Sunday Snippet: Ker and Moros

Yeesh. So far, May has been a very chilly month. Our high yesterday hit forty-five degrees. Brrr. I'm going to try really hard to remember this when I'm crying because it's eighty-five in October. Just saying.

I didn't quite get everything tracked down that I wanted to last week so I'm carrying it over to this week. I think I'm going to make May my month to get stuff done. And, I'll be honest, it'll probably spill over into June. Time moves faster than I like sometimes.

Pretty good work week all things considered. I closed out a project and came close to finishing the final steps two others. Finished up a copy edit on a long manuscript and started a proofread on another. I have a continuation of another project on the books for this week also. I love to be busy.

Not a bad viewing week. I got through my usual list of shows, which makes me happy. I didn't get to watch any of my back burner shows or a concert, but maybe this week.

Started out with the season-twelve premier of the Brokenwood Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed the episode. Love having the cast of recurring characters making appearances.

Watched the final behind the scenes bonus of Foyle's War and enjoyed seeing the effort that went into creating the battle scene. Should be starting the final season this week.

Caught the opening episode of the next Poirot season. Kind of fun to see how little Poirot enjoyed retirement. And a really good mystery also.

Finished up the two-part Silent Witness premier. A very twisty story with lots of layers. I think I'm going to like having the team work at the new Bowman Center.

Elementary ended up being really interesting. I'm enjoying the Shinwell training and the case ended up being way complicated than I thought it would be.

Watched the second episode of Young Justice and I enjoyed seeing the team come together. Looking forward to more.

Caught another episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks and, whoo boy. Gotta say Mariner got shafted. Should be fun and interesting to see how things play out over the rest of the season.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Ker and Moros, a novella that brings a couple together when both are at low points in life.

Here's the miniblurb:

When they meet on the hiking trail, Leticia Sutton and Dustin Pierce carry guilt for past transgressions that weighs them down. The new acquaintances are at their lowest point and agree to meet each week for friendly therapy, which develops into an attraction between the two. By the end of their journey, they have to decide if they have a solid foundation to build a relationship or if they should remain friends.

And a snippety peek…

Dustin guided Leticia through the clearest way to the main hiking path. "Try to keep the weight off that ankle." He could see the swelling getting worse.

She glanced toward him. "Are you a doctor?" Her lips turned upward for a moment before she grimaced again.

Dustin huffed out a laugh. "Nope. Paramedic and firefighter." She didn't need to know he'd been forced to take leave.

No matter how gently the battalion chief suggested Dustin take the time off.

Because he had become a death magnet. The chief didn't come right out and say those words, but Dustin got the strong impression everyone wanted him gone. At least for a while.

Not that he blamed them. Three deaths in two years and each one related to him in some way. Yeah, even he wondered if the planets were in some weird alignment.

First, one of his coworkers fell through a floor of a burning house and died from their injuries. Next, at a scene on the highway, a fellow paramedic got struck by a car and didn't survive the impact. Finally, Dustin's mentor—the man who brought him into the fire service—died during a training exercise at the academy. The last one pushed Dustin into accepting the chief suggestion to take some time off and get his head on straight.

He'd been present at all three. Each one had been violent. And the losses hit hard in the tight-knit departments.

Leticia made an ouchy sound and Dustin paused, glancing down. She shook her hand and a splash of red caught his eye.

He frowned. "Some paramedic I am. You hurt more than your ankle, didn't you?" He maneuvered her toward a tree and propped her against it. "Let me take a look."

She held out her hand and, sure enough, she had a small gash where she'd probably made a grab for something to slow her fall. It oozed blood and had dirt and debris surrounding the wound. He pulled his water bottle from his pocket and twisted off the cap.

She met his gaze. "I didn't notice it either, so it's not your fault." Holding her hand out, she closed her eyes.

Dustin quickly rinsed the area clean and took a closer look. "Don't think it'll need stitches, but we need to put some pressure on it." His brow furrowed. "I don't have anything on me here, but I have a first aid kit in my truck."

Leticia reached up with her uninjured hand and pulled the wide headband from her head. "I know it's not clean, but will it work for now?"

Dustin nodded. "Yeah. We'll rinse the area again when we get to the parking lot." His original plan to get her to the main trail and let her call someone wouldn't work now.

She sighed. "I'm so sorry. I really appreciate your help." Her eyes got misty, but she blinked then pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

Dustin shook his head. "Hey, it's okay. Let's get going and we'll have you fixed up and feeling better soon." He finished dressing the gash then got his arm back around her.

Leticia gave him a smile. "I'll bet you didn't have this scenario on your bingo card for today, did you?"

Dustin laughed. "Can't say I did. But it's better than the dumpster fire burning in my head earlier."

Shit. Did he really say that out loud?

I'm not quite sure where this one is going yet, but I love the idea of characters healing each other while they fall hard.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin