Sunday Snippet: Inside Out

June 25, 2017

Wow, halfway through 2017. It's crazy how fast time zooms by sometimes. My middle kid made it safely home from Alaska and had an epic adventure with his grandpa. Since it's summer, he had to adjust to it not getting completely dark in Anchorage, which makes for some terrific stories. Getting into San Francisco at around eleven PM, his first words to my dad were, "So, Grandpa, this is what night looks like. I'd forgotten." LOL I love that kid.

My Friday night shows had great episodes. I feel like I need to rewatch the first two seasons of Dark Matter, just for reference points. I love Three, which I honestly didn't think I'd say. There's something very appealing about interactions with the crew and the snark is perfect.

Wynonna Earp is having a great second season. It's not quite as flawless as the first, but I really like the dynamic between the characters. I'm really interested in how they're going to deal with Waverly.

Still need to catch up on Orphan Black. I think because it's the last season and I know it's the final one, I’m reluctant to watch and lose everyone at the end. But I can't not watch. I need to know where everyone ends up.

I'm almost through the first season of Young Justice and I'd forgotten how much I love animated DC shows. Looking forward to seeing how everything ends up playing out.

Next up is trying to find time to read for pleasure instead of work. I miss diving into a good story for the sheer enjoyment of doing so.

And that's it for entertainment this week. Tonight's post is from Inside Out, a sexy short where the prompt of having the characters separated for a long time gave me a good start.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jamie Storm and Shane Castigli are separated by circumstance and each makes an attempt to move on with others. But Shane's got an inside out feeling, something of an intuition about Jaime returning, which doesn't go over well with his current partner.

And a sneaky peek…

Shane stood at the sink, rinsing his razor.

Rosa entered the head and perched on the edge of the toilet seat. "So, this woman who left you, this Jaime Storm… When did she take off?"

Shane didn't want to talk about Jaime, especially the part about her leaving him, but Rosa deserved an explanation. "Happened almost three years ago, right after I gave up my ship and took the station post." More than long enough ago he shouldn't be dreaming about her.

Rosa pursed her lips. "I take it she left on bad terms?" She got up and moved to the sink when he stepped away.

Shane snorted. "No terms at all. She just left." Five months later he found out she'd signed on with Chad Penner, a freighter captain that roamed the galaxy wheeling and dealing for profit.

Rosa spit out toothpaste. "Wow. That's harsh." She cleaned the brush and put it in the holder next to his.

Shane lifted a shoulder. "She's got stardust in her veins and always made it clear she couldn't abide living planetside." Might have been nice if she'd stuck around long enough for his surprise… he'd secured quarters on the station so she could live in space.

Rosa propped her hip against the sink. "So… you never got closure from the relationship? No official breakup?"

Shane huffed out a breath. "I'm pretty sure bugging out on a ship severs any ties there might have been." Seriously, what said "we're through" more than leaving? "Pretty final when a person leaves, don't you think?"

Rosa lifted her chin. "Maybe for the person leaving. But you didn't have a say or a chance to speak your mind, right?"

He shook his head. "What's there to say? The thought of being stuck on a planet scared the hell out of her. She took off. End of story." And if the bitter taste of being burned hadn't gone away, he'd deal with it.

Rosa's lips twisted in a frown. "But you're not stuck on a planet. I have a feeling you moved some pretty big barriers to secure living quarters on the station."

He lifted a shoulder again. "I did, yes. But I like being in the thick of things, not trying to command a smooth-running operation from an office on the planet." The idea never made sense to Shane and he'd argued long and hard to prove his theory that living on station would solve some of the bigger communication issues.

So far, he'd been right.

Rosa nodded. "At least I don't feel like a rebound relationship, considering we've only been together about a year."

He moved forward, cupping her face. "Jaime left a long time ago and I've been over her for a while." So why did he dream so vividly about her?

Rosa curved her lips in a small smile. "I'm not so sure about that, Shane. You've been saying her name in your sleep for weeks now." She patted him on the chest and exited the head.

As far as truth bombs went, Rosa had dropped a nuclear one directly in his lap.

Well, hell.

Shane's voice is strong in my head on this one. Jamie is a little stingier, but she's starting to get more vocal. I'm enjoying writing their story.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Ignition Failure

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. My Dad is off on a grand adventure with my middle kid. They're in Alaska, which, oddly enough, is where my dad spent last Father's Day. From the pictures I've seen, they're having a great time.

It's been a crazy week. I need to rewatch Dark Matter. I had too many distractions going on and I feel like I missed important stuff. Wynonna Earp delivered another great episode. I like some of the twists and turns. I don't like losing Dawls and I'm a little iffy on the new evil overlord chick but I'll give this series a lot of leeway to provide a terrific viewing experience. I'm going to have a hard time wrapping my brain around Kevin Hanchard playing a possible bad guy when he's one of my favorite good guys on Orphan Black.

Speaking of Orphan Black, I have to catch up. We had busy Saturday and I missed the second episode. Thank whatever rules the universe for On Demand. LOL

I have the new ITV drama Fearless ready to go, but haven't had an opportunity to watch yet. I'm looking forward to seeing Jamie Bamber on television again.

I'm almost finished with my binge watch of City Homicide. I'll be seeking my next Australian drama in the very near future. Possibly a binge watch of Sea Patrol, another of my favorites.

Started a premiere viewing of Young Justice on Netflix. Four episodes in and I'm excited about the possibilities.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Ignition Failure, a sexy short about one character's big mistake and dealing with the fallout before finding their HEA.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Favin Hart finally gets the man of her dreams but freaks out and ends up marrying another guy. Less than twenty-four hours later, she's facing the music and trying to fix her mess.

And a sneaky peek…

Favin Hart crawled into her bunk and groaned. The workout she'd put in should help her fall asleep. She hoped.

"Hart! You're up for R and R." The quartermaster, Jace Noman, ducked his head into officer's quarters. "Five glorious days of dancing, drinking, and doing whoever you want." He ran down his checklist. "Looks like your usual partner in debauchery is tagged to go with you."

Favin sat up, almost bumping her head on the upper berth. "Howie's going, too?" Howie Watzel never met a bar he didn't fall in love with.

Jace snorted. "Yeah, he's on the rotation after he completes his shift. Not sure whose bright idea it was to put you two on the same space station at the same time." He gave Favin his best dad look. "I better not get any calls to get you out of hack. The bail fund is running low from the last time we put into port." Tapping the clipboard, he backed out of quarters. "Got three more people to inform. Get your gear ready. Transpo leaves in forty-five minutes."

Favin hopped up and scrambled to her duty locker. "Guess I don't need to sleep now." She dragged a small rucksack from the bottom of the space and started packing.

Five days of fun after spending a harrowing six months on a battle cruiser sounded like bliss. She'd definitely meet up with Howie and nail down some plans. Hoisting her duffel over her shoulder, she headed for the launching station. She didn't take long to find the transport unit that would be headed for Space Station Montrose.

Entering the ship, she spotted Parrish Griffith and stopped short. Her one in a million, never going to happen, dream man. At least she'd had a brief taste… before an abrupt end.

She waved when he glanced up then made her way to his seating section. "Parrish. When did you get here?" Last she'd heard, he had a billet on the Renner, a single squadron destroyer ship.

Parrish tugged her down beside him. "Caught a hopper this morning. Got transfer papers to join the Miltown." He turned toward her. "They're not official for another five days so I'm on downtime until then."

Holy shit. She'd be seeing him on a daily basis? Her stomach flipped and her core throbbed. Parrish might be trouble.

He nudged her shoulder. "It's good to see you, Favin. How long has it been?"

Favin flashed a smile. "Three years, two months, and let's say something like seventeen days." More like exactly seventeen but, hey, she couldn't come across as completely obsessed.

Parrish nodded. "Sounds about right. Longer than it should be." His face sobered. "I'm sorry about—"

Favin lifted a hand. "No need to apologize. They say go and we go. I get it." Even if it meant leaving her in a hotel room with nothing more than a brief note.

Parrish frowned. "True, but I regret not having the chance for a proper goodbye." He shrugged. "I thought we might have been headed to a good place." A wistful note crept into his voice.

Favin agreed. "Yeah, we might have been." The truth won out, though.

Long-term would never be her end game.

The comms activated. "Getting ready to launch. Strap in for the ride over."

Parrish settled back in the cushioned seat and fastened the safety harness. "So… what are your plans?"

Favin lifted a shoulder before buckling in. "Not sure yet. But we should meet sometime. I have a friend, Howie, coming over on the next flight." The ship banked and headed for the short hop to the space station.

Parrish quirked a brow. "Howie Watzel? I went through initial training with him." He laughed. "That guy could find a bar on a dry planet."

Favin chuckled. "You definitely know Howie. We transferred in on the same day and kind of decided to be fast friends." She shot Parrish a quick look. "It was that or end up hating each other. Howie's like the brother I never had."

Parrish met her gaze. "So you two aren't…" He trailed off on a yawn. "Sorry, didn't get much sleep before I boarded the hopper and they're so damned uncomfortable nobody got any rest."

She smiled. "To answer your question, no, Howie and I aren't anything more than pseudo-siblings and drinking buddies."

"Arriving Space Station Montrose. Disembark when landing cables are attached."

Parrish released his harness and stood to get his rucksack from the overhead bin. "I'd love to meet for drinks or even dinner." He slid his gaze sideways. "After I've had about a solid eight hours of sleep." His lips curved in a tired twist. "I don't even know what section they've put me in yet."

Favin got up and shouldered her duffel. "Probably somewhere in concourse G. That's where they usually put us up." She started toward the exit ramp. "Try the Twilight Lounge on the main hub. I'm usually there sometime every night on R and R."

Parrish followed her down to the landing deck. "Sounds like a plan." He dragged his rucksack behind him. "Gonna drop this off with a porter and fall into bed. See you soon." His fingers gave a quick wave and he headed toward the first open kiosk.

Favin shook her head then looked skyward. "Seriously, universe? You give me exactly what I want? That never happens."

And she didn't trust whatever brought Parrish back into her orbit.

But drinks and dinner couldn't hurt, right?

Drinks and dinner with Parrish won't hurt but it's never that simple with Favin.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hot Rocks

June 11, 2017

Had a terrific weekend with great weather for my middle kid's graduation party. My boys were super easy. They're pretty much no muss, no fuss guys. My daughter, on the other hand, will be a sophomore and I think I'm going to start planning her party next week. LOL She's very much a social whirl and gets involved in tons of activities. I might need to rent a venue for hers. LOL

Gotham's finale rocked. I'm so glad the show seemed to find its footing in the third season. I'm pretty much thrilled with all the storylines and where they're leading into for the next season.

Friday brought some much-needed excitement back to my television screen. The double premiere of Dark Matter kept me glued to the screen. Then the follow-up with the Wynonna Earp premiere had me staying put. I'm so happy to have the shows back and can't wait to see where everything goes. Killjoys is up this week and I'm impatiently awaiting its return.

As mentioned last week, I'm just not into this season of Doctor Who. I wish I could sink into the storylines like I've been able to in the past, but I'm struggling. A lot. Very disappointing.

Orphan Black, by comparison, had a kickass return. The clones kicked Saturday night into high gear and I don't anticipate anything less than a wild and reckless ride. My one and only hope is I don't lose any of my favorites. But I'm not holding my breath on that one.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hot Rocks, a novella that's coming together better than I'd hoped.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ava and Walt are taken by the enemy and subjected to torture. They won't find a better time to examine their long and storied past, right?

And a sneaky peek…

Ava Frost struggled against her captors. "Let me go, you assholes." Getting dragged through a string of caverns? Humiliating. Totally and completely.

I hope Walt got free and hauled ass to report my capture.

So stupid. How could they have been so utterly rash? Because they still fought a war that ended recently. Walt Lookinland wouldn't leave his people behind. Not since losing his brother.

Ava followed where Walt led. She needed the stability and structure of a strong leader, especially when she'd grown used to life in the military. When that went away, she faced an existence drifting from job to job, town to town, planet to planet with no true purpose. No thanks. Not again.

"Hey, bitch, did you hear me?"

The beefy blowhard pinning her arms to her sides jerked her hard against his chest.

Ava growled and tried to kick out at the stocky man holding her feet. "Honestly? Stopped listening about halfway back." She twisted and turned, hoping to make it difficult for the henchmen to keep hold of her.

"I said you're not so smart. Me and Buggs thought you'd put up a bigger fight."

Buggs smirked. "Yeah. Lannis thought we'd have to chase you all over the caves."

They had been. For a while. She'd been caught on purpose to give Walt time to get out and get back to the port. The power grabs needed to be shut down with immediacy.

Or rebuilding and stabilizing their communities wouldn't happen. Everything they'd fought for and the people they'd lost would count as wasted effort.

Ava kept the wriggling movements up. "Yeah, well, I'm no match for you two." She managed to get a foot free and clipped Buggs on the chin with the toe of her boot.

He snarled and caught her ankle, bringing her back under his control. "You'll pay for that, red dog scum." His meaty gave her foot a hard twist.

She didn't feel the pain. His reference to her former platoon sent red flags up and alarm bells ringing. Her stomach roiled, dread clenching an icy fist in its depths. The trap she'd walked into with Walt took on a new, darker intent. They hadn't stumbled onto a kidnapping plot.

Lannis confirmed the certainty when he backed into an alcove covered with thick hides. "Guess what, he's no match for us, either." He nodded toward the corner of the space.

Ava bit back a nasty expletive.

Strapped to an x-frame contraption, Walt sported a swollen and puffy eye and a bloody gash across his cheek. His head lolled to one side, but he met her gaze, apology lighting his good eye. He hadn't made it out, which meant no one knew they'd been taken.

Ava put up valiant effort but lost the battle when Lannis and Buggs secured her to the other side of the metal frame. Back to back with Walt, she didn't hold out much hope of escaping. And didn't that suck big hairy ones.

"Well, well, well… my plan went better than even I imagined. Bagged exactly who I wanted." The speaker came into view and trailed a finger along Ava's cheek. "Hello, sweet, vicious lady. We've got some unfinished business, don't we?"

Ava groaned. Vince Woggins. The AP's top interrogator—torturer—had her back in his clutches. And she'd more or less handed Walt over on a pretty platter, too.

What the hell did I do to piss off the universe?

Ava is a treat to write. Her voice is very strong and Walt's is steady and certain. I'm going to have fun finishing this one up.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hide and Seek

Well, graduation turned out to be an inside affair, with bad weather predicted for the evening. That means a hot, crowded event in the gym. Bleh. But I loved watching my son get his diploma and even got him to stand still long enough to take a couple of pictures. LOL

Gotham is really going for broke. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Lee's walk on the dark side, but I'll hold out and see what happens.

I continue to be saddened by the "meh" of Doctor Who. I miss the days when I couldn't wait for new episodes. Now I'm lucky if I remember to turn it on because there's no anticipation for new stuff. Eh… hopefully that will change soon. I really enjoy the quasi-spinoff, Class. I'd love to see more of that one.

Orphan Black starts the final trip next weekend and I'm excited and sad and impatiently awaiting the premiere. Can't wait to see what Sarah and her sestras bring to the screen.

Watched a Torchwood marathon, well, only the first two seasons because I loved them so much. The third wasn't bad but the fourth… ugh. Ended up pretty much hating that one. If rumors are true and there's going to be a Torchwood revival, I'm hoping like hell it's more like the first two seasons. Fingers crossed.

That's it for television. Tonight's post is from Hide and Seek, a sexy short that has the main characters in a situation where they finally have to face their feelings. One of my favorite things to write.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ella Dane is an ace pilot who volunteers to test fly a new spacecraft, if only to prove Nick Fontana wrong about its possibilities. When Ella disappears during the initial run, Nick is left wondering what he'll do without Ella in his life.

And a sneaky peek…

Ella paced back and forth, amping up for the test flight. Had she really volunteered to be the first to fly the newly created bird?

Um, yes.

Much to Nick's dismay. She didn't know what she enjoyed more. Proving him wrong or getting first crack at something before he did.

Ha! Why choose? It could be a dead heat, couldn't it?

Nick stuck his head in the doorway. "Hey. You good to go?"

She nodded. "Yep. Getting there." The butterflies in her stomach had to be normal. "What's it like?"

Nick pondered how to answer. "Exhilarating. Mind-blowing. In short… it's a total rush."

She'd figured as much. "Wanna fly my wing?"

His mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"

Ella shrugged. "Why not? Just because you didn't think we'd ever get off the ground doesn't mean you should have a part in all this."

Nick didn't bother to hide his surprise. "And you're being so cool about this, why?" His eyes narrowed. "I gave everyone a hard time. Never believed you'd pull it off."

Ella tilted her head to the side. "Look, you weren't afraid to say what everyone else was afraid—deep down where it gets you—to say. That we were all insane to even try. You took on all the doubt so we could make it happen." She waited a beat. "Just to prove you wrong."

Nick snorted softly. "Wow. I had no idea how big of a role I played."

Ella grinned. "You weren't supposed to." She pulled open his locker and grabbed his flight helmet. "Come on. Let's get you suited up."

Nick took the proffered headgear. "Well, okay then." He rocked back on his heels. "Want one last piece of advice?"

Ella nodded. "Sure." She started toward the hatch.

Nick followed. "Go with your instincts. You're the one in the cockpit." Out in the corridor, he paused and waited for Ella to give him her full attention. "The LSO, people on comms—none of them have your perspective. Push the plane. Do unexpected things. But listen to your gut… and the machine. It could save your life."

Ella considered his words then nodded. "Thanks." She started down the causeway.

Nick snagged her arm. "And if it doesn't feel right. Eject. Don't hesitate."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Got it. And you're not going to make me nervous." She nodded toward the ready room. "Go. Suit up. Wheels up in thirty."

Thoroughly enjoy writing this one and hope to have it ready to go sometime later this year.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hedging Bets

Whew. What a busy week leading up to my son's graduation tonight. Looking forward to watching him accept his diploma and start on the next phase of his journey.

I missed Gotham and hope to catch up after the craziness calms down.

The Flash's finale ended up being pretty good but I'm actually kind of hoping there won't be as much time travel shenanigans in the next season. Honestly, I like the ripple effect from Flashpoint but I'm hoping it's pretty much wrapped up.

Arrow. What a season-ender. I pretty much sat and blinked at the screen for a few seconds in stunned silence. Even seeing how the end would play out, I still ended up being shocked. LOL I really want the hiatus to fly by so I can find out who made it and who didn't.

I got through the first season of Iron Fist. I'm something of a completest and wanted to watch before The Defenders started. I don't know… I kind of like the setup for the next season with Joy and Davos possibly teaming up but I wouldn't mind seeing Madame Gao go down in flames.

I'm really struggling with Doctor Who. I'm looking forward to a new doctor and a new showrunner. I kind of long for the format Davies started and hope the new person goes back to something similar. I'm disappointed in the way everything is either overly convoluted or completely discombobulated. I shouldn't need a set of show notes to get all the nuances, right? Eh… here's hoping the next season is awesome.

And that's it for television. Orphan Black starts in two weeks and I'm excited!

Tonight's post is from Hedging Bets, a novella built around the prompt of having the two main characters get thrown in jail (or the brig) and have to deal with their issues.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lettie and Thane have issues that are getting in the way of their work and are thrown into separate cells for being insubordinate to a superior officer. Their commander decides they can stay locked up—in the same cell—until they work their crap out or one of them calls for a body bag.

And a sneaky peek…

"If that chip on your shoulder gets any bigger, you'll face-plant on the metal decking."

Lettie Lang paused, turned around, and strode back into the rec room. People parted for her, giving her space to move forward. She stopped when she stood toe-to-toe with Thane Sorenson.

She jammed a finger in his chest. "Your ego is so big I'll have a nice, cushy landing spot." The words were short jabs, scoring a direct hit.

His nostrils flared. "My ego is not out of control… unlike your shit attitude." He planted his hands on his hips, ready to do battle.

Lettie snorted. "If my attitude is crappy, you're the reason. Always." The guy couldn't keep his opinion behind closed lips to save a life.

Thane opened his mouth to respond but the words died in his throat when the XO stormed into the room with a loud bellow. "Enough!"

Lettie bit back a sigh. Great. Another lecture for her and a free pass for Thane.

The executive officer, Marx Jackson, slowly made his way over. "What rank do you two hold?" His gravel-coated voice silenced the room.

"Lieutenant, Sir." Lettie rolled her eyes when she answered in unison with Thane.

Jackson made an obnoxiously rude sound. "You'd never know by the way either of you acts. In fact, you're worse than raw recruits. The military spent a buttload of money to train you as officers—yet neither of you act like you made it through."

His assessment stung. Even if it had a ring of truth to it, except…

Lettie directed her attention to the XO. "With all due respect, Sir. We're not on duty and—"

Jackson cut her off with a growl. "Don't give me that crap, Lieutenant. Duty isn't on a damned schedule." He swung his gaze to Thane. "And you should know that better than anyone."

Thane frowned and an angry glint flashed in his eyes. "Don't drag my dad into this, Sir. It'll only piss Lang off even more."

Lettie rolled her eyes. "Not likely. You do that all by yourself." She didn't have a family name to live up to.

Or one she could abuse the way Sorenson did.

Thane opened his mouth to respond, but Jackson held up a hand.

"And we're right back where we started. I've had more than enough of this." He nodded toward the exit. "No more. Clear out."

Lettie refused to budge. She didn't start the insult flinging and she shouldn't have to leave.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she stayed put. "I'm not leaving." After all, she'd been here first.

Thane mimicked her stance. "And I'm not going anywhere either."

The XO cocked his head to one side. "You're disobeying a direct order?" He eyed each both officers.

Lettie stood her ground. "It would seem so, Sir."

Thane didn't respond, but he didn't leave either.

Jackson shook his head. "Fine. Have it your way." He crossed to the comm panel and lifted the handset. "Security to rec room. Lang and Sorenson need to be escorted to the brig for a ten-day rip for insubordination." Hanging up, he pinned both with a hard stare.

Lettie didn't need another black mark on her jacket but she wouldn't give Thane any ground. The only thing keeping her from asking the XO to reconsider… the fact Thane would have the same charge on his record. Unless his dad stepped in. Lettie didn't think their CO would countermand the XO, but she'd deal with it if he did.

Thane drilled her with his gaze and Lettie let a smirk twist her lips. Served him right for being a huge pain in her ass.

I'm having fun with this one. The thin line between love and hate is fun to make all blurry.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Healing the Wound

Wow. Next week my second kidlet graduates from high school. I'm excited for him, yet I'm also wistful for the toddler with an overly large head—it's a family thing and he completely grew into the large noggin—that used to lob blocks and legos across the kiddie gate to get my attention. Next week's post might be an emotional one.

Anyway… on to the week's TV fare. Gotham kept things nice and interesting. I love the twisty-twist with Selena and Bruce. I'm also enjoying Ivy with Oswald. She's a nice foil to his manic craziness, maybe even better than Ngyma. I do have to wonder if Jim or someone else will ever find the knife Mario tried to kill Leigh with. Honestly, her anger with him is the only thing that kind of pulls me out of the show, even though it's justified and makes complete sense.

The Flash needs a rewatch. I didn't catch all of the episode and came in late. I'm looking forward to the resolution and hope things pay off in a big way.

Arrow delivered, as usual. Even with the over the top and almost unbelievable things Chase seems to manipulate, I have no doubt the showdown on Lian Yu will be worth it. Have to admit seeing Merlyn kind of surprised me, only a little because his name was mentioned. LOL I'm really not sure how I feel about Arrow's move to Thursdays next season. I'll hold off judgment for now. But it's one more day I have to wait for new episodes and that doesn't make me happy.

Not excited about waiting until fall for new episodes of The Last Ship. It's my summer must watch show and now it's not going to be on in the summer. Bleh.

Still looking forward to the Friday night block on Syfy at the end of June. If this gets changed, be prepared for an epic rant. With Orphan Black airing its final season in June also, the month looks to be terrific.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Healing the Wound, a novella that started with a fan fiction community prompt of describing a scene ten seconds after the main character walks away (in a certain episode) they come back, which they didn't do in the show. I love what if scenarios and got pinged with an original idea for it.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jenna Creed loses the love of her life and blames Thorp Waggoner. She needs to stop living in the past and Thorp wants to be the man she moves forward with, which means Jenna has a very big problem.

And a sneaky peek…

"Creed, Waggoner, Handler. You're up for battle simulations. Get your asses to the training room and suit up."

Jenna Creed cringed when the booming voice filled the room. The commanding instructor, Jones McTeish, didn't have low volume. He had earth-shaking loud and bleed from the ears loud.

She got up and promptly bumped into Mick Handler. He'd landed on McTeish's shit list for missing curfew the other night. No doubt, Mick planned to get himself off the top spot by jumping make haste for the training.

Mick flashed a quick smile. "Sorry, Creed, duty calls." He hot-footed it out of the classroom.

Thorp Waggoner took his time getting up, a sly smirk curving his lips. "He'd jump through flaming hoops if he thought it would help." He fell into step beside Jenna.

She chuckled. "Yeah, he would. But McTeish has Mick's number." Sliding her gaze sideways, she studied Thorp a moment. "How did you not get busted for being out after last bell?"

His slight shrug confirmed her suspicion that Mick hadn't been out alone.

Thorp waited until they exited the classroom before answering. "Sometimes it pays to have friends or, in my case, family with high rank."

His remark kicked the flirty vibe down a notch. And served as a reminder. Thorp Waggoner had places to go and a ladder to climb. Once their training finished, she'd no longer be in his orbit.

She shot him a quick glance. "I can't imagine where you and Handler would've gone together." The men didn't get along all that well.

Thorp snorted. "We weren't together. I was coming back from a…" He paused, his voice trailing off.

Jenna filled in the blank. "Date?" Thorp's reputation for hooking up started the first week of training.

His curved in a sheepish smile. "Yeah, go with that." He stopped outside the men's changing area. "Things went a little longer than anticipated." He shrugged again.

Jenna did her best not to imagine why things went longer than expected. She also failed miserably. Thorp epitomized her ultimate fantasy, so, yeah, her brain totally went there.

The pointed clearing of his throat dragged her out of the steamy movie playing in her head.

She flicked a quick glance in his direction. "So… you're in the clear but Handler's on a shit platter? Hardly seems fair."

Thorp leaned in and spoke softly. "I know. Which is why Handler hasn't been expelled. The watchman couldn't very well write him up when he let me slide. I was happy to point the facts on the ground out to him." He straightened and wore a smug smile.

Jenna's lips twitched. "I'll bet Handler loved that." The rivalry between the two made for excellent entertainment.

Most of the time.

Thorp turned to enter the changing area. "Not really, but considering we've only got four weeks of training left, he's seething quietly." He nodded toward the room next door. "Better get suited up. I'm gonna need some backup in there." A rumbling chuckle came from his chest.

Jenna shook her head and darted into the women's area. Playing mediator between Mick and Thorp didn't rate all that high on her list of fun things to do. But she'd deal, and maybe even look good if they went after each other.

If nothing else, she'd get in a good workout with two hot guys.

I like the possibilities with this story. It's been fun writing the interactions.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Haven't We Met Like This Before

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. It's a beautiful day in Ohio and I hope to enjoy the weather for a while.

Another terrific week in television. Gotham keeps working the crazy and I'm loving it. The blending of three or more plot threads is terrific and I hope we continue seeing a nice mix of all.

I missed most of The Flash. See crazy month starting for me last post. But, I'll catch up before Tuesday's new episode.

Arrow delivered another great episode. I love having Thea back even if it might only be for a little while. I'm not sure what's going on with Rene, but it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Something tells me Chase might have something to do with why he didn't show up. I'm truly hoping the final showdown ends up being between Oliver and Talia with a little Nyssa thrown in.

Riverdale's season finale rocked! The first arc is finished and the second one opened with a serious bang. I'm honestly excited to see what the hell happens next. It'll be a major wrench in the Arch / Ronnie duo if her dad had anything to do with Fred's shooting. And something tells me that's a big possibility. Then again, I won't be surprised if that's a red herring and Mayor McCoy is actually the one behind the violence. Or maybe even Hermione. I'll have to wait not-so-patiently to find out. LOL

Last Sunday's Talking with Chris Hardwick turned out to be an excellent show. I'm a Charlie Hunnam fan and having him on for the entire hour was terrific. I love Chris's laid back style a lot.

Finally got caught up on Murdoch Mysteries and, wow, what a season finale. Definitely hope the show is renewed for an eleventh season.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Haven't We Met Like This Before, a novella that has one of my favorite tropes… siblings!

Here's the mini-blurb:

Reese meets Hallie, his brother's flight school roommate, when he bails her out of hack. Seven years later, they meet under similar circumstances on his father's ship.

And a sneaky peek…

"Geez, the things I do for duty and honor. And the stupid roommate code."

Hallie Todd crouched behind the bushes on the perimeter of the quad. Her stealth mission completed, she only had to make it across the campus yard and take the back trail to her dorm. Not the first time she snuck out after curfew, but tonight's reason had to be the lamest one ever.

Taking a breath, she crept from her hiding place and dashed across the lush green lawn then ducked around the corner of Hemmings Hall. Almost home. She stayed close to the wall, making her way to the end of the building.

Just about there.

Easing away from the cover of the shadows, she navigated between Learner and Abbott Halls. The trail she needed, the one least likely to be patrolled, loomed ahead.

She grinned when she stepped onto the gravel-covered path. Another sneaky trip accomplished.

"Halt! Who goes there?" The voice called out a brief moment before the spotlight revealed her position.

Hallie bit back a groan but dropped the bag she held and put her hands up. "Cadet Todd, final year." Her no-fail route should have been clear.

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

Then again, security patrols increased during finals week.

The guard made his way over to her. "Cadet Todd, you're out after curfew. You know what that means." He shouldered his rifle and planted his hands on his hips.

Hallie sighed. "Yes, sir. A trip to hack." She followed the lance corporal through the quad. "Do I get to make a call?"

The man snorted. "Of course. If you can make bail and waive the fine, you'll be free to go." He trudged up the steps to the security center.

Oh, she'd make bail all right. After all, the reason she'd made an after curfew run tonight? His stupid ass craving for fudgy brownie cakes. Alec had better haul ass to the bank and pay her fine.

Or… she would find a way to kill him while he slept.

Hallie and Alec's hijinks are the stuff legends are made from. Hallie and Reese are much slower burning and have the potential to create a galactic love story that's all theirs.

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

ML Skye