Sunday Snippet: Follow Me (Scorched Galaxy book one)

Another week in the books and it ended up not being terrible. Had several errands that needed to be handled and got through those without issue for the most part. I always appreciate being able to check things off the list.

We had very mild weather for July. Our high was in the low seventies a couple of days and that's unusual. But it makes doing my great clear out easier and more comfortable.

Work is staying steady and I'm getting through several projects, which makes me happy. I have one that keeps popping back and that can be frustrating. The good news is the reason it keeps coming back isn't due to anything I've done. It's all author related requests.

Had a fairly decent viewing week. I made it through my usual list of shows and had another Death in Paradise binge watch of previous seasons.

Started the week with the new to me series Marple. I've seen a previous version of Miss Marple and it's kind of fun to see how the episodes change with new incarnations.

Also started the docuseries Ireland Coast and Country. I'm on an emerald isle kick at the moment because I truly enjoyed the series about Ireland's castles. The first episode makes me want to visit the country at some point.

Watched another episode of the current season of Death in Paradise. I'm enjoying the dynamic between Mervin and Naomi. Also really happy the fallout of Mervin's kidnapping is being explored. Really not sure what to make of the niece showing up. We'll see if that ends up being a good thing.

Caught another episode of Poirot and finished off season ten. Have to admit this one had more than one mystery twisting through it and I enjoyed that. Looking forward to seeing what season eleven has in store.

Elementary entertained again. The case ended up being very twisty. And the appearance of Shinwell made me kind of happy … even though it might not have ended well.

Enjoyed an episode of Young Justice. I'm kind of interested in where things are going to go with the whole the Light thing. Exciting developments between Connor and Magan though.

Also watched another episode of Star Trek Lower Decks. Very cool to see the original four on an away mission. Also loved how they addressed the different dynamic since they've all been bumped up in rank.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Follow Me, the opening book in the Scorched Galaxy trilogy.

Here's the miniblurb:

A will they or won't they wager spurs Molly and Sloan to see how long they can without getting caught.

And a sneaky peek…

Never would have thought that possible.

Sloan didn't know if he should laugh or be insulted. They were both attractive people. It shouldn't be that hard for Molly to conjure it up in her head.

He sure as hell didn't find it difficult to imagine her naked.

And isn't that the sticking point I keep tripping over? If Molly hadn't been engaged to his best friend, a play would have been made a long time ago. But she'd said yes to Lachlan and that put her firmly in the don't-even-think-about-it category.

Sloan considered himself an honorable man. But the guilt he thought he should feel didn't surface. And he'd just broken the primo rule of the brotherhood of men. A guy does not make out with, put his hands on, or have mind-blowing sex with his best friend's girl.

They just didn't do it.

Sloan took a moment and tried to think about Lachlan, but Molly had taken up residence. She consumed all the space in his head that he didn't want dedicated to the upcoming confrontation with the commander. He should be focused on working out a plan for that, instead he relived the feel of her in his arms.

Is she doing the same?

Sloan leveled his gaze on hers. "You really never thought it possible?"

She'd be lying. And they both knew it.

Molly sobered. "Uh … no, actually." She shifted her position in the chair, tucking her feet up under her legs.   

Almost as if the question made her uncomfortable. Or she settled in for a serious conversation.

Both worked for him.

Molly gave a slight shrug of one shoulder. "The thing is … you're not one to take stupid risks." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "And the CAG screwing one of his pilots is a huge risk … one that could land us both in hack."

Sloan couldn’t argue her point, but he shot her a skeptical look. She'd never been obtuse and had to know what he'd meant.

Blowing out sigh, she answered honestly. "Okay, maybe it's more like I've never let myself imagine what could happen between us … given the right circumstances."

She glanced his way and Sloan had the impression she'd thought about it a lot. But like him, she couldn't let herself believe it would happen.

Because of Lachlan.

Sloan tilted his head, looking at Molly closely. "Well, it did happen." And lightning hadn't struck and nothing had blown up, so maybe they didn't have to be haunted by the ghost in the past.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Regrets?" As soon as the word came out, he wanted to kick himself.

He'd gotten a little too comfortable, sitting with her, as they were, with no distractions for the moment. Asking a question when he couldn't be sure of the answer might prove disastrous.

Because if Molly got weirded out in any way, she'd run for the hills. He knew this about her. She didn't make friends easily. For all her bold and brash behavior, she rarely let people in.

The constant shuffle from scattered military bases with her mom to being out on the road with her jack-of-all-trades dad didn't leave a lot of time to form lasting friendships. Sloan would be forever grateful to his mom, who refused to travel on the base-to-base merry-go-round with his dad. Their marriage sometimes suffered for it, but being the wife of a pilot meant she could be made an instant widow, and she wanted her son to have a stable environment while growing up.

And his dad always knew where he could find home and that she would be waiting for him. Losing her to cancer almost broke each of them, but they managed to get through the loss. Together.

Sloan realized he'd been navel gazing and avoiding eye contact with Molly. She still hadn't answered him, so he focused his gaze on hers, hoping she didn't have plans to bolt out the door.

I've been working on this series for a really, really long time and I have so much love for this couple and the other characters in this saga.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Follow Me (Scorched Galaxy)

Can't believe June is almost over. This year is flying by so quickly. Or maybe it's just so much is out of control it seems that way.

Great week of work. I'm finishing up two big projects and hopefully setting up the groundwork for more. I'd love to find some balance between big jobs and smaller ones.

Had a decent week for viewing. We had some weather roll through, and I took the precaution of not starting anything when we might lose power.

I started a new two-parter of Silent Witness. Kind of an interesting premise and I'm not completely sure where this one is going. I like that.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise, and it's one I hadn't seen yet. I do love watching the series in chronological order.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Final Cut," which is one of my very favorite episodes. There's a lot going on in this one and it's all amazing.

Finished the second season of Only Murders in the Building and, holy hell, I loved how it ended! Can't wait for season three!

Also managed to catch another episode of Classic Rugrats. It brought back some memories because my kiddos wanted to try flan because of this one.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Follow Me, the opening book of an epic space saga trilogy. I hope.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A will they or won't they wager spurs Molly and Sloan to see how long they can without getting caught.

And a sneaky peek…

Molly pondered Sloan's prediction. With their history with MacNeill, he might begin with the should've known betters, but he wouldn't end there. Her mind ticked off several follow-up scenarios, each one worse than the last.

She'd caught a glimpse of the disappointment on the commander's face just before he'd slammed the hatch shut. Damn. She hated letting him down.

Her head snapped up. "You don't think we'll end up in hack, do you?" Wouldn't be anything new for her—between her temper and her mouth, a first-name basis had been established with the marine guard.

Sloan on the other hand? Usually so squeaky clean he farts bubbles.

He shrugged again. "Who knows?"

The night's events were catching up with him. He looked so weary.

She put her feet up on an adjacent chair. "Yeah. Let's just deal with whatever happens, when it happens." She could almost feel the dull throb he must've had behind his eyes … the one where the buzz wore off and the hangover kicked in.

He closed his eyes a moment. "My head hurts too much to think about it right now." He leaned forward, elbows on the table and steepled his fingers to put pressure against his forehead, gently rubbing in a circular motion.

He continued to massage his head and she let the comparative silence draw out. Watching his fingers work, she flashed to having them on her … and in her … in the commander's quarters. Who knew it would be like that with us? They'd been friends for a long time … hell, she'd been engaged to his best friend before he'd been lost on the recon mission.

As different as night and day, Sloan and Lachlan were opposite sides of the same coin. She couldn't really make a comparison between them, and, in her mind, that probably counted as a good thing. Things are weird enough without adding my former fiancé to the mix.

Gods, how long had it been since she'd thought of Lachlan? Such a big part of her life. The first man she remotely considered as more than a great lay. The first to break through and reach her on a personal level. Then meeting Sloan and finding another friend for life? Molly counted herself lucky to be the recipient of such blessings.

She shook herself out of that train of thought. She couldn't think about Lachlan right now. Picking back up on Sloan's fingers, she got warm pondering all the things she'd love him to use them for. Long and lean, they shouldn't fit with the rest of his body. But they did. Compact, solid, and certainly built, Sloan stayed in shape. Always. Much to the hatred of the other pilots.

Molly grinned. One of the first directives Sloan sent through as CAG, a new fitness program, still made them grumble. Sloan turned a deaf ear to the complaints. In his mind, as long as they were on the run from an enemy that outpaced them in every way except the physical, his men would be as fit as possible.

That directive counted as the only thing he continued to have significant trouble with since assuming the position of lead pilot. The former CAG, well-seasoned major that he'd been, let the pilots skate on the physical side as long as they could fly planes. Molly supported Sloan's efforts wholeheartedly and agreed with his reasoning completely.

It slayed her that the one thing that set off Sloan's usually calm demeanor was a group of pilots bitching about keeping fit for duty.

Talk about a match to powder.

A riled-up Sloan? Whew. Something to behold. The man elevated a scathing set down to an art form. Using a few well-chosen words to get his point across, he left no doubt how unpleasant the repercussions would be for anyone not on board with the regimen. The pilots might not like it, but he'd earned their grudging respect for not folding under the initial barrage of very vocal feedback.

Molly had the advantage of knowing Sloan prior to the attacks. She knew what lay beneath the surface. How difficult being thrust into a position he wasn't ready for made things. She'd had firsthand experience with the slow burn of Sloan's temper. He rarely reached a hard boil but watch out if he did. And once he reached meltdown, his anger ebbed as slowly as it built. Giving him some distance for a few days tended to be a good idea.

In contrast, push her buttons and she lashed out fast and her temper faded quickly. Opposite of Sloan. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Which turned out to be a good thing. If she'd known how explosive they'd be together, she would have plotted a way to set up a good hard screw a hell of a lot sooner.

Even wigged out, she couldn't deny the sex had been damn good.

Speaking of … Sloan mentioned about that, didn't he? And, well, they had some time to kill.

She snapped her fingers in front of his far-away gaze. "Sloan?" Waited until he focused blue eyes on her. "Didn't you say something about mind-blowing sex?" Kind of weird to talk about it but reliving it in her head had her blood heating again, which made her uncomfortable.

Sloan glanced away, coloring slightly. "Fuck, Molly. I should have known you wouldn't let that one slide." His voice went a little sheepish like he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

But he had and they might as well talk about it.

Molly picked up on the humor, used it as the ice breaker. "Let it slide?" She shook her head back and forth. "No way. Sloan MacNeill mentions mind-blowing sex and I'm going to let it slide. I don't think so." They usually teased each other mercilessly when one of them got laid.

Except … it'd never been quite like this.

"The fact you were referencing me is the kicker. Never would have thought that possible." Molly chuckled awkwardly, desperately trying to keep things light.

Then she braced herself.

Whatever Sloan said next would set the tone between them from this point forward. She honestly didn't know what she hoped for.

This story is so close to my heart, and I've been working on the three books to iron out all the intricacies. Here's hoping I get it all right.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Follow Me (Scorched Galaxy book one)

I seriously can't believe I'll be moving my daughter into her dorm in three weeks. It's coming up fast! She's very excited and I think I have almost everything she needs to be prepared for the daily masking, temperature taking, and hand sanitizing she's going to have to do.

On a super-positive note, I found an app that will let me not only brainstorm but will translate the long-form handwritten brainstorming I've done into text! This is true game changer for me. I'm so, so, so excited.

Had a semi-slow week for watching shows. I made some serious progress on getting my office cleared and organized. I'm almost ready to add a bookcase or two. I've been a little light on work projects so this is a terrific time to get the tedious sort, sort, sorting accomplished.

I did get to watch another episode of Peak Practice. I'm about midway through the second season and I have a sneaking suspicion someone will be leaving at the end of this one.

Also rewatched the second episode of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. I truly love this spinoff.

Caught "The Sontaren Experiment" episodes of Classic Who. It's a lot of fun to visit Sarah Jane way back when. I miss Elisabeth a lot.

Watched episode four of Picard. I'm trying to figure out what the captain's deal is. All of his holographs are versions of himself? I kind of love it but also really wonder about it.

Got a few more episodes of Danger Man in, both ones I didn't remember. I thoroughly enjoyed each.

Also watched another compilation of Cirque du Soleil shows. I honestly can't fathom how the performers do what they do. I'm always, always amazed at their ability. And the costumers and makeup artists along with the musicians pull everything together. It's mind-blowing.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Follow Me, an epic space saga with two sequels and a bonus short-form prequel.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A 'will they' or 'won't they' wager spurs Molly and Sloan to see how long they 'can' without getting caught.

And a sneaky peek…

Sloan sat down, crossing an ankle over his knee to put the lost sock on his foot. "I don't know about the clothes, Moll, but I do know we're down to three minutes to get out of here." He scanned the room looking for his shoes and fought the urge to just walk out without them. "I also know I do not want to be here when the commander returns." Molly picked her pants up and thank you divine entity, Sloan found his shoes. Damn good thing because he didn't look forward to coming back at 0500 without them.

He didn't look forward to coming back at 0500, period.

Sloan looked up to find Molly gazing at him, one leg in the pants, the other poised to enter. "Commander, huh." She shook her head, slid her leg in and pulled the material up over her hips. "Sloan … he's your father."

Like he needed the DNA update. "Exactly. My father … who just walked in on his son having mind-blowing sex with someone he considers a surrogate daughter." Shit. Did he really say mind-blowing sex out loud? Sloan grimaced and risked a glance at Molly. He could tell she wanted to laugh. She bit her lip to hold it back.

Heaving a sigh, he finished tying his shoes. "And you wonder why I have to think of him as the commander right now?" He rose and pulled on his shirt. Maybe she'd let the whole mind-blowing sex thing slide.

Molly sobered then nodded. "Right." She tilted her head, a questioning look on her face. "What was that about the sex?" She sat, sliding on her socks but cocked an eyebrow.

"Molly … we have like two minutes to get out of here…" Sloan smiled ruefully, knowing she'd grill him about it later. "Let's continue this train of thought after we find someplace quiet while we wait to report back." Dammit … he should have known she'd zero in on the sex thing.

He chalked his blunder up to trying to shake the creepy feeling of getting caught in post-coital bliss by his dad. Sloan didn't think he'd been as embarrassed since his father had walked in on him that time … he stopped the thought. No use going there right now. He'd left his teenage years in the past … where they firmly belonged. With a quick shudder, he walked to the hatch.

Molly laughed softly, knowing exactly where his thoughts were and clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Is this where I should point out that finding somewhere quiet is what got us into this in the first place? And about the only thing that would save our ass right now is if the enemy showed up in full force." She grabbed her shoes and jammed her feet inside. "We'd never be that lucky."

She had a point. About everything. "Okay … quiet place in public." She stooped down to tie her shoes, her russet hair falling forward to frame her face and it hit Sloan. She's beautiful. He held the thought for a moment before brushing it away. They were friends. Period.

Okay … not period. They were friends who'd just been busted for a drunken romp in the dark. "Make that a quiet place … in public … with the lights on."

She turned her head sideways, giving him an over dramatic eye roll.

He chuckled. "You know, just to play it safe."

Her mouth opened then closed and her eyes narrowed. "Right." Whatever she'd planned to say lost for the moment. Nodding, she sat up and went pale, wobbling a bit. "Whoa ... the room just went black for a minute." She drew in a deep breath, let it out. "Still a little shaky I guess." When she could focus again, she glanced up at him. "Remind me to hurt the chief, badly, the next time I see him. That brew of his should be outlawed."

Sloan wouldn't argue. "Or maybe come with a warning label?" He knew what she probably thought … why else would they have thrown caution to the wind the way they had?

He might be new to the MacGregor, but he wouldn't forget Keegan Douglas's face any time soon. "I think you're gonna have to get in line. Behind me." He smiled ruefully, while waiting for Molly to gingerly make her way to the hatch.

Exiting through the hatch, Sloan pondered the swill they'd been drinking. "You know, I seriously think we could make a case for ourselves based solely on that rotgut." They made a quick turn and continued down the corridor. "What the hell does he put in that stuff anyway?" His mouth already tasted like cotton, which meant the hangover should kick in soon.

Molly made a face while she considered the answer. "I kinda don't want to know what he uses for ingredients. Besides, it's apparently a trade secret." She let out a groan. "I know I'll never be drinking that crap again." Putting a hand to her head, she closed her eyes a moment. "My head is throbbing and a corner to crawl into would be damn nice right about now. I could plot ways to do in the chief without getting caught." A grimace crossed her face when she took the next corner too quickly.

Sloan reached out to steady her, laughing. "You're swearing off the chief's brew?" He could resist a little more teasing. "No way. The mighty Phoenix, who on her worst day still drinks most people under the table? My world may never be the same again, Molls." She slugged him, hard, on the bicep when they made the next turn.

She wasn't thrilled with his amusement. "Shut. Up. It's not funny." It must've started to sink in, exactly how much trouble they could be in because she got serious for a moment. "Do you have any idea what your father … wait, sorry…" She rolled her eyes. "I mean, the commander is going to say to us when we meet with him?"

Molly loved his old man like her own father. She'd try to deny it, but if their romp affected her relationship with his dad it would kill her.

Arriving at the spot of the infamous Tripola game, Sloan shrugged and entered the deserted rec room. "He'll probably say something about how I'm the CAG and I should know better than to fraternize with a subordinate." Glancing up at the overhead lights, Sloan squinted against the harsh glare, but decided it was safer to leave them on. "And even though you're insubordinate on a regular basis, you should have known better, too." He spotted a semi-clean table, walked over and sat down.

Molly sank down in the chair beside his and nodded her head. "Right … that's probably what he'll start with."

I'm still in the process of rewriting this one. I started out in present tense and the story really needs to be in past tense. And, of course, I'm finding a lot of stuff to refine along the way.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Breaking Point (Scorched Homeworld 3)

I have a new furnace! It's shiny and pretty and takes up a lot less space than our old one did. And it's amazing how nice and toasty the house is again. Here's hoping the much-improved energy efficiency pays off too.

My workload is still crazypants. Trying to get prepped for having the equipment going in and out of our house didn't leave me a lot of time the past week. I also have a goal of seriously getting rid of a bunch of stuff that's been collecting in odd, random places for the past two decades.

I did get some television watched, starting with another episode of Midsomer Murders. I think I might have found the show I'll be replacing Midsomer with, but I have made a final decision yet.

Caught a few more episodes of Sapphire and Steel and watched a full arc of Classic Who. Sapphire and Steel is actually pretty interesting with a different style.

Watched a Halloween episode of Murdoch Mysteries, which ended up being pretty fun. I love it when William has to deal with people and things he doesn't feel comfortable with. Pretty cool variation on the theme song also.

Also caught another episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. I really do like this show and the friendship between Frankie, Trudy, Flo, and Mary. My favorite season is still the first one, but if this is going to be a long-haul show, I'm down with the changes to the style.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Breaking Point, a follow up novel in what I'm referring to as the Scorched Homeworld series. Definitely a working title there.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Molly and Sloan are rock solid until the fleet reaches its breaking point and their relationship is one of the casualties… or so they want everyone to think.

And a sneaky peek… (a little on the sexy side)

Molly stood under the hot spray, waiting for Sloan to arrive. Her first mission objective accomplished, she let her mind dwell on the lack of progress. Something had to give soon or Sloan wouldn't be the only one feeling the crunch. And if any more civilians died, she hated to think how it would play out in the press. She might not credit the reporters with knowing their asses from an airlock, but they could cause all kinds of trouble the fleet didn't need right now.

Even anticipating Sloan's arrival, she'd been lost in thought and jumped a bit when his hands cupped her breasts and his mouth nuzzled her throat. Turning, she traded places with him and shoved everything else from her mind.

"Water's hot." She gave him a nudge and let him duck under the stream.

Sloan's head tilted back and water sluiced over his face. Molly's eyes tracked the rivulets as they slithered down his chest and torso before branching off to roll along his hips and legs. She moved in close, picked a droplet and chased after it with her finger. Sloan's stomach muscles rippled under her touch and his head dropped forward. He grabbed the soap and poured a small amount on his chest before adding some to the palm of his hand.

Molly took the hint and smoothed her hands over his skin working up a good lather. Sloan returned the favor and the heat of the shower notched up another degree. The way his fingertips ghosted over her skin made her shiver under the hot spray of the water. Her tongue darted out, the urge to follow the trail of suds sliding in tempting pathways over his torso too strong to resist. She licked a trail from his shoulder to his groin, dropping to her knees, her mouth wrapping around Sloan's rock hard erection.

His hips thrust forward and he groaned. "Feels good, Molly." His fingers smoothed over her scalp.

Molly swirled her tongue around the tip of Sloan's cock then sucked the length to the back of her throat. Sloan moaned and the ball of tingling awareness in Molly's stomach spread outward along all of her nerve endings. She bobbed her head back and forth, listening to Sloan's breath rasp out, letting the exquisite feeling of anticipation build until she couldn't stand it anymore.

Rising, her lips met Sloan's and he lifted her, entering with a smooth thrust. Molly tore her mouth from his with a groan. Her head dropped to his shoulder and she reached out, shutting the water off. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she rocked her hips, meeting Sloan's rapid staccato pace.

The knowledge she made him forget the problems plaguing the fleet—at least for a while—gave her a heady sense of power. The feel of him going deep, the sound of his harsh breathing, the look of ecstasy on his face… everything combined to overwhelm her senses. Would they ever lose the skill to affect each other on such a primal level?

I honestly doubt Molly and Sloan will ever lose that particular skill, but they might have to pretend to for a while.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Follow Me

And we had about two inches of snow this week. Mother Nature is laughing her ass off right now.

The Walking Dead had another great episode. I always love Carol and I enjoyed Morgan's journey. The Talking Dead follow up made me happy, too.

The Flash took a turn I didn't expect and I like it. Looking forward to seeing what else the speed force comes up with to throw at Barry.

Legends of Tomorrow going to the moon proved a fun ride. Personally, I want a lot more Mick and Martin scenes. Their timing is so terrific. I'm also loving the Sarah / Rip dynamic. Love this show.

Arrow upped the tension by a zillion. His past keeps coming back to haunt him in huge ways. While I love how Adrian has everything twisted in his direction, I'll enjoy seeing him go down. At least I hope he goes down. Hard. And doesn't get back up. I'm also waiting for Felicity to land on the hot seat. Something tells me she's going to get into a mess she can't get out of.

Riverdale had a bye week, which makes me sad. No new episode this week either. Grr.

I finished up the first season of City Homicide and started Luke Cage. So far, I'm enjoying the Harlem vibe and look forward to seeing how Luke comes into his hero status.

Still need to catch up on Murdoch Mysteries and X Company. Possibly this week.

And that's it for television. This week's post is from Follow Me, an epic novel that I'm hoping to finally get finished up soon.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A 'will they' or 'won't they' wager spur Molly and Sloan to see how long they 'can' without getting caught.

And a sneaky peek…

The room plunged into darkness and Sloan finally staggered against the bulkhead. The pain slowly receded from his bruised shin and he chuckled… only quietly this time. "What the hell were we thinking… drinking that much during the card game?" At least in the inky blackness, the room didn't spin like the corridor had.

He could almost feel Molly roll her eyes before she answered. "Gee, Captain…" Her voice altered, she'd turned away. "Thought doesn't enter into anything when the booze goes down smooth."

Smooth? "More like it went down with a kick… followed by a bite." Then again, what the hell did he know? He still struggled to tell who from whom and what from what. He'd only been on board since the attacks four months ago and his brain was kinda fuzzy from the alcohol.

Damn… it had been a long time since he'd been this intoxicated. Over two years. And that had been with Molly also, but under very different circumstances. He didn't want to ponder those at the moment. In a round about way, they'd come somewhat full circle.

And circles were something else he didn't want to think about right now.

Being in the dark proved almost as bad as the brightly lit corridor. Sloan felt along the bulkhead, hoping to find the switch or a pull cord to a light. But his fingers met with smooth surface. "Dammit, I can't find the lights." He reached out again, but still came up empty.

Her head still fuzzy, Molly didn't mind the darkness. "Who needs them?" She leaned her forehead against the bulkhead. "Ah… nice and cool. Feels good against my head." She turned and propped her shoulders against the surface. "Never again, Sloan. I swear I'm never drinking this much ever again."

Sloan snorted. "You always say that, Molls." And she never stuck to it—one of the things he enjoyed about her.

Giving up finding a source for light, Sloan tried to get his bearings. "Where the hell are we?" The space felt familiar, but the walk to get there was all muddled in his head.   

Molly sighed. "Truthfully? I'm not sure, exactly. I kinda just picked a door to open." Thinking about it now, probably not her best move.

Sloan blew out an exasperated breath. "Geez, Molly, didn't you see the tag when you opened the door?" Not good. If she didn't have a clue where they were, they could end up locked in during a shift change. If they had to be rescued, so to speak, he wouldn't live it down. And he already had a hard enough time fitting in.

Molly couldn't hold back the drunken giggle. "Who can actually see anything? Er… any one thing, that is?" She giggled again even though it wasn't funny. Except it kinda was.

Sloan realized she was as bad off, or worse, than he was. And the humor finally struck him. "Uh… why do you think I was following you?" He didn't mention the fact that the view had been a thing of joy… the bits he remembered anyway.

Molly must've found that insanely funny; her bark of laughter rang out before she silenced it quickly. "Aww… I thought you were just trying to get close to me, Captain." She laughed again, quietly this time. "I think I'm rather insulted you were just using me for guidance." She heard Sloan move toward the sound of her voice then felt a heavy weight land on her foot. Ouch. "Uh, Sloan… that's me you're standing on." She dragged her foot out from her his.

Mortified, he apologized. "Damn… I'm sorry." Inching his way forward, he tried to be more careful. "I, um, was trying to get close to you…" He hadn't meant to admit that, but something about her teasing tone turned him on. Always had.

And since they were alone in a dark room, and he was just drunk enough to be brave, he decided to act on it. Regs be damned. "I still am… trying to get close to you… can't fucking see to do it though." No doubt about it, the alcohol played a big part in what he was doing, but he didn't care.

This is such a labor of love. I love my characters so much and with two follow-up novels, I've spent a lot of time with them.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Down and Dirty

December 4, 2016

Tis the season! The final month of the year filled with joy, happiness, and insanely crazy schedules. LOL

I'm working on a little something I hope to share throughout the month, with the idea dependent upon how many hours I have left over during the day.

Television this week had the best almost full week crossover in the DC universe. Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow went up against the dominators and came out on top. Pretty great stuff!

The Librarians had a fun episode. I like it when Jenkins and Eve have adventures. The Walking Dead's Tara-centric episode ended up being pretty terrific, too.

Gotham got interesting with the introduction of Selena's mother and Gordon landing in another hot mess. Of course, Barbara and company teaming up with Nygma can only be a good thing.

Agents of SHIELD took a twisty turn having Mac inhabited by the fiery vengeance seeker for a brief period. I'm liking where everything is headed.

For fun, I started what I’m calling my Great Holiday Show Binge Watch. I started out with all the holiday episodes of JAG then dove into the Doctor Who Christmas specials. I'm up to "The End of Time" when David Tennant hands over the TARDIS to Matt Smith. Hoping to finish out the Whoverse episodes and maybe start on NCIS next.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Down and Dirty, a sexy short that should end up being a free companion read for the full-length novel, Follow Me.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The tale behind how a certain pool gets started that put Sloan and Molly in the hot seat. And how Specialist Neve Campbell thought she might have caught them in the act.

And a sneaky peek…

The nearly empty flight deck sounded oddly quiet on third watch. Only the deck chief, Keegan Douglas, and Specialist Neve Carlyle remained, handling some routine maintenance reports and cleaning up. The chief sat on a stool at one of the workstations, catching up on the paperwork. Specialist Carlyle cleaned up around the perimeter of the flight deck with her push broom, every once in a while she'd stop to spray down a workstation and wipe it clean. Neither the Chief nor Neve paid much attention to the two pilots in a darkened corner of the deck where a mangled bird needed extensive repairs.

Finishing up a workstation, Specialist Carlyle took a moment before she started sweeping again. Resting her chin on the handle of the broom, she stared dreamily, her mind flitting back to an earlier incident after the first dog CAP.

Phoenix—Lieutenant Molly Ryan—came in hot and landed hard. The CAG—Captain Sloan MacNeill—read her his riot act. Not that Neve blamed him. The lieutenant pulled a daredevil maneuver against the captain's orders and cut it too close. If the CAG hadn't jumped her shit, the chief would have. The space carrier's planes were his babies and he got very protective—and extremely grouchy—when pilots decided to play rough with them.

Neve stumbled onto the scene on her way back from the mess. If she'd known what would go down, she'd have brought popcorn. Keegan… Chief Douglas… hovered close to the action, which drew Neve's attention right away. The chief rarely stood still on the deck. He preferred a constant state of motion, the better to put out fires with a quick response. Neve stopped and followed his line of sight to the CAG and his top pilot.

Her breath caught in her throat. It usually did when the captain and lieutenant got within five feet of each other. Even when they argued—sometimes a daily occurrence—something, chemistry maybe, oozed back and forth. Sloan and Molly had a history and baggage with each other, but the depth of feeling, always there, defined their friendship. Lieutenant Ryan pushed MacNeill's buttons, but everyone knew she respected him. That helped smooth the way when he took over as CAG.

It really saved the day when Captain MacNeill had to get in the lieutenant's face. Molly often stood toe to toe and argued with him, but she held the key to his acceptance among the other pilots and crew. The fact Molly approved of him meant everyone else did. And the current turmoil made it vitally important. The pilots were the front line defense, protecting the fleet and providing safe passage. Neve wouldn't hesitate to admit she appreciated having them around. Being on the run and having them as backup made her take extra special care with her duties. Even something as mundane as cleaning up the flight deck.

Neve worked her way around the hangar and edged closer to the bent plane, but she hadn't made it far enough to see who lingered there. Besides, the darkened corner could wait a few minutes for the swipe of her broom. Maybe she'd get lucky and they'd leave before she reached it. She hoped none of the nuggets decided to try the chief’s patience by sneaking in a quickie on the flight deck.

It would not go over well. Just last week he'd caught two newbie crewmen all hot and heavy in one of the transports. Her ears still rang from the scathing lecture he'd delivered. Neve wondered if maybe he'd been listening to the CAG and picking up pointers. Captain MacNeill blasted Lieutenant Ryan not long ago for disobeying a direct order. Neve would totally deny it, but watching them go a round always made her a little hot under the collar.

And why wouldn't it? The air between the captain and lieutenant literally crackled. Neve took a moment, letting the scene play out in her head.

Sorry, but I'm stopping here. Stay tuned for the free download when and if I finally get Follow Me polished up and ready to go.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Follow Me

August 31, 2014

Season finale for Defiance… sooooo good. Seriously, I hope it gets renewed. Without giving away too many spoilers, I kind of loved where some of the characters ended up. I'm kind of on the fence about Amanda, but won't say more to avoid spilling anything.

The Walking Dead is almost ready to premiere and Sons of Anarchy rides next week. Makes waiting for Arrow's return in October worth it. Also looking forward to Sleepy Hollow and Gotham. Crossing my fingers FOX won't muck either of those shows up too much.

Enough TV for now. Tonight's post is from Follow Me, the first book in an epic space opera trilogy. Oddly enough, it's one of my longest, too. Clocks in at close to 100K. I'm working on the second draft at this point, but won't submit or publish until the third book is complete. It's sitting at the halfway mark.

Here's the tagline:

A 'will they' or 'won't they' wager spur Molly and Sloan to see how long they 'can' without getting caught.

And a sneaky peek…

Battlecruiser MacGregor—Corridor 9, Deck B

Drunk and stumbling… a ten-hour marathon Tripola game would get a person nothing but drunk and stumbling.

Especially when it included drinking the Chief's Brew… high octane, created-in-a-still alcohol made with loving care by the master chief of the flight deck, Keegan Douglas. His ass would shortly be in a sling if the hangover Lieutenant Molly Ryan figured she'd get actually kicked in.

She took another dodgy step forward and decided Keegan should be referred to as 'Evil Genius' instead of the usual title of 'Chief'. No one knew what he put into the moonshine he cooked up but she could practically picture him standing over the still, hair standing up all over the place, mad-scientist style, rubbing his hands together with maniacal glee. The thought alone kept a grin on Molly's face.

And there hadn't been much to smile about lately.

So raking it in at the card table had been some much needed fun. It felt good to kick back and enjoy… something. Difficult to do after the world had ended and the MacGregor became the flagship for the remnants of their scattered society. They'd lost so many… the former CAG, captain of the air guard, hadn't made it back from the initial battle. He bought it on the return to the ship, protecting the younger, less skilled pilots as they made combat landings in preparation for a hyper light jump that would allow them to flee from the terrible destruction of their world.

Molly regretted his loss. He'd trained her during flight school and because of her quizzical mind, encouraged her to certify as a flight instructor. She'd followed his advice and taught for a couple of years, putting newbies through their paces at the most prestigious flight academy on the planet. Losing him had been a blow to the fleet, but being on the run, protecting the civilians from their enemies, and just dealing with life as they knew it now… the grief got swept aside.

The marathon card game, played in his honor, had been a much needed distraction. A long, overdue break and a diversion, one that gave everyone a chance to catch their breath for a while. The new CAG, Sloan MacNeill, won some huge points for letting them get away with it.

Of course it helped he'd been a participant. Getting him drunk didn't hurt either. They were having a good time, bantering back and forth, and Molly realized she'd missed that. Hell, she'd missed him. She thanked whatever divine creator existed out there that Sloan had pulled a TDA, temporary duty assignment, to the MacGregor in time for his father's birthday celebration.

No one knew it would be the eve of all hell breaking loose. 

Having Sloan around became one of the only things keeping her sane. Molly didn't make friends easily; her childhood traveling from city to city with her dad precluded it. In fact, she kind of gathered acquaintances like she used to collect shoes, but Sloan was an exception. Even when he had a death grip on her because he couldn't walk in straight line at the moment.

Not that she did much better.

"Geez, Molls. I thought you knew the ship like the back of your hand?"

Molly rolled her eyes. "Cool your ass, Sloan… I'm working on it." Right. Find a place to lay low. "Who the hell decided to put the pilot quarters on the opposite end of the ship from the rec room?" It shouldn't be so difficult to find a place to chill out until the ship stopped spinning. "We should have stopped drinking about four hands ago, Sloan." Molly slowed down, blinked a couple of times and tried not to laugh. They had to look ridiculous, staggering along the causeways.  

Sloan stumbled along behind her, all but tripping over his feet. "Seriously, Molls. Twirling lights… not good. Making me dizzy." He closed his eyes, which seemed to help, and let Molly guide him.

Molly chuckled. She was definitely the more experienced drinker. But they had overdone it and neither would last much longer in upright positions.

And the fact they won't remain upright for long leads to a very interesting development.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Down and Dirty

Greetings!

Happy St. Paddy's Day to those who celebrate. And honestly, why don't we all? :D

I've been fighting one of those nagging headaches all day. The kind that hovers in the background and becomes annoying, but not overly painful. Bleh.

But…a post must be made!

Tonight's preview is from what I hope will be a free download if and when I ever get my lengthy space saga trilogy completed and published. Down and Dirty outlines the betting pool that features heavily in the first book of the trilogy, Follow Me.

Here's the tagline:

The tale behind how a certain pool gets started that put Sloan and Molly in the hot seat. And how Specialist Neve Campbell thought she might have caught them in the act.

And here's a wee sneaky peek…

The nearly empty flight deck sounded oddly quiet on third watch. Only the deck chief, Keegan Douglas and Specialist Neve Carlyle remained, handling some routine maintenance reports and cleaning up. The chief sat on a stool at one of the workstations, catching up on the paperwork. Specialist Carlyle cleaned up around the perimeter of the flight deck with her push broom, every once in a while she'd stop to spray down a workstation and wipe it clean. Neither the Chief nor Neve paid much attention to the two pilots in a darkened corner of the deck where a mangled bird needed extensive repairs.

Finishing up a workstation, Specialist Carlyle took a moment before she started sweeping again. Resting her chin on the handle of the broom, she stared dreamily, her mind flitting back to an earlier incident after the first dog CAP.

Phoenix—Lieutenant Molly Ryan—came in hot and landed hard. The CAG—Captain Sloan MacNeill—read her his riot act. Not that Neve blamed him. The lieutenant pulled a daredevil maneuver against the captain's orders and cut it too close. If the CAG hadn't jumped her shit, the chief would have. The space carrier's planes were his babies and he got very protective…and extremely grouchy…when pilots decided to play rough with them.

Neve stumbled onto the scene on her way back from the mess. If she'd known what would go down, she'd have brought popcorn. Keegan…Chief Douglas…hovered close to the action, which drew Neve's attention right away. The chief rarely stood still on the deck. He preferred a constant state of motion, the better to put out fires with a quick response. Neve stopped and followed his line of sight to the CAG and his top pilot.

Her breath caught in her throat. It usually did when the captain and lieutenant got within five feet of each other. Even when they argued—usually a daily occurrence—something, chemistry maybe, oozed back and forth. Sloan and Molly had a history and baggage with each other, but the depth of feeling, always there, defined their friendship. Lieutenant Ryan pushed MacNeill's buttons, but everyone knew she respected him. That helped smooth the way when he took over as CAG.

It really saved the day when Captain MacNeill had to get in the lieutenant's face. Molly often stood toe to toe and argued with him, but she held the key to his acceptance among the other pilots and crew. The fact Molly approved of him meant everyone else did. And the current turmoil made it vitally important. The pilots were the front line defense, protecting the fleet and providing safe passage. Neve wouldn't hesitate to admit she appreciated having them around. Being on the run and having them as backup made her take extra special care with her duties. Even something as mundane as cleaning up the flight deck.

Neve worked her way around the hangar and edged closer the bent plane, but she hadn't made it far enough to see who lingered there. Besides, the darkened corner could wait a few minutes for the swipe of her broom. Maybe she'd get lucky and they'd leave before she reached it. She hoped none of the nuggets decided to try the chief’s patience by sneaking in a quickie on the flight deck.

It would not go over well. Just last week he'd caught two newbie crewmen all hot and heavy in one of the transports. Her ears still rang from the scathing lecture he'd delivered. Neve wondered if maybe he'd been listening to the CAG and picking up pointers. Captain MacNeill blasted Lieutenant Ryan not long ago for disobeying a direct order. Neve would totally deny it, but watching them go a round always made her a little hot under the collar.

And why wouldn't it? The air between the captain and lieutenant literally crackled. Neve took a moment, letting the scene play out in her head.

Sloan moved with purpose when Molly exited her wounded bird. "You pulled a hot dog move after I ordered you not to." His voice rose with each word. "And what happened, lieutenant?"

The fact Sloan reported directly to his father didn't faze Molly in the slightest. She held a place of importance in the commander's life, too.

She rolled her eyes. "I cut it a little close. So what?"

The captain made a strangled, choking sound. "A little close? You're insane." He lowered his voice. "Any closer and the deck crew would be welding on new wings, Lieutenant."

Molly looked away and shrugged. "Yeah, well. I told you I needed to let off some steam."

Sloan exploded. "Only crazy people do barrel rolls when the landing bay doors are closing.

Molly's eyes snapped back to his. "I got in, didn't I?" Her face dared him to counter the fact.

Sloan snorted. "Barely, Lieutenant. You barely got in. And you will make the repairs to the landing struts."

Molly's nostrils flared, but she held her temper. "Whatever. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

Sloan snapped. "Fine."

Molly mimicked. "Fine."

Each stalked off in opposite directions.

Neve shook her head. They should just lock themselves in a supply closet and be done with it.

Chief Douglas shot her a look and Neve realized she'd said the thought out loud.

She blushed. "Er, sorry, Chief." Her mouth always seemed to get ahead of her brain.

Keegan cocked his head to the side. "Actually, Specialist. You might be onto something." His eyes followed the CAG's angry progress toward the office. "They're either gonna screw each other or kill each other. Hard to say which."

Neve pondered his words, keeping an eye on Molly when she yanked her flight suit down to her waist then glanced back over her shoulder, her gaze following the CAG's progress away from the flight deck. "No. They won't kill each other. It's a matter of when or where they'll hook up."

The chief grabbed a clipboard and a fresh sheet of paper. "I'll take that action. Date and time, Specialist."

Neve gaped. "You're serious, Sir?"

He snorted. "Hell, yes. Those two going at each other is like foreplay. Sooner or later, they'll cave." He handed her the clipboard.

And with a stroke of a pen, a pool had been started.

And there you have it. You'll have to come back once I get Follow Me published and see why Neve thought she might have caught the CAG and his top pilot in action. LOL

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

ML Skye