Sunday Snippet: Steamed

Happy Boxing Day. Hope everyone who celebrates had a great holiday and everyone who doesn't had a great week.

It's the last Sunday of 2021 and it's been a doozy of a year. Had a very busy week with my middle kid's health issues again, but we're finally closer to getting an actual answer for what's been going on with him. I'll be thankful if we get confirmation.

Slow week for television. I started with the opening arc of season twenty-two of Classic Who. Ended up being a decent four episodes. Six is growing on me.

Finished up Mysteries of Apollo and ended up enjoying this six episode look at the space program. Not sure what new series I'll start this week.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show. Melissa Manchester and Tony Randall were the guest stars. I didn't have a chance to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol but I might get it in this week.

Started Fosse Verdon and liked the first episode. This should be an interesting show to dive into. Looking forward to more.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice. Really not sure about the new guy. I can't quite decide if he's desperate, evil or both. So far, I don't like the guy at all.

Enjoyed another lesson of MasterClass with Bill Nye. He's a lot of fun and tackles the serious topic of climate change without making the concept too over the top.

I started season two of The Witcher and loved, loved, loved the first episode. Can't wait to get into more.

Last but not least, I watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were enjoyable and ones I remembered fondly of watching with my oldest.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

What a firecracker.

He liked Page Wagner's style. But the woman might prove dangerous to his libido. And not just from her physical appearance. Her dark hair, with short, choppy layers, framed her face and drew attention to the amber color of her eyes. Pilots had to stay in excellent shape so, of course, she maintained peak condition.

But she had something else he valued in a woman. Spark. Witty bold women intrigued him. She projected confidence but didn't take herself too seriously. Very much his type—if he had one. She didn't count as the only equal opportunist when it came to the opposite sex.

She snapped her fingers. "Yo, Gannon. You in?"

He lifted a shoulder. "Sure, why not?" How bad would it be?

Better than watching the pre-loaded video offerings—especially since they hadn't been updated in three years.

Page huffed out a relieved breath. "Whew. Good. Thought I might get stuck playing solitare—and there's no way to liven that game up." She rolled her eyes.

Gannon snorted. "What? You can't figure out a way to get naked playing a single-player game?"

Page smirked. "Oh, I probably could, but where's the fun in that?" She flicked her tongue out. "Ah, I get it. You would enjoy it, but I wouldn't. I see how you are, Gannon."

Gannon's lips curved. "You're the one with exhibitionist tendencies. I'm merely pointing out a way to get your fix." He enjoyed the banter she dished out.

Page tilted her head to one side, studying him. "I have a feeling this is going to be very fun." Her gaze did a slow once-over from his booted feet, along his legs, lingering on his crotch, before finally coming to rest on his face.

His body reacted. Whose wouldn't when a smokin' hot woman showed interest? But he couldn't be certain about what she really wanted. So, he'd play it safe. For now.

Sitting up straight, he tapped the table. "Are you going to let me cut the deck, or not?"

I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. I love having characters who are attracted to each other and finally decide to test the waters.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stealing Hannah

December is flying by. I had a busy week trying to get things organized and moved around from the new furniture saga and also dealing getting one kid off to Disney with her grandfather and trying to help another kid during a flare up of his ongoing medical issue. Also had a couple of work projects thrown in.

Slower than usual week for television. I started out by finishing up the final arc of Five on Classic Who. I'd forgotten how much of a snarky snipe Six started out as. Started the first episode of his full arc to end season twenty-one.

Caught another episode of Mysteries of Apollo. I might have inadvertently watched two episodes but I won't know for certain until this week.

Watched two episodes of The Muppet Show. Jean Pierre Rampal and Paul Simon were the guest stars.

Finished up the first season of Fantasy Island. Man, I have to give kudos. I really enjoyed this first season. I'm looking forward to the holiday special next week.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. It was a tough one to watch and had a lot going on. Erica held her own but, man, what a wringer they put her through.

Enjoyed another MasterClass lesson with Bill Nye. This one focused on how science changes your perspective. Pretty interesting.

Totally flubbed thinking I'd be watching The Ready Room for season one of Star Trek: Discovery only to realize the behind the scenes show didn't start until season two. So … I watched the first episode of the second season. Man, I'm really loving this show. So great to have the introduction of Pike and get some insight on Spock. Really looking forward to this season.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med. Lots of stuff going on but a solid viewing experience. Feels like everyone is kind of heading for a breaking point, Robin and Sarah, especially. Nice to see April and Ethan going public.

Caught another episode of The Madame Blanc Mysteries. Whew. Plot is moving forward in a big way. I think I have two more episodes and I'm kind of wondering how the main arc is going to be resolved. I'm also hoping for another season of this show. It's a lot of fun.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness. Harry went through a rough ride. I'm not completely certain the police detective wasn't playing both sides but I liked that.

That's pretty much it for this week's television update. I'll be starting season two of The Witcher this week, which means I'll be putting Glitch on hold until I wrap that up.

Tonight's post is from Stealing Hannah, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt and, of course, took a direction I didn't expect.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Hannah Keane gets caught between Kane and Trent Canterman when their sibling rivalry heats up. Kane loves to push his brother's buttons by telling everyone Trent likes to steal girlfriends. When Kane introduces Trent to Hannah, Trent decides stealing Kane's girl is a good idea to settle the score once and for all.

And a sneaky peek…

Trent woke up with the exact same thought of stealing Kane's girl—or making it look that way. It became almost an obsession.

Kane liked, no loved, to tell people Trent stole all his girlfriends.

To date, Trent had yet to actually take one. And it didn't escape Trent's notice—that yet again—Kane had gone for an older woman.

The fact his brother obviously still held a grudge convinced Trent Kane hadn't matured much. When Kane didn't get or couldn't keep what he wanted … there was hell to pay. And Kane wanted to fly tiger cats like their dad, even if he might not be able to handle it. Hooking up with his flight instructor covered all his bases. 

His little brother still had some growing up to do. "And it shouldn't be done in a cockpit." Despite what their father thought, Kane didn't have the chops for flying. Trent felt it deep in his bones.

Kane could do the book stuff. He put effort into the coursework. And he might be able to fake it in a simulator—but Trent had that gut punch feeling his brother wouldn't pass muster in combat or under pressure.

And the final qualification trials would be harder than anything Kane had ever faced. "If they kicked my ass"—and they had—"they'll chew Kane up, spit him out, and walk away laughing."

His brother frustrated the hell out of him sometimes, but Trent didn't want to see him utterly humiliated. At least not in a tiger cat.

Better to face a little right now by losing his girl. "Two birds with one stone." Trent liked the symmetry.

And going after Hannah wouldn't be a hardship. He definitely found her attractive, if a little brash and arrogant. Then again, working with nuggets on a regular basis, she'd need to be.

And she seemed to like him. She'd drawn him into the home she let Kane crash in and made Trent welcome. Considering his brother had forgotten until the last minute to announce Trent's arrival—waiting until he'd knocked on the door—he wouldn't have blamed her if she'd been pissed.

Instead, Hannah rolled her eyes and told Kane he could cook dinner since he forgot to mention they'd have a guest. Awkward moment smoothed over and Hannah got out of fixing the meal. Trent admired her deft handling of his brother.

He jumped in the shower and decided to approach Hannah on a professional level to see how she'd handle it.

This really didn't go in the direction I thought it would. Trent starts down a slippery slope and faces a personal demon he didn't know he had.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Star Chasers

I'm so excited because for the first time in over twenty years—actually, maybe longer—I got some new furniture. It's kind of my holiday present from everyone in the family. A new small recliner and a new couch. I'll be adding a chaise at some point but haven't found one I like yet. The couch story is an entire saga and I didn't expect it until December 23, but it arrived Friday!

I also had a super-busy work schedule, which had me buried for most of the week. I'm definitely not complaining. I love to be busy.

Had a decent week of television but somewhat abbreviated. I started with the Madam Blanc Mysteries. I'm quite enjoying how the larger mystery arc is being woven into the weekly episodes.

I finished up the second part of Silent Witness and started a new episode. Gotta say I'm now into episodes I haven't seen yet. The first part left quite a cliffhanger. I'm a little freaked out.

I caught a full arc of Classic Who and, yes, the Master showed up. I started a new four-part arc and I think this is when we say goodbye to Five. I'll let you know next week.

Watched Mysteries of Apollo and this episode focused on NASA's first heroes, mainly the astronauts from Mercury and Gemini. Quite an interesting episode.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Muppet Show. Senor Wences and Bruce Schwartz and Debbie Harry were the guest stars. Both were fun episodes.

Caught another episode of Fantasy Island. I'm quite happy with this updated version. Looking forward to the holiday episode.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice. An interesting plot with this one. Kind of cool to get a little more backstory for Andrew.

Started a new MasterClass. The instructor is Bill Nye and I can't wait to dive into his classes.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Season two is a lot of fun with some memorable stories.

Enjoyed a holiday episode of Chicago Med. Gotta say Dr. Charles is going through it right now. Actually, both of them are. A really great episode nonetheless.

Watched another Brokenwood Mysteries. As usual, this show makes me happy. I love the characters and their interactions. Kind of interesting to meet another one of Mike's exes.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Star Chasers, which will probably be a series name. I haven't settled on the title name yet.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Marnie Ritoli, a kick-ass mechanic for the premier maze-running team in the galaxy, is presented with a dilemma—choose a new mate or leave the Chasers. But Marnie knows Luce Carrington isn't dead, and she won't play second fiddle to anyone, so she does what she's best at and finds a loophole in the league rules, picking Luce's best friend … the person who backs her into a corner in the first place.

