Sunday Snippet: On an Even Keel

Yeah, had another rough week. But I actually think things are looking up in general. Just need to get through a few tricky situations involving vehicles and we'll be back on track. So heartened to see the huge turnout and big changes from the US election. Having a little hope is a wonderful feeling.

Got my brake parts ordered and should have them this week, which is better than expected. The last time I ordered parts, it took almost a month for them to come in. Once the brakes are done on my car, we have to figure out the tires on my middle kid's car. After the first of the year, it'll be time to do alignments on the cars. Can't wait. Yes, that's sarcasm.

Had a busy work week. My left shoulder has been bothering me and pulling my focus, especially since I had a long copy edit to finish and a rush holiday manuscript to get completed. I got it done and was so happy to have another holiday story to edit. It's a good one! I started a new proofread and hope to find my groove on it soon. I'm still a little distracted. Also had a great client call on a wellness book that I'm very excited about.

Because of the shoulder issues, I didn't get much accomplished on the viewing front. Hoping this week will be a little different, but I'm not counting on anything. As usual, I binged Death in Paradise and adjacent spinoffs.

I did get an episode of Marple watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of great guest stars. This one finished out season four so I'll be starting five this week.

Watched the final Poirot. I can honestly say it broke my heart a little, but it was so good to see Hastings again. As a send off for the famous detective, it's satisfying. I love full-circle narratives.

Elementary ended up being pretty interesting. Not sure how I feel about weaving Moriarty back into the storyline, but it adds a wrinkle to a few things. Could be twisty to see how things play out.

That's life the update this week. Tonight's post is from On an Even Keel, a novella that reunites a couple with a troubled past.

Here's the miniblurb:

Security expert Goldie Swartz is presumed dead after a building explodes and she leaves behind a tangled past filled with burned bridges and messy relationships with those she loves. Ryne Kingston witnesses Goldie going down and realizes a little too late he'd give everything he has to have her back in his life. When Goldie returns, battered and busted up but very alive, she and Ryne finally acknowledge they need each other to stay on an even keel.

And a snippet preview…

Goldie carefully pulled the backpack over her shoulders and adjusted the weight. "Are you sure you won't come with me?" Her gaze landed on the trio who'd saved her life.

Mackenna shook her head. "We've got others to find. We're not leaving without them." Her fingers curled into her palms.

Sylvane put his arm around her. "She's right. That explosion three months ago probably made them dig in deeper. We'll start searching again now that the weather cleared." He brushed his lips over Mackenna's hair.

The third member, Grazie, reached out and hugged Goldie. "I'll miss you. Been nice having someone to learn from." Letting go of Goldie, Grazie made a quick exit from the yurt.

Goldie removed the phone and charger from her pocket … the only thing that survived the explosion with her. "I want you guys to keep this. It's a burner. Not traceable. And you need to call me if … no, when … you find the rest of your group." She hated to let the device go, but she could manage without it.

She had a loose plan of action and wanted a way to for her rescuers to get help when they needed it.

Sylvane frowned. "We can't take this from you." He started to hand the phone back, but Mackenna placed her palm over his wrist.

She met Goldie's gaze. "If we can't get out on our own, we'll call." She took the phone and placed it in the lock box on the small table.

Goldie lifted her chin. "I'll be ready. Thank you. For everything." She picked up the thermos and draped the strap attached to the handle across her body.

With a quick wave, she left the place she'd called home for the past three months. Making her way down the steep incline, she caught sight of Grazie sitting by the small stream at the bottom of the plateau where the yurt sat. Goldie considered pausing to say another farewell but decided to stay on the trail. Grazie reminded Goldie of herself at that age.

Alone. Determined. And scared to let people in.

But Goldie slipped past Grazie's defenses. And, frankly, Grazie did the same to Goldie. The seventeen-year-old helped Goldie regain full mobility of her injured ankle, changed the dressings on her burns from the explosion, and made sure Goldie didn't overdo things while she waited for the concussion to subside.

The cold winter would've been intolerable without Grazie's company. And Mackenna and Sylvane were just as helpful. They didn't have to pull Goldie out of the rubble of the building … but they had. The couple had taken Grazie in when her parents were killed in the skirmish that led to the hostages being taken.

The ones Goldie's team had come to liberate.

Her team. She'd thought a lot about the four-member group, but the one person who took up most of her head space would be the leader. Ryne Kingston.

Friend, sometimes lover, and frequently the bane of her existence.

He'd the person she contacted if she made it to the safe house. She wouldn't go back to their base of operations until she got cleared to be there. Who better to do the job than the owner's son?

And she wanted to see him. Even if he drove her bonkers with rules and regulations all the time, he still topped the list of her favorite people … which only included maybe a dozen total. His old man held one of the upper spots too.

Her lips curved. "He'll probably freak the fuck out when I make contact." Thank the universe she had a full day of hiking—maybe more—to figure out what she wanted to say.

Hey, Ryne. Guess who's back from the dead…

Or…

Surprise! I didn't die in a fire. Can I come home?

In all reality, she couldn't be sure what the best approach would be. But she'd figure it out. She always did … which drove Ryne to the brink of madness.

She laughed. "We're never on the same page."

But having the entire winter to evaluate their weird relationship, she kind of wondered if they maybe couldn't fix that.

I'm in the beginning stages of this one, but I'm excited to see where the story goes!

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: On a Snowy Mountain

Yeesh. Rough week for Star Trek fans. Chekov and Picard in the same week?? Come on, Universe. Do better and space things out a little more.

Another crazy seven days. I did vote early so that's done. Still need to order my brake parts. Time got away from me, and I had a couple of bills that needed to be paid. The glamorous life I lead, right?

Work projects continue and are going fairly smooth for now. I'm adding a few new things, and I have to prep for two calls this week. One is a new client that signed on last week and one is a potential new author. Looking forward to seeing how both calls go.

Had another limited viewing week. Too many things calling for my attention and focusing ended up taking a lot of bandwidth. Hoping to get more viewed this week. I did do two binge marathons of Death in Paradise.

I did get an episode of Marple in and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery. It got very twisty, as Christie mysteries do. Lots of fun guest stars also.

Watched the next to last Poirot and found it kind of bittersweet. Nice to see the duchess back to round out that thread. It looks like Hastings will return for the finale, and I'm looking forward to his return.

Elementary had a bit of a bombshell episode. Nice to see Sherlock and his dad sort of mend fences. Not sure how I feel about the return of a nemesis.

That's a wrap for the life update. Tonight's post is from On a Snowy Mountain, a sexy short that follows a couple when they finally get their happily ever after.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jersey and Shaw make it through hell to be together. They get married and spend their honeymoon in a sunny paradise, where they discover their future plans to become parents is now a present situation. A couple of weeks before Jersey's due date, they're taking a well-earned break at a friend's cabin on a snowy mountain when the weather takes a turn, and all hell breaks loose.

And a snippet preview…

Sometime after one a.m., showered and tucked up in bed, Jersey still couldn't fall asleep. She shifted her position, turning toward Shaw and pulling her knee up to rest on his thigh. She hoped the change would ease the dull ache in her back.

Shaw's arm wrapped around her shoulder and he dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Still not tired?"

Jersey yawned. "I'm very tired. Just can't sleep."

"The little one settle down yet?" His hand went to her stomach, fingers making soothing circles on her skin.

Jersey nodded. "Yep. Probably for the rest of the night." She turned again, easing onto her back and rolling gently to her other side.

Shaw moved also, snugging up behind her. He nuzzled her shoulder. "Want me to tell you bedtime stories 'til you're out for the count?"

Jersey chuckled … then sighed. "Two more weeks, Shaw. Then we'll be back to what passes for normal. Things'll be easier." She felt a twinge in her back again and tried to ignore it but ended up reaching behind her to rub at the area.  

Shaw nudged Jersey's hand out of the way and took over, massaging in a firm circular motion. "Easy? You really think that?" His lips brushed over her should. "Easy's not the first word that comes to mind for what to expect." His voice held a mix of humor and trepidation.

Jersey laughed lightly. "Shaw … We've been shot at, beaten up, and held captive. How hard can raising a kid be?" She angled her head back to look at him. "Trust me. This'll be nothing."

She kept repeating that mantra … because fact on the ground … she had no idea if they—okay, if she—would be a good parent. Shaw's dad made it look simple, and he would offer sage advice when needed. Her parents? No fucking way. She'd gone no contact at eighteen and never looked back. She planned on nurture trumping nature when their little one arrived.

She met his gaze. "Seriously. We have nothing to fear." She hoped.

I'm having so much fun with this yet-to-be-named series. Jersey and Shaw are a terrific couple to write.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Old Habits Die Hard

Yeesh. October has been a month. Honestly, not quite as fraught as September, but the nasty cold definitely didn't help things. That said, I'm feeling so much better and I'm grateful for that.

Still need to do the brakes on my car and it should be sometime soon. I can already hear the grinding sound, which means I need to get the parts ordered ASAP. My middle kid also needs a new tire very soon. He'll be using our inflator this week because he starts a new job on Wednesday.

The weather continued to be rather cool and chilly. It warmed up in the afternoon, but the early mornings were frosty and frigid. Had to break out the window scraper already.

Work projects went smoother this week. I finished up a copy edit and started a new one. I also completed the evaluation I needed to finish up. Still waiting on word about the possible new project. Also need to schedule a call about another new project in the wings. Very excited to see where everything goes.

Had a seriously limited viewing week. Trying to catch up on the work projects took a lot of my focus. I only made it through three of my regularly watched shows. I did do more Death in Paradise binge watching so there's that.

Stared with Marple and enjoyed the mystery. I'm warming up to the new actress and loved the interactions with everyone on the screen. The mystery was kind of over the top and I appreciated the way the cast played off each other.

Also finished up Britain's Most Scenic Counties and truly enjoyed the stops in Cheshire. Not sure what I'll go with next, but it will definitely be something cultural.

Completed season two of Return to Paradise and, wow, what a finale. I can honestly say every single character knocked it out of the park. Anna Samson is remarkable as Mackenzie, and I very much loved the progress she's made with Colin. Loved the final moments with Glenn. So much to enjoy with episode and this show. I'm so excited for season three.

I started an episode of Poirot but didn't make it through the whole thing. I'll try to finish up this week. We'll see if I end up getting more than three full episodes watched.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Old Habits Die Hard, a novella that reunites a couple that never quite got together.

Here's the miniblurb:

Merrick Casey works security for a US Embassy and runs into an old flame, Neo Upton, when he arrives with his diplomat dad. They don't have much time to revisit their troubled past because the event they're at is ambushed. Caught away from her team, Merrick has to rely on Neo for backup, and she quickly discovers old habits die hard.

And a snippet preview…

Neo blinked when the realization his dad and the ambassador had a personal relationship. "Madam Ambass—"

She jerked her head to one side. "Geez, Neo. Enough with the title. Call me Lanai." Her shoulders slumped. "This is not the way I … we … wanted to tell you about our … our …" She broke off, running a hand through her hair.

Merrick finished the sentence. "Your not so professional relationship?" She barely kept a straight face.

Lanai snapped her attention to Merrick. "Yes. Our change in status." She glanced toward Neo. "Your dad and I wanted to wait until we got this summit out of the way." Her fingers curled into her palms.

Neo lifted his chin. "Mom's been gone a long time. What you and my dad have is none of my business." He shot a look toward Merrick, who took point so he could talk to Lanai. "But I'm happy. For both of you."

Lanai gave him a brief smile.

With that out of the way, he got down to business. "Did the general brief you on his plan?" Given their relationship, Nate might not have told her, especially if he'd be in danger.

Lanai straightened her shoulders. "He mentioned getting a read on the situation then clearing a path for evacuation." She smoothed the front of her blouse.

Merrick snorted. "Evac's not gonna be an option. The embassy is surrounded." She met Neo's gaze. "And too many on the inside can't be trusted." Her eyes focused on the door again.

Lanai frowned. "So, full-blown mutiny, very limited options, and I'm assuming no way to communicate." She sighed. "I had a feeling things went too smoothly when I arrived. Almost zero friction from current staff." She got to her feet and crossed the room.

Neo weighed their options. "Yeah, they're jamming signals. And without comms, we can't get word to the general." He dragged a hand through his hair.

Merrick angled her head toward him. "This is bigger than evacuation at this point. Too many dead bodies out there." She paused, holding Neo's gaze. "This is about controlling the embassy with hostages for a bigger gain." She slid her gaze to Lanai. "Who's making the power grab?"

The ambassador's mouth thinned. "Fucking Tom Zeman. And he's got help with the insurgent faction trying to overthrow the government." Grabbing her suit jacket, she shrugged it on.

Neo marveled at the change in her disposition. She went from shell-shocked when they found her to quietly determined. She's gearing up for battle. After buttoning the coat, Lanai finger-combed her hair and twisted it up then secured it with a hair clip.

She retrieved a notepad and pen and placed them on the table beside his weapon. "We need a plan. I'm not going to sit still and let Zeman have his way." She glanced to Merrick. "I'll need your expertise because I haven't been here long enough to know the players on the board. Will you help?"

Merrick's brows arched and she narrowed her gaze. Neo could picture the flurry of activity in her brain. She didn't trust Ambassador James, for reasons that made sense to Merrick, but their options dwindled by the moment.

But Merrick did trust him … he hoped. When she directed her focus to him, he gave a quick nod. His shoulders relaxed when she holstered her sidearm and joined them at the table.

Lanai tapped the notepad. "Let's get started…"

Not sure how this one is going to come together yet. I like what the characters are doing so far…

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Oceanfront Villa

Whew. Rough week. The nasty cold bit down hard, and I struggled to get through any and everything. I think I finally kicked the worst of it yesterday. Got a solid eight hours of sleep and only woke up twice coughing. The three days before? Only got two to three hours of sleep at a time before the coughing fits would wake me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. Not fun.

The tire drama is finally at an end. Now it's on to brakes for my car. That's still going to be a November problem.

We got our first cold snap and finally had to turn the furnace on today. I'm usually good until the interior of the house hits the low sixties. Woke to sixty-two degrees and, yeah, kicked the thermostat to heat. Pretty sure we'll be back in the seventies by the middle of the week and I'll turn it off again … hopefully until November.

Work projects were rough this week, mainly because of my cold. The whole fuzzy bunny slippers in my head feeling doesn't match well with trying to read words and edit manuscripts. I did finish up a proofread and started a copy edit. I also reviewed the opening chapters of a manuscript for a potential new client. I have an evaluation I need to work on and should be able to start hitting that one hard this week.

Had a semi-okay viewing week. I didn't make it all the way through my regular slate of shows because of the aforementioned cold, but I got most of the way through.

Started with Marple and I'm warming up to the new actress playing the role. She's not quite as snappy as the previous actress but she embodies Jane just the same.

Watched another episode of Britain's Most Scenic Counties and enjoyed the various stops in Cheshire. If I had to pick between Kent and Cheshire, I'd lean toward Kent, but Cheshire is gaining momentum.

Caught an episode of Return to Paradise and I can honestly say this season is kind of knocking it out of the park. The emotional upheaval of Mac being back in Paradise Cove is so well done. I love her interactions with Philomena are amazing.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot and continue to love his friendship with Ariadne. I think I have two episodes left of this version of the show. Looking forward to those.

Elementary had another great episode. I'm enjoying the way the show is weaving in outside elements to the case and tying them together.

I also did some binge watching of Death in Paradise per usual. Sometimes it's nice to have a comfort show on in the background.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Oceanfront Villa, a novella that brings a couple back to themselves after life keeps getting in the way.

Here's the miniblurb:

Danielle Finch is a hardworking doctor who rarely takes time off and her relationship with Vince Darkholme, an in-demand attorney, suffers for the lack of face time. When Vince's client offers the use of his oceanfront villa, Danielle readily agrees to take two weeks to rekindle the passion she sorely misses with Vince.

And a snippet preview…

Danielle paced the living room, wine glass in hand. "Why do I have such a restless gnawing in the pit of my stomach?" Because Vince let his hair grow out? "Stupid, really. But I missed it, didn't realize until today." She used to notice every little detail.

Used to be so in tune with him she could finish his sentences.

She took a sip of wine. "When did we last speak to each other in depth?" Or had an engaging conversation about more than who would pick up dinner or do a load of laundry?

She sadly couldn't remember. She missed hearing about his day. Missed talking about books, sports, even mundane stuff like television and movies. She also wanted the intimacy they didn't seem to share anymore.

Her lips twisted. "How long has it been since we've had up-against-the-wall, banging hot sex?" Sure, they still had a satisfying, if routine, life in the bedroom.

But, oh man, she remembered how much more they used to have. One look, one touch and clothes would fly off. Sometimes they couldn't even wait to get undressed. Just bared the necessary parts and chased the gratification until both were spent and sated.

Danielle sat on the edge of the couch. "I miss that. Him." Spur of the moment had turned into two or three times a week perfunctory sex in bed, followed by a shower and lights out so they could be up early to meet their demanding schedules.

Why don't we make time for each other anymore?

In her case, she covered a lot for other doctors, many of whom gave her a helping hand during her residency. She put her head down and worked to build her practice and continued her education to meet the needs of a diverse patient base. A lot of her time also went to researching issues for each individual because medicine shouldn't be one size fit all.

Vince had similar circumstances. He did a lot of heavy lifting at his firm, doing legwork on cases for senior partners. He also had a group of his own clients he worked hard for to build trust and garner recommendations from. He put in a lot of late nights at home, studying case law and contracts.

Danielle drained her glass. "Our work shouldn't be more important than our life together." She planned to be fully present when they had dinner tonight and maybe pick up on anything else she'd missed with her husband.

Pretty happy with this one. It might go in a direction I didn't plan but I'm totally down with that.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Not Quite Ready Weekend

Heh, so far the bumps have not smoothed over in October. But … that could have more to do with the yucky cold I picked up from the husband. It's like I have fuzzy slippers in my head, and I'm not a fan.

Our tire trauma is still ongoing. I now have four tires paid for and the appointment is scheduled for this week. I still have to have my front and rear rotors and pads replaced as soon as possible also. That might end up being a November problem. I do want to get that managed before we start getting snow.

Still having fairly mild weather. I love having an actual fall. I'm hoping we're not having fake fall, and we'll end up with ninety degree days again. But won't be surprised if it happens.

Had a decent work week even with the cold. I'm moving slowly on the evaluation, but the book is pretty interesting. Finished up a copy edit and started a proofread. I'm hoping to finish the proofread later today. I also need to hit my backburner project that I keep putting on hold.

Had a sketchy viewing week. Between the cold and other things going on, I didn't quite make it through my usual line up. I did do a binge watch of Death in Paradise.

Started with Marple and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. Very fun to see the mystery unfold and watch Jane piece everything together. Fun watching experience.

Watched another episode of Britain's Most Scenic Counties. I'm enjoying Cheshire. There are a lot of interesting bits and bobs. While the white cliffs of Dover in Kent definitely draw attention, there seems to be more urban adventures in Cheshire.

Enjoyed an episode of Return to Paradise. I'm very much on the fence with Mac and Glenn's interactions. Watching her calm him down was a lot of fun. Knife-thick tension there. Also really enjoyed getting some insight to Colin's past in this one.

Caught another episode of Poirot and, wow, what an adventure. Thoroughly enjoyed seeing the band get back together. I've missed Hastings, Lemon, and Japp.

Elementary had a terrific episode. Glad to see Sherlock somewhat back to his old self. I loved how much confidence he has in Joan's ability to be a great parent. Also quite liked the interactions between Joan and the pregnant mom. What a great episode.

Started an episode of Young Justice but ran out of steam. I'll finish it up this week. I think I remember this one or at least parts of it.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Quite Ready Weekend, a novella that brings a couple together for babysitting duty and gives them an opportunity to explore their attraction.

Here's the miniblurb:

Angie Strickland and Derrick Fields are thrown together when they're called upon to care for their best friends' little one for a three-day weekend. Their biggest challenge is getting a crash course in what it's like to be a parent while dancing around an unacknowledged attraction. By the end of the weekend, Angie and Derrick are exhausted and certain of one thing—they want to be together but they're not quite ready for parenthood.

And a snippet preview…

Derrick Fields frowned when he answered his phone. "Yo, Mark. What's up? Everything okay? You usually text when you want to catch a game on TV." Although there weren't any good ones coming up.

Mark laughed. "Everything's fine. Well … generally speaking. I do have a bit of a situation I could use some help with."

Derrick's brows arched. "Okay … you have my attention." Seriously, Mark never had problems.

Mark huffed out a breath. "Well … I have a work conference this weekend and my folks are in Arizona visiting friends, and Janie's mom and dad are also unavailable this weekend." He paused. "It's a huge favor, but could you stay with Lyds? It'll only be Friday night through Sunday afternoon." He said the last sentence like his life depended on it.

Derrick blinked. "You want me to stay?" Damn, he didn't know the first thing about infants.

Mark didn't hesitate. "Yes. This is my kid we're talking about. I'm not trusting her with just anybody. And Janie won't go unless we have a rock-solid person lined up." He sighed. "I really need her to come with me. I'm due for a promotion and having her there could speed up the process."

Derrick hedged. "I'm not saying I can't, but why me? Aside from being her godfather, I'm not exactly super up on what babies need." He'd die before letting anything happen to Lydia, but what if he caused the anything?

Mark chuckled. "Dude, you have three younger sisters, and I know you used to babysit them." He waited a beat. "All. The. Time."

Derrick snorted. "My guy … they were all out of diapers and feeding themselves by the time I had to keep an eye on them. But … you're right. If I can survive three bratty tweens, I can absolutely manage a tiny baby who can't walk or talk yet." He hoped … maybe. "Yeah, sure. I'll stay with her. Just keep your phone on and be ready for a zillion questions."

Mark gave a relieved sigh. "Thanks, man. If you stop by after work on Friday, I'll give you the rundown. And thank you. Seriously. This is way harder than I thought it would be." He made a garbled choking sound. "We haven't had to leave her for more than a few hours, and I'm not sure who's having a harder time. Janie … or me."

Derrick offered reassurance. "My guess is it's pretty even. But … silver lining. First time is the hardest. And it's only a weekend." Which, yeah, freaked Derrick out but not enough to say no.

He wanted favorite couple to have a worry-free conference.

Mark let another relieved sigh. "I'm going to owe you a solid. A really big one."

Derrick laughed. "Yeah, well, I won't hold you to that. See you Friday."

Mark signed off and Derrick sank down onto the couch.

What the hell had he agreed to do?

This story is in the beginning stages, but I love where I think it will go!

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: New Year's Promise

It's spooky month!! Kind of happy to the end of September. It was definitely a rough month. October is starting with a few bumps but here's hoping they'll smooth over soon.

Got my new tires and what a difference. Hit a snag with the husband's tires. We can't do two. It's all-wheel drive so they'll only replace all four. Sigh. We now have to wait until this weekend to get them replaced. Tires are expensive.

Had truly lovely weather. Mild temperatures that feel like fall are such a surprise. I'm not holding my breath that we won't end up with a big spike again, so I'm enjoying while I can.

Had a decent work week. Had another super challenging copy edit but got through it. Almost finished up with the evaluation read through. And I might be able to get back to my lingering project, which needs attention. I'm also hoping to make headway on my side project, which I'd really like to launch soon.

Good viewing week. I made it through my usual group of shows. I also included two binge marathons of Death in Paradise. The show makes me happy.

Began with Marple. Interesting episode that had some wild twists and turns. Very fun to see Tom Baker on screen.

Started the new season of Britain's Most Scenic Counties and enjoyed the introduction to Cheshire. Another area I'd love to visit at some point.

Caught another episode of Return to Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Also really enjoyed seeing Mackenzie try to figure out the appeal of dating apps. Loved the interaction between her and the team also.

Watched an episode of Poirot and I'm really enjoying Ariadne Oliver. She's such a fun character. The mystery also ended up being twisty, which I also enjoyed.

Elementary had a great episode. I'm enjoying Sherlock's challenge with recovering from the concussion. Not sure how I feel about the serial killer getting away. Kind of hoping he gets caught without taking out anyone else.

Enjoyed another episode of Young Justice. I remembered some of this one and liked the pacing of the plot. Always fun to see Wally learn life lessons.

Caught another episode of Star Trek Lower Decks and loved the callbacks to Next Generation and Voyager. This show knows how to pay homage to its ancestors.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from New Year's Promise, a novella about a wedding on New Year's Eve.

Here's the miniblurb:

Long-time couple, Kay Holt and Trevor Wolfe, makes it official when Trevor proposes on Christmas Eve. Kay wants a small ceremony and dreams of a New Year's Eve wedding. Trevor surprises her and arranges for them to say I do at midnight during a holiday getaway with their best friends.

And a snippet preview…

Trevor entered the bedroom after seeing his family off for the night. "Mom said to come over in the afternoon for Christmas festivities. They want to sleep in…" He trailed off when he caught Kay wiggling her ring finger, the light from the lamp catching the glint of the solitaire while she sat on the edge of the mattress.

He couldn't believe he pulled off the surprise. With a lot of help, of course.

Kay glanced up. "What?" She laughed. "Sorry. It's just so beautiful."

Trevor made his way over to her. "So … we're engaged now." He tugged her to her feet then pressed kisses along her jawline. "I wonder if the sex will be different."

Kay chuckled and hauled him close. "Let's find out…" Her fingers pulled the waffle-knit shirt from his cargos. "We can think about what time to leave tomorrow … tomorrow." She popped the button on his pants.

Trevor smiled. "Good plan." He nuzzled her throat then slid her shirt up.

She lifted her arms to let him pull the garment up and over her head. She took over, lowering her yoga pants and sliding them off. He shucked his then dragged his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor.

Kay stepped into his arms and met his lips. His hands ghosted along her skin. Touching her didn't feel physically different … but the emotional impact? Yeah. Her saying yes to their future hit different in the best possible way.

Kay eased away and met his gaze. "This does feel different. Better." Her mouth grazed his shoulder. "Who knew?"

Trevor grinned. "Was just thinking the same." He nudged her toward the bed and sat down, his hands grasping her hips.

Kay sucked in a breath when he kissed her stomach then pulled her on top of him. She straddled his thighs, leaning down to mesh their lips together. He cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples.

Kay made a low hum. "Love when you do that." She shifted and rose up, sliding over his shaft.

Trevor moaned. "This feels exactly the same. Hard to improve on perfect." He palmed her ass, urging her to move over him.

Kay's lips curved. "Could be fun to try." She rocked back and forth, using a slow pace.

Trevor relished the slick, warm heat of her gripping his dick. "Mmm. Yeah, it could." He flexed upward, bumping against her groin.

Kay shifted back and forth, adding a circular motion before grinding into his pelvis. Trevor placed his hands on her thighs and moved his thumbs to her clit, brushing them over the hard nub, amping up the friction. Kay's head dropped back and her fingers curled into fists on his chest.

Her breathing went shallow. "Unf … right there, Trev. Feels … good…"

He swiped a little harder and groaned when she tightened around his cock. A shudder washed over her and her knees dug into his torso. He held on for a few moments more then followed behind her, his orgasm rolling through him.

Kay collapsed down, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Merry Christmas, future wife."

Her head popped up. "Merry Christmas, future husband." Twisting to one side, she snuggled up close to his side.

Trevor pressed a kiss to her temple. He pulled off the surprise proposal.

Next up … the surprise wedding.

With a little help from their friends and family.

I love writing holiday romance and really like throwing some NYE romance into the mix.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Neighbors

Yeesh. Still dealing with the tire issue but have an appointment to get the replacements on Tuesday. I can't wait. But … we now have to get two new tires for my husband's vehicle. It's like dominoes falling … one thing after another.

Had some seriously cool temperatures this week. Also rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. We're supposed to have clear weather for the beginning of the week but more rain from Thursday through the weekend.

Work projects were pretty smooth this week. I finished up the wild ride copy edit and completed a proofread that had a few issues but overall ended up being great. Still working on the evaluation and making good project. I have another back burner project I'm hoping to get to this week.

Had a solid viewing week. I made it through my usual slate of shows and got to binge Death in Paradise a couple of days.

Started with Marple again and enjoyed the mystery. There were a lot of twists and turns with a resolution that ended up being sad but excellent.

Finished up the first season of Britain's Most Scenic Counties. Thoroughly enjoyed visiting Kent and look forward to the next season and new location.

Caught another episode of Return to Paradise and enjoyed it again. Reggie reminds me of Margo from Beyond Paradise. Both are filled with local knowledge and wield their power when it counts the most. Great mystery also.

Watched another Poirot and liked the twists and turns. Very interesting to hear all the discussion of the upcoming war and having three mysteries instead of one ended up being quite fun.

Elementary got a little freaky. The possible serial killer struck very close to home, and I really hope things don't go in an obvious direction. Can't wait to watch the next episode to see if they do or don't.

Enjoyed an episode of Young Justice and loved seeing the young team dealing with being the grown-ups in the room. Kind of interested to see what happens with the stolen bit.

Ended the week with an episode of Star Trek Lower Decks and totally loved the call back to the original series. Fun episode with plenty of weird thrown in for good measure. I'm going to be very sad when I finish this one.

That's the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Neighbors, a novella that has a couple who broke up living across the street from each other.

Here's the miniblurb:

When Vonnie Caldwell and Glenn Doyle break up, Vonnie's brother moves in with her to help with expenses. Glenn heads out to live with his sister, and he doesn't have far to go … she's across the street, which gives the former couple's siblings ringside seats while Vonnie and Glenn try to navigate being neighbors.

And a snippet preview…

Glenn stared out the window of his sister's condo, watching Vonnie's brother move more stuff in. "I guess this is a permanent thing." He really didn't think his life would implode this badly when he moved across the street.

Gina came up from the basement with a laundry basket of clean clothes. "If you're not careful, you're going to be accused of being a full-on stalker." She dumped the plastic container on the sofa and started folding items.

Glenn gave her a side-eye. "From looking out a window?" He snorted.

Gina made a rude noise. "At your ex's residence where you used to live. It always starts small, Glenn." She tossed his garments on the end of the cushion.

Glenn pushed away from the wall and moved to gather his stuff. "Thanks for washing these. I'll do the next load." The least he could do after she let him move in.

Gina rolled her eyes. "You could go talk to her. Or hell, send her a text. Check in." Putting her folded laundry in neat stacks, she picked one up.

Glenn shook his head. "Nah. She'd accuse me of being wishy-washy and not being able to make up my mind. It's kind of her go to." Which annoyed him a lot.

Gina sighed and trotted up the steps to put her clothes away.

Glenn made a neat pile of his then went back to the window.

Gina came back down. "You know what? I'm calling bullshit here. Vonnie didn't say you were wishy-washy. She said you refuse to act like you're part of a couple." She paused for a moment then started back in. "Let me ask you something. How would you like it if some man-ape had his hands all over Vonnie and you came over to hang with her? Would it piss you off?"

Glenn shrugged. "Probably." Not that he'd ever had to worry about that.

Gina made a garbled choking sound. "So, why shouldn't it piss Vonnie off? And has she ever not stopped a conversation to acknowledge you or your status as her boyfriend when you have come around?"

He grimaced. "No. Usually she makes this slick and sly move where she shifts her position and slides her arm around my waist or moves to stand in front of me. Sometimes she'll lean up for a kiss." She always made that so smooth also. "She makes it pretty clear we're together without being rude."

Gina flung her arm out. "Then why the fuck can't you do the same?" She shook her head. "Geez, Glenn. Letting some hoochie mama paw all over you because you don't want to be rude is stupid … especially when it makes you a dick for letting it happen in front of the person you're supposed to be in love with."

Glenn grunted. "Yeah … when you put it that way, I do sound like a dick."

Gina snorted. "There's no sounding like one about it. When you do that shit, you are being a grade-A, total-shit asshole. And I'm embarrassed to call you my brother." With another disgusted sound, she grabbed the basket and headed back down to the basement.

Glenn winced. Leave it to his sister to lay out his biggest fault with brutal precision.

I love writing siblings, and this has a double shot of them. Glenn and Vonnie will end up owing their family members a lot.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin