temps are supposed to warm up into the forties and fifties over thenext few days.

Finished up twoprojects this week and have one on my plate. January looks to be shaping upwith multiple projects and I'm so grateful for those. The short break gives mesome time to finish getting my side project ready to launch and I hope to dothat next week during the holiday.

Only a semi-goodweek of viewing. I had some big cleaning projects to work on and got a good bitof that completed. Still working on a few others and hope to have them finishedbefore the end of the year.

Watched anotherepisode of Mr and Mrs Murder. I remember parts of this one but hadn'tseen the entire episode. Ended up being pretty good.

Also watched an episodeof London Kills. The plot thickens regarding the disappearance of David'swife. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up being resolved. Also enjoyingBillie so much on this show.

Enjoyed the onehundredth episode of Death in Paradise. So lovely to have Camille backfor a brief stay. Also nice to see Spirit Richard. This also marks, in myopinion, when Catherine and Selwyn take on larger roles in the show. Lookingforward to rounding out season ten with the last two episodes.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Threshold, a novella that putsa couple on their path to freedom after years of servitude.

Here's theminiblurb:

Satin Welch takes one look at the gorgeous Blade Killianand has to have him. She purchases his slave contract and grants him freedom.Blade doesn't trust the beautiful woman or her idea to make him a partner onthe Threshold, a pleasure ship traveling throughout the galaxy, but hecan't quite resist the chance to make his own choices after a decade of sexualservitude.

And a sneaky peek…

Whoare you? A greatquestion. One Satin would answer in just a moment. First, she had somethingvery important to do—before Blade ended her life.

She choked out anorder. "His collar. Remove his collar." The words gurgled from her throat.Blade's eyes widenedwhen the circlet of silver fell to the deck. He swooped around, locking an armaround her torso, resting just below her breasts. She held up the controllerand he snatched it from her hand but didn't loosen his grip.Satin dragged in airthen nodded toward the device. "I thought you'd like to have the honor ofdestroying the unit." The next step to calm the raging man.She hoped.After shoving her away,Blade dropped the tiny device to the deck and stomped on it. He picked up thecollar and threw it against the wall, shattering the thing into pieces. Symbolically,she'd given him his freedom. Now she had to earn his trust.He spun around."Again, I ask, who are you and why shouldn't I kill you right now?" Hischest heaved with barely controlled emotion.Satin smiled. "Thewho is Satin Welch and the why is something we'll get to in a moment, but first—"She crossed to the kitchenette and grabbed a stack of papers.Taking the first one,she tucked the others under her elbow. She retrieved a handheld mincer.She returned to hisside. "I'm setting you free. This is the purchase contract from thetransaction with your former owner." She shredded the pages and let thepieces fall to the ground. "As of this moment, you are no longer aslave."Blade crossed his armsover his chest. "Why should I believe you?" He clicked his tongueagainst his teeth. "My first owner did the same thing—yet here I am, tenyears later, newly purchased. I've traded one owner for another … again."Satin lost herpatience. "You moron. I didn't buy you, I bought your contract soyou can become my business partner." Maybe she'd misjudged hisintelligence.Blade blinked thenthrew his head back and laughed. "You're amusing yourself, right? You saidbusiness, but you mean bed, don't you?" His derisive tone suggesteddisgust at the thought.Satin sighed and rolledher eyes. "No, I don't." She gave him a slow once-over. "Icertainly wouldn't turn you down, but you'll never be forced to pleasureme—or anyone else—in bed from this moment forward…" She paused a moment."Unless you want to earn more on the side or you choose to bed someone ofyour own volition." She tried really hard to make her intention clear andsuccinct.If he could get out ofhis own way enough to see.

I love how thisstory is coming together. Satin and Blade are interesting characters and Ienjoy writing them.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Therapeutic Recuperation

Big cold snap witha little bit of snow this week in weather. I'm getting much better about makingsure I have layers on even if it's just a quick trip outside with the doggos. Ialso haven't had a major cold yet this season and I hope I didn't just jinxthat fact.

Semibusy work weekwith finishing a proofread and working on two copy edits. I'm hoping to havesome projects to work on over the holiday break. I'm not great at having a weekor two off then trying to gear back up into work mode.

Fairly decent weekof viewing. I'm trying to decide what new show to add to my usual slate ofviewing fare. I'm leaning toward Beyond Paradise, but I'm not completelysure yet.

Caught anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I hadn't seen much if any of thisepisode and I enjoyed it. I think I have a handful of episodes left before it'llbe time to switch to another show.

Watched another episodeof London Kills and tensions are running high. The case ended up beingvery interesting and Viv and Rob are pushing the line by investigating David. Lookingforward to more of this one.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Part one of a two-part arc and the lead-into the show's one hundredth episode. Loved seeing Camille at the end and can'twait to watch the next episode. I've seen almost all of it and loved it.

Finished up seasontwo of Elementary. I still think Mycroft is an ass even if I get why hedid things the way he did. I'm a little on the fence about where Sherlock and Joanleft things. I'll be interested to see where they pick up with season three.

Started thetwo-part series finale of The Batman. I don't remember if I actuallywatched this before or not but it was a good episode. I think I might move onto Batman Beyond after this.

Also watched anotherepisode Classic Rugrats. I hadn't seen either of the vignettes andenjoyed both.

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

Here's theminiblurb:

An accidental blast on the hangar deck lands Nadine Hewesand Hall Pullion in sickbay. The ship's doctor gets them stable then puts themin the same alcove so they don't drive everyone else nuts while theyrecuperate, leading the pilots to discover all kinds of interesting thingsabout each other.

And a sneaky peek…

Year 3952Base Recovery Room 219Day 5Nadine groaned. "Physicaltherapy sucks huge heavy balls." She made her way slowly into the recoveryroom and barely got up on the bed, near tears. "I feel like a raw, openwound." After someone poured salt into it.Hall scooted his wheelchair over andreached out a hand to reassure her. She stopped him. "Don't, Hall.Please. Just don't. I hurt so bad right now if you touch me, my reaction willbe punching you in the face." And then weeping from the effort that wouldtake.Hall dropped his hand. "Damn,I wonder if I can look forward to that tomorrow?" He made a low scratchysound in his throat.Nadine's eyes popped open."Seriously? I hope not. It's like a gigantic pain bomb exploded under myskin." She moved, wincing. "I wouldn't wish this feeling on my worstenemy, which you are not." The physical therapist on the other hand…Hall flashed a smile. "So …who is your worst enemy?"Nadine snorted. "I have noidea. You could probably do a quick check and find out who lodged the mostcomplaints about me." That could be a fun endeavor. Hall didn't let her off the hook."C'mon, Nadine. I can't check anything from here." He rolled over tothe supply cupboard and got some ice for her.Nadine gingerly placed the pack onher shoulder then mused and named off several crew members. "The bestwould be Flat Foot actually filed a grievance because I called him out for leavinghis gear in the cockpit." A huge no-no. "And Beehive lodged acomplaint because I turned her in for being hungover." Not even Nadinetried to fly after imbibing too much. "And the list goes on…" Shepushed boundaries but didn't cross the line.Hall's lips twitched. "You're notexactly high on any of the deck crew's list either." He obviously enjoyedher tales of potential enemies.Her eyes narrowed. "And Ithink you're having a little too much fun at my expense." He smirked. "Maybe. But how doyou feel?" He arched his brows.She tilted her head. "Better,actually. The ice helped." And the distraction didn't hurt either.He nodded toward her feet."Can you handle a massage?" He wiggled his fingers in the air.She gave a low moan. "Ah … you'regonna spoil me. What am I gonna do when we get out of here?" She loweredthe bed a few inches to make it easier for him to reach her.Hall gave her a leer. "Dreamof my magic fingers." He warmed his hands by rubbing them together thenstarted on her calf muscle.Her breath hitched. She alreadydreamed of those fingers and what they might be able to do. The only good thingabout physical therapy? The aftermath left her so tired she didn't dare try todiscover how much pleasure Hall could wield with his hands or any other bodypart. But her mind loved to conjure images while she slept.He finished the rub down andwheeled over to his duffel bag and grabbed his shower kit and a crutch. Tuckingthe container under his arm, he used the crutch to start back across the room.When he got to her bed, Nadinesnagged his arm. "Thank you." He helped ease the agony from atorturous physical therapy session and helped take her mind off the discomfortby with the art of distraction.A charged moment passed betweenthem. He had to know what her thoughts were. But he didn't push. Instead, he puthis hand over hers for a moment then excused himself to grab a shower, walkingslowly and carefully into the head.Nadine drifted off, fully awareshe'd dream of Hall and his gorgeous hands and not minding one bit.

I'm enjoying this one.Nadine and Hall are a fun couple to write while they try to recuperate fromtheir injuries.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Taken By Surprise

Ohio is back tobeing contrary with its weather. Super cold days in the teens followed by a warmupof midfifties. My sinuses hate this kind of back and forth.

Had a fairly busywork week with a new project landing in my inbox. It's one of my favoriteauthors to edit and proofread for. Also spent a lot of time pulling my taxstuff together. I realized last week I hadn't filed for 2023 yet. Better latethan never.

Not a bad week ofviewing. I didn't make a full round of my usual slate of shows, but I got mostof the way through. Again, my sleep schedule is playing havoc with my brain.

Watched another episodeof Mr and Mrs Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of familiar facesin this one, which is always fun.

Caught another episodeof London Kills and I'm kind of excited about Rob and Vivienne teamingup to investigate David. Of course, there's more to the story and I can't waitto find out what's really going on.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one but it's nice tofollow the whole story from beginning to end instead of catching bits andpieces all the time.

Finished up seasontwenty-seven of Silent Witness. Gotta say, I really enjoyed the finale.Jack proposing to Nikki made my heart happy. And I'm interested to see whathappens with Jack's place. Maybe Kara and Velvy will stay there.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and enjoyed it. Still not a Mycroft fan even if hehad extenuating reasons for being an ass. I am kind of glad Sherlock isn'tgoing to throw his brother under the bus. At least I don't think he is. Thenext episode should reveal what will happen.

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Taken by Surprise, a sexyshort that changes the dynamics of a friends-with-benefits couple to somethingmore.

Here's the miniblurb:

Pales Thompson has a new man, Herrick Edwards, in herlife and his birthday is coming up, but they're stuck on a ship with no R&Rpasses available. Pales isn't great at maintaining a relationship, but she'lltake Herrick by surprise and plan a spectacular day.

And a sneaky peek…

Herrick enjoyed the view when Palesmade her way out of the mess. "Damn, that was fun." Getting a littleunder her skin made his day.She made pursuing her so much funwith her quirky reactions. Not that many people could read her … she had anoutstanding poker face. But he paid attention and discovered quite a few of hertells. Like when her gaze lost focus, and a slight smile played around herlips? She had sex on her brain. Or when her eyes shifted color? He could guessmost of her moods by the changing hues of her irises or how quickly her pupilswidened.Did he keep track of anyone elsethe way he did with her? "Nope." But he liked Pales, even when shegot prickly.He'd heard the stories. She rarelyattempted a full-fledged relationship. The woman had terrible luck with herprevious attempts. One guy couldn't keep his dick away from others. Not aproblem except he'd been caught with his pants down an hour before hisscheduled wedding … to Pales. Needless to say, she broke the engagement.Another guy broke up with her whenshe made lieutenant before he did. Didn't matter if she had the experience and higherscore on the exam. Also didn't matter they'd been together for close to twoyears. The asshat's ego mattered more to him than she did.Herrick finished up his meal and stackedhis tray on the pile at the wash station.He didn't discount her reasons forbeing wary of getting involved with anything long-term. "But she can't gothrough life without a deeper connection. No one can." Okay … maybe aperson could, but what did that kind of existence look like?Lonely, for one. And, frankly, shortsighted.Living in the moment absolutely had benefits. But everyone needed a person theycould count on. Whether they slept together or not.  He wanted to be that person for Pales.He wouldn't push, but he'd bepresent. As up close as possible. He didn't want to spook her. But he needed toshow her he'd be there, no matter what.Because he liked so many thingsabout her. Her sassy mouth, her total focus when flying, her ongoing feud withthe XO. He quite loved everything about her. The sex became an unexpected andadded bonus.His mouth curved. "Especiallywhen neither of us expected to hook up." At least not the first time.A mix-up on new assigned quartersput them in the same berth. She'd pulled a double shift and appeared dead onher feet after a shower. The quartermaster either transposed the numbers ormade a mistake. Either way, the card she held listed the same designation as hisnotification had earlier. When her shoulders slumped and she blew out a frustratedbreath, he didn't have the heart to make her wake up the quartermaster to get anew rack.He slid back against the wall andlifted his blanket. "Look, you might as well crash here. We can straightenthis out after you get a solid eight." He could sleep facing the bulkheadso she didn't notice how much she affected him.She only hesitated for a momentbefore she slipped beneath the covers. "Thank you." Pulling thecurtain closed, she grabbed his extra pillow and got comfortable. "I oweyou one. 'Night." Within a minute, her breathing deepened into sleep.The next morning, he woke up with astart and the feel of her palm cupping his erection. She didn't say a word, butshe worked his dick out of his knit boxers and moved to straddle his thighs.After pulling her hipster panties to the side, she sank over his rigid lengththen leaned down to mesh her lips with his. Neither lasted long, but by thetime she broke and shuddered through her orgasm, he pretty much wanted to wakeup every day with her wet heat surrounding his cock.Of course he didn't say that toher.Instead, he made it his mission tobecome her friend and find out if they had a chance for something else. Themore he got to know her the deeper he fell. When one or both needed to scratchan itch, they found themselves together. So far, they hadn't strayed from thatpath. Which meant he might not stand a chance for a future with her, but he atleast wanted to try.Exiting the mess, he headed for ashift in comms. "And I aim to find out soon."

Having a lot of funpulling this story together. Herrick likes to catch Pales off guard, but she'sgot a few tricks up her sleeve also.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Table of Lies

Welcome, December! I'mtruly not sure what this month will bring. I'm at a weird place where I feelkind of stuck and a little buried under the weight of needing to get thingsdone … but I have no idea where to start.

Work slowed down alittle, which isn't a great thing. But it did give me some time to spend withmy daughter when she came home for Thanksgiving break. I'm so grateful for thattime. And December still looks to be booked with projects for the most part.

The temperature diddrop but didn't quite dip into the teens. I'm really not ready for the arcticblast yet. But it does help get me in a mood for the holidays.

Had a semi-decentweek of viewing. My sleep schedule is all over the place again and that doesn'talways make for a good attention span.

Watched the seasontwo premiere episode of London Kills. Nice to see Billie back in action.I'm interested in the ongoing arc from season one. This cast is stellar, and Ilove the changing dynamics between them.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm starting to find some redeeming value inNeville. I liked the way he kind of helped Florance. Really not sure aboutMarlon.

Enjoyed part one ofSilent Witness. Loving some inside looks at Jack and Nikki and themystery is kind of amazing. I have no idea where things are going and that'salways fun.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. Mycroft is an ass and maybe that's a good thing. Hedefinitely has some explaining to do. I do give him kudos for being able tomanipulate Sherlock even if I hate that he could. And I'm going to be reallypissed if Sherlock decides Joan is his weakness and starts acting like a biggerass than Mycroft.

Caught an episodeof The Batman and it's one I don't remember watching previously.Thoroughly enjoyed it. Having a team that is completely opposite of Batman andRobin was fun.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I think it's the final one where the whole episode isone story. I kind of wish there were more of those.

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Table of Lies, anovella that features one of my favorite tropes of meeting the wrong brotherfirst.

Here's theminiblurb:

Nichelle Stohl finally has her life on course—she's aninstructor at the coveted academy of military science and she's testing therelationship waters for the first time since a truly horrible break up. Thenshe meets Garth Fillion—her boyfriend's brother—and her world tilts sideways.

And a sneaky peek…

Garth Fillion returned from a lunchmeeting and grinned when he noticed the message light flashing on his computer."Hope that's Quint getting back to me." His brother's concept of timedidn't always reflect reality.But Garth wouldn't trade hisyounger brother for anything on the planet. They might be opposites in almosteverything, but Quint never failed to brighten things up wherever he went. Beforetheir parents got divorced, Quint made life bearable when the arguments got outof hand by using humor to drown out the yelling and shouting from both adults. Garthtried to be the one to ease the strife, and usually got caught in the middle.Quint would usually come down and drag Garth away with a lame excuse—like Quintneeded help with his homework—then get into his stash of snack foods to sharebefore regaling Garth with bad jokes.Garth shook his head. "Thosejokes haven't improved since grade school." And if he sometimes wishedQuint would dial back the antics, Garth rarely expressed that hope.Because Quint used humor as arelease valve and deserved to cope however he wanted to … especially aftertheir turbulent childhood.Pressing the icon on his monitor,Garth listened to his brother's message."Yo, G-man. Can't wait to seeyou, even if I have to share you with the ministry defoffs."Garth snorted at the nickname hisbrother gave to the defense officers on base next to the military academy.The one their dad and Garth eachgraduated from and where Quint currently spent his days. Garth had to monitoran inspection of a newly launched program for the ministry. One of the newresponsibilities he'd inherited when he'd accepted his position in the ministryof defense.Quint added a parting shot. "Also,I won't be on campus. I crash at my girlfriend's place on the weekends. Stop byafter six for dinner. We'll catch up then." He rattled off the addressthen signed off.Garth's eyes widened."Girlfriend. Huh." A new development since they'd spoken last?Or … one of Quint's practicaljokes? With Quint, Garth didn't know for sure. He could end up in the middle ofnowhere with Quint laughing his ass off.Garth jotted the address down."Not in a neighborhood I'm familiar with." He'd double-check themapping program before heading out this weekend.

I love exploringdifferent variations on a theme. Meeting the wrong brother first opens up a lotof possibilities. Garth and Quint are fun to write and throwing Nichelle intothe mix is a lot of fun.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Submit

It's been a wildweek. Between work and other commitments, I've been frazzled. My sleep scheduleis all over the map and I'm not enjoying the fits and starts of trying to getrest. But … I'll adjust. Hopefully soon.

Our weather hasbeen all over the place. We had a sixty-degree day followed by snow and thirty-fourdegrees. The day after Thanksgiving is supposed to be in the upper teens forthe high. I'm side-eyeing Mother Nature right now.

Work projects arecoming in and I think I'm booked through the end of the year. I'm pleasedbecause December can be a sketchy month sometimes. I don't mind downtime, butI'm definitely not prepared to have limited income this year.

Had a terrible weekof viewing. Too many distractions and said lack of sleep kept me from gettingmuch watched.

I did catch anepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and kind of enjoyed it. Some familiarfaces as guest stars this week. The mystery was a little lackluster but a goodepisode nonetheless.

I also caught somemarathons of Midsomer Murders. I kind of love the streaming twenty-fourhours of one show channels. It's fun to set a favorite and have a go-to comfortwatch whenever I want.

I'm also looking ata few new shows but haven't decided which ones I want to pick up. I'm alsohoping to get back to my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. My viewingpartner will help determine if that's going to happen. So much more fun towatch with someone else who loves the show as much as I do.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Submit, a novella seton Furlough 99.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lena Stoll and Welles Abernate work security on a largespace station. While the job pays well, the stress level can quickly skyrocket,but Lena comes up with a great solution—she acts as a dominatrix in herdowntime—much to Welles's surprise.

And a sneaky peek…

Welles sat behind thedesk after patrolling the sectors Balik assigned to him. "Figures Lenawould pick tonight to flake off." Not that he blamed her after pulling thedouble shifts last week.He'd been lucky enoughto be exempt from pulling overtime because he'd just returned from anundercover stint in the mining colony. He had his mandatory debrief and Balik gaveWelles three days to rest and recover from the hard labor he'd endured on theasteroid. He could've come back after two but took the extra time because theirCO didn't do anything without a reason.Welles snorted."Sucks that Lena had to pick up the slack." Even if she proved morethan capable of going full tilt with metaphoric balls to the wall.He enjoyed working withher because she kept a straight head on when shit went sideways … and it oftendid on Furlough 99. Ex-enforcers liked to tempt fate by showing up and wreakinghavoc. Especially when they could stick Balik with the tab of removing themfrom the station.A blip pinged on theholomonitor and Welles swiped the screen. A brief report from an anonymoussender opened. His gut said the guild probably passed the no-name report along.The bounty hunters served a purpose, and Balik gave them free rein as long asthey kept their size seventeen boots away from official security issues.He briefly scanned thelimited details and leaned closer to make sure he read the informationcorrectly. "Shit. Definitely didn't see this coming." He slumped backin the chair.According to the file,an agent happened to be moonlighting in the luxe sector at the Marionette—avery exclusive members-only establishment. Welles would have to investigate tomake sure no underhanded dealing took place. The security agents weren'tallowed to work other jobs because they could play favorites. If they gotcaught … they'd be subject to harsh repercussions, namely losing their positionin the security force.He heaved a sigh andgot to his feet. "I'll have to check this out." He hoped whoever sentthe report had things wrong.Exiting the sectorstation, he took the upglide to the main hub of Furlough then grabbed a lift upto the luxe quad. He got off and went up three more levels. The first hadshopping, shows, gambling slots and various food stations. The second level hadcasino gambling, bars like the Den of Iniquity, and dance clubs. The third hada mix of walk-in and by appointment establishments catering to the lovelorn orthose looking for a bit of recreational pursuits, including sex. The fourthlevel had a more discerning clientele. Less crowded, the people frequentingthis section got appointments with a higher price tag and could apply formembership-only clubs.The fifth level and hisdestination had exclusive membership with a staggering price tag. "Andapparently, one of my coworkers engaging in a side gig."He moved past dark,heavy doors with attendants monitoring access. Anyone trying to get throughwould be required to scan their member pass card or not gain entry. Theattendants were trained to remove interlopers with minimal disruption, whichkept Balik happy.Welles made his way tothe Marionette and flashed his creds. The attendant narrowed his gaze, buzzedthe matron, and let Welles inside. The matron guided him to a plush office andreviewed the information he presented.She then directed him throughthe richly designed halls and stopped before a set of doors. "This isDomina's suite." With a lift of her chin, she backed away and glided backtoward her office.Welles huffed out abreath, wondering who he'd find on the other side.

Having fun withthis one. It's a little different from the other two Furlough books and I'm happyto explore this unique dynamic of the station with Lena and Welles.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stripped to the Skin

I'm still workingon getting my side project ready to go. At this point, I have no idea how longit will last but I'm going to go like gangbusters until I can't anymore.

Had a solid week ofwork. Finished up a copy edit and started a new one. Also worked on a developmentaledit that's been simmering on the back burner. I have three projects lined upand I'm waiting on deposits to get rolling on those. Hopefully, December isgoing to be a steady month of work.

Had a very good weekof viewing. I made it through my usual round of shows and started looking for aformer fave to rewatch but it's not readily available. Might have to dig out myripped DVDs and hunt around for one of my old players.

I caught two episodesof The Batman this week. No Justice League cameos in these two. StrictlyRobin and Batgirl, which I enjoyed.

Also watched twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were single episodes instead of the standardtwo or three vignettes. Preschool and Halloween featured and were a lot of funto watch.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one and liked itthe first time around. Very fun to get some background on the detective.

Finished out thefirst season of London Kills with an episode-length behind the sceneslook at the series. Lots of fun to see the actors talk about their charactersand see how the showrunners also make the city of London a character.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. I liked the mystery in this one and enjoyed thecrab cooking contest. Not completely sold on Marlon as the new police officerbut I'll probably end up enjoying him.

Finished up thesecond half of Silent Witness and, boy, there were a lot of twists inthis one. Really loved Jack declaring his love for Nikki at the end. So nice tosee them have a happy moment.

Watched an episodeof Elementary and rather enjoyed it. Of course, it ended on acliffhanger, and I have no doubt Mycroft is involved in something nefarious. Itruly hope involving Joan blows up in his face.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Stripped to the Skin, a novellathat brings a couple together during a tense moment in isolation.

Here's the miniblurb:

Kaley Pick and Dax Christopher are trapped in anisolation chamber when a ship wide power outage occurs. The temperature risesand they have to strip to the skin—a perfect time to consummate their growingattraction—except they're not alone. A junior officer is stuck with them andhe's not dealing well with the heat.

And a sneaky peek…

Lose the pants. Right. How many times had hewanted to hear something similar coming from Kaley's mouth?

More than he'd admit. And holyshit, she looked incredible standing her bra and hipster briefs. Glisteninglike she'd just had sex … her hair mussed up. How many times had he imaginedwhat she'd look like after a romp in bed. Again … more than he'd ever admit.Gah!He shoved his pants off and kickedthem across the floor. Kaley started to say something then stopped, her mouthhanging open. Her gaze zeroed in on his crotch. His dick fought the confines ofhis knit boxers, making a large and noticeable bulge.Kaley's eyes widened a little."Oh, my." She fanned the front of her face.Dax huffed out a breath."Exactly. This is why I didn't want to strip down. Anyone with eyes willsee the same thing you do." A massive hard-on.Kaley didn't take her gaze from hisgroin when she slowly made her way toward him. She stopped inches away andtentatively traced her finger over the ridge of his cock. She didn't remainunfazed. Her nipples puckered under the fabric of her bra.Her tongue shot out to moisten herlower lip. "Damn, that's going to be a—pardon the pun—big problem."Her palm cupped his erection.Dax grunted. "If you keephandling it, it's only gonna get bigger." He waited a beat. "Theproblem, I mean." He kind of enjoyed the play on words.Kaley glanced up through herlashes. "Maybe we should find a resolution to this situation." Hergaze darted around the space. "Over here. Come on." She led him tothe small alcove used for vaccinations and pushed the fabric-covered partition aroundto block them from view.Dax cocked his head to one side."How do you see this working when it's like a hundred and ten degrees inhere?" Perspiration dripped off him.Kaley's lips curved. "Trust mewhen I say neither of us will last long. I'm not just hot from thetemperature." She turned and grasped the edge of the sink with one handthen pushed her hipster panties down with the other revealing a perfectlyshaped ass.This didn't match any of thefantasies he'd had about her, but he didn't care at the moment.He swallowed hard. "Shit.Apologies in advance for how quick this will be." He freed his dick andnudged the head between her legs.Kaley shot a quick look over hershoulder. "Not gonna hear me complain … unless you keep me waiting."She pushed her butt back, so the tip of his shaft slid along her folds.Dax thrust forward, sliding in sodeep he had to bite back a moan.Perfection … regardless of thecrazy circumstances. One time wouldn't be enough. He would definitely want more…

So much fun writingthis one. Dax and Kaley didn't really pick this moment to test the waters for arelationship. The moment pretty much picked them.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Strategic Wagers

It's been a wildweek of big letdowns in my area of the universe. I'm not sure where things willland but I have decided to launch my side project sooner than expected. Moredetails to follow in a separate blog post.

I started a newwork project and picked up with one that's been on the back burner. I also tentativelyscheduled three new projects for November. Here's hoping they all pan out.

Had a pretty goodweek of viewing. I got most of my current slate of shows watched. But … I alsogot distracted by *waves at everything going on right now*.

I caught an episodeof The Batman and rather enjoyed the Green Lantern guest spot. Also enjoyedhaving one of Batman's rogues nose his way into the storyline.

Watched anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and it was the Rugrat's Kwanzaa. I'll have to findthe other Rugrats holiday episodes and get ready to rewatch.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. It featured a behind-the-scenes look at a theatershow, which is fun for me because my daughter majored in theater for undergrad.

Caught the firstseason finale of London Kills and, wow, some twisty-twists and big turnshappened. Looking forward to a behind-the-scenes special this week.

Watched the seasonten opener of Death in Paradise. I'm still annoyed by DI Parker and sad to seeRuby no longer with the team. Thrilled to bits to have Florance back. Lookingforward to seeing more.

Started a new two-partSilent Witness. Terrific guest stars in this episode. I'm very interested inseeing where this case goes.

Enjoyed most of anElementary episode. I'll get it finished up today and start over with a new runof my current episodes.

That's pretty muchit for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Strategic Wagers, a sexyshort that brings a couple together over a series of bets.

Here's theminiblurb:

Onyx West and Lev Thorogood, friends and fellow crewmates,have the best kind of friendly rivalry. But when Onyx decides she can best Levat a game of strategy, something he rarely loses, she pulls out all the stopsto win.

And a sneaky peek…

"Dialing it backand taking some time. A novel concept." Onyx flopped back on her rack andswung her legs inside the berth. "And one I've got almost zero experiencewith." She pulled the curtain so she could focus on her thoughts.Onyx didn't quite knowwhat to make of Lev Thorogood. He had all the right moves. Great pilot.Incredible physique. Strong in the brains department.And he appeared to havea solid interest in her. The last bit completely threw her. She had crap-allluck with guys. Her winning streaks only lasted at the card table. Men nevertook the time to figure her out.She rolled over ontoher stomach and pushed the pillow under her chin. "Instead, guys go forthe fast lay and hot sex." She could live with that … hell, she obligedthem more often than not.But why didn't theyever try for more? Just because she didn't dump her life story out or put herpersonal life on display didn't mean she had no worth.Some day she'd meetsomeone who'd want to listen and take the time to get to know her. The realher. Not the one hidden behind bravado. Onyx kept people at arm's length untilshe thought they could be trusted. It didn't always work to her advantage. Shegot labeled with tags like bitch and ball buster on a regularbasis.The thing about Lev… "Hedoesn't get pissed when I play counterpoint to his point." Nope … he'dstudy her for a few moments then ask why.Or … if it happened tobe a hot-button topic, he'd walk away until they had time to speak with coolerheads. She respected the hell out of him for that.She sighed. "Buthe never makes a move." Sexual tension pinged back and forth between them,but he kept his hands to himself.Onyx snorted. "I can'tdecide if it pleases or insults me." She leaned toward pleased.But how long would herpatience last? She'd have to wait and see when it went up against slow progressand taking some time. But maybe … the dialing it back thing would be worth thewait. She wanted someone to take an interest in her … and Lev certainly seemedto be willing to dig deeper instead of only scratching the surface.The funny part? The onething she didn't plan on when she found a guy who might put some effort intoknowing her? Her being the one that wanted to move things along at a fasterpace.

I'm having a lot offun with this one. Onyx and Lev are well-matched but very different.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Steamed

November isstarting off with a wild trajectory. The election in the US is taking up a lotof air and space in my life and I'm okay with that. It does make it harder tofocus on anything but the election, which isn't optimal for my work projects.

That said, I'mweirdly calm and very hopeful. Which is not to say I'm complacent because thatwould be stupid and reckless. There's going to be a lot of work to doregardless of who wins the presidency, senate, and house.

My trickymanuscript turned extremely challenging, but I finally got it finished up latelast night. Now I can focus on a couple of projects that were simmering on theback burner and start two new ones that need attention.

Had an okay week ofviewing. Trick or treat night took up some time and an unexpected accidentinvolving my oldest and his fiancé needed my attention. Thankfully, both areokay and weren't injured in the crash.

I started the weekwith an episode of Elementary and I also ended the week with one. Bothwere enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoy the vibe when Sherlock tries to coordinateoutfits for Joan. So far, it looks like she ditches those in favor of choosingher own.

Caught an episodeof The Batman and enjoyed it. Nice to see Batgirl back in action. I'llbe finished with this show at the end of this season and I'm not sure what I'llbe replacing it with.

Also watched anepisode of Classic Rugrats. The three vignettes were new to me again. Ithink I'm going to shift back to the new Rugrats once I'm through this season.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one before andreally enjoyed the snappy and snarky dialog between the characters.

Caught another episodeof London Kills and, whew, I got spoiled for what would happen and itstill freaked me out. Really like this series.

Finished up seasonnine of Death in Paradise. Looking forward to season ten even with someof my misgivings with DI Parker. I love this show enough to give him time togrow on me.

Enjoyed the secondhalf of Silent Witness. The show managed to surprise me, and I love itwhen that happens. One thing to note … I'm always curious about where Jack andNikki live. Jack had such a cool house during the last season and now he seemsto be in a townhouse of some sort. This is after he bought the fixer-upper thathis dad and brother (for a while) shared with him. Weird stuff makes mecurious.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed, a sexyshort that puts a couple together on a long-range mission.

Here's theminiblurb:

Page Wagner and Gannon Bendis pull long range recon dutyand Page decides they need to play truth or strip. After several days of sexybanter, Gannon has enough of Page's innuendo and confronts her … in the shower.

And a sneaky peek…

He might be a keeper.Page liked him. Gannon had suckedher in with the ripped body, but he had a great personality too. Thecombination turned her on.She stalled for a little time."Gotta shuffle first." She split the deck and filed the cardstogether.She'd been with guys whose lookswere all they had. Pretty, beautiful men that couldn't do much more than seepast their own reflections. And … she'd slept with men whose sense of humor,intelligence, and style drew her attention. Maybe she wouldn't put them in thehandsomest or sexiest category, but they were appealing just the same. Herequal opportunity policy extended to sex, too.But she rarely had the perfect-stormcombination of brains and brawn.Gannon had the highest test scorein the squadron. Which she discovered when she snuck a peek at the roster forthe mission. She'd rather know up front if she got paired with a dud that wouldsuck any kind of joy out of the mission … or … if she got lucky and landedsomeone interesting like Gannon.She wondered how far she could pushthings with him.If the universe aligned the way shehoped, all the way to the brink and possibly over. If the stars weren't in hercorner, she'd at least enjoy some lively conversation and discussion. Her gutsaid they'd find a perfect vibe.Slapping the deck on the smalltable, she nudged the stack toward him. "By all means, please, goahead."He split the cards then leanedback, crossing his arms over his chest.She put the two piles back togetherand nodded. "You first."He turned the top card overrevealing a seven of hearts.Page smirked. "Ah, well,you've got a fifty-fifty chance of me drawing a lower card." But shedoubted she would.Her luck didn't run that way … witha deck of cards.

I love to writevariations on a theme, and this is one of my favorite tropes.

 

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

ML Skye