Sunday Snippet: Rescue Me

February kind of flew by, which isn't actually a big shock since it's a short month anyway. But, man, I kind of wish it went by a little slower. I'm always scrounging around for time and short months make me feel like there's less to be had.

Still had trouble focusing this week but I got a lot accomplished on my work projects despite my distraction. Luckily, I have more than one project going so I can hop around when I start to lose my concentration.

Had an okay week of viewing. I have to figure out what's going on with one of my streamers. That could take another week. But I did get through most of my usual shows.

Started with My Life Is Murder and actually got two episodes watched. I like the pickup with Alexa's brother again. I wondered if we'd see him this season. Also enjoyed both cases Alexa had to solve.

Watched the first part of Agatha Raisin. Poor James. I can't wait to find out who offed his bride. I love the interaction between all the characters, but I'm sad Roy isn't in this one. At least not yet.

Caught another episode of Silent Witness. Kind of enjoyed having another case mixed in with the ongoing saga of Sam Ryan. I'm really not sure what's going on with her and I'm not going to be super surprised if she ends up being in the clear. Also loved Nikki and Jack's date. Nice to get some backstory with Simone, too.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I remember bits of this one and I'm glad I got to see the whole thing from start to finish. Not a bad opening for season six.

Watched another episode of Elementary. I liked seeing Sherlock realize he'd way overstepped with the NYPD. Also loved having the captain kind of take some of his dignity back.

Caught another episode of The Batman. I'm not as fond of this season and I remember feeling this way when I watched originally. The new format grew on me, and I'll settle back in and enjoy, but I really loved the first season of this show the most.

Enjoyed the penultimate episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Everything is coming to a head, and I can't wait to see how this ends.

Also rewatched the Battlestar Galactica resistance webisodes. Groundbreaking at the time, there's a lot of story packed into ten mini-episodes. And twenty years later, I'm still stunned at how prescient the writers were for what's going on in the world today.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rescue Me, a novella that tracks how a couple got together.

Here's the miniblurb:

After twenty-four hours of nonstop runs in two busy station houses, Skylar Darns and Hayes Parrison, two extremely good paramedics, are ready to throw in the towel and have someone rescue them. The one saving grace? They spend the day planning their anniversary celebration—one they may be too exhausted to attend.

And a snippety peek…

Halfway through the day, after another dicey call, Skylar took a quick five minutes to shoot a text to Hayes. "We need to plan a movie night sometime soon."

Hayes sent a thumbs-up emoji.

Her lips quirked and she climbed inside the back of the rig and settled on the bench seat. With their schedules, movie nights were hard to come by sometimes. And occasionally, they got sidetracked altogether. Like the very first time they scheduled one.

She'd worked half a shift for a friend and responded to a house fire with five fatalities. After being relieved after two o'clock, she'd come home and hopped in the shower, spending an incredibly long time under the pounding hot spray. She couldn't shake the cold feeling of death that permeated since the five black bags were loaded into the coroner's van.

When Hayes arrived, ready to go and looking so hot in a pair of worn jeans and tight T-shirt with the fire department logo embroidered on the pocket, she wished she could put the day aside and go.

Instead, she asked him in for a moment. "Did you hear about the callout to the residential structure fire this morning?"

He nodded. "Yeah, rough going."

She grunted an acknowledgment. "Do you mind if we skip the movie?" She just couldn't be a shiny, happy person today.

Hayes cocked his head. "Sure, do you want to me to call when I get home?" He made a move to head back outside.

Skylar shook her head. "Actually, I want you to get naked and have really hot sex with me." Anything to shove the shitty images from the morning aside.

He kicked the door shut, yanking his shirt over his head. "I can do that." He popped the button on his jeans. "Are you going to join me with the naked thing or remained dressed? I'm down either way."

He couldn't have lifted her mood more with those words. She laughed and raced him to the bedroom, shedding clothes on the way. He had the best way of being exactly what she needed to forget the crap day.

He caught her before she reached the bed, grasping her hips to stop her progress. She turned, sliding his hands up to his biceps. His gaze showed naked hunger and her chin tilted upward. His head lowered and, when his lips caught hers, heat flared, desire flamed and flickered along her nerve-endings.

She backed toward the bed and tugged him down with her, their lips still fused together. He shuffled around, dragging a condom from his jeans and sheathing his erection. When he parted her thighs and thrust forward, she gasped against his mouth.

He paused, bracing his arms on either side of her torso. "You okay?" Concern tinged his voice.

She nodded. "Better than. Don't stop." Her fingers gripped his ass urging him to continue.

He fit perfectly and the friction of him filling her already had her senses clamoring for more. Hayes complied, taking his time, drawing back slowly, and moving forward with exquisite slowness. He used his hands and lips to soothe her weary soul, easing the weight she couldn't seem to shrug off.

When her breathing went shallow, and the friction built to an aching pitch, Hayes worked his fingers over her clit and she came apart, shuddering through an orgasm. He followed right behind her, whispering her name against her throat. Buoyed by the release, she cupped his chin and brought his lips to hers.

When he eased away to dispose of the condom in her small bathroom, she rolled to her side and propped her head on her hand. Hayes returned, gathering their clothes on the way. He put hers on the slipper chair in the corner of the bedroom.

He started to put his shirt on, but Skylar sat up and reached out for him. "Can you spend the night?" A big step, but she didn't want to be alone.

Hayes paused, letting the shirt hang off his arm. "I'd love to, if you're sure." The unasked question rolled through his gaze.

Is this the start of something more?

Skylar gave a nod. "Wouldn't ask if I wasn't." She flipped the sheet back. "Come back to bed."

Hayes didn't hesitate, flinging his shirt over his shoulder. Skylar laughed, but sobered, her chin wobbling. Hayes slid onto the bed and scooped her into his arms, tucking her head against his shoulder. Then he let her unload about her experience that day.

I have a lot of love for this story. I'm a huge fan of tracing the events that bring people together.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Quitters Never Cheat

It's been a rough week where my brain wants to do anything but focus on work. We also got eight inches of snow on Friday and the temps dropped way down again. My sinuses are not happy at the moment.

Not a bad week of viewing television. The whole distraction thing kind of kept me from getting a full slate watched. I did get through most of my normal shows.

I started out with My Life Is Murder. I kind of like the new assistant but I'm wondering what's going on the Maddie. I also love seeing actors from other shows pop up on this one. I didn't realize how much Australian and New Zealand shows I've been watching.

Caught another episode of Agatha Raisin and finished up the two-parter. Kind of wigged out that James is getting married to someone else. But I loved the interactions in this one.

Continued the eight-part, I think, Silent Witness. This season is very intriguing with a lot of twists and turns. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise and didn't remember seeing any of this one. Happy to have it in the watched pile.

Watched another episode of Elementary. The introduction of Moriarity is something I've looked forward to. Not sure how I feel about Joan lying to Sherlock, but I'll reserve judgment until I see how it rolls on screen.

Caught another episode of The Batman. Enjoyed seeing Scarface again. Also liked peeling back the layers of Hugo Strange. He's an intriguing character.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of them from the original run and liked both. Such a fun show.

Also watched another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Very interesting twist with Maggie coming back. I can definitely see how the books this series is based on would captivate readers. I do think there's a little loss of translation from the page to screen, but I really love this series a lot.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quitters Never Cheat, a novella that reunites a couple after a bad breakup.

Here's the miniblurb:

Robbin Rhayne, a talented sculptor, believes she has to suffer for her art. Ewan Arthur makes her almost reconsider the concept—sex has never been better with anyone—until he wants more and she won't commit. Several years later she runs into Ewan again and the spark is still there … too bad they're both in relationships with other people.

And a snippety peek…

Robbin sat at the bar. She'd signaled Stan over an hour ago, ready to leave. Of course, he ignored her.

Fine. I'll get drunk and solve the world's problems with Lois the bartender. As long as she didn't have to think about hers particular set of challenges right now.

"Can I get you another?" Lois nodded toward the almost empty bottle of wine.

Robbin shrugged. "Sure, why not?" She slid her glass over.

Lois quirked an eyebrow. "You're not driving home, are you?" She uncorked the bottle.

Robbin rolled her eyes. "Not sure I'm ever going to get home." No doubt Stan would stay until the bitter end.

Lois poured, topping off Robben's goblet. "I can call a cab or a ride share." She put the empty container in the trash bin.

Robbin almost asked Lois to make that happen but shook her head. "Nah, that's okay. I'm good here—unless you're ready to see the last of me." She wouldn't blame Lois if she were.

Lois flashed a smile. "No way. You've livened up what would normally be a boring shift." Her gaze dropped and her voice lowered. "Incoming at your left shoulder." A grimace marred her face.

Robbin turned and almost slid off the bar stool. She'd definitely had more than a little wine. But … she didn't really care at the moment.

Stan frowned. "What the hell, Robbin? Do you plan to sit here all day?"

She blinked. "I plan for us to head out. I signaled you over an hour ago." And she really wanted to be anywhere but here.

Stan snorted. "Sorry, babe. Not gonna happen. I'm not ready to go."

Robbin sighed. "Look, Stan, I'm tired. If you can't be bothered to take me home, I'll call a cab." She dug her phone out of her pocket.

Stan snagged her arm. "Are you kidding me? You can't spend one damned afternoon with the people I work with?" He snarled the words.

Robbin sent a glance upward to the darkening sky. "In case you missed it, it's almost evening. I did spend the afternoon with your coworkers." She slid off the stool and only wobbled slightly. "And it's not like I ever ask you to hang out with my work crew." They'd eat Stan alive.

Stan barked out a laugh, drawing a few stares. "Why would you? They're nothing but a bunch of low-rent welders who talk shit and guzzle beer."

Lois gasped behind the bar. Robbin's face flamed red-hot. She'd had more than enough of Stan's snobbish crap.

She folded her arms over her chest. "It's good to know how little you value what I do for a living." Especially when she worked her ass off.

Stan rolled his eyes. "Please, you only work that job to support your habit of buying junk for your so-called art."

Robbin's mouth dropped open. So-called art? The thing he supposedly loved the most about her? What happened to the crazy-awesome connections he could make from being in her orbit? Humiliation burned along her skin.

Lois came out from behind the rattan counter. "Look, you two should take this somewhere else. You're drawing a crowd." She put a hand on Robbin's shoulder. "Want me to call that cab?" She leaned in closer to Robbin. "You don't need this moron tearing you down."

Robbin wanted to heave. From the wine or from Stan's outburst, she didn't know. But her stomach roiled.

Stan took offense. "Stay out of this." He grabbed Robbin's arm and whirled her around. "Let's find a spot where you can sober up." He dragged her alongside him into one of the cabanas—a different one from earlier.

Robbin stumbled to keep up, making an effort to maintain a calm demeanor. Her fingers itched to slap Stan for being an absolute jackass. Her shoulder knocked into the frame of the small enclosure.

Once inside, Stan spun her around to face him. "What the hell are you trying to do to me?" He hissed in anger.

Robbin's head spun and her stomach pitched sideways. Two Stans hovered in her line of sight. She tried to pull away, but Stan's grip tightened on her forearm.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "I asked you a question, Robbin. What are you doing?"

She tried to tug her arm away again. "Right now, I'm trying not to throw up all over the place." If he didn't let her go, she'd aim for his shoes.

This story is coming together in a way I didn't expect and that makes me so happy.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Quit the Music

Happy Valentine week to those who celebrate. I'll throw in Galentine, friends with benefits, and all things hearts and flowers, too. February is a short but sometimes brutal month. Celebrate whatever you can.

Very busy work week with some great projects. Ran into a few glitchy things in a manuscript and that slowed my flow down. I actually enjoy that sometimes. Makes me stop and think about the story and how to suggest better changes.

Semi-decent viewing week. Made it through my shortened list of shows but had no time for my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica.

Started off with the season three opener of My Life Is Murder. Still enjoying this show so much. I think three is the last season so I'm going to savor it.

Started a new two-part Agatha Raisin. Very much enjoyed the antics of Wilkes and I'm a little bummed that Bill and Toni aren't really connecting. Also kind of wish Roy had more to do.

Watched the season twenty-five opening episode of Silent Witness. Kind of cool to see Sam Ryan again. I think this season is focused around one main case and I'm kind of excited to see where it goes. Also kind of great to see Nikki and Jack maybe get their bookmark on the same page. We'll see how that goes.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. Very interesting premise for this one. Enjoyed the unraveling of the case to find out who did it.

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. I like Joan's resistance to staying with Sherlock but it would be more interesting if she actually said why she didn't want to stick around.

Watched another episode of The Batman. I'd forgotten about this one and kind of loved how Barbara figured out who Batman is then decided she had it all wrong. Fun episode.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats. I have vague memories of the two vignettes and rather enjoyed both.

Got another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson in and pretty much loved it. The story is moving along and I'm excited to get more details to her past.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quit the Music, a novella that pulls two people together then reveals a connection to the past.

Here's the miniblurb:

Prosper Bates, bartender and music lover, hears Drew Langerford play and his songs haunt her. Drawn to the gorgeous musician, she falls hard for him, but when his mentor shows up, the new relationship may end before it even gets started.

And a snippety peek…

Drew Langerford sat at the piano, his fingers picking out the tune of a popular song. He fumbled the keys and heaved a sigh.

"You know it doesn't have to be perfect, right?" His mentor took over, playing through the mistake and adding an extra riff to smooth out the chords.

Drew watched carefully. "So, when I screw up, just cover and go on like nothing happened?" Why did that always seem easier said than done?

Monroe transitioned into an ominous death march on the keyboard. "Absolutely. Playing should be fun. And being able to improvise on the fly will keep you in demand as a musician." He stopped playing and leaned in closer to Drew. "And contrary to what your dear old mom thinks, perfection is overrated."

Drew snorted. "You'll never convince her of that." He'd tried and failed. And now he had a damn competition over the weekend. He slumped forward. "I hate competing. It sucks."

Monroe shook his head. "No, competitions are a great training ground. You learn how to play under pressure and how to focus on the music." He shot Drew a sideways glance. "What do you think auditions are? They're informal competitions."

Drew cocked his head to one side. "Huh. Hadn't thought of that." His fingers flexed and he dove into a classical song on the list. "So, the higher I score, the better I'll do when I start auditioning for actual work?" He nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense." He turned the classical piece into a lively riff. "What do you think about a degree in music? Mom wants me to skip college and compete. But I want to explore the whole field of music." He stopped playing and turned toward Monroe.

Monroe took a moment before answering. "You've got enough talent to make a living without a degree. But having the education, understanding the theory behind the notes … gives you options you probably haven't even thought of yet." He slid off the stool and moved to sit in the armchair next to the piano. "What do you want to do? Competing gives you an opportunity to tour the world, but playing for a band does the same thing. It all depends on what your vision of the future holds."

Drew sighed. "That's part of the problem. Mom is determined to turn me into some kind of prodigy, but I really just want to play anything but classical music for the rest of my life." He frowned. "She won't even listen when I start to deviate from the songs on the competition lists."

Monroe made a commiserating sound. "That's rough. Having an audience that appreciates the effort is a big part of being comfortable playing." His lips twisted in a sad smile. "Before I became in demand, my little girl used to sit by my side and listen to everything I played. We could occupy the entire day, happy to share the music."

Drew hid his surprise. He had no idea Monroe had a kid. Questions buzzed on the edge of his tongue, but he didn't pry. Deep sadness filled his mentor's tone, and Drew understood how painful dragging up the past could be.

His mom reminded him almost daily that they only had each other since Drew's dad died in an accident at work.

Drew's curiosity got the better of him. "What were your daughter's favorite songs?"

Monroe huffed out a breath. "Man, she didn't have any. She loved everything. Blues, rock and roll, Irish jigs. It didn't matter what I played. She loved any kind of music."

Drew wondered what having an audience of one that loved everything would be like?

Too bad he'd probably never find out … especially if his mom refused to let him try anything new.

I love writing Drew and his dilemma. He's on the cusp of making a big decision and his mom won't be happy with it at all.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Quid Pro Quo

Well, the shortest month is off to a banger start. I had a full slate of projects and managed to get through two before their deadlines. The other two aren't due until midweek, and I have two more starting this week. I'm so excited to have a full calendar!

Had a semi-solid week of viewing. Made it most of the way through my current round of shows and I'm hoping to continue the same this week. We'll see if the workload allows for it.

Started off with a My Life Is Murder behind the scenes interview with Lucy Lawless. Ended up thoroughly enjoying it. Should be ready to start season three this week.

Finished up the two-part Agatha Raisin. Somewhat disappointed with how the storyline played out with James and Agatha. But also really enjoyed the mystery. I love the reveals from Sarah's past and Bill and Toni better stay together or I'm going to lose my mind.

Caught the second half of Silent Witness and I'm rather happy my fear did not come to light and the grad student didn't drug Nikki's drink. I also love that she basically said, yeah, no thanks to him. I would not mind if Nikki and Jack took their shot. We'll see how that goes.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. I really don't remember any of this one, so it was nice to have no expectations going in. Actually enjoyed the mystery unfold.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Very fun watching Sherlock interact with Joan's family and the way her mom kind of planted the seed for Joan to stick around and work with Sherlock.

Caught another episode of The Batman. I remember watching this the first time around, but I guess I was thinking Batgirl didn't show up until season three. So wrong on that count.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, these were two vignettes that I didn't remember, so it was nice to have new to me stuff to watch.

I'm enjoying the second season of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Episode two had some good reveals and I'm kind of excited to see where things go in the next one.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I'm really, really not interested in the whole Andrew and Kate saga. The ex-husband is a total dick and Andrew is a blockhead if he can't figure out Richard is behind everything. Will be skipping the next episode and moving on to Will's return.

Didn't have time for my Battlestar Galactica rewatch this week and I skipped VIP because I wanted to get Peak Practice in. I'll try to pick up with those if time allows.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quid Pro Quo, a sexy short that brings a couple together after one of them is injured.

Here's the miniblurb:

When Abel Reynolds gets injured and laid up for a couple of days, Lark Munroe decides to provide a little quid pro quo check in on him, except she's got way better ideas to pass the time than Abel ever did.

And a snippety peek…

Abel Reynolds ran his finger down the checklist to restock the back of the medic. "Looks good." He closed the case of supplies and hefted the strap over his shoulder. Stepping out of the back, he hit the bay floor and his foot slid out from under him. "Shit." He tried to correct his balance bringing his other foot down but he rolled his ankle and winced when the twist sent searing pain shooting up his leg. "Aw, damn. That hurts." He tried to put weight on the foot but couldn't. "Son of a bitch!" He didn't need this right now.

Lark Munroe came running out, carrying the wet floor pylons. "Oh, crap. I didn't get these out here fast enough." She dropped the cones and carefully picked her way to his side tucking her shoulder under his arm. "Let's get you over to a chair and take a look."

He hobbled across the bay floor and dumped the case of supplies then hopped to the first empty chair. Lark nudged him back and removed his shoe and sock.

She winced. "Already starting to swell. We'll ice it and get you to the ED for an X-ray." She started to get to her feet.

Abel shook his head. "No. No need." No effing way did he want a trip to the emergency department.

Lark arched a brow. "Did you really just say that?" She pressed on the swollen tissue and a breath hissed out before he could stop it. "Exactly. We're going for an X-ray and you are not going to argue." She snapped her fingers and motioned for one of their coworkers to get some ice.

Abel sighed. "Better let the chief know we're taking lost time." He paused a moment. "You are coming with me, right?" Damned if he'd let her wriggle out of taking him.

Lark smirked. "Wouldn't leave you hanging. Of course I am." She headed for the office area.

Ninety minutes later, he had his X-ray and orders to go home and stay off the foot for forty-eight hours. Lark stopped by the station, grabbed his go-bag, and dropped him off at his place. She pulled into the drive and cut the engine then got out and hustled around to give him a hand out of the car.

She got him to the door and helped him in. "At least it's not broken." She gave him a hopeful smile.

He huffed out a breath. "Might be better if it had been." A cast would keep his ankle immobile, and he could've gone back to work.

Yeah, but behind a desk.

Lark commiserated. "Yeah, sucks to be limited to no activity."

He grunted. She would know. She'd been hurt last year and hated every moment of down time.

He nodded in her direction. "Thanks for getting me home. You'd better get back to the station." He shuffled his crutches under his arms. "I'm going to get this foot elevated and find a good book."

Lark grunted and took her leave, lifting a hand in farewell.

Abel sighed. "This sucks."

This one is so much fun to write. Abel is not a good patient at all, and Lark enjoys having the opportunity to lighten his day.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin