Sunday Snippet: Adventures in Nugget-Sitting

Hello!

Okay, gotta say it. I totally didn't see the finale for Sleepy Hollow coming at all. I had a working theory that the sheriff would somehow be a descendant of Crane's. The sin eater? Not so much. Good crap, I love this show.

Let's see, what else? Arrow rocked it, per usual. I've seen a number of 'meh, this felt like a season one episode' on twitter and tumblr, and that's cool, but I like the episodes that slow down a little and focus on, or spotlight, specific characters. I completely see how others can consider it a hot mess of an episode, but I almost always find something interesting that comes into play later or a seemingly insignificant moment that ends up being big later. So yeah, I kinda love what I've come to call 'groundwork' episodes. J Arrow writers… you just keep doing what you're doing.

Banshee still has me looking forward to Friday nights. Lost Girl is changing up the game with everyone and I kinda love it. I also gave Bitten a whirl and well, I'm in. Didn't know if I would like the premise, but oddly found myself thinking about the episodes at random points during the day. Always a sign I'm hooked. J

That's it in television news. Writing has been good this week. Maybe it's the weather, with six to nine inches of snow, the sweeping, shoveling, and blowing gives me time to ponder storylines. LOL Tonight's post is from Adventures in Nugget Sitting—absolutely a working title until the 'real' title reveals itself—and features one of the main characters finally getting a clue about how their behavior affects the other main character.

Here's the tagline:

Isla Sands, an excellent poker player, loses a card draw and has to babysit the drunken newbie pilot. Between the endless questions, throwing up, and clingy behavior of her charge, Isla takes time to wonder why Riggs Marvelton always does the same for her. And why he never attempts to just kill her and put both out of their misery.

And a sneaky peek…

Isla groaned. If Brad threw up one more time she'd find a way to put him out of his misery. Quietly, and preferably without a firearm. A pillow could work. But she'd totally go for the gun if he kept it up.

She sank back against the wall, sliding down to sit beside Brad. He had to have expelled everything in his guts, right? Her head thumped the cool tiles behind her. Doubtful.

"La La?" Brad lifted his head. "Am I going to die?"

La La? "Not from puking." She rolled him over onto his back. "But if you call me La La again, there's a good chance you won't see daylight."

He gave her a sloppy smile. "Okay, La La. You're taking really good care of me."

Isla growled and slammed her head against the tiles one more time then got to her feet. Leaning down, she grabbed Brad's hands and hauled him upward. Tucking her shoulder under his armpit, she started for the door.

Brad draped an arm around her shoulders, his hand dangling over her breast. Trudging forward, she got a better grip and half dragged him, his feet shuffling on the deck. His palm dropped lower and his fingers brushed over her boob.

She jabbed her elbow into his side. "Hands off the goods, Berenza." Death by suffocation started looking like a distinct possibility.

He grunted and rubbed his ribs with his free hand. "Owww. Come on, La La, that hurt." He stumbled but didn't go down.

Good thing, she might have left him if he had. "Yeah, yeah. You're lucky I didn't knee you in the groin, buddy."

Copping a feel? She should've known Berenza would try a stunt like that. An image of her hands palming Riggs's ass took up space in her head. Geez, she had zero room to get pissed.

Propping Brad against the wall, she undogged the hatch to the bunkroom and shoved it open. Grabbing his arm, she hauled him inside and dragged him to his rack, thanking whatever ruled the universe he had the first berth inside the quarters. Nudging him into his space, she bent down, lifted his feet, and pushed them up onto his mattress.

Blowing out a harsh breath, she collapsed on the nearest chair and slouched down. Geez, babysitting nuggets sucked balls. How much longer before he passed out and she could finally be done? Propping her feet up on the table, she kicked back in the seat and closed her eyes.

An image of Riggs hauling her ass to and from the head flashed in her mind. Cripes. How many times had he pulled 'Isla Duty'? And why in the hell did he keep doing it?

"Hey, how's it going?" Riggs popped his head inside the bunkroom.

Isla dropped the front of the chair to the floor and glanced his way. "Oh my God. He's making me batshit." She shook her head. "Seriously, Riggs, why and how did you refrain from killing me every time you got stuck taking care of me?"

He stepped inside the room, his eyes narrowed. "Don't you know?"

Isla snorted. "No, I really don't. Would've been so much easier to put us both out of our misery."

Riggs studied her for several moments, enough to make her a little twitchy.

He heaved a sigh. "Look, Isla, if you can't figure it out, I'm not gonna explain." His head jerked toward the bunks. "You should have plenty of time to ponder while he's in between rounds."

He turned and exited before she could respond.

Slumping back in the chair, she crossed her arms over her chest. Well, didn't Riggs like to give her shit to think about? Then again, hadn't he always? The guy never failed to twist her brain up over something.

And yet, she sort of liked how he made her think about stuff she'd usually avoid. He challenged her to expand her horizons and stretch beyond the status quo.

Why?

She sat up, the answer hitting her right between the eyes.

I always love it when my characters have light bulb moments. Isla has more than one in this story. Good thing she's got Riggs to make her think, yeah?

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: You're Welcome

January 19, 2014

Hiya!

Whew. What a week. I've been wearing my editor hat, trying to keep up with some pressing deadlines. But I have had a little time to write on some current WIPs AND keep up with my heavy slate of TV shows.

First… Arrow returned! Great episode. Seriously, I feel like I'm watching a movie every time it's on. And Banshee did not disappoint either. Also, Lost Girl? I'm sooooo happy it's back. I love the cast to bits!

So, tonight's post is from You're Welcome. It's in the beginning stages and I'm not quite sure where it's going yet, but the snippet basically popped into my head and I had to write it down. J

Here's the tagline:

Dalyn Harris spends a lot of his time keeping his significant other, Shauna Drake, out of hack. When an old, forgotten prank catches the executive officer by surprise, Dalyn scrambles to keep Shauna's part under wraps—he has no desire to spend their anniversary in a brig cell.

And a sneaky peek…

"You're welcome."

Shauna frowned. "For what exactly?"

Dalyn walked into the room. "Keeping your ass out of the brig. Again."

Shauna blinked. "And how did you do that? I haven't done anything to get thrown in hack." She waited a beat. "Lately."

Dalyn smirked. "Exactly. Remember the small arms locker on H deck?" He dropped down onto the chair across from her. "The one you rigged to blow leftover paint… because no one ever goes down there anyway, right?" Shauna snickered. "Oh yeah. That."

Dalyn nodded. "Yes. Guess who's now wearing a lovely shade of red to go with his bloodshot eyes?"

Shauna groaned. "Oh, tell me it's not." It could only be one person.

Dalyn cocked his head. "It is."

"Shit." She shot Dalyn a sideways look. "How the hell did you keep him from coming after me?" Their 2iC loved to write her up on report.

Dalyn smiled, wide. "A trick I learned from the old man. The bait and switch."

Shauna tilted her head. "I didn't know your dad liked to fish."

Dalyn rolled his eyes. "No, Shauna. He picked this up from his Uncle Sam." He leaned in, speaking on low tones. "I nudged Bradshaw toward the newbies, Hot Lips in particular, because she's been trying to one up you for a long time now."

Dalyn's mouth curved again. "Now she'll get to find out, firsthand, how most of your pranks end…"

Shauna finished for him. "In the brig." She got up and rifled through her locker, pulling out a recent novel she'd just finished.

Tucking it in the pocket of her fatigues, she headed for the hatch.

Dalyn quirked a brow. "Where're you going?"

Shauna turned and winked. "To give Hot Lips something to occupy her time. It's the least I can do." She exited, whistling an off-key tune.

Dalyn laughed settled back in the chair.

Shauna ducked back through the hatch. "By the way." She gave him a jaunty salute. "Thank you."

Shaua has another scary brilliant idea on the way to the brig. She'd like to thank Dalyn in a much more intimate manner. Rawr!

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yee Haw

January 12, 2014

Greetings!

Well, off to a wacky weather start to the new year. Minus single digit degrees to fifty within forty-eight hours. Welcome to Ohio. LOL

TV shows are back this week, or at least most of them are. Have to wait until February for The Walking Dead, and April for Orphan Black.

But… Banshee returned Friday and, as usual, didn't disappoint. I honestly have no idea why the show is one of my must sees, but it totally is. And, holy crap, they jam a lot into a single hour, less than, actually. Caught Helix on Syfy, and it sufficiently creeped me out enough to keep watching. Lost Girl comes back on Monday, and I'm definitely up for some Bitten, which looks kind of awesome. Almost Human was pretty great, too.

Sleepy Hollow and Arrow return this week. I can't wait!! Looking for to The Tomorrow People, too.

Tonight's post is from the tentatively named, Yee Haw, a novella where the main characters have loads of fun dealing with two new crewmembers. Seriously not sure I like the title, but's a work in progress, so hopefully something pops at a later date.

Here's the tagline:

Two new transfers upset the delicate balance of the space carrier, Mephisto, that Kellsie Eaves and Wick Fairchilds worked so hard to obtain. When the duo attempts to restore the status quo, the troublemakers go after Kellsie and she gets to school them in the art of kicking ass, with Wick as her backup.

And a sneaky peek…

"Major? The sunshine boys have Captain Eaves trapped in the gym." The out of breath Lieutenant Carns stumbled to halt in front of Wick's desk. "And it looks like they're up to their usual fun and games."

Wick rose and closed the file in front of him. "Which deck?" He met the concerned gaze of his junior officer. "Lieutenant, which deck?"

She calmed and answered. "B, Sir. Deck B."

Wick rounded the desk and firmly gripped her shoulder. "Thank you, Carns. I'll handle it." He exited his office and double timed it down one level.

Bart and Eldric finally stepped over the line one too many times and Wick now had enough to bring them up on charges. They must've caught wind of his impending meeting with the commander.

The shift change klaxon sounded and he picked up his pace. "Shit." The causeway filled with crewmen and he shouted. "Make a hole. Coming through."

His path clear, he hot-footed it around the corner, making a mad, crazy dash to the end of the juncture and almost blew past the first entrance to the gym. He got stopped in time and hovered outside the hatch, listening carefully to see if he'd need backup from a security unit.

Kellsie stood in the middle of the workout area, her hands on her hips. "I wouldn't drop trou just yet, Mont. The fact either of you think you give lessons on sucking cock, shows how little intelligence you have." She tilted her head to the side. "Or maybe it speaks volumes about what you two get up to in your spare time." She nodded. "Yeah, that's it, isn't it?"

Bert grabbed her arm. "You stupid cunt. I wouldn't suck Mont's dick if somebody paid me."

Kellsie quirked a brow. "Exactly. Neither would I. And if you think you're gonna force the issue, think again." She slid her gaze toward Eldric. "Because I'd rip that little fucker off at the root before it got close to my lips." She took a step back then caught sight of Wick.

She snapped to attention. "Sir."

Bert and Eldric didn't make an effort to follow suit. They didn't move, but each man sized Wick up.

Wick entered the gym. "At ease, Captain." He stood between the two exits and almost hoped they'd make a run for it.

Kellsie relaxed, but stayed put. Wick gave a her slight nod, indicating she'd get her shot.

Bert sneered. "Gonna order us to back off, Major?" He jerked his head toward Kellsie. "And save your sweet little piece of ass?"

Wick responded. "I don't need to save Captain Eaves, Samson." He met Kellsie's gaze.  "What do you say to a little mop up session, Kells?"

Since the Mephisto had been dubbed 'the bucket' by the two newest crew members, he figured she'd enjoy the play on words. And totally understand mop up equaled beat down.

Kellsie let a slow, sly smile cross over her face. "Well, Major, I think I'd say…" She tilted her head to the right. "Yee." And then to the left, cracking her neck. "Haw."

She dove for the big one, Eldric, grabbing his ankles and jerking him off his feet. With his belt loosened and pants undone, his legs got trapped in the fatigues. Samson leaped into the fray and wrapped an arm around Kellsie's neck, squeezing hard. Wick shoved the hatch shut and drove a wrench in to keep it closed, and then made his way to the second entrance and repeated the action.

Bert glanced up, tightening his grip on Kellsie's throat. "You gonna join in, Sir?" He spat the rank like it tasted bad on his tongue.

Wick leaned back against the bulkhead, crossing his arms over his chest. "Nope. I'm gonna let my captain school you two in the art of ass kicking."

Mont bucked his hips, tossing Kellsie upward, but she hung on with one hand and punched him in the face with the other. She reared back, smashing Samson's face with her head. He yowled, blowing blood out his nose and let go to staunch the flow.

Wick's mouth curved upward. He'd taught her that move two weeks ago during a sparring session.

Kellsie dragged in deep gasps of air then got back to business. Hopping up, she lifted her foot and stomped on the Eldric's knee, the sickening crunch of bone snapping against bone made a satisfying sound. She drew her leg back and kicked him hard in the groin. He rolled to the side, heaving up whatever he had for lunch.

Wick's lips twitched. Yep, he'd taught her well. And she used every trick she'd learned.

She whirled around, dropped, and swept her leg sideways, making Bert topple backward onto his ass. Kellsie jumped on top of him, straddling his torso, landing blow after blow, alternating between his ribs and face. She kept one eye trained in Mont's direction, but he stayed down, curled up in a fetal position, taking short, shallow breaths.

Satisfied he wouldn't be a threat, she rolled to her side, dragging Samson with her. Bringing her knees up, she pushed hard, flinging him up and over to go sprawling up along the wall. She twisted around, got to her feet, and grabbed his hair, shoving his face into the bulkhead. His head slammed hard against the metal, a sharp painful grunt escaping his mouth before he could stop it.

Kellsie glanced in Wick's direction. "Have I schooled them to you satisfaction, Major?" Her words came out in a rumbly growl, evidence of the damage Bert did earlier.

Wick gave a terse nod. "Above and beyond, Captain. Nicely done."

Kellsie let go of Samson and stepped back, stumbling but remaining upright. "Permission to hit the…" She sucked in more air, "showers, Sir."

Wick undogged the hatch and shoved it open. "Granted."

He waited until she left before he coldly informed the two Phadreaus troublemakers of their fate. "I suggest you both stay down." He walked to the comm phone and pressed three digits. "At least until the marines get here to haul your asses to the brig." His lips curved in a sneer. "You can expect the standard insubordination charge, along with a detailed list of additional infractions." He spoke three words into the handset before hanging up. "I hope you boys like your food cold and your racks lumpy, because you'll be in the pit." He sent a sarcastic smile in their direction. "Nothing but the best for you two."

Kellsie and Wick set quite a trap for Eldric and Bert. The lead up is something of a thrill ride. J

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wasted Credits

Happy New Year!!

I hope 2014 is filled with everyone my readers want and, of course, lots of reading!

I'm not a big fan of resolutions, but I do love setting goals. This year, my hope is to publish at least six manuscripts and learn more about the graphic end of the business. Luckily, my oldest kidlet is something of a whiz when it comes to creating great designs, so I have a built-in tutor.

I'm also feeling a strong pull to get back into crafting and being creative. My youngest is all for this and wants to help out. I'm looking forward to the bonding time we'll have.

And my middle child is my TV buddy. We watch a lot of the same shows and spend quality time chatting and dissecting the episodes. All in all, a good time.

The husband is an avid golfer and I'm hoping we'll get to spend some time on the course together. Even when I only go along for the ride, which is about half the time, it's a nice way to relax and catch up with each other.

On the television show front, Sherlock is back!! The convergence of acting, writing, and filming just makes me so happy. New episodes of my other favorite shows start soon. Banshee returns this Friday and I'm excited and on edge just thinking about it. I have no idea why that show sucks me in, but it completely does. J

Tonight's post is from Wasted Credits and will probably feature in the Furlough 99 brand for Ellipses press. I've been wanting to explore what the miners do on their downtime and I think I finally have a story to fit the mold.

Here's the tagline:

Valora Prime can't figure out why a smart, attractive man like Hackett Barnes pays for sex. When she corners him to find the answer, his response catches her off guard and she has to make a quick decision. Let him in or let him go.

And a sneaky peek…

Valora threw up her hands. "What the hell are you thinking, Hack?" She plopped down beside him on the seating unit. "You're attractive. You could have our pick of anyone."

He lifted a brow. "Anyone? I don't think so, Valora."

Ouch. His words hit a little closer than she wanted to examine at the moment. Especially since she kept three full arm lengths between them. Still, the idea he spent his hard earned income on the sex workers of the space station rankled.

She sighed. "Why would you waste your credits? Seriously, what are you thinking, Hackett?"

He snorted. "I'm not. That's the point. I don't have to." He angled sideways. "I walk in, point out the woman I want, and hand over the fee. It's not that hard."

She growled. "But you do think about it, Hackett. It's who you are." At least it used to be.

Val didn't know this version of her co-worker. And she kinda had herself to blame.

Hackett huffed out a harsh breath. "Oh, that's right. I overthink everything." He paused and inhaled deeply. "But not this."

Geez, how could he not hear the total lie he'd just uttered. The description of his transactions showed the thought process. Whatever, she'd try a different tactic.

She nodded. "Ah. Turning over a new leaf, then."

He shrugged. "I'm trying. Why does it matter, Val?"

She lifted a shoulder. "Like I said. Wasted credits." Cripes, she sounded stupid, didn't she?

He snarled. "They're my cubits to burn. Stay out of it."

She waved a hand. "Fine. Whatever." She folded her arms in front of her chest and kicked her feet out.

If he wanted to get pissy about the conversation, she'd shut up.

Hackett kept it going. "Seriously, what's your problem?" He got up and paced the floor.

He would ask. And she couldn't answer because she had no idea.

She shook her head. "I don't have one." Not that she'd admit anyway.

He snorted. "Oh, I think you do. And I wanna know what it is." He stopped walking and faced her, pinning her with his gaze.

She glanced away. "Look, Hack. Forget I said anything. You've been acting off since you took your tumble in the mine. This just tops it, okay?"

He cocked his head. "Why? It's not like you haven't used sex to blow off steam. And it has nothing to do with the cave in."

Okay, she did like to get laid when they had rec time, but… "I've never paid for it."

He went for the jugular. "No. You love 'em and walk away."

She heaved a sigh. "It's less messy that way." At least for her.

She never allowed the thought of how her partners viewed the situation to enter her mind.

Hackett tsked. "Whatever. Paying for it keeps a kid in meds. At least the transaction has value."

Valora came up off the seating unit. "Geez, Hack. Do you hear yourself?" She paced back and forth. "Value? Are you serious? And how do you know it buys medication for a kid?" She paused, waiting for it.

He answered. "Because I asked."

Ding. Ding. Ding.

She whirled around to face him. "And you've just proven the point you're still thinking about what you're doing. Tell me you get that."

He shook his head. "Yes, I get it, but not for the reasons you think." He strode in her direction. "And you still haven't told me why it matters. Why do you give a shit who I sleep with?"

Damn. He had her there. She shouldn't give a flying fuck. Valora wisely kept her mouth shut.

Hackett stopped inches away from her. "That's what I thought." He leaned in close. "When you figure out what your problem is, come find me."

Valora's tongue darted out, wetting her lower lip. "Talk to me, Hackett. You're not this guy. What the hell happened to you?"

He threw his head back. "God, Val. What hasn't happened? Do you want the whole list or just a condensed version?"

Hackett's been through a lot and he's got it bad for Val. She'll eventually figure out she's got it just as bad for him. :D

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Wait No More

I hope everyone survived the holiday!

My family had a wonderful day—no traveling, just staying home all nice and cozy with our new tech gear and good food. I watched more holiday television episodes and said good-bye to Matt Smith's Doctor. I'm still not quite settled in with the idea of the new actor, but I'll give him a chance.

Looking forward to my fave shows returning. Almost Human, Sleepy Hollow, Arrow, The Tomorrow People, Walking Dead, Sherlock, and probably a few I’m forgetting at the moment. Currently watching a Farscape marathon on Pivot then switching over to some recorded stuff I haven't watched yet.

Tonight's post is from the novella, Wait No More, featuring two characters that get the chance to re-explore the road not traveled.

Here's the tagline:

Zoey Blythe pushes Cash Mateson out of her life when she sees how much good he can do as an elected official. Ten years later, their paths cross again and Zoey realizes she should have fought a little harder to stay by Cash's side. Heading up the security detail for Cash's campaign, Zoey feels the spark again, but marriages and careers are on the line, even if she doesn't want to wait anymore.

And the sneaky peek…

"Cash. Did you read who your head of security will be?"

Cash Mateson continued working with his tie, trying to decide what type of knot he wanted to attempt. His mentor, dead and buried a week ago, used to do the same before a big speech. Life in the political arena tended to be nothing but.

"Cash?" His wife prompted, waiting a response.

Starting over with the tie, Cash answered. "Not yet. Haven't got started on the morning memos." Satisfied with his appearance, he exited his dressing room.

Delia Mateson perched on the edge of their bed, perfectly dressed, as usual. A frown marred her face and a sinking feeling hit Cash's gut. He dreaded her next words.

"Sub-Commander Zoey Blythe." She rose and almost bumped into him when he sank down, feeling like he'd smacked up against an aerobus.

Her wide eyes met his. "Cash, how do you want to handle this?"

He took a moment, his gaze sweeping over Delia. She looked stunning and the sun had barely broken the horizon yet. Cash let his eyes roam over her trim frame and wished, not for the first time, he loved his wife with passion.

But he didn't. And Delia knew and understood. His lack of abiding feeling didn't stop her from working tirelessly to propel his career forward.

Sometimes he didn't know why she stuck around.

"Cash?"

He blinked. "Yeah, sorry." He rose and grabbed his jacket. "We'll handle it like we do everything else. Head on." He shrugged into the coat and made his way toward the door. He'd fix the tie on the ride to the office.

Delia smiled. "Shall I schedule a time for you to meet with the chief? To make a new choice?" She wrapped a light shawl about her shoulders.

Cash shook his head. "Why bother?" He exited their room and trotted down the stairs.

Delia caught up with him, grabbing his arm. "History, Cash. Think of the backlash if it's dredged up." Her hand slid down and grasped his.

He scoffed. "Ancient history, Deal." Not in the mood, he made a turn toward the kitchen. Coffee sounded great.

Delia followed, unable to let the matter drop. "No such thing as ancient history, Cash. That's what most people are interested in." She poured two mugs, adding sugar to hers.

Cash pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry about it, Delia. We'll muddle through just fine." He lifted the hot liquid, blowing across the top. "Why rock the boat? Especially if we don't want to make waves." He turned and entered his office, effectively shutting the topic down.

Delia sighed softly. "Because Zoey Blythe is a tsunami waiting to happen… and you still love her."

~:~

Delia nails the problem with complete accuracy. Zoey is the one who got away for Cash and the tidal wave will be unstoppable when they cross paths again. This one has been really fun, but challenging to write. Not sure when I'll complete it, but I think it'll be a good story once it's done.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Victory

December 22, 2013

Happy Almost Holidays!

The family and I are thisclose to being ready for the merry season. We always wait and decorate the tree a day or two before December 25 so the lights are strung, but nothing else until tomorrow. :D

I'm watching holiday episodes of my favorite TV shows. Warehouse 13, Eureka, Doctor Who, and last year's Arrow episode, Year's End. Up next is Leverage with the Ho, Ho, Ho Job. :D

Tonight's post is from Victory, a short story with my main characters seeking to win a wager.

Here's the tagline:

Nevin Fram and Chase Barlow put everything on the line when they wager who can get the drop on the other first with a hot kiss. Nevin's executes a plan to catch Chase during a sparring match but he turns the tables on her and wins. Nevin wants to go double or nothing, but first her brain has to start functioning again.

And the sneaky peek…

Nevin's fist swung out and connected with his jaw.

Chase hit the metal decking, but didn't stay down. Okay, he did. But he brought her to his level, sweeping his leg out and catching her behind the ankles.

She hit the deck ass first. "Well, that was fun." She collapsed back against the bulkhead. "What's next, Chase? You don't look like you've got another round in you."

Chase swiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Don't let the injured lip fool you, Nev. And don't think for one moment it'll keep me from finishing this."

Nevin sighed. "Come on, Chase. Admit you've had enough."

He snorted. "Not a chance, Nevin." He rolled to his feet and offered her a hand up.

