Sunday Snippet: And That's Why...

I tend to open my Sunday Snippet blog posts with 'My Week in TV' run down and I realized I've never really explained why. It goes back to one of my big reasons for writing in the first place—what if? Television, GOOD television, always makes me ask things like: what would happen if… or what could this character do if that character did [insert random scenario here]. Seriously, the 'what if' possibilities are endless, which when it comes to writing, provides a crap ton of fodder for the imagination, right?

Of course, the definition of good, great, and awesome TV is subjective. The shows I love may be something you hate, so apologies if this part of the blog is mucho boring. J

Quick recap for the past week: The Walking Dead delivered, as mentioned in my last snippet post. Bitten and Lost Girl both made for brain eating material. Almost Human had a solid episode, and I really forget how much I kind of love that show until I'm watching it, you know? Arrow finally returns this week and I sooooo can't wait. All in all, the Olympics are great and all, but I'm glad my favorite shows will be back.

Tonight's post is from a really fun novella, And That's Why…, which is a tentative title, but truly apt for the story.

Here's the tagline:

Maddie hates flying the early CAP, so she finds ways to get out of doing so. But when her CAG blocks all her attempts to skip her turn, she has to decide if making him mad is worth losing her chance at something great happening between them.

And the sneaky peek…

Maddie hated flying early CAP. Always had. A night owl, she preferred having the last dog watch. And she had the system down. If she traded a maintenance shift with Ferelli she could fly his late CAP. And if she could scrounge leftovers from the galley, Martinez would trade her afternoon shift. Bowman wanted booze and Maddie always kept a stash well hidden so she could count on him to take her early shifts in a pinch.

And she discovered new stuff every day, which she filed away for future reference. To date, she'd managed to have eight full weeks of not having to drag her ass out of her rack at half past ugly in the morning. She let a wide grin break out and reached inside her locker for a bottle of half decent vodka. Not Bowman's favorite brand, but Maddie figured it might do the trick. She also had a line on single malt scotch she could potentially throw into the deal. Fly my next two early CAPs and the alcohol is yours.

She had a gut feeling Bowman would go for it.

Tucking the bottle into a small duffle, she exited quarters and scanned the corridor. Bowman should be coming back from a half-shift on command deck.

Sure enough, he ambled around the corner and flashed a quick smile. "Maddie, my girl, I had a feeling I'd see you today." He paused by the hatch, letting the corridor clear out a little.

Maddie glanced up and down the causeway, praying Nox wouldn't appear to see her making a deal. The CAG hadn't caught on to her sneaky bargaining yet, at least he hadn't called her on it, and she wanted to keep it that way.

Maddie shrugged a shoulder and patted the bag. "Got your second favorite brand of vodka, Bow. Will you cover my shift?"

Bowman cocked his head. "For my second favorite? Come on, Maddie. You gotta do better."

She leaned closer and kept her voice low. "I have a line of some single malt, Bow. Cover my CAP tomorrow and it's yours as soon as I get it."

Bowman's lips pressed together in a thin line. "Let me think about it, Maddie. I'll let you know after chow tonight." He started moving before she could form a reply.

Maddie's shoulders slumped and she heaved a sigh. Looking up, her gaze clashed with Nox's and she pasted on a bright smile, her heart rate kicking into high gear. A twinge of guilt creeped up her spine, but she tamped it down, hoping Nox hadn't heard any of the exchange with Bowman.

Nox nodded in her direction and walked by, probably heading for his office to catch up on paperwork.

Maddie ducked back into quarters and tucked the duffel into her duty locker. She crossed her fingers and said a prayer to the universe for Bowman to come through. She really, really didn't want to break her streak of no early CAP.

Needless to say, Nox figures out Maddie's game and makes a few moves to block her shenanigans, and that's when the fun really ensues.

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

ML Skye

A Gift from the Stars – The SFR Brigade Presents #sfrbp

Welcome to the Science Fiction Romance Brigade Presents, a weekly sneak peek sampler hosted by the SFR Brigade.

Readers: enjoy brief glimpses of currently available, soon to be released books, or works in progress. Authors are sharing short excerpts for your enjoyment. Please have fun and spread the joy.

~*~

Today I'll be sharing a glimpse of Boyfriend's Brother, my upcoming release from Silver Publishing.

Chloe Timmons mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother. She can walk away… but she may lose everything.

~*~

Chloe Timmons stretched, then snuggled back down under the covers. She had one whole week of freedom during the semester break and didn't have to get up at half past ugly o'clock.

One of seven flight instructors who taught wet behind the ears cadets the ins and outs of flying—basic aeronautics, combat maneuvers, advanced weaponry assaults—she'd just finished putting twenty-five newbs through the wringer.

And most of them had passed muster.

She smiled when her boyfriend, Marcus McIvey, spooned up behind her. A marine first sergeant, he usually took leave when she had downtime, and they went off somewhere that had sand, sun, and cool, frothy drinks. At least, they had over the last two years.

Marc brushed his lips over her shoulder. "Morning, Chlo. Gonna sleep in today?"

She made a noncommittal sound, not quite ready to have coherent conversation yet.

Marc dropped a kiss on her temple, then eased out of bed. "Go ahead if you want, but I need to get up."

Chloe blinked and yawned. She flopped over on her back and observed Marc pulling open drawers and throwing clothes in his rucksack.

~*~

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

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Thank you for reading! 

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book Shyler: Finding Home – a Furlough 99 Novella #MFRWHook

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today I'll be sharing a glimpse of Shyler: Finding Home—a Furlough 99 Novella, from Ellipses Press, Ltd. Furlough 99 is a space station, the last stop before uncharted space, situated in the ass end of the universe.

Inspector Shyler Lumen and entrepreneur Marshton Gray don't have much in common. A manhunt for a brilliantly mad chemist brings them together and sparks fly. Shyler and Marsh can fight the wave of change… or grab hold and go along for the ride.

~*~

Shyler still had trouble wrapping her head around the stupid series of events that landed her best informant in a fight for his life. A Zoner, the newest lame term for pusher of recreational drugs, thought it would be amusing to release a brand spanking new narco club drug at a rave, just to see what happened. All well and good, but for one thing. The stupid moron didn't realize he'd change the chemical properties when he added the substance to the fog juice in the Underground's five machines. He also didn't know it would prove toxic to ninety-nine percent of the club goers.

The ISP—Inter-Stellar Police—caught up with him on his way off planet. Felt good to have the asshole behind bars, where he couldn't hurt anyone else. And the freak-out of all freak-outs over what had happened made him spill everything he knew about Sheen, so named for the way it gave its users an iridescent glow to their skin. His actual knowledge of the properties of the drug didn't amount to much. But… he gave them a name.

Baj Dogo aka Doctor X.

Dogo hadn't bothered to tell the less intelligent Zoner what would happen if people tried to alter the original compound. Or mix it with something else. Shyler could definitely nail the chemist for negligence, but if she had her way, she'd fry him for accessory to murder.

If he didn't slip the net. As the last bastion of the known universe, Furlough proved a tempting prospect for people who wanted to escape and go off the grid.

Right. Like that would happen.

Dogo would slither away over her cold, lifeless body.

Technically, she shouldn't work the case since she had a very personal connection to one of the victims. Too damned bad. She had buttloads of personal leave she could use however she damn well wanted.

Shyler elbowed her way out of the transport and ran through her mental checklist. First, she had to find out who to cajole, threaten, or bribe to be able to work in relative peace or at least not step on toes. Second, find a place to meet, and third, well, she needed to take care of the first two before worrying about number three. She glanced around, found a porter and flagged him down.

"Can you tell me who runs security—not the official kind—on Furlough and where the best place to meet would be?" As he got closer, Shyler realized 'he' was a droid, very lifelike, but a machine nonetheless. "And um… maybe how I can get a message to them?"

Droids always threw her. She never knew if they had to have commands or if simple conversations were possible. And of course it always varied by model.

The blond machine's eyes blinked several times then looked directly at her. "Oh, they'll find you, sweetie cakes. Trust me."

Shyler couldn't help it, she laughed out loud. And felt much more at ease. An android who talked like a flaming queen? Exactly what she needed to feel more at home.

Her outburst stopped a gentleman on the glide path in his tracks. She flicked her gaze sideways and narrowed her eyes. She'd seen him before but couldn't place where. The answer hovered just out of reach, yet she knew he'd come from Mars, the rock she called home.

He had to be from Queen City, the largest metropolis on the red planet. 4.5 million souls strewn throughout—from the swank, high end condos down to the no rent tent squats—and she ran into one of them way out on Furlough?

Interesting.

Dismissing him, Shyler focused on the droid again. "I'm sorry. They'll find me?"

The porter shocked her again when he rolled his eyes. "Sweetie cakes, you've got enforcement written all over you." He made air quotes to emphasis enforcement.

Shyler chuckled. "I'm not enforcement per se. More like ISP. And I'm not exactly trying to hide it. Don't have the time to waste going covert." The guy from home moved away slowly, maybe too slowly, and it piqued her curiosity.

Tall, dark, and quite gorgeous if one went for the type. And maybe a little too nosy for his own good. She watched until he finally moved out of sight.

The patient droid waited until she made eye contact with it before speaking again. "Hmm…Inter-Stellar Police. You're right, not exactly total enforcement. At least not the kind we used to have around here. You guys at least provide trials for the accused." The droid's face went flat with what appeared to be a bad memory.

Shyler shook off the weird feeling. Droids couldn't have memories, could they?

She got back to business. "Give me a public place that has privacy so I can park it until the security people find me."

"You'll want the Den." At her raised eyebrow, he clarified. "Den of Iniquity…the bar up on Level 4. Ask for Varina, she'll point you to a place you can 'park it'."

"Right. Thanks."

~*~

Tagline: Inspector Shyler Lumen always gets her man—even if she has to go through Marshton Grey to do it.

Blurb: Sparks fly when Inter-Stellar Police Inspector Shyler Lumen meets Mars entrepreneur Marshton Grey. She's after one of his employees who created a lethal club drug. Shyler doesn't want the distraction Marsh provides, but he could hold the key to solving her case.

Or he may end up being her biggest obstacle.

Marsh wants to help Shyler catch his former employee before he can slip the net from Furlough 99. He isn't prepared for the attraction to the tightly wound inspector, but he doesn't fight it. Shyler proves to be a fascinating puzzle Marsh doesn't come across very often.

It's a good thing he's up for the challenge she presents.

Buy Link

Please feel free to stop by my website for more information: Skye Writes

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: All Tied Up

February 16, 2014

Hello!

So… The Walking Dead didn't disappoint. And Chris Hardwick's Talking Dead makes me happy. LOL

Arrow is amping up the action, and true to my word, I did recap the pilot episode over on my Universes Altered blog this week. If I'm not overloaded with deadlines this week, I'll hopefully have the second episode recapped by the weekend. Or, I might hit Bitten and catch up with that one so I can do current recappage.

GAH! So many choices. LOL

Tonight's post is from All Tied Up, a bonus scene featuring Max and Maggie from the Top Dog Pilots series which is coming out in April or May.

Here's the tagline:

Maggie Harper has the man she wants and a job she loves. But sometimes she has to pull out all the stops to keep life interesting. And that means Max Cutter better be ready for whatever Maggie comes up with next.

And a sneaky peek…

Maggie yanked the top of Cutter's flight suit down then whipped the sleeves around his back and quickly knotted the sleeves together around his wrists.

Max twisted and shrugged his shoulders. "Hey! What the hell?" He jerked his arms, but couldn't get free.

She spun him around to face her, but said nothing.

Cutter narrowed his eyes. "Care to tell me what you're doing, Mags?"

She tilted her head sideways. "Mmm. I'm thinking payback."

Cutter lifted a brow. "Payback? For what, exactly?"

Maggie sauntered around him, slowly, eyeing him up and down.

She reached for the lower portion of the flight suit and popped the two snaps at the waist free. "Let's see… how about the time you caught me in the shower last Monday?" She slid the zipper down, then moved to the side enclosures, peeling back the tabs. "Then you ignore me the rest of the week, not bothering to wake me up when you get in from your shift." Her heads loosened the material around his hips, giving her room to work.

Cutter opened his mouth, probably to remind her he'd worked two back to back rotations and wouldn't have been able to stay awake long enough to satisfy either of them, but she pushed his boxer briefs down then fisted his hard length, and he gasped instead.

Her free hand nudged him backward and he plopped down onto their small couch where she dropped to her knees before him.

Cutter leaned in close, his arms straining from their restriction. "Well, if you really think paying me back is in order—and since I’m not exactly gonna be able to stop you—have at it." He angled back and settled against the cushion.

Maggie's lips curved in a slow grin. "Glad you see it my way, Cutter." She lowered her head and swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock.

Ahhh… I love these two characters. The bonus scene will end up being a free read offered between Bucking Convention and Dress for Dinner.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: All Jacked Up

February 9, 2014

WooHoo! The Walking Dead is back tonight! So excited to see what happens next.

In other TV news, Arrow and Bitten continue to eat my brain, so much so, I've decided to dust off my Universes Altered blog and start recapping the episodes. Hopefully if I do weekly brain dumps, I'll have more space in my head. :D

What else? Almost Human, Lost Girl, and Helix are still must see. And Banshee, gotta take a moment to mention Friday's episode. I loved it. Usually, there's so much going on it's hard to keep up—I love that, don't get me wrong—but I seriously enjoyed having a tight focus on Lucas and Carrie/Ana this week. I don't know, for such an almost quiet episode, some big shifts occurred. Important ones, I think. But I'm really excited to see the next episode when shit goes sideways and everything is back to normal. J

Tonight's post is from All Jacked Up, a novella where my female character is kind of a pain in the ass. I love writing that kind of character. J

Here's the tagline:

Lita North is injured and ordered to stay off her feet for forty-eight hours which doesn't go over well because Lita doesn't do inactivity. But when Ollie Tulver gets stuck babysitting her after she disobeys the order, she has two choices: continue being a pain in the ass or toe the line. Lita being Lita, she decides do to both.

And a sneaky peek…

Ollie tracked Lita down in the rec room. Her leg, propped on a chair with ice covering her knee, looked swollen. The captain made the right call.

Ollie leaned against the bulkhead and sighed. "Dammit, Lita, just once it would be nice if you could follow orders." He pushed away from the wall and made his way to her table, stopping directly behind her.

She held a royal flush. He could be nice and let her win the pot, but she'd pissed the captain off, so no dice.

He let out a low whistle. "Damn, Lita, so many face cards. How do you do it?"

Everyone at the table groaned and threw their hands on the table.

Lita tilted her head back, shooting Ollie a nasty look. "Asshole." Her arm swung back, her fist connecting with his gut. "Did you have to trash my win?"

Ollie moved around and dropped down onto a vacated seat. "Yeah, I did." He gathered up the cards, scooping them into a single pile. "Captain's not real happy with you and Doc Cramer is ready to pump you full of sedatives if you don't stop undoing everything he's done." He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You wanna be knocked out for the next two days?"

Lita rolled her eyes. "No. And if Cramer comes near me with a needle, I'll punch him in the face." She adjusted the ice pack. "Look, I'm icing the knee and the swelling is already going down."

Ollie snorted. "Really? So, what? It started out the size of a watermelon and you've managed to get it down to grapefruit?" He raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged. "Maybe." Her cheeks reddened and she glanced away.

Ollie got up and held out a hand. "Come on."

Her head jerked back and forth. "Uh uh. No way. I'm not going to sickbay."

Ollie laughed. "Yeah, right. As if." He reached over and grabbed the ice pack from her knee. "With the mood Cramer is in, he won't inject you with anything, he'll just shoot you with a side arm." Laying the bag on the table, he grasped her arm. "We're gonna steer a wide berth around sickbay."

Lita shot him a wary glance. "Then where the hell do you want me to go? I can't stand being cooped up in quarters." She reluctantly let him help her get up.

Ollie tucked a shoulder into her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Since you're so keen on not following orders, Captain Netts has a job for you." They made their way slowly to the hatch, where she'd propped her crutches.

Lita grimaced, but accepted the supportive devices. "Is he going to let me help out on maintenance shifts?" She hobbled forward, clearing the threshold and entering the corridor.

Ollie fell into step beside her, adjusting his stride to match her slower one. "Nope. You'd enjoy working on the hangar deck." He slid his gaze sideways. "Netts is pissed off, remember?"

Lita paused. "What's he want me to do?" Caution crept into her tone.

Ollie could let her off the hook, but decided to let her task be a surprise. "Just follow me, Lita. We don't have to go far."

She grumbled, but plodded along after him, making two turns before stopping again. "Ollie, what the hell? We're getting into the civilian sector of the ship. What's going on?"

He ignored her question and moved forward, halting outside the first of several extended stay quarters, usually reserved for government officials, scientists, or military contract VIPs. The rooms had a semi-private bathroom, sleeping berth, and small sitting area. He undogged the hatch and opened the door.

When she caught up, he ushered her inside. "Let's go, Lieutenant."

Lita frowned when he used rank, but hobbled inside, stopping short when she caught sight of Captain Netts. Ollie bit back a grin when she damn near fell over trying to salute her superior officer, letting one of her crutches fall to the deck.

Netts waved the gesture off. "At ease."

Lita steadied herself on one prop and nodded. "Thank you, Sir."

Netts shook his head. "Lieutenant North, you and I seem to have a communication problem." He jerked his head toward the leather chair by the sofa. "Take a seat."

She managed to keep the weight off her leg and collapsed onto the cushion. Ollie picked up the fallen crutch and laid it beside her on the armrest. He stepped back, letting the captain take point.

Netts swept an arm in front of him. "You've been ordered to stay off your feet for forty-eight hours three separate times." He waited a beat. "And you've disobeyed every damn time, doing additional damage to Doc Cramer's handiwork."

Lita glanced down, fixing her gaze on her hands. "I'm sorry, Sir." She wisely kept her mouth shut instead of trying to defend her actions.

Netts kept a straight face. "Since you're so hell bent on being useful, I've decided you can repaint the lower section of the bulkhead in this room." He nodded toward Ollie.

Ollie entered the small bathing area and brought out a wheel chair and a rolling cart. Several cans of paint, two brushes, and everything else she'd need were within easy reach on the two-tiered trays.

Lita's shoulders slumped. "Sir, I know I've been a pain in the ass, but I'm not sure I'm the person for this job."

Netts held up a hand. "It's this or I let Cramer sedate and restrain you in sickbay." He leveled his gaze on his junior officer. "Trust me, that won't be pretty. You've made the good doctor very unhappy."

Lita huffed out a frustrated breath. "Fine. If it's this or spending more time in sickbay, I'll do the painting."

Netts gave her a pointed look. "Thought you might see it that way." He started for the hatch. "Tulver can explain how this will work." He angled his head around. "And, Lieutenant, if you so much as step foot outside this space, I'll have Tulver knock you out and carry to sickbay. Are we clear?"

Lita's mouth thinned to a straight line. "Yes, Sir. We're clear."

Netts nodded. "Glad to hear it." He glanced toward Ollie. "Carry on, Tulver."

The captain exited and Ollie waited for an explosion from Lita.

It didn't happen.

Instead she slouched down in the chair and mumbled. "I've really done it this time, haven't I?"

She seemed so defeated, Ollie had to cut her some slack. "Yeah, you sorta did. But look, Lita, just do what Netts wants and just… behave for the next two days and you'll be back in his favorite category."

Lita rolled her eyes. "You make it sound so easy." She propped her leg up on the small table.

Ollie moved around and sat on the couch. "It will be. At least, it'll be better than being at Cramer's mercy." He waited a beat. "Because the man has none left where you're concerned."

Lita's lips twitched. "I know. Patience isn't his strongest trait, and considering I have absolutely none, it's no wonder he hates me."

Ollie chuckled. "Hate is such a strong word… but in your case, not far off the mark."

Lita shot him a sideways glance. "Gee, thanks, Ollie. Your cheering up skills could use some work."

Ollie lifted a brow. "I'm not here to cheer you up—not my job. My orders are to make sure you do what you're supposed to, and not let you leave this space for forty-eight hours." He leaned forward. "You can make it easy or hard, but I'm expecting the hard, so here's how we're going to do this." He got up and handed her the crutches. "You're going to get settled in the wheelchair and start on the bulkhead."

He paused, waiting to see if she'd argue. When she made her way to the chair without argument, he bit back a smile.

He pushed the cart toward far wall. "In two hours, I'll bring you some lunch and we'll figure out the next step. If you need anything, call down to the hangar deck and have me paged. I'll get here as soon as I can."

Lita wheeled over beside him. "And what if I need to take a piss? Do I have permission to use my crutches to do so?"

Ollie's lips curved. "Nope. I'm taking them with me. Less temptation." He narrowed his eyes. "If I come back and see any swelling, I will do what Netts ordered and knock you out. Stay off the leg, Lita."

She huffed out a sigh. "Fine. Off the leg. I got it." She grabbed the tape and pulled off a long piece. "Get out and let me get started on this."

Ollie strode across the space and grabbed her crutches. "Two hours then lunch. Anything special you'd like me to bring?"

Lita snorted. "Unless the galley is serving alcohol, no."

Ollie laughed. "Sorry, can't help you there." He started for the hatch, but turned back. "Seriously, Lita, if you need anything, call."

She muttered something unintelligible and waved him off.

He exited into the corridor and dogged the hatch, keying in the lock code. Keeping her barricaded in didn't sit very well with him, but Netts ordered the precaution and Ollie didn't feel like landing in a shit pile. Bad enough he'd be getting it from both sides for the next two days. Netts and Cramer, he could handle, but Lita… he had no doubt she'd test every damn limit and probably drag him over at least one line he hadn't thought of yet.

He grinned. He kinda looked forward to whatever she came up with.

This one has been fun to write. Lita, as mentioned, can't help being a pain in the ass. Luckily Ollie has her number and gives her just enough space to figure out things out. J

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

ML Skye

Cover Reveal: Boyfriend's Brother

Click to Buy

Tagline: Chloe Timmons mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother. She can walk away… but she may lose everything.

Blurb: Chloe Timmons and Jason McIvey are each at a crossroads.

On what may be her last weekend as 'just a girlfriend', Chloe quells her restlessness by hitting the town and runs into her boyfriend's brother, Jason, a fellow pilot in town for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together and Chloe

Chloe thinks her boyfriend Marc may propose, and she's not sure she's ready for marriage. Jason McIvey has to decide if he's staying in the military or going civilian. When Chloe and Jason spend the night together, it doesn't make either decision easier.

Excerpt:

To that day, Jason didn't get his brother's need to push everything too far—like when Jace first met Chloe and Marc set it up so Jace mistook her for a stripper. As usual, Jason had responded exactly as expected, with an overreaction much to Marc's great amusement. Jason had been so angry he'd stalked out of the club so he wouldn't punch his brother in the face.

He'd got halfway up the block before he heard the clatter of heels running to catch up with him.

"Jason! Please, wait. Hold up!"

He had slowed his pace but didn't stop walking. In his current mood, if Marc happened to be with Chloe, Jason would lay him out and enjoy doing so. He wanted to be happy for his brother. Hell, he had been happy for him. Chloe had outlasted every one of Marc's previous hookups. Jason had been proud of him… until five minutes before then.

Chloe had caught up, minus her shoes, which dangled from her fingertips. Jason admired the fact she'd chucked them in favor of speed. She fell into step beside him and walked to the next intersection where he had to wait for a red light.

"He's sorry, you know?"

Jason snorted. "Yeah, he is. Which is why he didn't come with you."

Chloe shook her head. "No, he didn't come with me because I asked him not to."

Jason had inclined his head. "So he just sends you out—alone—to soothe his pissed off brother. What a prize." And he needed to shut up. Chloe would think he'd gone completely insane.

Chloe had a very angry look on her face. "Marc knows better than to try and argue with me when I set my mind on something. He wouldn't try to stop me, no matter how pissed off you are."

Jason had all but snarled. "Really? Why the hell not?"

Chloe shouted back. "Because I'm a soldier, just like you two. I don't need backup."

Jason scoffed. "Whatever." He turned away, ignoring Chloe.

She gave Jason a considering look. "He's right about you."

Jason laughed. "Right about what? That I'm a stupid moron who falls for anything?"

Chloe tilted her head to one side. "There is that. But he also said you're a stand-up guy." She laid her hand on his forearm. "Being pissed off on my behalf—without knowing or meeting me—demonstrated his point nicely. Thank you."

Jason shook her hand away. "It also capped off the evening's entertainment for Marc. He gets a lap dance and has fun watching me make an ass out of myself."

Chloe sighed. "I went along with it. If you're mad at him, you should be mad at me, too."

Of course, she'd gone along with it.

Oddly disappointed, Jason skirted the issue. "Why are you here?"

Chloe smiled. "To apologize. Marc and I get carried away sometimes in the name of so-called fun. Occasionally, someone gets hurt. I'm not proud of that fact."

Jason didn't accept or reject her apology. Instead, he asked a question. "Okay, tell me this. Was the lap dance your idea, or did Marc put you up to it?"

Chloe pondered a moment. "He thought it would be amusing to see the look on your face." She grimaced. "I kinda agreed."

Jason blew out a heavy breath. "Well, that's just great. You two are perfect for each other." The light finally turned green, and Jace stepped toward the curb.

He couldn't wait to get the hell back to base.

Chloe's strong grip stopped him. "Look, it was a shitty thing to do." She let go of his arm. "Let's start over. Come to dinner tomorrow." She shrugged. "I can't cook for crap, but I know the best takeout places in town."

Jason didn't know if it would be a good idea to spend time with Marc right then, but he found himself relenting and accepting her invitation. "I like spicy ethnic foods."

Chloe's laughter rang out. "The kind Marc hates. Good choice. Stop by around seven. You know the address, right?"

Jason nodded and stepped onto the crosswalk.

Chloe lifted her hand in farewell and turned to head back to the club.

Coming March 1, 2014 from Silver Publishing

Sunday Snippet: Advocate for the Defense

Hiya!

Remember when I mentioned being in for Bitten last week? Well, I'm a little more than in… I've become quite obsessed. Like scary obsessed. Haven't done that since Arrow last year, when I rewatched every episode like three times in a row before it would leave my brain. Yeah, that's what Bitten has been doing to me. And I've got books I can read and devour, too. Oddly, I've had them on my Kindle for ages and ages, but haven't been in the mood to really dive into a full series read. I am now. LOL

Walking Dead returns next Sunday. YAY! My middle kidlet and I always enjoy being completely grossed out before bedtime. J Helix has filled that slot a little, but it's not quite as compelling as TWD, in my opinion. Good show, but I haven't found anyone I want to root for yet. Actually, I take that back. I did… but the character is now dead. Dammit.

Oh, and, Captain America: Winter Soldier? April needs to get here right now. My soft spot for Cap is getting bigger and bigger. :D

Tonight's post is from the novella, Advocate for the Defense. My characters are introduced in one of the oddest ways, which always makes the story fun to write.

Here's the tagline:

Jada Link has self-sabotage down to an art form and she gets into trouble on a regular basis. But when she needs an advocate to get out of her latest scrape, she meets the one person who can make her career... and possibly find his way into her heart.

And a sneaky peek…

Quinn reviewed the file and glanced up. "Have you seen her numbers?"

The lieutenant nodded. "Yep."

Quinn shook his head. "They're almost as good as…" He flushed, letting his voice trail off.

Lieutenant Morrow finished. "I know." Morrow crossed his arms over his chest. "It would be a shame to lose her."

Quinn couldn't argue. But geez, it didn't seem Cadet Link had found a line she wouldn't cross… yet. Quinn wondered if he'd be able to find a way to advocate for someone who seemed bent on delinquency. Hell, not just bent on it. From all appearances, she fully embraced reckless behavior.

~:~

Quinn entered the conference area and got his first up close look at his new project. Jada Link had her hair pulled back in a standard military ponytail. She sat with her back straight and shoulders squared. She had discipline… when it suited her.

He crossed the floor and made his way around the table. "Cadet Link, I'm Quinn Lazenby." He laid her jacket on the smooth surface and held out his hand. "Let's get down to business."

She grasped his palm. "I know who you are." Her gaze met his, bold but unreadable.

Quinn gave her credit. Jada didn't flinch or look away until he sat down.

He opened the file. "Cadet, you're facing some serious charges. Are you trying to get kicked out of flight school?" He slid his pen from his pocket and placed it on the table.

She lifted a shoulder. "Not particularly." Her hands joined together in front of her. "But my instructor would tell you something different."

Quinn quirked a brow. "What would he tell me?"

She frowned. "That I'm a loud mouth, know-it-all who doesn't deserve to fly." Her fingers tightened, but her face remained impassive.

Quinn pursed his lips. "Is he right?" He didn't care for the nonchalance she exhibited. "Because this isn't your first dust up. In fact, he glanced at the page in the folder. "It's your fifth, which is why I got a call."
She smirked. "Lucky you. Bet you didn't know what you signed on for, did you?" She moved her hands from the table, placing them in her lap.

Quinn got pissed. "Why should I defend you?" He threw the pen down "If you don't give me something to take to the board, you're done." His voice rose. "Is that what you want?"

Jada's head jerked and the truth flashed in her eyes. Finally, a reaction. But she didn't speak, she schooled her features back into an immobile mask.

Quinn gave her a few moments then heaved a sigh and slowly rose from his seat. He gathered up her file and tucked the pen back inside his pocket. He took two steps toward the exit.

Jada's hand shot out, grasping his arm. "I'm afraid to fail." She sucked in a breath then continued. "I want to fly so bad I can taste it." She met his gaze again. "It's like a potent flavor right on the tip of my tongue."

Quinn knew the feeling. And he'd finally broken through her wall of silence. Progress, he hoped.

He dragged the chair around to side cattycornered across from her. "So what's the problem?" He laid the folder back on the table, but left it closed. "Why the constant bullshit that gets you thrown in hack?"

Jade glanced his way, but couldn't answer. Almost like she didn't want to the words aloud. Again, Quinn got her dilemma. His entire childhood consisted of never wanting to voice his fears.

He studied her for several moments, then asked again, quietly. "Jada, what do you want." He used her name, hoping the personal connection would make a difference.

She looked him straight in the eyes. "I want to fly." She held his gaze for a second then looked away.

Quinn nodded. "Okay, good. Here's what you have to do." He leaned in. "Stop fucking around."

She opened her mouth but Quinn held up a hand. "I'm not done. You have the highest scores in your class." He leaned back in the seat. "Hell, Jada. You've got the highest scores in the last ten classes." He pinned her with his gaze. "You're a natural. Your skill, your instincts, your gravitas is unmatched."

Jade glanced away, the smallest hint of a smile crossing her lips. "With the exception of one person." She slid her gaze to meet his again.

Quinn jerked his head, acknowledging her words. A gleam of respect crept into her gaze and he accepted the kudos—ass backwards and sideways as they were. He figured she wouldn't want to say who'd scored higher—namely him, so far—out loud. Superstitions got many a pilot through flight school.

Quinn leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "So why don't rise to the challenge and beat my scores?"

Jada mimicked his stance. "I think I will." Her eyes flashed with confidence.

Quinn quirked a brow. "You can't do it behind bars, can you?"

Jada looked away. He'd made his point.

He let her off the hook. "Look, keep your nose clean for the next three weeks. I'll handle the board."

Jada's eyes went wide. "Just like that?" She snorted.

Quinn smiled, wide and certain. "Just like that." He leaned in close. "I'm not afraid to play dirty, and at least two of the convening members owe my old man more than a few favors." He shrugged. "I'm calling them in."

Jada lifted a brow. "And your old man'll be okay with that?"

Quinn frowned. "Too bad if he's not." His lips twitched. "Besides, by the time anyone finds out, you'll have passed, graduated, and shipped out to your first post."

I like a man who's not afraid to use his connections to bail a kick ass woman out. J

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

ML Skye