Sunday Snippet: Just Do It Already

Ugh. So many small irritants combined to make the week rather challenging. Car problems, house problems, and too many things hitting at once. I'll get through it all, but I'm stressing out, which isn't fun.

The great news is we didn't lose power even with the wild back and forth temperatures. I have a feeling April won't be much better than March when it comes to stabilizing the weather patterns. If only the world could figure out what's causing all the bizarre weather. Yes, that's sarcasm. The world knows what the problem is.

Got a lot of work completed over the week. I have four main projects on my schedule and I'm plugging away at all of them. Finishing up two but have two more waiting in the wings. I also have a couple of backburner projects that I'll be dipping into again.

Had a semi-decent viewing week. Two of my projects involve some tedious cleanup and it's nice to have something on in the background to keep things interesting. I made it through most of my usual shows.

I started with Foyle's War and enjoyed the episode. Kind of sad to see his female counterpart moved to the sidelines again. Lovely to see Sam help her husband get elected as an MP.

Caught another episode of Return to Paradise. I remembered most of this one and enjoyed seeing some familiar faces from other shows I've watched set in Australia.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. Really fun to see a couple of very young costars in this one. Also thoroughly enjoyed the mystery.

Elementary had a great episode. I didn't quite make it all the way through because I got distracted, but I enjoyed it.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I'm about two episodes from the end of the series and I need to decide what I'll be watching next. Maybe a Justice League series.

Caught another episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks and very much enjoyed watching Boimler lose his mind. Very fun!

I also had a chance to use my library membership to watch a Stevie Nicks concert via the Kanopy app. I'm going to work hard to make sure I'm taking advantage of everything my local libraries offer. The concert was so good!

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Just Do It Already, a sexy short that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

On an annual get together with a group of friends, Minnie Roberts gets her chance to test the waters with Reuben Harper who's had a string of bad luck with the dating pool. Reuben is blind to Minnie's interest, and she catches him off guard when she suggests a strings-free weekend with each other.

And a snippety peek…

Reuben put a halt to his brain trying to spin out of control. "Um, yeah. We can go with that." Helping a friend out.

Did she only see him as that. A friend? Of course. What else could she see him as? Except maybe the cranky asshole he'd been lately.

He cocked his head. "Should there be some ground rules?" And what would that look like?

Minnie's lips kicked upward. "I thought you didn't have to overthink things."

Reuben grunted. "Right. I don't. But I also don't want to trash anything either." Friendships were hard to keep.

And he had a solid group right now.

Minnie gave a nod. "Me either. So, let's head back to the condo and see where things go." She met his gaze. "For now, consider us friends with benefits for the duration of our stay here. After that…" She let her voice trail off.

A bridge they could cross when they got there.

He couldn't argue the logic. "Okay. I'm down with that." He got up and held out a hand. "Let's go."

She flashed a quick smile and grasped his fingers. "Yes, let's go." She slid off the chair and fell into step beside him.

He paused by the door. "Should we tell the others?" And what, exactly, would they say to their group? Hey, we're gonna go sex it up. Catch you later.

Minnie shook her head. "They'll be out there until the sun comes up. You know the tradition."

Right. He did. They usually closed the bar down then walked on the beach until the first rays of dawn broke the horizon.

The stroll to the condo passed quickly and without conversation. But their fingers were still laced together. He liked the feel of her hand intertwined with his.

Once inside the rental, they parted and Minnie set her bag on the coffee table then entered the kitchen area. She fussed with the cups they left behind earlier, and he pulled the fridge door open to have something to do then shut it, because, really? Not exactly a smooth transition from friends to lovers.

We're both nervous. Big step to hook up with a friend. Especially one he wanted to keep after whatever happened … happened.

Reuben raked a hand through his hair. "How do we start this?" Stupid question, but he honestly had no idea how to approach hooking up with her.

Minnie stilled after putting the glasses in the sink, but only for a moment.

She hopped up on the island and tugged him closer. "A kiss might be a good idea." Her lips twisted with a wry smile.

Yeah, locking lips could work. And he'd always wondered what hers would feel like against his. Guess I'm about to find out…

He leaned in, his mouth hovering close to hers. She put her hands on his chest and took a shaky breath. Reuben hesitated… Just do it already! He caught her mouth with his, thinking to start small … but as soon as their lips meshed, flames ignited in his bloodstream and his tongue slid past her teeth. Minnie groaned and hauled him closer, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Holy shit. Fireworks went off in his brain and he scooped her off the counter, carrying her toward the nearest comfortable surface … the couch in the living room. He needed to explore every inch of her…

And he didn't have to ask how to do that.

This is a fun one to write. I love friends who become more even if they don't think they will.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, mentors, and mother figures out there! Enjoy the day, and if it's a hard day to celebrate, take care of you.

Another wildly busy work week but a lot of projects moved ahead and some were completed. One contrary work thing took an unexpected turn and I'll be trying to figure that one out later today.

Had a decent week of viewing despite the busy schedule. I made it through a full round of my shows, minus one—Dark Winds—because it's not on the streaming service I have anymore. I think it's on another one, but I've been too busy to track it down.

Started the week off with Brokenwood Mysteries. This one ended up being a lot of fun with a couple of interesting secrets being revealed. Truly hope to see more of Trudy and Ray's mom.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Really not sure what Neville's DI friend is doing on the island but have a feeling it's not going to mean anything good.

Loved the Beyond Paradise holiday special for this past Christmas. I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of the season when it's available in the US.

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. Interesting to get some backstory of Sherlock's time under the influence. Also intriguing that he stayed somewhat in the background. I like that kind of character progress.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and didn't really have any recollection about this one. I did enjoy seeing Terry use his Batman moves while out of the costume.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats and enjoyed both vignettes. I didn't remember either of them so more new-to-me stuff.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a novella that explores getting back out there after a bad breakup.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

When Velma stood up to clear the table, Kade finished his last swallow of beer. "Anything I can do to help?" He arched his brows.

Velma waved him off. "Nah. I've got this. You and Howie can crack open another beer and I'll be right back." She scooped up the plates, stacking them with the ease of someone who had worked in a restaurant.

Kade accepted another bottle from Howie and twisted the cap off. "Someone hurt her, didn't they?" He'd been putting the pieces together all through the meal.

She'd brought Howie in for moral support … a human safety net.

Howie lifted his chin. "More like someones, as in two people." He leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice. "One was her business partner and the third of our childhood trio. The other is an asshole named Matt Carson."

Kade winced. "Ouch. Let me guess. This Matt dude came between them?" A huge dick move.

Howie snorted. "And then some. He actually tried to take over the business because he had development of the location in mind." His voice took on a hard edge. "Thought he'd get his paws on the property through a relationship and set about stringing both Velma and Margie along."

Kade blinked. "As in…" He couldn't have been hooking up with each one, right?

Howie snarled. "Dating and sleeping with both? Yeah. That's exactly what he did." Peeling the label from the bottle, Howie met Kade's gaze. "Once Velma figured out Matt was a two-timing bastard, she cut ties with him fully expecting Margie to do the same." His hand curled into a fist.

Kade grunted. "Let me guess … She didn't." Ouch.

Howie gave a nod. "Nope. She kept right on seeing him and started flaunting the relationship in front of Vel." He tipped the bottle to his lips and drained half of it. "Velma sucked it up and tried to maintain the partnership and friendship. But it got much worse."

Kade grimaced. "I'm not gonna like this, am I?" A fist to the face would be too good for the schmuck.

Howie huffed out a breath. "I sure as hell didn't." He sighed. "Since I work for the fire department, we rotate going to the council meetings whenever ideas for new development are on the schedule. During one of those committee meetings, I found out Matt started the process of having plans drawn up for a new business that would combine his location with Margie and Velma's."

Kade's eyes went wide. "Did Margie know about this?" What a betrayal if she did.

Howie snarled. "Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Matt convinced her if they got married and she signed her half of the boutique over to him, he could buy out Velma and he and Margie could open their new venue."

Kade shook his head. "He didn't actually plan to buy Velma out, did her?" A ball of anger settled in his gut.

Howie pursed his lips. "Nope. The asshole figured he'd force Velma out by getting her to breach the partnership contract she had with Margie. You see, Margie got a bigger share of the profit because Velma lived at the location. Margie had her grandmother's cottage and didn't need the living quarters." Howie rolled his eyes. "Douce canoe Carson had the big idea to cook up a second set of books, showing Velma had been pocketing a larger percentage then leveraging her out with blackmail. And Margie agreed to go along with the plan."

Kade swallowed down the bile in his throat and chased it with half his beer. "Tell me everything blew up in his face." On a nuclear level.

Howie's lips curved. "Some of it did. I stopped by Margie's to see if I could talk her out of trashing a lifelong friendship for an asshole like Carson. Instead, I overheard everything and recorded the plot to blackmail Vel." His smile widened. "Didn't take much convincing to have a couple of my cop buddies pull Matt into the station and lay everything out for him."

Kade grunted. "Hope it went something like get the fuck out of town or no one will ever find his body." He'd deserve it.

Howie barked out a laugh. "Nothing quite that dramatic, but they made it clear he'd be hard-pressed to stay in business once they put the word out about his underhanded dealing." He sobered. "The part that didn't blow up in his face is Margie. She left with Matt and Velma bought Margie out of their contract—after they agreed on a dollar amount." He met Kade's gaze. "And that's the saga of Velma Arndt." He sat back and picked up his beer, taking a long sip.

Kade did the same, turning over all the information in his mind. The one thing that stuck? He didn't blame Velma one bit for calling in reinforcements.

This story is fun because the sages love these characters. Kade and Velma have a spark and watching it ignite is a joy.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Surf's Up

Welcome June and another month where time will probably fly by too quickly. Doesn't help that I'm under the weather right now and feeling yucky. Hopefully whatever this is will pass quickly and I can get back to normal.

Had a solid work week. Finished up a cozy mystery proofread and made progress on a developmental edit. Also got a lot of writing done, which makes me happy because I've been hitting walls lately.

Fairly good viewing this week. Managed to go through my show list twice. I might start adding in a few more shows but I like this current group.

Finished up the fourth season of Suspects. I'll be starting the fifth and final season this week. Looks like a banger ending for this series.

Caught two episodes of Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were excellent. Very fun to see how Halloween is celebrated in New Zealand, especially since it's spring there instead of fall. Very cool.

Watched two episodes of Best in Paradise. I'm enjoying the intros by the actors and I'm enjoying their picks for favorite episodes.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. I'd seen bits of both episodes but not the whole thing. Loved the one with the zoo. Also like how much Jack is becoming a part of the community.

Caught two episodes of Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson's personal life on a bit of a display. Also thoroughly enjoying Sherlock's interactions with Joan as he fully sinks into the partnership.

Watched two episodes of The Batman. Fun to have Harley Quinn introduced. And I very much enjoyed the New Year's Eve episode.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I'd forgotten they started to work three vignettes in after the movie. Not sure if I really like that in hindsight.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Surf's Up, a novella that shows a couple finally crossing the line between coworkers to lovers.

Here's the miniblurb:

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 woke with one prevailing thought.

So, sex with Farley happened. Really, really good sex.

She rolled over to find Farley scrolling through security cam footage. "Anything interesting?" Aside from the change in their status.

Farley's lips turned down. "Like what?" His fingers scrinched the screen then swiped to the next frame of footage.

Marla huffed out a breath. "I don't know. An invasion of sea creatures? Or something similarly amazing." Kind of like the romp they had last night.

Farley side-eyed her. "Sea creature invasion?" He snorted. "Lane would try to lock them into a contract." He swiped to the next section of security screenings.

Farley wouldn't be far off base. Lane tried to get anyone—or anything—unusual he could use to further Pennylane's reach. His midas touch did a lot of convincing.

She propped her chin on her hand. "So … what's next?" She might as well poke the elephant in the room.

Farley didn't look up from the tablet. "Depends on Lane's schedule." He switched from exterior footage to interior.

Marla ignored the stab of disappointment. "I mean with us, you moron. How do we navigate this—working and sleeping together?" She'd never had the experience of sleeping with someone she worked so closely with.

Farley frowned. "Sex is sex. Work is work. It's not that hard." He opened a new window and typed something onto the screen.

Marla blinked. "Ouch. Okay. Put like that, I feel stupid." She sat up, ready to make a quick exit.

Farley's gaze shot to hers. "What? Why?" His eyes closed, and he shook his head. "Never mind. I realize how that sounded now." He set the tablet aside and faced her. "Let me try this again." He grabbed her free hand. "We work great together. That shouldn't change just because we're great in bed, too. And we'll always put Lane's safety first."

Marla chewed his words over. "And you don't see our feelings getting in the way of that?" She paused. "What if one of us is compromised?" They couldn't assume it would never happen.

Farley held her gaze. "You have to mean what if I'm compromised, because you're more than capable of getting out of a jam." He let go of her hand. "But you obviously don't think I am." A hard note entered his voice.

Now she got to rewind and realize how that question sounded. Not at all what she meant.

Marla reached out for him. "No, you're wrong. I thought maybe the different dynamic would be a problem. But it looks like it won't be." She eased back down and curled up close to him. "We are gonna need to communicate though. Misunderstandings are easy to create." But at least they made it through their first one.

Farley wrapped an arm around her. "Yeah, I see that now. Lots of stuff can get lost in the translation from work to sex." His lips brushed over her temple. "We should go for a beach walk and lay out some contingency plans."

Marla smiled. "We're definitely on the same page now."

This story is a lot of fun. Marla and Farley aren't a typical couple and I love writing the vibe between them.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Had a rough week with an ear infection and a cracked tooth. The antibiotic is definitely helping but functioning with a fuzzy brain from discomfort is not fun.

I did get a lot of Batman: The Animated Series episodes in. I started with season one number forty-eight and ended with sixty-four. I'm not all the way through "Paging the Crime Doctor" yet but should finish it up today.

Again, there were a few forgotten but so good episodes. "The Mechanic" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" are two that were excellent. Interestingly, Sid the Squid is mentioned later but it's not the same character from "The Man Who Killed Batman."

Two of my favorite two-parters were in this bunch, "Robin's Reckoning" and "Shadow of the Bat." I loved both. The first because it dives into Dick's backstory and shows how much Bruce and Batman care for Dick / Robin. The second because it introduces Batgirl. Another two-part arc with Ra's and Talia, "The Demon's Quest," is also pretty solid.

I also forgot about the second concluding (I think) episode "Day of the Samurai" that wrapped up Bruce's history with his instructor and rival.

"Zatanna" is another one I always enjoy. I love seeing the journey Bruce took to become Batman. I also enjoyed "Read My Lips" that introduced the ventriloquist. One I forgot about is "Fire From Olympus," which feels a little out of place in the Batman realm but I kind of like it because of that.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella with surf, sand, and a sexy couple.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Farren made her way to the string of cabins local contestants used for the competition. "Might as well see the damage I did." She tucked her board against the rough-hewn wood then went around to the front of the three-room building.

Her lips twitched when she spotted Penn sleeping in the hammock next door. Her heart practically sighed at the sight. The man made relaxing look incredibly sexy.

She'd been with Joe when Penn rode his wave, but she did get to see him accept top honors as overall champion after placing first in his heat. She hadn't congratulated him yet because she'd been waylaid by a blogger covering the competition. They got an awesome shot of her wipeout and several of Penn's winning ride.

She smirked. "He'll be smug at the fire later tonight." Rightfully so, but… still.

She spared a brief thought about waking him, but decided not to. He had the right idea … a nap sounded good. After all, she'd been injured and her chin ached.

She quietly entered the cabin and rinsed off in the shower, keeping the water cool to keep her face from stinging under the spray. After getting settled on the bed with her shoulders propped up, she set her phone alarm for two hours. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts wander to the gathering at the fire pit the surfers would attend later.

She shifted lower to get more comfortable. "I'll have to figure out a way to take Penn down a peg so his ego doesn't get too puffed up." Considering she'd wiped out, she had to find her fun somewhere.

Then again … maybe she wouldn't have to do anything. Penn would get one look at her board-burned face and keep the bragging to a minimum. And … he might make her epic fail up to her later … after the fire died down and they returned to the cabins.

Her mouth curved upward. "If I play my cards right…"

I love having fun with building anticipation. Farren and Penn are competitive and very friendly rivals, which makes them a joy to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

 

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Well, November is here. Gotta say, I hope it doesn't pass as slowly as September but not as fast as October. I'll look forward to a month that actually feels like a month again. Who knows when that'll happen?

Busy week with work projects. I didn't get a lot of new television watched. I mainly caught a few of the holiday movies on Hallmark and Lifetime and watched a lot of Ovation.

I did catch an episode of Blue Heelers. Also started a new one. The new guy in season two is still kind of annoying me. Here's hoping he settles down soon.

I also watched several episodes of Silent Witness. Finished up season five and started on six.

I also got to do early voting. My daughter and I went on Thursday and, thankfully, didn't have a long wait. One of the benefits to living in a rural area. I'll be happy when the election is over. It's been an exhausting ride this year.

Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a sexy short that has surfing and sexy times.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Penn noticed when Farren finished her beer. Almost time. She got up and put her bottle in the recycling bin and started up the path to the cabins. He waited five minutes and downed the rest of his beer then got up to follow. Dropped his bottle in the recycling bin and turned, bumping into Avery.

He reached out to steady her. "Whoa. Sorry about that."

She smiled. "No problem." After glancing toward the fire, she met his gaze. "Do you have plans?"

Aw, hell. "I do, yes." He glanced toward the path.

Avery followed his gaze and clarity crossed her features.

Her face fell. "Oh, I think I just made a huge blunder."

Penn gave her a confused look.

Avery blushed. "I asked Farren if you were hooked up with anyone and she gave the impression you weren't." She sucked her lower lip between her teeth. "But you are, aren't you? With her."

Ah … he should've known.

Penn guided her to a quieter spot. "Yes, but we're not exactly going public." He leaned in a little. "We'd like to stay low-key if we can."

Avery nodded. "Why didn't she just say something?" She twisted the bottom of her T-shirt. "She probably hates me now."

Penn shook his head. "Trust me. If Farren didn't like you, she wouldn't have nudged you along. If she hated you, you would be bleeding out from a verbal lashing. The fact she didn't get bent means she trusted you'd keep our secret if you did approach me and found out about us."

Avery flashed a grin. "Okay, cool. I don't feel like a complete idiot now."

Penn chuckled. "You're not by a long shot. You've got a lot of talent and two very good new friends." He lifted his hand and hooked his thumb toward the path. "I'll tell her hello from you."

Avery gave him a wave and headed back toward the fire. Penn's lips quirked. No doubt Farren decided Avery could serve as her way of taking him down a peg or two after winning. That and a full night of hot sex.

This one hovers between being short and sweet and wanting to ramble on a little. The sages aren't quite sure where they're going yet.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

 

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

June is coming to a close and I can honestly say this feels like the longest effing year while at the same time the days are flying off the calendar. It's bizarre and baffling. 2020 is probably going to go down as the year I want to forget but won't be able to. LOL

Rather slow week of television but I did get a few things watched. I started with Kings of Broadway, a charity program on YouTube. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Started season three of Danger Man and thought it would be color episodes, but it's not yet. Enjoyed the first episode.

Caught another episode of Strike Back and Strike Back Declassified. I've only got two episodes left and then I'll have to start a rewatch because I love these characters so much.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and look forward to seeing how it ends. I like this Aussie drama and have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of familiar faces.

Watched another episode of Gargoyles. It's one I don't remember so it was nice to have something to sink into. I think I'm about a third of the way through the second season.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a novella that's coming along nicely.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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 finished scraping the paint from the window in his bedroom. Screaming pink and some kind of marbled fuchsia and gold gave him a headache. Dee loved bright colors. Turquoise, hot yellow, sunny orange, and bright lime green rounded out the decorating scheme of the apartment. He'd asked Jim about it and the man chuckled.

He nodded toward the alley. "If you look in the garage, there's enough sandy gray to repaint the entire interior." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "I figured we'd have to redo the apartment before we could even dream of selling the place. We're lucky you saw past the blinding riot and made an offer."

Kade could kiss Jim for having the foresight to buy a nice beachy neutral. The color looked great in various lights and would give him a good backdrop to add some color. Nothing flashy like Dee's cavalcade of retina-twitching options, but a mix of blues and some pops of green and maybe a splash of red would work well. He thanked his interior designer mother for instilling a sense of good taste in him from an early age.

Putting the putty knife aside, he stood before the window. He loved the sound of the waves drifting onto the shoreline. The water appealed to him. Lake, ocean, river, didn't matter as long as the sound made it to his ears.

Making the move south ended up being a good fit. Okay, he'd only been official for two weeks, but he'd accomplished a lot during his brief tenure. Yeah, he still needed to move his furniture in, but the futon mattress worked as a bed for now. Painting came first, then the big stuff could come in. The most important detail had been covered. The ice cream shop belonged to him. No partners, no personality clashes, no nightmare dissolving of assets. He'd never been married, but he'd bet a divorce settlement would have taken less skin off his hide.

From this point on, sole proprietorship only. At least in his professional life.

"Now the personal … that's something else entirely."

His friendly neighbor piqued his interest. He looked forward to getting to know her better. She didn't give off a married vibe, but maybe she had a boyfriend. He rather hoped not. Easy on the eyes, a killer smile, and loads of curves made her a winning combination. He liked women who were fit but not to the point they were all angles and sharp planes. Velma had toned arms and legs paired with soft rounded hips, which he loved. Her ass looked damned good in shorts. She'd had her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and her eyes showed a range of emotions not to mention a lot of intelligence. Velma definitely caught his attention.

After a quick look at the time, he stripped his shorts off and entered the small bathroom to grab a shower. "No stinky pits for dinner." Humming an old crooner classic, he washed the sweat and paint flecks off then stood under the spray letting the hot water hit the kinks in his shoulders.

Physical labor kept him in good shape along with walks or runs along the beach. He'd put in a lot of extra work during the two weeks he'd been down here and his muscles were protesting. When the water started cooling, he shut the shower off and quickly toweled dry. Digging through his supply of clothing, he snagged a pair of blue cargo shorts and a brand-new white T-shirt. On his way out, he grabbed a sky blue twill button-up and tossed it over his shoulder. Slipping his feet into a nicer pair of his athletic slides, he started across the small thoroughfare separating their back entrances. The smell of grilled chicken seasoned with some kind of spicy mix hit his nostrils and his mouth watered. Eating out had advantages—no clean up—and takeout proved convenient. But he couldn't wait to have a nice, quiet dinner with a beautiful woman. He missed having a good conversation along with his meal.

When he ducked through the well-maintained opening to Velma's patio, his heart sank. She had company…

A tall guy who had the look of a longtime native.

Didn't that suck big ones?

I loved writing this scene. Working in Dee's interior design scheme had me chuckling while I typed.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

My youngest kidlet is back from her trip to Disney and it's so nice to have her home. It's also terrific she had the opportunity to visit every theme park in Disney's repertoire. She had such a great time. On a proud parent note, she enjoyed Epcot the best and it makes my entire year because that was my favorite when I went to Disney many, many moons ago. I'm resisting the urge to plan a full-on Disney vacation… mainly because I don't have the time. But it would be so much fun!

Had something of an off week in television viewing. I'm battling a nasty cold / allergies / upper respiratory "ick" that's kicking my teeth in. But… I did get quite a bit watched.

I started a new-to-me Australian show called Canal Road and it's rather good. I'm two episodes in and I'm hooked. I also got to finish up Archangel and thoroughly enjoyed it.

In my classic rewatch, I caught Midsomer Murders and several episodes of Classic Who. I finished up the Dalek episodes and started the new arc. I'd forgotten what a shifty guy the first doctor can be. I also caught another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

Endeavor continues to make me happy. I also got another episode of Constantine in and I'm quite excited for the character to make the move to Legends of Tomorrow. I started a show I only got to watch sporadically when it originally aired, Pensacola Wings of Gold. I actually hope I can catch other late 90s early 00s shows. I missed so much back then.

On DVD, I finished up The Batman's third season and started the fourth. I also caught a few episodes of current seasons of Chicago Fire and Blindspot. Gotta say the whole Hurst arc is turning out to be kind of exciting.

Band of Brothers and Strike Back gave me my military show fix. I continue to be blown away by the casting in Band of Brothers. So many good choices.

I'm five episodes into Sense8 and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to watch this show. That said, I can binge the entire thing and see the finale in one go so there's that bit of good news. Fearless's third episode kind of broke me a little. It's a dark, dark show.

Krypton's first season proved to be pretty awesome. I have no idea where they'll go for the second season, but the end was kind of chilling. Jana called the whole General Zod ruling over Krypton thing and I'm truly hoping Lyta is now regretting her choice. If she isn't that character is dead to me. Just saying.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella with sun, sand, and surfing.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Penn Cobblepot accepted top honors with a brief nod to the judges and jaunty salute to the fans gather around the awards area. He rode to a smooth finish on a wave not quite as spectacular as Farren's. She'd had the perfect swell.

And epically crashed.

He could've predicted the wipe out when she flowed too far into the cusp of the wave. Not that Farren would care. She surfed for the sheer love of the sport.

He stopped to get his paperwork signed for winning the top prize.

Backing away, he bumped into Avery Jones, the runner-up. "Damn, sorry about that." Tucking his board under his arm, he moved out of her way.

She sent him a bright smile. "No problem. You were magnificent out there today." A splash of pink colored her cheeks.

Penn's lips quirked. "Yeah, thanks. Caught a good one." He nodded toward the officials table. "Heard your run was spot on. Go on then. Better collect that prize money."

She beamed and ducked into the small covered alcove. Penn shook his head. Avery had talent and didn't cop an attitude. She'd do well on the local circuit. And hopefully stay away from the dickheads who preyed on rookie competitors.

 Strolling along the beach, he cut up the path that led to the cabins the contestants used. After stowing his board, he grabbed a quick shower then went out to the hammock strung between two sturdy trees. With the ocean breeze and shady limbs, the swinging bed looked more than inviting.

Maneuvering onto the canvas surface, he stretched out. "Catching a few zzzs sounds pretty damn good right now." He'd be awake in plenty of time for the campfire later that night.

 After all, he'd earned bragging rights.

I'm having a good time with this one. Penn and Farren are fun characters.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

Well… this has been a crazy week. My daughter had a break on Monday for MLK Jr. Day and hasn't been back to school since. Four snow days in a row. We're supposed to have a warmer weekend so hopefully they'll be back to school this week. She's going stir-crazy and keeps mumbling about the district canceling school for the rest of the year. LOL

Not a bad week in television. MY SHOWS ARE BACK!! The Flash put Barry on trial and, holy crap, he's not in a good place. I'd like to say I cared more about everything happening but I just can't give two craps about the stupid body swap, uber smart big bad here. Eh… at least we're getting some good character development on other fronts.

Gotta say if you're not watching Black Lightning, find it and watch! What a kickass premiere! I'm excited about this show. I'm still holding out hope we eventually get a Vixen scripted drama sometime in the future.

Arrow still ranks as my top DC universe show. Even though James is similar to the uber smart Flash villain scenario, I like how he's got a team of junior villains backing him. I'm holding out hope this one has a satisfactory ending.

Riverdale. Oh, show. Where the hell are you going? I'm kind of thrilled I have no freaking clue what out of left field thing will happen next. Part of the joy in watching this show is the absolutely crazy dark alleys it decides to go down. That said, pitting Archie against Hiram is either the best thing ever or the stupidest move an FBI agent will ever make. Just saying.

Got started on The Punisher and, honestly, it ranks right up there with Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil. Iron Fist is still the weakest link in this group, but I have faith Danny won't be the most annoying superhero ever in his second season. Maybe.

Murdoch Mysteries had a great episode last week. I know nothing about cricket but it made an interesting murder backdrop. Also, it's so awesome William and Julia are possibly going to start their family. Fingers crossed that actually happens.

Frankie Drake provided a terrific case this week and also had excellent guest stars. So awesome to see George Crabtree around and doing quite well for himself. Also, Laurence Fox can guest star again whenever he wants. I'm totally down with that idea.

Finished the second season of Chicago Fire and, wow, what an ending. Got the third season ready to start today. Definitely glad I don't have to wait through a hiatus to find out what happened to everyone.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a novella that got a start when a fanfiction writing community suggested writing a story where a character's best-kept secret is revealed. Sounded like a lot of fun.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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 finished scraping the paint from the window in his bedroom. Screaming pink and some kind of marbled fuchsia and gold gave him a headache. Dee loved bright colors. Turquoise, hot yellow, sunny orange, and bright lime green rounded out the decorating scheme of the apartment. He'd asked Jim about it and the man chuckled.

He nodded toward the alley. "If you look in the garage, there's enough sandy gray to repaint the entire interior." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "I figured we'd have to redo the apartment before we could even dream of selling the place. We're lucky you saw past the blinding riot and made an offer."

Kade could kiss Jim for having the foresight to buy a nice beachy neutral. The color looked great in various lights and would give him a good backdrop to add some color. Nothing flashy like Dee's cavalcade of retina-twitching options, but a mix of blues and some pops of green and maybe a splash of red would work well. He thanked his interior designer mother for instilling a sense of good taste in him from an early age.

Putting the putty knife aside, he stood before the window. He loved the sound of the waves drifting onto the shoreline. The water appealed to him. Lake, ocean, river, didn't matter as long as the sound made it to his ears.

Making the move south ended up being a good fit. Okay, he'd only been official for two weeks, but he'd accomplished a lot during his brief tenure. Yeah, he still needed to move his furniture in, but the futon mattress worked as a bed for now. Painting came first, then the big stuff could come in. The most important detail had been covered. The ice cream shop belonged to him. No partners, no personality clashes, no nightmare dissolving of assets. He'd never been married, but he'd bet a divorce settlement would have taken less skin off his hide.

From this point on, sole proprietorship only. At least in his professional life.

"Now the personal… that's something else entirely."

His friendly neighbor piqued his interest. He looked forward to getting to know her better. She didn't give off a married vibe, but maybe she had a boyfriend. He rather hoped not. Easy on the eyes, a killer smile, and loads of curves made her a winning combination. He liked women who were fit but not to the point they were all angles and sharp planes. Velma had toned arms and legs paired with soft rounded hips, which he loved. Her ass looked damned good in shorts. She'd had her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and her eyes showed a range of emotions not to mention a lot of intelligence. Velma definitely caught his attention.

After a quick look at the time, he stripped his shorts off and entered the small bathroom to grab a shower. "No stinky pits for dinner." Humming an old crooner classic, he washed the sweat and paint flecks off then stood under the spray letting the hot water hit the kinks in his shoulders.

Physical labor kept him in good shape along with walks or runs along the beach. He'd put in a lot of extra work during the two weeks he'd been down here and his muscles were protesting. When the water started cooling, he shut the shower off and quickly toweled dry. Digging through his supply of clothing, he snagged a pair of blue cargo shorts and a brand-new white T-shirt. On his way out, he grabbed a sky blue twill button-up and tossed it over his shoulder. Slipping his feet into a nicer pair of his athletic slides, he started across the small thoroughfare separating their back entrances. The smell of grilled chicken seasoned with some kind of spicy mix hit his nostrils and his mouth watered. Eating out had advantages—no clean up—and takeout proved convenient. But he couldn't wait to have a nice, quiet dinner with a beautiful woman. He missed having a good conversation along with his meal.

When he ducked through the well-maintained opening to Velma's patio, his heart sank. She had company…

A tall guy who had the look of a longtime native.

Didn't that suck big ones.

So far, I like where this one is going. Velma and Kade should have a lot of fun getting their acts together.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Bikini Beach

Whew. What a week in TV. Lots of good stuff going on.

The Flash had a fun episode. I'm rather interested in the behind the scenes manipulation going on and discovering more about that. Also interested to see what happens with Caitlyn when Katee Sackhoff's character enters the narrative.

Legends of Tomorrow is still terrific. I'm hoping they dive into the big threat looming over them sometime soon.

Arrow ended up being better than expected. I want to know what Diggle has himself into and how bad it's going to bite the team on their asses. Also loved Oliver and Felicity helping William out and discovering they work well as a team. The FBI agent is already annoying me. We'll see if that ends up being a good thing or not.

I missed Gotham and need to catch up. Not sure when I'll get a chance, but it should be soon.

Riverdale, you're killing me. There's so much I'm loving but the one thing I'm not on board with—yet—is Hermione and whatever the hell pod person has taken over her character. I kind of loved the relationship she had with Veronica last season and right now… not so much. We'll see if it smooths out, similar to Alice last year. I trust the show to make it happen.

Finally watched the finale for Teen Wolf and I'm kind of thrilled with how it ended. I'm very happy with everyone's place and how their stories were resolved—with one exception. I so wanted Monroe to die a slow, painful death. The fact she escaped annoys me to no end. Grr.

Got caught up on Murdoch Mysteries. So far, I'm excited for the new season. I have so much love for this show, which considering it's in its eleventh season, is saying something.

I have my holiday television and movie list all put together and ready to watch. The Hallmark Channels launched their festive season this weekend and I plan to catch a bunch of fare on both channels. Seriously, I won't mind overdosing on the merry happenings right now. The world is a crazy place… why not have some happy, happy, joy, joy in life?

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Bikini Beach, a sexy short that sees the characters in a tense work situation and one decides to take a break.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Talia Ashe loves her job, but she's ready to kill her partner, Hugh McVey because he's pushing hard to get a project done and they're down to the wire. She takes a mental health day, to keep from doing Hugh bodily harm, but he ruins it when he shows up on her patch of beach.

And a snippety peek…

10 am

Talia settled in her lounge chair, applied sunscreen, and resisted the urge to check her phone for messages. "I'm not going to cave. I'm not." Hugh could handle one single day of work without her.

She needed this break even if the kick of guilt wouldn't quite go away. Slipping her sunglasses back on, she let the waves rolling onto the shore lull her mind. Something about the roll of water edging the sand helped clear her brain. And dealing with Minerva Barclay definitely created chaos in Talia's head.

Working with Hugh generated a different kind of unrest. Part admiration, part frustration—on two fronts. Since she wouldn't think about work right now, she focused on the personal side. Six months of being up close and in Hugh's pocket while working long hours had Talia's bad idea meter humming at a loud whine. She found immensely attractive. And if she could say that after seeing the good, bad, and ugly sides of him, she'd better hit pause and think hard about what she'd do after the Barclay project ended.

Her lips curved. "Dad's rule number one—never get involved with a coworker." Of course her dad's first marriage, to a fellow hospital staffer during his residency, ended in divorce. "Then again, that's how he met Mom." She'd been his divorce attorney so, yeah, her dad's rules could use some work.

And Talia's mental health day could use less thinking and more zoning out. Digging in her bag, she pulled out her reading device. Nothing like a good romantic adventure to find her happy place. After scrolling through her titles, she found one that should drop her into a state of zen. She opened the file and immediately got hooked by the opening sentence.

Flying through the first chapter, she grinned. "I might have to take another day… just to finish the book."

Right… Hugh would lose his mind if she called in sick a second day.

A laugh bubbled up. "It might just be worth it."

Talia probably won't think it's worth it when Hugh discovers her sitting on the beach.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Whew. What a week of television. The Walking Dead had another terrific episode. Thoroughly enjoyed the hijinks with Rick and Daryl. Something tells me it's the calm before the storm.

Well, the X-Files disappointed many fans, but I actually loved having it back for its limited run. That said, what a craptastic cliffhanger. Geez. But, my other shows amped up the goods. The Magicians is truly becoming a quick favorite. And Lost Girl will be so missed, which I say all the time. Then there's Bitten, another favorite I wish would continue onward. *sigh*

The Flash revealed something I totally didn't expect. Now I can't wait to see what happens. I'm totally loving the shared universe with characters popping up on other shows. More on that later. Agent Carter has one more episode, which is awesome! I thought last week was the finale. Sadly, I'm not holding much hope we'll get another season, but fingers are crossed anyway.

Arrow keeps blowing my mind. And it's in a great way. That said, I'm looking forward to Malcolm getting his comeuppance. If that doesn't happen, I'll be sorely disappointed. And, well, other things need to happen, too. Just saying.

Legends of Tomorrow, again, changed things up. I thought it was very cool to see future Star City, even in crazy disarray. Shades of things to come perhaps? Eh, who knows? Arrow may only get one more season after this one.

I watched the Blindspot marathon Saturday. Really like the show. Too bad it's on NBC, my most hated network ever. I pretty much refuse to watch anything on the channel. So, looks like I'll be watching Blindspot when it's on another channel or via Netflix or Amazon Prime.

And that's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella prompted by the words two very different styles can make for great competition.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Farren Crane thanked whatever gods ruled the ocean. A monstrous swell came hurtling in her direction and she waited for the perfect moment… then hopped up onto the surfboard.

A wide grin split her face. "I'm going to own this heat." She rode the crest then dropped down into the well, riding smoothly through the spiral of the water.

She hopped a little trying to extend the run, shifting her hips and bending her knees. She twisted with the turn of the wave, almost to the end of the swell. Nothing but white water and the hissing roar of the spray. She tipped forward, just a little, the urge to see outside the wall too strong to ignore.

The mistake hit her in the face, almost literally. A flurry of blowback collapsed in front of her and caught her too low to the water. She lost her footing and ate the end of her board when it launched upward, scraping her chin before smacking her hard in the mouth.

Farren sucked in as much air as she could before she went under, the ankle cord towing her board on the water. She didn't fight the drag of ocean surrounding her, letting the natural motion of the sea carry her toward shore. When the current slowed, she popped her head above the surface, dragging in air, her lungs screaming for oxygen. A bark of laughter escaped; the thrill and rush of an almost perfect ride surging through her veins.

She'd go scoreless for the final set, but counted the defeat worth the price of riding that big, beautiful wall of liquid heaven. Hauling her board to her side, she slipped the tether off and walked to the beach. A few spectators clapped when she made her way to the first aid tent to have her face cleaned up. Farren raised a hand, wiggling her fingers in greeting.

This scene ran a little long, so I picked a decent cut off spot. Needless to say, Farren likes to surf by the seat of her pants. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin