Sunday Snippet: Make the Call

Geez. I can't believe January is almost over. It's been a month. Hell, it's been a year and we're only through the first month. Heh.

Had a crazy-busy work week and I'm so thrilled! Several new projects are in my calendar and I'm moving full steam ahead on my new venture. Truly hoping I'll have it ready to launch in the next few weeks.

Solid week of viewing. Didn't quite make it through my full list of shows, but the new work projects are taking priority and I'm totally okay with that.

Started with My Life Is Murder. So much fun to see Renee O'Connor acting with Lucy Lawless again. A great episode.

Enjoyed another Agatha Raisin episode. Nice to have James back even though I have a feeling he won't be a permanent fixture. The episode ended on a cliffhanger so I'm looking forward to picking back up this week.

Watched the first of a two-part Silent Witness. The tension building in this episode ended up being excellent. I'm a bit disappointed in Nikki's story thread. The student seriously screamed creepy stalker from the first moment he popped up on screen. I have a very sneaking suspicion he did something and if true, I really want a major repercussion. I'm also hoping like hell Jack's family isn't going to be smaller by the end of the next episode.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and had seen bits and pieces of this one. So glad I got to watch the whole thing. I like getting backstory for the island cast.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Kind of loved Sherlock sort of being there for Watson at the end. The dynamic between the two characters is fun to watch. Getting a glimpse of Jane's backstory is also nice. Makes me wonder about the lawyer guy though. I'm not a fan of fast and loose storytelling.

Started season two of The Batman. I remember being so disappointed they changed the theme song. I do rather like the introduction of Batgirl.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Loved this the first time it aired and thoroughly enjoyed again. So much fun.

Starting my viewing schedule over again. The Secret Life of Amy Benson, VIP, and Battlestar Galactica will hopefully get a watch this week. I also need to pick back up with Peak Practice in the near future.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Make the Call, a novella that puts a former couple back on track to a reunion.

Here's the miniblurb:

Gia Pimm has everything she wants, but a reminder from her mother—that Gia will always suffer when good things happen—makes her walk away from Nolan Curry. But when she needs antibiotics, she swallows her pride and makes a call to the man who has them—Nolan.

And a sneaky peek…

After finishing his call to the ship, Nolan turned at the sound of someone entering the yurt much sooner than expected. "That was a lot—" He broke off when the colony leader gave him a brief smile.

Lila lifted her chin. "Will I be seeing transfer paperwork for one of my best protégés?" She nodded toward the couch and followed Nolan over to sit.

Nolan winced. "Er, yes. And I should've talked with you before calling up top to get the process started." He shrugged and kept his mouth shut, unwilling to dig a deeper hole.

Lila sighed. "This isn't a complete surprise. Gia hasn't been happy down here, even if she's been an asset to the committee. Her experience on both sides of the fence gives her a unique perspective to work from." Leaning forward, Lila rested her elbows on her knees. "So, I have to ask if you're sure about letting her reenlist." She pinned him with her gaze.

Nolan didn't blink or waver. "I'm sure. Always have been. Gia's the one you should probably ask about being certain." His words lacked heat, but the undercurrent couldn't be missed.

Lila tilted her head, studying him a moment. "Do you know why she cut ties and ran?" She straightened and settled back against the cushions. "Have you ever wondered what she's afraid of?"

Nolan's head jerked back. "Gia?" He snorted. "Pretty sure she has no fear. Have you ever seen her in action?" Gia held her own better than most men.

Lila's lips curved. "I have, yes. But I'm not talking about being a soldier or even a leader down here. I'm referring to her past." She sobered. "I'm not breaking a confidence or anything. My question stems from watching her with you on the way here then observing her with Rand down here. Mr. Simpson is what I call a safe bet. He makes no demands on Gia, and he definitely doesn't challenge her status quo. Instead, he takes passive aggressive action by doing the exact opposite of what he should." Lila met Nolan's gaze. "That's why he's in medical. And it's why she's finally ready to face the truth. They're not meant to be together."

Nolan narrowed his eyes. "Then why?" He stopped and shook his head. "Actually, never mind. I think I get the point you're trying to make." Pausing a moment, he turned her words over before continuing. "To answer your original question, no. I can't say I've given thought to what she might be afraid of." But he would be now.

Lila nodded. "I kind of figured. That's why I wanted a few moments with you. I don't care about the proper protocols for Gia returning to the military. But I do care about her." She gave him a sheepish smile. "And you, too. The protection you provide by staying in orbit is paramount to our success with this project. I want you and Gia to be happy together."

Nolan lifted his chin. "I appreciate the insight you've given me. It's probably way past time for Gia and me to have a heart-to-heart conversation." He tamped down the embarrassment of not ever doing so before.

Lila arched her brows. "I assume you won't be dipping into the population for your endless supply of female companionship anymore?" Her lips twitched … just a little.

Nolan flushed hotly, but he refused to squirm under her scrutiny. What happened between consenting adults shouldn't concern Lila. And he made sure anyone who came to visit had a clear definition before they set foot on his ship.

He shrugged. "After Gia left, I swore off getting entangled with anyone else." He focused back on Lila. "With her coming back, my time will be spent working on our relationship."

Lila grinned and patted his hand. "I'm very happy to hear that."

I love writing couples who find their way back to each other. Nolan and Gia have a journey to take and they're finally heading in the right direction.

 

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

ML Skye

 

Sunday Snippet: Make the Call

Well, I think I get my vaccine this week. I'm actually rather excited they made it to my age range. I'll look forward to being able to be out and about more than I currently am.

Had a slower work week, which ended up being nice to get caught up on some writing and start some new projects that have been waiting in the wings. Also caught some television.

Ended up watching two arcs of Classic Who. I am in season fourteen and but I'm not halfway as I originally thought.

Caught two episodes of No Offence. I'm almost finished with the first season and it's getting really good. I'm thoroughly enjoying this show.

Watched the first part of Silent Witness and started the second. It's actually kind of a creepy episode.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice, which ended up being really good. I'm near the end of the second season and almost ready to start the third.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it continues a bit from the previous episode. It's getting a little more into the personal lives of the characters.

Also watched several episodes of The Muppet Show. I'm having some seriously fun childhood flashbacks.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Make the Call, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gia Pimm has everything she wants, but a reminder from her mother—that Gia will always suffer when good things happen—makes her walk away from Nolan Curry. But when she needs antibiotics, she swallows her pride and makes a call to the man who has them—Nolan.

And a sneaky peek…

Nolan shifted restlessly on his bed, inching closer to a terrific orgasm. "Damn, Junie, you're amazing."

The woman, Junie Bly, sent a quick glance upward but kept her mouth firmly wrapped around his dick. Her hand fondled his balls and her tongue swirled around his shaft. Wouldn't be long now … then he'd return the favor.

Next would be some bunk gymnastics that should leave both sated and spent. If things went really well, by morning they'd have sex in the shower before she disembarked to head back planet side. He rarely deviated from his established routine and he never, ever had the same woman twice. Not since—

The comm unit on the wall beside his bed buzzed. Nolan frowned. No one should be disturbing him. He'd given orders to his XO not to contact him unless the ship caught fire or they were under attack.

He snatched the handset. "What?" Junie surprised him by continuing to suck his dick, which he kind of appreciated.

His XO, Kato MacMillan huffed out a breath. "Sorry to interrupt your quiet time with the flavor du jour, but there's a call you need to take." He emphasized need.

Nolan growled. "This better be important." Sometimes he and Kato didn't define words the same way.

Kato snorted. "I think you'll find it so. Wait one." He didn't give Nolan a chance to reply, which his XO would pay for later.

The line clicked and Nolan opened his mouth to grumble but the voice stopped him cold.

"Nolan?"

Gia. Son of a bitch.

"Yeah." He said nothing else because too many questions bombarded his brain.

She hesitated. "Um, I have a favor to ask and Lila suggested I call you directly." The words left her mouth in a jumble.

Translation. She had no other choice. Sweet irony? Or a bitter victory?

He had no idea. He'd fallen into sensory overload between the lips and tongue working their magic and Gia's voice invoking memories that slammed into his brain, which had his balls drawing upward and pumping his release into Junie's mouth. He bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning Gia's name.

First, because Junie did the work. Gia only sped up the process and—shit—he didn't know what the hell to do with that fact. Except ignore the fuck out of it.

"Nolan? Nolan?" Gia's voice cut through the static in his brain.

Nolan gripped the receiver harder. "Yeah, what?" He shook his head, clearing the erotic imagery from his mind. "A favor, right? What is it?" He'd be honor bound to provide whatever she wanted, because of Lila's involvement.

Junie sat up, curling into his side. Nolan wrapped an arm around her. He had every intention of seeing to her satisfaction … as soon as he got rid of the intrusion.

Gia briefly explained the situation. "If you could see your way to providing one allotment of antibiotics, it would be helpful." She left off there.

Nolan trailed his fingers over Junie's shoulder and indicated he'd be right back. He couldn't really discuss the matter with another civilian taking up space in his bed where she could overhear everything.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he got up and ducked into his small bathroom. "Just to make sure I have it straight. Lila's basically in a position of needing a back channel to get medication because she can't show preferential treatment for your significant other?" He paused. "Is that the gist?" And, yeah, he twisted the knife a little.

Gia bit out one word. "Yes." She sighed. "Can you help?"

Those three words cost her, he had no doubt.

Raking a hand through his hair, he gave her the answer she needed. "Yeah, I can help. Give me until the morning to requisition the meds and get things smoothed over with the quartermaster. I'll contact central communications when they ship out and they can contact you when they're ready to be picked up." He exited the bathroom and made his way back to his bunk.

Gia sucked in a harsh breath. "Copy that. I mean, okay." She waited one beat. "Nolan, thank you."

He bit back a small grin at her slip-up. "Yeah, I'll be in touch." He ended the call and replaced the handset.

Junie came up behind him. "Everything all right?" Her hands skimmed over his shoulders.

Nolan gave a nod. "Right as rain." He nudged her backward and crawled between her legs. "Where were we?" His head dipped and he pressed a trail of kisses along her thigh.

Junie gave a low moan and draped her calves over his shoulders. Nolan went to work, flicking his tongue over her clit. He'd finish out his session with Junie then arrange for the antibiotics. He planned to deliver them himself.

Because hearing from Gia showed him one untenable thing—he'd never get her out of his system, no matter how many flavors du jour he hooked up with.

And the damn fool woman should have to suffer the way he did. Giving her the meds she wanted, face to face, would likely piss her off and, frankly, he wanted her scathing mad.

This scene ended up being harder to write than I thought it would be. Nolan's in a dark and twisted place and it's hard to keep him there.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Make the Call

Whew. What a week in TV. Lots of good stuff going on.

The Flash had a fun episode. I'm rather interested in the behind the scenes manipulation going on and discovering more about that. Also interested to see what happens with Caitlyn when Katee Sackhoff's character enters the narrative.

Legends of Tomorrow is still terrific. I'm hoping they dive into the big threat looming over them sometime soon.

Arrow ended up being better than expected. I want to know what Diggle has himself into and how bad it's going to bite the team on their asses. Also loved Oliver and Felicity helping William out and discovering they work well as a team. The FBI agent is already annoying me. We'll see if that ends up being a good thing or not.

I missed Gotham and need to catch up. Not sure when I'll get a chance, but it should be soon.

Riverdale, you're killing me. There's so much I'm loving but the one thing I'm not on board with—yet—is Hermione and whatever the hell pod person has taken over her character. I kind of love the relationship she had with Veronica last season and right now… not so much. We'll see if it smooths out, similar to Alice last year. I trust the show to make it happen.

Finally watched the finale for Teen Wolf and I'm kind of thrilled with how it ended. I'm very happy with everyone's place and how their stories were resolved—with one exception. I so wanted Monroe to die a slow, painful death. The fact she escaped annoys me to no end. Grr.

Got caught up on Murdoch Mysteries. So far, I'm excited for the new season. I have so much love for this show, which considering it's in its eleventh season, is saying something.

I have my holiday television and movie list all put together and ready to watch. The Hallmark Channels launched their festive season this weekend and I plan to catch a bunch of fare on both channels. Seriously, I won't mind overdosing on the merry happenings right now. The world is a crazy place… why not have some happy, happy, joy, joy in life?

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Make the Call, a novella that started with a two-word prompt of "patience, child".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gia Pimm has everything she wants, but a reminder from her mother—that Gia will always suffer when good things happen—makes her walk away from Nolan Curry. But when she needs antibiotics, she swallows her pride and makes a call to the man who has them—Nolan.

And a sneaky peek…

Gia came home to find Rand gone. Again.

Shaking her head, she stomped out of their yurt. "Damn the man." She stopped, dragging in a deep breath.

She couldn't get too angry. He'd left because she didn't come home last night. His way of taking some pride back.

She started toward the arena… more like a huge tent with three sparring fields… one of the places he liked to hunker down and lick his wounds—both physical and mental. Of course, he could avoid the physical if he stayed away from the nightly fights, which he wouldn't do as long as she didn't come home.

A vicious circle of her own creation.

Halfway to the makeshift arena, Gia bumped into the colony leader. "Hi, Lila. Have you seen Rand today?" The woman had her thumb on the pulse of the entire community.

Lila gave Gia a tight smile. "Actually, I was just coming to find you. Yes, I've seen him. In medical." She looped her arm around Gia's and altered their direction.

Gia went along, but her heart sank. "How bad is it?" Her mind filled with images of broken bones and stitches.

Lila paused outside the entrance. "It's not what you're thinking. He's not injured from spectacles he participates in." Her distaste came through in her tone.

Lila didn't stop the men from conducting their nightly bouts but she didn't approve of their need to be aggressive off the clock. The community had too much work to do before the cold season set in. If they failed to get the land ready for the incoming settlers, the federation would pull their support.

Gia didn't want to get sucked into an argument over how the federation put too much pressure on the terraforming teams. After being on both sides, she understood each viewpoint, but couldn't offer any answers. She doubted a solution would be forthcoming anytime soon.

Gia nodded toward the medical facility. "So what's going on with Rand?"

Lila tugged her over to the small seating area outside the building. "He's been fighting one of the local viruses. The aides warned him last time—"

Gia cut in. "Wait. He's been here before?" Why didn't she know?

Because she'd been too busy not spending time with her significant other for reasons she'd rather not ponder at the moment.

Lila quirked a brow. "Yes, at least twice. He's been instructed to stay away from the bouts because his immunity is low. He should've been able to weather the symptoms and build a natural resilience to the virus, but he's not taking their advice." She leaned in and lowered her voice. "We're very low on antibiotics and the doctors only want to use them in extreme cases. Since Rand didn't listen and follow their recommendation, they're not inclined to administer what they have."

Meaning her boyfriend defined idiot on a whole new level. Gia wouldn't touch on her part in the scenario yet.

She met Lila's gaze. "What's his prognosis?" Had to be serious if Lila came to find her.

The leader gave it to Gia straight. "Poor. He's pushed himself almost beyond help. Right now, he's being monitored and they're keeping him hydrated with an IV. But he's reached a stage where he can't fight the virus because his resistance is too low." She grasped Gia's hand. "I'm caught in a tough spot here."

Gia nodded. "You can't countermand one of your own stipulations and order them to provide antibiotics because it'll look like favoritism." Lila needed to show strength and let nature take its course. "Dammit. Men can be utterly stupid sometimes, especially ones who aren't getting their way all the time." Like Rand… who showed an annoyingly childish disposition when she thwarted whatever grand vision of the future he had planned.

Lila smiled. "Men don't have a lock on being stupid, dear. Humans, in general, make life messy." She squeezed Gia's hand, the only acknowledgment the leader would give about Gia's ongoing relationship problems.

Gia sighed. "What can I do here? I mean what are my options to keep him from getting worse?" She might not full spousal privileges—didn't want them either—but there had to be something she could do.

Lila tilted her head to one side. "Well… you're former military; you could liaise with Captain Curry and maybe get an allotment from him." Her gentle tone spoke louder any recriminations could.

Gia's head spun and her heart pounded. Liaise with Nolan? Roberts had no idea what she asked of Gia. Okay, Lila totally did. She'd been privy to the details, in fact demanded them when Gia applied for a civilian post.

Could I be more responsible for this fiasco?

The short answer? No. The weight of Rand's dilemma rested firmly on Gia's shoulders.

Fighting the free-fall feeling of helplessness, she launched into all the reasons why Roberts's request sucked. "Look, there's no way I can just call Nolan and ask for something. Hell, anything. He won't be inclined to help… especially if I'm the one making contact." She shook her head. "God… why did Rand have to be so juvenile?" Okay, the why stood to reason. "Now my current boyfriend is in bad shape and the only way to help him is to beg my former lover for the meds he needs. Can this situation get any more stupid? Can men?" She sent the leader a scathing glance. "I'm sorry, Lila, humans make messes, but throw in a man's pride and those messes take on epic proportions." Dragging in air, she went on. "And I don't want to do this. I can't. Isn't there anyone else? I mean how much time does Rand have?"

Lila put an arm around Gia. "Slow down. Calm down." She patted Gia's shoulder. "Yes, the request could come from the head of medical, but I think you know what will happen. The official log will show the request and requisition. If it comes from outside the chain, we can avoid the official nature of asking." Her lips curved in an understanding smile. "Which doesn't make it any easier for you, I know."

Gia shot up and paced back and forth. "Shit, shit, shit. Fine." She stopped. "You're right. I'll suck it up and deal with Nolan. In fact, I'll just go in now and—" She started for the door.

Lila grabbed Gia's arm, pulling her down to sit again. "Patience, child. There's no need to go off half-cocked. Take some time to figure out what you want to say first." She gave Gia's hand a squeeze. "But make the call. It'll ease your mind and maybe keep Rand from pushing so hard all the time."

Gia dreaded the idea, but Roberts had it right. The less official paperwork attached to the request, the better for the colonists. The kick of guilt because Rand landed in the medical because she never stuck around didn't sit well with Gia. She needed to do something about the relationship, one that shouldn't have happened, but only after she got him back on his feet.

She heaved a sigh. "Okay, I'll figure out what to say then I'll make the call. Give me a few minutes then I'll come in."

Lila nodded and got up, heading into the medical building to give Gia some space to think.

She snorted. "Doesn't really matter what I say. Nolan's gonna bust my chops no matter what." And she deserved whatever he dished out.

She really couldn't point fingers and men and their stupidity. She'd made the biggest mistake of her life when she walked out on Nolan. Hooking up with Rand proved to be the second biggest. She needed to fix both and making amends wouldn't be easy. But she'd reached a point where she had to at least try.

Getting up, she squared her shoulders. "Time to face my demons." She strode forward and entered the medical building.

I like writing couples who've made poor choices and need to redeem themselves. Gia is definitely paying the piper for her past decisions.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Make the Call

February 8, 2015

WooHoo! Bitten is back and Elena is pissed off. All I'll say for now since it's not airing the US yet. Season two opened with a great episode. Looking forward to seeing how everything plays out. And The Walking Dead returned. I’m watching as I type. Interesting episode so far, very different, which I like.

Over on The Flash and Arrow, good efforts by both shows. I'm happy to see Oliver back in Starling City and the angst factor cranking up to a zillion. Gotham and Sleepy Hollow were okay, especially that ending on SH.

Now I just need Orphan Black to return and make my brain explode. LOL

Tonight's post is from Make the Call, a novella with main characters who have to find their way back to each other.

Here's the tagline:

Gia Pimm has everything she wants, but a reminder from her mother—that Gia will always suffer when good things happen—makes her walk away from Nolan Curry. But when she needs antibiotics, she swallows her pride and makes a call to the man who has them—Nolan.

And here's a sneaky peek…

He handed the box over. "Here it is. I hope he knows what it cost you to get this stuff."

Gia's gaze went hard. "Meaning my pride? No big loss, Nolan. I've got plenty to go around, right?" She turned to leave.

His hand shot out, grasping her arm. "He's worth that much to you? Enough to make you grovel?"

She wouldn't answer. She couldn't tell Nolan she wanted the meds so she could break things off with Rand and not be weighed down by guilt. Her shoulders stiffened, squaring for battle.

He dropped his hand, almost like he couldn't stand to touch her. "Never mind. Of course he is." He took several steps back. "Be happy, Gia." Turning, he ducked out the door.

She didn't want him to leave. "Nolan!" Crossing the space, she hit the doorway and slammed into a hard body and hands shot out to steady her.

Nolan.

Meeting his gaze, her throat went dry. She loved him so damned much. Why did she have such a hard time trying to explain?

Swallowing, she had to give it her best effort. "I'm not, Nolan. Happy, I mean. Haven't been since my second day down here." Easing back, getting some space between them, she continued. "But you called it. Too damned much pride wouldn't let me go back. Hell, you told me not to come back. I took you at your word."

He opened his mouth but she halted him.

"You got your swipes in, it's my turn. I called you, pride or no pride, to get the meds Rand needs. Not because I’m so in love with him I'd do anything, but because I'm not in love with him."

Nolan shook his head. "You've lost me, Gia. If you don't love Rand, why the hell did you call for the meds?"

She blurted. "Because he knows it. That's why he's sick."

Nolan tugged her over to the small couch Lila had tucked in the corner. "Spill everything. Explain."

She did. Starting with how Rand responded every time she bailed on their plans. By going to the fights and getting pounded. Then he returned home, bypassing the medical facility, to nurse his wounds. Or not take care of them. Low grade infection lowered his resistance enough to truly threaten his health once the cold weather settled in.

Nolan frowned. "Does he want to die?"

Gia shrugged. "It's too bad if he does. I'm not going to let him." She tucked the antibiotics into her bag.

Nolan sighed. "So, we're right back where we started then." His eyes slid closed and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Gia laid a hand on his bicep. "No, we're not. I'm taking the meds to medical then I'm gathering my gear and coming back here…" His gaze snapped to hers and she held it.

"If you'll wait." She paused a moment, removing her hand. "And let me come back."

Nolan studied her for a several long seconds. "I think I can do that." His lips curved in a slight smile. "I'll radio ahead and have the quartermaster start the paperwork."

Gia grinned, so relieved she almost sank to the ground. "Give me fifteen minutes." She reached out, grasping his fingers. "Please don't leave without me."

Nolan squeezed her hand. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

This one has some twists and turns and goes a little dark, but I'm loving where it's taking me.

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

ML Skye