Sunday Snippet: A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Greetings, September! I decided to start at least thinking about what to do for holiday shopping this year. I'm fairly certain I've decided the direction I want to go in for the kids and the husband. Possibly even my parental unit. This never happens. I fully expect the world to stop spinning sometime in the near future. Just saying.

Had a super crazy and busy week, but still got some solid viewing in. Granted, I did end up doing the usual marathons of Murder, She Wrote and In the Heat of the Night. I also got a solid block of The Saint in. Also got two episodes of Classic Who watched.

I started Sunday with Midsomer Murders then followed with Babylon 5 and The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

Monday, I caught the Birds of Prey pilot episode. I loved this show so much when it premiered. Tuesday was Pensacola Wings of Gold. Wednesday, I watched another episode of Lexx and on Thursday, I watched Surprised by Love, a Hallmark original. Finally found one I thoroughly enjoyed.

On Friday, I started season five of Strike Back. I got interrupted during the first episode so I'll finish it over the weekend. I did finish Band of Brothers, which is one of my rewatch at any time shows.

Saturday has been a big block of The Saint again. Not sure what else I'll get into but I'm writing the blog post a little early so it's out of the way.

Still behind on Killjoys and Wynonna Earp, but I'll definitely make sure to watch every single episode in the near future.

That's it for this week. Tonight's post is from A Kiss is Just a Kiss, a novella that got a start with a scene prompt of writing one character teases the other with a kiss on Fourth of July weekend. The one being kissed makes an alpha!appearance.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A kiss is just a kiss… except when it’s not. Betsy Roarke shares a brief lip-lock with Wash Mulligan and can't stop thinking about it. He's got her all twisted up and turned sideways and she aims to make him feel the same.

And a snippety peek…

Dear Dad, I've decided to leave the navy.

Washburn Mulligan stared at the blank screen. "Nah. Like he'd care." Not like Butch supported Wash's decision to join in the first place.

Maybe ten years had mellowed the old man out.

Wash snorted. "Right. As if." But he needed to find something to put in the e-mail.

Keep it simple, man.

 Wash typed in a brief message saying he'd be coming home and listing his flight time. Not that he expected his dad to meet him at the airport, but Wash had enough time with his mom before she died to learn manners. He wouldn't be rude and just show up on his dad's doorstep.

It's your doorstep too, dude.

Wash hit send then kicked back to wait for his ride to the airport. He pushed an unsettled feeling aside. Mustering out of the service had been the right call. After losing his best friend on the last deployment, Wash didn't have the drive to stay in anymore. Didn't help he hadn't been there when Sam went down. I should've been able to save him.

But he hadn't been and he couldn't change the outcome.

"Wash. Your ride's here." Norm Chantley stuck his head into the room.

Wash got up and swung his rucksack over his shoulder. "Thanks." He stuck out his hand. "It's been an honor to serve with you."

Norm grasped Wash's palm. "Same, Wash. Won't be the same without you."

Wash's lips kicked up in a grin. "It's gonna be different, going back to civilian life." But hopefully good.

Norm gave Wash a slap on the back when he exited the room. "Keep in touch, man. We'll look forward to hearing about what you get into."

Considering Wash had no idea what his future held, he almost laughed. Instead, he promised to let Norm know when he got settled.

If he got settled. No guarantees there.

Getting into the waiting car, Wash slouched down and fished his phone from his pocket. Maybe he'd call his dad. No… they'd argued the last time they'd talked around the holidays. Wash grieved for Sam and Butch had been cranky about something work-related. But something in his dad's voice gave Wash pause. The old man sounded tired. Except when he talked about Betsy. The girl could do no wrong in his dad's eyes.

Wash delved into memories. She'd been in high school when he left, involved in music, drama, and lots of committees. He'd been doing his own thing working for his dad and tried not to pay much attention to her. So much easier said than done when a cute, outgoing female breezed into their home and put down roots.

And the poor kid tried to play peacemaker when he and Butch got into it. Didn't take more than a couple of major blowout arguments with his dad before Wash enlisted. He needed time to figure out what he wanted from life.

He snorted. "And I needed discipline. Something the old man wanted me to have but never took the time to teach." Getting away had opened Wash's eyes.

He might not know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, but he had found himself. No longer the boy who lived in his dad's shadow, Wash had become the man he wanted to be. For better or worse.

Now he had to strategize how to fit back into Butch Mulligan's world.

Oddly, he welcomed the challenge.

I enjoy writing Wash. He's a little damaged on the inside but not mean and surly about it. Yet. Being back in his dad's orbit might change Wash's demeanor just a little. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin