Sunday Snippet: Tell Me More

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, if celebrated. For my family, it's the official beginning to the holiday season and we come up with a new theme for our tree. My middle kidlet is choosing this year and he's decided to go with a sports-related color scheme. Should be interesting because we're mixing scarlet and gray; green, blue, and white; and brown and orange. I have a general idea of how to make it work, but we'll see what the final result is.

A lot of years, we've waited until December 24 to do the actual decorating, but I think we'll be getting it done earlier this season. We also have a big puppy in the house for the first time and I can't wait to see what she does around the tree. LOL

Not much on the TV front this week, but The Flash turned in a great episode. Gotham and Sleepy Hollow were pretty good, too. I'm very much looking forward to the fall finale of Walking Dead tonight. I have a feeling someone's not going to make it… but we'll see. Thankfully, I'll have Chris Hardwick's Talking Dead to soothe whatever gaping wounds I might have. J

Tonight's post is from Tell Me More, a novella where Shannon can't quite stop pushing Webber's buttons.

Here's the tagline:

Shannon Tewes and Webber Dillon work for a premiere event planner and don't always see eye to eye. Shannon has a knack for putting Webber on the hot seat whenever their boss is around and Webber has several ideas of how he'd retaliate if he ever got Shannon in a compromising position.

And a snippety peek…

"Well, thank you guys for coming up with some terrific ideas." Marjorie closed the file and turned off the projector. "Shannon, I think we'll use your design for the extended archway. I love the idea of having the guests walk through the macabre tunnel and exiting out into the lavish, sumptuous ballroom for the midnight wedding." Marjorie stood up from the conference table and directed her attention to Webber. "You'll be able to configure the steel frame, right? I do not want to see any PVC piping under the gray gauze fabric."

Oh, he could construct the frame, all right. If he didn't plan to sleep over the next seven days. And the cost would be—

Webber added the stipulation. "If the client has another three thousand in their budget, I'll get it done." And maybe duct tape Shannon to his welding bench and make her witness how many hours of work she'd just loaded onto his plate.

Marjorie tapped her pen against the file. "Hmm. I'm confident I can talk the bride into forking over the extra. She's going to go ape shit over the design change." She gathered up the file and her bag and strode from the conference room.

Shannon remained seated at the table, not speaking until the door closed. "Okay, Webber, let me have it. Tell me how much my brilliant idea is going to fuck up your life." She scooted her chair back and crossed her arms over her chest.

Any other day, he'd go off on her, giving her every detail she demanded. Today… he didn't have the luxury, not if he wanted to meet the deadline and have the monstrosity of framework welded together.

He pushed away from the table, rising from his seat. "You know what, Shannon? We've played this scenario out so many times, why don't you just insert my long, list of reasons into a tirade, mad lib style." He picked up his notebook, shoving the sketch of her design between the pages. "I've got a shit ton of work to do." He crossed the room, twisted the doorknob, and exited out into the main showroom.

Shannon followed behind him, right on his heels. "Look, Webber. I'm sorry. The idea hit me in the middle of a dead sleep and I had to include it." She grabbed his bicep. "I don't do this stuff on purpose, you know."

He snorted. "Right. Whatever you say." He pulled away from her grip. "Just once, I'd like to be in on the whole idea before the meeting." Striding through the display area, he didn't stop until he'd entered the cavernous warehouse Marjorie used for storage.

Shannon trotted along beside him, waiting patiently while he greeted Greg and George, the two guys who kept track of the inventory. What else could she possibly have to say? Webber didn't particularly care at the moment and almost wished she'd take the hint and leave.

No such luck. She trailed behind him when he left via the back door. He spotted her car parked next to his truck, which explained why she dogged his every step.

He yanked the door open and tossed the notebook onto the front seat, climbing up inside the cab.

Shannon blocked him from pulling the door closed. "Seriously, Webber? You're going to drive off in a shit storm? That's it?"

He made a garbled choking sound. "Shannon, you just made sure I'll be working non-stop for the next seven days. I'll be lucky to get the framework completed." He jammed the key in the ignition and started the truck. "What the hell else do you want?"

She opened her mouth. "I want—" She stopped, pressing her lips together in a frown. "Never mind. Not important." She stepped away and closed the door, her fingers gripping the panel through the open window for a second before she dropped her hands and strode toward her vehicle.

