Sunday Snippet: Nugget Training

Gearing up for a busy week with work projects and my youngest's graduation from college. I think we're also going to have some nasty weather, which should be fun.

Had a solid week of work and writing, which makes me very happy. I might be finding my groove again. I so hope I am. I'm not a fan of being unable to focus when I need to.

Had a decent week of television viewing. Made it through the modified list of shows and started over.

I caught the final two behind the character bonuses for My Life Is Murder. I'm somewhat hoping there's another season. Based on a little research, I think there might be.

Also watched two episodes of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Both were enjoyable. Kind of sad to see the pub owners no longer with the cast but interested in Dom's uncle being a possible addition. Hopefully he won't be too shady.

Enjoyed the two-part Silent Witness. A lot of twists and turns in this one and I liked them. Looking forward to starting a new two-parter this week.

Finished up season six and started season seven of Death in Paradise. I'm excited to dive further into Jack's tenure as the DI. It feels like this is when cast members start their merry-go-round of coming and going. But I'm looking forward to more of this show.

Caught another episode of Elementary and Moriarty is making their presence known. I'm kind of interested in how this might play out over the seasons. I'm very much loving the dynamic with Sherlock and Watson.

Watched another episode of The Batman. I guess it was the season two finale. It always kind of annoys me when the first season is twice as long as the remaining ones. That said, pretty sure Robin makes an appearance in season three so there's that.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, these were new-to-me vignettes. Not sure what happened with season seven during the original run, but I'm happy to see those now.

Also finished up the Peak Practice episode I started a while ago. Hoping to get another one in this week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Nugget Training, a novella that brings a couple together even though they don't always see eye-to-eye.

Here's the miniblurb:

Bonnie Bash has issues with remembering boundaries and it gets her in trouble with Taggart Allen, her immediate superior—especially when she sometimes forgets she has to respect the rank. She quickly learns why she frustrates Tag so much when she's thrust into training a group of fifteen newbie pilots, nuggets, and not one has a clue or even cares about how the chain of command works.

And a sneaky peek…

"Bash is flying with Brown. Daub is flying with Elliot."

Lieutenant Bonnie Bash jerked her head up and glared at the CAG, Taggart Allen. He did not just say she had to fly with Alti Brown. Five and half hours of nonstop chitchat would drive her bonkers mad. What the hell did she do to piss Tag off?

Her hand shot up before she could stop it. There had to be someone else she could fly combat air patrol with. Alti just rubbed Bonnie the wrong way. His play by play of everything that happened in the last daily rotation never failed to be mind numbing. She just couldn't deal…

"Bash? You have a question?" Tag's voice cut through the white noise roaring in her ears.

Bonnie blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Did you go alphabetically for this roster?" She expected better treatment from a guy she'd been tight with since basic.

Hell, they practically lived in each other's pockets now and had since that first brutal welcome.

Tag sighed. "No. Moving on." He continued reading the flight schedule off.

She couldn't let that answer slide and got snappy and snarky, piling question after question onto Tag, interrupting his ordered delivery of information.

He finally shut her down. "Bash. Wheels go up in twenty minutes. I have five more items to get through. Kindly keep your mouth closed until I finish up." He pinned her with a hard stare and narrowed his eyes.

She huffed out a breath and sulked for the rest of the briefing, reeling a little from the harsh words. Stung would be a better description. Since when did Tag go all rank and file on her?

Right about the time she pushed every button he had. But, damn, putting her with Brownie? She didn't expect preferential treatment, but a heads-up would've been great. She could've prepared for the longest five and half hours she'd ever have to spend in a cockpit. Now, she'd be lucky to survive without her ears bleeding from the onslaught of inane details that would spew from Alti's lips.

When Tag dismissed them, she made a beeline for the exit. She wanted a few moments to lick her wounds and maybe curse Taggart Allen into oblivion.

Some friend he's turned out to be.

This story has some fun banter and I love writing characters at odds even when they're friends.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not the First

Can't believe we're almost through April. And yet … it's been a really long month. May has some great things happening, namely my youngest graduating from college. She starts grad school in the fall, and I'm amazed by her. I can't wait to see what she does with her future.

Had an okay week of viewing. I'm behind on my work projects so I didn't push hard to get stuff watched, but I did make a full rotation of my shows.

I finished the regular series of My Life Is Murder. I have the bonus content left to watch. I actually loved this show. And, to my astonishment, it looks like there will be a fourth season! And it premieres tonight if I can trust the interwebs.

Caught an episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. A little disappointed with the friction and push back from Caron about interference with the case, but it's probably a little more true to life than not.

Finished up Silent Witness and loved how it ended. Things didn't go quite the way I expected. I love it when that happens.

Watched the first episode of Jack's tenure of Death in Paradise. I liked the transition from Humphrey to Jack. We're also getting into episodes I've not seen anything of yet and I'm excited to watch new stuff.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. This one didn't have the police coming to Sherlock for consultation. He brought a case to them, and I'd like to see more of that. Almost through the first season so maybe I'll get what I want here.

Caught another episode of The Batman and it's one I remembered watching before. I love it when Alfred's past comes calling. He's got some interesting friends.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, this is a new to me one. I don't remember either of the vignettes and that's always fun for me.

Finished out the week with some more Peak Practice. I'm trying to get through the episode I started a few weeks ago. I might get it finished this week.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not the First, a novella that explores the history of a couple that went from friends to lovers.

Here's the miniblurb:

Katen Knox and Paul Macabes, pilots, soldiers, lovers, weigh in on opposite sides of a proposal to produce new planes while stationed in deep space. Not the first time they've been on different sides of an issue, they quickly learn it's hard to keep the professional drama out of their personal space.

And a sneaky peek…

Paul figured if anyone could make planes from nothing, it would be Katen. And he'd play his role as her chief instigator and stress relief subject. Not the first time he'd taken the polar opposite stance to push her into creating something out of nothing. And definitely not the first time he'd be her port in a sea of negativity, particularly when some of that pessimism came from him.

The game they played worked because he had no doubt she'd get results or exhaust every possibility before she called it quits. And he'd be on the receiving end of moments like this—ardor-fueled sessions that expended pent-up energy clearing the path for her brilliant brain to do what it needed to. He wouldn't change his role for anything.

Especially when her lips slid along his jawline and her hips rose up to sink over his hard shaft. They wouldn't have a lot of time. They never did. Grabbing stolen moments had become their norm.

Katen's mouth found his again, she rocked back and forth, and he lost the ability to think about anything more than giving her a release and finding one for himself. Slick, warm heat enveloped his cock, and he relished the tight confines. Katen did a slow grind, amping the friction and tension between them.

His hands cupped her ass, urging her to up the pace. She broke the lip-lock and her head dropped back, her eyes closed in bliss. His palms grazed upward along her torso and when his thumbs circled her nipples, Katen's breathing quickened and rasped outward.

She gave a low moan. "Gonna come with me? Because I'm so close…" Her hips dipped and rose again. "Like … right now…" A shudder rippled through her.

Her internal muscles contracted, and Paul tipped over the edge. A euphoric wave crashed over him, sending him high then bottoming out on a low ebb. His breath whooshed out, catching in his throat and he groaned with pleasure.

Katen collapsed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She exhaled, nuzzling his shoulder with her chin before shifting to the side and curling up close to him. Her palm smoothed over his ribs before settling just above his hip.

She smiled then yawned. "Wake me in an hour?" Her eyes drifted shut.

Paul pulled his privacy curtain. "Why don't I wake you in eight? Crash out here. Get some solid sleep and be ready to go for the briefing tomorrow." She'd need to be well rested if she had a prayer of getting anyone on board with her crazy plan.

Katen gave a tiny nod and Paul draped the sheet over them. By morning, he'd have a role to play and wouldn't have to think too hard for reasons her plan could fail. He'd enjoy the brief interlude of calm before taking up the baton as devil's advocate.

And gear up to cross verbal swords with her for the foreseeable future.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. It's fun to dive into the history of a couple that share deep feelings for each other but don't always see things from the same perspective.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Quite Paradise

Another crazy week. This time on more of a personal front, which isn't all that unusual. I don't normally get slowed down though and I did this week. We got to see almost totality for the eclipse and that was actually a lot of fun. Our streetlights came on at three in the afternoon on an otherwise sunny day. Seriously. Lots of fun.

Had a fairly decent week of viewing and caught up on most of my regular schedule. I've pared it down a little and kind of hope to get back into a full rotation sometime soon. If I'm paying for streaming services, I should be using them, right?

Ended up catching two episodes of The Batman. I'd completely forgotten the original sidekick storyline with Prank for the Joker. Ended up enjoying that one. Also kind of loved the "Thunder" episode. That one I did remember.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I must have missed a big portion of the seventh season because I don't remember any of the vignettes. Kind of nice to have new-to-me material to watch.

Enjoyed an episode of My Life Is Murder. I think I have one more left before bonus material. Going to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

Caught the holiday episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed it. Looking forward to diving into the new season.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Loved seeing Jack's niece again. Looking forward to finishing this episode.

Said good-bye to Humphrey on Death in Paradise. Really liked the way his run ended. I'm excited to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episode of Elementary. I'm almost through the first season and I'm very much enjoying this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Quite Paradise, a novella that maroons the characters on a deserted moon.

Here's the miniblurb:

Janee Neff and Oxley DeCosta are military transport pilots flying a peacetime mission to pick up new recruits when their craft crashes and strands them on a deserted moon. The couple discovers things aren't exactly what they seem when they find their signal beacon is destroyed by blaster fire, which means their unexpected vacation isn't quite paradise after all.

And a sneaky peek…

Ox compiled the day's data and added it to the previous three. "Sending the final scans. Ready to bust the boredom and pick up our newbs?" He bit the inside of his cheek to hide a grin.

Janee's head snapped up and her gaze went hot. "Excuse me? Bust the boredom?" She swung around in her seat. "You are not talking about me?" Her hand gripped the armrests so hard the knuckles turned white. "I mean, I've been called a lot of things. But boring? Definitely isn't—" She broke off and her eyes narrowed. "Shit. You just used your free dig and I totally fell for it." Her gaze turned questioning. "Um … right?"

He could keep her hanging but the small waver in her confidence had his eyebrows raising a bit. Had their dynamic shifted? Might be something to ponder once they got back to the ship.

Ox huffed out a laugh hoping to break the weird beat of tension. "Yep." He'd be a complete ass if he left her twisting too long.

Her shoulders slumped forward, and she flashed a smile. "Good one. And, man, you weren't lying about being a patient man." She snorted. "I thought you'd forgotten about the free pass." Swinging back around, she buckled her harness over her chest.

Ox smirked and tamped down a rush of pride at the backhanded compliment. "Not only am I patient…" He waited until she glanced his way. "I rarely forget a promise made." Facing ahead, he started the preflight checks.

Janee tilted her head to one side. "Duly noted. That's actually good information." Her lips curved upward.

Ox didn't know if she meant good to have or good to use … but he had no doubt he'd find out at some point.

Halfway through the checklist, Ox came across a concerning ping. "There's a blip about the rear thrusters. It's on the original checklist, too. Do you remember what the issue is?" And would it delay the short jaunt to pick up the new recruits?

Janee frowned. "Not sure there is an issue. There's a small skip when initially engaging them. Since we're not doing much more than sitting in the black and landing in a spaceport to pick up passengers, Wan didn't redline the transport." Her fingers drummed on the control panel. "I trust his assessment."

Ox hesitated over the keyboard. "Did you eyeball the unit?" He'd believe her review if she had.

Janee grimaced. "I didn't. Like I said, I trust Specialist Jennings." She side-eyed him. "Do you not?"

Ox exhaled slowly. "It's not that I don't. But I'd be more confident if one of us had a visual point of reference." Or if the deck chief had… "You made the call to take off. You think we're good?" He'd go with her gut.

Janee's lips kicked up in a grin. "Of course, we're good. What could really go wrong?"

Ox winced. "Yeah, probably nothing." He spooled up the engines. "Let's head out…"

The probably nothing is going to be an absolute something. Janee kind of jinxed their takeoff.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: No Loss of Life

April is starting off with a bang. We've had seven days of volatile weather. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and another big drop in temperature with snow flurries. I thought for a while we might end up with a blizzardnado—complete with sharks. If you know you know. It's that time of year where keeping warm-weather clothes beside arctic gear isn't a bad idea.

Due to the crazy weather, I didn't get a lot of viewing in this week. I also had a full plate plus dessert of work projects. I'm very happy to have multiple things to occupy my time!

I did get another episode of My Life Is Murder in and loved getting to see Madison strut her stuff undercover. I'm going to miss this show when I'm finished watching.

Caught Midsomer Murder's final episode for this season. Enjoyed the mystery. I'm a little disappointed that it feels like the characters don't know much about each other. Winter has been with Barnaby for quite some time now and it seems like the interactions they've had in the past are quickly forgotten. Really the only thing that kind of irritates me about British mystery shows.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness. I think I'm going to like the new guys. I really enjoy Jack and Nikki together. The case was very confusing, but I ended up liking how things turned out.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. It's almost the end of Humphrey's run and I'm kind of excited to finish up and start Jack's journey. And also pick up with Humphrey and Martha back in England.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Kind of fun to see some of Joan's old life collide with her new one. Not super thrilled that her friends thought she needed an intervention, but at least they came around by the end.

That's it for the life update this week. I'm hoping to get back on track this week, barring any weird and wild weather.

Tonight's post is from No Loss of Life, a novella that brings a couple together from opposite sides of a big issue.

Here's the miniblurb:

Brigit Hardy is an anti-government revolutionary who kicks the system in the teeth to incite change. Vlad Octavius is the government agent who has to bring her to heel. There's only one problem—Vlad hates what she does but can't disagree with her reasons.

And a sneaky peek…

Brigit rolled up the schematic of the train depot when a knock sounded on her door.

Tucking the plans into a cardboard cylinder, she stowed the container behind a cabinet and strolled to the entrance of her space to answer. "Well, gotta say I didn't expect company tonight." She stepped back, allowing her visitor to enter.

Vlad gave a shrug. "Er, I won't stay long. Mainly wanted to put it out there … if you need anything, help, errand-running, whatever. I'm in. Let me know."

Brigit's eyes widened a little. "Anything? How are you defining that word?" She might as well test the waters and possibly boundaries.

Because Vlad Octavius appealed to her on more than one level.

Vlad blinked but recovered quickly. "Uh … however you want me to." His gaze took on a smoky quality. "Anything can mean as little … or as much … as you want it to." He propped a shoulder on the jamb.

The man presented a picture of nonchalance. But … Brigit clocked the coiled readiness under the surface. He might be a newb to their movement, but he had training. Military? Cop? Or … something else?

She searched her gut to see if it mattered. He wouldn't be the first man to try gaining an edge with her. Moving with caution had saved her more than once. But she rather wanted to tangle with Vlad. In bed. Out of bed. Kind of didn't matter.

And that might not be a good thing.

Brigit cocked her head. "That mean you're on offer with regards to the anything?" Might as well go for broke.

Vlad barely shifted his position but somehow managed to convey a mix of sexy up-for-whatever and relaxed detachment. "Depends. Is this a stud service type of thing or a mutually beneficial arrangement?" His voice rasped from between his lips.

Brigit liked his quick responses. "Would it matter?" The back-and-forth banter kicked her libido into gear.

Vlad lifted one shoulder. "I'd prefer a mutual assignation but don't mind proving my worth if necessary." If possible, his gaze darkened even more.

Brigit gave a throaty laugh. "Good answer." She grasped his forearm and dragged him into the space. "Pretty sure the benefits will be mutually satisfying." Possibly on multiple fronts if she got really lucky.

I'm not quite sure where this story is going to go but I love the journey so far.

 

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

ML Skye