Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

It's the weekend of trying to keep my doggos from losing their minds. I love fireworks, don't get me wrong, but I feel for all the pets out there that freak out over them.

I continued with the great cleanout stuff this week. Honestly, I did more organizing than cleaning but being organized helps make cleaning and clearing a little easier.

I'm finally at a manageable level of projects. I have a few odds and ends to finish on a couple of them but they're with the authors or the designer and I'm waiting in the wings to review revisions.

Had another decent viewing week. Having a lighter workload does help. And I'm not as scattered on the attention span side of things.

Started out with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm finding new things in the episodes, which is one of the reasons I love to rewatch a series I've seen before.

Watched another episode of Art Detectives and I'm enjoying this show. I'm very interested in the backstory of Mack's dad. I'm also hoping for more backstory with his partner.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. Good to see the commissioner's daughter again. The mystery also ended up being intriguing.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. Very fun to not have a big murder to solve and see how Poirot uses his skill to ferret out what's going on.

Watched another episode of Elementary and, wow, season three ended on a big downer. I'm still trying to decide if Sherlock ended up relapsing or if he's just horribly distraught from Oscar's machinations. Oscar needs to die in a fire. Just saying.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Loved the spin on an urban legend that had a grain of truth in it.

Started a new to me series with The Lower Decks. Enjoyed the first episode and ended up being happy I clocked the relationship between the captain and the know-it-all crew member. I'll enjoy watching more of this one.

Ended the week on an episode of Peak Practice. A lot going on in this one. And the tragic leap Will's patient made kind of surprised me. Kerry finding out the truth about her parentage kind of bummed me out, but I'm also seriously irritated by her parents being such ninnies about the whole thing. Definitely feel bad for Sam.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella that brings a couple back together after one has been through the wringer.

Here's the miniblurb:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it.

And a snippety peek…

Pru woke up in the operation's base hospital with Dane by her side. "How long?" Her fingers twitched on the sheet.

Dane held her gaze. "You've been sedated for forty-eight hours. You had some nasty drugs in your system." His hand covered hers.

Pru shook her head. "No. How long was I gone?" She needed to know.

Dane hesitated but answered. "Six months." He squeezed her palm.

Tears leaked from her eyes and her gut roiled. Son of a bitch. She'd lived a total mind fuck for half a damned year. For half a year she'd believed…

She swallowed against a groan. "Minnie?"

Dane arched a brow. "The little girl you had with you? She's just fine. Back home with her mom and grandma."

Pru nodded, ignoring the sharp twist in her heart. "When can I get out of here?" She had to move, escape, be anywhere else but here.

Dane frowned. "Probably soon. You're through the worst of the withdrawal."

She started on the IV, trying to remove the taped tubing. No more needles. At least not for a long damn time.

Dane snagged her hands. "Hey, wait. Let the staff do that." He hit the call button.

A nurse bustled in. Different scrubs. Nothing remotely similar to her previous caregivers. But bile still rose in her throat.

Pru inhaled deeply, fighting back a wave of panic. "Get this needle out of my arm. I gotta get out of here." And go where … she didn't know.

The nurse took a firm grip of her wrist. "Okay, Agent Stark. Calm down." Efficient movement disconnected the tubing.

Dane grasped her free hand, and Pru settled, impatiently waiting for the nurse to finish. The needle removed, a band-aid on the insertion point, and the medical staff member dubbed Pru good to go.

Once the scrub-clad woman exited, Pru got up. "Clothes?" Her skin itched and her head spun.

Dane nodded toward a rucksack by the door.

"Thanks." She got dressed, her movements clumsy.

When she finished, she glanced in Dane's direction. He offered his arm. She shook her head.

His eyes filled with steely determination. "You got pretty banged up. It's let me help or we get a wheelchair.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She took his elbow and followed him out the door.

He guided her to the elevators. "We should debrief you first."

When she stepped inside the elevator, the feeling of being trapped hit hard and became too much to bear.

She turned and fisted her hand in Dane's shirt. "Debrief later." Her mouth sought his, urgent and hungry.

The door pinged and Dane eased back when it slid open. "Okay. Debrief later. Quarters it is." They exited the lift and turned toward the living space.

Pru watched Dane's ass flex under his fatigues. She wanted hot, hard, dirty sex. She needed to feel alive and free. They got inside and she tore at his clothes. Rushed, urgent.

Dane tried to slow down. "Hey. It's not a race here." He grasped her biceps.

She refused to go slow. "Need you. Right now." Her mouth traveled along his throat. "Slow can be later … after … sometime. Just not now."

Dane would give her what she needed. Hot, hungry, awesome sex. She'd figure everything else out later.

Pru's avoidance is going to be harder than she imagines to overcome. And Dane can't make it easier for her.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

I'm not quite sure where the month of September went but it's almost over. The weather in Ohio is currently fall-like. Not sure how long that will last. I could actually get behind having it stick around for a while.

Pretty decent week of viewing. I'm back on my usual schedule for the most part. I'll be starting a new show on one of my streamers, but I'm not sure if I'll stick with it or give up that slot for now.

Watched another episode of Ted Lasso. Gotta say, I definitely see the appeal and how so many people have utter undying love for the show. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Caught another episode of the Agatha Christie Hour. I loved the twists and turns in this one. Good intrigue without being a full-blown mystery.

Enjoyed the first part of Silent Witness. There's a good mysterious vibe in this two-parter and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out this week.

Started season twenty-six of Classic Who and loved seeing the colonel back again. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Watched another Strangest Things episode and learned about desert glass. Well worth the view for that alone.

Caught an episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Geez, a lot happened and I'm still trying to process everything. Definitely need to catch up on season two of The Mandalorian to fill in the missing blanks. Looking forward to doing that.

Only Murders in the Building is such a terrific show. The pacing is excellent and the reveals are pretty much perfect. Hat tip to all involved in the writing and acting.

Enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers and it actually ended up breaking my heart a little. One of the scenes hit a little too close for comfort involving a pet that had to be put to sleep.

Caught another MasterClass lesson with Roxane Gay. She discussed finding an agent and what to pay attention to when dealing with contracts.

Watched another Umbrella Academy episode. I'm definitely getting hooked on this one. I love the characters and how they interact with each other and outsiders. Klaus is a wicked-fun gem. Also nice to see Luther before his transformation. Felt horrible for Diego and my heart really goes out to Vanya. Loved the scene with Allison, though. Great stuff.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. Two of my favorites were in this bunch. Anytime Angelica is foiled by Susie is worth the watch.

Also caught another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. This ended up being a good one. I like the episodes when there isn't a major villain from the rogue gallery for Batman to deal with.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella puts the characters on opposites of a dilemma.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it.

And a snippety peek…

A loud blast woke Pru up and sent her sprawling from the bed. She rose and a second explosion had her crashing into the wall, her head cracking on the hard surface. The hard jolt had reality becoming a sharp focus but meshed with her dreamlike existence of the last six months.

Everything jumbled in her mind, but danger came through with crystal clarity.

Pru rubbed her temple. "Minnie!" Tearing out of the room, Pru sprinted across the hall into the girl's room. "Minnie! Honey, where are you?" She had to find her daughter.

"Over here." The voice trembled.

Pru found Minnie huddled under her vanity. "Okay, sweetie, come here. We need to get out, okay?" She reached out a hand.

Minnie shook her head. "I'm scared." The words squeaked out and she shuddered.

Pru got down and scooted close. "I know, Minnie. Me, too. But we'll make it. I'm your avenging angel, remember? I won't let anything happen to you." The adrenaline rush kicked her into instinct mode.

The world crashed back with resounding simplicity. Her past—the real one—poked through the haze of dreamy make-believe. She didn't belong here. She never had.

She almost sank under the emotional overload, but her training kicked in. She'd get them out. Snatching Minnie up in her arms, Pru dashed through the apartment and into the corridor. Debris rained down and another boom shook the building. A brief flash of memory ripped through her brain and Pru crouched low, keeping Minnie pressed against her chest. Heavy footfalls sounded around a corner and Pru risked taking cover against the wall. The ceiling collapsed and caught three armed guards under its weight.

Pru stripped a gun off a fallen henchman. She checked the chamber with Minnie clinging on, her little legs wrapped around Pru's waist. Pru had a full clip of ammo and an exit to find. She made her way through the debris and rubble. Making a break for the open main hub, she encountered an armed force of three. Enemies. No doubt in her mind now.

She braced her hand on Minnie's back. "Put your head on my shoulder and don't look up." She picked the first one off, then the second. She went for the third, but he got taken out from the side. She swung her arm toward the assailant ready to fire.

"Pru! Don't shoot. It's me. It's Dane."

Her arm slowly lowered, fingers trembling, the emotional barrage too much. She recognized the name and the voice. And she broke, clasping Minnie close.

Dane enveloped her in his embrace and she finally caved and collapsed. Too many conflicting details filled her mind. She didn't know up from down or fact from fiction, but she did know him.

Dane swept her up, along with Minnie. "It's okay, Pru. We're going home." He clutched them close and headed out of the building.

Home. Pru didn't know what the word meant anymore.

This story took me on a few twisty roads but I love how it's coming together. Pru is going to have to redefine what home is in the near future.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

We're almost to the end of August and it's been a month. I'm glad we're closing in on the last quarter of the year. 2020 definitely provided a roller coaster ride. And we're not quite through yet.

Had a solid week of work and reorganizing. Made some terrific progress on the office clean out. Got two of my six bookcases put together and shredded a bunch of old stuff I don't need to keep anymore. I still have a buttload of shredding to do but progress is progress.

Got a little bit of viewing done this week, mostly Danger Man episodes. I wanted to finish season three then realized there are only two episodes of season four. I'm disappointed.

I also did a couple of marathon viewings on Ovation. The morning mysteries are a lot of fun and the Monday block of A Place to Call Home is pretty good also. I also caught Partners in Crime, which ended up being better than I thought.

That's pretty much it for television. Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella that puts my heroine through the wringer.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it.

And a snippety peek…

Pru welcomed the prick of the needle in her arm. The headache went away within seconds and a hazy bliss enveloped her. The technician loosened the tourniquet and put her supplies away.

Pru glanced toward the door. "Minnie'll be here soon." She wanted to be ready to greet her little girl.

The tech, Marva, smiled. "She's a handful, isn't she?" Grabbing her case, she reminded Pru she'd return in two days for her next treatment.

Pru nodded. "I'll see you then." Her mind moved on to a more pleasant topic.

Cookies. She and Minnie planned to bake their favorite as soon as she got home. Chocolate chip. Or is it peanut butter? No, definitely chocolate chip.

Pru frowned. "Didn't we bake some yesterday?" The fuzzy tug at the memory of pulling peanut butter cookies out of the oven grabbed hold for a second before easing away on a cloud of doubt.

No, probably not. Minnie loved chocolate chip.

The door knob rattled and Minnie burst through, tossing her backpack on the floor. "I got the most spelled words correct on our test today." She danced around, flinging her arms wide.

Pru reached out and hauled her close. "You're really loving your new classes, aren't you?" The gifted program is exactly what you needed."

Minnie tilted her head back. "I love the new school, Mommy. I don't think you'll need to become an avenging angel anytime soon." She wriggled away, heading for the kitchen.

Pru followed and got the ingredients out to make their cookies. "You're right and I'm so proud of you, my girl, for making friends and wowing everyone in your new program." She'd been worried Minnie would struggle, hence the avenging angel deal.

No one would mess with Pru's kid.

The niggle of concern that something didn't seem right only lasted for a brief second before the medication kicked in again and Pru focused on helping Minnie mix the dry ingredients for their sweet treat.

This story is a challenge that I'm enjoying. Pru is going to be broken down but she'll come back a little stronger than before.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

Well… I'm coming off a bittersweet week. I got to spend my birthday with almost my entire family, which is terrific, but the reason not so much. We buried my beloved Gram on Wednesday and, being in Ohio, the weather ran the gamut from rain to snow to a sleet / hail mixture. Finally, the sun came out toward the end of the day.

Television had a good week. Legends had a great episode even if I can't quite decide if I actually like Damian's campy antics or if I really hate them. It's pretty much a toss-up.

Tuesday's shows are on my list to catch up on. The draining day left me with little to no brain power to watch television. The same goes for Riverdale on Wednesday.

I did catch Arrow and, as always, I enjoyed the episode. I rather like how they keep changing up the versions of Laurel. And having Roy back is always kick ass. I've missed him. I'm also interested in seeing how things play out with Dinah and Oliver. In all honesty, I'm a little on the fence about the Dinah character. Her thirst for vengeance isn't one I bought into, but I'll finish watching to see what happens.

I need to catch up on Gotham also. Totally forgot it returned at the beginning of the month.

Watched a little more of season five of Chicago Fire and still love the show. Looking forward to another DVD this week to see what else happens.

Started Jessica Jones this weekend and season two feels like it's going to be a wild ride. Can't wait to see what else the show has in store for me.

I'll be playing catch up on Murdoch Mysteries again, but I did see episode fifteen and thoroughly enjoyed.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella that got a writing community prompt start with the words "get out".

Here's the mini-blurb:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it.

And a snippety peek…

Dane slammed his hand on the desk. "It's been two weeks. Why the hell aren't we combing the district for her?" He glared at the phone, waiting on a response.

A room of twelve board members collectively cleared their throats.

Only one had the balls to verbally reply. "Given Stark's penchant for going off book, pulling resources to search for her isn't warranted. Not yet." Blaine Kudrow… it figured.

Pru's blunt style often annoyed others. And, of course, Blaine topped the list. Dammit.

Dane heaved a sigh. "Then when? The longer we wait the more damage control we could get into." Seriously… someone had to put a stop to the escalating break-ins, before word got out.

Nagy Harnish jumped into the conversation. "Look, Callaway, give it two more weeks. Unless the thefts escalate further." A general consensus sounded in the background.

Dane tamped a flash of anger down. "I'm going to commit everyone not on an active operation to trolling for intel. I trust no one's gonna have a problem approving the overtime." Considering he signed the paychecks, the board could kiss his ass if they did.

Kudrow snorted. "Like you'd care or let that stop you. By all means, use your people however you see fit. You certainly take advantage of having your lover as one of primary agents." The room hissed their disapproval of her blatant insult. "Fine, fine. I'll shut up now. If your people don't turn anything up within two weeks, we'll revisit allocating personnel from the other divisions."

Dane tersely thanked the group and cut the call before he threatened to blast the lot of them. His relationship with Pru rarely interfered with ongoing missions. Hell, he'd waited a full week before bringing his concerns to the board so he wouldn't be accused of playing favorites.

Sitting down at his desk, he drummed his fingers on the smooth surface. "Something isn't right. My gut's screaming Pru's in danger."

This one end up being moved to my science fiction romance pseudonym but I love how the story is coming together.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a terrific one. I spent mine with some extended family and had a lovely time.

Slower than normal week in television, which was rather nice. Gotham turned in a great episode. I have much love for Alfred and this episode made me love him all the more. Haven continues to impress me. I really will hate to see the show end.

The Walking Dead fall finale is tonight, right? I'll miss having my Sunday night viewing staple, but with the holidays coming up, the time should fly. I'll have to see if The Librarians and Agent X are taking a break, too.

Last but not least, Doctor Who. I'm truly saddened I just can't seem to get into the new season. This year's Christmas special may be my last episode. I'll have to do some Whovian soul searching over the next few weeks.

Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella where my heroine goes through a traumatic experience and has to learn how to let her lover back in.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it.

And a snippety peek…

Pru Stark threw her head back when an orgasm caught her off guard. She gasped through the wave of bliss, her fingers curling into Dane's chest.

He rasped out a harsh breath. But the brief burst of pain didn't slow him down, his hips flexing and rising, his thighs going taut.

She leaned down and caught his mouth. "Come with me, Callaway." Her lips nuzzled his throat.

Dane's palms squeezed her legs. "I'm there, Pru. Coming right behind you." He stiffened beneath her, groaning his pleasure.

Pru collapsed atop his chest then shifted sideways, burrowing into his side. Having sex the night before an op always took on heightened qualities—especially when she and Dane weren't going out together. Since he'd moved up to mission director, he couldn't go out in the field as often, running the action behind the scenes. Pru missed working with him, but he made a great leader.

Dane brushed a kiss over her temple. "Thinking about tomorrow?" His arms tightened around her.

She glanced up. "Yeah. Shouldn't be too bad. A week out to gather intel and hopefully bust up the child slavery ring." She hoped they didn't discover a sexual component; the sweat shop angle sucked enough.

Dane absently trailed his fingers down her arm. "I've been thinking… there's something else I want you to keep your eyes open for."

Pru frowned. "Tell me I'm not scoping out pedophiles." Her fingers curled into a fist.

Dane shook his head. "No, even though it's a possibility, I'm leaning toward theft."

Pru sat up, turning to face Dane. "Theft? Like they're using the kids to steal?"

Dane nodded. "I know, it sounds insane, but I ran some sims." He scooted up and leaned against the headboard. "That rash of break-ins that started six months ago… the ones we haven't been able to figure out how they're being pulled off?"

Pru snorted, the light bulb going off. "Because there's no easy in or out." She finished the thought for him. "Yeah. A kid would be able to gain access without too much trouble." The man never failed to blow her mind.

Dane lifted a shoulder. "There's nothing concrete I can take to the board, but my gut is screaming there's a connection."

Pru didn't disagree. "Your gut tends to be right. I'll lay money we solve two big issues in one fell swoop." If everything went according to plan, the week would be productive.

Should be a snap to make it all happen.

Should be a snap, but it's not. As Pru will soon find out.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Fits and Starts

WooHoo! The Walking Dead is back tonight! So excited to see what happens next.

In other TV news, Arrow and Bitten continue to eat my brain, so much so, I've decided to dust off my Universes Altered blog and start recapping the episodes. Hopefully if I do weekly brain dumps, I'll have more space in my head. :D

What else? Almost Human, Lost Girl, and Helix are still must see. And Banshee, gotta take a moment to mention Friday's episode. I loved it. Usually, there's so much going on it's hard to keep up—I love that, don't get me wrong—but I seriously enjoyed having a tight focus on Lucas and Carrie/Ana this week. I don't know, for such an almost quiet episode, some big shifts occurred. Important ones, I think. But I'm really excited to see the next episode when shit goes sideways and everything is back to normal. J

Tonight's post is from Fits and Starts, a novella where my main female character gets her life back on track by fits and starts. So far, it's been a rough ride, but I'm loving how Pru makes slow progress.

Here's the tagline:

After escaping from a madman's clutches, Pru Stark can't quite find her footing again. She pushes her man, Dane Callaway, away and refuses to see the little girl she saved. Dane can give her space, but he won't stay on the sidelines, not when Pru needs him the most, even if she can't quite admit it. 

And a snippety peek...

Pru burst through Dane's open door, waving her fitrep back and forth. "What the hell is this, Dane." She held the report in front of her. "Request for active status, denied." She pinned him with her gaze. "Why are keeping me from work?"

Dane closed the file on his desk and leaned back in his seat. "Did you read your psych eval, Pru? Doc says you're not ready, and I’m not gonna argue with her." He nodded toward the extra chair. "Have a seat and we'll talk about what needs to happen before you're cleared for work."

She threw the fitrep on the cluttered surface. "I don't want to 'talk'. I've done every damned thing you and your creeptastic team of medical professionals asked."

He shook his head. "Except the one thing you need to do."

Damn the man. She whirled around, pacing back and forth. No one would make her do something against her will again. Or convince her she had to do what they said because she needed some stupid form of closure. Maybe if Dane's group of gurus had their entire life rewritten through drugs and mind games, she'd credit them with having a clue. Until then… they could kiss her ass.

And so could Dane.

She stopped and spun to face him. "You know what, Dane? That fitrep is bullshit." She dropped down into the chair. "They don't have the right to keep me from working. And neither do you."

Dane leaned forward, placing his forearms on the desk. "I sign the paychecks, Pru. Pretty much gives me the right to do whatever I feel is necessary to keep my people safe." He held her gaze. "Sending you out in the field before you're ready isn't going to help anyone." He held up a hand. "And yes, what happened to you is playing a big role in why I'm not taking any more chances."

Pru rolled her eyes. "What happened to me? You have no idea what I went through, Dane. What they made me believe." He only knew what she wanted him to know.

Dane's mouth twisted in a sad smile. "You'd be surprised, Pru. It doesn't take a genius to put the pieces together." He sighed. "But you're right. I don't everything. And that's how you want it." He settled back again. "But you're missing a piece of your soul right now and that little kid has it. You either get it back, by seeing that she's okay and happy with her family, or you walk around with a sucking flesh wound for the rest of your natural life." He met her gaze. "It's your choice."

She hated him so much. She'd happily punch him in the face—except it would give him a reason to send her back to the therapist's office.

She hopped up and paced the confines of the room. "I can't. I just can't be around her right now."

Dane shook his head. "No, Pru, you won't. There's a difference. Nothing's stopping you, but you." He waited a beat. "She misses you. Her pretty angel."

Tears sprang and Pru fought hard to keep them from falling. "I'm not an angel and you know it." Her resolve hardened. "And she'll get over it. She'll forget me soon enough and move on with her happy life."

Dane countered. "A life you could be part of, if you'd stop being so damned scared. She's got room in her heart for you." He softened his tone. "You saved her life, Pru. She's not going to forget that, regardless of how young she is."

Pru snorted. "Jesus, do you hear yourself?" She scoffed. "Since when did you become an expert?"

Dane shrugged. "I'm not. You know I’m not. But I can read and do research."

Pru's eyes widened. "Why would you do that?"

Dane heaved a sigh. "Because I love you and you're a giant ball of pain. Anything I can do to ease how badly you're suffering, I'll try. Knowing how one little girl turned you inside out seemed like the best place to start."

Pru shook her head. "She's not the one who turned everything sideways. The group who had her did the damage." She sank back onto the chair. "And I am afraid. I'm afraid seeing her will take me right back to that fucking place and I'll lose it again." She blew out a harsh breath. "It's not her fault, but I don't want to ever blame that little girl… and we know I could. I won't take a chance and possibly hurt her." She met Dane's gaze. "Because then they win, and I'm not okay with that."

Dane nodded, a satisfied gleam in his eye. "And there we have it… progress."

This story is in the infant stages, but I'm really excited to see how all comes together. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin