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