Sunday Snippet: Losing the Light

What an incredible episode of The Last Ship! I loved the whole storm at sea and the cat and mouse game with the Greek ships. My fingers are crossed nothing happens to Master Chief. I'll be very upset if he dies.

Teen Wolf brought back even more former Beacon Hills faces. I'm excited and a little melancholy about tonight's episode. I'll be totally thrilled if Monroe finally dies a spectacular death.

I'm four episodes in on The Defenders and pretty much love it so far. Even Danny isn't as annoying as I thought he'd be. Jessica and Luke make me happy. Not as a couple or anything, I just love their shorthand conversations. And, of course, Matt is pretty much my favorite, always.

Hawaii Five-0 is pretty terrific in season seven. I like the interactions and pretty much like Steve getting some closure with Katherine. I'm not even halfway through the season yet, but here's hoping the remaining episodes are as good.

Gotham returned! I completely missed the premiere date but got caught up the next day. I LOVED the first episode of the season. I'm thrilled the show seems to have found its footing and delivers great television on a consistent basis.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Losing the Light, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "crying, a new place, and a flashlight". I kind of liked the randomness of this one.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Walker Garrett always does the right thing—except when it comes to Barret Danks. Barret never listens when she doesn't want to hear what's said, but Walker's ultimatum has her accepting a post on a newly terraformed planet. With him in the air and her on the ground, working out their issues doesn't seem likely… until Walker gets a call to meet with Barret's boss.

And a sneaky peek…

Butch and Linda took Elsie and headed back toward their section of the tent village, leaving Barret in the uncomfortable position of being with Walker.

Alone.

She drank in the sight of him—tall, rugged, and dressed for being down below. The man wore civilian clothes well. He also looked damned good in nothing at all.

Stop it, Barret. No going backwards. You no longer have a place in his heart.

Because she'd cut and run… her modus operandi. If she could turn back the clock, she might do things differently but the primary conflict would be the same. Walker always wanted more.

More discussion. More plans. More commitment.

He didn't understand and never would. She didn't talk about her innermost feelings—she loved him and said so, but sharing fear and uncertainty, of waiting for their life to implode. Yeah, not so much. She never planned for the future—she didn't know how. Committing to a monogamous relationship proved easier than she'd expected, but pledging to spend her life with one person? She had zero point of reference of what that looked like.

Walker hefted his pack over his shoulder and started down the main thoroughfare. A meeting with Laura… one Barret didn't know about. Her curiosity got the better of her.

She followed and caught up with Walker. "Did Laura really not say why she wanted the meet or were you trying to maintain a cover with the Aldermans?" Barret didn't like not being in the loop on private meetings with someone from up top.

She usually advised the premier on matters involving the protection detail orbiting the planet.

Walker spared a brief glance in Barret's direction. "She didn't go into specifics, but asked for a cover of darkness meet-up." He lifted a shoulder. "I wasn't ordered to keep anything under wraps and the kid recognized me so I stuck with the truth." He made a turn at the next left.

Barret frowned. "The Commonplace is this way." She jerked her head to the right.

Walker paused and his shoulders tensed. "We're not meeting at the official residence." He didn't elaborate, but he didn't have to.

Laura requested an off-book meeting, which meant no public record of Walker's presence. Interesting.

And a little off-putting since Barret had no idea of the scheduled event.

Walker angled his head around. "Don't you have a patrol to complete?" His eyebrow quirked.

As far as dismissals went, he could've been harsher. He didn't owe her an explanation. And he certainly had no reason to satisfy her curiosity.

Dammit.

Barret sighed. "Yeah, I do." She fought the trickle of longing to ask if she could walk him to his destination.

He wouldn't welcome her company. And since Laura didn't mention anything about the meeting, Barret had to assume the premier didn't want anyone else there. A cause for concern, certainly, but Laura did things her way.

Barret nodded toward the thoroughfare. "Take extra care walking in that direction. The rabble-rousers start early down here." With a shrug, she started back in the direction of the tent settlement.

Walker didn't respond and when Barret glanced over her shoulder, he'd already disappeared into the dark shadows.

She squared her shoulders again. "Good luck, man. Here's hoping you don't run into any of the disgruntled element that's been causing trouble." He'd bring a nice bounty if they got their hands on him.

But… not her problem. If Laura wanted her out of the loop, Barret would stay there.

Didn't make her roiling stomach calm down any.

Or maybe that came from seeing Walker again…

I'm actually not completely sure where this one will end up going, but I like the tone it's taking.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lockdown

The Last Ship continues with its excellence. The tough love from Captain Meylan and Master Chief is something Chandler needed. I loved the twisty twist of "Hello, Fletch". I'm very interested in seeing what he does. Can't wait for tonight's episode.

Teen Wolf continues bringing old faces back and I'm so happy! At this point, I'm ready for the guidance counselor to die already. Truly, I pretty much hate her. Gerard is a love to hate character, but the counselor… not so much. She's just annoyingly irritating.

I got started on The Defenders and quite like it so far. The way the four main characters are coming together is pretty terrific and the snark is spot on. Should get at least one more episode in today.

Also started season seven of Hawaii Five-0. I'm enjoying the episodes so far. Not sure I'll be down with a season eight without Chin and Kono so this might be my last season.

I'll be starting the British show Fearless soon. Can't wait to watch Jamie Bamber on my screen again. Which means… I'll probably be binge watching the BSG marathon on Syfy next weekend. LOL

Oh! Terrific news. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is going super-sized and coming to the big screen. The crowdsourcing campaign reached its initial goal within forty-eight hours and the funds are still rolling in. Can't wait to see what the movie brings.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Lockdown, a novella that started around a writing community prompt of building a story around a power outage. It's always fun to have a conflict out of the characters control.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Tod Langkowski and Mitzi Stahl are trapped when a power outage aboard their ship locks them in the training area. The commander and his CAG have a unique opportunity to examine their relationship—and where it should go—with zero interruptions.

And a sneaky peek…

I'm a goner.

Mitzi melted into the embrace. Kissing Tod this way far surpassed anything she'd imagined from their previous, and very brief, lip-locks. The man's professional perfectionist streak carried over into intimate endeavors.

Which made Mitzi not only hot but insanely curious. She moved aggressively, working Tod toward the weight bench. The hard line of his erection filled the space between them and Mitzi wanted an up close and personal look at what he had to offer.

She slid a hand down his chest and loosened the belt at his waist. Her usually steady fingers decided to get shaky when she popped the button on Tod's fatigues. A warm palm covered hers and she broke the kiss to meet Tod's gaze.

His expression gave nothing away, except for the darkening of his eyes. "Mitz… we're crossing a line we can't uncross here." He removed his hand, giving her the option to continue or not.

Mitzi pushed envelopes. She flouted rules. Walked her own path.

But this… needed some consideration.

She lowered Tod's zipper while meeting his gaze. "We'll face consequences when everyone finds out." Her hands moved to his waistband. "It's a given they will." He had more to lose than she did.

Tod acknowledged her statement with a lift of his chin. "It is. We'll deal with the fallout when it comes." Meaning he'd have her back… as usual.

Mitzi didn't need more assurances. She pushed his fatigues past his hips and his cock sprang free. Her mouth watered at the sight. Long and thick, the shaft bobbed and its head glistened with a drop of precum.

Tod toed his shoes off and Mitzi crouched to make short work of removing his pants. She ran her palms over his thighs, the sinewy muscles quivered under her touch. She went to her knees and leaned forward, her fingers wrapping around the hard length.

She licked her lips then flicked her tongue around the tip before engulfing the head with her mouth. A sharp gasp escaped from Tod and his hands went to her head, his fingers threading through her hair. Mitzi swirled her tongue around the shaft, going deeper, until she couldn't take more.

Tod moaned and flexed his hips. "I always knew you had a wicked mouth, Mitzi." He sucked in a harsh breath when she cupped his balls in her palm. "First time I'm happy as hell you have one, but..." He eased her mouth off his dick, a hot look of need in his eyes when she met his gaze.

A thrill ran down her spine and her lips twisted in a slow smile. "You want to be buried balls deep in me, don't you?" She rose from her position at his feet.

Tod rasped his answer out. "In a word…" He motioned for her to undress. "Yes."

She complied with happy abandon.

I'm having fun with this story. Mitzi and Tod make the writing very easy.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Living with Scars

I'm hoping anyone in the path of a hurricane is hunkered down and safe. I have family in Florida and a best friend in Texas—who survived Harvey relatively unscathed—and they haven't seen the last of the crazy, intense storms.

From what I'm seeing on previews, it looks like The Last Ship will have a huge storm to deal with on screen. They're oddly in step with real world events, which is one of the bizarre yet cool things. Last week's episode ended up being way better than I thought it would be. And Mike didn't die so bonus points for that.

I'm completely caught up on Teen Wolf and, wow, things are getting super intense. Gerard is batshit, per usual, but on a whole new level. And the guidance teacher chick, whose name I never remember, is annoyingly single-minded. Looking forward to tonight's episode to see what new blast from the past appears.

I caught the finale of Killjoys and it didn't disappoint. I'm so happy we get two more seasons of this cast and crew. I'm very interested in where the storyline involving the lady will go. And, of course, I need my Jacobi brother fix… sandwiched or not.

I also got caught up and watched the finale of Wynonna Earp. This show… is total gold. Somewhat like Lost Girl, the show hasn't met a genre rule it won't break and I love it even more because of that. I'm excited to see what next season brings.

I should be starting The Defenders this week and catching up with season seven of Hawaii Five-0. I'm also thinking about starting the British drama Fearless, which stars one of my favorite actors.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Living with Scars, a novella that explores the different facets of love.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Britta Dane, a woman who avoids entanglements, lets Yale Sullivan get a little too close. But when she finds a way to put some distance between them, she lands behind enemy lines. When she finally returns, a little broken and torn up with guilt, she has to find a way to get her brand of normal back.

And a sneaky peek…

Britta's mouth turned down. "You read the report. You know what happened to me out there." She clearly wanted to push his buttons.

Too bad, he'd decided not to let her. "Yeah. I do." He leaned forward, angling in close to her. "But you've been banged up before and bounced back. There's more to it than that." He glanced up and caught her gaze. "Don't insult me by trying to play it off as less than it is. You've been on this track for months. And if you won't talk to me about it… find someone else to listen and work through your shit." It came out more harshly than he wanted it to but, dammit, she had him worried.  

Her brow lifted. "Is that an order?"

He shook his head. "Jesus, Britt. Does it have to be?" Tooth and nail, she fought every step of the way.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it should." She sat back and crossed her leg over her knee.

Frustrated she refused to open up, he shot off the couch. "God. There's no talking to you anymore. Hasn't been since you left and came back. Why?" It made him insane. They used to be able to talk no matter what.  

Losing the bored act, she jumped up, too. "Because everything changed. And you're the one who changed it."

Yale spun around to face her. "I changed it?" He shook his head back and forth. "Oh no, Britt. I don't think so. There were two of us in the room that night." He leveled his gaze at her. "You're the one who walked away."

She snarled. "Because you broke the rules."

He threw his hands up. "And there it is. The unwritten law according to Britta Dane." He paced back and forth. "You know, you really oughtta write this stuff down. Would help to know when one of your zillion lines might get crossed."

The nasty look she threw him probably should've set his hair on fire. Oddly, she kept her mouth shut.

It surprised him. "What? No response?" He strode to stand in front of her, toe-to-toe. "Tell me I don't make sense? Here I am thinking we were on the same page. You're into me… I'm into you… we come this close to tearing each other's clothes off." He mashed his fingers together for emphasis. "Hell, we did tear our clothes off and five minutes later you shut it down." Deflated, anger gone, he asked. "Why? Because I mentioned the future?"

Her eyes slid shut and she nodded. "Pretty much."

He opened his mouth and closed it again. Her honesty threw him. He took a moment to regroup and put some space between them, moving to stand beside the couch.

"So we argue about it the next day and you storm out. Less than twenty-four hours later you volunteer for a mission that's risky at best, get the XO to sign off on it, and leave without so much as a farewell." He let his eyes meet hers. "I needed you here, Britt. Regardless of anything else that went down between us, I needed you." She had to know that.  

Her face worked hard, emotions sliding over it, guilt being prominent.

Then her expression hardened. "You got along just fine without me."

He huffed out a breath. "Maybe. But I'm always better with you. The other stuff doesn't mean jack." He waited a beat then asked. "Why'd you go?"

Yale has persistence and won't stop until Britta finally comes clean with him.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Little More

Hello, September. I'm always caught off guard when the calendar flips over to September 1. It's like, wait, wait, I'm not ready for the insanity to start yet. Sadly, the universe doesn't care and the days keep marching on anyway.

The Last Ship's second week provided entertaining fare. I can't wait to see what happened after the end of last week's episode.

Caught the finale for Dark Matter and truly hope it's not the actual series finale. Way too many questions left up in the air. Fingers crossed someone picks up the series and it continues on some way.

Killjoys is renewed for two more seasons! I'm up to the episode before the finale and I'm so, so happy we'll get more of this terrific cast and show.

Wynonna Earp keeps blowing me away. I only have a few more episodes to watch before the finale. I'll honestly be glad to see the last of the widows.

I'm caught up on Teen Wolf and ready for tonight's episode. More familiar faces are returning and I'm excited to see what happens this week.

That wraps up television for this week. Tonight's post is from A Little More, a novella that had a three-word prompt series; tickle, bunk, sock. I thought it would be fun to write.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lexie Krost and Tighe Milligan work and live together—and a little more—on a remote base in the depths of space. They shouldn't act on their attraction, but the pull is strong and once they've crossed the line they have to figure out how to be a little less.

And a sneaky peek…

Lexie Krost wandered the darkened corridors of Starbase Io. Manned by a minimal crew, the base would cease operations in less than three months. She drew a short straw and had to stay until last watch.

She heaved a sigh. "Dammit, I don't even have Colonel Klemper to drive crazy anymore." Her ongoing mission to get their commanding officer to admit he really liked her no longer a viable option.

She chuckled. "At least he didn't write me up for being a pain in his ass." She made a turn and headed for the stairs that led to the crew quarters.

She loved being on a starbase. She didn't love being stuck on one that would soon be inactive. Sure, she'd get new orders and maybe land on one of the newer, brighter outposts… but what the hell would she do to pass the time until then?

Her footsteps echoed in the passageway between the officer and noncommissioned living space. "Ugh… it's too quiet." A month ago, there would have been chatter back and forth between the two areas.

Now, only one room on each side had occupants. Eight noncom members shared a spot and six officers were housed in the other. A far cry from the thirty-six of each that used to man the bustling station.

Lexie flopped down on her rack. "I'm going to go stir-crazy if I don't find something to do." She bent one knee, her foot bobbing up and down on the berth.

Restless, she turned over on her side and glanced around the quarters. Empty lockers stood with their doors opened and Lexie didn't fight the wave of envy for their former owners. She wanted to be busy, working crazy schedules and protecting the galaxy.

Instead, she had to keep watch on the rotating behemoth in its death throes. Geez, morbid much, Lexie? "Yeah, yeah. If I had somewhere to focus my energy, I wouldn't be all doom and gloom."

Her gaze landed on a partially open locker. "Hmm. Tighe usually isn't so careless." She got up and wandered over then ran her finger along the edge of the metal frame. "He never leaves his personal stuff unprotected." Unable to resist the urge to snoop, she nudged the door open and peeked inside. "Yeesh, talk about boring."

No pinup images or erotic magazines for Tighe. Instead, on the top shelf, a stash of books, entertainment vids, and his shower kit battled for space with a pair of boxing gloves and rolls of tape. In the bottom section, he had a rucksack full of dirty clothes. In the middle compartment, a single set of fatigues, with a t-shirt and a pair of socks sitting on top of the pile lay waiting for Tighe's return. Lexie did the math and figured Tighe would be doing his laundry when he got off shift.

A smile spread across her face. "Oh, Tighe, you are not going to be happy with me at all."

At least she'd found something to cure her boredom blues.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. Looking forward to seeing where it all goes.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Leading the War Effort

August 27, 2017

So… The Last Ship has a beyond awesome two-hour season premiere. I'm so happy this show is back on my television! I love where the characters are and I've added Meylan to my "do not kill" list. The showrunners better be listening or they're paying my bar tab at the end of the season. Just saying.

I'm making headway on my catch-up viewing of Killjoys, Dark Matter, and Wynonna Earp. Totally love where all three shows are going. Killjoys just makes me happy with the twisty turns it takes when I'm least expecting them. I didn't know if I'd be on board with the whole Aneela shtick, but I really like the small revelations we get here and there. Dark Matter can be uber confusing sometimes, but I like the overall arc of where things end up. Wynonna Earp blows my mind. The cast interactions are amazing and I'm so happy another season will be on tap.

Catching up on Teen Wolf and, yeah, Gerard being back makes things very interesting. I love the element of fear being almost personified. Looking forward to where everything ends up.

In casting news, one of my favorite actresses signed on to be a villain on The Flash. Looking forward to seeing what Katee brings to the table as a baddie.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Leading the War Effort, a novella that got a prompted beginning of writing something with a WWII feel, having one character as a Rosie the Riveter-type. I took a different spin on the prompt and like where things are going.

Here's the mini-blurb:

North Normandy becomes the test subject for a super soldier project and his first mission is to rescue his captured father. Frankie Gant knows the venture inside out, but lacks the emotional connection her superiors feel the candidate will need. Frankie acts as North's handler and when the planned op goes south, she risks her life, undergoing the same process to pull both men out of enemy territory.

And a sneaky peek…

North stopped mid-exercise, his eyes narrowed on Frankie. "What's your problem?" His tone demanded an answer.

She widened her eyes. "Problem?" Her brow quirked a little and his mouth thinned to a flat line.

North huffed out a harsh breath. "Yes. Every time I go through a set of maneuvers, you make this face like you find me wanting. Or you roll your eyes and snort with derision. So, yeah, I'm asking what your problem is." He snagged a towel and mopped his face.

Chastised, because he shouldn't be able to read her so well, she debated whether unloading on him would accomplish anything. She could be removed from the program if she pushed him too hard or too far. Then again, she didn't have much to lose anymore.

She tilted her head to one side and made her choice. "I don't have a problem, solider. You do."

He arched a brow. "Is that right? Care to share what you think are my shortcomings?" He folded his arms across his chest and widened his stance.

Her lips curved. "You asked for it." She set the clipboard aside. "One, you're not engaged. You go through the motions, half-assing each set. Two, you're not taking this seriously, and you should be because your father's life depends on your ability to survive the program. You fail, you die and so does your dad." Warming up to the tirade, she ticked off another observation. "Three, you walk around like it's your divine right to be here, when undergoing this process is a privilege most won't have the honor of having." People like her, who'd give her soul to be included. "And four, well, you wouldn't understand even though you're supposed to have above average intelligence so I won't bore you with the details." Why would he care anyway?

North showed no outward reaction, standing silently but holding her gaze before he finally nodded, acknowledging her words. "Okay, first, why don't you explain why I'm doing basic training maneuvers when it's already standard practice for every recruit when they enter standard military? This is supposed to be an elite program." His voice held censure. "Second, I'm definitely serious about saving my dad's life, but we're wasting time with the aforementioned issues in your first point. The stakes are high but the regimen I'm doing doesn't come close to matching them." He started pacing back and forth. "Third, divinity has nothing to do with why I'm here and you know it. I volunteered because your case study suggested the emotional element is the key to surviving the treatment. Bonds don't get much deeper than a parent with their child, regardless of age, unless you're talking about the love shared between significant others." His voice had risen, but he paused and lowered it when he continued. "Which leads me to your fourth point, the one you don't think I'm capable of understanding." He stopped then resumed pacing. "You know this program inside and out but, even though you're probably the best candidate for the process because you're emotionally involved and have been from the beginning, they won't let you undergo treatment because they won't risk losing an asset they consider too valuable to the work." He stopped and met her gaze. "How am I doing so far?"

Frankie flicked her tongue along her back teeth to keep from gnashing them together. North pretty much had her number with everything he'd said. She didn't like it, but couldn't deny he'd nailed everything.

She lifted her chin. "You're more of less spot on." Shrugging, she turned to pick up the clipboard again.

North moved forward and stood toe-to-toe with her. "I'd call that progress." He took the case study and set it on the table again. "Now that we understand each other better, let's make things a little more interesting."

Frankie weighed the pros and cons of giving up some of the control. "Okay, what do you suggest?" What else could she possibly lose?

Frankie has some big ideas and North might be the one person who truly gets her. I can't wait to write the rest of their story.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Last Best Chance... at a First Impression

I'm so excited for The Last Ship season premiere tonight! I can't wait to see where my favorite sailors are and what they're doing.

I'm an episode behind on Teen Wolf, but should be caught up later tonight or tomorrow.

Got another episode or two in of Dark Matter and Killjoys. Still need to catch up on Wynonna Earp. I'm truly loving Killjoys this season. I'm totally wondering if any additional traitors will be revealed. New nerd is on my super watch list. Just saying.

Hoping to start The Defenders this week. So far, I'm reading positive reviews… not that I wouldn't watch if they all tanked the show. I like too many of the characters to not see what they're up to.

I might have to break down and watch Midnight Texas, but it'll be on Demand. I have such a negative hate on for NBC as a network… which truly sucks because they own one of my favorite channels.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Last Best Chance… at a First Impression, a novella that got a writing community prompt of creating a story were a pilot meets their CAG for the first time. I got the best mini-movie in my head right away.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Cadence Coll, a top pilot, dreads her new assignment to the Cressida because the scuttlebutt has the CAG known for his rigid adhesion to the status quo. Nik Garrick likes order and structure and his new flying ace has a mile-long list of infractions. Cadence and Nik discover first impressions aren't always what they seem and a rush to make a judgment isn't the best idea.

And a sneaky peek…

Cadence Coll boarded the interstellar transport headed for a group of ships ready for a new deployment from Silica base. She looked forward to reporting in to her new ship, even if the flight would end up being long and probably boring.

"Pass the word. IST flight nine zero two is now delayed. Departure is now scheduled for twenty-three seventeen. Pass the word. IST flight nine zero two is now delayed."

Cadence groaned. "Dammit. With my luck, I'll end up being late." Even if the circumstances were beyond her control, she hated the idea of being at a disadvantage.

The guy next to her popped his eyes open. "Where're you headed?" He straightened in his seat and blinked to clear the sleep from his eyes.

Cadence grimaced. "Sorry for waking you. Didn't realize I spoke out loud." She took in the lieutenant pips and his last name, Brimer. "I'm headed to the Cressida."

He snorted. "Don't worry about the wake-up call. I try to catch a few zzzs whenever I can." He narrowed his gaze. "You're a pilot? Man, I feel bad for you if you're headed to the Cressida." He grimaced.

Interest piqued, Cadence pressed for information. "Care to share why?" She'd heard good things about the ship, but never fully relied on what the brass laid out.

Brimer shrugged a shoulder. "The CAG, Nik Garrick, has a stick shoved up his ass. He's demanding, hard on his pilots, and makes life miserable for everyone." He paused a moment. "Garrick is a pretty boy type with a long history of late, great family members' reputations to live up to." Kicking his feet out, he slumped down in his seat. "I'd wish you good luck, but it wouldn't do anything to help you."

Cadence's eyes widened. "Wow. Guess I'm in for a fun time." Her heart sank a little. "How long ago did you serve with him?" She made the assumption the men were on the same ship based on the detailed dislike Brimer harbored.

The lieutenant snorted. "It's been four years, on the Melchum. Can't say anyone on the hangar deck liked the guy." He folded his arms over his chest and ducked his head.

Cadence blew out a long sigh. "Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I'll have to keep a low profile." Something she had yet to master.

Brimer shot her a sideways glance. "Now that I can wish you good luck with." He chuckled. "I haven't met a pilot yet who can manage that one."

Cadence laughed. "You make a good point. We're kind of a rowdy bunch." Putting one's ass on the line created a lot of tension, which meant egos clashed and tempers flared.

Brimer's lips twitched. "Always good for the entertainment value though."

Cadence rolled her eyes and settled back in her seat. Brimer tucked his chin and went back to rest mode. She turned his warning over in her mind. A superior officer with rigid standards gave her a headache. Considering she didn't have a spotless record, her time aboard the Cressida might be a nightmare.

No, she would do her best to toe the line and keep her head down. And she'd make the best damn first impression of her career once she arrived on board. She needed the chance to prove she could move up the ranks.

Determined to make her mark, she crossed her ankles and folded her hands over her stomach. She had five hours to get rid of the butterflies and hope she didn't end up being late for reporting in.

I'm pretty pleased with how this one is coming together. I like the dynamic between Cadence and Nik.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kick in the Burn

Wow. I so look forward to my Sunday posts, mainly because the crazy that is the real world makes discussing fictional television shows and books a nice, lovely interlude.

Teen Wolf followed up with a terrific episode. I literally laughed for a good, long while during Stiles's FBI scene. The return of Old Man Crazypants didn't disappoint either. Just saying.

Had a seriously busy week playing taxi driver for the kids. Didn't get to catch up on any more Killjoys or Dark Matter. I have to throw Wynonna Earp in there, too.

Now that the end of Orphan Black happened, I'll be adding that show to my queue to binge watch the entire final season. Can't wait!

The Last Ship premieres next week!! Really looking forward to having my favorites back on the screen. And crossing my fingers that I don't lose my super-secret top few this season. Won't be holding my breath on that one. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Kick in the Burn, a sexy short where my main characters bond over fitreps and flying.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jaden Scratch and Ridge Quartermain spend a lot of time comparing notes about flying. Working late into the night filling out fitreps on their pilots, their conversation takes a very personal turn and kick in the burn takes on a whole new meaning.

And a sneaky peek…

Pass the word. Captain Quartermain, report to the CO's office RFN. Pass the word. Captain Quartermain, report to the CO's office RFN.

Ridge Quartermain didn't miss a beat in his "workout" with the cute petty officer. She used the excuse of asking his advice on her form with the weight machine. She really wanted to set up a date, for later that night. He'd watched her for several moments before the overhead comms kicked on. She had perfect moves, but not for the gym. Between the sheets, he had no doubt she'd hit every mark necessary. He grabbed a towel, flinging it around his neck. RFN meant the colonel wouldn't care if he arrived in his shorts and tank. Right fucking now didn't leave any room for a shower and change.

When PO Jansen jumped up from the bench, her mouth opened and her hand shot out, wrapping around his bicep.

Ridge saved her the time. "Briefing room. Eight o'clock?" He needed to get a move on or risk the commander's wrath.

Her face lit up and she bounced on her toes. "I'll be there." She shot him a sexy side glance before returning to the machine.

Ridge booked it to the commander's office, knocking on the bulkhead. "Quartermain reporting as ordered, sir." When the CO glanced up, Ridge bit back a groan.

Edward Ramsey appeared less than happy.

He motioned Ridge inside his office. "Close the door, Quartermain."

Ridge complied and moved to stand in front of his CO. Ramsey drummed his fingers on the desk and made a point of sweeping his gaze across the top of the pristine surface. Everything had a place and nothing looked out of order.

Ramsey snapped his attention to Ridge. "I seem to be missing something from my desk, Quartermain. Have a guess what that might be?" His tone bordered on angry.

Ridge frowned. "Uh, no, sir. Everything seems shipshape." Of course, something had to be out of place; otherwise a RFN order wouldn't have been issued. "But I'll be happy to find whatever you need."

Ramsey quirked a brow. "You'll be happy to find whatever I need? Let's try the past six weeks of fitreps, Quartermain. They're not on my desk and unless you've got them tucked into your shorts, you don't have them ready for my review." He got up and leaned forward. "I'd suggest you postpone whatever you had planned for later this evening and get those reports reviewed and filed then have them in my hands by 0600." He settled back in his chair.

Ridge blew out a harsh breath. "0600? Uh, yes, sir." He'd never get through a month and a half of fitreps in under twenty-four hours.

But orders were orders.

Ramsey's lips curved in a half-smile. "Not gonna be possible to make that happen, is it, captain?"

Ridge shook his head. "Probably not, sir. Am I really that far behind?" He gave a mental calculation and, yeah, he actually could be.

The commander snorted. "Closer to seven, but I'll cut you some slack on last week's." He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll assign one person to help you, but that's it. Those reports are your responsibility and I'd better not have to remind you to keep up again." He leveled his impressive gaze on Ridge.

Ridge nodded. "Yes, sir. Won't fall behind on reports from this day forward."

Ramsey eyed Ridge for several long beats. "See that you don't." He grabbed his handheld comm unit. "Who do you want for help?"

Ridge didn't hesitate. "Scratch, sir. She's organized, efficient, and knows the pilots as well as I do." And hopefully Jaden didn't have anything else going on today.

Ramsey punched in some numbers and spoke to the petty officer on the other end. He relayed his request and hung up.

He nodded toward the door. "Go on, you're dismissed. Get started and I'll send Scratch down as soon as she reports in."

Ridge snapped off a salute and exited the office. He gave a brief thought to missing his hookup with Petty Officer Jansen. Oddly, missing the hot date didn't bother him as much as he expected. Then again, sex for the sake of sex got stale sometimes. And Maria Jansen made it pretty clear she wanted a hard dick and not much else. She shouldn't have any trouble finding another willing participant. The guy might lack Ridge's rank and possibly his—based on the responses he usually received—size but neither should matter when the primary goal became getting off.

He needed to grab a shower, break a date, and report for duty. And order coffee… lots and lots of coffee.

I love writing characters who are getting a little tired of the standard norm and the moment they discover a spark of something more… the future potential, the endless possibilities, the call of love.

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

ML Skye