Webber backed out of the parking spot and gunned the engine, pulling into traffic and heading for his workshop. His lips twitched. Shannon Tewes, speechless, kind of blew his mind.

I have a feeling Webber is going to end up giving Shannon a run for her money.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Creative Ink (A Black Unicorn Comic Adventure) #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting one of my first releases, Creative Ink, a Black Unicorn Comics Adventure and a sexy little short story designed to be a hot, quick read. I'll be posting a series of pivotal scenes over the next couple of weeks. Please enjoy!

No, the Black Unicorn Comic series isn't a comic book or graphic novel. Yet. But it is something of a different concept. The series is set around the adventures of the main couple and their co-workers for an indie comic book company and the stories are somewhat short with no more than four to six 'acts'. The idea came from one of my writing groups where we were challenged to come up with the idea for a TV show, cast the characters, and write a short story to create the visual. The overwhelming and positive feedback for Creative Ink convinced me to start the series.

Series Tagline: Black Unicorn Comics—collective genius or creative madness—follow the adventures of Brian, Lucy and their friends and decide.

Book Tagline: Brian and Lucy are on the verge of mainstream success—watch it happen in Creative Ink.

~*~

He let her have a few moments of fun before he turned the tables and worked her into a frenzy of need with his lips, tongue, and fingers, catching hold of her when she tried to dash up the stairs. The man had his own wicked good time, teasing and tantalizing, using feather light strokes, nips and flicks while slowly urging her up the steps.

Lucy indulged one of Brian's few requests and let him remove whatever lingerie she had on, since she so rarely wore it at all. He slid the straps of the purple satin down so slowly Lucy thought she might have to take matters into her own hands. He'd still been in the mood to tease, tempt, and torment her after getting her all hot and bothered on the way up the stairs.

He sped things up with the thong, hooking the scrap of fabric with one finger and giving it a few playful tugs until he cleared her feet. Shoving it off to the side, he delved between her legs and drove her mad with his tongue. He pushed her to the edge of orgasm twice before finally giving over control and letting her ride him to a mind-bending climax.

Lucy's bra hung from one of the iron knobs on the antique bed she'd inherited from her grandmother. A racy purple, the matching thong got buried somewhere under the frothy white comforter Brian's gran gave them as a housewarming gift when she'd visited from the UK.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Black Unicorn Comics is on the cusp of huge indie success. Brian Wells and Lucy Sanderson are the driving force behind the accomplishment. Friendly rivals and romantic partners, they push each other to do great work. Surrounded by a close knit group of co-workers, the ups and downs play out on a daily basis.

Brian's ex works in the office and his best friend owns the press. Lucy's brother lives next door and has the major hots for the ex-girlfriend. A competitor wants to buy the company and convention season is just around the corner.

Brian and Lucy act as the calm in the crazy storm of creativity and keep their relationship burning hot—usually in spite of the antics going on around them. They follow where the muse leads and it's worked out successfully so far.

Book Blurb: Lucy and Brian—creative rivals and romantic partners—are pushing the boundaries of their work and stepping into the realm of indie success. They're challenged with keeping their relationship strong and hot when leading their friends up the ladder.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Surf's Up

November 23, 2014

Gotta take a moment and give it up to the entire cast of Sons of Anarchy. Charlie Hunnam and Jimmy Smits made me cry. Seriously. And if memory serves, there's no episode for Thanksgiving week, so I may have to watch the last one at least one more time.

Also, Arrow and The Flash are meeting up and crossing over. Cannot wait! Both shows are really bringing it and I couldn't be happier. Agents of SHIELD is also getting even better and Sleepy Hollow is holding on. I kind of miss the batshit freak of the week stuff and cross my fingers we'll see some more of that in the near future.

I'm kind of hoping to see some holiday themed episodes from some of my fave shows. If nothing pops up, at least I'll have Doctor Who and I can always watch holiday eps from shows gone by.

Enough TV, tonight's post is from, Surf's Up, a novella with sun, sand, and adventure. Oh… and a little romance.

Here's the tagline:

Marla Siff and Farley Osbourne protect a wealthy businessman as part of his entourage. People assume tech geek Farley is the muscle, but Marla is the combat trained protective detail. When a threat looms, they retreat to the private shores of their client's own island and Marla and Farley fight their attraction to keep their boss safe.

And a snippety peek…

Marla waited, impatient, for Farley to arrive. Wait. Maybe not. What if he'd opted for those tiny speedo-style trunks? She'd die. And fail to do her job. Because all Farley's prime flesh in a little piece of material would distract the hell out of her.

He knocked twice and entered the room… wearing khaki and teal board shorts. Marla breathed a sigh of relief. Farley shot her an odd look.

She chuckled. "Thank you." Grabbing her bag, shades, and towel, she headed toward the sliding doors.

Farley's eyes narrowed. "Why are you thanking me?" He flung his towel over his shoulder and followed her to the patio.

Marla grinned. "For not wearing some super-small trunks. I'd be hard pressed to keep my mind on work if I had to fight off the throng of women who'd flock to your side." Her eyes scanned the beach, checking for anything out of the ordinary.

Farley laughed. "Should I take that as a compliment?" He paused by her side, waiting for her to give the go ahead.

Marla shifted her gaze sideways. "Absolutely. And the board shorts make your butt look great, by the way."

Farley rolled his eyes. "And if said the tankini you're rocking made your ass look good, you'd slug me, right?"

Marla shrugged. "Today? Nah. You get a free pass." She stepped out onto the main path and turned toward their employer's bungalow.

Farley nodded. "In that case, I love the way your suit makes your—"

Marla jabbed a finger under his ribs. "Don't push it, Farley." But she ruined the threat when she couldn't quite keep her lips from turning up into a wide smile.

Another fun one. I hope to get back to it after I finish up a few more almost there manuscripts.

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin

Smokin' Hot—Down in Mexico

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy weekly posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

For this week's entry, we authors are tasked with sharing a scene with sexual tension.

My excerpt is from Down in Mexico, a sexy short story in my South of the Border series from Ellipses Press.

~*~

He should say something. About the future. She might not want it to include him.

Holding her gaze, he asked tentatively. "So what now? His thumb worked over her hand. "Will you stay down here or pull up and head home?"

Kier didn't hesitate. "I'm staying. This is home. The one I've been searching for all my life." She propped her feet in his lap and wiggled her toes. He obliged her, massaging the balls of her feet.

"You wouldn't happen to have an opening for an unemployed covert operative, would you?"

Kier's eyes widened. "You mean…" She let the question trail off.

"I resigned from the unit. Everything's done but the paperwork." He moved his hands to her ankles and massaged gently.

"Wow." She cocked her head sideways, shooting a playful glance his way. "I'm not sure you've got the right skill set to work with me."

He gave her an affronted look. "You're kidding, right?" His fingers started working on her calf muscles. "I'm handy to have around."

She quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm great at heavy lifting. I'm also methodical, organized, and very good at finding things." He brushed his fingers down her shins and started on her feet again.

Kier laughed. "You're hired." She nudged his ribs with her foot. "You had me at heavy lifting."

He smiled. "When do I start?"

Kier went quiet. "Seriously… you're sure you want to stay down here with me?"

Words he wanted to hear. Hell yes.

"I'm sure. I love you Kier, I always will." He pressed his thumbs, massaging deeply, and she groaned.

"God, I love you, too."

Grinning, he teased her. "Besides… who else could you get to do this for you?" He worked his thumbs along the arches of her feet and she laughed.

Grabbing hold, he squeezed her feet tightly. "Seriously though, it's time for me to put down some roots, too."

Kier held his gaze, hers full of understanding.

Then she completely changed the mood by shifting her feet lower, brushing them over his cock. "Wanna go get naked?" Her eyebrows waggled.

What else could he do? He nodded emphatically, shoved her feet off his lap and stood, holding out a hand.

~*~

I hope you enjoyed the tension.

Available on Amazon

More e-retailers coming soon!

~*~

Series Blurb: Sun, sand, and danger. International intrigue mixes with steamy romance to create hot situations—South of the Border.

Book Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate, Kiernan's former employers.

After discovering she's alive and well, Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

Kiernan isn't completely safe. In fact, Lars is using her as bait to catch the last member of the espionage organization.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday samples!

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Creative Ink (A Black Unicorn Comic Adventure) #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting one of my first releases, Creative Ink, a Black Unicorn Comics Adventure and a sexy little short story designed to be a hot, quick read. I'll be posting a series of pivotal scenes over the next couple of weeks. Please enjoy!

No, the Black Unicorn Comic series isn't a comic book or graphic novel. Yet. But it is something of a different concept. The series is set around the adventures of the main couple and their co-workers for an indie comic book company and the stories are somewhat short with no more than four to six 'acts'. The idea came from one of my writing groups where we were challenged to come up with the idea for a TV show, cast the characters, and write a short story to create the visual. The overwhelming and positive feedback for Creative Ink convinced me to start the series.

Series Tagline: Black Unicorn Comics—collective genius or creative madness—follow the adventures of Brian, Lucy and their friends and decide.

Book Tagline: Brian and Lucy are on the verge of mainstream success—watch it happen in Creative Ink.

~*~

Brian shuddered and tried to focus on her words. "Wait. End of the day?" He gazed at her retreating back, eyes sliding down to linger on the curve of her ass.

Lucy called back. "You heard me."

He leaned back in his chair, letting his gaze drink in Lucy's long legs in the cut-off shorts she favored for work. "Yeah, yeah. But I get to keep them, right?"

Lucy didn't respond. Didn't have to. Her middle finger pretty much said it all.

Brian's lips curved. He'd talk her around to letting him keep Harry's renderings. Would be an absolute waste to bin them.

He settled back, marveling at his good fortune. Living and working with the woman he loved made moving half-way around the world worthwhile. And yeah, a very brief and unsatisfying detour with someone else almost sent him scurrying back across the pond right after he arrived, but Lucy made sure he stuck around.

Bloody marvelous of her.

She kept him on his toes—never a dull moment—and he wouldn't change it for anything in the world. He grinned. Lucy hacked his password at least once a week, so she always had the inside scoop on Xavier. Brian purposefully made it easy, knowing it gave her a thrill to catch him off guard. He never knew when she'd strike, only that she would.

And she never pulled punches, giving him a frank and honest critique. The fact she loved his new twist made him even more confident about the direction he wanted to take the storyline. He couldn't wait to run his new ideas by her and see what she thought.

But first… he needed to deal with Harry's illicit artwork… or the only thing he'd be running would be an ad for a new flat mate. Finishing off his coffee, he rose and headed for the old dark room Harry called an office.

The light over the door cast a red glow so he knocked before he opened the door. "Harry, mate, we need to talk…"

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Black Unicorn Comics is on the cusp of huge indie success. Brian Wells and Lucy Sanderson are the driving force behind the accomplishment. Friendly rivals and romantic partners, they push each other to do great work. Surrounded by a close knit group of co-workers, the ups and downs play out on a daily basis.

Brian's ex works in the office and his best friend owns the press. Lucy's brother lives next door and has the major hots for the ex-girlfriend. A competitor wants to buy the company and convention season is just around the corner.

Brian and Lucy act as the calm in the crazy storm of creativity and keep their relationship burning hot—usually in spite of the antics going on around them. They follow where the muse leads and it's worked out successfully so far.

Book Blurb: Lucy and Brian—creative rivals and romantic partners—are pushing the boundaries of their work and stepping into the realm of indie success. They're challenged with keeping their relationship strong and hot when leading their friends up the ladder.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

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Sunday Snippet: Stone Cold Sober

November 16, 2014

I'm truly thrilled with how much I'm enjoying the TV season this fall. Once again, Arrow and Sons of Anarchy blew me away. Gotham and Sleepy Hollow were excellent. The Walking Dead only has two more episodes before the break and I can't wait to watch.

I've had major back spasms over the last two days and Walking Dead actually made me forget how painful it is. LOL

I've also been listening to loads of music lately and putting several playlists together. Sometimes when I write, I like to have specific mood tunes playing in the background. And sometimes I need total silence, which in my house usually only occurs between midnight and four a.m. LOL

Tonight's post is from Stone Cold Sober, a novella with my main characters almost hooking up before they should.

Here's the tagline:

When Tansy Jons meets West Tamesin, they have an instant connection, but she's dating one of his oldest friends. A drunken evening and almost hook-up with West has Tansy examining what she feels as soon as she's stone cold sober.

And a snippety peek…

West tore his mouth away. "Shit, no. We can't do this." He stumbled backwards, putting more than an arm's length between him and Tansy.

Tansy blinked and shook her head. "You want to stop now?" She took two steps forward then paused. "Because I don't."

West held out an arm. "I don't want to stop, but I'm going to." He turned away, unable to think with her over-kissed lips so close. "Look, I can be a total ass, but I won't betray my best friend. No amount of alcohol will wash away the stench of that particular sin."

She cringed. "Gee… thanks, West. So where does that leave me?" She weaved a little, then toppled onto the loveseat. "Wait, I know. Firmly into the slut who'd do anyone category, right?" She grabbed the vodka and chugged directly from the bottle.

Her harsh words caught him off guard. "No. No. That's not what I mean at all." He moved closer, kneeling down, wanting to be on eye-level with her. "I want you. Badly." He gently took the bottle from her hands, placing it on the side table. "But I won't take what you're offering, not right now." He grasped her fingers. "Because I can't freely accept without causing irreparable damage."

She tilted her head to the side. "Because of David." She nodded. "I get it now." She glanced over toward the couch. "He is a great guy."

West slowly rose, relieved he's smoothed over the awkward refusal. "Yeah, he is." He let go of Tansy's hands, a little bereft from the lack of contact. "I’m gonna take off." He made his way to the door, but paused, angled his head around. "Tansy?" He waited until she met his gaze. "For the record, if we were stone cold sober… I'd be all over you." He snagged his jacket from the coat tree and left before she could respond.

This is one of my favorite themes, when two people should be together but have another person standing in their way.

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Creative Ink (A Black Unicorn Comic Adventure) #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting one of my first releases, Creative Ink, a Black Unicorn Comics Adventure and a sexy little short story designed to be a hot, quick read. I'll be posting a series of pivotal scenes over the next couple of weeks. Please enjoy!

No, the Black Unicorn Comic series isn't a comic book or graphic novel. Yet. But it is something of a different concept. The series is set around the adventures of the main couple and their co-workers for an indie comic book company and the stories are somewhat short with no more than four to six 'acts'. The idea came from one of my writing groups where we were challenged to come up with the idea for a TV show, cast the characters, and write a short story to create the visual. The overwhelming and positive feedback for Creative Ink convinced me to start the series.

Series Tagline: Black Unicorn Comics—collective genius or creative madness—follow the adventures of Brian, Lucy and their friends and decide.

Book Tagline: Brian and Lucy are on the verge of mainstream success—watch it happen in Creative Ink.

~*~

Lucy Sanderson sat in front of the monitor, eyes riveted to the screen.

So into the material, she almost missed seeing Brian Wells enter the office. She finished reading the page just as he settled into his seat across from her, a mug of hot coffee in his hand.

Lucy cocked her head sideways. "So…" She drew the word out. "Where do you get the shit in your head?" She fought back a smile when his confused eyes flew to hers over the top of the cup. "I mean does it just exist there waiting to come pouring out, or do you have to work at creating it?" She purposefully waited until he had a mouthful of coffee before she added. "Or does wanting me to be half naked all the time inspire you?"

To his credit, Brian choked down most of the hot liquid, managing to keep the bit that did spew out to a minimum. "Dammit, Lucy. You hacked my password again, didn't you?" He grabbed a napkin to wipe his chin.

Lucy gave him a cheeky grin. "I keep telling you to make it harder. Altering your birth date by a few days is too easy." She picked up her mug of coffee and took a drink.

Brian mumbled something she couldn't quite make out—probably a threat for payback. But she called him on the password thing all the time.

"If I make it too hard, I won't remember the bloody thing."

Lucy chuckled gleefully. Brian never failed to entertain her, and his British accent came out in full force when he got riled about something. Two of the many things she loved about him.

She sat up and leaned closer. "Seriously, Brian. The issue you're working on now is gonna blow people away."

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Black Unicorn Comics is on the cusp of huge indie success. Brian Wells and Lucy Sanderson are the driving force behind the accomplishment. Friendly rivals and romantic partners, they push each other to do great work. Surrounded by a close knit group of co-workers, the ups and downs play out on a daily basis.

Brian's ex works in the office and his best friend owns the press. Lucy's brother lives next door and has the major hots for the ex-girlfriend. A competitor wants to buy the company and convention season is just around the corner.

Brian and Lucy act as the calm in the crazy storm of creativity and keep their relationship burning hot—usually in spite of the antics going on around them. They follow where the muse leads and it's worked out successfully so far.

Book Blurb: Lucy and Brian—creative rivals and romantic partners—are pushing the boundaries of their work and stepping into the realm of indie success. They're challenged with keeping their relationship strong and hot when leading their friends up the ladder.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Steamed Up

Another great week of TV even if a few of my shows were on break for the election night coverage. Gotta take a moment to mention Arrow. Seriously, this show keeps improving on itself. The pacing is perfect and the interweaving of past with present stays flawless. I love this show!

Finally started seeing previews for the new season of Orphan Black. It's just a small little spot with 'You Don't Own Me' playing in the background. Honestly, though? Perfection. And hopefully a small hint of what we'll be seeing early in 2015.

Last mention of television related stuff… Doctor Who. I'll be completely in the minority, but eh, I'm just not feeling the new doctor at all. I did enjoy the season finale and I always watch the Christmas special, but I can't disconnect from the fact Capaldi has played two other roles in the Whoverse. Don't get me wrong, he's a great actor, but the inability to move past his other roles seriously harshes my enjoyment of the show. This saddens me greatly. L

Anyway, enough TV. Tonight's post is from Steamed Up, a sexy short where my characters can't quite resist finding their way back to each other.

Here's the tagline:

Raina Forbes and Huck Holloway are forced to work together after a spectacular break-up. Their close-quarters job situation has sparks flying between the former couple, and shaky new relationships are tested with Huck's going down in flames. And contrary to popular opinion, Huck doesn't always play nice when he truly wants something… or someone.

And a snippety peek…

Raina plopped down onto the couch in Hector's office. "So… looks like we heading up the promo together." She shot Huck a sideways glance. "What are you gonna do if Hector wants you to walk around showing skin to sell merchandise?"

Huck snorted. "Why does it matter? He wouldn't." He kicked his feet out, settling back in the overstuffed, leather chair.

Raina lifted a brow. "Considering it's one of the main reasons we split, it matters. And you don't know what levels he'll stoop to when it comes to selling more stuff."

Huck sighed. "Look, Raina. Can we not do the whole rehash of our breakup? Our groups merged, we have to work together, but try not to make it more difficult, okay?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "First, I'm not rehashing anything. You're gonna need to get used to Hector referring to us, namely Marisa and me, as his 'sweet ass moneymakers'." She leveled her gaze on Huck. "He says it frequently, as you already know. Can you keep your mouth shut when he does?"

Huck's mouth thinned to a flat line, but he nodded. "I don't get why you let him get away with treating you like a sexless prostitute, but hey, lesson learned. You don't need my help, right?"

Raina hated the fact he had a point, a valid one, yet Hector could be worse. Yeah, his sexist bullshit irritated Raina, but the man ran the best local venue for their sport. Why else would Huck's former boss sell out to Hector?

Huck nudged her knee with his foot. "What else?"

She blinked, confused.

He quirked a brow. "You said first… that implies something else will follow."

Shit. Yeah, something less than pleasant.

She straightened. "You know what? It's not important. At least nothing that can't wait." She rose and dug her phone out of her pocket. "I need to contact the t-shirt vendor and see if the new designs are ready." She scrolled through her contacts and headed for the door.

Why start a battle when she might not have to?

Raina likes to avoid confrontation when she knows what the outcome will be. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin

Banner Thursday—Sexy Shorts

Today, I'm featuring the banner I hope to use across all three of my pseudonyms to help brand the shorter works I tend to write.

                                 

For this piece, I wanted something without a lot of busy stuff going on, but it still needed to convey I write sexy, sensual stories. I also wanted to have a little fun, too.

I think I succeeded.

Take a look…

I'll be using this on my blogs and websites whenever a story is on the shorter side, usually coming in at under the 12k word mark. Sometimes you want something quick and satisfying for your reading pleasure.

Thanks for reading!

Please visit my website

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Busted in Bubbles #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting one of my first releases, Busted in Bubbles, a sexy little short story designed to be a hot, quick read. I'll be posting a series of pivotal scenes over the next couple of weeks. Please enjoy!

Today's post features some banter between Emsley and Rayne, picking up from where last week's post left off.

Book Tagline: Is there anything better than a bath time romp with a hot man? Emsley Bourne wants to find out.

~*~

She had to know if the do-it-all security expert liked to soak in a tub. Peeking around the corner, she bit her cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Sure as shit, Rayne McKinnon sat up to his shoulders in frothy bubbles. An open bottle of bubbly, nestled in a bucket of ice, sat beside the tub, a glass filled with the golden liquid held in one of Rayne's hands, dangling outside. His head rested on the rolled edge of the tub, eyes closed, his fingers lazily tilting the glass back and forth.

The humor died and Emsley's face heated up. God, he looked damned good, bubbles or not. A wave of jealousy hit her… he appeared so content. The relaxed pose, the hot water, the alcohol… geez, she could go for all three. Okay, four. She could go for Rayne right now, too.

Rayne opened his eyes and shook his head. "Come to short sheet the bed again, Ems?"

She blinked and sputtered, but didn't deny the accusation. "How did you know?"

Rayne drained his glass and poured another flute. "You're the only person I know brazen enough to swipe a keycard at a security conference and not worry about getting caught." His lips quirked knowingly. "That juvenile record of yours must come in handy sometimes."

Emsley almost missed the backhanded insult. Her eyes had been riveted to the sculpted muscle playing under his skin when he poured the drink.

She nodded absently. "Yeah, it does." His words registered. "Wait. What? My juvie records are sealed. You shouldn't know about them."

Rayne's lips curved in a slow smile. "It pays to have extraordinary hacking skills."

Available on Amazon

More e-retailers coming soon!

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Book Blurb: Rayne McKinnon sells a lucrative security-consulting job and it's time to move on to his next objective: adding a partner. He wants Emsley Bourne, personally and professionally, and puts a plan in motion to achieve his goal. She only has to follow through with her usual tradition.

Emsley lives for the next thrill, in business and life. She's got a unique skill set and uses it to gain access to Rayne's cabin to follow through on her standard short-sheeting escapade. Imagine her surprise when she discovers Rayne soaking in a tub full of bubbles. Busted, she can either flee the scene—or join Rayne for some bath time fun.

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Sunday Snippet: Severing Ties

I love crossovers on television. The Flash and Arrow had a character crossover this week and it was great to watch. I think my all-time favorite might be the Homicide and Law and Order crossover. Can't really say why, but that one always sticks out in my mind when I think about the various shows that use them.

I caught a marathon of Covert Affairs on Cloo this weekend and quite enjoyed it. I usually catch shows like White Collar and Covert Affairs on Netflix or when other networks run blocks of programming. I wish networks like BBC America would offer more options than Top Gear and whatever Gordon Ramsey show, which I've seen multiple times and could care less about. Honestly, with the vast library the BBC has, isn't there anything else they could put on during the day?

Enough television, tonight's post is from Severing Ties, a novella where my characters discover the true spirit of community.

Here's the tagline:

Lucky Block and Booker Severn provide all the crazy antics their small town can take. But when they finally sever ties, the community pulls out all the stops to show the couple they belong together.

And a snippety peek…

Lucky strode into the pub and stomped in his direction. "What the hell, Booker? You text me an ultimatum?" She jammed a hand in a pocket, probably to keep from punching him.

He shrugged. "You weren't answering my calls and I'm not playing the 'wait three days for Lucky to calm down' game anymore." He lifted his bottle of beer and took a nice, long swallow. "This is it, Lucky. You have to decide." Booker set the bottle on the bar and faced her.

Lucky's mouth opened then closed. Her jaw worked, indecision warring with commitment on her face. Her eyes flashed then went dark and stormy.

Booker cupped her cheek. "It shouldn't be so hard, Lucky." He dropped his hand from her face and backed away slowly.

He should have known. She wouldn't go for the long haul. Not in her make-up. They'd gone down the road and back so many times and he refused to travel the same rut-filled path anymore.

He angled back to the bar and effectively shut the door on a life with Lucky.

This one is going to be so much fun to finish. I love nosy townsfolk. :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin