A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Presents: Bucking Convention #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.

~*~

This week's post is from Bucking Convention, book two of the Top Dog Pilot series coming in August from my personal imprint, Starry Sky Press. Today, I'm sharing a glimpse of how well Cutter knows Maggie.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Book Tagline: A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

~*~

He knew her well.

Maggie stood quietly, feeling the room sway a bit. Stars above, she had kinks on top of kinks. As much as she wanted to stretch them out, she'd wait until the scalding blast of water could work on them first.

Biting back a groan, she turned to exit quarters. "I'd ask you to join me… but something tells me Top Hat is already hogging the hot water."

Max grinned. "Some other time then." He followed her to the hatch and pushed it open. "I'll look forward to it." When his voice dropped to low tones, it always sent delicious little shivers down her spine.

Maggie turned her head and bussed his lips. "Me too." She stepped over the threshold but stopped. "Any chance you can have something hot and stiff ready for me when I get back? And I'm not talking body parts… although that'll be nice, too."

Technically against regs to keep alcohol in their quarters, most of the pilots had a stash somewhere. There were times when hitting the rec room just didn't appeal. And the pilots policed themselves. If anyone developed a problem, it would be handled. Quickly and efficiently.

Max leaned down and pounded on the small section underneath his duty locker. The panel popped free. He reached inside the access area and pulled out a tray holding fixings for her requested drink. "Count on it." He leaned out the door and gave her a thorough kiss.

The man might be too damn good to her.

With more bounce in her step than before, Maggie made her way to the head.

~*~

Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

Coming in August 2014

Please visit my website 

~*~

Thank you for reading!

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

Visit the other participating authors

Sunday Snippet: Damn the Torpedo Flu

So… Orphan Black keeps blowing my mind. Seriously, I would have NEVER dreamed I'd be interested in seeing Vic the Dick again, but playing opposite Allison is such an interesting little twist. Angie, or whatever her name is, kinda continues to irritate me, but I'm totally along for the ride to see what she's trying to pull off.

The whole deal with Helena creeps me out, but keeps me riveted to the screen, too. LOL Then there's Sarah… I have so much love for her. The cold war between Rachel and Sarah and how it's dragging Helena and Cosima into the middle of it keeps me glued to the screen.

And let's talk about Paul. Without revealing too much, I sooooo want to know more about him, but I love the loosely defined loyalties he has and the way he's pulled from all directions.

Enough about television… tonight's post is from Damn the Torpedo Flu and my main characters are in the lurch due to an outbreak of a nasty virus that has their crew members down for the count.

Here's the tagline:

When the Torpedo Flu hit the space station Paisley and Dale are practically the last ones standing. Working through the crisis will bring them closer together, if they don't kill each other first.

And a sneaky peek…

Paisley stood toe to toe with Dale. "Yeah, well, you can suck it. Because I'm not going to fly your stupid CAP."

Dale lifted a brow. "Is that right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you can put me on notice. Throw me in the brig. Hell, you can make me work in the galley. Don't care. But I won't fly CAP."

Dale's lips quirked. "Well, okay, then. I guess we'll have to leave the safety of the fleet to the flying skills of Beehive and Mojo." He turned and headed for the briefing room.

Paisley caught up. "Are you insane?" She grabbed Lee's arm. "Beehive can't hit anything to save his own life, and Mojo just cleared quarantine. Do you want the enemy to attack, 'cause using them is just asking for it."

Dale cocked his head. "They're what I've got, Paise. Unless I pull one of the grunts from engineering." He snorted. "They might have a better chance at actually hitting an enemy raider."

Paisley made a frustrated growl. "Shit. There's no one else?"

Dale jerked his head back. "There's me and you. If you fly with Beehive, I can cover next watch with Mojo. Carper says the worst will be over by then and pilots will be able to fly without heaving in their helmets."

Paisley sighed. "Fine. But I want Mojo. You take Beehive. The guy never shuts up and I'll shoot him if he tells the fish market story again."

Dale agreed. "Whatever works." He glanced at the clock. "Better get suited up. Pre-flight briefing in ten."

Paisley groaned. "I hate you." She started heading for quarters, but glanced back over her shoulder. "Just needed to get it out there."

Dale chuckled. "Duly noted, Paisley. Duly noted."

This one is fun to write. :D

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

ML Skye

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Presents: Bucking Convention #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.

~*~

This week's post is from Bucking Convention, book two of the Top Dog Pilot series coming in August from my personal imprint, Starry Sky Press. Today, I'm sharing a glimpse of why Cutter needs Maggie.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Book Tagline: A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

~*~

The dream came again.

No different than the last three nights.

Captain Max Cutter struggled to pull himself out of the nightmare. Didn't want to be trapped inside it, watching his wingman's ship collide with an asteroid, exploding on impact.

There hadn't been time for Ray 'Snark' Kiwolski to eject. The accident happened that fast. The huge space rock hit at exactly the right spot on Snark's ship. One moment they argued about who had more skills in the gym and the next—BOOM—game over.

The explosion sent Max's bird into a tailspin and he had to quickly deal with the recoil or suffer the same fate. Pure instinct got him out of it because Max couldn't tear his eyes away from the carnage of the other ship. He'd give just about anything to have been able to do so.

Because he couldn't seem to escape the vision.

He saw it again and again. Relived the loss over and over, waking up in a cold sweat, the shock and trauma all but strangling him as he fought to breathe.

It had been the worst thing he'd ever seen. The explosion had been bad enough, but the aftermath? So much worse. Snark might not have been able to eject on his own, but the impact took care of that. And Max had to confirm what they'd all known.

His wingman had lost his life.

~*~

Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

Coming in August 2014

Please visit my website 

~*~

Thank you for reading!

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

Visit the other participating authors

Banner Thursday—Top Dog Pilots

Today, I'm featuring the ad banner for the series Top Dog Pilots, with the first book releasing in June.

For this work, I wanted to invoke a military feel, kind of like a patch the pilots might wear on their uniform. The result turned out better than I hoped.

Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Blurb: Two ace pilots at the top of their game, Max 'Ripper' Cutter and Maggie 'Magpie' Harper traverse space and navigate a relationship at the same time. Follow their adventures through Hell Week, an unexpected tragedy, and a nightmare dinner party with steamy results.

Coming Soon Titles

Surviving the Trap

Bucking Convention

Dress for Dinner

Thanks for reading!

Please visit my website www.skyewrites.com

Sunday Snippet: Crash and Burn

Hello,

Well, my show finales did not disappoint. S.H.I.E.L.D. did deliver an awesome ending to its first season. And, guys, Arrow pretty much blew me away. The fight scene between Deathstroke / Arrow superimposed on the Slade / Oliver island one counts as one of my very favorites of the entire series. I'm so excited to see where season three goes. As usual, Orphan Black gave me tons of stuff to speculate about and think on. My love for Paul grows every time he's on the screen, I kid you not. I WANT to know more about his background. I'm also completely turned around by Helena. That chick is off the charts insane, but she's also dead on with her observation skills. Seriously, I love her. LOL

Tonight's post is from Crash and Burn, a novella where the main characters finally have a heart to heart that's long overdue.

Here's the tagline:

Pepper Strand met the wrong brother first and when her personal feelings get in the way, she takes the easy way out. When it leads to the death of Bax's sibling, she drowns her guilt with alcohol and Bax decides to make her crawl out of the bottle and into his arms.

And a sneaky peek…

Pepper sat in the bar with an empty shot glass and a full one in front of her. Someone dropped into the seat to her left and she didn't need to glance up to know Bax had arrived.

She jerked her head toward the drink sitting on the table at his spot. "Drink up, Bax. Had a feeling you'd be showing up."

Bax lifted the shot in a silent toast and drained the contents. "Are we done?" He asked, eyeing Pepper when she filled the empty glass. "Or is there more to this celebration?" Pepper slid her gaze sideways. "It's over."

Bax shoved away from the table, his chair scraping heavily on the floor.

Pepper spoke quietly. "It was over before he died." Her finger traced the outer edge of the full shot.

Bax halted. "What?" He narrowed his eyes. "Pepper, what are you talking about?"

She didn't look up. "Me and Brad. We were finished before he even tried to qualify."

Bax cocked his head to one side. "Pepper, how much have you had to drink tonight?"

Pepper lifted an empty bottle. "The shot on the table is the last one. The bottle started out full." She set the glass container too close to the edge.

Bax scrambled to catch it before it crashed to the floor. "Well, hell. You're gonna feel like shit in the morning." He righted the bottle, pushing it to the center of the hard surface.

Pepper snorted. "Feel like shit now." She raised red-rimmed eyes to meet Bax's gaze. "I passed Brad because I felt something… you know, the night we met?" She paused, gauging Bax's reaction.

His mouth thinned to a harsh line and he rose. "We're not going down this road tonight, Pepper." He strode away, making it halfway across the bar before she could speak again.

She called out. "Did you know we broke up? Right before quals?"

Bax stopped and swung his head around. "You did what?" He turned, facing her.

She nodded. "Yep. The week before." Bax strode forward again. "Because… well, you know the reason." He stopped by the table. "And Brad crashed and burned." She glanced up, the need to purge everything strong. "But the worst thing? I told your old man I passed Brad because I felt something. I let my personal feelings get in the way. And I did. But not the way I let him believe."

Bax sat back down. "Pepper, did you love my brother?"

She met and held his gaze. "Yeah, I did." Just not enough.

Bax shook his head. "Then what's the problem here?"

Pepper huffed out a harsh breath. "The problem? I couldn't shake the pull I felt towards you. I sent your brother to his death because I had so much guilt over you and the night we met, I couldn't tell him he didn't have the chops for flying." She waved a hand. "Geez, Bax. Are you always so painfully stupid?"

Bax quirked a brow. "No, I'm not. But you are. Tell me, Pepper, are you certain hindsight isn't coloring your deep-seated guilt?"

She didn't answer. Wouldn't answer.

Bax pushed harder. "Or… were you hoping he'd pull it off? That maybe somehow, his instincts would kick in and he'd pass?" He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "You and I both know it's happened before."

Pepper scoffed. "He busted his last seven moves, Bax. I should've followed protocol and failed him on the spot."

Bax settled back again. "But you didn't. And I can tell you why. Brad picked a fight, and knowing him as well as you did, you gave him the benefit of doubt and chalked up those busted moves on his state of mind."

Pepper tilted her head sideways. "How'd you know about the argument?"

Bax rolled his eyes. "Look, I loved my brother, Pepper, but he worked the system like no one else. Every time Brad had something big coming up, a test or deadline, he'd find a way to be disagreeable. It gave him an easy out if he fucked up. Took him five tries to get his driver's license."

Pepper hadn't known how many times he'd failed that particular test. A twinge of anger zapped a good bit of the guilt she'd been wallowing in away.

Bax sighed. "You're not the first he played that way, and you wouldn't have been the last. If Brad could find a way to work or create an advantage, he'd take it. Every time." Bax reached across the table, placing a hand over her clenched fist. "I'm sorry he pulled the same stunt with you."

Bax's revelation will hopefully let Pepper get back on track… stay tuned. J

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

ML Skye

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Presents: Bucking Convention #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.

~*~

This week's post is from Bucking Convention, book two of the Top Dog Pilot series coming in August from my personal imprint, Starry Sky Press. Today, I'm sharing a glimpse of how Maggie ends up becoming Cutter's wingman.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Book Tagline: A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

~*~

Captain Maggie Harper blew out a deep breath, flipping the folder in her lap closed. She didn't want to read any more details about the explosion that took the life of a fellow pilot. One she happened to be en route to replace on the roster.

It sucked to step in for a lost comrade. Worse, when personally involved in the fallout.

And it didn't get any more personal for her.

She happened to be replacing Max Cutter's wingman.

Max.

Her heart tripped a little. It could have been Max's ship. The prayer of thanks she sent out might be rude, but so be it. Maggie wouldn't apologize for being happy or relieved Cutter didn't die in a freak accident.

They had a good thing going and she wanted to keep it that way.

Six months and no signs of slowing down.

Maggie smiled. Their interesting Hell Week interlude proved to be just the thing they needed to get through that particular bit of the insanity. But they'd stumbled a little after they survived and danced around the idea of letting the sex remain a one-time thing.

Okay, she danced around it. The fear of losing Max as a friend almost won out, regardless of the really great sex.

~*~

Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

 Coming in August 2014

Please visit my website

~*~

Thank you for reading!

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

Visit the other participating authors

Sunday Snippet: Come Here Often

May 11, 2014

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's and mother figures out there. J

So… S.H.I.E.L.D. should have a great season ender and hopefully a kick awesome season two! Really glad to see it got renewed. Arrow… man, my head is still spinning from last week's episode. I'm REALLY looking forward to the finale. I've heard some rumors about what to expect and I'm dying to see how things wind up. Orphan Black? The show makes my brain spin. Can't say I'm sad to see one particular dude gone, mainly because it plays directly in to what I'd love to see happen with Rachel. And the stuff with Helena makes my skin crawl, seriously.

Tonight's post is from, Come Here Often, a novella about starting over after a huge trial. The couple goes through the wringer in this one.

Here's the tagline:

Neely survives a war but not without considerable emotional damage. When Ace offers her everything she's ever wanted, she turns him down, believing they can't pick up where they left off. Ace aims to prove they don't have to.

And a sneaky peek…

Neely hesitated midway up the hill. "Ace, what are you going to do with the rest of his life?" She still had trouble wrapping her head around leaving the military.

Ace reached out and tugged her toward him. "You." His mouth curved in a grin.

Neely blinked. "What?" Had her imagination gone completely crazy?

He quirked a brow. "You heard me. We're done, Neely. Finished the journey." He hauled her closer.  "And we're still here. Don't you think it's time we figure us out?"

Neely would love nothing more. But…

She eased away, just a little. "Ace. We don't know what happened to me." Having her mind wiped kept a constant fissure of worry in the back of her brain.

She had no idea what her captors might have done to her.

He leaned in close. "Did you miss the part where I don't care? It doesn't matter, Neels. Do you remember the first night we met? What happened?"

She nodded, pretty certain no amount of messing about in her gray matter would ever remove the memory.

He continued. "How did it feel? The table we almost had sex on. The guilt afterwards?" He cupped her face. "Have you forgotten any of that?"

She shook her head back and forth. Nope. She didn't have any trouble visualizing how close they'd come to crossing a line on her dining room table.

He pushed more. "How about the day of the attack? Do you remember it?"

She frowned. "Of course. I thought you were dead that day." Her heart thudded painfully at the memory.

He nudged her shoulder. "What did it feel like? When you found out I wasn't?"

She huffed out a sigh. "Like I could breathe again."

Ace ticked off every moment he could think of, things that meant something to them. Jumping behind enemy lines every thirty-three hours, so tired and wired on stims they couldn't think straight. The huge victory when he'd used her plan to blow a refinery that lit the sky up like a light show. The first kiss they shared, after she returned from scouting mission… five days late. Good, happy memories.

Followed by the not so good. Ace reminded her of the cat and mouse game she'd played with an informant—she'd almost lost her life to a knife wound. The huge altercation they'd had after she tumbled into bed with… hell, she didn't even remember the guy's name, but they'd come to blows over it. She'd punched him first and he slugged her back, because she'd pushed him over the limit. And finally, he hit the big one.

"What about the night we slept under the stars and consummated how we felt?" He met her gaze. "Do you remember that?"

Gads, she'd never forget. She'd left him the next morning, terrified he'd wake up and hate her. He had—because she didn't trust him. During the following month, he spoke to her only if he absolutely had to.

She kept her eyes on his, nodding. "We were finally supposed to talk, but I ended up in the back of a transport headed for enemy territory."

He nodded. "You remember all of it."

She swallowed hard. "I'm reliving every moment." Except the three months she'd been held captive.

Ace pushed on. "Tell me you're not feeling every moment, too."

"I can't." Her voice came out a whisper.

"Then that's the answer, Neely. In, out, upside down. We've been through it all. If you remember and feel our past, then what's the problem?"

She had no idea, but there had to be one. She didn't do normal, happy or anything along those lines.

Her gaze lifted. "I'm the problem. I might know and remember Neely, but I'm not her. At least not the same her. I can't find way to move past that to build a life with you."

Ace sighed. "You know what. Fine. We're done." He let go of her and shook his head. "Consider this the end of Jaybird and Buckman." He turned on his heel and strode away, stopping at the crest of the hill to look out over the valley below.

Neely's heart broke, aching for the past she didn't have a right to claim. Her gaze dropped. It hurt to look at Ace, so utterly and unconditionally full of support. So different and not like him. The man needed an answer and reason for everything.

And she couldn't give him one. A simple truth smacked her in the face. Since her return, he'd never once asked her what happened. He'd taken one look at her and scooped her up into his arms, holding on like he'd never, ever, let go.

This one is so much fun to work on but the sages are pesky imps and only dole out brief little scenes. I have a feeling the transitional parts will be a challenge.

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

ML Skye

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Presents: Surviving the Trap #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.

~*~

This week's post is from Surviving the Trap, book one of the Top Dog Pilot series coming in June from my personal imprint, Starry Sky Press. Today, I'm sharing a glimpse of how Maggie and Cutter go from zero to hot.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Book Tagline: A week of hell pushes Maggie into risking her friendship with Max by sleeping with him.

~*~

Max didn't know what Maggie wanted, but she seemed determined to drag him as far away from the ready room as possible. "Maggie, where are we going?" And how the hell did she even have the energy to walk right now. She almost crackled with vigor.

Maggie slowed down, but didn't let go of his arm. "Cutter, just shut up and come with me." Without another word, she rounded the next corner to duck through an open hatch, quickly pulling Max in behind her.

He stumbled a bit, barely clearing the raised threshold before she dogged the hatch. They were in an empty causeway. One used if a fire broke out on the ship. It was supposed to remain empty unless the fire signal had been activated. Clearly, the lack of sleep had Maggie unhinged.

Reaching to undo the hatch, he muttered. "You know we can't be here, Mags." Next thing he knew, Maggie had him backed up against the bulkhead, her lips sucking on his neck sending him into a state of shocked arousal. "What the hell?" He shook his head, wondering if he'd maybe fallen asleep somewhere back on the flight deck. "Mags?"

~*~

Blurb: One week of extreme training, two top guns, and a healthy dose of unresolved sexual tension equals two pilots pushed to their limits, looking for a way to get through the hellish experience and possibly into each other's arms.

Coming in June 2014

Please visit my website

~*~

Thank you for reading!

Gift yourself with more great sneak peeks!

Visit the other participating authors

Banner Thursday—Starry Sky Press

Today, I'm featuring the logo for my self-publishing venture, Starry Sky Press, across each of my author blogs.

Tagline: Out of the world romance.

Mission Statement: To explore extraordinary emotions between characters.

Books coming soon

Busted in Bubbles (May 2014)

Surviving the Trap (June 2014)

Bucking Convention (July 2014)

Dress for Dinner (August/September 2014)

Creative Ink (June 2014)

Boyfriend's Brother (May 2014)

A Magical Affair (May 2014)

Thanks for reading!

Please visit my website

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Bucking Convention #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 my upcoming release, Bucking Convention, book two in the Top Dog Pilots series.

Book Tagline: A tragic loss puts Cutter on the edge and it's up to Maggie to pull him back.

~*~

Captain Maggie Harper blew out a deep breath, flipping the folder in her lap closed. She didn't want to read any more details about the explosion that took the life of a fellow pilot. One she was en route to replace on the roster.

It sucked to step in when a comrade was lost. Worse, when you were personally involved in the fallout.

And it didn't get any more personal for her.

She happened to be replacing Max Cutter's wingman.

Max.

Her heart tripped a little. It could have been Max's ship. The prayer of thanks she sent out might be rude, but so be it. Maggie wouldn't apologize for being happy or relieved Cutter didn't die in a freak accident.

They had a good thing going and she wanted to keep it that way.

Six months and no signs of slowing down.

Maggie smiled. Their interesting Hell Week interlude proved to be just the thing they needed to get through that particular bit of the insanity. But they'd stumbled a little after they survived and danced around the idea of letting the sex remain a one-time thing.

Okay, she danced around it. The fear of losing Max as a friend almost won out, regardless of the really great sex.

Almost.

Cover Art Subject to Change

~*~

Blurb: Max and Maggie survive Hell Week and start a relationship that works. Tragedy strikes Cutter's wingman and when Maggie shows up as the replacement, she discovers a very different Max. Not a good thing when he lives to fly… and can't.

Maggie wants to support Max and help get him back on an even keel, but living and working with him tests her patience and mettle. It's so much easier to handle two tons of space craft than a surly man.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

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

Sunday Snippet: Come Back to Me

May 4, 2014

Another nice week in TV. Arrow keeps going at a breakneck pace. I'm so excited to see how the season ends. S.H.I.E.L.D keeps me guessing a little and I like that. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Ward's situation, but I'd love to see if they can actually redeem the guy. And make me believe it. :D Orphan Black blew my mind. One… because I totally called Cal's role in Sarah's former life. I won't spoil anything here, but I had a gut feeling about him. Now I'm wondering if one of my hopes for Rachel comes to fruition. *crosses fingers* And how about the ending? Oh, man, I seriously hope that Daniel dude gets his comeuppance. Or dies. Either way would suit me. :D

Tonight's post is from the novella, Come Back to Me, which takes a look at how my couple deals with the past when it comes back to haunt them.

Here's the tagline:

Tania and James love each other deeply, but have a complicated relationship. When Tania has a chance to right a wrong, James has to trust she'll keep her promise to come back to him.

And a sneaky peek…

Tania paced the floor beside the bed, yanking the blanket tighter around her body. "I. Have. To. Go." She punctuated each word for emphasis.

James sighed. "No, you don't. You want to go. There's a difference, Tania." He settled back against the pillows, letting the sheet ride low over his groin.

She turned, shooting him a glare. "Depends on your definition, James." And her mistakes, which provided the very reason she had to go.

James snagged her arm, dragging her back to the bed. "I'm aware of your reason." He tugged her forward, hooking his arm around waist. "And I don't like it."

She stiffened and made a move to pull away.

His palm gripped her hip, halting her progress. "But I don't have to. You've got the go."

She angled her head, meeting his gaze. "I do?" She leaned in, brushing her lips over his. "Thank you." She didn't add more, didn't want to chance starting a huge argument.

James cupped her face. "Go grab a shower and something to eat. Mission briefing in two hours."

She eased away, sliding off the bed. Her feet hit the floor and she swayed, relief and trepidation hitting in equal measure. Dropping the blanket, she stepped into a pair of fatigues, taking a moment to shift her gaze toward James. He'd come through, cutting through the objections and planning an op.

For her.

His face showed no sign of conflicted emotion, but his eyes were hooded, hiding the internal dialog.

Grabbing her shirt, she tugged it over her head and shoved her feet into her boots. Tania couldn't bear to face the struggle she'd find if she locked gazes with James. She muttered an unintelligible goodbye and ducked out of his quarters.

Her life would be jeopardized when she left… she hoped her relationship wouldn't suffer the same fate.

I love exploring how an established couple gets through an emotional minefield. :D

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

ML Skye

A Gift from the Stars—The SFR Brigade Presents: Surviving the Trap #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.

~*~

This week's post is from Surviving the Trap, book one of the Top Dog Pilot series coming in June from my personal imprint, Starry Sky Press. Today, I'm introducing Maggie 'Magpie' Harper.

Series Tagline: Two top pilots, Max Cutter and Maggie Harper, like to mix a little personal with their professional life.

Book Tagline: A week of hell pushes Maggie into risking her friendship with Max by sleeping with him.

~*~

Coming in off a hard landing that would cost her in both the ratings and standings, Maggie Harper charged through the corridors while she silently multi-tasked. She'd started a heated debate with her stomach. For some reason, it didn't want to believe her when she said it could survive two more days with the crappy rations it had been receiving for sustenance. Next, she promised her aching body a well-deserved massage at her earliest convenience if it would only hang in there for a few more days. She saved her overly tired brain for last, swearing she'd let it sleep for at least two straight days if it would cooperate just a little longer and please, for the love of the universe, not let her kill herself by doing something stupid.

She simultaneously cursed the utter stupidity of her superior officers and the military in general. Hell Week could only be the brainchild of some bigwig admiral. It had to be to have qualifications tied to it. Some pencil pusher who thought their wonderful theory on paper would translate beautifully to real life scenarios. Maggie snorted. Funny how it never seemed to work out that way.

The bigwig couldn't possibly have flight experience. If he did, he'd know how ridiculous his little exercise would turn out.

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Blurb: One week of extreme training, two top guns, and a healthy dose of unresolved sexual tension equals two pilots pushed to their limits, looking for a way to get through the hellish experience and possibly into each other's arms.

 Coming in June 2014

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