Sunday Snippet: Perfect Conversation

I can't believe we're at the end of June already. It's crazy how fast time is flying right now. Probably because of the whole respiratory yuck that ate up most of the month. Thankfully, that seems to have finally run its course. Feeling so much better now.

Had a super busy work week. Playing catch-up isn't my favorite thing on the planet. But I did finish a proofread and made solid progress on the other two projects on my plate.

Had a very limited viewing schedule this week, mainly because I really wanted to make as much of a dent as possible in my work. I had my usual background comfort shows playing in the background with Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders. I love the channels dedicated to one show, which is how I get Midsomer whenever I want. And Perry Mason is easy to find on the classic TV channels.

I did catch an episode of Best in Paradise and enjoyed revisiting how JP got reacquainted with Rosie. I'm enjoying the cast member introductions to each episode.

I also watched the first of a two-part Death in Paradise. I'd seen a bit of the episode before and knew what to expect but it's very powerful to watch from the beginning. Looking forward to the second part this week.

I started an episode of Elementary and didn't make it all the way through. I'll finish that one up later tonight.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Perfect Conversation, a novella that explores a reunion between two characters meant to be together … if they get their timing right.

Here's the miniblurb:

Gigi Morse runs away from Scott Alamead because she doesn't want to risk losing him. But when she returns, a very different Scott greets her, and Gigi realizes she's right back on the hot seat.

And a sneaky peek…

Gigi watched Scott's retreat and couldn’t resist one last salvo. “MmmHmm. At least it'll be a good one.” She checked to make sure he’d rounded the corner, before adding a sarcastically whispered, “Ooo-kay then.”

She figured Scott would attempt to talk after they'd argued earlier. But their conversation had not gone anywhere close to the way she expected. Instead of helping her settle the swirl of thoughts in her head, the discussion pretty much kicked them up into further chaos.

Doesn't that just suck?

She dropped down to the floor and settled back against the bench in the gym where he'd tracked her down. Reaching over, she picked up a bossa ball and let its weight settle in her hand. She considered getting up and doing a quick run through the maze to work off some of the frazzled feeling, but honestly didn't have the stamina to do it at the moment.

Spinning the ball around in her hands she gave it a quick toss at the wall opposite her feet. Scott Alamead loves me. Of course she knew that. But the way he said it made it different this time.

She caught the ball and bounced it again. She’d made a promise to someone else. A rebel fighter who'd put his ass on the line for her.

Bounce.

How was she supposed to respond to Scott's declaration?

Catch; bounce.

And how the hell was she going to get back to Columba to keep her promise?

Catch, hold; bounce. Back and forth.

She’d missed a hell of a lot while she’d been gone … not the least of which happened to be Scott's apparent one-eighty.

Catch; hold.

Mutiny? Choosing the minister of defense above watching over the old man? Breaking his parole to leave with the minister?

Emphatic bounce.

Not that she would have done differently with Flynn in charge, probably sooner.

Catch. Grin. The man was an utter moron.

Deep breath.

How am I supposed to deal with this Scott?

Bounce.

The one who kissed her because he'd been happy to see her?

Catch; bounce.

The one who had no scathing comeback when she called him on his own actions?

Catch, hold; hard bounce.

The ball hit the wall and bounced twice back to her. She wanted this Scott … hell, she wanted the other one also, truth be told. Maybe they'd needed the forced break of her tearing off to Columba to gain some perspective, deal with some issues.

Snort. Right. Bounce.

If gaining perspective meant hooking up with a hot guy and promising to return for him, she'd be dead on the money.

Catch; hold.

But what the hell? She and Scott had totally parted on nasty terms. How could she know he’d pull the rug out from under her?

She hefted the ball really hard on that thought. It hit the wall, glanced off a light fixture, and bounced out of her reach.

Gigi let the ball go, her thoughts tumbling in her head.

She’d screwed up by sleeping with Radek, never dreaming for the reaction Scott had. But she figured with him the gaff would be … screw up, no second chances, game over. So … she jumped away on the minister's orders, which had been easier than trying to deal with both Scott and his uncle Minton at the same time.

How wrong I was. She got to deal with a blond amazon out for blood, an almost perfect copy of a fellow pilot, finding Harry—her oldest friend next to Scott—and hooking up with Kurt. Primo mistake number two.

Oh … and yeah … she'd been knifed in the gut and the universe knew what else at the hands of the enemy. Is it any wonder I latched on to Kurt so hard? Sought comfort and peace of mind after being beaten back?

She'd thought she lost Minton and Scott in one fell swoop and didn't think she'd ever get back to their side of the line.

But she had made it home. And she hadn’t lost Scott … not if his welcome and friendly declaration could be believed. It's all right there in front of me. Waiting.

Could she reach out and grab it?

She’d made a promise to Kurt, and she’d keep it … but not for the original reason.

