Sunday Snippet: Unlawful Acts

Well, had a better week than the last one. Still not completely tip-top but feeling way better with the worst of the cold finally over. We got more snow this week, but warmer temperatures are around the corner. At least for a few days.

I got caught up on my work projects and lined up a potential new one. I'll be starting a new copy edit on one of my favorite mystery series and continuing my read through on the nonfiction project.

I'm setting up a storefront for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm kind of doing things a bit backward, but the more I thought about it, the more I figured a storefront would lend legitimacy to this endeavor. I wanted to keep things super simple and offer various methods of payment and I might still be able to do that, but I also thought it would be best to have immediate access to a downloadable file instead of waiting on a delivery to an inbox. We'll see which version works out the best.

Had an okay week of viewing. I didn't make a full cycle through of my shows, but I did get the back half watched. And I might be adding one additional show to the roster. I'll let everyone know if that happens.

Watched another episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed this one. Sherlock's dynamic with Joan is different and getting more settled. And Kitty is fitting in with both in ways I didn't expect.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and enjoyed it. I did forget the interaction with Terry and his brother so that was a nice reminder.

Enjoyed another new-to-me episode of Classic Rugrats. I sometimes wish Nickelodeon had continued with the plans for the pre-school show and added more of All Grown Up. The nostalgia is strong with this franchise. Instead, Spongebob and other weird stuff took off.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Unlawful Acts, a sexy short that puts a couple in close proximity to work out their differences.

Here's the miniblurb:

Effy Carmichael, an up-and-coming officer, wants the job of alpha team leader and deserves it, except she's a few years too young to hold the position. When the spot goes to one of her oldest friends, Jonah Kirkland, Effy has to swallow her pride and welcome him even while she fights the powerful attraction between them. Hooking up with Jonah is against regs, but it may be worth committing an unlawful act to finally realize one of her most closely held desires.

And a sneaky peek…

Effy's heart kicked against her ribs. How the hell to answer? Maybe with the truth … even if it might be scary ugly …

She laid it out. "I wanted the team leader job. And I should've had it." Sighing, she conceded the loss. "Except, of course, I didn't qualify." Waiting a beat, she put the period at the end of the sentence. "And then they send you." She shrugged. "Which should be awesome but, honestly, I'm having a hard time separating my personal feelings from the professional…" She trailed off because the admission cost some pride.

Jonah blinked. "Personal feelings?" His thumb brushed over the top of her hand. "As in … wait, why haven't I ever gone after that before feelings or just the age-old friendship type?"

Effy narrowed her eyes. "Are you making fun of me?"

He shook his head. "No, Eff. I'm not. Believe me, I'm not." He huffed out a laugh. "Heh, you've never given me a hint of hope that you saw me as anything but a brotherly type of friend." His hand squeezed hers.

She pursed her lips because … true fact. "Maybe you didn't look hard enough." Her lips twitched.

Jonah snorted. "And maybe your poker face is too good for me to see through."

She rolled a shoulder. "There is that." She'd become very good at keeping her true feelings hidden behind a mask.

Jonah tugged her a little closer. "So … if I'd never received this promotion, we'd have spent the rest of forever not getting it on?" His palms skimmed along her torso.

Awareness skittered through her. "Maybe." Anticipation thrummed through her veins.

Jonah's mouth curved. "Well, that sucks."

She agreed with a nod.

Jonah sobered. "Can we get past this whole thing? The job situation? Because if we can't, I'll transfer out of here." His voice held a note of conviction.

She didn't hesitate. "We can get past it. I just needed to be pissed off for a couple of months." He couldn't leave now.

Jonah lifted his chin. "And you're over it now?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Pretty much."

Jonah got serious again. "In that case … I can think of a very inappropriate way for you to thank me." He tipped his head toward her. "Right now."

When she opened her mouth to utter a comeback, Jonah slanted his mouth over hers.

A very effective way to shut her up, and she probably wouldn't give him another opportunity like this … ever.

The helmet forgotten, she let the kiss consume her. They could've kept dancing around this for years. Effy slid her tongue along his lower lip as she leaned into the embrace.

She became the aggressor, backing away, she pulled him upright and started tugging at his shirt. "Off. Now." She stepped back and slid her sweatshirt over her head, then started on her sports bra.

Jonah made short work of his shirt and, after tossing it behind him, pulled her to him and kissed her again. His lips slid to her shoulder and his hands began to unbutton her pants.

She cupped his chin. "We're going to do this?" She left the here unvoiced. "Technically, sex on the premises constitutes an unlawful act." Not that she gave a damn.

He pushed her pants down as far as they would go. "Don't much care at the moment."

Effy stepped out of her fatigues. "Okay, yeah. We're going to do this." She reached forward and ran her finger down his chest and stopped at the waistband of his sweatpants before looking up at him. "Think you can handle it?"

I love Effy and Jonah. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Uniform Differences

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Uniform Differences, a novella that brings a couple together by focusing on their differences.

Here's the miniblurb:

When it comes to respect, Tegan Gruss and Ellsworth Boshuk have a few uniform differences when defining how to show it. Ellsworth is tired of her constantly busting his chops—he's her superior officer—but Tegan doesn't care about rank when someone isn't worthy of her time or effort and Ellsworth is very worthy.

And a sneaky peek…

Ellsworth rolled a shoulder. "Look, I've been thinking. I rely on you too much." He paused a moment. "And to be honest, it borders on an abuse of power." Letting out a sigh, he owned the truth. "Because, to further blur the lines, I've let my attraction for you get in the way and I should know better." He did know better.

Her eyes went wide. "Wait, do you honestly think I give a crap about the regs? No one pays attention to them." When he quirked a brow, she backpedaled a little. "Okay, let me rephrase. Regs get broken a lot out here. It's not blatant and we police ourselves." She folded her arms over her chest. "What do you expect?"

Probably a good question. What did he think happened in remote outposts? Far from the stern eye of the admiralty. Of course, things were less rank and file.

He grunted. "I don't expect anything from you." He folded his arms over his chest. "From me, I expect to not put you in a position where I can take advantage of you." More than he already had by relying on her and letting their chemistry make things murky.

Tegan rolled her eyes. "As if I'd let you. Well … I actually would if it involved a hot romp on a lazy afternoon." She got up close and personal with him. "And it would most likely go something like this…" Her mouth hovered close to his, a sly twist to her lips.

Then she leaned in and caught his lips in a sizzling hot kiss. He didn't think twice when her tongue invaded then plundered. His arms unfolded and he brought his hands up to cup her face, tilting her head to take the embrace deeper.

When a low moan rumbled up from her chest, reality slapped against his brain. He ended the lip-lock, way more slowly than he should because he wanted to remember every detail to replay later. In vivid color and on loop in his mind.

Easing back, he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "Yeah, no. This can't happen right now. Not when I'm trying to get my feet under me." Even if he'd rather have her there.

She gave him a sexy smirk. "Fine. I can live with that." Trailing a finger down his uniform shirt, she flashed a smile. "Let's see how long you can."

Turning, she did a slow walk to the exit giving him ample time to watch her incredible ass on the way.

I am having so much fun with this story. Tegan loves to push buttons, and Ellsworth enjoys her efforts to thumb her nose at protocol.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Unexpected Surprise

Happy Kendrick Lamar Does the Halftime Show to all who celebrate. I'll be feasting on food that's terrible for me because that's my favorite part of this weekend.

I'm still doing small things for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm trying to get my other blogs and my author website updated with the new material and I'm looking at possible setting up immediate downloads. That's a goal and I hope I can get there. Trying to gauge interest first. I also kept up with drawing one oracle card a day and posting the results on Bluesky.

Had a fairly busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and completed a combination copy edit proofread. I also had a terrific meeting with a new client, and I'll be working on evaluating their manuscript over the next few weeks. Very exciting!

Slow week for viewing. I had a lot of distractions and couldn't focus on watching very much. I think lack of sleep played a role there. I'm trying to figure out what kind of sleep schedule I need right now.

I did get a few shows in, starting with Elementary, which ended up being a really great episode and I enjoyed it.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I'm very nostalgic for this show right now and thoroughly enjoying the rewatch.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, the two vignettes were new to me. Although, I think they were out of order with the rest of the season because one showed how Chas and Kira ended up with the coffee shop.

I started an episode of One Lane Bridge and should finish it up today. This show has some twists, and I enjoy those but also need to be able to focus so I don't miss important details.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Unexpected Surprise, a sexy short story with a fun premise.

Here's the miniblurb:

Roma Dobbs and Case Havensworth, two soldiers with a long and storied history, finally tie the knot, but keep it very low-key and don't tell anyone. Case's dad shows up without warning on their second wedding anniversary and gets an unexpected surprise—a not so new daughter-in-law.

And a sneaky peek…

Cal arched his brows. "Okay. How did that work? If you weren't going to be at the same location?"

Case's lips twisted. "Very carefully." He sent Roma a sideways glance.

She smiled. "We realized the attraction was getting deeper. Case's unit wouldn't be attached to our base much longer, so I asked him where things were headed."

Case snorted. "I said they were headed to dangerous ground." He'd never wanted anyone more than he wanted her.

Roma laughed. "I liked the sound of that."

Cal chuckled. "I'll bet you did. You always liked to go where you weren't supposed to."

Something his dad had to deal with when Roma went through basic training and drew him as her instructor. In fact, she'd met Matt through their dad.

Roma acknowledged the truth with a lift of her chin. "True. I do like to test boundaries. And I would've crossed the line if Case had been on board with the idea." She huffed out a breath. "But he played it cool and smart and wouldn't trash our careers for a quick lay."

Case shook his head. "Nope. I suggested we wait another two weeks then meet on neutral ground." He named the resort asteroid they'd agreed to. "I'll spare you the erotic details." Basically, nonstop sex for two full days.

Cal grunted. "Yeah, I think I get the picture." He cocked his head. "So, that's when you got together together?"

Roma met Case's gaze. "In a way. I figured we'd have a one-shot deal. Spend the weekend together. Get it out of our system. Go on our merry way."

Cal lips twitched. "Didn't work like that, did it?"

Roma turned her attention to Cal. "Uh-uh. Even though I didn't plan on seeing him again, we ended up making a date to meet up after Case's next temporary duty assignment."

I'm actually having a lot of fun with this sexy little short. Roma and Case are a joy to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Understanding Truth

Welcome February! The shortest month seems like a great time to start new things. I've challenged myself to post every day on Bluesky and I picked drawing one oracle card from a random deck each day. So far, I'm two for two.

I'm also going to launch the side project I've previously talked about. Tip Jar Shorts is a fun way to get sexy romance short stories right to your inbox. The blog is up and running and still a work in progress. I'm so excited to see how things go! If you're interested, check it out!

I had a busy work week with a challenging copy edit but it's almost complete and I'm happy I got to work on this mystery series. A few more bits and pieces to check and it'll be on its way to the publisher.

Had a somewhat quiet viewing week. Between getting Tip Jar finished up and the copy edit, I needed a quiet background to get everything done.

Caught another Batman Beyond episode. I remembered this one and enjoyed during my first run through of the show.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. I'm in the final season and catching some episodes I haven't seen before.

Watched another episode of One Lane Bridge and I'm still enjoying the show. It's kind of a slow, moody narrative and I'm rather into that right now.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I'm kind of wondering what the hell is going to happen next. I'm also wondering what the superintendent thought would happen when he tried to run.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. The vibe is very different with season eleven and I'm kind of okay with that. I like the new sergeant and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go with Florance doing an undercover stint. I like that the reason is tied back to a previous murder.

Loved the episode of Beyond Paradise that I caught this week. I'm interested in how Humphrey and Martha work through their issues and was so happy to see her rebuff Archie, even if he's portrayed by one of my favorite actors. I'm still on the fence with Martha's mom. I can't quite decide if I like her or not. We'll see how the rest of the season goes.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Understanding Truth, a novella where the main characters navigate some challenges in their life.

Here's the miniblurb:

Perdix Plane and Brock Halliwell are soldiers who finally understand a few simple truths. They're not normal people, they don’t follow standard operating procedure, and they'll never have a conventional relationship—and maybe that's perfectly okay.

And a sneaky peek…

Brock liked having Perdix a little off balance.

He entered the mess and made his way to her table. "Are you waiting for anyone?"

She shrugged. "No."

He sat, settled in, and dug into his food. "Seamus isn't due back in?" Might as well find out where things stood between Perdix and the other man.

She narrowed her eyes. "Well, yeah. But we aren't into eating meals together." Her face twisted in a grimace.

Brock liked the sound of that. Probably a casual thing, which might be hopeful thinking on his part. He scooped up a large bite of his entrée.

Perdix shot back with a question. "How's Dionne?" Her eyebrows arched and she kept her tone casual.

Brock finished chewing. "She's fine. Having dinner with another dispatcher with a hope for brunch in the morning." At least that had been her plan.

Her eyes widened. "And you're okay with the situation?" She couldn't keep the surprise out of her tone.

Brock cracked a grin. "Considering I introduced them, yeah."

She made a confused sound.

He explained. "Look, she's great. And she was good for me…" He paused a moment, trying to figure out how to put his feelings into words. "But not as a significant other. She's best at being a terrific friend." His lips quirked. "And that's what we are. Really great friends." He hoped Dionne found her future with Franz Heffer.

Perdix tsked. "How do you do that? Remain friends with your ex-lovers? I can never manage to pull that feat off."

Brock quirked a brow. "Am I not a friend, then?"

Perdix snorted. "Of course you are."

He gave her a pointed look. "So, you've managed the feat at least once." Probably more if she bothered to keep track.

She tilted her head to one side. "I guess I have." She straightened and glanced away. "Considering I almost killed you I'd say that's pretty amazing."

Brock frowned. "You didn't almost kill me. The bullet went through pretty clean, all things taken into account." He shoved his tray aside and leaned in. "Since we're on the subject ... why did you really stop by after the incident?" He couldn't shake the idea she had a completely different reason than the one she gave.

Perdix gathered her tray. "I thought I did more damage than they were saying." She rolled a shoulder and got up. "That's all." Stepping away from the table, she lifted her chin. "I'll catch you later." She carried her tray to the wash station and exited the mess hall.

Brock tracked her movements, pondering the weird vibe. "Still have some work to do there."

I like exploring perceived challenges in a relationship. Perdix and Brock have more than one of those.

 

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

ML Skye