And a sneaky peek…

Marnie entered the canteen to find the Chaser's president Winton Ashcraft pacing back and forth. "This doesn't bode well." She'd muttered the words under her breath but they caught Win's attention.

He turned to face her. "Pull up a pew. We've gotta talk." He planted his hands on his hips.

Marnie parked her butt on one of the barstools. "So you said. Can't be good if we're doing this at two in the morning." She tamped down a nervous fissure, praying he didn't have bad news about Luce.

Winston gave a grunt. "Giving it to you straight. Luce isn't coming back. You know the drill. Pick someone." He shifted his stance and folded his arms over his chest.

Marnie blinked. "Excuse me. Why the hell would I do that?" No way. Luce hadn't been gone long enough to force her into a ride or die moment.

Win narrowed his gaze. "I don't have to explain how this works. When a member defaults, we've got procedures to follow."

Marnie mirrored him, folding her arms over her chest. "You are not quoting league rules to me." Win usually played it fast and loose with the regs.

Members not in good standing lost their privileges and assets and, by rights, should be cast out of the club. Luce didn't fit that category because no one knew where he'd gone. But a Chaser—especially an officer of rank—that missed more than two meetings in a row would be in default and their assets were held in escrow for six months then divvied up within the club. Mates were given a choice—stake a new claim for partner, become fair game for all, or disavow and leave the Chasers. None of those options worked for her. 

Winston grunted. "Yeah, I am." His face went dark. "I'm tired of breaking up fights. Two hours ago, I broke up the seventh fight in as many days." He fixed his disgusted gaze on her. "And it's all about you. Or rather, it's about who gets dibs on that luscious body of yours."

Marnie stiffened. Fuck. She couldn't deal with the idea right now. And damn Win for making her.

She met his gaze. "No one but Luce owns the rights. No one ever will." An ache started deep in her heart.

Winston's lips went flat. "Luce is gone. Has been for weeks. And you know the rules." His voice softened but kept its hard edge. "In ten days you pick someone or I do it for you." He paused. "Or you can leave the crew. Your choice." He leaned back against the wall, his features closed off, but his eyes held the pain of loss.

Just like her heart.

He didn't have to give her the time. Technically, she should have declared her status last week, but she didn't think she'd actually have to. She held out hope that Luce would return and couldn't believe Win would write his best friend off so soon.

But … she had to make a decision. Stay or go. She'd found her family with the Chasers and the idea of starting over somewhere without Luce terrified her. But staying under the terms of the league rules chafed. What the hell should I do? The fact she had to decide pissed her off.

She pondered Win for a few moments before giving a reply. "Fine." At least he'd given her some leeway. "Tell the ass hats to leave off with each other. I'll weigh my options and inform the crew of my choice at the next meeting." She got up to leave, the desire to smash something weighing heavily.

Win reached out and grasped her elbow. "Look, Marnie. Whatever you decide, I won't let you become space chum for anything with a dick. I owe Luce that much." Meaning, if she left, he'd set her up somewhere with a little protection.

She wanted to be grateful, but betrayal burned hot and fast at the moment. "You owe him more than that, Win. We both know why." They never talked about the sacrifice Luce made for Win and she'd keep it that way for now.

Win hissed out a breath. "Guess I deserved that. But there's no sign of Luce returning and I can't have half the crew fighting over you. You get that, right?"

Marnie shrugged away from him. "Yeah, Win. I get it." She met his gaze. "But you get this—I contribute more around here than the average ladybird. It sucks that no one remembers that fact and it all boils down to my ass being the only asset that counts." She turned and exited before he could respond.

She didn't want or need empty platitudes. Win could go hang for forcing her to comply. And for making her face a life without Luce.

I love how this story is finally coming together. The sages have been dropping ideas—out of order, of course—but a cohesive thread is weaving its way from beginning to end and a new story is forming for Win.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Specter's Masquerade (a Specter Space Station novella)

Hello, December. I'm stuck between being excited for the holiday season and freaking out because I have a lot of things I'd like to get accomplished and not enough time to slide them all in. The story of my life.

Not a bad week of television but a little lighter than usual. I started out with Peak Practice and ended up getting two episodes watched. Both were pretty decent.

Finished up the MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. I had two lessons left and got some great information from both. Not sure what I'll start next but I'm excited.

Caught another episode of Glitch. Some interesting developments and good information. I like the pacing of this series and find I need to focus so I don't miss an important piece of the puzzle.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I finished up season one and started season two. Looking forward to diving back in.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med. Season three is beginning with a good run. I'm a little on the fence about Dr. Reese. I love her passion but I also get annoyed when she goes off the deep end about something.

Started season six of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Interesting to see another one of Mike's ex wives. I liked having Jared back. Also a good mystery to keep things fun.

Caught an episode of Silent Witness. I don't remember this one so I'm interested to see how the second half ends.

Finished the second part of Classic Who and said goodbye to Tegan. I think the Master is going to make another appearance soon, which I'm kind of meh about.

Enjoyed another episode of Mysteries of Apollo. This one focused on Apollo 8 and had some great information. I love watching old footage of the space program's beginning.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. James Coburn and Glenda Jackson were the guest stars. The pirate-themed episode ended up being a lot of fun.

Caught another episode of Fantasy Island. Really fun episode even if the theme ended up being a little dark.

Finally caught the finale of Star Trek: Discovery. Really great ending to the first season. I'm excited to start the breakdowns of The Ready Room then move on to season two.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Specter's Masquerade, one of four novellas set at Specter Space Station.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Juna Newberry starts her new position as head of security on the Specter Spacestation under fire. She walks into the job two days before the biggest gala event of the solar year, a threat is made on the personnel, including the principal owner of the station, Maddox Specter, all while fighting her attraction for the sexy entrepreneur.

And a sneaky peek…

Juna paced the antechamber of the chief station operator's suite of offices. Pissed off, she banked the fires of her anger, letting it smolder and stay hot. The doors whisked open and she whirled around, ready to let loose.

Instead, she stopped and sucked in a harsh breath. Geez. The man is gorgeous.

Maddox Specter had a commanding presence. Tall and broad-shouldered, he filled out the tailored suit and cut a handsome figure. His dark hair had waves, giving him a roguish appearance. The sharp angles and planes of his face made her fingers itch to trace the peaks and valleys.

Crap, she didn't have time for her libido to kick into gear. She blinked and shook her head, focusing on the steaming pile of shit she'd stepped into. Opening her mouth, she made ready to voice her grievances.

The extremely attractive owner beat her to the punch. "Hell's bells. Not only did they fuck up the hire date, they picked a bloody gorgeous woman, too." A hand raked through his hair.

Juna bristled. Beyond tired of having her physical beauty judged over her ability, she made a quick move. Striding two steps forward, she shoved hard at Specter's chest then jerked him forward by grabbing his tie. A small sidestep put her behind him with his tie wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply. She snagged his arm and drew it back, twisting it upward in the most uncomfortable position she could manage.

Leaning in, she snarled. "I'm damned good at my job." She bent his wrist at an odd angle. "Gorgeous or not." Why did the hot men always need a demonstration to understand?

Maddox held up his free arm in surrender. "I have no doubt, Ms. Newberry. You wouldn't have made the top five candidates if I did." His words were raspy due to lack of air flow.

Juna released him, her face flaming hot. No one told her she'd been on a list, or that she'd been a top choice.

Maddox straightened his tie then loosened and removed it. "I should turn you loose on my board of directors." He tossed the crumpled and ruined fabric on his desk.

Juna would replace the accessory. She owed him that much. And she quickly surmised a few key details; he'd been in the dark about the decision.

Juna quirked an eyebrow. "The idiots who brought a critical staff member on board two days before a huge event?" Her earlier anger dwindled to a thrum of irritation.

Maddox snorted. "Yes. Exactly. They pulled a sleight of hand while I was off station visiting a friend of mine."

Juna squared her shoulders. "Point me in their direction." She'd love to give each member a very verbal piece of her mind.

Maddox flashed a grin. "As much as I'd enjoy that show, I really should get you up to speed instead." He indicated the chair opposite his desk.

Juna took a seat and the irritation melted into a healthy respect for the way he'd diffused the potential cluster fuck and turned the experience into something positive. Over the next several hours her admiration grew when he took her through the employee files, the temporary list of event staffers, and the guest list. After a quick break for refreshments he'd ordered from Wanda, he covered the various locations for dancing, dining, and the main draw—the masquerade contest.

She frowned. "Wait. Contest? Does that mean I have to be in costume?" Gads, she had zero desire to play dress-up, especially for work.

Maddox nodded. "It's expected, yes."

Her shoulders slumped. "There's no way I can just wear my security uniform with a mask?" That would suit her so much better than anything else.

Maddox chuckled. "Uh, no, I don't think so." He leaned back in his seat, his head tilted to one side. "Leave your costume to me. I'm certain I can find something appropriate."

Juna narrowed her eyes, but inclined her head. She truly hoped they defined the word appropriate in the same way. But she'd leave the choice in his hands because she wouldn't have time to mess about with finding a costume.

I'm having a lot of fun writing this series of novellas. Maddox and Juna start the whole show and they play a role in each of the other books. They're a fun couple to write.

 

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

ML Skye