Sunday Snippet: Outcasts

Wow. Orphan Black makes me so happy. The complete insanity of the plots never fails to entertain. I can actually say same the same about Arrow. I have no clue where they're going to end up going, but I'm definitely sticking along for the ride. The Flash is also upping its game. I'm looking forward to seeing how this season ends.

My catch-up viewing of Teen Wolf continues. I'm about finished with season two and apparently the truly crazy cakes stuff hasn't even happened yet. Can't wait to see what season three has in store.

Tonight's post is from Outcasts, a novella where my main characters have to rely on each other and leave their baggage checked at the door.

Here's the tagline:

Frannie Boyd and Thorn O'Reilly are stuck in a bad situation with no way out. But when the people they love are threatened, they'll play hardball to protect what's theirs, even if they have to go up against an admiral to do it.

And a sneaky peek…

She sighed and sat down beside him. "Explain. What’s ugly?" Besides a bunch of asshole pilots who kept visual scorecards that were bound to make her insane.

Thorn shrugged. "You heard granddad. They’re gunning for us." Glancing sideways, he went on, "I think they’re gunning for him, too." He couldn’t put his finger on it, but his instincts were screaming there was more to this transfer than anyone knew.

Nodding, Frannie agreed. "Right. What are we gonna do about it?" The two of them versus an entire ship? What could they do?

Thorn shook his head. "I have no idea." He looked up, continued. "Keep our eyes and ears open, try to find out what’s going on." Having both of them over there could end up being a good thing.

Frannie's tongue clicked against her teeth. "Damn straight." She sat for a minute, mulling over Thorn's fear that more was going on under the surface. It added to the dread she felt over leaving Deimos. "I really don’t want to do this, Thorn." Grabbing the edge of the bunk, she curled her fingers around the edge before straightening them out again.

Thorn got it. He wanted to reassure her, but what the hell could he say? They were walking into an almost blind situation with only instinct, rumor, and innuendo to go on. The only good thing? They trusted each other.

Thorn could count on Frannie.

Letting out a sigh, Thorn agreed. "Yeah. I don’t want to go either." Glancing over at Frannie again, he noticed she wasn’t as tense and he made a suggestion. "Look, we’ll stick together, at least the first couple of days?"

As much as she liked the thought, she doubted it would be possible. "We may not have a chance. They'll separate us… break us down… you know the drill." Frannie didn’t look forward to what lay ahead because she didn’t back down from a fight.

Thorn shook his head. "No. Not on the night before a mission." He was certain they’d have at least two days before the rank and file tried to crush them. "Look… let’s use whatever time we’ve got and learn everything we can." Expelling a breath on a sigh, he glanced over at Frannie noting the dread back in her eyes. "We’re the two best people to be over there… we have his best interests in mind." He didn’t have to tell her whom he was talking about. The quick nod of her head let him know she was on board.

Taking a chance, he grabbed her hand and when she didn’t draw away, he pulled her close. "It’s gonna be okay, Frannie. We’ll be okay." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head then let go and made to move off the bunk.

Frannie snagged his arm and drew him back to her. "Wait. Thorn." She didn’t know much about Admiral Naught, but from what she’d seen and heard the woman ran a very, very tight ship so another chance to resolve things between her and Thorn might never present itself. From the scuttlebutt she’d gleaned, Naught had a gung ho mentality on regulations and sending her pilots on dangerous missions.

And who better to send on shit missions than the two top dogs from a rival ship?

Tugging Thorn back down beside her, Frannie moved closer, invading his personal space. "We don’t have a lot of time here, but I think we both know there’s something we have to take care of before we check into our new digs." Tilting her head up, she looked to see if he was on the same page.

Thorn blew out a startled breath. Leave it to Frannie to spring this on him at the last possible moment. She was right, though. Their timetable, if they had one, had just been moved up.

They never, ever got the timing right.

This story keeps expanding, which I'm not complaining about. The sages like to throw new twists out when I least expect them. LOL

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Hello!

So… Orphan Black? Who doesn't love this show? Seriously, it's so mind-bendy and twisty. Watching Tatiana play one clone as another never fails to blow my mind. This week having Sarah act as Rachel and Alison play Sarah… well… just so damned amazing. And Delphine? The woman kicks ass. That's all I'll say. LOL

I'm dying to get to know the Castor clones and then see if the boys can play as crazy as the girls. Saturday won't get here fast enough.

Arrow and The Flash continue to make me happy. Agents of SHIELD, too. Melinda May backstory? Yes, please. Maybe we'll get some Grant Ward flashback action in the future. Wouldn't mind seeing more of what made him so batshit crazy.

If you're not catching Bitten and Lost Girl on Syfy, you need to. Excellent shows!

Made it through the first season of Teen Wolf and gotta say, I cheered out loud when one of the characters bit the dust. Actually, two, but I have a feeling dead doesn't mean forever on this show. LOL. All in all, totally enjoying season two.

Will be starting Daredevil on Netflix in the near future. I hope.

That's it for TV related news. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a sexy short bordering on novella length story.

Here's the tagline:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Parry threw the pen across the room. "I'm out of ideas. I'm done." She got up and gathered her notes, tossing them on the floor. "Absolutely finished." Striding toward the door, ignoring the throb in her knee, her hand shot out to turn the lights down.

Blake's palm covered hers. "Hold up, Pare. You didn't even take the latest mission plan to Carbine."

She whirled around, forgetting about her injury, and almost went down hard. Brad swooped in and caught her, providing a steadying arm. She sucked in a harsh breath, a stabbing zing shooting straight down to her ankle. The urge to scream and throw more stuff barely contained, she eased slowly away from Blake and met his gaze.

She did a mental five count. "And I'm not going to. The man blasts every single parameter I come up with, and this plan is more bat shit than all the others." Her head jerked back and forth. "So yeah, no, I'm not gonna bother. He can let you plan the op." She winced, wishing she could take back the insult. "Geez, I'm sorry. I think it's way past time for another pain pill."

Blake tightened his grip and drew her close again, guiding her to the nearest chair. "And I think your crappy attitude has more to do with frustration than any kind of pain." He gave her a light shove and made sure she sat. "And I'm not going to bail your ass out. Wagner gave you an order and you're going to follow it."

Parry made a strangled choking sound. "I've tried! Carbine won't go for anything I've come up with. He's so by the book, he can't find his own ass without checking the regs to see if he's allowed without filling out the proper forms."

Blake snorted. "In triplicate."

Parry opened her mouth to continue her tirade, but Blake's words registered and she laughed out loud instead. Okay, she'd needed the bit of humor. Blowing out a heavy sigh, she propped her foot on an adjacent chair and motioned for Blake to sit with her.

Shifting lower, she got comfortable. "Thanks, you've been great and I'm being a bitch. But I'm fresh out of ideas and we have to think out of the box here. The damned enemy knows our playbook better than we do." And if they went in with any kind of standard operating bullshit, too many lives would be lost.

Blake reached over and picked up her notes from the floor. "Then give me the latest details and we'll figure out how to sell the op to Carbine." He snagged a pen from his pocket and handed the items her way.

Closing her eyes, Parry inhaled deeply. "You really wanna get sucked into the hellhole with me?" She blinked then met Blake's gaze again.

He held it, steady and true. "Absolutely."

Hot damn. If she kept Blake in her corner, she might get the mission planned and off the ground without shooting her superior officer.

Parry discovers a lot of common ground with Blake, which makes her push the boundaries and regs even further. FUN!

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Operation Moot Point

What a rainy, miserable week. But hey, at least we didn't have any snow.

Not a lot of new television to watch, but the Bitten finale did not disappoint. Especially the ending. Whoa! If there's not a season three, there better at least be a movie to explain that whole dealio.

Finished up a rewatch of the X-Files. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the last two seasons, even without Mulder. Getting ready to begin Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and get back into Teen Wolf. Plus keep up with the last episodes of The Flash and Arrow.

Orphan Black is back next Saturday and I can't wait to get a double dose of clones. Looking forward to how the Castor guys fit into the story.

A final random note, I read Eliza Dushku is joining the cast of Banshee for season four and I have very mixed feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed her as Faith on Buffy, but her last few roles have underwhelmed me. Here's hoping she does a great job and fits in well with the cast.

Tonight's post is from Operation Moot Point, an amusing look at what goes into planning something as simple as a surprise party and what happens to my main characters while they're working together.

Here's the tagline:

Zia Rogue and Keb Belova are highly trained soldiers and put in charge of Operation Moot Point. Between them and their specialized skills, they should be able to plan the surprise party for the base commander—if they can stop arguing long enough to actually get the work done.

And a sneaky peek…

Zia whirled around. "Dammit. Shut up!" She barely kept the volume to a low shout.

Keb crossed his arms over his chest. "No. I won't. Not until you—"

Zia held up a hand. "Admit you're right?" She nodded. "Yeah, okay. You are. And I won't pull the maneuver again anytime soon, all right?" She waited, her head tilted to one side.

He inclined his chin, acknowledging her promise.

She heaved a sigh. "Good. Now seriously shut up about what happened yesterday and move the hell on." She swiped her palm over the holo monitor and spread everything out on the walls. "We need to plan this damn op and get it off the ground."

Keb strode forward and moved two personnel charts, grouping them with a small contingent of supply lists.

Zia's lips curved. "Oh, that's perfect." She moved a couple of the designated tasks over to a blank spot and added four more then flagged her as the owner. "I'll pull this into my schedule and get a start on organizing a committee for setting up."

Keb snorted. "You mean you'll blackmail Chibs, Ryan, and Bartley into the manual labor part of this shindig." He slid several more lists onto one screen and condensed them into a single grouping. "That leaves me with Robins, Sonarz, and Darrins. I'll make sure they're well aware I've been chatting with you about their late night galley runs."

Zia narrowed her eyes. "I didn't know about their late night thieving." She cocked her head to one side. "Why drag me into your extortion?"

Keb laughed. "Because they're more afraid of you than they are of me."

She straightened. "Oh." A slow smile spread across of her face. "Good to know."

This one is fun. If I can get these two to work together, they'll be golden.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Off the Hook

Happy Easter to those who celebrate. Happy chocolate overload day to those who don't.

So… finale for The Walking Dead last week? AWESOME! My middle kid and I stayed up spinning random theories for a good, long time after the episode ended.

The Flash and Arrow have my brain working overtime, too. I've missed television that makes me stay engaged after the show ends. Keep finding myself getting snared with 'Oh! How cool would it be if [insert random plot bomb here] happens. I can sort of say the same about Agents of SHIELD, but not to the same extent. I did kind of love how the last episode ended though.

Bitten only has one episode left and I can't wait to watch!! Really loving the second season and looking forward to watching on Syfy in a few weeks. So surprised and kind of thrilled to see a character pop back up. The guy is sooo good and I enjoy his work.

And last but not least regarding TV, The Last Ship has it's summer air date. June is looking up. :D

Tonight's post is from Off the Hook, a novella where my couple gets stuck in the middle of family drama.

Here's the tagline:

Esti Warf's relationship with Wyatt Corben is tested when she agrees to give his younger brother a chance to pass basic flight. Wyatt knows in his gut his brother doesn't have the chops, but he can't get Esti to budge on her decision, especially when his old man pressured her into accepting Wilton as a cadet. Both are on the hook, trying to keep peace in the family and still maintain their bond as a couple.

And a sneaky peek…

Wyatt spun around and pinned her with his gaze. "Are you completely insane? Why would you accept Wilton into your class?" He glanced away, pacing back and forth. "If nothing else, it's a conflict of interest. Everyone knows we're together." He stopped and braced for impact.

Esti hit him with both barrels. "Right. And because I suck your dick, I can't possibly keep my professional judgment intact." She whirled around and started for the door.

Damn the man for pissing her off enough to be rude and crude.

Wyatt grabbed her arm, halting her progress. "Dammit, Esti, you know that's not what I mean. You're professionalism isn't in question." His fingers trailed down her arm, lacing with hers. "Everyone else's is."

Wyatt had a point. Tongues would wag because Wilton Corben didn't score high enough on the admission exam for acceptance into the flight program. Instead, he had someone pull strings and call in favors. And Esti couldn't say no…

She sagged against him. "But that's not really the problem, is it?" Mixing personal and professional topped the list, but not because she and Wyatt had sex on a regular basis. "Your dad's expectations are." Esti admired and respected Wharton Corben, but she didn't much like him at the moment.

With their fingers still entwined, Wyatt wrapped his arms around her. "He's putting you in an untenable position, Es. All because his ego demands Wilton become a pilot. And—" Wyatt broke off, not finishing the statement.

Esti supplied the rest. "You don't think he's got what it takes." She eased away. "I get that, Wyatt, but I have to give him a chance. I do the same for every cadet who walks into my class." She turned, facing Wyatt. "How he got in doesn't matter. And far be it from me to play the bitch card, but like your dad, you're having a hell of a time keeping your personal drama out of the equation." Her hand cupped his face. "Give Wilton a chance and let me do my job, okay?"

Wyatt frowned. "Don't have much choice, do I?" He pressed a kiss to her palm. "But I am sorry for being such an ass hat." Drawing her close again, his forehead met hers. "You're not gonna have an easy go of it. I won't add any more bullshit to the pile."

Esti chuckled. "Much appreciated. I wouldn't want to find a new place to sleep." She nudged Wyatt backwards, toward their room. "We're not going to let this whole deal keep us from our favorite form of relaxation, right?"

Wyatt grinned, his worry erased for the moment. "If that's a hint you'd like to have your wicked way with me, then hell no, I'm all for forgetting about the old man and my brother for a while." He swept his arm under her legs and deposited her on the bed.

Esti smiled, big and wide. "I definitely want to have my very wicked way with you." Her finger hooked over the waistband of his pants, tugging him forward. "Then you can have yours with me."

I'm looking forward to how this story plays out. The challenge is to keep the conflict going but still have them function as a couple. I enjoy that kind of story.

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

ML Skye

Smokin' Hot—Hot and Swoon-Worthy: Shyler: Finding Home (A Furlough 99 Novella)

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Hello!

This week we're tasked with posting a piece of dialog where our hero gets to take center stage and deliver a swoon-worthy line to the heroine. I can't wait to read some hot and smooth moves from our heroes.

For my feature, I'm posting one of my favorite bits from a current release, Shyler: Finding Home (A Furlough 99 Novella).

For a little background, here are the book and brand taglines:

Furlough 99: The last stop before uncharted space. Welcome to the ass end of the universe.

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

And the swoon-worthy dialog… (Bolded for convenience)

Shyler smiled with satisfaction. She had her shadow neutralized in under thirty seconds, but something didn’t feel quite right. The guy had an incredible build. Solid. Muscular. Hard.

Why didn't he resist?

And dammit, she felt a zing. Did he have to be so flipping handsome, too? She couldn't let herself be distracted by super-hot shadow man.

She huffed out a breath to regroup and got down to business.

She let go of his head, but kept her legs strategically positioned. "Well, hell. I'd hoped you'd at least try to fight back so I could use lethal force if necessary."

A whiskey smooth voice, answered with casual ease. "My mother taught me to never argue with a woman. Especially one who packs a punch."

Interesting thing for a mother to teach her son. Shyler tried a different approach.

"You have five seconds to tell me why you're following me." And explain the lack of trying to break free. "Who are you?"

Her prisoner slowly lifted his right hand. "If I may?" He made a downward motion, toward his back pocket.

The man had a truly fine ass.

~*~

Shyler would never admit it, but Marsh pretty much had her from that moment, which doesn't mean she didn't make him work for every inch of additional ground he gained. LOL

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book 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.

Anthology Brand Blurb: The last stop before the emptiness of unknown space, Furlough 99 is inhabited with a myriad of personalities, each one looking for something different, something they can only find at the end of the line. With a bar called the Den of Inequity and a whole station devoted to pleasure and hedonism, there's nothing that can't be found here, or won't.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Boyfriend's Brother #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

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.

I'm featuring a current release, Boyfriend's Brother, a novella where my hero and heroine are facing big decisions. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Chloe and Jason.

This week, we see Jason help Chloe out of a tough spot.

Book Tagline: Chloe mixes a potential marriage proposal, a close call, and her boyfriend's hot brother—a heady combination or dangerous concoction.

~*~

Chloe ducked and looked up in Jason's direction. "Little help here?" She stood back up, and Max's fist connected with her jaw, her head smacking back against the wall.

Stars burst behind her eyelids, but she shook it off. Jason sucked in a breath and winced.

He kept his tone light. "Thought you'd never ask."

He stepped into the fray, grabbing one of the guys and spinning him around to meet his fist. The guy went down, but Jason got grabbed by the arm and Max got a solid punch in, splitting Jason's lip in the process. Jason landed his own jab and knocked Max backward to land on a pool table. Max didn't get back up, and Jason's face showed more than a little satisfaction with laying the guy out.

He made his way over to Chloe, and with their backs together, they slowly made their way out of the bar. Only two of Max's friends made an attempt to follow, but the crowd more or less swallowed them up when Jason and Chloe stumbled out the door.

Once outside, Chloe leaned up against the exterior, slowly sliding down until she crouched close to the sidewalk. Still seeing stars, she figured she hit her head harder than she thought. Looking over toward Jason, two of him hovered in her line of sight, but she attributed that to the alcohol. She let out a chuckle that ended on a groan.

Jason sucked in the cool night air, then turned to check on her. Her cheek burned, and she'd lay odds she'd have a big purple bruise along her cheekbone. Bet that would look really lovely tomorrow.

He used his thumb to wipe the blood off his lip. "Well, that was fun."

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book 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 the area for an air show. A barroom brawl brings them together.

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.

~*~

~*~

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