Sunday Snippet: The Lottery

Well, it's kind of fitting that my last blog post for 2023 is on the actual last day of the year. I'm taking that as a good vibe to carry into 2024.

Had a semidecent week. Finished up a couple of things that needed attention and started to get my website updated after a very long dry spell. I'm also very close to launching the new endeavor I've been working on for several months.

Did pretty much a full run-through of my usual slate of shows. I have a whole lineup of holiday stuff I want to watch also. I know it's weird to wait until after the holiday is over but I've been very Scrinch-like the past couple of weeks, mainly because of the yucky cold.

Started out with My Life Is Murder and enjoyed the episode. I will say I still get a little put off by how prickly Alexa can be. I'm sure that's by design, but it annoys me.

Agatha Raisin kind of crushed me a little. I love Agatha and James and having them kind of end things breaks my heart. But I do love they ended on a soft goodbye instead of a harsh one. Looking forward to the next episode.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and I'm kind of surprised how things played out. Did not expect the new guy to have such a dark secret. I love that he exposed it himself. Can't wait to see how this ends.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and it's one I'd seen before. Meeting Humph's dad explains so much. I love how this episode played out. Looking forward to starting Beyond Paradise to see if there's more of Humph's family.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Loved diving into Joan's previous life a little. I'm very intrigued by her and having glimpses into her former profession is always fun.

Finally continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. This episode had some great moments even if it ended up being heavier on the cylon lore. Hoping to catch another episode in the near future. Also need to backtrack a little and watch the webisodes and movie.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman. I actually remembered this one because Alfred ended up being a lot of fun. I love it when he steps out of his comfort zone into his former life.

Caught an episode of Classic Rugrats. I have vague memories of this one, especially Angelica trying to be silent. In all fairness, she got robbed for once.

Watched another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. I have one more left for the first season. So far, I'm enjoying it, but I'm glad I have season two ready to go because I have feeling the first is going to end on a cliffhanger.

Finished up my episode of VIP from last week and started a new one. I forgot I didn't get all the way through the episode because I remembered how it ended.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Lottery, a novella that creates a dilemma for an established couple.

Here's the miniblurb:

A devastating illness tears through a space colony and repopulation is paramount for continued survival. Veronica Fine and Garrett Delroy think they'll be exempt from the lottery which will match up prime candidates for procreation, but word comes down all members of the colony have to participate, even members of the military. When they're matched up, both suspect some behind the scenes maneuvering from the planetary leader.

And a sneaky peek…

I hate it when he's right. Veronica hadn't prepared for a cagey back and forth. She'd pretty much relied on her righteous anger to make the chancellor see the error of her ways.

Biting back a sigh, she muttered, "So much for that." She followed Lydia into her inner sanctum.

Veronica took the time when crossing to the desk to shift gears and strategize. Garrett quietly closed the door and joined them.

Lydia gave each a bright smile. "I have coffee available and cold drinks in the cooler. Would you like anything?" She raised an eyebrow.

Garrett shook his head, but Veronica played a hunch. "I'd love some coffee. You have the best around, so the scuttlebutt says." Put Lydia in the subconscious role of serving and catering to them all while adding compliments about her taste.

Garrett's lip kicked up in a small grin. "Nice." He voiced the word in a low tone.

Lydia turned and made her way to the coffee pot. "My assistant Josie gets all the credit. She's got very specific ideas on what makes for a perfect pot of coffee." After pouring a mug for Veronica, she sent Garrett a questioning glance. "Are you sure I can't get one for you?"

Garrett gave a nod. "You've sold me on trying. I'll take a cup, thank you."

Lydia returned with both coffees and retrieved a carafe of water from the cooler. Taking a moment, she retrieved a large glass and set it beside the pitcher. She also took time to pull her chair out and get settled.

She poured some water then pinned Veronica and Garrett with her gaze. "Vying for the advantage is fun, but let's get right to the reason you're here. You don't want to participate in the lottery, is that correct?"

Veronica blinked. "Geez. You don't ease into anything, do you?" She might be pushing their luck, but if the chancellor wanted plain-speaking, Veronica would provide some.

Lydia wielded her answer with blunt force. "No. Not when the fate of our survival depends on me." She dropped the pretense of domesticity, got up, and leaned forward. "It depends on you also. Everyone has to do their part." Straightening, she added, "Including you."

Garrett took a sip of his coffee. "Does doing our part include being manipulated into producing a kid? Because there's no way some behind-the-scenes shenanigans aren't involved here."

Veronica wanted to kiss him.

Lydia's shoulders twitched. "I did make sure you and the lieutenant were matched. It's a perk of being the chancellor." Her tone lacked remorse.

Lydia started to doubt how much of a hand the elder Delroy could have in this situation. Her heart sank a little. She really did get Garrett's uncertainty now.

Lydia propped her hip on the edge of the table. "Let me explain how all this works." She placed a flowchart on the surface. "You have six months to conceive a baby, or you can opt for egg-sperm fertilization." She pointed to the two-pronged approach. "Either via carrier or via Veronica."

Veronica tsked. "I'm not down with that. I hate the idea of tubes and equipment making a child." She should know.

She'd lived the experience of having no parents because she'd been conceived via a test tube.

But she also couldn't get on board with being forced to copulate with Garrett. Not because she didn't find him attractive. Hell, she wanted to jump his bones on a regular basis … but not to have a kid.

Lydia frowned. "I'm presenting your options. You can decide how you'd like to proceed with Captain Delroy. I only mentioned outside fertilization as part of the plan."

Veronica shot back. "If you can game the system, you can keep us out of the loop. Being presumptuous isn't a license to wreck the status quo. And you were casting a long line with the assumption Captain Delroy and I would welcome this intrusion … at this time … in this way." The low boil of anger started rolling again.

Lydia quirked an eyebrow. "Would you rather take your chances to match with others?"

Garrett growled low in his throat. "Not a chance."

A kick of something primal settled in Veronica at his forceful answer. "What he said." The very idea of Garrett hooking up with someone else pissed Veronica off.

Lydia clasped her hands together and placed them in her lap. "Then we could explore harvesting an egg and using Captain Delroy's sperm to fertilize and implant into a surrogate."

Veronica popped out with a harsh "No fucking way." She jumped to her feet and leaned forward. "Will you make me do this."

This story is coming together in an unexpected way and I'm happy for that.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Losing the Light

Happy holidays to all who celebrate. We're having a quiet weekend at home to avoid spreading all of our cold germs to anyone else. I'm very okay with that.

Started two new projects this week and slowly getting back to semi-normal while fighting the cold making the rounds through our house. My husband currently has it again.

Made an almost full run through of my current slate of television shows. I've been trying to make sure I get plenty of sleep, so I hopefully don't end up with a setback with the cold.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder and remembered I'd seen most of this episode before. Enjoyed watching it again.

Started another two-part Agatha Raisin and rather enjoyed the dynamic between James's sister and Agatha. Looking forward to the second half.

Finished the second half of a Silent Witness two-parter. I'm kind of excited to see where things go with a new person on the team.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I don't remember watching much of this one before, but I do have recollection of at least one scene. Interesting that one of the guest stars is a regular on Agatha Raisin.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Thoroughly enjoyed it. This show definitely intrigues me.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman. I think there might be one more episode of season one left.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats. I remembered both of the vignettes and enjoyed watching them again.

Watched another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. I'm still intrigued by everything and can't wait to find out more about Amy's past.

Finished the week out with an episode of VIP. I have vague memories of watching this during the initial run of the series. Lots of fun.

That's it for the personal life update this week. Tonight's post is from Losing the Light, a novella that brings a couple back together after a bad breakup.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Walker shot up out of the chair. "You want me to do what?" He raked a hand through his hair.

Laura held his gaze. "I think I made myself clear. I'd like you to pick a group—a small one—of trained soldiers to help form a security force down here." She leaned back in her seat.

Walker snorted. "You want an official goon squad." She's mad.

Laura shook her head. "No. Not official and not a goon squad. This would only be temporary assistance." She got up and walked the length of the small room.

Walker huffed out a breath. "Temporary show of force you mean." He pinned her with a hard stare. "That's how the public will read this, especially with the word force in the title." She should know better than anyone how word choice worked.

Laura hand-waved his concern. "Call it whatever you want. A tactical unit, a unified detail, the semantics will work themselves out. The key idea is promoting safety and our current police enforcement isn't trained or equipped to handle the kind of maneuvers the opposition is using." She sighed. "I wish this wasn't necessary. The group opposing unification is well organized and vocal. But the majority of settlers elected me and I'm the duly recognized leader whether the rabble rousers like it or not." She paced back and forth. "We're in a unique situation here, Captain Gansett, not one I like being in but here we are."

Walker found her argument sound even if he didn't like it. "When you lay everything out, I see the hurdle you have to overcome. So, okay, I'll find a team to help out down here." Hopefully without stretching themselves too thin.

Laura paused. "I don't think you understand. You need to lead the team. I trust you and I want you to head up the new task force." Her emphasis kept getting stronger.

Walker bit back another sigh and sank back down into his chair. "You realize that's gonna put me in a very uncomfortable position, right? I'll have to assign someone to take command up top." And he barely had his 2IC on board.

Laura gave him a pointed look. "You're not going to like my next request either. Barret Danks will be your second in command. I insist on it."

Walker blew a gasket. "You've got to be kidding me." He got up and paced. "First you steal her, and now you're going to make working with her a stipulation?" He met her gaze. "You know our history, don't you?"

She would. Laura researched everything down to the last detail.

She had the grace to nod. "I do. But I also know you two to be professional and more than capable of putting aside any personal drama you might have for the greater good."

Well and truly trapped, Walker put the ball back in Laura's court. "If this is a dealbreaker, you should probably let Barret in on her new role." Because no way did Barret know yet.

Laura's cheeks went pink. "I already planned to do just that." She gave him a small smile. "I didn't mention our meeting to her because I wanted your agreement first." She hooked her hand around his bicep. "I'll have quarters assigned to you and expect to see you in two days."

Resigned, Walker gave a nod. "Yes, Madame Premiere. I'll see you then."

Heading back to his transport, he not so calmly accepted his life would be chaos for the foreseeable future.

Reunion romances are some of my favorite to write and Walker and Barret's story is one I'm enjoying a lot.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lockdown

I got slammed with a nasty cold and definitely feel it this week. Completely derailed my daily relaxation stress reducer posts. I'll hopefully catch back up next week or start over again for the new year.

Finished up several work-related projects and added a few to my calendar. Hoping to start the new year off with a full slate to stay busy.

Not a bad week of television, even with the icky cold making me super tired and exhausted.

Watched another episode of My Life Is Murder and enjoyed it. I'm still trying to get used to the New Zealand locale with the second season. Still a fun show.

Caught the second half of Agatha Raisin. Feel very badly for James, who kind of seems like the odd man out of the group. Loved how this one played out.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and not sure on the new pathologist. He's not bad, I guess. Clearly, it's time to shake things up for Jack, which probably means things won't go well when his brother gets out of prison.

Enjoyed another Death in Paradise, which is one I didn't remember. I'm getting into the Humphrey episodes I missed on the first watch.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite liked the dynamic. I'm very interested in getting into more of what happened with Joan's medical career. Sherlock is definitely true to form and I'm getting into this version.

Caught another episode of The Batman. I think I have one or two more episodes of the first season then a bit of a shift to the second one.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. For some reason, I think I might have missed a season or at least some episodes. I'll do a run through after I finish up the sixth season.

Continued with The Secret Life of Amy Benson. I'm intrigued by how the season is unfolding and I'm kind of interested in where things are going to go.

Finished out the week with an episode of VIP. Some familiar early aughts faces in this one. Also a fun episode.

That's pretty much it on the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Lockdown, a novella that brings a couple together in a unique situation.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Mitzi loved the lower deck gym that doubled as a training area. "Especially when I'm pissed off due to a run-in with Major Pain in the Ass Moore." She continued punching the heavy bag while listing her issues with the XO. "She's nosy." Jab-jab. "Annoying." Jab-punch. "And she has the whole control freak thing down cold." Punch-jab. "And stupid Tod thinks she's all that. And I'll never get why." She jabbed the bag with a double right-handed punch.

A voice called out from behind her. "Maybe stupid Tod picked the best candidate out of a limited pool of people."

Fuck.

She gave the bag another hard punch. "It figures you'd overhear me letting off steam." She paused and glanced his way.

He moved into the gym then stopped, his arms folded over his chest. She liked the way his shoulders pulled at his uniform T-shirt. The man stayed in shape. She'd give him full credit.

A lot of officers that made the leap from being in the trenches—so to speak—to working behind the line let their fitness suffer. Granted, Tod only had a year commanding a carrier under his belt, but Mitzi doubted he'd be one of the flabby flexers. He'd never throw his weight around, literally or figuratively. Not his style.

She quirked a brow. "Why are you here? Is this a torment Mitzi thing or a commanding officer to CAG thing?" She'd bet her next pay grade Belinda the brave gave Tod an earful.

Tod's lips twitched. "Can't it be both?" Not a confirmation or a denial.

Mitzi shrugged. "Why not?" Except it hadn't been both lately.

The fact they hadn't found their footing yet bothered her. They rarely took more than a few days for their usual patterns to emerge. Belinda played a role this time around.

Tod snapped his fingers. "Mitzi. Where did you go?" A tinge of concern entered his gaze.

She shook her head. "Sorry. Zoned out for a minute." She'd never admit where her head went because he didn't need the added pressure. "What did you need?" After doing battle with Belinda, Mitzi didn't want to throw down with Tod, too.

He frowned at her change of subject. "Had a briefing with Belinda about engineering and—" He stopped speaking when the lights flickered, flashed bright … then went out. "Ugh. That." Tod growled. "Shit." His eyes slid closed. "Wait for it."

The autolock engaged on the hatch leading into the training area.

Well, hell. She really should've expected the safety measure, especially on a newer ship. Perfect. Just what she needed.

Mitzi rolled her eyes. "Guess we're stuck." Won't this be fun?

Having a bit of fun with this story. Mitzi and Tod are getting an outside hand from the person Mitzi least suspects of help.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Living with Scars

I'm having a weird month so far. I'm doing well with posting daily relaxation, stress reducer things to avoid becoming the Scrinch (Scrooge and the Gringe combined), yet I'm also feeling kind of down, which is not the norm for me. I'm thinking a happy medium might be the best I'll do this year and I'm okay with that.

Had a week of busywork projects, which ended up being kind of fun. I like jumping around and moving back and forth between jobs. Keeps me on my toes and paying attention.

Had a solid week of television. A lot of what I worked on this week let me have background noise and I got a lot of shows watched!

I started with the first sixtieth anniversary special for Doctor Who. Thoroughly enjoyed having Ten and Donna back together. Looking forward to the second special this week.

Trying out a new to me show with Elementary. Watched the first two episodes and I like it so far. I didn't watch at all when it originally aired and I'm looking forward to seeing more of this show.

Caught two episodes of The Batman and should be semi-close to the end of season one. Looking forward to more of this one.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Liked both and loved the play on vintage TV shows the ghost stories episode had.

Watched two episodes of VIP and remembered one from the original airing of the show. Lots of fun with the ice bullets before they were really a thing.

Caught another episode of My Life Is Murder and ended up liking it a lot. The drag queen setting was fun and the snark fest between Alexa and the manager deserves a chef's kiss.

Enjoyed another Agatha Raisin episode. It's the first of a two-parter so I'm excited to see what happens next. Very fun to watch Agatha and James navigate living together.

Finished the second half of a two-part Silent Witness. Actually liked how this one played out. It's cool to revisit old cases and the one they went back to ended up being an important one.

Caught another Death in Paradise episode. I'm enjoying Florence and Humph working together. And I'm fond of the JP and Dwayne dynamic.

Also started a new Passionflix series with The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Got the first episode in and I'm intrigued so far. Looking forward to seeing how the two seasons play out.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Living with Scars, a novella that explores the reunion of a couple after one has a traumatic experience.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Ralinda "Rally" Anderson quickly became the bane of Britta's existence. Rally got a taste for being a squadron leader while Britta served her penance in maintenance. And the younger pilot didn't want to give up her new-found status.

Britta figured a nice little chat should take place. "Hey, Rally. Hold up a minute."

Ralinda's shoulders tensed, but she waited by the exit. Britta struck a casual pose, leaning against the bulkhead with a foot propped on the surface. Then she stared Anderson down with a calm façade. It's the best way to get the upper hand.

Rally huffed out a frustrated sigh. "Did you want something?"

Britta lifted a brow. The girl had a set of brass ones. Britta would give Ralinda props for pushing back.

But Britta quickly set the tone. "I'm sorry. I think you meant 'Did you want something, sir'." Britta straightened, pulling rank and enjoying it. "Last I checked, I'm a lieutenant and you're still junior grade."

Anderson's nostrils flared, but she kept her cool. "Is there something I can do for you, sir?" She sneered the question, barely keeping a civil tone.

Britta smiled at the cracks in the pilot's armor. "You can tell me what your problem is."

Rally's eyes widened. "With what? Unless you mean you specifically, sir."

Smart girl.

Britta nodded. "Sure, Rally. Let's start there." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I've been back on rotation two weeks and you're either on my ass or so far up it, I can smell what you had for your last meal."

Rally flushed, but tersely explained. "You're a menace, sir."

Britta laughed. "I'm supposed to be, Lieutenant. Our job is to do as much damage to the enemy as possible."

Rally shook her head. "Not my meaning, and you know it."

And finally, they were getting somewhere. "Okay. Why don't you explain—specifically—why you think I'm a menace?"

Rally loosened up. "You're hungover … All. The. Time. You've lost discipline. You have zero focus. And sometime, probably in the very near future, you're gonna get yourself—or one of us—killed." She heaved for breath, dragging air into her lungs.

Britta quirked a brow. "Wow. Been saving that up for a while, haven't you?"

Ralinda lifted a shoulder. "Look, you asked. I don't wanna fly with you—veteran hot shot or not."

Britta slowly lifted her chin. "Good to know. But just to be clear…" Britta lifted one finger. "Haven't had a hangover in a month…" She added a second digit. "I've never had discipline outside of a cockpit." A third finger joined the first two. "Even unfocused, I still fly circles around you…" She lifted her little pinky. "And the weight of that chip on your shoulder will kill someone before I ever do." Britta moved to stand toe-to-toe with the other pilot. "You don't have to like me … but you'd damned well better respect the rank I hold." Britta pinned Ralinda with her gaze. "If you can't do that … I'm sure we can find some transport ships for you to pilot around the fleet."

Ralinda sucked in a harsh breath and opened her mouth to blast Britta. She quickly snapped it shut again and held her tongue, looking away to hide the angry flash in her eyes. A very wise choice.

Britta smiled and patted Rally on the shoulder. "Nice start. Keep the attitude in check and we'll do just fine." Turning, Britta walked a few steps before angling her head back. "You're dismissed, Lieutenant."

Continuing down the corridor, Britta felt better than she had since she got back. One problem down, a zillion more to go. Including one gigantic challenge named Yale.

I'm trying to rein this story in. The sages keep feeding me ideas and I won't be able to use all of them but it's a great problem to have.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Little More

Not sure I'm ready for December. The last few months have really flown by, and I can't seem to keep up. I must be getting old. Or life is coming at me fast and that's why I'm struggling to stay in the moment.

And because I'm failing at staying in the moment, I started a daily post for self-care on Instagram and Blue Sky. Each day I'm going to post something that I do just for me to help me shed stress and enjoy a few minutes of me time.

To that end, I might be including some television shows, so keep an eye out for a few specials that aren't in my normal rotation.

I did get two episodes of My Life Is Murder in this week. I'm a little puzzled by the change in location from Australia to New Zealand, but I'm running with it for now.

I also finished up the bonus episodes from Agatha Raisin season two and caught the premiere of season three. I kind of miss Gemma but Toni is a lot of fun.

Watched two episodes of Silent Witness. Hard to say goodbye to Thomas and it's weird to not see Clarissa at the Lyell anymore. I do like the new vibe Jack and Nikki have. Looking forward to seeing if they add any new cast members.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. Camille left for Paris and Humph is working through the new dynamic. I really enjoy this show and I'm so glad I can see it in chronological order.

Finished Only Murders in the Building and I did get the villains right. Excellent third season and I'm excited about season four because who saw that one coming with the new victim?

Caught another episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. The dynamic between Bruce and Alfred is a lot of fun.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. The two vignettes are ones I remembered and enjoyed the first time around. I love it when the parents truly have no idea what's going on.

Enjoyed another episode of VIP. The over-the-top villains are always entertaining. I truly miss that sometimes.

Also watched another episode of Peak Practice. Once again, I'm not interested at all in one of the storylines, but I do love the two new cast members and what's going on with them.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from A Little More, a novella that brings a couple together and makes them deal with how to work and play together.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Lexie's nerve endings still tingled and once they made it to quarters, she turned to face him. "Your rack or mine?"

Tighe nudged her around and moved her up against the hatch. "Don't care." He grabbed a screwdriver and shoved it into the latch to maintain privacy.

When his mouth ghosted over her skin, making her hot and flushed, she moaned. "Mine's closer." Maybe by two whole feet, but still…

He smirked. "Yours it is then." He picked her up, putting her hot core close to his hard dick.

She ground over his shaft where their hips joined. "Doesn't take you long to recharge." And, holy crap, she couldn't wait until he filled her.

Tighe rolled a shoulder. "Like you said … we only took the edge off. I'm ready to experience the full Lexie treatment." He made the short walk to her bunk.

Lexie flicked her tongue against his ear. "Mmm … and I'm ready to give it to you."

They reached her berth, and he settled her inside. She stripped off while he shucked his boxes and yanked his shirt over his head. His hard body made her mouth water.

Tracing the ridges of his abdomen, she glanced up to meet his gaze. "You getting in or what?"

He put a knee on the edge and slid up into her space. She yanked the curtains shut and moaned again when Tighe's mouth clamped onto a nipple. Her boobs were erogenous zones and he had serious skill. While he worried one with his lips, teeth, and tongue, he treated the other to a mix of kneading the whole globe combined with tweaks and tugs using his fingertips.

She threaded her fingers in his hair, holding him close to her, humping his hair-roughened thigh. She searched for and found his hard cock and did some playing herself. Fisting the girth, she tugged firmly then lowered her palm to his balls. Fondling the sacs, she also stroked his perineum.

He let her nipple escape his mouth. "Oh, fuck, yes."

She grinned. "You like a little ass play. You have no idea how much that turns me on."

His tongue flicked over her other nipple. "Lexie, babe, you can do whatever you want with my ass."

She gushed more fluid at the thought "I'll definitely keep that in mind. But. right now, I kinda need this hot, hard dick buried deep inside me."

Tighe grabbed her hips and shifted her around to straddle his thighs. "I'm all yours." His hands slid up her sides to cup her breasts.

She shuddered with anticipation, rose up, and sank slowly over his rigid length. "Oh, yeah. Perfect fit." He filled her, stretching her out a little.

He held her gaze and closed his lips over her areola, sucking hard. Lexie planted her hands on either side of his shoulders and rocked her hips. Tighe switched sides, drawing the other pebbled tip between his teeth, worrying the nub then flicking his tongue over it.

She responded by getting wetter and moving a little faster. "Won't last long. You feel too good inside me." More like incredible.

Tighe leaned back and gave her a quick grin. "I'm primed and ready. Let's see if we can get you off more than once." He bucked up against her, flexing his thighs.

Her eyes slid closed at the exquisite sensations rolling through her. He might be the death of her. But what a way to go.

I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. The sages decided to lean in to the erotic side of things and they keep trying to up the heat factor.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Leading the War Effort

I hope everyone who celebrates US Thanksgiving had a lovely holiday. Mine was low-key, which is how I enjoy the holiday the most. As usual, my husband cooked for ninety-seven people instead of the three that were here, but that means leftovers and readily available meals for a few days!

Kind of a light week for work projects in varying stages. I ended up getting a decent amount of writing completed. I finished up two manuscript drafts and I'm in the fine-tuning stage for those. I'm excited to start revising! I also did some additional planning for the other ventures I'm trying to launch soon. Should be an exciting December!

Had a great week of television viewing. I got an extra show in this go around but still didn't get to pick back up with my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hopefully this week.

I ended up watching two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm sad that Clarissa is leaving but look forward to new faces. Can't wait to pick up with the second half of the current two-parter. It ended on a cliffhanger.

Also got two episodes of Death in Paradise in this week. Started season four, which I'm enjoying. Humph is a lot of fun and Dwayne has been very entertaining so far.

Ended up watching two episodes of Only Murders in the Building also. Finished the penultimate episode last night and, wow, I love this show. And … I'm pretty sure I guessed correctly with a slight twist on the murderer. Can't wait to watch the final episode.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. One I remembered and the other one I didn't so really enjoyed that one. Not sure how many episodes are left in the first season but looking forward to more.

Caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I did remember both. An interesting bit was the theme changed for one episode then went back to the original. Weird what I notice when I'm streaming shows.

Watched another episode of VIP. The over-the-top storylines are so much fun. I really miss some of the shows from the late nineties and early aughts.

Enjoyed a behind-the-scenes episode of My Life Is Murder. I'll be starting season two this week, unless there's another bonus episode.

Also watched a behind-the-scenes episode of Agatha Raisin. A lot of fun to see and hear the actors talk about their characters. There might be one more BTS for season two then I'll be moving on to season three.

Picked back up with Peak Practice. I skipped ahead a little because I honestly don't care about Andrew and Kate's torrid relationship. Might try to work another episode in this week.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Leading the War Effort, a novella that puts a bit of a spin on soldiering a la Jason Bourne or Steve Rogers.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

North entered the training room to find testing equipment and devices instead of workout mats and accoutrements. "What's going on?" He looked forward to more routines with her.

Frankie sent him a too-bright smile. "Welcome to phase three." She slapped electrodes on his chest and reached up to affix one to his temple.

He caught her hand. "Hold up. Slow down." He tried to catch her gaze but kept picturing her naked, which didn't help his thought process.

Frankie quirked a brow and tilted her head slightly.

He let go of her hand. "Sorry. So that means I finally passed muster?" Would've been nice to know he'd cleared the hurdle.

Her face colored and she cleared her throat. "Yeah. Yes. Your unorthodox approach seemed to get results." She finished applying the electrode to his head.

His voice lowered. "That was all you, Major." Pleased when she gave a slight shudder, he added, "You issued a challenge and I only rose to the occasion." In multiple ways.

She moved away, which also gave him a kick of satisfaction. She's not immune to the wild chemistry—even if she'd like to be. He liked the thought.

But … he let her have some space. "What's next? Phase three is all monitoring, right? Checking my body's reaction to the meds and testing strength and endurance?" Which should increase at a steady rate.

Frankie nodded. "We'll draw blood to make sure you're not having adverse reactions to the medication. We'll run scenarios for the physical examination, and I'm adding a final series of cognitive tests to track the enhancements." She paused then continued. "Not that you needed much. You have a remarkable level of base intelligence."

North cracked a wide smile. "I hear a compliment there. A rarity coming from you." He couldn't resist poking at her armor a little.

Frankie shrugged. "I give credit where it's due."

North snorted. "You should take the credit, too. You're the heart of this program, Major. The department brass has no idea what a gift they have with you." Or they did and chose to be assholes about it.

Frankie lifted a shoulder. "I'm more like a headache, but I fight for what I believe in." She checked the placement of the tabs then grabbed the wires.

Then why didn't she fight for herself? North wouldn't rock the boat right now, but someday he'd press for answers. Because he needed to know why she didn't push harder for herself.

Currently, he hoped he had her full support. "What about who you believe in? Will you fight for me, Major?"

She held his gaze. "Yes, always."

His heart rate kicked up and he thanked the universe she hadn't hooked him up to the machinery yet.

I love, love, love this story. North and Frankie are so much fun to write and I can't wait to finish this one.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Last Best Chance ... for a Good First Impression

Entering thankful week with so much to think about and be grateful for. There's a lot going on in life right now and some of it's not great. But … there's also so much that's good and I always try to focus on the good stuff. I spent way too many years as a glass half empty girl. The stress of that did not do me any favors.

I got to edit an amazing holiday story, which I didn't expect and I'm so happy I got the project. It's from one of my favorite authors too!

My husband started a new job that he can do during his off season from the golf course, which is an amazing opportunity.

I got to watch a play my daughter did the entire lighting setup for, and I'm so glad I got to go and see what she's accomplished with her theater major. I already get to hear her radio show for her media production major. She has a semester left and I can't wait to see the amazing things she does with her future.

Had a pretty decent week of television viewing. I managed a full round of my current slate of shows, minus the Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hoping to pick it back up this week.

Started out with the first half of a two-part Silent Witness. Kind of an interesting case mixed in with the personal aspect for the characters.

Caught another Death in Paradise. This is an episode I got to see part of before and it's nice to have the full context of everything that happened.

Loved the episode of Only Murders in the Building. So awesome to see Theo again. I love his friendship with Mabel. I'm kind of hoping the trio is back together by the next episode, but it's fun to see Mabel interact with other people. Going to miss seeing her in her aunt's apartment though.

Watched another episode of The Batman. This one introduced the Riddler. I'd forgotten how much teamwork between Yin and Batman was in this one.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I kind of remembered both and liked being able to sort of rewatch and still be a little surprised.

Caught an episode of VIP. This one ended up being a lot of fun and had some terrific character moments.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder. Nice to see Alexa kind of joining in and participating in a celebration. Here's hoping we get more of that in later episodes.

Also got another episode of Agatha Raisin in. This ended the second series and had so many great moments. I'm excited to see what season three brings.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Last Best Chance … for a Good First Impression, a novella that has a fun first meeting between the main characters.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Nik poked his head out of the office. "Lieutenant Coll, a moment?" He walked back to the desk and settled on the edge.

Cadence entered. "You needed to see me?" She unzipped her flight suit and shrugged out of the sleeves.

Nik grunted and indicated she should take a seat. "Noticed you took your third late-shift rotation. I'm assuming it's to avoid early shifts?" He hated to call her out, but he couldn't have her swapping schedules all the time. "If you want to drink your weight in Carmonite ale, you'll have to do it when you have R and R instead of inconveniencing your squadron because you can't roll out in the morning." He ignored her narrowed gaze and continued on his tangent. "Gotta say I'm disappointed you're living up to the information in your jacket. What happened to turning over a new leaf?" Her current spate of late shifts didn't bode well for her.

Cadence's lips thinned but she stayed silent.

Nik tsked. "Nothing to say for yourself?" Another layer of disappointment edged into his gut.

Cadence tilted her head. "Sure you're though listing my detractions? Nothing else to add?" She tied the sleeves of her suit around her waist, flexing her fingers a couple of times.

Nik lifted his chin. "I'm through."

Cadence planted her hands on her hips. "Well, then. For the record, I'm not switching so I can drink my weight in Carmonite ale, and I don't have a problem with early shifts." She rocked back in the chair. "I've been switching rotations with Bowser because he has a thing with a hot petty officer who's assigned to first watch, which means Bowser only gets to spend time with her in the evenings." Her voice took on a hard edge. "To top it off, he's usually scheduled with Markum who the petty officer dumped for Bowser. Bowser wanted a little time to deal with the rivalry before flying with Markum again." She settled the chair back on its legs.

Nik huffed out a breath. "So, what? You took it upon yourself to solve the problem?" Why didn't he know any of this?

Cadence shrugged. "That's one way to look at it."

Nik cocked his head. "Is there another?"

Cadence lifted her chin. "Try this on for size. Maybe the end goal was to make your job easier."

Nik frowned. "How? If I don't know about problems, I can't fix them." Did she not get that?

Cadence did a head tilt of her own and her voice went flat. "Does it ever get heavy?"

Nik furrowed his brow. "Does what ever get heavy?"

Cadence folded her arms across her chest. "Carrying the weight of the universe on your shoulders?" She got up. "From now on, I'll stick to my schedule—no more switching out to help a fellow pilot." She started for the door. "By the way, I hope you'll note—in my jacket—how I avoided punching my superior officer in the mouth. It might be nice to have some positive to balance out the negative." She sailed through the door with grace and dignity without waiting for a response.

Nik shook his head. "Well, I got that completely wrong." And Cadence let him go on a track before she calmly delivered the truth.

Could I be more of an ass right now?

Hell, no.

And she'd totally called his bullshit—rightly so. His preconceived notions definitely played a role in his thought process. He needed to apologize … but not before he did some internal reflection.

"Why did I so easily assume the worst about her when she's shown me nothing but good?"

I love this story. It's so much fun writing characters that don't always get things right then getting them to figure things out.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kick in the Burn

November is continuing the crazy weather tradition. Warm a few days then frigid a few. The whiplash roller coaster is in full force. Please keep arms and legs inside during the ride and make sure you've got plenty of allergy meds and mucus relief tablets on hand.

Had a somewhat light work week and got to focus on writing, which is kind of great considering it's Nanowrimo month.

Also got some decent screen time this week. I didn't do a double rotation, but I did make a full run through of all my shows with a little overflow.

I caught two episodes of Agatha Raisin. Season two is a bit different with longer episodes and different titles. So far, I'm enjoying the fallout from the aborted wedding … and the mysteries of course.

Watched the second half of Silent Witness and started a new two-parter. I'm enjoying the kind of messy storylines. Considering this series has been around for twenty-three years, it's interesting to see how much it's changed from the beginning.

Enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise and finished out season three. Kind of nice to see Humphrey's wife and get an actual end to their relationship. Also great that neither really ended up being the bad guy.

Caught another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Loved how the trio finally got to work together … sort of. That might be the only thing that really sticks out as being a little off for me this season. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the mystery.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman. I like seeing the villains kind of double up and then double cross each other.

Got another episode of Classic Rugrats in and remembered both vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed both. It's so much fun going back to this show and thinking about watching when my kids were little.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Kick in the Burn, a novella that brings a couple together during a marathon work session.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Ridge got his shower and changed into a uniform. He bumped into Petty Officer Jansen in the mess when he stopped to order the coffee for what would surely be an all-night session.

He apologized for breaking their not-date. "Um, duty calls. I won't be able to make it tonight."

Maria shrugged. "I understand. Maybe we can get together another time." She zeroed in on a marine lance corporal and quickly took her leave.

Ridge started to make his way down to the office … not horribly upset about the missed opportunity, which surprised him. Even if Jansen completely fit his type—easy on the eyes and lacking gumption. But, eh, lately the easy-pickings, high-wattage sex drive package didn't make for satisfaction. Having a night off to take stock and go through a million fitreps—especially with Jaden—might be more stimulating.

Ridge had to own being a little intimidated by Lieutenant Scratch. She had looks, brains, and a natural ability to fly, all things he admired. What his dad called a total package. Jaden also had a sterling reputation, getting along with everyone. And … she seemed to know exactly what she wanted from life.

Aside from flying, Ridge had no clue. His dad wanted a son who moved up the ranks—and Elliot Quartermain made that happen. A friendly conversation here, a glowing reference letter there. Ridge didn't have to do more than show up for duty. Sometimes the interference chafed, but sometimes it came in handy—like now, when he ended up being six weeks behind on fitreps.

Ridge entered the office to find Jaden setting stacks of reports out. Her casual attire threw him for a moment. He assumed she'd be in uniform—her by-the-book reputation almost warranted fatigues at the very least—since they were on duty. Instead, she had some flirty ensemble in two shades of purple. The color suited her.

And made him drool a little.

She glanced up and caught him staring.

He flashed a smile. "Did I miss the memo? The one that changed this to a casual work session?"

I love writing this couple. Their story has been a lot of fun to dive into and it's coming together nicely.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Keeping Up with Honor

Ugh. Turning the clock back is a bummer. I've been reading arguments for staying on standard time or making daylight saving time permanent. I think I'm coming down on making DSL permanent, but either way, it would be nice to not have to turn the clocks in any direction.

Had a busy work week and hit my daily goals to stay on target for project dates. I also got a lot of writing in and updated some completed manuscripts for my new venture. I truly hope to launch it before the holidays.

Not a bad week of watching television. I'm debating on how many streamers I'm going to keep because they keep raising their prices. I'm okay with paying more if it's not all going into shareholder pockets. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of deal SAG-AFTRA can make with the studios. That might also help me decide which streaming platforms I'll be keeping.

I ended up starting a new Silent Witness two-parter and struggled a little with this one. Domestic violence is a hard watch and there aren't many clues to who the culprit is. I'm hoping to finish the second half later today.

Caught another Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of Humphrey and can't wait to finish his run so I can watch the spin off Beyond Paradise.

Watched another episode of Only Murders in the Building and enjoyed it even if a lot of the scenes were goofy. It's kind of nice to have the comedic skills of the cast on display.

Got another episode of Battlestar Galactica in on my rewatch. This one had some good moments with a lot being left unsaid, which ends up biting a few people later.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman, which finished up the two-part origin story of Clayface and put Yin on the tentative side of the Batman.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. I remembered the first part with the submarine imagination scenario but forgot about the one where they discover Chuckie is left-handed. I love going back to these episodes and seeing them again.

Caught another episode of VIP and enjoyed it. It's fun to see the characters out of their element. It's also fun to see Val figure out what's actually going on.

Enjoyed another episode of My Life Is Murder. Nice to have a bit of Alexa backstory about her husband and how his death still affects her.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Keeping Up with Honor, a novella that puts a couple on a collision course with their future after splitting them apart in the present.

Here's the miniblurb:

Honor Brock goes against orders and runs a fool's mission to find a lost artifact. Rush Masterson tests a theory and risks his life to track her down. Once he finds her, he has to keep up because Honor won't go back until she has what she wants.

And a sneaky peek…

Rush's words slapped her hard. She deserved the scorn. But the broken trust stabbed at her heart.

She spoke to his retreating back. "I'm sorry, Rush."

Maybe she could show him they still had a shot. No, she'd blown her chance with him. She had been selfish, wanting one night with him in case she ended up not making it.

But she'd survived and he'd followed her. Now she'd have plenty of nights with Rush, but not the kind she wanted.

She sighed. "Well, I can still save the fleet." Packing up her bag, she hefted it over her shoulder and went out to meet Rush.

He studied her for a long moment, his face inscrutable. "Where to?" He arched an eyebrow.

She ached to touch him, to rewind to the obs deck and tell him everything she should've told him.

Instead, she grabbed a map and nodded toward downtown. "Ancient history museum. About five kilometers."

Rush huffed out a breath. "Long walk. Why don't we find something to get us there faster?"

She tilted her head to one side. "Okay, not a bad idea." She crossed the street to a parking garage. "Think anyone left their key in the ignition before they fled?" She peered through the windshield on the vehicles closest to her.

Rush dropped down, running his hands along the under carriage of a van. "Probably not, but they might have a spare set, in case they got locked out." He moved on to a small coupe.

Her face flamed. She should've thought of that. She mimicked his actions, coming up empty in her row. Rush started on the next section, and she did the same.

Two cars in, her fingers grazed a familiar oblong shape. "Rush. Think I hit paydirt here." She gave a hard tug and the magnetic box fell into her hand.

Sure enough, a spare key took up the space. A shadow fell over her in the dim light. Rush glanced down and cracked a slight smile. She stood up and pressed the unlock button. Rush pulled the passenger door open and slid inside.

Honor followed, wrinkling her nose. "Man, remind me to crack a window if we ever have to flee a planet again." Musty, stale air circulated when she started the engine.

Rush nodded toward the dash. "Fuel?"

She checked the gauge. "Half a tank. Plenty enough to go downtown and back." She backed out of the space and drove out of the garage, headed for the museum, carefully navigating the buckled areas of the pavement.

She slid a couple of looks in Rush's direction. He stared straight ahead, his face set in hard lines. I did that to him. The responsibility ate at her. And she had no idea how to make it right. Or if she could, no matter how much she wanted to. Then again, she didn't ask him to come along and chase her back home. So yeah, he owned that one.

With no traffic or lights, they covered the five kilometers in short order. She parked in front of the museum and shut off the engine. Rush popped his door open and walked around the front of the car.

Honor waited a few moments, getting her head back in the game. "Find the artifact, figure out the ship, head home." Everything else could wait.

Rush braced his hands on the window. "You coming?" Impatience laced his tone.

Heaving a sigh, she nodded. "Yeah, let's get this done." She stopped. "Shit. No lights or power. Why didn't I think of that?" Maybe because she'd been consumed with fear and doubt about the mission.

Rush smirked. "No idea, but I did." He reached into his bag and brought out two lights.

Damn the man for pulling her ass out of the fire. Again. She got out of the car, grabbed one of the torches, and stalked to the unlocked entrance.

I'm actually having a lot of fun with this story. It's kind of my favorite what-if type of scenario.

 

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

ML Skye