Sunday Snippet: Outcasts

Happy Father's Day to anyone celebrating. For those not for whatever reason, I hope your day is filled with peace and calm and you find your joy.

It's been a really rough week. I definitely didn't make it through the worst the week prior. I had a lot more yuck to get through. Thankfully, I'm now down to some nagging congestion, but I can breathe again and I'm not coughing every five minutes, which makes me happy because we're due for some awful heat this week.

Managed to stay mostly on top of my work projects. I'm not as far along as I'd like to be, but I'm within my window to meet my deadlines. Not being 100 percent isn't fun but at least I can work around being less than my best. If I had a job with set hours, I'd still probably be fighting through the slog of upper respiratory yuck.

Had a very slow week of viewing. I didn't have the brain power to get involved in much of anything but comfort shows like Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders.

I did catch another Best in Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed the introduction from Don Warrington. It's fun to hear him speak without the Caribbean accent.

I also watched another Death in Paradise and it's one I only saw bits and pieces of when it first aired. Nice to see if from start to finish.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Hopefully I'll be back to somewhat normal for next week's entry.

Tonight's post is from Outcasts, a novella that explores how protecting the ones they love brings a couple together in new ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

Frannie Boyd and Thorn O'Reilly are stuck in a bad situation with no way out. But when the people they love are threatened, they'll play hardball to protect what's theirs, even if they have to go up against an admiral to do it.

And a sneaky peek…

Giving himself over to the moment, Thorn didn’t answer. Instead, he brought his hand up, cupping Frannie's face. Letting his fingers splay along the nape of her neck, he titled his head forward until his lips met hers.

Tentative at first, they grew demanding as Frannie responded. Hauling her against him, his hands slid down her back, grasped the edge of her doubled tank tops and pulled them up until she leaned away and took over. Thorn angled back, fingers going to his fly while Frannie pulled the shirts over her head. Not taking his eyes off her, he worked the fastenings loose, shoving the pants down to his knees and sucked in a harsh breath when she reached over to pull them the rest of the way off. Time stood still as his eyes dropped to his shirt while his fingers frantically unbuttoned the buttons. Glancing up as he shrugged out of the sleeves, he stopped breathing.

Naked and beautiful, Frannie moved toward him, getting up close and personal in the way he’d dreamed about. He froze and stared, holding the moment in his mind, burning it to memory. He paused with his shirt still dangling off one arm, mesmerized by the hungry look in her eyes.

Frannie crawled up and over Thorn on her hands and knees, smiling at the stunned look on his face. Settling her ass down on his thighs she grabbed his sleeve, tugged it over his hand and let it fall to the floor. Reaching up, she pulled the bunk curtain closed, effectively cutting them off from everything else but each other.

When Thorn raised his head, Frannie met his lips with a hot, blazing kiss that scorched through his system. As he settled back against the pillow, his hands cupped her face drawing her down and she slid forward, stretching out against him. Her stomach brushed over his cock, and he moaned against her lips.

Her fingers wrapped around the length, caressing the silken skin, moving in time with the thrusts of her tongue along his. Thorn shuddered under the onslaught of her lips and hands and pulled a gasp from Frannie when his palms brushed lightly over her breasts before cupping and holding them in his hands. He relished their weight as his fingers kneaded the smooth skin, enjoying the fact that his touch had Frannie squeezing his leg between her thighs.

This story is coming together after several false starts. Thorn and Frannie aren't quite sure how they're going to function as a couple, but they don't have issues with getting physical.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Out of the Box, Into the Burn

Ugh. Still feeling terrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in my area is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew of new projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and truly hope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times a day and need to rest.

Slow viewing week, mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two to three hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifth and final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of a heartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails. And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head around everything.

I finished the tenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'll look forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught another episode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad and rewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence could be.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I got to see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic between the brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroft deal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I liked seeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun. The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a Classic Rugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella" was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Out of the Box, Into the Burn, a novella where the characters face a challenge of brining change to old-school ways.

Here's the miniblurb:

Parry Thrum, a superior pilot, is sidetracked with an injury and relegated to planning a mission on an enemy outpost instead of flying in to save the day. When one of her superiors rejects every parameter she comes up with, Blake Bradley, another excellent pilot, steps in and backs her up—the out of the box, into the burn approach is just the thing to take their opponent by surprise, and a very Parry plan.

And a sneaky peek…

Blake didn't bother changing into his uniform before heading for Commandant Wagner's quarters. "I'd like a quick word with the commandant." He made it a request, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

The marine guard announced Blake then nodded for him to enter after Wagner gave the okay.

Wagner stood at the monitor, watching the gun camera footage. Blake didn't need to see the screen … the carnage would haunt his dreams for the foreseeable future. They lost another half of a squadron, which meant they would be a full one down.

Wagner didn't speak until the display went dark. "Captain, did you know the dual maneuver the pilots used out there is one your grandfather came up with?" He shot a quick look toward Blake. "And it's the first one I learned and executed under his tutelage?" His shoulders slumped a little.

Blake gave a nod. "I do, sir. Grandpa has a keen mind and isn't afraid to roll a hard run into something else." He chose his words carefully because he didn't like using the family connection.

But this situation justified pulling the card and putting it in play. Kip Wagner went way back with Thomas Bradley, first learning then serving under him. Blake also had a sneaking suspicion, the elder Bradley pulled strings to get his grandson a post under Wagner's command.

Wagner squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "You saying I'm not capable of doing the same?" His tone suggested Blake needed to step with caution.

Blake shook his head. "No, sir. Not you specifically." He left the rest unsaid, letting Wagner draw his own conclusion.

Kip motioned for Blake to take a seat. "You've got something to say, so spit it out, Bradley." He propped his hip on the edge of his desk.

Blake settled in the chair opposite the commandant. "You've seen the carnage. What we're doing isn't working. We're down a full squadron now." He didn't have to tell Wagner, the man already knew, but saying the words kept the loss close to the surface where it needed to be.

Wagner grunted. "Why are you here, Captain?" He lifted his chin, indicating Blake should speak freely.

Blake unloaded. "If you don't want to lose more people, you have to let someone—anyone—else plan the missions. Colonel Carbine can't or won't see past standard tactics and procedures." When Wagner didn't bust Blake for insubordination, he kept going. "The biggest challenge we face is our enemy knows our maneuvers … because they learned from the same playbook. We're not fighting against unknown tangoes. We're fighting former colleagues and comrades in arms. They know exactly how to counter anything we use out there." He stopped because if he continued, Carbine would be next on the list and Blake didn't want to open that avenue right now.

The loss of fellow pilots still burned, and the stench of defeat lingered.

Wagner shifted slightly from his perch on the desk and pinned Blake with a steady stare. "You're laying all this at the XO's feet then? What about me? What's my responsibility here?" He folded his arms across his chest.

Blake didn't flinch. "If I may speak freely, sir, we're all at fault here. With the possible exception of Lieutenant Thrum. She's been banging the drum of alarm for weeks now." And Parry suffered the consequences of her actions.

Wagner's brows rose. "Why am I only hearing of this now?" He pushed up to his feet and paced back and forth. "I haven't been informed of any pushback regarding the mission ops." He stopped and gave Blake another questioning glance.

Blake sighed. "I have to assume the XO is leaving that out of his reports to you then. Because Parry has been very vocal during the mission briefings." Not to mention she'd nailed the problem on its head.

The commandant lifted his chin. "So, what's the solution?"

Blake shook his head. "Sir, it's not my place—"

Wagner cut him off. "Don't give me that, captain. You didn't come here without an action plan or use your family connection for nothing." One eyebrow arched, daring Blake to refute the statement.

Blake winced. "You're right, sir. I didn't." He exhaled on a slow breath. "If you want me to offer a suggestion … we need to think way outside the box here."

I love this story. Parry and Blake are a great team in the air, and they'll be excellent strategists when planning a mission also.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Organic Chemistry (Civil Revolution)

Welcome June and another month where time will probably fly by too quickly. Doesn't help that I'm under the weather right now and feeling yucky. Hopefully whatever this is will pass quickly and I can get back to normal.

Had a solid work week. Finished up a cozy mystery proofread and made progress on a developmental edit. Also got a lot of writing done, which makes me happy because I've been hitting walls lately.

Fairly good viewing this week. Managed to go through my show list twice. I might start adding in a few more shows but I like this current group.

Finished up the fourth season of Suspects. I'll be starting the fifth and final season this week. Looks like a banger ending for this series.

Caught two episodes of Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were excellent. Very fun to see how Halloween is celebrated in New Zealand, especially since it's spring there instead of fall. Very cool.

Watched two episodes of Best in Paradise. I'm enjoying the intros by the actors and I'm enjoying their picks for favorite episodes.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. I'd seen bits of both episodes but not the whole thing. Loved the one with the zoo. Also like how much Jack is becoming a part of the community.

Caught two episodes of Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson's personal life on a bit of a display. Also thoroughly enjoying Sherlock's interactions with Joan as he fully sinks into the partnership.

Watched two episodes of The Batman. Fun to have Harley Quinn introduced. And I very much enjoyed the New Year's Eve episode.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I'd forgotten they started to work three vignettes in after the movie. Not sure if I really like that in hindsight.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Organic Chemistry, a novella that folds into the Civil Revolution series. Or Uncivil Revolution. I can't quite decide which one I like better.

Here's the miniblurb:

Dominic Marinelli and Etta Morgan meet under very difficult circumstances, but form a relationship built on one basic need … sex. When Etta decides to strike out on her own, Dom has to figure out why it bothers him so much.

And a sneaky peek…

Dom stood outside Etta's room, propped up against the wall, a sloppy grin on his face.

He sobered. "What the hell did I just let happen?" The last person anyone should get involved with would be him.

But Etta didn't want anything hot and heavy. She wanted to get laid. Why the hell should he turn that down?

Maybe because she might not get emotionally involved, but he almost always did.

He pushed away and started down the hall, retracing his steps to the main entrance. He thought briefly about forgetting the scheduled visit, but he'd talk himself into keeping it. Pathetic as it made him, he craved some human female contact. And since the woman he wanted would never be his, he'd seek it with another.

And if that makes me a huge asshole, I'll get over it.

Snagging his jacket, he shoved the main door open and stood outside. He'd planned to go out for a long ride but opted to walk around the perimeter of the spa grounds instead.

Why did Etta Morgan push his buttons? He'd known her what? For a while now. Since the night he'd found her left for dead outside the sector barricade. During her recovery, they'd talked a good bit, and he enjoyed her company, enough to be comfortable with her.

Thought he knew her fairly well despite the short span of time.

He so hadn't.

With one simple challenge he'd been ready to drop trou and have a go at her. No … with her. She brought out something feral … primal … a little wild in him. Her honesty about what she wanted and how she wanted it turned him on.

And a walk on the wild side sounded damn good at the moment.

Maybe he needed it. Etta had one thing right. Truth equaled Char and Lex forever. They were meant for each other. He could let it eat at him or move the fuck on.

Etta would make the latter a hell of a lot more interesting.

Maybe he'd been too wrapped up in Char to see the possibilities with Etta. Char had been something sweet, and he'd needed that. Char had, too. But she'd held a big part of herself back. She never laughed the lusty laugh with him like she did with Durben.

And he might not have had the instant spiral of feeling for Etta that consumed him when he met Charlotte. But he'd admired Etta's grit from the moment he'd found her in the tall grass fighting for her life. Her tenacious spirit served her well.

Making a turn, he headed along the final side of the perimeter boundary. "Okay, Etta … let's see where this mutually beneficial arrangement takes us."

I love how this one is coming together. Dom and Etta are one of my favorite couples and telling their story is so much fun.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Operation Moot Point

May is winding down and it's been kind of a whirlwind month. Or I might be hitting that age where time seems to fly by faster every day.

Not a bad work week. I finished up a project and jumped back into one that had been sitting on the back burner for a while. Also started a new one. Got some writing done also, which makes me happy because the sages have been on an extended vacation.

Pretty good week of viewing also. I managed to go through my slate of shows twice and finished up an episode I left hanging a few weeks ago.

Watched two episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed both. I'm so excited this show is back for another season. I love the characters so much.

Caught two episodes of Death in Paradise. Finished up season seven and ended up liking it a lot. Starting season eight this week.

Started watching Best in Paradise, which features the favorite episodes of the cast. Got two viewed, and I think I'll continue watching. They have fun intros from the cast member and why the episode is one of their favorites.

Watched two episodes of Elementary and I really love how Joan is being fleshed out and using her knowledge. Also kind of happy to see some growth with Sherlock.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. I remembered both and enjoyed each one. Really fun to have Robin and Batgirl working together to take down the rogues.

Caught one episode of Suspects and it ended up being a twisty affair, which I love. I have two more episodes of season four and then I'll start the final fifth season.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Finished up the lead-in to the movie and caught the first episode post wedding. Fun stuff.

Also finished an episode of Peak Practice I started a couple of weeks ago. The later seasons seem to be a little hit or miss for me. Can't wait to finally get to season twelve.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Operation Moot Point, a novella that brings a couple together for a weird mission.

Here's the miniblurb:

Zia Rogue and Keb Belova are highly trained soldiers and put in charge of Operation Moot Point. Between them and their specialized skills, they should be able to plan the surprise party for the base commander—if they can stop arguing long enough to actually get the work done.

And a sneaky peek…

Invigorated after destroying as many raiders as possible while waiting for the reinforcements to arrive, Zia headed back to the base. "Damn, my head is spinning." The adrenaline rushes kind of stacked one on top of the other and her brain reached overload limit.

Banking toward the main landing bay, she pondered the crazy-ass stunt Keb pulled by following her out. "What in the name of the universe had he been thinking?" Maybe he hadn't been.

Nothing could explain how he pulled off flying right down the middle of enemy territory without a single shot being fired at him. Nothing rational or logical anyway. The sheer audacity blew her mind.

She couldn't squash the warm burst of … something … that filled her when he crossed to her side, basically going fly or die on her. She didn't have many people she could count on to be there no matter what. But she added Keb to the top of the list.

He confused the hell out of her sometimes. She usually chalked the weird vibe between them down to superior-subordinate semantics. The asteroid base didn't have fraternization regs, but she and Keb never crossed the personal to intimate line.

Not that I haven't thought about doing so.

She had … usually really late at night when sleep proved elusive. Yeah, not going there right now.

Landing the craft, she waited to be lowered down onto the hangar deck and hovered in a uncomfortable place between fully expecting a blazing set down from Keb and a consuming need to ask him why the hell he followed her across the line.

Before the canopy slid back, she shook her head. "Not sure I can handle either at the moment." Removing her helmet, she started to stand and caught Keb's gaze narrowed on her.

Shit. Probably couldn't avoid the ass-chewing.

The deck chief stood between their two planes. "Rogue, Belova. Report to the XO in the war room. He'd like to discuss that awesome display of insanity you two pulled out there." His lips twitched. "Frankly, I have no doubt you two'll be in the history books." Thumping the nose of the bird, he turned and walked away.

Zia wisely kept her mouth shut and avoided looking at Keb during their post-flight checks. At least she didn't have to worry about a blistering debrief from him.

Yet…

This story is a lot of fun to write. Zia and Keb are rarely on the same page, but they'll end up being very compatible soon.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Open Dialog

Had a solid week of getting stuff done. This makes me happy. Got a garden planted. Okay, my husband got most of the planting done. I only did one thing, but I call that a win anyway.

On the work front, I did fairly well also. I'm hoping to launch a new venture in June, and I finally got back to setting that up. I also finished up a copy edit and started a proofreading project.

Solid week of viewing also. I'm in a bit of a groove and sticking with a cluster of shows. I still have a weird urge to binge watch a marathon of something, but I've resisted that urge. It's so easy to fall down a rabbit hole and not get anything done.

Ended up getting two episodes of Death in Paradise watched. One featured a Day of the Dead tie in, which is notable only because I'm watching a different show today that has a Day of the Dead tie in.

Also got two episodes of Elementary in. Started season two and got to meet Mycroft, which I enjoyed. Also got some additional Joan backstory and I'm glad to see some of that.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. Both were ones I remembered from my original run through the show. Season three is different as I don't feel as connected to the characters, but it's a pretty solid season so far.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I've started season eight and I'd forgotten it's a lead up to the Rugrats in Paris movie and all the episodes are interconnected.

Watched two episodes of Suspects. I finished up season three and started season four. The premiere of four had a very twisty case and I really enjoyed that one.

Started season ten of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. There's a terrific cast of characters and I love that Frodo and Todd have found both bodies so far this season.

Also enjoyed the finale of season twenty-six of Silent Witness. I'm finally one hundred percent caught up with the series. Now I play a waiting game until season twenty-seven.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Open Dialog, a novella that brings a couple together after they finally learn to communicate with each other.

Here's the miniblurb:

Life on a space station means there's nowhere to run when things get awkward. For Janeen Shore and King McMahon, working through their often messy personal relationships can sometimes take a toll and they have to keep the lines of communication open or risk losing what's important.

And a sneaky peek…

"Are you seriously going to defend Malz Orwenson?"

King McMahon closed his eyes along with the jacket open on his desk. "Shara, I advocate for whoever they assign to me." He only got so many refusals per quarter.

Shara snorted. "Bullshit. You volunteered for this one."

His current girlfriend might know a little too much about him.

He sighed. "Okay, yes. I raised my hand when they asked if anyone would take on Malz's case." Because why not?

Shara huffed out a frustrated breath. "What the hell, King? Orwenson is a known agitator. He's always trying to drag others along when he bucks the system." She paced back and forth. "Do you have thing for the impossible? There's no way you'll win this one." Pausing, she pinned him with a hard look. "Does that even matter to you anymore?"

King couldn't say winning every case mattered. He only advocated in his spare time to keep his qualification. Eventually, having the skill would be a nice feather in his cap once his stint in the military ended.

Shara tapped her foot on the floor. "Well. I guess that answers the question." She rolled her eyes. "So then, tell me please … what's the point of doing executive functions as a solider if it's not to rise up through the ranks and help your career?" She planted her hands on her hips. "I mean, there's gotta be an end to doing your duty, right?"

King took a moment before answering. "It's not just about duty. The point? I'm not doing this to advance my career in the military. There's a quality of care involved with every assignment I take on." He warmed up to the topic, gaining a clarity he didn't have before she started busting his balls. "Each case becomes about the experience of doing my best for the client. Possibly mitigating their punishment or limiting the punitive cost." He met her gaze. "Working with and learning about those aspects now gives me valuable knowledge for future endeavors." When he could no longer serve as a soldier.

Shara's mouth snapped shut and her shoulders slumped. "Hadn't thought of that." She glanced around the room, looking at everything but him.

King swallowed a smirk. Obviously, Shara didn't know him quite as well as she thought. Mainly because she viewed him as an extension of her, which, yeah, probably needed a discussion at some point.

But not today.

He reopened Malz's file then cleared his throat. "Anything else? If not, I've got work to do and not a lot of time to get it done." Rude, but true.

Shara huffed out a sigh. "Fine. I'll make myself scarce until the hearing." She gathered up a couple of items and tucked them into a duffel bag. "I'm … uh … sorry for coming in with guns blazing." Not waiting for a response, she ducked out, letting the hatch close behind her.

King exhaled slowly. "And I'm sorry for not being who you think I should be…"

This story is in the very early stages, and I have no idea how things are going to shake out, but I'm having so much fun figuring it out.

 

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

 

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: One Hot Mess

Happy US Mother's Day to those who celebrate. For those with parental issues, I hope you find joy and peace.

Had the rare experience of seeing the northern lights in Ohio. I can honestly say I haven't been so excited about something in a long time. The mysteries of space are awesome!

Fairly busy week with work projects and other odds and ends. Finished up a couple of manuscripts and started a new one. I have another ongoing developmental edit that I need to dive back into this week.

Not a bad week of viewing even with a few distractions. I'm at a weird place with watching right now. I'm kind of leaning toward doing binge marathons again and I'm not sure I want to fall down that rabbit hole again.

Caught two episodes of Suspects and enjoyed both. This show is kind of choppy and that adds something to the experience. I love the cases and how things are rarely what they seem from the initial starting point.

Finished up the third season of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I'd love to see another series of this show. The cast is a lot of fun.

Watched two episodes of Silent Witness. I've realized that after the next one, I'm completely caught up with the show. I really like the current cast and I'm excited to see what the next season brings.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. This is one I hadn't seen before and I liked the case. I'm also enjoying Jack's tenure as DI.

I think I finished out the first season of Elementary. I'm actually thrilled with how the Moriarity plot played out. I love seeing Joan kind of step in to the role of consulting detective with ease and grace. The things she sees that Sherlock doesn't is always interesting.

Watched another episode of The Batman. Nice to see Ethan back again. I'm a little bummed we haven't seen Chen for a while and I can't remember if she comes back or not.

Enjoyed the Valentine episode of Classic Rugrats. I do remember this one but not everything about it. Nice to see some longer length episodes also.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from One Hot Mess, a novella that brings a couple together after a night of revelry.

Here's the miniblurb:

Eva Twine and Van Jefferson have a very friendly rivalry when their teams compete for the galaxy championship. But when Van questions what Eva will wear to the celebratory masquerade, she decides to rock his very foundation.

And a sneaky peek…

Van Jefferson stood under a blast of steaming water, letting it work the kinks out of his shoulders. The Interplanetary Police Force battle of the precincts ended on a high note for him. His squadron from Venus took top honors.

Knocked the Mars crew down a peg.

No easy feat, the team from the red planet had won the battle five years running and the rivalry, while friendly, finally took a step in the right direction. Van shut off the shower and stepped out of the stall. About damn time. If he had to listen to Eva Twine cackle and crow about winning again he'd have lost his mind.

The woman made him insane. And usually not in a good way. Even though he found her wildly attractive. She also frustrated the life out of him sometimes.

The creak of a door and an off-key humming sound alerted him to someone's presence.

Speak of the devil.

Eva sauntered into the head—how she could do that with an injured foot, he'd never understand—and started stripping off her clothes.

"If you give me a few, you can have the place to yourself." Van walked into the changing area and pried open his locker.

Eva smirked and shoved her pants past her hips. "I kinda have to hurry. Doc took an x-ray and gave me fifteen to get showered and back to the infirmary." Her fingers slid under the waistband of her panties. "If you can't handle the show, you'd better leave now."

Right. He'd go hang out in the quadrant wearing a towel so she could shower. Not likely.

He raised a brow. "I doubt you have anything I haven't seen before." He reached for his shirt.

Eva chuckled and tugged her tank over her head. "Good to know." She crisscrossed her arms and pulled her sports bra off, giving him her back as she turned. "Congrats on the victory, by the way. They carted me out before I had a chance to say anything."

Van waited a beat, thinking she'd add a snarky insult to the compliment. She glanced over her shoulder, one eyebrow arched.

He nodded. "Thanks."

She grabbed a towel and flung it over around her neck. "You headed out or sticking around for the festivities?"

The IPF planned a huge masquerade to top off the week. All participants in the battle automatically received invitations.

Van grinned. "I'm staying. My chief informed us if anyone tried to beg off, he'd bust us all back to beat cop."

Eva snorted. "That would suck balls." Grabbing her kit she headed toward the showers. "Guess I'll see you there then. Don't forget your costume." She called back over her shoulder. "Remember no beat cop uniforms allowed."

Van chuckled. "I've got it covered." He grabbed his pants. "You?"

She turned the water on and let it heat up. "Oh yeah. No worries."

He couldn't resist. "Let me guess? You're gonna show up as a sky hawg rider." His gaze slid to her discarded tank, the logo of the sky cycle manufacturer emblazoned across the front.

Eva's smirked again. "Ha-ha." She stepped under the spray of water. "Get out of here. I'm down to seven minutes."

Effectively dismissed, Van finished dressing and exited the head. The exchange with Eva had gone better than he'd hoped. Defeat had toned down her brash bravado.

Or maybe pain did. He'd noticed she'd favored her injured foot when she stepped under the water. He hoped it wouldn't keep her from the party.

This story took on a life of its own and I'm happy it did. Eva and Van are so much fun!

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Off the Hook

Had a super emotional day yesterday with my daughter graduating from college with a bachelor's in media production and theater. She starts grad school in the fall for arts administration. I'm so proud of her! And … considering she had a drive-through high school graduation, getting to see her walk for her bachelor's made me very happy.

Had another good week of work and writing. I finished up two manuscript edits and a proofread on the work front and wrote several scenes in three or four of my WIPs. I'm not quite where I want to be on my writing, but I'm getting back to form.

Actually had a solid week of viewing also. Maybe the planets are aligned where I need them to be right now. Who knows?

Watched two episodes of Elementary and, wow, I rather like what they did with the Moriarity thing. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up. I think I have one more episode of the first season.

Started season three of The Batman and watched two episodes. I remembered both and enjoyed each one.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I think I'm at the end of season seven where the two vignettes are actually one episode. Kind of liked that format. I think the new theme starts with season eight. I'll find out this week I think.

Started a new season of Suspects. Loved the opening episode. It did not go where I thought it would and I love that.

Watched another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Broken-hearted for Gloria. I kind of hope there's more to the story about Cooper. I kind of want to find out what his whole deal was with Gloria.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I don't remember this one at all and actually loved it. Definitely a twisty one.

Caught the first part of Silent Witness. I'm excited to see where this one goes. There's definitely more than meets the eye for this case. I'm not thrilled with the new addition to Jack's life. I love his niece, but the mom is a piece of work and I don't like her at all.

Started a new episode of Peak Practice. I'll try to finish it up this week. Not sure what's up with Sam but I assume the seeds are being planted for his departure and that's why he's being such a prat right now.

Last but not least, I started a documentary called Broken Horses, mainly because it features the author of one of the books I've been working on and his stance that the drugging of horses needs to stop. I can honestly say it's a hard watch and my personal thought there might be a trainer who should never, ever be allowed to participate in the sport ever again. But that's just me.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Off the Hook, a novella where a couple goes through a trial by fire when they don't fully agree on how to handle a situation.

Here's the miniblurb:

Esti Warf's relationship with Wyatt Corben is tested when she agrees to give his younger brother a chance to pass basic flight. Wyatt knows in his gut his brother doesn't have the chops, but he can't get Esti to budge on her decision, especially when his old man pressured her into accepting Wilton as a cadet. Both are on the hook, trying to keep peace in the family and still maintain their bond as a couple.

And a sneaky peek…

Vivid imagery filled Wyatt's head. "Gonna hold you to that." He motioned for Esti to get naked.

Then he got to work on his pants, pushing them past his hips before she took a firm grasp of his cock and gave him a heated look, flicking her tongue over her bottom lip.

Anticipation might be my favorite feeling in the world.

Check that. Maybe second favorite.

Almost nothing beat Esti's mouth surrounding his dick. Except maybe full-on sex with her. She hollowed her cheeks and applied continuous suction to his shaft.

His fingers threaded through her hair. "Es, you know what that does to me." His last word hissed out when she made a low hum in her throat.

The things she could do…

Her hands cupped his ass drawing him closer. She took his length deep, swallowing before pulling back to suck on the head. Licking the sensitive underside, she teased a groan from him. The swirl and swipe combined with the firm pressure had his thighs trembling to keep from pistoning his hips in a race to the finish line. As much as wanted to get off, patience would be rewarded.

Esti wanted to have her wicked way with him and then he could return the favor. Blowing her mind with the same exquisite torture would give him almost as much pleasure as she currently unleashed on him. The hard fight to stay in control crumbled when she fondled his balls, jostling them lightly between her fingers.

He erupted, letting out a low moan. "Gah, Esti. You're killing me." In a great way, no doubt, but he couldn't stay upright. "Fuck." Stumbling forward, his hands shot out to grasp her shoulders.

She gave a throaty chuckle, eased away from him, and a sly smile curved her lips. "Gonna be able to follow through?" She tilted her head to one side.

Wyatt growled and hooked his palms under her shoulders. He twisted and toppled backward, hauling her up with him. He maneuvered her around until her hips were over his face and her legs were splayed with her knees bracketing his upper torso.

Blowing a hot breath over her core, he slid his tongue through her folds. "See if this works for you…"

I love having a sexy bit before the storm blows through. Wyatt and Esti have a big challenge coming and showing how much they care for each other before it hits makes me happy.

 

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

ML Skye