Sunday Snippet: Next Year, Same Time

Well, The Last Ship finally dropped another death on me. And of course it's someone I did like. That said, they weren't in my no kill zone so I'm bracing for impact this week. LOL I still think the president is a potential bad buy. There's just some slightly slimy about him, in my opinion.

Killjoys had a terrific episode. I seriously love having everyone show up, even if only briefly. I'm kind of thrilled Fancy didn't end up dying last season, and I realize this isn't the first time we've seen him, but I like watching him in action.

Dark Matter definitely has my interest. I did worry after the "meh" first episode, but since then, they've hit on all cylinders. Loving the interaction between Five and everyone else. I also can't wait to see what happens with the android.

Busy week kept me from sinking back into Strike Back, but I did watch more Babylon 5. One of my favorite things about season two is how things start coming together. Random bits that didn't seem to be important become so. I love that!

That's all for television this week. Tonight's post is from Next Year, Same Time, a novella that got its start with a scene prompt. Write a scene where your characters mark a milestone. I liked the whole idea!

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lita Vonn is a store owner who gets caught up in a bank robbery and makes a connection with the negotiator, Saber Reyes. Saber questions her desire to get together and offers an alternative suggestion—next year, same time, they'll meet at the coffee shop across the street.

And a snippety peek…

Saber marveled at Lita's ingenuity. He had no idea if she'd been in the military, but her quick thinking and constant information updates made the entire operation run a lot smoother. Confident she'd received his coded message, he gave the go for the takedown of Chuck Barnaby.

With one sniper shot and a battering ram to the door, the situation went from red to green in less than five minutes. The hostages came pouring out of the building and Saber did a quick headcount. When he came up one short, his gut twisted into a knot.

Surely they didn't lose anyone? None of the sitreps pinging in his ear mentioned casualties. Moving forward without thinking about it, he stopped when one last person exited the bank, flanked by two officers. A woman, wearing a quirky ensemble of business casual khaki pants and an olive green cardigan paired with a formfitting t-shirt, featuring a graphic screen print of a popular television show. Her feet were clad in black combat boots. The getup totally worked on her.

Lita. It had to be.

She blinked against the sunlight then got her bearings. When her gaze met his, a smile spread across her face. Walking ahead of her escort, she thrust out her hand.

Saber grasped her palm and shook. "Lita Vonn?" Her fingers trembled a little, but she nodded. "Saber Reyes. You did a terrific job in there."

She glanced down and blushed. "Thanks. My dad's former military. Taught me Morse code and made sure I used it when we went hiking or camping." A shaky laugh escaped. "Who knew it would come in so handy?"

Saber flashed a grin. Her no-nonsense ponytail and triple-pierced earlobe—just the one side—had an inappropriate surge of lust flickering in his veins. He immediately liked her, a rare occurrence.

His luck with relationships bordered on pathologically awful.

Tugging her aside, away from news cameras and microphones, he questioned her. "Are you okay? Need a paramedic to look you over?" She didn't look worse for the ordeal, but why take any chances.

Lita shook her head. "I'm okay. Seriously." She glanced over his shoulder. "But I'm very late in relieving my part-time help." Her fingers wiggled in a wave.

Saber turned spotting a young woman with blue hair standing outside a storefront. His gaze traveled upward to read the business name—Vonn Emporium. He directed his attention back to Lita.

Nodding toward the store, he asked. "Yours, I assume?" The window display showed an eclectic product line, books, colorfully woven tapestries, crystals, and an array of antiques.

Lita beamed with pride. "Yes. The name kind of gives it away, doesn't it?" She chuckled, the sound a little raspy.

Saber's lips curved in a smile. "Business owner and kick ass inside woman. I'm duly impressed."

Lita blushed again, but recovered quickly. "I'd love to have you stop by after closing. I could buy you a cup of coffee or dinner." Her gaze held a lot of interest and her tone suggested more would be on the table.

Saber had been down the hero-worship road before. Lita wouldn't be the first woman who'd offered to hookup after surviving a dangerous situation. But she is the first you've ever been tempted by.

Right. So not a good idea. Even if his body completely disagreed with him.

Saber offered a suggestion. "I'd love to, but I feel like I'd be taking advantage of a crappy situation."

Her disappointment showed, but she masked it quickly. "I understand. No problem." She started to back away. "You're not interested."

He jumped back in. "No, no. It's not a lack of interest. Definitely not." He moved a little further down the alley, hoping for a little more privacy. "Look, let's try this. If you're still up for coffee or dinner in six months, I'll take you out." He glanced away then met her gaze again. "You see, this isn't the first— Well, I mean—" Geez, he couldn't sound like a bigger dick.

Lita's eyes went wide. "Oh, my god. You've been burned before, haven't you?" Understanding dawned and she laid a hand on his forearm.

Saber shrugged. "More than once, so I'm gun shy. It's not you or anything."

Lita's lips twisted in a wry grin. "Good to know." She removed her hand and stepped away again.

Saber reached out, grasping her shoulder. "We could meet in the coffee shop across the street, say in January? Around this time." Probably stupid, but he hoped she'd be game.

Lita tilted her head to one side. "And if coffee goes well, we'll move on to dinner?"

He grinned. "Sounds perfect." He waited a beat. "And thank you."

She gave him a long, considering look. "I have a feeling the wait will be worth it."

Honestly, the title is a working one so be on the lookout for a change in the future.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin