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

Sunday Snippet: Nugget Training

Gearing up for a busy week with work projects and my youngest's graduation from college. I think we're also going to have some nasty weather, which should be fun.

Had a solid week of work and writing, which makes me very happy. I might be finding my groove again. I so hope I am. I'm not a fan of being unable to focus when I need to.

Had a decent week of television viewing. Made it through the modified list of shows and started over.

I caught the final two behind the character bonuses for My Life Is Murder. I'm somewhat hoping there's another season. Based on a little research, I think there might be.

Also watched two episodes of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Both were enjoyable. Kind of sad to see the pub owners no longer with the cast but interested in Dom's uncle being a possible addition. Hopefully he won't be too shady.

Enjoyed the two-part Silent Witness. A lot of twists and turns in this one and I liked them. Looking forward to starting a new two-parter this week.

Finished up season six and started season seven of Death in Paradise. I'm excited to dive further into Jack's tenure as the DI. It feels like this is when cast members start their merry-go-round of coming and going. But I'm looking forward to more of this show.

Caught another episode of Elementary and Moriarty is making their presence known. I'm kind of interested in how this might play out over the seasons. I'm very much loving the dynamic with Sherlock and Watson.

Watched another episode of The Batman. I guess it was the season two finale. It always kind of annoys me when the first season is twice as long as the remaining ones. That said, pretty sure Robin makes an appearance in season three so there's that.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, these were new-to-me vignettes. Not sure what happened with season seven during the original run, but I'm happy to see those now.

Also finished up the Peak Practice episode I started a while ago. Hoping to get another one in this week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Nugget Training, a novella that brings a couple together even though they don't always see eye-to-eye.

Here's the miniblurb:

Bonnie Bash has issues with remembering boundaries and it gets her in trouble with Taggart Allen, her immediate superior—especially when she sometimes forgets she has to respect the rank. She quickly learns why she frustrates Tag so much when she's thrust into training a group of fifteen newbie pilots, nuggets, and not one has a clue or even cares about how the chain of command works.

And a sneaky peek…

"Bash is flying with Brown. Daub is flying with Elliot."

Lieutenant Bonnie Bash jerked her head up and glared at the CAG, Taggart Allen. He did not just say she had to fly with Alti Brown. Five and half hours of nonstop chitchat would drive her bonkers mad. What the hell did she do to piss Tag off?

Her hand shot up before she could stop it. There had to be someone else she could fly combat air patrol with. Alti just rubbed Bonnie the wrong way. His play by play of everything that happened in the last daily rotation never failed to be mind numbing. She just couldn't deal…

"Bash? You have a question?" Tag's voice cut through the white noise roaring in her ears.

Bonnie blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Did you go alphabetically for this roster?" She expected better treatment from a guy she'd been tight with since basic.

Hell, they practically lived in each other's pockets now and had since that first brutal welcome.

Tag sighed. "No. Moving on." He continued reading the flight schedule off.

She couldn't let that answer slide and got snappy and snarky, piling question after question onto Tag, interrupting his ordered delivery of information.

He finally shut her down. "Bash. Wheels go up in twenty minutes. I have five more items to get through. Kindly keep your mouth closed until I finish up." He pinned her with a hard stare and narrowed his eyes.

She huffed out a breath and sulked for the rest of the briefing, reeling a little from the harsh words. Stung would be a better description. Since when did Tag go all rank and file on her?

Right about the time she pushed every button he had. But, damn, putting her with Brownie? She didn't expect preferential treatment, but a heads-up would've been great. She could've prepared for the longest five and half hours she'd ever have to spend in a cockpit. Now, she'd be lucky to survive without her ears bleeding from the onslaught of inane details that would spew from Alti's lips.

When Tag dismissed them, she made a beeline for the exit. She wanted a few moments to lick her wounds and maybe curse Taggart Allen into oblivion.

Some friend he's turned out to be.

This story has some fun banter and I love writing characters at odds even when they're friends.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not the First

Can't believe we're almost through April. And yet … it's been a really long month. May has some great things happening, namely my youngest graduating from college. She starts grad school in the fall, and I'm amazed by her. I can't wait to see what she does with her future.

Had an okay week of viewing. I'm behind on my work projects so I didn't push hard to get stuff watched, but I did make a full rotation of my shows.

I finished the regular series of My Life Is Murder. I have the bonus content left to watch. I actually loved this show. And, to my astonishment, it looks like there will be a fourth season! And it premieres tonight if I can trust the interwebs.

Caught an episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. A little disappointed with the friction and push back from Caron about interference with the case, but it's probably a little more true to life than not.

Finished up Silent Witness and loved how it ended. Things didn't go quite the way I expected. I love it when that happens.

Watched the first episode of Jack's tenure of Death in Paradise. I liked the transition from Humphrey to Jack. We're also getting into episodes I've not seen anything of yet and I'm excited to watch new stuff.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. This one didn't have the police coming to Sherlock for consultation. He brought a case to them, and I'd like to see more of that. Almost through the first season so maybe I'll get what I want here.

Caught another episode of The Batman and it's one I remembered watching before. I love it when Alfred's past comes calling. He's got some interesting friends.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, this is a new to me one. I don't remember either of the vignettes and that's always fun for me.

Finished out the week with some more Peak Practice. I'm trying to get through the episode I started a few weeks ago. I might get it finished this week.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not the First, a novella that explores the history of a couple that went from friends to lovers.

Here's the miniblurb:

Katen Knox and Paul Macabes, pilots, soldiers, lovers, weigh in on opposite sides of a proposal to produce new planes while stationed in deep space. Not the first time they've been on different sides of an issue, they quickly learn it's hard to keep the professional drama out of their personal space.

And a sneaky peek…

Paul figured if anyone could make planes from nothing, it would be Katen. And he'd play his role as her chief instigator and stress relief subject. Not the first time he'd taken the polar opposite stance to push her into creating something out of nothing. And definitely not the first time he'd be her port in a sea of negativity, particularly when some of that pessimism came from him.

The game they played worked because he had no doubt she'd get results or exhaust every possibility before she called it quits. And he'd be on the receiving end of moments like this—ardor-fueled sessions that expended pent-up energy clearing the path for her brilliant brain to do what it needed to. He wouldn't change his role for anything.

Especially when her lips slid along his jawline and her hips rose up to sink over his hard shaft. They wouldn't have a lot of time. They never did. Grabbing stolen moments had become their norm.

Katen's mouth found his again, she rocked back and forth, and he lost the ability to think about anything more than giving her a release and finding one for himself. Slick, warm heat enveloped his cock, and he relished the tight confines. Katen did a slow grind, amping the friction and tension between them.

His hands cupped her ass, urging her to up the pace. She broke the lip-lock and her head dropped back, her eyes closed in bliss. His palms grazed upward along her torso and when his thumbs circled her nipples, Katen's breathing quickened and rasped outward.

She gave a low moan. "Gonna come with me? Because I'm so close…" Her hips dipped and rose again. "Like … right now…" A shudder rippled through her.

Her internal muscles contracted, and Paul tipped over the edge. A euphoric wave crashed over him, sending him high then bottoming out on a low ebb. His breath whooshed out, catching in his throat and he groaned with pleasure.

Katen collapsed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She exhaled, nuzzling his shoulder with her chin before shifting to the side and curling up close to him. Her palm smoothed over his ribs before settling just above his hip.

She smiled then yawned. "Wake me in an hour?" Her eyes drifted shut.

Paul pulled his privacy curtain. "Why don't I wake you in eight? Crash out here. Get some solid sleep and be ready to go for the briefing tomorrow." She'd need to be well rested if she had a prayer of getting anyone on board with her crazy plan.

Katen gave a tiny nod and Paul draped the sheet over them. By morning, he'd have a role to play and wouldn't have to think too hard for reasons her plan could fail. He'd enjoy the brief interlude of calm before taking up the baton as devil's advocate.

And gear up to cross verbal swords with her for the foreseeable future.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. It's fun to dive into the history of a couple that share deep feelings for each other but don't always see things from the same perspective.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Quite Paradise

Another crazy week. This time on more of a personal front, which isn't all that unusual. I don't normally get slowed down though and I did this week. We got to see almost totality for the eclipse and that was actually a lot of fun. Our streetlights came on at three in the afternoon on an otherwise sunny day. Seriously. Lots of fun.

Had a fairly decent week of viewing and caught up on most of my regular schedule. I've pared it down a little and kind of hope to get back into a full rotation sometime soon. If I'm paying for streaming services, I should be using them, right?

Ended up catching two episodes of The Batman. I'd completely forgotten the original sidekick storyline with Prank for the Joker. Ended up enjoying that one. Also kind of loved the "Thunder" episode. That one I did remember.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I must have missed a big portion of the seventh season because I don't remember any of the vignettes. Kind of nice to have new-to-me material to watch.

Enjoyed an episode of My Life Is Murder. I think I have one more left before bonus material. Going to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

Caught the holiday episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed it. Looking forward to diving into the new season.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Loved seeing Jack's niece again. Looking forward to finishing this episode.

Said good-bye to Humphrey on Death in Paradise. Really liked the way his run ended. I'm excited to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episode of Elementary. I'm almost through the first season and I'm very much enjoying this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Quite Paradise, a novella that maroons the characters on a deserted moon.

Here's the miniblurb:

Janee Neff and Oxley DeCosta are military transport pilots flying a peacetime mission to pick up new recruits when their craft crashes and strands them on a deserted moon. The couple discovers things aren't exactly what they seem when they find their signal beacon is destroyed by blaster fire, which means their unexpected vacation isn't quite paradise after all.

And a sneaky peek…

Ox compiled the day's data and added it to the previous three. "Sending the final scans. Ready to bust the boredom and pick up our newbs?" He bit the inside of his cheek to hide a grin.

Janee's head snapped up and her gaze went hot. "Excuse me? Bust the boredom?" She swung around in her seat. "You are not talking about me?" Her hand gripped the armrests so hard the knuckles turned white. "I mean, I've been called a lot of things. But boring? Definitely isn't—" She broke off and her eyes narrowed. "Shit. You just used your free dig and I totally fell for it." Her gaze turned questioning. "Um … right?"

He could keep her hanging but the small waver in her confidence had his eyebrows raising a bit. Had their dynamic shifted? Might be something to ponder once they got back to the ship.

Ox huffed out a laugh hoping to break the weird beat of tension. "Yep." He'd be a complete ass if he left her twisting too long.

Her shoulders slumped forward, and she flashed a smile. "Good one. And, man, you weren't lying about being a patient man." She snorted. "I thought you'd forgotten about the free pass." Swinging back around, she buckled her harness over her chest.

Ox smirked and tamped down a rush of pride at the backhanded compliment. "Not only am I patient…" He waited until she glanced his way. "I rarely forget a promise made." Facing ahead, he started the preflight checks.

Janee tilted her head to one side. "Duly noted. That's actually good information." Her lips curved upward.

Ox didn't know if she meant good to have or good to use … but he had no doubt he'd find out at some point.

Halfway through the checklist, Ox came across a concerning ping. "There's a blip about the rear thrusters. It's on the original checklist, too. Do you remember what the issue is?" And would it delay the short jaunt to pick up the new recruits?

Janee frowned. "Not sure there is an issue. There's a small skip when initially engaging them. Since we're not doing much more than sitting in the black and landing in a spaceport to pick up passengers, Wan didn't redline the transport." Her fingers drummed on the control panel. "I trust his assessment."

Ox hesitated over the keyboard. "Did you eyeball the unit?" He'd believe her review if she had.

Janee grimaced. "I didn't. Like I said, I trust Specialist Jennings." She side-eyed him. "Do you not?"

Ox exhaled slowly. "It's not that I don't. But I'd be more confident if one of us had a visual point of reference." Or if the deck chief had… "You made the call to take off. You think we're good?" He'd go with her gut.

Janee's lips kicked up in a grin. "Of course, we're good. What could really go wrong?"

Ox winced. "Yeah, probably nothing." He spooled up the engines. "Let's head out…"

The probably nothing is going to be an absolute something. Janee kind of jinxed their takeoff.

 

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

ML Skye