Sunday Snippet: Victory

Even though March is my birth month and the birth month of my mom and one of my best friends, I'm kind of glad to kick it to the curb. It's been a wild ride this month. That said, it's also been intensely productive, so I'm really not complaining.

The weather is still drunk, wildly surging one direction then lurching back only to zing forward again. My sinuses hate me right now. And my throat has that I just swallowed glass with a gravel chaser sound at the moment.

Still buried with work but I'm making great progress on all fronts. I added another new hourly project to the pile and made a big dent in that one yesterday.

Not a bad week for viewing. I got through my usual slate and did a marathon watch to finish out the week.

Ended up watching two episodes of Elementary and both were actually terrific. I'm very interested in seeing how things with Kitty play out in the next few installments.

Caught two episodes of Batman Beyond. Always happy to see the Royal Flush show up and I liked the throwback to Bane.

Also enjoyed two Classic Rugrats episodes. I'm about halfway through the final season and I think I'll pick back up with the new reboot once I'm finished up.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and I'm enjoying having Darlene working with the team. She's a great addition. Also glad to see Neville's sister exit. Maybe she'll grow on me, but I didn't enjoy her at all.

Watched the first official episode of season two Beyond Paradise. Really enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded. Also loved the resolution.

I ended up not quite finishing the episode of London Kills but I should have that one completed this week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Victory, a novella that sees a couple make a wager about public displays of affection.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nevin Fram and Chase Barlow put everything on the line when they wager who can get the drop on the other first with a hot kiss. Nevin executes a plan to catch Chase during a sparring match, but he turns the tables on her and wins. Nevin wants to go double or nothing, but first her brain has to start functioning again.

And a sneaky peek…

"Damn. You two should find an empty causeway and get it out of your systems."

Nevin Fram glanced up at the rude statement then discovered what set the commentary off. Two newer crewmates were getting rather hot and heavy in a corner booth in the mess hall.

Nevin snorted. "Newbs always have to stake a claim within the first week of arrival." Usually in public, which they'd learn didn't have to happen.

With a roster ranging from a hundred to a hundred and fifty, sooner or later everyone knew everything about everybody. Whether anyone wanted to or not. Transport ships—even ones with paramilitary ranking—were notorious for scuttlebutt and shenanigans.

Nevin kicked back and put her feet up on an empty chair. "Too bad I don't have any cheese corn." From the running observations and ribald comments, the show would get good in the near future.

A tray slid in front of her with a bowl of cheese corn and two drinks on it.

Chase Barlow—her partner in and out of bed—dropped down on the seat next to her. "Newbs strike again." His lips twisted in a smirk.

Nevin nudged his shoulder. "You always know exactly what I want." Pulling the bowl close, she grabbed a handful of the fluffy, savory snack.

Chase propped a leg beside hers on the makeshift footrest. "You make it easy. I love knowing what you like and don't like." He folded his arms over his chest and scooted down to a comfortable position.

Rogee Blatten called out. "Yo, Barlow. How long have you and Fram been a thing?" He rocked back on the stool to reveal four curious people at his table.

Chase pondered a moment. "About five years." He slid Nevin a sideways glance. "Sound about right?"

She gave a nod. "Pretty much." Resisting the urge to squirm under the scrutiny, she shot a narrow-eyed gaze toward Rogee. "You planning on throwing us a party or something?"

Rogee held up his hands. "Nothing like that. Just asking." He leaned against the table. "Like, everyone knows you're together, but no one really knows how it happened."

Heads bobbed up and down. Not just at Rog's table, but elsewhere in the mess hall … even the newbs came up for air to listen.

Chase grunted. "You been inhaling the cannon oil again? How doesn't matter." He met Nevin's gaze. "Does it?" He arched one brow.

Nevin shrugged. "Not to me." And not an interesting story.

Well, not to anyone but her and Chase. She'd never gone for guys who made big exhibitions about their feelings. Chase didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, but he made subtle gestures—like the cheese corn—that showed her she meant something. Why the curiosity now? After they'd been together for so long?

Maybe Rogee had been spending too much time in the armory with the ammo and lubricant.

Rog tsked. "Come on. You never do the usual couple thing. No lip-locks in the corridor or holding hands on movie night." He flung a hand out. "You have something against public displays of affection?"

Nevin blinked. "Guess I'm not really into the whole sharing with the universe deal." She didn't the point as long as Chase understood how she felt.

Chase snorted. "Yeah, I don't see the need. Kind of like staking a claim." He paused a moment. "Why is it necessary? Almost reeks of being desperate." He rolled a shoulder. "But each to their own, right?"

Nevin tensed up a little. The staking a claim comment hit sideways. Probably because she'd had the thought earlier. Did she need Chase to make it clear—to everyone—how he felt about her? Not really. But … did he take her for granted? Maybe they'd become a little too comfortable together. Or maybe she just wanted to push a self-imposed boundary.

Rog rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. I can see this conversation is going nowhere." He looked at his group. "Let's hit the rec hall. It'll be more interesting than watching the newbs get hot and heavy or prying any kind of dirt from the old hands." He slid off his stool and clomped toward the hatch.

The rest of his group followed suit, shuffling out behind him, and the two new crewmen sheepishly straightened their clothes and made tracks also.

Chase shifted around to face her. "You got quiet. What's going through your mind right now?" His eyes narrowed and his head tilted to one side.

Great question. She had no idea why she got salty about Rog's prodding and the way Chase responded. But she did.

She took a moment before answering. "I don't know why, but I'm thinking we need a wager to give Rog a hard kick in the mind his own business section of his ass." And maybe see what the next step would be for her and Chase.

Chase straightened and blinked in surprise. "Where's this coming from? Since when does his opinion matter to us?" He leaned forward and propped his forearms on the table.

Nevin lifted a shoulder. "Not saying it does … and here's the completely wrong part…" An imaginary line appeared in her mind, and she hesitated to step over it. "When you said public displays were kind of like staking a claim, I'd had that thought when I first noticed Brant and Gemma making out. Yet … when you added the bit about it reeking of desperation, I don't know. It hit weird." And she made zero sense right now.

Chase frowned. "Weird bad or weird good?"

Nevin lifted her chin. "Bit of both."

I'm enjoying how this story is coming together. Nevin and Chase are fun to write, and I can't wait to see where they go next.

 

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

ML Skye