He's a good guy, but he isn’t Scott.

And she wanted Scott.

And there she had it. Decision made.

Gigi laughed and stood, walking over to snag the ball from the floor. She needed to find Scott and take him up on his offer to talk. A grin snuck over her face and as she doubted his definition would match hers.

I'm quite happy with how this scene came together even if I might need to do some judicious trimming. I love a good internal monologue.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Passing Ships in the Night

We definitely had a hot week and I'm so glad I got rid of most of the yucky upper respiratory crud. We're due for some major storms later today so that should be interesting.

I'm still not quite caught up on my work projects but I'm making headway. Thankfully none of them have red line due dates. I did manage to finish a proofread and will be sending it on its merry way later today. I still have another proofread and a copy edit to work on this week.

Had an almost nonexistent viewing week. Between playing catch up on my work projects and still being kind of bleh, I stuck with my comfort viewing of Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders. I did work in a few binge episodes of Death in Paradise on regular television.

That said, I did start the new season of My Life Is Murder and I'm loving the premiere episode so far. So nice to have Alexa and Madison back!

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Passing Ships in the Night, a novella that follows two people very focused on their careers and how they become a couple … or not.

Here's the miniblurb:

Renny Spur and Chad Raxton have something of an understanding—they meet at the Moonstar shipyard whenever they're in the Milky Way galaxy. When Chad's late for a connection, Renny gets angry and makes a bad choice—one Chad has to decide if he can overlook.

And a sneaky peek…

Renny leaned back and groaned. "You were so right about the Talithian food. It's amazing." She grimaced. "But I might not be able to leave the restaurant. I'm disgustingly full." She placed her palms on her stomach.

Chad gaze drifted from her hands upward, appreciation creeping into the irises. "You don't look any worse for the partaking of the premium meal. In fact, you look pretty damn good." His lips kicked up in a grin.

She basked in the compliment. "Uh, thanks. But you might have to roll me out of here." Or help her burn off the extra calories in a different way.

He didn't hide his interest and she teetered on the edge of making a big decision. Everything about spending time with him had her craving more. A rare occurrence because she didn't connect with people often. But Chad made it easy.

What an amazing experience. He could keep a conversation going, as good at listening as regaling her with stories of growing up with Mac. And he asked great questions, interested in how she ended up with a degree and her pilot quals.

How long had it been since she'd engaged with someone on more than a periphery level?

Too long.

Because she'd been so focused on her goals. Random hookups were the norm for her. But Chad made her want to see if she could do something deeper.

Did he feel the same?

She might as well test the waters. "So … you're on station until next week? Got any plans for the rest of the night?" Her limited window of opportunity didn't give them a lot of time.

Chad's mouth twisted in a wolfish grin. "Since Mac is otherwise occupied, I do not." He extended his hand toward her. "Unless you have some ideas."

Renny smiled, big and wide. "As a matter of fact … I do." She clasped his fingers and slowly got to her feet. "If you're game."

Chad stood up and hauled her close. "I'm definitely game." With another flash of a heated gaze, he led her from the restaurant.

I'm having fun with the concept of this story. It's a challenge to write the connection the characters have when they really don't get to be physically present with each other very often.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Outcasts

Happy Father's Day to anyone celebrating. For those not for whatever reason, I hope your day is filled with peace and calm and you find your joy.

It's been a really rough week. I definitely didn't make it through the worst the week prior. I had a lot more yuck to get through. Thankfully, I'm now down to some nagging congestion, but I can breathe again and I'm not coughing every five minutes, which makes me happy because we're due for some awful heat this week.

Managed to stay mostly on top of my work projects. I'm not as far along as I'd like to be, but I'm within my window to meet my deadlines. Not being 100 percent isn't fun but at least I can work around being less than my best. If I had a job with set hours, I'd still probably be fighting through the slog of upper respiratory yuck.

Had a very slow week of viewing. I didn't have the brain power to get involved in much of anything but comfort shows like Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders.

I did catch another Best in Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed the introduction from Don Warrington. It's fun to hear him speak without the Caribbean accent.

I also watched another Death in Paradise and it's one I only saw bits and pieces of when it first aired. Nice to see if from start to finish.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Hopefully I'll be back to somewhat normal for next week's entry.

Tonight's post is from Outcasts, a novella that explores how protecting the ones they love brings a couple together in new ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Giving himself over to the moment, Thorn didn’t answer. Instead, he brought his hand up, cupping Frannie's face. Letting his fingers splay along the nape of her neck, he titled his head forward until his lips met hers.

Tentative at first, they grew demanding as Frannie responded. Hauling her against him, his hands slid down her back, grasped the edge of her doubled tank tops and pulled them up until she leaned away and took over. Thorn angled back, fingers going to his fly while Frannie pulled the shirts over her head. Not taking his eyes off her, he worked the fastenings loose, shoving the pants down to his knees and sucked in a harsh breath when she reached over to pull them the rest of the way off. Time stood still as his eyes dropped to his shirt while his fingers frantically unbuttoned the buttons. Glancing up as he shrugged out of the sleeves, he stopped breathing.

Naked and beautiful, Frannie moved toward him, getting up close and personal in the way he’d dreamed about. He froze and stared, holding the moment in his mind, burning it to memory. He paused with his shirt still dangling off one arm, mesmerized by the hungry look in her eyes.

Frannie crawled up and over Thorn on her hands and knees, smiling at the stunned look on his face. Settling her ass down on his thighs she grabbed his sleeve, tugged it over his hand and let it fall to the floor. Reaching up, she pulled the bunk curtain closed, effectively cutting them off from everything else but each other.

When Thorn raised his head, Frannie met his lips with a hot, blazing kiss that scorched through his system. As he settled back against the pillow, his hands cupped her face drawing her down and she slid forward, stretching out against him. Her stomach brushed over his cock, and he moaned against her lips.

Her fingers wrapped around the length, caressing the silken skin, moving in time with the thrusts of her tongue along his. Thorn shuddered under the onslaught of her lips and hands and pulled a gasp from Frannie when his palms brushed lightly over her breasts before cupping and holding them in his hands. He relished their weight as his fingers kneaded the smooth skin, enjoying the fact that his touch had Frannie squeezing his leg between her thighs.

This story is coming together after several false starts. Thorn and Frannie aren't quite sure how they're going to function as a couple, but they don't have issues with getting physical.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Ugh. Still feeling terrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in my area is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew of new projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and truly hope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times a day and need to rest.

Slow viewing week, mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two to three hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifth and final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of a heartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails. And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head around everything.

I finished the tenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'll look forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught another episode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad and rewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence could be.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I got to see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic between the brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroft deal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I liked seeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun. The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a Classic Rugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella" was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella where the characters face a challenge of brining change to old-school ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

Blake didn't bother changing into his uniform before heading for Commandant Wagner's quarters. "I'd like a quick word with the commandant." He made it a request, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

The marine guard announced Blake then nodded for him to enter after Wagner gave the okay.

Wagner stood at the monitor, watching the gun camera footage. Blake didn't need to see the screen … the carnage would haunt his dreams for the foreseeable future. They lost another half of a squadron, which meant they would be a full one down.

Wagner didn't speak until the display went dark. "Captain, did you know the dual maneuver the pilots used out there is one your grandfather came up with?" He shot a quick look toward Blake. "And it's the first one I learned and executed under his tutelage?" His shoulders slumped a little.

Blake gave a nod. "I do, sir. Grandpa has a keen mind and isn't afraid to roll a hard run into something else." He chose his words carefully because he didn't like using the family connection.

But this situation justified pulling the card and putting it in play. Kip Wagner went way back with Thomas Bradley, first learning then serving under him. Blake also had a sneaking suspicion, the elder Bradley pulled strings to get his grandson a post under Wagner's command.

Wagner squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "You saying I'm not capable of doing the same?" His tone suggested Blake needed to step with caution.

Blake shook his head. "No, sir. Not you specifically." He left the rest unsaid, letting Wagner draw his own conclusion.

Kip motioned for Blake to take a seat. "You've got something to say, so spit it out, Bradley." He propped his hip on the edge of his desk.

Blake settled in the chair opposite the commandant. "You've seen the carnage. What we're doing isn't working. We're down a full squadron now." He didn't have to tell Wagner, the man already knew, but saying the words kept the loss close to the surface where it needed to be.

Wagner grunted. "Why are you here, Captain?" He lifted his chin, indicating Blake should speak freely.

Blake unloaded. "If you don't want to lose more people, you have to let someone—anyone—else plan the missions. Colonel Carbine can't or won't see past standard tactics and procedures." When Wagner didn't bust Blake for insubordination, he kept going. "The biggest challenge we face is our enemy knows our maneuvers … because they learned from the same playbook. We're not fighting against unknown tangoes. We're fighting former colleagues and comrades in arms. They know exactly how to counter anything we use out there." He stopped because if he continued, Carbine would be next on the list and Blake didn't want to open that avenue right now.

The loss of fellow pilots still burned, and the stench of defeat lingered.

Wagner shifted slightly from his perch on the desk and pinned Blake with a steady stare. "You're laying all this at the XO's feet then? What about me? What's my responsibility here?" He folded his arms across his chest.

Blake didn't flinch. "If I may speak freely, sir, we're all at fault here. With the possible exception of Lieutenant Thrum. She's been banging the drum of alarm for weeks now." And Parry suffered the consequences of her actions.

Wagner's brows rose. "Why am I only hearing of this now?" He pushed up to his feet and paced back and forth. "I haven't been informed of any pushback regarding the mission ops." He stopped and gave Blake another questioning glance.

Blake sighed. "I have to assume the XO is leaving that out of his reports to you then. Because Parry has been very vocal during the mission briefings." Not to mention she'd nailed the problem on its head.

The commandant lifted his chin. "So, what's the solution?"

Blake shook his head. "Sir, it's not my place—"

Wagner cut him off. "Don't give me that, captain. You didn't come here without an action plan or use your family connection for nothing." One eyebrow arched, daring Blake to refute the statement.

Blake winced. "You're right, sir. I didn't." He exhaled on a slow breath. "If you want me to offer a suggestion … we need to think way outside the box here."

I love this story. Parry and Blake are a great team in the air, and they'll be excellent strategists when planning a mission also.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Organic Chemistry (Civil Revolution)

Welcome June and another month where time will probably fly by too quickly. Doesn't help that I'm under the weather right now and feeling yucky. Hopefully whatever this is will pass quickly and I can get back to normal.

Had a solid work week. Finished up a cozy mystery proofread and made progress on a developmental edit. Also got a lot of writing done, which makes me happy because I've been hitting walls lately.

Fairly good viewing this week. Managed to go through my show list twice. I might start adding in a few more shows but I like this current group.

Finished up the fourth season of Suspects. I'll be starting the fifth and final season this week. Looks like a banger ending for this series.

Caught two episodes of Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were excellent. Very fun to see how Halloween is celebrated in New Zealand, especially since it's spring there instead of fall. Very cool.

Watched two episodes of Best in Paradise. I'm enjoying the intros by the actors and I'm enjoying their picks for favorite episodes.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. I'd seen bits of both episodes but not the whole thing. Loved the one with the zoo. Also like how much Jack is becoming a part of the community.

Caught two episodes of Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson's personal life on a bit of a display. Also thoroughly enjoying Sherlock's interactions with Joan as he fully sinks into the partnership.

Watched two episodes of The Batman. Fun to have Harley Quinn introduced. And I very much enjoyed the New Year's Eve episode.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I'd forgotten they started to work three vignettes in after the movie. Not sure if I really like that in hindsight.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Organic Chemistry, a novella that folds into the Civil Revolution series. Or Uncivil Revolution. I can't quite decide which one I like better.

Here's the miniblurb:

Dominic Marinelli and Etta Morgan meet under very difficult circumstances, but form a relationship built on one basic need … sex. When Etta decides to strike out on her own, Dom has to figure out why it bothers him so much.

And a sneaky peek…

Dom stood outside Etta's room, propped up against the wall, a sloppy grin on his face.

He sobered. "What the hell did I just let happen?" The last person anyone should get involved with would be him.

But Etta didn't want anything hot and heavy. She wanted to get laid. Why the hell should he turn that down?

Maybe because she might not get emotionally involved, but he almost always did.

He pushed away and started down the hall, retracing his steps to the main entrance. He thought briefly about forgetting the scheduled visit, but he'd talk himself into keeping it. Pathetic as it made him, he craved some human female contact. And since the woman he wanted would never be his, he'd seek it with another.

And if that makes me a huge asshole, I'll get over it.

Snagging his jacket, he shoved the main door open and stood outside. He'd planned to go out for a long ride but opted to walk around the perimeter of the spa grounds instead.

Why did Etta Morgan push his buttons? He'd known her what? For a while now. Since the night he'd found her left for dead outside the sector barricade. During her recovery, they'd talked a good bit, and he enjoyed her company, enough to be comfortable with her.

Thought he knew her fairly well despite the short span of time.

He so hadn't.

With one simple challenge he'd been ready to drop trou and have a go at her. No … with her. She brought out something feral … primal … a little wild in him. Her honesty about what she wanted and how she wanted it turned him on.

And a walk on the wild side sounded damn good at the moment.

Maybe he needed it. Etta had one thing right. Truth equaled Char and Lex forever. They were meant for each other. He could let it eat at him or move the fuck on.

Etta would make the latter a hell of a lot more interesting.

Maybe he'd been too wrapped up in Char to see the possibilities with Etta. Char had been something sweet, and he'd needed that. Char had, too. But she'd held a big part of herself back. She never laughed the lusty laugh with him like she did with Durben.

And he might not have had the instant spiral of feeling for Etta that consumed him when he met Charlotte. But he'd admired Etta's grit from the moment he'd found her in the tall grass fighting for her life. Her tenacious spirit served her well.

Making a turn, he headed along the final side of the perimeter boundary. "Okay, Etta … let's see where this mutually beneficial arrangement takes us."

I love how this one is coming together. Dom and Etta are one of my favorite couples and telling their story is so much fun.

 

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

ML Skye