Sunday Snippet: Zulu Delta Niner

Ugh! August is fast becoming the craziest month I've ever had. This past week I filled my gas tank up on Monday and by Wednesday, I only had half a tank left. For perspective… a full tank of gas usually lasts about two to three weeks for me. Does that say anything about the week I had? LOL

Seriously, though, a lot of back and forth travel several times a day did give me lots of windshield time. It also gave terrible drivers and a buttload of construction but that's a whole different rant for another day.

I did end up having a highly productive week workwise, which means I didn't have a lot of time for television. I did hear the news of Krypton's demise unless another network picks it up. Here's hoping that happens. I really do love the characters.

I've been rather disappointed that my once favorite network is no longer in the running for my viewing time. I either watch on demand via the app or not at all. It makes me sad that Syfy has fallen so far. I literally used to watch the channel almost exclusively way back in the day.

As much as I love the convenience of streaming shows, I miss having a wide variety of stuff to choose from during the day on regular cable television. I have been enjoying the local channels' digital offerings. MeTV, Decades, Comet, Charge, This TV, etc. has some great classic stuff. That's what I've been having on in the background. I'm also a big fan of Ovation right now.

I did get to watch a few more episodes of Peter Gunn this week but that's about it.

Tonight's post is from Zulu Delta Niner, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt. Right now, this is a working title, but it's kind of growing on me.

Here's the mini-blurb:

In a war-torn galaxy, Nell Watkinson works to save lives on the front lines in the battle arena. When she returns home, she meets Jerrick Haight, a man who's not afraid to fight if his number is called, but he vehemently opposes waging war when it spreads resources so thin their own people suffer. On opposite sides of a moral dilemma, Jerrick's actions put him in danger and Nell uses everything at her disposal to save his life.

And a sneaky peek…

"This Haight guy shouldn't be here. He's on the draft roster."

Jerrick straightened when his name got mentioned. He glanced around to see who had a burr up their ass about his attendance at the preliminary protest meeting. A tall blond guy pointed in Jerrick's direction.

"Excuse me, are you Jerrick Haight?" The protest leader, John Hammersmith, made his way to Jerrick's location.

Jerrick stood and gave a nod. "I am. Is there a problem?" He met the cold gaze of Mr. Blond Ambition.

John shook his head. "No, not necessarily. Wayne over there thinks you're a military plant, a spy to carry back our plans to the base." Hammersmith jerked his head toward the head table.

The name and face clicked together in Jerrick's mind. Wayne Prewitt. Loudmouth hot head who liked to get arrested for protesting the unending series of wars their planetary council pursued.

Jerrick shifted his attention to John. "Mr. Hammersmith, I'm here because I believe in this cause." All eyes in the room turned in Jerrick's direction. "Yeah, I went to military school. I know the ins and outs of how to wage a campaign against an enemy. But I'm not a spy." He shot a heated glare toward Wayne. "We have a war to fight right here at home. Our own people are dying due to lack of resources because they're spread too thin. That has to stop."

Moving in a circle, he gauged the reactions of the assembled group. Most nodded in agreement. Some grumbled under their breaths about the state of politics and the uselessness of their elected officials. He warmed up to the group, already feeling like he fit in.

Jerrick continued his explanation. "Look, I'm not afraid of combat. When my number gets pulled, I'll go where I'm ordered. But don't think I support the ceaseless war. I'm sick of the constant spread of violence, especially when it's to the detriment of our planet's people." Turning to face John, he made a vow. "If you'll have me, I'm going to protest until I have to fight."

The room erupted into applause… with the exception of Prewitt. Big deal. So Jerrick didn't have a fan in the hulking blond agitator. He could live with that.

Hammersmith gave Jerrick a level stare. "Keep your head on straight and you'll do fine here." He stuck his hand out. "Welcome to the cause, Haight."

Jerrick shook the man's hand and settled back down into his seat. He ignored the exaggerated eye roll Prewitt gave when John made his way back to the front of the room. Prewitt did more harm than good with his big mouth and skirmishes with the military police.

But maybe he kept the heat off everyone else? Jerrick didn't quite have the lay of the land there yet. He'd be smart to pay attention and keep an eye on the situation.

Hammersmith called the meeting to order. "First up, we'll be marching at the rally next week, but we need a presence at the Ministry of War building tomorrow. Some high-level meetings are taking place and we want to make our voices heard." He lifted his chin and pinned Jerrick with his gaze. "Can you be there?"

Jerrick nodded. "Let me know the time. I work at the hospital and it's only four blocks away from the location."

Hammersmith's lips curved. "See me after the meeting. I'll give you the details."

Jerrick sat back and let the satisfaction of finally doing something fill him. He finally had the chance to make a difference right here at home.

I'm pretty pleased with how this story is shaping up. I started the outline for this one almost over three years ago and it's weird how much relevance the details have at the moment.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Zipper Incident

August 11, 2019

August is shaping up to be the busiest month I've had in a long time. Between running around with my daughter and new projects landing in my inbox, I need about five more hours in each day.

Very limited television viewing this week. I ended up not starting the playlist listen while working. Too many interruptions.

I did watch a marathon of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. Also caught some Peter Gunn episodes.

Other than that, the manuscript evaluations I've been working on took precedence. It's easier to review and assess when it's quiet and I don't have something else trying to pull my attention away from the material.

On a very happy note, I finished up a manuscript I've been writing for a long, long time. It's the follow up to Shyler: Finding Home, a Furlough 99 novella. The story ended up being more involved than I thought it would be and it turned out so much better than I'd hoped. Look for it soon!

That's pretty much it for television this week. I really want to get back to Krypton and finish up Riverdale and Arrow. Hopefully this week.

Tonight's post is from The Zipper Incident, a sexy short that started with a scene prompt from a writing community.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Layne Donaker makes a grave error when she mistakenly uses a super adhesive on Hyde Scarlotti's zippers—all of them, including his flight suit. Hyde is beyond done with her stupid pranks and calls her out in front of the entire crew, which Layne doesn't take kindly.

And a sneaky peek…

Hyde crumpled up his clothes and shoved them into a plastic bag. "I can't believe she pulled such a shit stunt." He dragged the bag out over the hatch and headed toward the quartermaster's office.

After ordering new… well, pretty much everything that had zippers… he let the anger he'd kept at bay off its leash.

Stomping down to the hangar deck, he made a beeline for the person responsible for wrecking practically every item of clothing he owned. Of course, being out of uniform drew all eyes his direction. Technically speaking, he shouldn't be on the deck in only a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.

Layne paused in her task but didn't turn to face him. No doubt she sensed the simmering rage radiating off him. That and all the gazes burning holes into her back. She calmly finished her maintenance before setting the wrench aside.

Finally, she angled toward him and her eyebrow shot straight up. "Going for the casual look after getting a bump in rank is an interesting choice." She barely kept a smirk from forming on her mouth.

Hyde snorted. "Gee… wonder whose fault that is." As if anyone really did.

Her eyes went wide. "You think I know?" She eased her chin up a notch.

Hyde pinned her with his gaze. "Are you telling me you didn't glue every single fucking zippered item in my locker? Are you really going to deny it?" She'd be hard-pressed to do so.

Layne narrowed her eyes. "Can you prove it was me?"

Hyde let loose. "Are you kidding? Who the hell else would have the balls to fuck with my stuff on the very day I got promoted?" He took a step forward. "This has your name written all over it. I mean, it's pretty much a signature Layne Donaker move, right?" He planted his hands on his hips, leaning in. "Don't get what you want so you have to act out like a five-year-old."

The punch caught him off guard when it came. The uppercut snapped his head back and gasps echoed through the deck. Hyde didn't hesitate to retaliate, striking out with a right cross that connected with her chin. They each took a moment to wipe blood from the respective wounds before the deckhands crowded around them.

"Chief called the MPs. You better get your stories straight." A specialist nudged Hyde with her elbow.

Hyde grunted but didn't reply.

Layne shook her head. "I can't believe you're getting this pissy about a stupid practical joke." Her lips took on a derisive twist. "Just soak the clothes in hot soapy water. It's not that difficult." She rolled her eyes.

Hyde made a garbled choking sound. "Sure, Layne, that would be terrific. Except you used liquid solder, which means every single zipper is fused shut." His voice rose to a shout by the end of his tirade.

Her mouth dropped open but she didn't get a chance to speak. The MPs arrived and escorted Layne and Hyde to the brig; charges to be determined.

Following Layne down the corridor, Hyde wanted to dig down deep and find out why he'd become her target. Usually, Layne pulled her pranks on everyone but him. He didn't like being on the receiving end.

And he didn't like not knowing where the hell his closest confidant on the ship disappeared to… because the Layne in front of him didn't fit that role right now.

Seriously, this story is so much fun! Layne can't believe she screwed up on the epic level she did and she's not keen on explaining her position. Hyde won't let her off the hook until she does. Fun times. LOL

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zipped Lips

Whew. Long, long week with a ton of busywork stuff along with my regular workload. I sometimes get the idea that most of my family members don't realize how long or how many phone calls it often takes to make things happen. Luckily, I'm in a position where my job isn't at stake if I need to make those frequent and often time-sucking phone calls. But… bleh.

Had an even more sporadic viewing week. I'm not fairly behind on a lot of my shows. But… I did catch up on some laundry so not a bad tradeoff. I got two episodes of Blue Heelers in while folding and stacking clothes. LOL

I got a little more of Riverdale watched but haven't finished the episode yet. I might be getting to the place where I need to switch over to music. The main reason I've been light on viewing for the past few weeks is a heavy work schedule and lots of distractions from other drama.

I have so many playlists that I listen to while driving. I should probably start listening to them while working also. Maybe I'll start that this week.

Since there's not much to report, tonight's post is from Zipped Lips, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Details of intimate encounters are spilled during a rousing card game and recent hookups are brought to light, but Keavy Smart and Gresham Young have the best secret—trying to keep quiet is half the fun and zipped lips means none of the crew is the wiser.

And a sneaky peek…

Gresh made it through two more hands before the interrogation started. Figured Keavy left him on the hot seat.

He shoved away from the table. "Guys, look, I'm not interested in playing question and answer right now." Scooping up the small amount he'd won, he started to rise.

Mark snorted. "You're notoriously tightlipped. You and Keavy both." He snagged the cards and started a new shuffle.

Masha barked out a laugh. "Maybe that's the secret to silent sex…" She tilted her head to one side, giving Gresh a long, considering look. "Should I grill Keavy about your methods?"

He rolled his eyes. "Still not playing." He pocketed his winnings. "But you all can start trying to keep it down and see if you can discover the secret." Smirking on his way out the door, he whistled an off-key tune until he rounded the corner.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he hit the head. "No way am I sharing the down and dirty details of my sex life." Right… not that he had much of one right now.

Oh, he had a healthy fantasy life with his perfect woman.

Washing his hands, he glanced in the mirror over the sink. "Might help if you actually tried the real thing, dumbass." He grabbed some paper towels, dried off, and exited the bathroom.

He might have to consider testing the waters with his ideal companion.

And maybe find out if silent sex could be a thing.

Chuckling, he shook his head. "Somehow I doubt it… at least not with the woman I have in mind." She'd probably punch him for even thinking she couldn't stay quiet.

But experience suggested she'd be hard-pressed to keep the details to herself.

That tight-lipped thing, though… His curiosity piqued because he had yet to hear anything about her hooking up with anyone.

Maybe… Nah. Not possible. His dream woman probably had a marine sergeant stashed away somewhere that scratched that particular itch when needed.

He snorted. "Maybe I should find one of those."

Needless to say, Keavy doesn't have a marine sergeant stashed anywhere. Gresh needs to make his move.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zinging Barbs

July kind of flew by in a series of weird weather and crazy work schedules. I'm oddly okay with that. The weather is what it is… and will probably keep acting like an angry toddler. My work calendar is bursting at the seams and I'm excited about my new projects.

But… my television viewing is sporadic, which isn't a bad thing. I'm just so used to doing rundowns each week I feel like my blog is naked if I don't have a full slate. LOL

I did get a few shows watched. I started with Midsomer Murders and got a holiday episode. There's a new detective sergeant or maybe it's detective constable, but either way, I'll miss Jones. I loved that character. Which isn't to say the new guy won't grow on me. He's not bad. Good mystery also.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it's rather different and I like it. I'm not sure how long the first season is, but the series is something like fourteen seasons and it's nice to have variety in format.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I'm kind of excited to watch a live-action episode with Two. So far, it's been six animated episodes.

Finished the final episode of Blade. I have to admit to still being disappointed with the outcome on my rewatch. Sometimes I can have a change of heart when I've got a few years of distance when viewing a show's run.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a great episode. I'm starting to like Grayson a little more and it'll be fun to see if Frankie's mom sticks around.

Watched the fifth episode of Daredevil and, eh, this is something of a slow-moving season. I do like where things are going and it's great to see Karen kind of have to face what she did in a previous season. That said, I'm enough of a Fisk non-fan to really not want to watch a bunch of scenes with him. And the FBI agent annoys the crap out of me. I actually think he's too smart to be playing things so stupidly. So, yeah, I hope the rest of the season evens out.

Started Riverdale's Bizarrodale episode and hope to finish it later today. This season has been dark and twisty and I like it.

New episodes of Killjoys have started and I'll be hopelessly behind on those, but I can't wait to watch this final season.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zinging Barbs, a sexy short bonus scene featuring Reagan and Ian from Poetry in Motion.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Reagan Bruce won't slow down, not even when she's seven months pregnant and Ian Flannigan decides to walk away from competing to keep Reagan healthy. The couple exchanges some zinging barbs until they work out their issues.

And a sneaky peek…

Reagan Bruce planted her hands on her hips, her pregnant belly on prominent display. "Where you go I go." Ian Flannigan would not leave her behind.

Ian gave her stomach a pointed look. "The wee one inside you disagrees." He met her gaze. "And so does our doctor." He always used inclusive words… like it meant he shared her burden-slash-blessing more than he actually did.

Or could.

As if.

Reagan brought her hands forward to palm her protruding stomach. "Yeah, well, my doctor doesn't always make the right call. I'm seven months pregnant. Of course I'm tired a lot." And, okay, her energy levels came in short bursts, but she got shit done when they came.

Ian blew out a harsh breath. "You're being stupid, Reagan. You make it sound like you have a choice when you don't." He threw his hands up. "And I'll be damned if I'm going to watch you push too hard and put yourself and our kid in danger."

Reagan refused to give in to the tears pricking behind her eyelids. Stupid hormones turned everything into emotional drama. The one thing she hated about being pregnant.

She could do crazy drama without hormones.

Ian broke into her internal monologue. "Look, Reagan. I'll make this simple. I love you and our kid more than I want to be a champion." He moved forward and cupped her face.

Reagan went from blubbery sad to red-hot pissed off in less than a millisecond. "Now who's being stupid, Ian?" She pushed him away. "You're at the top. You can't walk away now." Why the hell would he want to?

Oh, right. Her. And their unborn kid. Dammit.

Ian quirked a brow. "Oh, yeah? Watch me." He went to find his phone.

She had to stop him. If he called and canceled his next bout, he'd never forgive her. Hell, she wouldn't forgive herself.

She grabbed his arm. "If you quit now, we're done. I'll leave you." What? Sometimes she hated the way her brain worked.

Ian closed his eyes but not before she caught the flash of anger and rage in his gaze.

He yanked away from her. "No, you won't." He grabbed his phone and keys. "Because I am." Taking the five steps to the door, he slammed it shut behind him.

Reagan carefully walked to the sofa and sank down. "Stupid fucking hormones." But she couldn't blame everything on her body's chemistry.

Being told she couldn't do something never sat well with her. Yes, she balked at being left behind. Hated the horrible timing of everything. But she didn't want Ian to give up his chance to take the championship because her insecurities wouldn't take a back seat at the moment.

Closing her eyes, she massaged her stomach. "I really, really hope you're more like your dad, little person." An answering kick nudged against her fingers. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go find him." She got up and crossed the living room to retrieve her keycard and phone. "I have a feeling I know where he went."

I love writing small sexy peeks into what's going on after a couple has supposedly worked through their drama and settled into their happily ever after.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zero Sum

Man… the heat has been horrible this week. I hope everyone has a cool spot and is dealing with the high temperatures safely. Ugh… it's miserable. Watching the Irish Open, I truly wanted to be there. I mean they were wearing sweaters and jackets. I could go for that right now. And, yeah, everyone needs to remind me when I'm griping about how cold it is in May next year to shut up and deal. LOL

Slow week for television viewing. I had a full slate of work and needed to focus so I didn't get as many shows watched.

I did catch another episode of Daredevil. I missed watching one last week. Not a bad episode but too much Fisk for my liking.

Krypton had a great episode. I'm in deep and want to know what happens next. I'm honestly not sure if I care whether Lyta is redeemed or not but I do want to see her reaction to the reprogramming.

Watched another episode of Painkiller Jane and the pieces started to fall into place. Only about three or four more episodes left of this show.

Last but not least, I caught another episode of Durham County. Man, Michelle Forbes can really play the barely hanging on by a thread character better than a lot of actors. She's scary good at those roles.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Zero Sum, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sabrina Delft and Carrick Stafford have a zero sum relationship—whenever one gains something, the other has a corresponding loss. But when they're stranded on an abandoned mining colony and forced to rely on each other, they learn to balance the good with the bad and end up with a total win.

And a sneaky peek…

Carrick put his feet through the legs of the suit and glanced up to find Sabrina frowning with her arms crossed over her chest. "What? What now?" Just once, he'd like to have a plan she didn't question.

Sabrina shook her head. "I should go. I'm smaller and won't use as much of the O2." She planted her hands on her hips. "As you pointed out, we don't know if there's breathable air out there or what condition the outpost is in." She made a "gimme" motion for the suit.

Carrick didn't relent right away. "You have a point, but what if you can't get in? Brute force might be necessary." No way would he tell her the idea of her going alone didn't sit well with him.

She'd laugh her ass off.

Sabrina pursed her lips. "Look, if I can't get in, we'll have to risk you going back alone.  But it's smarter to send me first." She turned and gathered up a few tools, including a pair of metal cutters. "If there's any kind of lock, this should get through it, but I kind of doubt they even bothered." Facing him again, she quirked an eyebrow.

He handed the suit over. "Fine. I'll do some diagnostic work in the cockpit. Radio as soon as you're in and give me a sitrep." He assisted putting the oxygen pack on her back. "I mean it. If you don't contact me within thirty minutes, I'm coming for you, breathable air or not." After half an hour, she'd be down to half her supply.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Can I go now?" She put the helmet on and plugged in the tubing from her pack.

He gave a nod and grabbed a comm headset. "Thirty minutes." Following her to the airlock, he pressed the release so she could hit the outer hatch.

An orange glow filled the small area when Sabrina stepped outside. Sunrise? Sunset? Hard to tell until they got their bearings. She pushed forward then gave a thumbs-up.

Once the hatch closed behind her, she checked comms. "Break one, check one." Her voice came through on a burst of static.

Atmospheric interference, but minimal. Not a bad sign.

Carrick responded with a quick reply. "Check. Mark." Her thirty-minute countdown began.

Carrick backed away from the airlock. Watching her wouldn't get the diagnostic work started. And Sabrina wouldn't appreciate the concern niggling along his spine.

Not that he'd ever admit to having any.

At least not out loud.

This story is still in its beginning stages but the outline is complete with additional brainstorming added in. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zen State

Whew. What a week. The weather has been all over the map with storms moving through my state. In our small town, a tree fell on a house in the back end of town, where I happen to live, and we lost power for a few hours. Honestly, not bad all things considered.

A so-so week in television viewing. I got a few more episodes of Blue Heelers in and still really enjoy this Aussie drama.

Also caught Midsomer Murders and quite enjoyed the episode centered on a school's history.

Watched two episodes each of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I've started the second doctor's arc with the animated Dalek episodes.

Caught another episode of In the Dark and enjoyed it. I'm actually quite thrilled with where the show is right now.

Watched an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and liked how the show played out.

Riverdale never fails to go in directions that blow my mind. Watching Archie implode is painful but also riveting. I'm also enjoying Betty's conversations with her dad. I'm still wondering when Alice will get her brain back.

The Lost Canary episode of Arrow proved very entertaining. I'm so, so, so going to miss this show when it's gone.

Caught another episode of Classic Roswell. The introduction of Tess still underwhelms me.

Caught a holiday-themed movie on Pluto TV and enjoyed it. It was hot and sticky outside and viewing a Christmas movie definitely cooled things down a little.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zen State, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Rue Chambers and Blaise Watkinson have secret fantasies about each other all the time, but don't act on them. At least not until both are trying to achieve a zen state by self-pleasuring and end up in the same place at the same time.

And a sneaky peek…

Blaise took the shortcut from the command center down to crew quarters. "Better check on Chambers, see if she's okay to get some sleep or not." He entered the corridor and made his way to the mess hall.

He ducked inside but didn't see Rue. He started to exit but bumped into another officer on her way in.

Grabbing her elbow, he helped keep her upright. "Damn, Blume…er, Joanna. Sorry about that." He stepped back, giving her room to get past him. "Hey… have you seen Rue? Lieutenant Chambers?" Moving to the side of the door, he quirked an eyebrow.

Joanna shook her head. "Not since morning briefing, but I've been in training all day." She cocked her head to one side. "Why? Is everything okay?"

Joanna and Rue were friendly rivals. They ribbed each other but also did a lot of hanging out together. Blaise weighed giving her a brief rundown.

He propped his shoulder on the bulkhead. "She mentioned having a tough time getting to sleep last night. Have you noticed her having trouble?" Might as well dig a little deeper to make sure he wouldn't have a problem pilot.

Joanna's eyes widened. "Uh, no. She hasn't mentioned anything either."

Blaise frowned. "Okay, thanks. I'll check the rec room, then quarters. Thanks." He headed toward the recreation area but didn't find Rue after a quick peek inside.

Making his way to the crew quarters, he entered and found Rue standing in front of her locker. Her hair dripped from a recent shower and she had underwear with nothing else. Geez… he shouldn't stare, but his brain definitely didn't get the message. His eyes feasted on the gorgeous woman with curves and muscles and so much skin.

She pulled her arm out of the metal storage unit. "Success!" A gray sports bra dangled from her fingers. "Knew I had another one in there." She glanced up and blinked in surprise. "Uh, Captain. What brings you to my little corner of the universe?" She quickly donned the bra then grabbed a towel to dry her hair.

Blaise recovered his faculties. "Wanted to make sure you're doing okay. No coffee after shift tonight?" Now that he'd come down, he questioned his sanity.

Would he do the same for any other pilot?

Probably. But Rue lit something in him… his curiosity for certain, but also something else. Which he would not examine too closely right now.

Rue looked confused for a moment but then she flashed a grin. "Nope. No coffee with grub. I ate, grabbed a shower, and here I am, ready for bed." She stopped and grabbed her clothes. "Okay, almost ready for bed." Flinging the towel over the door, she made short work of getting into a pair of shorts and a tank top.

Blaise nodded. "Good to hear. Sorry for the intrusion. Just wanted to check in." He started toward the exit.

Rue laughed lightly. "What? No bedtime story? I'm disappointed." She settled on the side of her bunk.

Blaise couldn't resist a little bantering. "I only know scary nightmare tales and we want you to sleep not toss and turn all night." He braced his shoulders on the bulkhead.

Rue swung her feet up into the bunk area and shook her head. "You're the worst, sir. Getting my hopes up then dashing them to stardust." She folded her arms over her chest and gave him a mock pout.

Blaise laughed. He liked seeing the playful side of her.

Pushing away from the bulkhead. "Sorry about that, Chambers. I'll wish you happy dreams instead." Turning, he ducked out the door.

Rue's voice followed him. "For the record… I love scary stories!"

Blaise chuckled.

He really liked her sass.

This is a fun little foray into what I hope ends up being a sexy little glimpse into what if. So far, I'm pretty pleased with how it's going.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yummy Goodness

I'm always blown away when July arrives and I realize half the year is really gone. The whole time speeds up when we get older thing is absolutely a thing.

Fairly busy week but stayed caught up with most of the shows I'm watching. Started out with In the Dark and watched two episodes. My heart kind of breaks for everyone on this show. And, again, I keep going back to how messy everything is. The episode with Murphy and Max on the run truly ended on a cliffhanger. Need to watch another episode soon.

                   

Caught an episode of Blade, the penultimate one. This series was ahead of its time and I wish it had the chance to realize its full potential.

Also caught the season finale of Chicago Fire, which ended on a cliffhanger. I literally had to call my dad—a retired fire chief and still active in our local department—to decompress. He's also a fan.

Watched another Classic Roswell episode. This one started moving the plot forward and tightening the bonds between the group. That means it's almost time for a wedge to show up and pull them all apart.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a great episode. I loved how the women pulled all the threads to solve their case and it's interesting to see Frankie end up with a new enemy. Lots of fodder for future episodes.

Once again, Riverdale pulled out all the super batshit crazy it could find. I do love, love, love that FP is now the new sheriff. I'm dying to know what Hermoine meant when she said it's finally time. There better be a payoff there. Alice makes my head spin with her insane loyalty to the farm creepies. I truly hope I end up enjoying that storyline because I have a feeling that shit isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Kind of sad Veronica practically ran back into the fold when Hiram got shot but it makes for good conversation. Almost fell out of my seat when Tallboy arrived back on my screen. Can't say I'm upset he didn't stick around.

Watched an episode of Arrow and, wow, quite a few revelations. Having Emiko be the leader of the dark knights is just the kind of twist I like. Kind of sad she's pushing Laurel back toward her dark persona. That'll be interesting to see next week.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers and can't say I liked the creepy dude they had to bring in to nab the home invaders. Kind of glad Doyle sent him packing and didn't fall for his creeptastic come-on lines. Geez. Also started a new episode but only got the first few minutes watched.

Krypton had a great episode. Glad Seg is free of Brainiac, or at least I hope he is. I love how twisty this show is right now. It's very hard to tell who is playing against who and I like that. Never knowing which direction a character will turn is fun.

I'm almost finished with Painkiller Jane. The standard groundhog day episode ended up being better than I remembered. I don't always love those kind of episodes.

Watched the season two premiere of Durham County and, yeah, this show is still dark and twisted. I love it.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Yummy Goodness, a free sexy short featuring characters from Mia's Choice.

The mini-blurb is still a work in progress…

But here's a sneaky peek…

Mia Sinclair rubbed her forehead, hoping to ease the headache behind her eyes. "How long before you get here, Hal?" Only hours away now, but not soon enough.

From the garbled sounds, Hal shuffled the handset. "Looks like two point five hours." His voice dropped a little. "You'll have real food again as soon as the teams get the supplies unloaded from the ship's hull."

Mia closed her eyes. "Sounds lovely." Four weeks with nothing more than protein bars and powder mixed with the limited amount of growable vegetables made her want to groan. "At least we know the station crew can pull together and get creative." Although their efforts didn't amount to much.

Hal chuckled. "Not sure you're gonna be happy to see me or the food." He paused. "I mean, come on, the protein bars aren't that bad, are they?"

Mia rolled her eyes. Of course Hal didn't know how horrible those things were. The military rations were ready-to-eat food packs. Maybe not the tastiest things in the galaxy but way more appealing than bland, no-flavor, only-there-to-sustain-life emergency bleh.

Maybe Hal needed to find out how horrible the last four weeks had been?

Mia laughed lightly. "Oh, you know. We managed. Just need a break from the same old thing." She lowered her voice this time. "And you know I'm always happy to see you, Hal. We'll be undressed and between the sheets before your ship's engines are even fully shut down." At least they had been the last three times Hal had been on station.

Hal groaned. "Now I'm the one who wants time to speed up. I've missed you, Mia."

She smiled. "Missed you too. Not much longer until we can be together for good." She actually couldn't wait.

And if anyone other than her inner voice had told her she'd be ready to settle down with a man again, she'd have laughed them out of the room. But Hal made loving someone easy, unlike her first husband, Fredric the dick. However… being in love with Hal didn't mean she couldn't prove a point, right?

Hal sighed. "I have to sign off, Mia. We're entering the no-call zone."

Her lips twitched. "Okay. I'd forgotten about that. We're still working on getting those relays positioned, hopefully by your next run out here." Interference from the asteroid belt around the station made the final leg of the journey radio silent.

Hal said his farewell. "I love you, Mia. Be there in two point two five hours."

Mia responded. "I'll see you soon, my love." After replacing the handset, she picked it up again and placed a quick call to the galley. "Hi, Chiane. I need a favor…"

Hal could have a not-so-wonderful taste of the yummy goodness Mia had been experiencing for the past month.

I'm hoping to have this one ready to go by the time I finish up Mia's Choice. There's another sexy short featuring Hal and Mia that I'd like to get ready for a release day blast.

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

ML Skye