Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

I hope everyone survived the holiday!

My family had a wonderful day—no traveling, just staying home all nice and cozy with our new tech gear and good food. I watched more holiday television episodes and said good-bye to Matt Smith's Doctor. I'm still not quite settled in with the idea of the new actor, but I'll give him a chance.

Looking forward to my fave shows returning. Almost Human, Sleepy Hollow, Arrow, The Tomorrow People, Walking Dead, Sherlock, and probably a few I’m forgetting at the moment. Currently watching a Farscape marathon on Pivot then switching over to some recorded stuff I haven't watched yet.

Tonight's post is from the novella, Drowning Pull. The characters have an instant spark, but circumstances keep them from pursuing the electric connection.

Here's the tagline:

Lane Addison drowns his grief over losing his brother in alcohol, until a blonde distraction sits down beside him. Injured and off the circuit, Weslee decides to have a pity party for one until she sees someone deeper in the well than she is. A hot hook-up later, Lane thinks he's found the perfect woman in Weslee, until she mentions her fiancé.

And the snippety peek…

Lane woke up slowly, with a clear head and vision. He hadn't had that experience since his brother's funeral. Weslee. The name popped into his head at the same moment her thigh brushed over his when she stirred in her slumber. A ghost of a smiled cracked his lips before he sobered and wrapped an arm around her.

She'd given him a gift the night before. Listened to him, commiserated, and shared a major setback she'd recently had. Not exactly standard relationship building blocks, but nothing remotely typical happened in his life since Liam's death. He'd connected with Weslee, bonded with her, and he wanted an opportunity to explore with more depth.

He traced a finger along her jawline and her eyelids fluttered open. "Morning."

Her eyelids fluttered open and a satisfied smile curved her lips. "Morning." She rolled onto her side and stretched the sleepy kinks out.

Lane propped his head on his hand and admired her sleekly muscled curves. He'd already fallen for her personality, the incredible form counted as a bonus. Weslee yawned and relaxed.

Lane leaned in and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. "Thank you. Last night was… wonderful."

Weslee flicked her gaze sideways. "Yeah, it was. More than I expected, too."

Lane bit back a grin. "Maybe we can get together next week? Do dinner or something?"

Weslee frowned and she heaved a sigh. "I'd love to, but well…" Her eyes closed then popped open again. "About that…" She sat up, dragging the sheet up to her shoulders. "You see, next week won't work, or really any time after that."

A sharp stab of dread hit Lane in the gut. He scrambled up and around, facing Weslee.

She wouldn't meet his gaze and the sick ball in the pit of his stomach turned into a harsh throb.

Weslee finally lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. "I'm, well, engaged to Brad Young. I can't do a repeat of last night. I'm sorry."

Lane flinched. A physical blow would've stung less.

He leapt off the bed, grabbing his jeans and dragging them on. "Right, then. Time for me to leave." He yanked his T-shirt over his head. "I can find my way out."

He should have known. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Thought he'd met someone great, but instead he'd found a woman who wanted a hard cock and nothing else.

He stomped through the living room and grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch. He swung his gaze toward the bedroom. Weslee fought a battle with the sheets, trying to get untangled. Good. He had nothing else to say and no desire to hear a 'thanks for the great sex' good-bye.

He flipped the deadbolt, twisted the knob, and pulled the door open, exiting into the hallway. Scanning both directions, he remembered where the elevators were and turned left. Halfway down the hall, he glanced up and wouldn't it just figure… found none other than Brad Young strolling down the corridor.

Brushing past the athlete, Lane muttered. "Good luck, buddy. You're gonna need it."

Brad stopped short, but Weslee burst into the hall, the white sheet wrapped around her. Yeah, not obvious at all what Lane had been talking about. Lane shook his head and kept on moving in the direction of the elevator.

Weslee could sink or swim on her own.

~:~

Sorry to leave it there, but no worries… Lane and Weslee will figure it all out. It might just take a while. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

Happy Almost Holidays!

The family and I are thisclose to being ready for the merry season. We always wait and decorate the tree a day or two before December 25 so the lights are strung, but nothing else until tomorrow. :D

I'm watching holiday episodes of my favorite TV shows. Warehouse 13, Eureka, Doctor Who, and last year's Arrow episode, Year's End. Up next is Leverage with the Ho, Ho, Ho Job. :D

Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a short story where my two main characters discuss a certain list one has and fun ensues. :D

Here's the tagline:

Velma and Kade have loads of sexual tension, but Velma keeps him at arm's length. Kade gets the why, but when she pushes him a little too far he turns the tables on her and she ends up in a compromising position—number seventeen on his list.

And a snippety peek…

Kade heaved a sigh. Velma hadn't let up for days. Prancing around the beach with her hot sky blue bikini top and cut off, white denim shorts? Took her sexy teasing one step too far.

Really, Kade? Dozens of females wearing tiny two pieces flitted back and forth on the sand. Kade roundly cursed his stupid inner voice for pointing out the flaw in his logic. None of the dozens of other women were Velma, the single person on the planet that could make his dick hard with a sultry glance. And she damned well understood her effect on him, too.

That part irritated Kade. After talking to Howie, he got the why of holding back and not getting involved. And Kade enjoyed the flirty banter, but just because he understood Velma's hesitation didn't mean she could use him for kicks without consequences.

He needed to find a moment alone with her and Kade finally caught her in a cabana room.

"Look, Velma, I enjoy the fun and games, but you're pushing it a little, don't you think?"

Velma lowered her gaze. "Maybe." She shrugged. "But like you said, you don't mind, right?"

He smirked. "No, not really. But…" He moved forward, invading her personal space. "There are going to be repercussions."

She snorted. "Like what?"

Kade flexed his fingers and started with her sides. Velmo lost it, laughing and twisting around trying to get away. He kept hold, and she finally grabbed at his hands and dragged him down with her to the sandy floor. He landed on top of her, but broke his fall by bracing his hands on either side of her body.

Velma dragged in several deep breaths, then lifted a brow. "Well, Kade… now that you have me right where you want me… what are you gonna do?"

Kade pondered a moment. "I think I might have to go for number seventeen on my list."

~:~

Velma's eyes widened. "You have a list?" The thought made her heart race, especially since he made it sound like he'd been thinking about her a lot.

Kade huffed out a harsh breath. "Damn right. Don't you?" He lowered down onto an elbow, settling onto his side, but keeping her in place.

Velma chuckled. "Not that I'd ever admit to having."

A big grin crossed his face. "Ah, but you see, you just did." He waggled his eyebrows.

Velma laughed. "Okay, you've got me there." She shoved her hand against his chest. "Now let me up." His close proximity made her want things she shouldn't have.

Kade did a quick back and forth with his head. "Nope. Not quite yet."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "Because I haven't done this yet."

Her breath caught when his head lowered, his warm mouth capturing hers in a firm kiss. His tongue slipped past her lips before she could even think about it. She moaned and cupped his face, bringing him closer, deepening the embrace. Good god, the man had a hot mouth.

And she wanted to find out exactly how much heat they could generate.

If all goes well, it'll be tons of heat. :D :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Down the Middle

Hiya!

Imagine my embarrassment when I realized the Arrow midseason finale actually happened this past Wednesday instead of last week? LOL Oh well, one great thing came out of it…I got a new ep of Arrow and it was AWESOME!! And if the CW doesn't make Flash (or whatever they end up calling it) a series in the very near future, I'm gonna wonder where their brains are. LOL

Shifting gears (pun intended), Sons of Anarchy completely messed with my head. As mentioned, Kurt Sutter rarely goes where I think he will, and he had me going right until the last act of the episode. I pretty much stood up and yelled at the TV, then prayed for someone else's death… which didn't happen, dammit. But in retrospect, I'm actually sort of glad. I now know exactly how I want the final scene of SOA to play out… and if I don't get it, well, Sutter certainly won't give a hang, but I'll be sorely disappointed. I'm at a place with the show where retribution HAS to happen or I'll pretty much feel like it wasn't work seven years of my life. :D

Okay, enough about television this week, more to come about Sleepy Hollow and other shows soon. Tonight's post is from Down the Middle, a novella with the main characters finding some common ground.

Here's the tagline:

Bounty hunter Ursa Goode always gets her man… if Jake Weatherwax doesn't beat her to him. But when a target escapes and comes after her, Ursa has to take Jake up on his offer to work together and split the reward right down the middle. The need for a partner rubs her wrong, but Jake definitely doesn't.

And a snippety peek…

Jake threw up a hand. "You're too fucking close to this whole deal, Ursa. You need someone to pull you back from the edge so you don't go flying off." He shot her a point blank look. "Can't work if you're dead. And you're gonna be dead if you keep taking stupid chances." He turned and paced. "This guy isn't stupid. He knows you, Ursa. Knows how you think." He stopped and met her gaze again. "He pushes every, single button you have."

Ursa tilted her head, considering Jake's laundry list of reasons, focusing in on the important face. "But he doesn't know you." Guy had a steel trap mind, she'd give him that.

Jake grinned wide. "Exactly. He can't predict my every move."

Ursa pondered the suggestion. She didn't like to answer to anyone… but Jake had a valid argument. She did have too much personal baggage with Llewellyn. Changing up her game could only help her win.

She accepted his offer. "So… fifty-fifty split?"

Jake's lips quirked. "Right down the middle." His hand shot out to seal the deal.

Ursa grasped his palm, shaking and giving her word. Jake tightened his grip and tugged her forward, getting up close and personal.

He laid it out. "One thing. If you go off half-cocked again or pull anything solo, I'll shoot you myself." He let go of her hand. "Are we clear?"

She stepped back, resisting the urge to punch him. "Completely." She laid out a rule of her own. "If you ever get in my face like that again, I'll crush your balls in a vice grip." She smirked. "Got it?"

He winced, but nodded. "Understood." He put some additional space between them. "For the record, it's not my style, but your track record isn't the greatest. I needed to make a fast point."

She smiled. "As long as we understand each other." She turned and grabbed her jacket from the chair. "I've got a contact in the brewery district that should be able to point us in a general direction." She glanced back over her shoulder. "You coming?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Let's go." He retrieved his coat from a hook on the wall.

Ursa opened the door and exited his apartment, a slow grin spreading over her face. Working with someone, no, working with Jake, might just prove to be fun.

And so begins the working relationship. Wonder if it'll spill over into the personal. :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Dodging Bullets

Hello!

Okay, getting the TV stuff out of the way first, as always, but did you watch the Arrow mid-season finally? If you didn't, why not!! Seriously, the show keeps getting better and better, and it was already pretty damned great. :D

Sons of Anarchy finale this week and whoa. I seriously have no idea how anything will play out. Sutter never quite goes where I think he will and that's part of what I love about the show.

Walking Dead gave me a very satisfactory finale even if it killed off one of my favorite characters. Can't ask for more than that, right?

I'm hoping to start Almost Human in the near future and catch up so I can watch in real time. I've heard very good things about the show.

Tonight's post is from Dodging Bullets, a novella featuring characters who've grown up together and still have a connection.

Here's the tagline:

Sable and Gage live on the same street and survive their childhood by having each other's backs. When they grow up, they're still looking out for each other, but instead of ducking verbal barbs and flying objects, they're dodging bullets instead.

And a snippety peek…

Sable unhooked the back gate just in time to dodge the pepper grinder being lobbed at her dad's head. He shot her a look and she turned around, beating a hasty retreat to the nearby novelty store. He'd long ago made Sable promise if she got the raised eyebrow she'd go straight to shop and wait. Ivan would pick her up after Bianca cooled off. Until she did, Sable would hang out with Bernie, the owner and a good friend of Ivan's.

Sometimes her parents acted more like they were twelve instead of Sable. Okay, her mom did. Bianca threw more temper tantrums in a week than Sable had her whole life.

She skipped around the corner and waited for the light to change then darted across the street and made a left. The Aardvark's neon sign shone like a beacon of welcome in a torrential downpour of well, words she shouldn't know or say.

She pushed the door open and shouted. "Hey, Bernie! How's it hanging?"

Her dad's friend shook his head. "Sable, you know that greeting is inappropriate. You're almost a teenager." He came around the counter and nodded towards a couple of customers. "Do you want me to get arrested for contributing to your delinquency?"

Sable snorted. "It's just Gage and Garth. They're not customers. They're a pain in the butt."

Bernie sighed. "No they're not. They hang out here as much as you do." He lowered his voice. "But their dad is a cop and you need to remember that."

The light bulb went off and she nodded. "Sorry, Bernie. I'll just say hi next time."

He grinned and went back to his post behind the cash register. "Do you need a snack? I've got peanut butter and graham crackers."

She cracked a smile. "You got chocolate sprinkles left?" She loved the mix of peanut butter and chocolate.

Bernie chuckled. "You know I do." He jerked his head towards the back. "Keep an eye on things out here. I'll go get it ready."

Sable bounced around the counter and climbed up onto the metal stool Bernie kept stashed just for her. "I got this." She waved Bernie away.

Settling down, she turned her attention to Gage and Garth Waterson. The brothers lived across the street, three doors down from her house. Gage a year older than Sable, Garth a year younger, they often ended up walking home from school together. Other parents picked their kids up, but Bianca Rich couldn't be bothered. Betty Waterson worked as a paramedic for the city's fire department and trusted her boys would get home without incident. With a beat cop for a dad, they knew what to look out for.

"You can't buy that shirt, Garth. Mom will freak out and kick your ass." Gage grabbed the shirt from his younger brother.

Garth slugged him. "You better stop cussing. You'll do it in front of mom and she'll kick your ass." He snagged the tee back and held it out of Gage's reach. "I'll wait 'til she's working a twenty-four and only wear it then." He smirked at his brilliant idea.

Gage rolled his eyes. "Fine. But when she goes apeshit, don't come crying to me." He threw the shirt in the plastic basket and moved over to the ball caps.

She wondered why Gage got so bent over Garth's choice. Maybe the garment had one of the more offensive slogans on it. She shook her head. Gage shouldn't have caved. Garth would forget and get busted wearing the shirt then Gage would take the heat from whatever their mom tried to throw at Garth. He always did.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Sable slid off the stool and made her way over to the boys. Maybe she could talk Garth into picking something else. She hated how mopey Gage got when their mom started slinging verbal barbs.

She tapped Gage on the shoulder. "Hey. What's going on?" She cast a furtive glance inside their basket.

Well, shit. Gage's reason for concern smacked Sable in the face. Garth didn't choose one of the questionable sayings. He'd opted for a silkscreen of a local band—

The Bangers—her dad's group.

Sable huffed out a breath. "Garth, man, you don't wanna take that shirt home. You'll be lucky if your mom doesn’t set it—and you—on fire."

And then have to call her co-workers to come and put the flames out.

Garth heaved a sigh and went to hang the shirt back on the display rack.

Gage nudged Sable's shoulder. "Thanks, Sable."

Sable nodded and met Gage's gaze. "No problem. I feel bad for Garth."

Gage tilted his head. "Why?"

Sable shrugged. "Because it's not his fault your mom hates my dad."

Sometimes I love writing characters who have a rich history yet can't see what's right in front of them… but Sable and Gage get it and keep their connection, even when they're grown. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Hi!

Not much new in TV this week, so finishing up from last week's new episodes. The Walking Dead is my on the fence show. Some weeks I love it, some weeks I'm very 'meh'. Last week was definitely a 'meh' week, but the new episode tonight is pretty good, but the Governor just doesn't excite me all that much.

Sleepy Hollow continues to make me happy. It's so crazy insane I can't not like it. This week's Arrow and Sons of Anarchy have me ready to get through Monday so I can watch new stuff. J I also quite enjoyed Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. I'm not nearly as disappointed as a lot of fans are, but I'm a long time believer in setting up story arcs for bigger payoffs later.

That's it for this week. Should have some great reactions for my next post.

Tonight's snippet is from The Deep End, a novella filled with sibling rivalry over the woman of the brothers' dreams.

Here's the tagline: (Which I'm honestly not thrilled with, it needs work)

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark… until she meets Eric, Eames' brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric entered the bar and quickly spotted his brother's group in the corner where the larger parties could have semi-privacy for their gatherings. Eames glanced up and waved Eric over.

Weaving through the regular seating area, Eric grinned and shook his head. Eames had a blow-up doll duct taped to the wall and with a bull's eye drawn over her belly button. Eric considered it short of miraculous she actually had clothes painted on. He reached his brother's side and clapped him on the shoulder.

Eames waggled his eyebrows. "Whatya think of my date?" He gestured towards the over-inflated rubber woman.

Eric snorted. "Bro, if I wasn't dating your ex-girlfriend, I'd question your taste in females."

Eames laughed. "You know, this one is a lot easier to control than Raelin. I think I got the better end of the deal." He glanced around. "Where is she?"

Eric frowned. "At home." He grabbed a cold one from the cooler on the table.

Eames cocked his head. "You could've brought her. The invite was you plus one."

Eric rolled his eyes. "You know how she is about guilt." He twisted the cap off and took a long swallow of the pale ale.

Eames nodded. "Uh huh, she doesn't deal well with it." He nudged Eric with an elbow. "As you and I both know."

Eric's lips quirked. "That we do." He shrugged. "I left the invitation open. If she wants to show up, she will."

Eames's lips turned up. "She just did." He jerked his head toward the entrance.

Eric turned and met Raelin's gaze. She lifted a hand and gave him a sheepish smile. Eames reached over, snagged another beer, and handed it to Eric. "Go on. Meet her halfway and remind her she's welcome here."

Eric uncapped the bottle. "Thanks, man." He headed towards Raelin, a slow grin spreading across his face.

She'd dressed casually but still turned heads when she made her way passed the patrons sitting at the bar. A sloppy drunk guy, about college age, did a double take and made a grab for Raelin's arm.

She paused and sweetly smiled. "I wouldn't go there, buddy." She gave his grasping fingers a pointed look.

He huffed out a breath. "Oh yeah? And why's that?"

She leaned in, keeping her tone low. "Because I bite." She raised her chin and met his gaze. "Hard." She snapped her teeth together.

He loosened his grip and raised the offending hand. "Okay, okay. Not touching you anymore."

Eric fought back a grin and reached her side, draping an arm around her shoulder.

The college guy narrowed his eyes. "Hey… why aren't you snapping your teeth at him?"

Raelin wrapped her arm around Eric's waist. "Because he likes it too much."

Laughter erupted on the other side of the man and Eric chuckled.

He drew her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And that's why I love you so much." He leaned in to whisper. "Thanks for coming, Rae."

She shrugged but flashed a smile. "Figured it was time. Your brother's a great guy." She paused and faced Eric. "But he's not you."

Eric grinned. "His date for the night will be glad to hear it." He jerked his head toward the wall.

Raelin glanced over and her jaw dropped then her shoulders shook.

She grabbed Eric's hand. "Come on. I think you need to make the introductions."

Eames and Eric have been so much fun to write. I'm not quite getting this story in order (stupid sages), but the brothers definitely like to make their needs and wants known. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin