Sunday Snippet: Voices Carry

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 Voices Carry, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "a cop and a waitress". This one screamed for some suspense and mystery.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Summer Blaine is a struggling artist who always listens to Detective Fitch Falconer's tales of triumphs and woes when he drops by the diner she works in to make ends meet. When she gets a chance to display her art, she invites Fitch to the gallery to see her true passion. Unfortunately, a ghost from her past tries to get in the way and it's up to Fitch to find out who wants her dead.

And a snippety peek…

Summer Blain kept one eye on the window when she served an elderly couple their dinner entrées. Spying Detective Falconer heading toward the entrance, she finished up with the Dammers then nodded toward the counter when Fitch walked into the restaurant. He gave her a wide smile—the kind that made her heart flip—then ambled to the empty spot two spaces down from the register.

Summer had quite the thing for the handsome detective and looked forward to seeing him pretty much every day. The closest thing she had to a relationship since, well, since she became very cautious about who she spent time with.

Moving behind the counter, she greeted Fitch. "Hello, Detective." Grabbing a glass and poured him some water and added a slice of lemon. "Which usual will it be today?  Meatloaf or baked ziti?"

Fitch put a hand over his heart. "Better make it meatloaf tonight." He took a long swallow of his beverage.

Summer waved to the short order cook, Stan, and held up two fingers, their version of shorthand for Fitch's preferences. "How was your day? Catch all the bad guys?" She loved hearing his tales of bringing in criminals.

Fitch shook his head. "Not today. But we're close to closing a case." He drained his glass.

Summer refilled and settled a hip on the counter. "The one?" She didn't get into details; he'd been pouring his frustration out for two weeks.

Fitch nodded. "Yeah. That's it." His fingers worked over the glass and his gaze focused on the lemon inside. "Graydon swears we'll catch a break, and he's right; we usually do when he gets that feeling." He lifted his chin, staring straight ahead. "But I fall asleep with the faces of those victims swimming in my brain. And the families they left behind." He lifted the glass and took another long swallow.

Stan dinged the pickup bell. "Order up, Summer." His head bobbed in greeting to Fitch.

Summer eased the plate in front of Fitch and changed the subject. "Speaking of Graydon… I'm very glad you introduced me to Laura. She's been a whirlwind and just the shot I needed to finish up the last piece." She leaned on the bar again, waving to the Dammers when they got up to leave.

Fitch cut into his meatloaf. "How's the latest project coming along?" Scooping up some potatoes, he shoveled the food into his mouth.

Summer smiled. "It's finished and it inspired a name for the whole show... Voices Carry." When the title came to her, she got a burst of creative energy and completed the abstract painting.

Fitch stopped chewing and swallowed. "I love it." He scooped up another forkful of his meal.

Summer grinned. "Good. Because you helped me come up with it."

Confusion marred his handsome features. "Really?"

She chuckled. "Well, yes. Remember telling me about that witness last week?" She waved to a regular customer and grabbed his takeout order from the pass through. "The one who heard the two men talking?" She rang the cabbie up and swiped his card.

Fitch lifted his chin. "Yeah, the Polo-Martin case."

Summer returned the spot in front of Fitch. "I got to thinking… she'd heard that conversation through the ductwork—plain as day—because their voices were amplified. My work is visual but it should speak to the viewer and cause a reaction."

Fitch flashed a smile. "Amplification of emotion."

Summer smiled wide. He got it. He always did when she talked about her work.

She refilled his glass. "That's it. Exactly." Carrying the pitcher out to the eating area, she waited on a young couple talking about the movie they were going to see.

Fitch finished up his dinner and switched to decaf coffee, a sure signal he planned to stay until her shift ended. He almost always did. Summer appreciated having the handsome detective for company—Stan's idea of witty conversation usually started with hello and ended with goodbye, but she dearly loved him.

Three hours later, the replacement cook and waitress arrived and Summer left through the back entrance with Stan. She walked to the sidewalk and stopped beside Fitch. The street light cast his face in shadows and her fingers itched to pick up a paintbrush and capture the visage.

He shoved away from the lamppost. "Walk you home?"

He asked every night and she usually refused because… well, she didn't do the taking men home thing. At least she hadn't for a long time.

But she'd built up a solid thread of trust with Fitch and wanted to explore whether they could find something deeper. A huge risk, considering her previous experience, but Summer needed to let someone into her life… and maybe her heart.

She tilted her head to one side. "Yes."

His widened eyes showed his surprise, but he fell into step beside her.

Summer's thread of trust is going to get a hard yank, but not by Fitch. He's the kind of guy who always has her back… even if she might not need him to.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Violating Space

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 Violating Space, a sexy short that started with the writing comm prompt of "violating personal space". I took the premise and decided to make this a coworkers who become more romance.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Reese Claymore has it bad for Eric Matthews but they work in the same department and can't really get together. Doesn't mean Reese can't express her interest—to the point of driving Eric a little insane over it. He decides to prove a point and invades her personal space, but his plan goes awry when he can't resist acting on his crazy impulse.

And a snippety peek…

Eric waited until the door clicked shut, thoroughly enjoying the view while distracted. "I hate that woman sometimes." He shifted sideways, attempting to adjust the hard-on in his pants.

Reese did the sexy siren thing on purpose, especially after the memo went out about fraternization. She understood the company policy as well as he did. And, okay, he often thumbed his nose at stupid rules for the sake of convention but… job security didn't exist anymore.

That said, her suggestive display seemed to only be for his benefit and never failed to inject some much needed diversion into his day, even if he got sidetracked from work. One of these days he'd push back just to see her reaction.

And maybe find out if she had an actual interest in more than light flirting and being a pain in the ass.

He snorted. "I'd bet she's a wildcat in bed." He had no idea why. Not really.

Her laugh had sexy undertones and did incredible things to his blood flow. Her confidence showed in her work, her attire, and her demeanor. Eric loved a woman who had her shit together and didn't make apologies for it. His preference for curves and dark hair only kicked the attraction up to a higher notch. She definitely had a lush body that should fit nicely against his, and her brunette curls fell to her shoulders. Reese tended to wear it in a different style each day. Today's was a sleek twist with face-framing wisps.

Opening the top file on his desk, his lips curved in a smile. "Just wait, Reese. I can give as good as I get. Maybe even throw you off your game." Leaning back, he pulled the folder forward and got down to business.

I'm excited to see how this story unfolds. I like the forbidden aspect of two people coming together when there could be consequences.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Vin's Valentine (An Organic Nature Short)

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 Vin's Valentine, a sexy short and part of the Organic Nature series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After Eppie revealed her kinkier side to Vin, their trust and bond is deeper and better than ever. But there's someone else who knows how Eppie likes to play and he's hell-bent on worming his way back into her life.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie Collins carried a huge tub of fabric upstairs from her basement storage space. "Can't believe I ran out of heart-shaped soaps." Not that she'd complain.

This year's signature scent hit all the right romantic notes. Gardenia, freesia, and peony. A touch of spring in a rich, luxurious blend. The bars flew off her shelves. Having gorgeous, fabric packaging helped. Eppie needed to send her sister Dani on a weekend spa trip for coming up with the idea.

Halfway to the door, the bell chimed and Eppie hoisted the tub to one hip, opened the heavy oak, and pasted on a smile of greeting.

The curve took a quick downward turn when she came face-to-face with her ex, Jordan Nash.

He wore a sly smile and, as usual, made a slow once-over of her appearance. "Eppie, babe, you're looking incredible, as always." His eyes flashed with interest.

Eppie did a slow ten count, taking in the tailored clothes—a crisp, pale blue button-down, dark cuffed pants in sienna brown, and a tweed blend jacket with a navy and tan pocket square—expensive shoes, currently covered in a slushy mix, and a new close-cropped haircut.

He'd obviously put her ten grand to good use over the past few years. But the change in his appearance couldn't wipe away the image she had of coming home and finding Jordan in the shower with a prospective client, a woman they'd had over to dinner the night before. Said female had her lips wrapped around his dick while he had his hands fisted in her wet, stringy hair.

She moved past him and shut the door behind her. Jordan stepped out of her way, not bothering to ask if he could help with her heavy load. Eppie placed the bin on the rustic, mission-style church pew she used for displays in the summer.

Then she placed her hands on her hips. "What do you want, Jordan? How did you find me?" Not that she'd tried to hide, but she moved across the state and she'd never told him where she grew up.

He rolled his shoulder. "A quick name search turned up your website and from there it wasn't hard." He nodded toward the door. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" For effect, he shivered a little.

Eppie snorted. "Unless you're here to make a purchase, no, I'm not welcoming you into my home." She pinned him with her gaze. "Why are you here?" Keeping her voice even proved harder than expected.

She really wanted to punch him in his smarmy face.

He sent her a contrite look. "I'm looking for a second chance, Eppie. I hated the way things ended between us." Wrapping his arms around his waist, he hunched into his jacket.

Eppie quirked a brow. "Really? Looked to me like you were enjoying the hard suction of, what was her name again? Lilly? Lucy?" She waved a hand. "Eh, her name doesn't matter. Your dick in her mouth was all I needed to see." She picked up the crate and started for her studio.

Jordan followed, picking his way carefully through the snowy path. "Eppie, you have to know she meant nothing to me. In fact, she was supposed to be the warm-up to a pleasant new experience for us." He pitched his voice low, probably trying to sound sexy.

He failed on epic levels.

Eppie stopped and faced him. "What gave you the idea I'd welcome another person in our bed?" Sitting in a chair watching, maybe; but actively participating?

Nope. Not her thing. The fact Jordan assumed Eppie would fall in with his plan kind of blew her mind. Consulting her would have been nice.

His eyes went wide. "Are you serious? You forget I participated in many of your kinkier fantasies. Adding another woman to the mix shouldn't have been a problem." His lips curved in a wolfish smile. "And, of course, I've got more than enough to satisfy two."

Eppie shook her head. Could he have missed the point any more than he did?

Jordan unwrapped one of his arms and trailed a finger down her cheek. "I know how much you like a nice, big cock, Eppie. How long has it been since you've had one?"

Had his tone always been so oily? How had she missed the size of his ego? So unlike Vin… right, time to end this conversation.

Eppie made a show of looking at her watch. "Hmm. About six hours ago, Jordan." She started toward her studio again, but glanced back over her shoulder. "In my ass." Why not twist the knife a little?

Jordan provided the expected reaction. His mouth opened then snapped shut and the abject hurt quickly replaced by anger on his face meant she'd scored a direct hit. Good. Served the asshat right.

He schooled his features. "I'm disappointed I missed the opportunity, but no matter."

Ha. Eppie would totally call bullshit if she didn't want to be rid of Jordan as soon as possible. Missed opportunity? Since when did anal sex equate as some big prize? Oh, right. Since Jordan coveted doing the taking.

He didn't need to know her ass had yet to be breached. And he had no reason to stick around any longer.

Eppie paused outside her shed. "If there's nothing else? I have orders to fill. Valentine's Day is a big holiday for me." She'd made sure to inject dismissal into her tone.

Jordan frowned, no doubt still hung up on his lost chance. "Of course. I'm sure it is." He backed away, watching where he put his feet. "I'll be in town for a few days… if you change your mind. Maybe we could have dinner?"

Eppie made a noncommittal sound and shouldered her way into the shed, lifting her fingers in farewell. Shutting the door, she dropped the bin and leaned against the wall. She rubbed at her temples, fighting a headache.

"There has to be a reason Jordan fucking Nash decided to show up."

And a second change had nothing to do with it. She'd bet her ass on that one.

I'm pretty pleased with how this one is coming together. Jordan is a fun antagonist to write and Eppie needs the chance to deal with him once and for all, especially since she has Vin to soothe away the 'ick' of dealing with her ex.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Vicarious Living

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 Vicarious Living, a novella that started with a random conversation that popped into my head. I'm always happy when the sages drop little gems for me to polish and make shine.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes adversity can be overcome and living vicariously through fantasy proves to be a good thing. Lola Humes and Wright Wesslop discover a mutual way to cope when they meet at their group counseling sessions. They're not supposed to interact outside the anonymous therapy gatherings, but neither is very good at following the rules.

And a snippety peek…

She had him at "My name is Lola and I'm an alcoholic".

Wright Wesslop listened to the sultry scrape of her voice when she stood at the podium and gave a brief rundown of her progress.

"It's been five years since my last drink."

Wright hoped he'd attain the five year mark. So far, he'd been nine months without alcohol. He pushed the thought away and focused on the woman. Short blonde hair. Mesmerizing golden eyes. She dressed with care—casual but classic. The package she presented made him want to unwrap the layers and see what she hid beneath the surface.

Who would've thought the first woman to spark his interest in over two years would be at an AA meeting?

Did that rate him as a pervert?

No, just a red-blooded male.

One that had a drinking problem. No… used to. Determination to beat his addiction raged strong in his heart.

He kept his gaze on Lola when she moved away from the podium and returned to her seat. He finally looked away and shifted, restless and edgy but buzzing with adrenaline and surging with excitement.

"Okay, everyone, since no one else needs to share, we'll dismiss for the night." The sweet coordinator, Belinda, gave the room a wide smile. "It's been a great night. Thank you for coming. Plenty of coffee and cookies left; help yourselves on the way out." Moving away from the podium, she waved an arm toward the table containing the caffeine and sugar, staples for the Sixth Street Chapel meetings.

Wright normally made hasty tracks for the door when the group therapy sessions were over. Tonight, he made a beeline for the table and grabbed two cups of the strong, black brew and approached Lola.

He held a cup out. "Coffee?" A small shudder when through him when her fingers brushed his.

Lola's lips curved upward. "Thank you." She took a sip and closed her eyes. "Not bad. Tastes as good as it smelled when I walked in." With a sheepish twist to her mouth, she shrugged. "I couldn't drink anything when I got here. Too nervous."

Wright took the opening. "First meeting? I haven't seen you here before." He grabbed a cookie and nodded toward a secluded alcove. "It's quieter over here."

Lola followed but kept some distance between them. "I've been meeting free for almost a year." Her voice lowered. "A few trigger events brought me out because I want to stay sober. Meetings help with that."

Surprise and admiration warred for prominence in his mind. Surprise because she'd shared something intimate and admiration for the honest answer. Intrigued, Wright met her gaze and got lost in the shifting golden hues.

Yep. I'm a goner.

I'm quite happy with where my brainstorming session went with this one. Here's hoping the final product is as good as I hope.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: A Very Awkward Evening

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 A Very Awkward Evening, a novella that got started with a prompt of "let's eat". I got a specific picture in my mind when I read it and, so far, it's holding up as I continue filling in the blanks.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vi Palona's rock star mom wants a sit down meeting with Garwin Noth's academic parents, which Vi keeps putting off because her mother, Mina, has no edit button. When Mina crashes a birthday dinner, Vi figures her mom can't do much damage… but five minutes into the meal she learns how wrong she is.

And a snippety peek…

Mina made a show of waggling her eyebrows. "I gotta say, Lance, I'd have never let a smokin' hot man like you get away." She side-eyed everyone at the table then leaned in close to Gar's dad. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd keep you tied to my bed so you couldn't possibly escape."

Lance choked back a response. Janis, well, she definitely had a reaction. She balled up her napkin and half rose from her seat. Vi wanted to crawl under the table but the look of murder in Janis's eyes had her picking up her eating utensils instead.

She cut a healthy piece of chicken off her baked breast. "Let's eat. I'm starved." She sent Janis an apologetic glance then popped the bite into her mouth.

Hiding an inappropriate smile, Gar silently followed suit, scooping up some noodles and twirling them onto his fork.

Janis opened her mouth, closed it, then nodded and sat back down. "Yes, let's." She raised her wine glass and drained it in one long gulp.

Not very academic, but Vi gave the woman props for not tossing the liquid in her mother's face. Mina cheerfully refilled Janis's goblet and topped off everyone else's.

She raised her glass. "To a wonderful evening…" Glancing in Lance's direction, she smiled when everyone took a sip of their drink. "And maybe a steamy night."

Lance sputtered and broke out in a coughing fit. Janis drained her glass again. Gar threw his head back and laughed.

Vi closed her eyes and prayed for lightning to strike. Or a fire might be nice. Anything to shut her mom up.

After a ten count, Vi blinked and discovered her mom's gaze resting on Gar. "You know, Garwin, it's easy to tell where you got your incredible looks from." She jerked her head toward Lance. "I'll assume you got your smarts from him, too."

Gar opened his mouth then promptly closed it again. Lance kept his eating, not making eye contact with anyone. Janis squared her jaw, no doubt biting her tongue to stay silent. What the hell could anyone possibly say to Mina's blatant shit-stirring? Vi stared daggers in her mother's direction.

Mina's eyes went wide. "What? I'm just—"

Vi interrupted. "Doing and saying whatever the fuck you want? Waving your rock star notoriety at full mast? Yeah, Mina, we all get it." Burning with humiliation, Vi shoved her chair back and stood. "For you, being a bitch trumps all. So, thanks, Mom, for staying true to form and trashing everything within an hour of blowing into town." She tossed her napkin on the table and stalked from the room.

Mina could stay or go but Vi didn't want to be within three feet of the woman.

Ever. Again.

Honestly? This one is actually a lot of fun. Working through family drama is sometimes a challenge, but I'm loving this.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Veritas

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 Veritas, a novella that got a start with a two-word prompt of "hello world". What a fun prompt for something of a serious premise.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Tillie Cruz has a moment of veritas when she shoots Faxon Jarvis in a friendly fire incident. The realization she wants a life with him may be too late because Faxon has a new relationship and Tillie doesn't want to mess it up. But she may not have to—her bullet may have done the trick.

And a snippety peek…

I get the job done.

Tillie's parting words echoed in Faxon's head at least once a day. But he didn't waste time making up arguments to prove her wrong. Okay, he didn't do it often. Not anymore. The first month of their breakup, he'd come up with dozens of counterpoint comebacks.

He snorted. "For all the damned good it did." Which, yeah, meant none at all.

She transferred to a new unit, effectively sending the message she didn't need or want contact with him. Fine. Hint taken.

Moving forward, he spent the second Tillie-free month going out with a variety of women. Nothing big, mainly testing the waters again. A good experience but not his thing.

Craving his morning joe, he ducked into the coffee shop and waited his turn in line.

A new barista smiled. "Hi, welcome to Jumpin' Joe. What can I create for you today?" She gave him a flirty look from beneath her lashes.

He like the package. A saucy ponytail swished behind her head. Dark hair and eyes and she made the bright blue apron, worn over her white collared shirt and khaki pants, look terrific. He definitely couldn't say that about all the employees who worked there.

Faxon took the bait. "An Americano with your name would be great." He flashed a grin.

She laughed and held up a finger. "Give me one sec. I'll make the most amazing Americano you've ever had." She bounced up on her toes. "I always get the job done." Spinning around, she got busy putting his drink together.

I always get the job done.

Faxon huffed out a breath. "It's gotta be kismet." If she gave him her name, he'd ask her out.

She turned back and handed him his order. "I hope you enjoy your joe." Her gaze dropped to the cup in his hand.

He glanced down. Maisie. She'd given him her name.

And better yet… she'd written in her number directly below.

Faxon paid for his coffee and thanked Maisie with a wink.

Exiting the shop, he hummed a jaunty tune and strolled down the block. The day looked to be shaping up nicely and, for once, he couldn't wait to be off shift to see what the night would bring.

I rather like how quickly Faxon is getting back out there. We'll see if Tillie feels the same way.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Using Tongue

Well, a crazy month begins for me this week. For whatever reason, May is always insane. Awards ceremonies, musical concerts, and, this year, a graduation. I'm just now starting to feel the feels about my middle kidlet ending his high school journey and getting ready to embark on his trip through adulthood. I should be more in the camp of two down, one to go and I'll get there… probably the day after we get the party out of the way. LOL

Television this week ended up being terrific. Gotham had a great episode with a few twists I didn't foresee. I'm still on the fence with the whole owl society thing, but I'm leaning toward liking where things are going.

The Flash ended up surprising me with the reveal of Savitar. I thought maybe Ronnie or Jay would end up being behind the suit, or possibly Thawne in some roundabout way. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the episodes play out.

Arrow's episode reminded me again why I love this show so much. It's been a little uneven this season but the show always pulls everything together in ways I don't expect. I can't wait for Wednesday to get here for the next installment!

Riverdale's reveals paid off in a big way. At least for me. I have several items on my wish list for the finale and some saved back for the next season. I'm excited for the possibilities with Cheryl and where she'll go, seeing how the dynamic plays out in the Cooper household, and what happens with everyone caught in the potential crossfire. What I'm not overly excited about? Hiram Lodge. Seriously. I kind of don't care a fig about that dude, especially if he's all oily and smarmy and goes out of his way to be a dick. We'll see. I'm watching closely, CW. Don't muck this up.

My summer shows should be returning soon and I'm looking forward to watching my favorites. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some of the mainstream fare I missed also.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Using Tongue, a sexy short that got a prompted start with "personal space invasion". How could this one not be fun?

Here's the mini-blurb:

Joss Hellenburg hates licorice and Lisa Getz aims to show him why he should learn to love it—by using her tongue during a hot and steamy kiss—which sets up a series of sexy embraces while the two try to outdo each other.

And a snippety peek…

A few days later, Lisa remembered the plan. They'd been exhausted after serving a larger than usual crowd and both fell into bed when they got home.

But neither had anything planned for the evening and Joss wanted to cook a new recipe. Lisa gladly handed over chef duties for the day. She appreciated having a man who cooked better than she did.

The only problem? She had killer hunger pangs. A quick breakfast and skipping lunch made her almost lightheaded.

A smile curved her lips. A sweet treat wouldn't be remiss. Crossing to the side table, she rifled through her bag and withdrew her stash of licorice twists. Pulling off two, she quickly scarfed one down then went to find Joss in the kitchen.

She'd convince him to give the yummy black candy a try. Or figure out why he had such a hate on for the stuff. Joss had a pretty developed palette. The sweet anise and clove flavor should really ping for his taste buds.

Walking into the breakfast nook, she paused to admire the view. Joss's t-shirt stretched across his chest and his forearms flexed when he chopped the scallions. His handsome profile—strong jaw, planed cheekbones, and long, straight nose—made her stomach flip. Five years together and he still took her breath away.

He glanced up and narrowed his eyes. "You're up to no good." Focusing on the greens again, he finished slicing and scooped them into the sauté skillet.

Lisa placed her free hand over her heart. "I'm wounded you think I'm here to cause trouble." She angled in behind Joss, standing on tiptoe to nibble on his neck. "I'm just here to eat. I'm starving." Her stomach cooperated and growled.

Joss stepped away from the stovetop and planted his hands on her hips. "Then what's behind your back?" A sly smirk twisted his lips.

Lisa nudged her chin up. "Gimme a kiss and I'll tell you." She made a fish lip face.

Joss leaned in and kissed her hard on the mouth. "I'm not eating licorice. But nice try." He picked up his spatula and stirred the scallions around.

Lisa laughed. "Dammit. And I thought I was so sneaky." She bit off a piece and chewed slowly.

Joss cocked a brow. "Think again, I'm on to your stealthy ways." Dumping a bowl of cooked pasta into the pan, he nodded toward the table. "Dinner in five. If you wouldn't mind setting up?" He swirled the penne into the sauce and tossed the pan a few times.

Lisa finished off the candy and got the dishes and silverware. She set the items at their spots then grabbed a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine. Joss might have caught her this time, but she'd prevail.

Soon.

I love writing a play on words and this one is very fun. Between coming up with ideas and visualizing the outcomes, it's a joy to work on.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin