Sunday Snippet: Threshold

Seasons' Greetings!

For whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous time filled with cheer and merriment. We'll be low key per usual with a trip to my dad's and hopefully some FaceTime with my brother in Arizona.

The weather is still playing back and forth. We have a bit of snow and it's pretty cold right now. The temps are supposed to warm up into the forties and fifties over the next few days.

Finished up two projects this week and have one on my plate. January looks to be shaping up with multiple projects and I'm so grateful for those. The short break gives me some time to finish getting my side project ready to launch and I hope to do that next week during the holiday.

Only a semi-good week of viewing. I had some big cleaning projects to work on and got a good bit of that completed. Still working on a few others and hope to have them finished before the end of the year.

Watched another episode of Mr and Mrs Murder. I remember parts of this one but hadn't seen the entire episode. Ended up being pretty good.

Also watched an episode of London Kills. The plot thickens regarding the disappearance of David's wife. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up being resolved. Also enjoying Billie so much on this show.

Enjoyed the one hundredth episode of Death in Paradise. So lovely to have Camille back for a brief stay. Also nice to see Spirit Richard. This also marks, in my opinion, when Catherine and Selwyn take on larger roles in the show. Looking forward to rounding out season ten with the last two episodes.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Threshold, a novella that puts a couple on their path to freedom after years of servitude.

Here's the miniblurb:

Satin Welch takes one look at the gorgeous Blade Killian and has to have him. She purchases his slave contract and grants him freedom. Blade doesn't trust the beautiful woman or her idea to make him a partner on the Threshold, a pleasure ship traveling throughout the galaxy, but he can't quite resist the chance to make his own choices after a decade of sexual servitude.

And a sneaky peek…

Who are you? A great question. One Satin would answer in just a moment. First, she had something very important to do—before Blade ended her life.

She choked out an order. "His collar. Remove his collar." The words gurgled from her throat.

Blade's eyes widened when the circlet of silver fell to the deck. He swooped around, locking an arm around her torso, resting just below her breasts. She held up the controller and he snatched it from her hand but didn't loosen his grip.

Satin dragged in air then nodded toward the device. "I thought you'd like to have the honor of destroying the unit." The next step to calm the raging man.

She hoped.

After shoving her away, Blade dropped the tiny device to the deck and stomped on it. He picked up the collar and threw it against the wall, shattering the thing into pieces. Symbolically, she'd given him his freedom. Now she had to earn his trust.

He spun around. "Again, I ask, who are you and why shouldn't I kill you right now?" His chest heaved with barely controlled emotion.

Satin smiled. "The who is Satin Welch and the why is something we'll get to in a moment, but first—" She crossed to the kitchenette and grabbed a stack of papers.

Taking the first one, she tucked the others under her elbow. She retrieved a handheld mincer.

She returned to his side. "I'm setting you free. This is the purchase contract from the transaction with your former owner." She shredded the pages and let the pieces fall to the ground. "As of this moment, you are no longer a slave."

Blade crossed his arms over his chest. "Why should I believe you?" He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "My first owner did the same thing—yet here I am, ten years later, newly purchased. I've traded one owner for another … again."

Satin lost her patience. "You moron. I didn't buy you, I bought your contract so you can become my business partner." Maybe she'd misjudged his intelligence.

Blade blinked then threw his head back and laughed. "You're amusing yourself, right? You said business, but you mean bed, don't you?" His derisive tone suggested disgust at the thought.

Satin sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, I don't." She gave him a slow once-over. "I certainly wouldn't turn you down, but you'll never be forced to pleasure me—or anyone else—in bed from this moment forward…" She paused a moment. "Unless you want to earn more on the side or you choose to bed someone of your own volition." She tried really hard to make her intention clear and succinct.

If he could get out of his own way enough to see.

I love how this story is coming together. Satin and Blade are interesting characters and I enjoy writing them.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Therapeutic Recuperation

Big cold snap with a little bit of snow this week in weather. I'm getting much better about making sure I have layers on even if it's just a quick trip outside with the doggos. I also haven't had a major cold yet this season and I hope I didn't just jinx that fact.

Semibusy work week with finishing a proofread and working on two copy edits. I'm hoping to have some projects to work on over the holiday break. I'm not great at having a week or two off then trying to gear back up into work mode.

Fairly decent week of viewing. I'm trying to decide what new show to add to my usual slate of viewing fare. I'm leaning toward Beyond Paradise, but I'm not completely sure yet.

Caught another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I hadn't seen much if any of this episode and I enjoyed it. I think I have a handful of episodes left before it'll be time to switch to another show.

Watched another episode of London Kills and tensions are running high. The case ended up being very interesting and Viv and Rob are pushing the line by investigating David. Looking forward to more of this one.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Part one of a two-part arc and the lead-in to the show's one hundredth episode. Loved seeing Camille at the end and can't wait to watch the next episode. I've seen almost all of it and loved it.

Finished up season two of Elementary. I still think Mycroft is an ass even if I get why he did things the way he did. I'm a little on the fence about where Sherlock and Joan left things. I'll be interested to see where they pick up with season three.

Started the two-part series finale of The Batman. I don't remember if I actually watched this before or not but it was a good episode. I think I might move on to Batman Beyond after this.

Also watched another episode Classic Rugrats. I hadn't seen either of the vignettes and enjoyed both.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Therapeutic Recuperation, a novella that brings a couple together after a major explosion.

Here's the miniblurb:

An accidental blast on the hangar deck lands Nadine Hewes and Hall Pullion in sickbay. The ship's doctor gets them stable then puts them in the same alcove so they don't drive everyone else nuts while they recuperate, leading the pilots to discover all kinds of interesting things about each other.

And a sneaky peek…

Year 3952

Base Recovery Room 219

Day 5

Nadine groaned. "Physical therapy sucks huge heavy balls." She made her way slowly into the recovery room and barely got up on the bed, near tears. "I feel like a raw, open wound." After someone poured salt into it.

Hall scooted his wheelchair over and reached out a hand to reassure her.

She stopped him. "Don't, Hall. Please. Just don't. I hurt so bad right now if you touch me, my reaction will be punching you in the face." And then weeping from the effort that would take.

Hall dropped his hand. "Damn, I wonder if I can look forward to that tomorrow?" He made a low scratchy sound in his throat.

Nadine's eyes popped open. "Seriously? I hope not. It's like a gigantic pain bomb exploded under my skin." She moved, wincing. "I wouldn't wish this feeling on my worst enemy, which you are not." The physical therapist on the other hand…

Hall flashed a smile. "So … who is your worst enemy?"

Nadine snorted. "I have no idea. You could probably do a quick check and find out who lodged the most complaints about me." That could be a fun endeavor.

Hall didn't let her off the hook. "C'mon, Nadine. I can't check anything from here." He rolled over to the supply cupboard and got some ice for her.

Nadine gingerly placed the pack on her shoulder then mused and named off several crew members. "The best would be Flat Foot actually filed a grievance because I called him out for leaving his gear in the cockpit." A huge no-no. "And Beehive lodged a complaint because I turned her in for being hungover." Not even Nadine tried to fly after imbibing too much. "And the list goes on…" She pushed boundaries but didn't cross the line.

Hall's lips twitched. "You're not exactly high on any of the deck crew's list either." He obviously enjoyed her tales of potential enemies.

Her eyes narrowed. "And I think you're having a little too much fun at my expense."

He smirked. "Maybe. But how do you feel?" He arched his brows.

She tilted her head. "Better, actually. The ice helped." And the distraction didn't hurt either.

He nodded toward her feet. "Can you handle a massage?" He wiggled his fingers in the air.

She gave a low moan. "Ah … you're gonna spoil me. What am I gonna do when we get out of here?" She lowered the bed a few inches to make it easier for him to reach her.

Hall gave her a leer. "Dream of my magic fingers." He warmed his hands by rubbing them together then started on her calf muscle.

Her breath hitched. She already dreamed of those fingers and what they might be able to do. The only good thing about physical therapy? The aftermath left her so tired she didn't dare try to discover how much pleasure Hall could wield with his hands or any other body part. But her mind loved to conjure images while she slept.

He finished the rub down and wheeled over to his duffel bag and grabbed his shower kit and a crutch. Tucking the container under his arm, he used the crutch to start back across the room.

When he got to her bed, Nadine snagged his arm. "Thank you." He helped ease the agony from a torturous physical therapy session and helped take her mind off the discomfort by with the art of distraction.

A charged moment passed between them. He had to know what her thoughts were. But he didn't push. Instead, he put his hand over hers for a moment then excused himself to grab a shower, walking slowly and carefully into the head.

Nadine drifted off, fully aware she'd dream of Hall and his gorgeous hands and not minding one bit.

I'm enjoying this one. Nadine and Hall are a fun couple to write while they try to recuperate from their injuries.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Taken By Surprise

Ohio is back to being contrary with its weather. Super cold days in the teens followed by a warmup of midfifties. My sinuses hate this kind of back and forth.

Had a fairly busy work week with a new project landing in my inbox. It's one of my favorite authors to edit and proofread for. Also spent a lot of time pulling my tax stuff together. I realized last week I hadn't filed for 2023 yet. Better late than never.

Not a bad week of viewing. I didn't make a full round of my usual slate of shows, but I got most of the way through. Again, my sleep schedule is playing havoc with my brain.

Watched another episode of Mr and Mrs Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of familiar faces in this one, which is always fun.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I'm kind of excited about Rob and Vivienne teaming up to investigate David. Of course, there's more to the story and I can't wait to find out what's really going on.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one but it's nice to follow the whole story from beginning to end instead of catching bits and pieces all the time.

Finished up season twenty-seven of Silent Witness. Gotta say, I really enjoyed the finale. Jack proposing to Nikki made my heart happy. And I'm interested to see what happens with Jack's place. Maybe Kara and Velvy will stay there.

Watched another episode of Elementary and enjoyed it. Still not a Mycroft fan even if he had extenuating reasons for being an ass. I am kind of glad Sherlock isn't going to throw his brother under the bus. At least I don't think he is. The next episode should reveal what will happen.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Taken by Surprise, a sexy short that changes the dynamics of a friends-with-benefits couple to something more.

Here's the miniblurb:

Pales Thompson has a new man, Herrick Edwards, in her life and his birthday is coming up, but they're stuck on a ship with no R&R passes available. Pales isn't great at maintaining a relationship, but she'll take Herrick by surprise and plan a spectacular day.

And a sneaky peek…

Herrick enjoyed the view when Pales made her way out of the mess. "Damn, that was fun." Getting a little under her skin made his day.

She made pursuing her so much fun with her quirky reactions. Not that many people could read her … she had an outstanding poker face. But he paid attention and discovered quite a few of her tells. Like when her gaze lost focus, and a slight smile played around her lips? She had sex on her brain. Or when her eyes shifted color? He could guess most of her moods by the changing hues of her irises or how quickly her pupils widened.

Did he keep track of anyone else the way he did with her? "Nope." But he liked Pales, even when she got prickly.

He'd heard the stories. She rarely attempted a full-fledged relationship. The woman had terrible luck with her previous attempts. One guy couldn't keep his dick away from others. Not a problem except he'd been caught with his pants down an hour before his scheduled wedding … to Pales. Needless to say, she broke the engagement.

Another guy broke up with her when she made lieutenant before he did. Didn't matter if she had the experience and higher score on the exam. Also didn't matter they'd been together for close to two years. The asshat's ego mattered more to him than she did.

Herrick finished up his meal and stacked his tray on the pile at the wash station.

He didn't discount her reasons for being wary of getting involved with anything long-term. "But she can't go through life without a deeper connection. No one can." Okay … maybe a person could, but what did that kind of existence look like?

Lonely, for one. And, frankly, shortsighted. Living in the moment absolutely had benefits. But everyone needed a person they could count on. Whether they slept together or not.  He wanted to be that person for Pales.

He wouldn't push, but he'd be present. As up close as possible. He didn't want to spook her. But he needed to show her he'd be there, no matter what.

Because he liked so many things about her. Her sassy mouth, her total focus when flying, her ongoing feud with the XO. He quite loved everything about her. The sex became an unexpected and added bonus.

His mouth curved. "Especially when neither of us expected to hook up." At least not the first time.

A mix-up on new assigned quarters put them in the same berth. She'd pulled a double shift and appeared dead on her feet after a shower. The quartermaster either transposed the numbers or made a mistake. Either way, the card she held listed the same designation as his notification had earlier. When her shoulders slumped and she blew out a frustrated breath, he didn't have the heart to make her wake up the quartermaster to get a new rack.

He slid back against the wall and lifted his blanket. "Look, you might as well crash here. We can straighten this out after you get a solid eight." He could sleep facing the bulkhead so she didn't notice how much she affected him.

She only hesitated for a moment before she slipped beneath the covers. "Thank you." Pulling the curtain closed, she grabbed his extra pillow and got comfortable. "I owe you one. 'Night." Within a minute, her breathing deepened into sleep.

The next morning, he woke up with a start and the feel of her palm cupping his erection. She didn't say a word, but she worked his dick out of his knit boxers and moved to straddle his thighs. After pulling her hipster panties to the side, she sank over his rigid length then leaned down to mesh her lips with his. Neither lasted long, but by the time she broke and shuddered through her orgasm, he pretty much wanted to wake up every day with her wet heat surrounding his cock.

Of course he didn't say that to her.

Instead, he made it his mission to become her friend and find out if they had a chance for something else. The more he got to know her the deeper he fell. When one or both needed to scratch an itch, they found themselves together. So far, they hadn't strayed from that path. Which meant he might not stand a chance for a future with her, but he at least wanted to try.

Exiting the mess, he headed for a shift in comms. "And I aim to find out soon."

Having a lot of fun pulling this story together. Herrick likes to catch Pales off guard, but she's got a few tricks up her sleeve also.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Table of Lies

Welcome, December! I'm truly not sure what this month will bring. I'm at a weird place where I feel kind of stuck and a little buried under the weight of needing to get things done … but I have no idea where to start.

Work slowed down a little, which isn't a great thing. But it did give me some time to spend with my daughter when she came home for Thanksgiving break. I'm so grateful for that time. And December still looks to be booked with projects for the most part.

The temperature did drop but didn't quite dip into the teens. I'm really not ready for the arctic blast yet. But it does help get me in a mood for the holidays.

Had a semi-decent week of viewing. My sleep schedule is all over the place again and that doesn't always make for a good attention span.

Watched the season two premiere episode of London Kills. Nice to see Billie back in action. I'm interested in the ongoing arc from season one. This cast is stellar, and I love the changing dynamics between them.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm starting to find some redeeming value in Neville. I liked the way he kind of helped Florance. Really not sure about Marlon.

Enjoyed part one of Silent Witness. Loving some inside looks at Jack and Nikki and the mystery is kind of amazing. I have no idea where things are going and that's always fun.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Mycroft is an ass and maybe that's a good thing. He definitely has some explaining to do. I do give him kudos for being able to manipulate Sherlock even if I hate that he could. And I'm going to be really pissed if Sherlock decides Joan is his weakness and starts acting like a bigger ass than Mycroft.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I don't remember watching previously. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Having a team that is completely opposite of Batman and Robin was fun.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I think it's the final one where the whole episode is one story. I kind of wish there were more of those.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Table of Lies, a novella that features one of my favorite tropes of meeting the wrong brother first.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nichelle Stohl finally has her life on course—she's an instructor at the coveted academy of military science and she's testing the relationship waters for the first time since a truly horrible break up. Then she meets Garth Fillion—her boyfriend's brother—and her world tilts sideways.

And a sneaky peek…

Garth Fillion returned from a lunch meeting and grinned when he noticed the message light flashing on his computer. "Hope that's Quint getting back to me." His brother's concept of time didn't always reflect reality.

But Garth wouldn't trade his younger brother for anything on the planet. They might be opposites in almost everything, but Quint never failed to brighten things up wherever he went. Before their parents got divorced, Quint made life bearable when the arguments got out of hand by using humor to drown out the yelling and shouting from both adults. Garth tried to be the one to ease the strife, and usually got caught in the middle. Quint would usually come down and drag Garth away with a lame excuse—like Quint needed help with his homework—then get into his stash of snack foods to share before regaling Garth with bad jokes.

Garth shook his head. "Those jokes haven't improved since grade school." And if he sometimes wished Quint would dial back the antics, Garth rarely expressed that hope.

Because Quint used humor as a release valve and deserved to cope however he wanted to … especially after their turbulent childhood.

Pressing the icon on his monitor, Garth listened to his brother's message.

"Yo, G-man. Can't wait to see you, even if I have to share you with the ministry defoffs."

Garth snorted at the nickname his brother gave to the defense officers on base next to the military academy.

The one their dad and Garth each graduated from and where Quint currently spent his days. Garth had to monitor an inspection of a newly launched program for the ministry. One of the new responsibilities he'd inherited when he'd accepted his position in the ministry of defense.

Quint added a parting shot. "Also, I won't be on campus. I crash at my girlfriend's place on the weekends. Stop by after six for dinner. We'll catch up then." He rattled off the address then signed off.

Garth's eyes widened. "Girlfriend. Huh." A new development since they'd spoken last?

Or … one of Quint's practical jokes? With Quint, Garth didn't know for sure. He could end up in the middle of nowhere with Quint laughing his ass off.

Garth jotted the address down. "Not in a neighborhood I'm familiar with." He'd double-check the mapping program before heading out this weekend.

I love exploring different variations on a theme. Meeting the wrong brother first opens up a lot of possibilities. Garth and Quint are fun to write and throwing Nichelle into the mix is a lot of fun.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Submit

It's been a wild week. Between work and other commitments, I've been frazzled. My sleep schedule is all over the map and I'm not enjoying the fits and starts of trying to get rest. But … I'll adjust. Hopefully soon.

Our weather has been all over the place. We had a sixty-degree day followed by snow and thirty-four degrees. The day after Thanksgiving is supposed to be in the upper teens for the high. I'm side-eyeing Mother Nature right now.

Work projects are coming in and I think I'm booked through the end of the year. I'm pleased because December can be a sketchy month sometimes. I don't mind downtime, but I'm definitely not prepared to have limited income this year.

Had a terrible week of viewing. Too many distractions and said lack of sleep kept me from getting much watched.

I did catch an episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and kind of enjoyed it. Some familiar faces as guest stars this week. The mystery was a little lackluster but a good episode nonetheless.

I also caught some marathons of Midsomer Murders. I kind of love the streaming twenty-four hours of one show channels. It's fun to set a favorite and have a go-to comfort watch whenever I want.

I'm also looking at a few new shows but haven't decided which ones I want to pick up. I'm also hoping to get back to my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. My viewing partner will help determine if that's going to happen. So much more fun to watch with someone else who loves the show as much as I do.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Submit, a novella set on Furlough 99.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lena Stoll and Welles Abernate work security on a large space station. While the job pays well, the stress level can quickly skyrocket, but Lena comes up with a great solution—she acts as a dominatrix in her downtime—much to Welles's surprise.

And a sneaky peek…

Welles sat behind the desk after patrolling the sectors Balik assigned to him. "Figures Lena would pick tonight to flake off." Not that he blamed her after pulling the double shifts last week.

He'd been lucky enough to be exempt from pulling overtime because he'd just returned from an undercover stint in the mining colony. He had his mandatory debrief and Balik gave Welles three days to rest and recover from the hard labor he'd endured on the asteroid. He could've come back after two but took the extra time because their CO didn't do anything without a reason.

Welles snorted. "Sucks that Lena had to pick up the slack." Even if she proved more than capable of going full tilt with metaphoric balls to the wall.

He enjoyed working with her because she kept a straight head on when shit went sideways … and it often did on Furlough 99. Ex-enforcers liked to tempt fate by showing up and wreaking havoc. Especially when they could stick Balik with the tab of removing them from the station.

A blip pinged on the holomonitor and Welles swiped the screen. A brief report from an anonymous sender opened. His gut said the guild probably passed the no-name report along. The bounty hunters served a purpose, and Balik gave them free rein as long as they kept their size seventeen boots away from official security issues.

He briefly scanned the limited details and leaned closer to make sure he read the information correctly. "Shit. Definitely didn't see this coming." He slumped back in the chair.

According to the file, an agent happened to be moonlighting in the luxe sector at the Marionette—a very exclusive members-only establishment. Welles would have to investigate to make sure no underhanded dealing took place. The security agents weren't allowed to work other jobs because they could play favorites. If they got caught … they'd be subject to harsh repercussions, namely losing their position in the security force.

He heaved a sigh and got to his feet. "I'll have to check this out." He hoped whoever sent the report had things wrong.

Exiting the sector station, he took the upglide to the main hub of Furlough then grabbed a lift up to the luxe quad. He got off and went up three more levels. The first had shopping, shows, gambling slots and various food stations. The second level had casino gambling, bars like the Den of Iniquity, and dance clubs. The third had a mix of walk-in and by appointment establishments catering to the lovelorn or those looking for a bit of recreational pursuits, including sex. The fourth level had a more discerning clientele. Less crowded, the people frequenting this section got appointments with a higher price tag and could apply for membership-only clubs.

The fifth level and his destination had exclusive membership with a staggering price tag. "And apparently, one of my coworkers engaging in a side gig."

He moved past dark, heavy doors with attendants monitoring access. Anyone trying to get through would be required to scan their member pass card or not gain entry. The attendants were trained to remove interlopers with minimal disruption, which kept Balik happy.

Welles made his way to the Marionette and flashed his creds. The attendant narrowed his gaze, buzzed the matron, and let Welles inside. The matron guided him to a plush office and reviewed the information he presented.

She then directed him through the richly designed halls and stopped before a set of doors. "This is Domina's suite." With a lift of her chin, she backed away and glided back toward her office.

Welles huffed out a breath, wondering who he'd find on the other side.

Having fun with this one. It's a little different from the other two Furlough books and I'm happy to explore this unique dynamic of the station with Lena and Welles.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stripped to the Skin

I'm still working on getting my side project ready to go. At this point, I have no idea how long it will last but I'm going to go like gangbusters until I can't anymore.

Had a solid week of work. Finished up a copy edit and started a new one. Also worked on a developmental edit that's been simmering on the back burner. I have three projects lined up and I'm waiting on deposits to get rolling on those. Hopefully, December is going to be a steady month of work.

Had a very good week of viewing. I made it through my usual round of shows and started looking for a former fave to rewatch but it's not readily available. Might have to dig out my ripped DVDs and hunt around for one of my old players.

I caught two episodes of The Batman this week. No Justice League cameos in these two. Strictly Robin and Batgirl, which I enjoyed.

Also watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were single episodes instead of the standard two or three vignettes. Preschool and Halloween featured and were a lot of fun to watch.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one and liked it the first time around. Very fun to get some background on the detective.

Finished out the first season of London Kills with an episode-length behind the scenes look at the series. Lots of fun to see the actors talk about their characters and see how the showrunners also make the city of London a character.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I liked the mystery in this one and enjoyed the crab cooking contest. Not completely sold on Marlon as the new police officer but I'll probably end up enjoying him.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness and, boy, there were a lot of twists in this one. Really loved Jack declaring his love for Nikki at the end. So nice to see them have a happy moment.

Watched an episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed it. Of course, it ended on a cliffhanger, and I have no doubt Mycroft is involved in something nefarious. I truly hope involving Joan blows up in his face.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Stripped to the Skin, a novella that brings a couple together during a tense moment in isolation.

Here's the miniblurb:

Kaley Pick and Dax Christopher are trapped in an isolation chamber when a ship wide power outage occurs. The temperature rises and they have to strip to the skin—a perfect time to consummate their growing attraction—except they're not alone. A junior officer is stuck with them and he's not dealing well with the heat.

And a sneaky peek…

Lose the pants. Right. How many times had he wanted to hear something similar coming from Kaley's mouth?

More than he'd admit. And holy shit, she looked incredible standing her bra and hipster briefs. Glistening like she'd just had sex … her hair mussed up. How many times had he imagined what she'd look like after a romp in bed. Again … more than he'd ever admit.

Gah!

He shoved his pants off and kicked them across the floor. Kaley started to say something then stopped, her mouth hanging open. Her gaze zeroed in on his crotch. His dick fought the confines of his knit boxers, making a large and noticeable bulge.

Kaley's eyes widened a little. "Oh, my." She fanned the front of her face.

Dax huffed out a breath. "Exactly. This is why I didn't want to strip down. Anyone with eyes will see the same thing you do." A massive hard-on.

Kaley didn't take her gaze from his groin when she slowly made her way toward him. She stopped inches away and tentatively traced her finger over the ridge of his cock. She didn't remain unfazed. Her nipples puckered under the fabric of her bra.

Her tongue shot out to moisten her lower lip. "Damn, that's going to be a—pardon the pun—big problem." Her palm cupped his erection.

Dax grunted. "If you keep handling it, it's only gonna get bigger." He waited a beat. "The problem, I mean." He kind of enjoyed the play on words.

Kaley glanced up through her lashes. "Maybe we should find a resolution to this situation." Her gaze darted around the space. "Over here. Come on." She led him to the small alcove used for vaccinations and pushed the fabric-covered partition around to block them from view.

Dax cocked his head to one side. "How do you see this working when it's like a hundred and ten degrees in here?" Perspiration dripped off him.

Kaley's lips curved. "Trust me when I say neither of us will last long. I'm not just hot from the temperature." She turned and grasped the edge of the sink with one hand then pushed her hipster panties down with the other revealing a perfectly shaped ass.

This didn't match any of the fantasies he'd had about her, but he didn't care at the moment.

He swallowed hard. "Shit. Apologies in advance for how quick this will be." He freed his dick and nudged the head between her legs.

Kaley shot a quick look over her shoulder. "Not gonna hear me complain … unless you keep me waiting." She pushed her butt back, so the tip of his shaft slid along her folds.

Dax thrust forward, sliding in so deep he had to bite back a moan.

Perfection … regardless of the crazy circumstances. One time wouldn't be enough. He would definitely want more…

So much fun writing this one. Dax and Kaley didn't really pick this moment to test the waters for a relationship. The moment pretty much picked them.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Strategic Wagers

It's been a wild week of big letdowns in my area of the universe. I'm not sure where things will land but I have decided to launch my side project sooner than expected. More details to follow in a separate blog post.

I started a new work project and picked up with one that's been on the back burner. I also tentatively scheduled three new projects for November. Here's hoping they all pan out.

Had a pretty good week of viewing. I got most of my current slate of shows watched. But … I also got distracted by *waves at everything going on right now*.

I caught an episode of The Batman and rather enjoyed the Green Lantern guest spot. Also enjoyed having one of Batman's rogues nose his way into the storyline.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats and it was the Rugrat's Kwanzaa. I'll have to find the other Rugrats holiday episodes and get ready to rewatch.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. It featured a behind-the-scenes look at a theater show, which is fun for me because my daughter majored in theater for undergrad.

Caught the first season finale of London Kills and, wow, some twisty-twists and big turns happened. Looking forward to a behind-the-scenes special this week.

Watched the season ten opener of Death in Paradise. I'm still annoyed by DI Parker and sad to see Ruby no longer with the team. Thrilled to bits to have Florance back. Looking forward to seeing more.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Terrific guest stars in this episode. I'm very interested in seeing where this case goes.

Enjoyed most of an Elementary episode. I'll get it finished up today and start over with a new run of my current episodes.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Strategic Wagers, a sexy short that brings a couple together over a series of bets.

Here's the miniblurb:

Onyx West and Lev Thorogood, friends and fellow crewmates, have the best kind of friendly rivalry. But when Onyx decides she can best Lev at a game of strategy, something he rarely loses, she pulls out all the stops to win.

And a sneaky peek…

"Dialing it back and taking some time. A novel concept." Onyx flopped back on her rack and swung her legs inside the berth. "And one I've got almost zero experience with." She pulled the curtain so she could focus on her thoughts.

Onyx didn't quite know what to make of Lev Thorogood. He had all the right moves. Great pilot. Incredible physique. Strong in the brains department.

And he appeared to have a solid interest in her. The last bit completely threw her. She had crap-all luck with guys. Her winning streaks only lasted at the card table. Men never took the time to figure her out.

She rolled over onto her stomach and pushed the pillow under her chin. "Instead, guys go for the fast lay and hot sex." She could live with that … hell, she obliged them more often than not.

But why didn't they ever try for more? Just because she didn't dump her life story out or put her personal life on display didn't mean she had no worth.

Some day she'd meet someone who'd want to listen and take the time to get to know her. The real her. Not the one hidden behind bravado. Onyx kept people at arm's length until she thought they could be trusted. It didn't always work to her advantage. She got labeled with tags like bitch and ball buster on a regular basis.

The thing about Lev… "He doesn't get pissed when I play counterpoint to his point." Nope … he'd study her for a few moments then ask why.

Or … if it happened to be a hot-button topic, he'd walk away until they had time to speak with cooler heads. She respected the hell out of him for that.

She sighed. "But he never makes a move." Sexual tension pinged back and forth between them, but he kept his hands to himself.

Onyx snorted. "I can't decide if it pleases or insults me." She leaned toward pleased.

But how long would her patience last? She'd have to wait and see when it went up against slow progress and taking some time. But maybe … the dialing it back thing would be worth the wait. She wanted someone to take an interest in her … and Lev certainly seemed to be willing to dig deeper instead of only scratching the surface.

The funny part? The one thing she didn't plan on when she found a guy who might put some effort into knowing her? Her being the one that wanted to move things along at a faster pace.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. Onyx and Lev are well-matched but very different.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Steamed

November is starting off with a wild trajectory. The election in the US is taking up a lot of air and space in my life and I'm okay with that. It does make it harder to focus on anything but the election, which isn't optimal for my work projects.

That said, I'm weirdly calm and very hopeful. Which is not to say I'm complacent because that would be stupid and reckless. There's going to be a lot of work to do regardless of who wins the presidency, senate, and house.

My tricky manuscript turned extremely challenging, but I finally got it finished up late last night. Now I can focus on a couple of projects that were simmering on the back burner and start two new ones that need attention.

Had an okay week of viewing. Trick or treat night took up some time and an unexpected accident involving my oldest and his fiancé needed my attention. Thankfully, both are okay and weren't injured in the crash.

I started the week with an episode of Elementary and I also ended the week with one. Both were enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoy the vibe when Sherlock tries to coordinate outfits for Joan. So far, it looks like she ditches those in favor of choosing her own.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Nice to see Batgirl back in action. I'll be finished with this show at the end of this season and I'm not sure what I'll be replacing it with.

Also watched an episode of Classic Rugrats. The three vignettes were new to me again. I think I'm going to shift back to the new Rugrats once I'm through this season.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one before and really enjoyed the snappy and snarky dialog between the characters.

Caught another episode of London Kills and, whew, I got spoiled for what would happen and it still freaked me out. Really like this series.

Finished up season nine of Death in Paradise. Looking forward to season ten even with some of my misgivings with DI Parker. I love this show enough to give him time to grow on me.

Enjoyed the second half of Silent Witness. The show managed to surprise me, and I love it when that happens. One thing to note … I'm always curious about where Jack and Nikki live. Jack had such a cool house during the last season and now he seems to be in a townhouse of some sort. This is after he bought the fixer-upper that his dad and brother (for a while) shared with him. Weird stuff makes me curious.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed, a sexy short that puts a couple together on a long-range mission.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

He might be a keeper.

Page liked him. Gannon had sucked her in with the ripped body, but he had a great personality too. The combination turned her on.

She stalled for a little time. "Gotta shuffle first." She split the deck and filed the cards together.

She'd been with guys whose looks were all they had. Pretty, beautiful men that couldn't do much more than see past their own reflections. And … she'd slept with men whose sense of humor, intelligence, and style drew her attention. Maybe she wouldn't put them in the handsomest or sexiest category, but they were appealing just the same. Her equal opportunity policy extended to sex, too.

But she rarely had the perfect-storm combination of brains and brawn.

Gannon had the highest test score in the squadron. Which she discovered when she snuck a peek at the roster for the mission. She'd rather know up front if she got paired with a dud that would suck any kind of joy out of the mission … or … if she got lucky and landed someone interesting like Gannon.

She wondered how far she could push things with him.

If the universe aligned the way she hoped, all the way to the brink and possibly over. If the stars weren't in her corner, she'd at least enjoy some lively conversation and discussion. Her gut said they'd find a perfect vibe.

Slapping the deck on the small table, she nudged the stack toward him. "By all means, please, go ahead."

He split the cards then leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.

She put the two piles back together and nodded. "You first."

He turned the top card over revealing a seven of hearts.

Page smirked. "Ah, well, you've got a fifty-fifty chance of me drawing a lower card." But she doubted she would.

Her luck didn't run that way … with a deck of cards.

I love to write variations on a theme, and this is one of my favorite tropes.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stealing Hannah

The end of October is nigh and, man, it's been a month. Between work projects and personal life stuff, time flew by fast. Helped my oldest kidlet move some things from their old place to their new one and also took him for a job interview. Happy to say he got an offer and should start sometime soon. Also looking forward to trick or treat night and then gearing up for the holidays.

Happy to say the areas where I had my extractions are finally healed up enough that I can eat most types of food. I'm still careful with anything hard and crunchy but otherwise normal intake isn't a challenge anymore.

Stayed busy with work. Have a tricky manuscript that's kind of giving me fits with continuity and consistency concerns, which makes the edit slow way down. Sent off a couple of quotes for upcoming projects and look forward to getting started on those.

Had a decent week of viewing. I made it through a full round of my shows but kind of in backward order. Will probably have the same thing this week.

Started off with an episode of Elementary and thoroughly enjoyed it. Nice to see Lastrade get back on track. Interesting twisty case also.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Always like seeing the Flash in action. I remembered most of this episode also.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats and only remembered one of the vignettes. The other two were either new to me or memory holed.

Watched another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I do remember bits of this one and I’m glad I got to see the whole thing from start to finish.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I like how the new cases play into the overall case of the disappearance of David's wife. Looking forward to seeing how this season ends.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Loved the case because it's fun to see a bit of Ruby's past mixed in with the present. I enjoy her interactions with Commission Patterson. Gotta say, I'm not sure I enjoy Neville Parker. I appreciate the fact he's very different from the previous three DIs but … the constant afflictions are, well, annoying.

On a side note, I discovered there's a second spinoff of this show that's set in Australia. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's available in the US.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and it's terrific to see Jack's niece take a role in the Lylle. Looking forward to the second half of this episode.

Another side note … most of the cast from Battlestar Galactica is in Chicago for the twentieth anniversary of the show. I've been poking around all weekend to stay up to date on what's happening at the convention. My mind is completely blown that it's been twenty years since the premiere of the series. It's still probably my all-time favorite show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Stealing Hannah, a novella that has one of my favorite tropes to write … meeting the wrong brother first.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

Hannah looked up from her desk, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. "What are you doing here, Trent?"

"That's Lieutenant to you, Junior Grade."

Hannah raised a brow. "Okay … Lieutenant." She sat up straighter. "Doesn't make the question less valid. What are you doing here?"

Trent leaned in close, purposefully invading her personal space. "I have to have a reason?"

Hannah sat back, putting some open distance between them. "We just met last night, and you show up here this morning? Yeah, you've got a reason."

Trent pasted a sardonic smile on his face. "In that case, you can tell me how my little brother is doing." He lifted a brow.

Hannah snorted. "Don't you really want to ask if I'm letting him skate through class because he fucks me whenever I want?"

Crude and right to the point. He had to give her points for that.

He flicked his gaze downward. "Are you?"

Hannah rose and this time she leaned in close to him. "I don't base my grade on how well my students perform in bed."

Trent quirked a brow. "So, Kane's not the first, then?"

Hannah's eyes went flat. "Not your business." She couldn't quite keep the sneer off her face when she added, "Sir."

Trent didn't back off. "Kane's my brother." As if that explained everything.

Hannah narrowed her gaze. "He's old enough to whip it out, Lieutenant. That means he's old enough to know the score."

Trent didn't like the answer. "And what exactly is the score with you, Hannah?"

"That's Lieutenant, j.g. Keane, Sir."

Trent smirked. "Touché. Junior Grade." He quite enjoyed the verbal sparring.

Hannah's lips twitched. "The score is, I like your brother. And until I don't, you've got nothing to worry about."

Trent considered Hannah. Her words, her demeanor. And decided she spoke the truth. Maybe his brother wouldn't get a free pass.

Relieved, Trent relaxed. "And his class work? What's the score there?"

Hannah sat back down. "He does okay. Struggles a little but works hard." She raised her gaze. "He pushes himself to match you."

Trent snorted. "That's the old man's doing. He thought sibling rivalry was a good thing." Trent shrugged. "It's not that big a deal." Except Kane made it one…

Hannah abruptly changed gears on him. "Have I answered each question to your satisfaction, Sir?" She stood up. "Class starts in five."

Trent backed up and gave her room to come around the desk. His goal hadn't been to piss her off, so he played his safe card. "I don't have a score sheet, Lieutenant. You're his instructor and he's my brother. I had to check it out."

Hannah shrugged. "Whatever. I get it. But he'll do what he wants. You should know that."

Trent rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I do." He stuck out his hand. "No offense intended."

She juggled her course books and shook. "None taken." She gripped his hand hard when he went to pull away. "Not much anyway."

Point made.

He offered an olive branch. "Have you been in the new Mach VII yet?" When she shook her head back and forth, he dangled the bait. "Wanna give it a go?" His lips lifted in a smile.

Hannah tilted her head sideways. "Are you serious?"

Trent lost his grin. "I don't joke about flying new prototypes."

She considered a moment. "Then hell, yes. I'd love to get my hands on it." Her face lit up at the prospect.

Trent walked with her to the door. "I'll let you know as soon as I arrange it."

She nodded and headed for class. Trent watched her stride down the corridor, cocky and confident.

He found himself relishing the challenge she presented.

I have fun writing verbal sparring and Trent and Hannah are very good at shooting barbs.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Star Chasers

Had a less than productive week after having two teeth extracted. It's strange because they really weren't difficult to remove—well, one of them ended up being a little harder than the other—but it still threw me off. I think because they were on opposite sides with one on top and the other on the bottom, which made eating a tad challenging.

I also took time away on Friday to meet my daughter so we could do early voting. Very happy to have that done! I voted to raise my taxes for the school and emergency services levies.

Work stayed busy with some cleanup on two drafts and two copy edits. I also checked changes on two proofreads. Those were kind of dropped in on the fly.

Didn't quite make a full round of my usual shows this week, but I did get through about half.

Watched another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and it was one I'd seen at least part of. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Caught another London Kills and I'm liking this show. The overarching mystery of what happened to the DCI's wife folded into the two cases is interesting to me. I'm a little worried about the trainee DC. Things could go really sideways for her if she's not careful.

Enjoyed another Death in Paradise episode. I kind of feel like this is the season where Commissioner Patterson gets a lot more screen time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy him.

Finished the second half of Silent Witness and, whoo boy, what a ride this two-parter was. I'm going to be very interested in seeing if there's any fallout from everything that went down.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Star Chasers, which will probably end up being the series or duology's name … but I haven't quite decided yet.

Here's the miniblurb:

Marnie Ritoli, a kick-ass mechanic for the premier 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 breezed into Win's lounge and made her announcement. "I choose you."

Win looked up from his accounting books. "What?" Confusion marred his handsome face.

Marnie reached behind her and pushed the door shut. She had a feeling things might get a wee bit loud in the next few moments.

Walking closer to the desk, she repeated. "I pick you. As my mate." She crossed her arms and waited for the explosion.

Win tossed his pen on the desk and rose slowly. He leaned forward, getting a good look at her very serious face. Opened his mouth, closed it and shook his head.

"Are you insane?"

Pretty much the reaction she expected. "Nope. You're all mine, big man." She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying more.

Win rounded the desk and grabbed her arms. "You can't pick me, Marnie. It's not allowed."

She raised a brow. "Yeah, I can. League rules state I can choose whomever I want, as long as they're not attached to anyone else." She looked around behind him. "You hiding a woman under the desk, Win?" She knew the moment she had him, his eyes went flat and cagey.

He let go and stepped back. "You know I'm not. And you know why." He perched his ass on the edge of the desk. "As president, I'm free to do whomever I want, whenever I want." He gave her a determined stare. "It's gonna stay that way."

Marnie snorted. "No. It's not." She crossed her arms in front of her again. "I checked the charter. That's not a stipulation for this crew."

He shot up. "Son of a bitch, Marnie. It's accepted as one."

She shrugged. "Not anymore. I'm taking you out of play." She almost hated being evil about it.

Win snarled and raked his hand over his head. "You bitch." He spun around and paced back and forth.

Marnie winced but stood her ground. He couldn't deny her request. Not when he'd put her on the spot to make it.

Win turned and faced her, a calculating edge to his voice. "Fine. I'm out of play." He prowled toward her. "And you'll be ready and willing when I decide to collect on my rights to your tasty and tempting treats, yeah?" He trailed a finger down her arm.

She'd known he'd try to brazen it out and threaten her with that one.

She smiled sweetly. "You can give it your best shot." Her hands smoothed down his chest. "But if you do … you can expect my size eight boot up your ass…" She cupped her hand between his legs. "And this big dick of yours in a vice." She lifted her gaze to his. "Don't think it won't happen."

Win swallowed and stepped away. "Why?"

She prepared an answer for that one, too. "Because you put me in a corner. I'm returning the favor." Emotion clogged her throat when she choked the words out.

Win sighed, beaten. "Damn you." He sank down on the edge of the desk.

She'd won the battle, which didn't make her feel better. Only Luce could do that. But … with her point made and status safe, Marnie headed for the door.

Before she opened it, she turned back. "You should already know that without Luce, damned is exactly what I am." Her hand twisted the knob, and she exited the lounge, dejected and depressed … probably only a little bit less than Win at the moment.

I'm so excited about this two-book story. It's going to get a little messy, but I'm having a lot of fun planning this one out.

 

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

 

ML Skye