Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

It's been a long week with a lot going on. My dad turned eighty last Sunday and my oldest turned thirty-two. Yep. They have the same birthday. My brothers always give me a bunch a grief over getting my dad a grandson for his birthday.

We had a nice reception for my dad, and I got to reconnect with a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time. So nice to catch up.

Work projects continue to keep me busy. I'm making good progress but often feel like I'm spinning my wheels because they're big projects that take a lot of back and forth. This isn't a complaint; it's more an observation.

Had a slow viewing week but did manage to get through my main group of shows. The backburner ones didn't make the cut this week.

Started out with Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I have memories of this one where Terry's secret is exposed and he finally has something of an ally.

Watched another Classic Rugrats and both were new-to-me vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed the shopping one and the one with the snow was fun also.

Enjoyed another episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. As a comfort show, the amazing cast is always ready to help me slide into a happy place. Even if there's a murder to solve.

Caught the season twelve finale of Death in Paradise. Good to see Neville's team work hard to clear him of the professor's death. Nice to see the dangling plot threads tied up also. Looking forward to starting thirteen this week.

Watched another episode of Poirot and rather enjoyed the mystery. A lot gets packed into the hour-long episodes and sometimes feels a little rushed.

Really enjoyed the episode of Elementary with the dual mysteries and some insight into the captain's daughter and how she operates.

Also watched what I think is the first season finale of Return to Paradise. I'm really enjoying this show.

I think I found the new show I'm going to start this week, but I'm not absolutely set. Stay tuned.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary, a novella that explores how a couple communicates without words and make other wonder how they do it.

Here's the miniblurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot of insight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. London and Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet their communication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

Special kind of strange definitely described them. But also maybe … a strange kind of special. Because Braun knew things about her she'd never put a voice to.

Like how much she loved the way he nuzzled her throat. She hadn't told him how much the action heightened her awareness.

Especially like now, when his breath fanned against her ear showing how much he wanted her before he tipped her sideways and maneuvered around to get more comfortable.

And the way the rasp of his tongue over her nipple shot heat straight to her core? Never one had she mentioned how hot that made her.

And now … when he drew a pebbled tip between his lips, she squirmed with anticipation and need to have him buried deep.

Or the way he'd press openmouthed kisses down along her torso, each glide of his lips over her skin creating a tingling eagerness the lower he moved.

When his tongue dipped into her navel, the question of whether he'd go further down … or make his way back upward … flashed in her mind before he settled between her thighs and started the journey in reverse.

Up it is…

She met his mouth, welcoming the way it quieted her moan when he entered her with a smooth thrust. Her hands smoothed down his back, cupping his ass. Something else she loved … the feel of muscle and sinew under her fingers. The way they came together proved to be a tactile delight, always starting slow and easy then gaining momentum, building friction until they reached the best part…

And her favorite … the way he grasped her hips when he got close to his climax. When his fingers dug into her flesh, and his breath came in short, static bursts, she let the pleasure spiral and nudge her over the edge into orgasmic bliss.

And he'd fly right after her. One thrust … another … and a gasping shudder when he tipped over. He collapsed to his side, spooning up behind her, his lips ghosting over her shoulder. She turned and he eased onto his back, giving her space to burrow close to his side.

Wrapping an arm around his waist, her head rested on his chest … her favorite pillow … and she drifted off to sleep … sated and content.

All without saying a word.

I'm happy with how this story is coming together. It's fun to balance actual dialog with the unspoken discourse.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

Geez, what a week. Starting late Monday night, a super-cell storm blew through Ohio. Around 11:30 pm, the tornado sirens went off in my little village. We took cover in our bathroom, mainly because our two doggos will not go down the basement steps and the bathroom is the most protected interior room in the house. By 12:15 am, we got the all clear, but the power went out around 12:05 … and didn't come back on until Thursday at 5:30 pm. It's been … a wild week.

Thankfully, we were able to borrow a generator to keep our AC (temps in the mid to high 90s), fridge and freezers going. We had one light in our living room and a charging station to keep our devices charged up. Not that it mattered much. The storm damaged a cell tower and we barely had a signal. I literally had one spot in the house where I could get one. The joys of living in a rural area.

Spent most of my time keeping the generator full, checking on my neighbors, and checking out my dad's house—luckily for him, he'd left early Tuesday morning for a vacation—after rerouting to get to the airport. Downed trees were everywhere. All in all, though, we were very lucky that we didn't have a lot of damage. Unfortunately, my cousin had a tree fall on their house. Weirdly, we had another storm blow through on Thursday that caused three fires from lightning strikes. Mother Nature isn't messing around right now.

So … I had a very minimal viewing week. And I'm playing catch-up on my work projects. I don't mind being a little bit behind, mainly because I'm happy and grateful we still have a house and didn't lose our fully stocked freezers. A huge hat-tip to the linemen and workers who still have their hands full trying to restore power to other locations.

I did get an episode of The Snoopy Show in. I'm almost finished with the first season and I'll be checking out the second one after I'm done.

I caught the cast interviews for Loch Ness and enjoyed getting some insight into the characters and the actors portraying them. I'll be finishing up with behind the scenes sometime next week.

Finished up a Silent Witness two-parter and quite enjoyed the twisty turns the episode took. I'm very much liking the later seasons of this show.

Ended up completing season 24 of Classic Who. Mel is going off on her own adventure and it looks like Ace is going to be the new companion. I'll start season 25 this week.

Caught another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. A focus on historical locations ended up being pretty interesting.

Watched another episode of The Mandalorian. Again, I love the pacing of this show. There are a lot of little moments that stack up to add great impact.

Got another episode of The Hardy Boys in and the plot is getting deeper. There's a lot of cat and mouse stuff going on and I kind of like it. The pacing is a little weird but I'm happy to overlook a few glitches.

Also caught another episode of Peak Practice to round out the week. Not sure if I'll be caught back up by my next post, but I'm only a little behind and can live with that.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot of insight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. London and Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet their communication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

Braun tucked an arm behind his head. He and London did have this weird way of talking without speaking. Sometimes, so in tune they just knew the other's thoughts.

And it's not always work-related.

Often while eating in the mess … they'd be casual and relaxed and he'd hand London the salt, even though he rarely, if ever, used it. Or, London would wrinkle her nose at the smell of the steamed greens and he'd have a smile on his face before she picked up the fork.

Her grimace said it all. "Smells like feet." She'd shudder and push the vegetables around.

He'd hand her the pepper. "It'll help kill the smell."

She always had a straw ready before he had to ask for one. And, he'd never told her how he liked his coffee, yet she always gave it to him with two creams and one sugar.

Even when something awful happened, they often had a form of nonverbal communication. After running an operation that went sideways, they lost a good pilot. After the service, both ended up at the memorial wall after their next shift.

London gave him a sideways glance. "He died too soon."

Braun put his arm around her. "Yeah, he did."

She put her head on his shoulder then turned into him. He held her and didn't blink when she lifted her chin and squarely met his gaze.

Her eyes said everything. "I need you."

He stroked a finger along her cheek. "I'm yours." He grasped her palm, twining their fingers together. "Let's go."

They made their way to their quarters and spent the entire night wrapped up in each other, focusing on living in the moment because one or both could be the next to fall.

London shifted in her sleep and pulled him from the memory. His heart kicked hard against his ribs for a moment. He didn't think he'd ever have a connection with anyone else like the one he shared with London. Frankly, didn't want one with anyone but her.

Maybe you should tell her that…

He would. Soon. But right now, he needed some shuteye. Pulling a throw up over them, he yawned and finally drifted off to sleep.

I'm approaching this story from a bit of a different angle and I like where it's going. This is a fun one to write.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

So… not a bad week overall. A little slower, which I truly appreciate. I did have a sick kid, but she's on the mend now. A quick trip to pick her up from work had to happen but otherwise, she's feeling much better.

Had some decent television viewing. Mainly some repeat watches of current favorite shows and catching up on a few marathons. I did catch a few new episodes also.

Chicago Fire had a terrific episode. I have to say I'm not a fan of the boys fighting amongst themselves. New guy breaking the ice is going to be one of my favorite bits from the series.

Watched Iron Fist and things are moving along. Nice to see a little progress with Ward but I have a dreadful feeling his trust will bite him on the ass. Thrilled to finally see what the hell is up with Mary and, boy, the reveal didn't disappoint. Looking forward to the next episode.

Caught another episode of Classic Roswell. I'd forgotten about the Native American angle. Looking forward to the next episode.

Also watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I don't know if this is the last season, but they seem to be tying off a lot of loose ends. If it is… it's been a wonderful twelve years.

I started casually watching Blue Bloods. It's not really a show I want to add to my roster, but marathons are on every day and I've seen pretty much of the first five seasons. I'm now paying more attention and trying to catch up on season six and onward. I do love the family angle of this show.

Started a new Canadian show, The Murders, mainly because Dylan Bruce is one of the regulars. That said, I loved the first episode. I'm looking forward to more.

With no new episode of Roswell, New Mexico this week, I started another rewatch. This show… man, I can't get enough of it right now. I might have to start a recap series on my fandom blog. Stay tuned. I'll let everyone know if it happens.

That's pretty much my week in television. Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary, a novella that started with a challenge of writing a scene with all dialog but no tags or conversely write something with no dialog with the goal of having the reader be able to tell which character said or did what. I took the prompt and gave it something of a spin.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot of insight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. London and Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet their communication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

London strolled into the quarters, fresh from a shower. "Do you remember the time we planned the Bell's outpost op?"

Braun glanced up from reading an after action report. "I do. Went off without much of a hitch, didn't it?" Where did she pull that memory from?

London nodded and took the file from him. "It did." She swung a leg over his lap and straddled his thighs. "Think that's the first time we did the communicating without words thing?" Her hands landed on his shoulders and she leaned against the table.

He cocked his head to one side, considering the question. "Maybe. Actually, yeah, I think it was." Man… he'd never thought much about how often they kind of carried on entire conversations without speaking a word. "What brought this subject up?"

She smiled. "Your little pep talk on the hangar deck. Delia, Specialist Carruthers, wanted to know how we do what we do and I honestly couldn't give her an answer." Her lips twisted again. "Except that we just do." Her fingers dug into his shoulders, kneading a knot he didn't know he had.

Braun quirked an eyebrow. "And her question got you thinking about what? The first time we were on the same wave length?" They were almost always on the same page, weirdly attuned to each other's thoughts.

He rarely gave it much consideration. Maybe he should.

London nodded. "Mm-hm. I mean, I think we probably finished each other's sentences for a long time before that mission prep, but that's the first time I remember really being a zone with you to the point we kind of planned the whole thing without saying a word." She eased forward, nuzzling her lips along his throat.

His eyes slid shut and his mind went back to that planning session. They'd been in a meeting with five other people—three pilots, the tactical weapons officer, and the XO. After almost thirty minutes of strategizing and getting nowhere, London swept all the mock ships off the board and started from scratch.

Braun followed her placement while the rest of the group argued back and forth over what they wouldn't be doing. He picked up a model representing an enemy alert fighter and placed it on the lit-up table. London shook her head and pointed two grids over. Yep. That would be where they'd come from. They continued planning the entire op by pointing, swiping, moving pieces around, followed by shaking their heads, nodding, making stabbing and sweeping motions. They agreed, disagreed, argued, and compromised—all without speaking. Or noticing the room had gone silent also. When everything met on the grid to their satisfaction, they high-fived each other.

The XO stood with his arms folded across his chest and made a snarky comment. "Looks pretty and all, but do you maybe wanna share the details with the rest of the group so someone can brief the necessary personnel?"

Which they had, obviously. And they'd done the weird no-words conversations since then.

London brushed her lips over his and mumbled against his mouth. "Does this whole kinship thing make us strange or special?"

Braun reached around and cupped her ass cheeks in his hands. "Let's go with a special kind of strange." He drew her forward, nudging his hard-on against the heat at the apex of her thighs.

London chuckled, a low throaty sound. "Yeah, I like that. A special kind of strange." Her chin lowered and her lips slanted over his.

I'm having fun with the challenge of showing how communicating without words works for this couple.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Words Not Necessary

Well, it's my last snippet post of the year and I'm happy to note I didn't miss a week. That's a goal achievement I'm proud of.

Going into 2016, I have quite a few projects on tap for release and I'm very excited about those, too. I may roll a new weekly blog feature or try a newsletter this year. If anyone is interested, please don't hesitate to contact me to be added to the list.

Not much on the television front this week. I watched the finales for The Librarians and Agent X. According to my google fu, Agent X isn't renewed for another season, which is kind of disappointing. Since there are only ten episodes, I may try my hand at recapping the one and only season. We'll see what time allows.

On a side note, I did enjoy the Doctor Who Christmas special. It's my fondest hope I can get into the new season when it premieres, but I don't hold out much hope. The heart of the show is missing for me and unless the Doctor gets a truly marvelous companion, I doubt I'll be interested or able to keep with the all the cleverness Moffat tries to weave.

Oh, well. Looking forward to my favorite shows returning and having more to chat about each week.

Tonight's post is from Words Not Necessary, a novella where my couple's ability to communicate without words is the stuff of legend.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes an outside observer can provide a lot of insight on a couple's relationship, even if they'll never understand it. London and Braun are so in tune with each other they rarely speak, yet their communication is evident for anyone to see.

And a sneaky peek…

London Groche popped the canopy of her plane and snapped the release for her helmet. Yanking it off her head, she resisted the urge to throw the protective cover to the hangar deck and grab the deckhand by the throat to strangle her.

Delia Carruthers handed London the post-flight checklist. "Sir, if you'll mark the problems in the boxes, I'll pull the panels myself and run the diagnostics."

London snorted, but checked seven of the nine spots on the list. She shoved the clipboard back in Delia's hands and arched an eyebrow, indicating the deckhand better get out of London's way.

Delia scrambled down the ladder then scurried over to the lab area to pull the cables that had better damned well "diagnose" what the hell happened to her plane. London lost practically everything. Radar, thrust, weaponry, comms, guidance, navigation, and the ability to signal. London flew with nothing but the engine and basic maneuverability. The LSO thankfully let her land because she had jack all way of communicating her lack of important equipment.

London threw her helmet over the side of her plane and descended the ladder. She ignored the squawk of outrage when a crew member almost tripped over her head gear. The lowly specialist picked it up and thrust the helmet toward the ladder where it would be out of the way. Everyone gave London wide berth, not wanting to test her patience. Rightfully so. She spoiled for a fight, confrontation, anything to get rid of the rage boiling inside her brain.

The callback went out over the comm system, giving the all clear for the rest of the squadron to land. London stayed on the hangar deck, pissed off because she should've been out there to help mop up the raiding enemy ships. Delia got the cables hooked up and London hovered over top of the deckhand until the deck chief showed up.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Lieutenant, the diagnostics won't go any faster with you breathing down her neck." Abel Gordon leveled his most piercing glare on London.

She didn't flinch away from it or him. "Don't care. This is bullshit, Chief." Planes started lowering to the hangar deck, but London held her ground. "I lost damned near everything in the middle of a battle." Her voice rose, her anger getting the better of her.

Gordon held up a hand. "I'm aware, Lieutenant. We'll handle the problem—"

London cut him off. "Problems. With an 's'. You know, plural, as in multiples, more than one, and like seven too many." She advanced on the chief, a little please the big, brawny guy backed up several steps.

Her mouth opened to continue but a firm grip on her bicep had her swinging around ready to blast whoever had the balls to interrupt her tirade. Her lips clamped shut and her shoulders sagged. The only person with the power to suck the wind from her sails. Braun Orilly. CAG, best friend, lover, and calming presence. He didn't need to tell her to shut the hell up. He understood her frustration and irritation, but he didn't put up with his pilots making asses of themselves. Not even her.

He raised both eyebrows. "Really? In the middle of the deck, you're going to go into mega-bitch mode?" He didn't speak, conveying everything with his expressive face.

London shrugged and made a pointed look at her ruined plane. "Well, yeah. Plane's down, which means I'm out of commission." He knew her well enough to know being stuck would drive her insane.

Abel backed away, turning to issue orders for the incoming pilots' post-checklist. The crew scattered, dashing to and fro to carry out their assigned tasks. London barely paid attention, her gaze on Braun while they continued their non-verbal conversation.

He draped an arm around her back and dipped his chin. "You know they'll fix it up or assign a different plane for you." His silent admonishment hit home with a quirk of his brow.

She rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose. "Right. I'll draw Stinko's plane and smell like rotten eggs for three days." The guy got his call sign for a reason.

Braun threw his head back and laughed and the tension she carried finally broke. Her posture relaxed and a chuckled escaped before she could stop it. Braun hugged her close, giving her a hard squeeze then jerked his head toward the corridor leading the crew quarters. London gave a quick shake of her head and held up five fingers. She'd follow in a few.

Delia glanced in London's direction, her fingers swiping over the handheld panel, feeding information into the diagnostic equipment. "How do you do that?"

London frowned. "Do what?" She tilted her head to one side, confused by the question.

Delia snorted. "Are you kidding? You just had an entire conversation with Captain Orilly and never said a word." She gave London a look like she should know exactly what Delia meant. "How do you do it?"

London lifted a shoulder. "I don't know. We just do." Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, she arched an eyebrow. "Don't you have a sick plane to make better?" She didn't wait for a reply, instead taking off to grab a shower and maybe some chow.

But she considered Delia's question. She and Braun did have an uncanny connection. Thinking back, London tried to remember the first time they used their non-verbal shorthand.

Her face lit up with a smile when the memory hit.

Missing planning for bombing an outpost.

Two years ago.

I'm trying something a little different for me with this one and it's fun to write. London and Braun are making it easy, which is a big bonus.

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

ML Skye