What the hell… she accepted, figuring he'd need at least five more minutes before he could pick up where they left off. She should have known better. Chase yanked her forward, his hot mouth meeting hers in a hard, unrelenting kiss.

Son of a bitch… he'd won the bet. She'd have to pay up in a serious way. Unless… she could get him to go double or nothing. Yeah, she'd think about that… right after her brain started functioning again… right now, getting Chase naked filled her mind and they were in a damned bad spot to shed clothes.

Reaching out, Nevin nudged the door of the weapon's locker open and dragged him inside, her mouth never leaving his. Kicking off her boots, she made sure they landed outside then slammed the hatch and fumbled for the wrench. Chase beat her to the tool, his lips burning a path along her throat and over her shoulder. He slid the metal home and hauled her close again, working his mouth back to hers.

Hovering less than a breath away, he hesitated. "I win." His mouth caught hers in another hard kiss. "And we're not going double or nothing. Don't even think it." He eased away, slowly backing up, raising his gaze to hers. "It's time to pay up, Nevin." He lifted a brow, daring her to back out.

Shit. He had her. No way to get out of paying up on the bet.

"Fine. You win." She warned him. "But you won't like it."

She'd never pull off her task without looking like a complete idiot.

~:~

Chase's lips curved upward and he planted his ass on a crate. "Oh, I'll like it. Trust me on that, Nevin."

A lap dance from Nevin topped his list of fun things to do.

He nodded. "You can start now. Or wait and do a full on naked version in the showers later."

Nevin tilted her head, studying him for several moments. "I vote for later. You have a job to do first."

He quirked a brow. "I do? Care to fill me in?"

She slowly unzipped the athletic warm-up jacket. "Oh, absolutely." She shrugged out of the garment. "You got me all hot and ready, you're not really gonna leave me hanging, are you?" She crisscrossed her arms and tugged her sports bra over her head.

Chase blew out a long breath then cleared his throat. "Uh, no. That would be rude." He rose, crossed the short distance between them, and drew her close. "And I'm nothing if not the epitome of manners."

A wide grin crossed her face and she popped the button on his fatigues. "You have your moments." She shoved the pants past his hips then cupped his ass. "Now take care of this business and I'll figure out a way to rock your world with the stupid lap dance."

Chase chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."

I love writing short, little glimpses into an established relationship. I also love reading them!!

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Unlawful Acts

Hiya!

Imagine my embarrassment when I realized the Arrow midseason finale actually happened this past Wednesday instead of last week? LOL Oh well, one great thing came out of it…I got a new ep of Arrow and it was AWESOME!! And if the CW doesn't make Flash (or whatever they end up calling it) a series in the very near future, I'm gonna wonder where their brains are. LOL

Shifting gears (pun intended), Sons of Anarchy completely messed with my head. As mentioned, Kurt Sutter rarely goes where I think he will, and he had me going right until the last act of the episode. I pretty much stood up and yelled at the TV, then prayed for someone else's death… which didn't happen, dammit. But in retrospect, I'm actually sort of glad. I now know exactly how I want the final scene of SOA to play out… and if I don't get it, well, Sutter certainly won't give a hang, but I'll be sorely disappointed. I'm at a place with the show where retribution HAS to happen or I'll pretty much feel like it wasn't work seven years of my life. :D

Okay, enough about television this week, more to come about Sleepy Hollow and other shows soon. Tonight's post is from Unlawful Acts, a short story featuring two longtime friends who finally sort of realize their feelings, but shouldn't act on them because of their work situation. (If you haven't noticed, this is one of my favorite tropes. :D)

Here's the tagline:

Effy Carmichael, an up and coming officer, wants the job of Alpha Team Leader and deserves it, except she's a few years too young to hold the position. When the spot goes to one of her oldest friends, Jonah Kirkland, Effy has to swallow her pride and welcome him even while she fights the powerful attraction between them. Hooking up with Jonah is against regs, but it may be worth committing an unlawful act to finally realize one of her most closely held desires.

And a sneaky peek…

"Son of a bitch"

Effy Carmichael searched for a spare riot helmet to decorate for Popper's 1000^th bust. She'd checked everywhere else and the walk-in storage locker was the last place she could think of to find one that couldn't be used anymore. She couldn't figure out where the hell all the old helmets had gone. The unit always had them laying around, usually in the way and exactly where no one wanted them.

She shook her head. Figured. When she needed one, the stupid things disappeared.

She'd find one if it killed her. Everything might be in a state of flux, but it didn't mean the oldest traditions of her team would go away. Not if she had anything to say about it.

And she did. Command Division couldn't take that away from her.

It sucked. She shouldn't be the one searching for a celebratory gesture. Jonah Kirkland should.

Right. Like he had a clue.

And okay, she could have given him one, but dammit, friendship only went so far. Especially when he had her spot.

Five long years she'd wanted and worked hard for the job of Alpha Team Leader. And yeah, she was young, but she knew the post and the team inside out. The position should've been hers.

Instead it went to Jonah.

And as much as she wanted to hate him, she couldn't. They'd known each other forever. He'd saved her as a matter of fact.

She'd been five, he'd been eight and when she'd climbed up too far in one of the neighborhood trees, Jonah talked her down. Even broke her fall when the knobby piece of bark they used for a foothold gave way and she'd dropped the last few feet.

How could she not be friends with him after that?

She'd had the biggest crush on him. Always had. But Jonah treated her like a little sister and she'd never done anything to change that status. Never told him about the way she felt. Because it hadn't been a 'thing'. She didn't want it to be. Older, wiser, more experienced, Jonah had a large group of people he called friend. He'd hang out with her when time allowed, or his group bailed, and she enjoyed it enough to be content.

He graduated, went to college, and three years later, she'd gone straight to the academy. He'd followed her the next year. She'd already been assigned to Alpha team when he finished up and he'd accepted a post with Delta team in another district.

They hadn't seen much of each other over the last five years. Holidays and the odd weekend home at the same time when they'd maybe have a drink or grab a bite and catch up on life. It had been easy to ignore the old feelings with such limited exposure.

But now? She interacted with him on a daily basis. And didn't have a current relationship to draw her focus. She caught herself looking forward to the AM briefings since he'd taken over. And yeah, that one got her. The guy had the job she wanted and got her to not hate mornings.

Oh yeah, big trouble.

And a major potential problem.

Because Jonah was free as a bird, too. Not once, in their long friendship, had they ever been significant other free at the same time. It made her twitchy.

He'd asked her to dinner twice and out for a brew once. She'd dodged him all three times. He'd meant it to be a casual thing, she got that, but it chapped her hide he'd been promoted over her even if through no fault of his own.

And dammit, it pissed her off that Jonah hadn't figured out her deep, dark secret. She wanted him. Still had quite a burning desire to make him hers. And didn't that suck balls.

Because even if he did finally realize how great they'd be together…she now worked under his command. Regulations against fraternization existed for a reason. She got that. And the penalty could be very harsh, if they got caught.

The stupid thing? She and Jonah never, ever played favorites. They wouldn't. But… being the exception to a rule didn't mean squat. She'd seen, first hand, the way a relationship could completely backfire and make lovers do supremely stupid shit.

That left her with crap options. Do the friendly dinner and grab a beer thing or keep pushing Jonah back. She'd opt for the friend thing. But…she wouldn't go out with him until she either had another guy or got over the stupid attraction.

Right. As if. Two decades hadn't made a dent yet.

Shaking her head, she got back to her task at hand.

Effy cleared the last wire mesh locker and came up no joy for the helmet. She grabbed a small ladder and climbed up to look on top of them. The lockers were deep and she couldn't quite see all the way in the back. She needed just a few more inches to reach back far enough to swipe her arm along the top. There had to be something back there.

"I know we have an extra helmet in this damn building, somewhere."

If she didn't know better, she'd almost swear someone had taken every last one of the damned things and stashed them off the premises.

She stood on her tiptoes and hoisted herself up with her arms to see further back. Just a couple more inches and she should be able to see clear to the wall. She kicked out with her foot, trying to find some leverage but knocked the ladder over instead. "Well, shit."

Not good. Tenuous at best, her hold on the top of the lockers became precarious.

Poor Effy. She's left hanging and someone to rescue her would just awesome. (Cue Jonah…)

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

ML Skye