Sunday Snippet: Under the Influence (a South of the Border novella)

Hello, September. Here's hoping you're not as maniacal as August. I'd love for the weather to make up its mind and hold for a while. I don't imagine that will actually happen.

Had a lovely day off to travel to the Hocking Hills area to meet up with my cousins on my mom's side of the family. We're hoping to make it an annual event. I couldn't take the whole weekend, but it was so much fun to spend time with them. Bonus points for being close enough to my daughter's location for grad school that I could take some of the things she forgot.

Still insanely busy with work and I'm happy for the new projects coming my way. Also kind of thrilled they're all a bit different so it's not the same thing for each manuscript.

Had an okay week of viewing. I got to watch a few things when I needed a break from wall-to-wall words. Sometimes it's nice to have a minivacation to reset my brain.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. It's a two-parter so I'm hoping to watch the second half this week.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't really remember this one, but the later seasons of the show weren't watched quite as many times as the earlier ones.

Got an episode of My Life Is Murder watched and loved it. Again, Madison really stole the show. And the wink-wink-nod to Xena at the end was fun and awesome.

Started an episode of Signora Volpe and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when Sylvia's undercover assignment is discovered.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Under the Influence, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

When her father dies, Lilith Jans inherits a piece of hotly sought after property in Mexico. She also unknowingly takes on an unpaid debt, which puts her life in danger. Hayden Knoxville makes her an offer she wants to refuse but can't—sell to him and he'll deal with the men coming to collect payment.

And a snippety peek…

Hayden Knoxville entered the cantina and spotted his friends right away.

Lars stood up and waved Hayden over. "Knoxville, how was the trip down?" He settled back down at the table and motioned for the server to bring another beer.

Hayden grunted. "Not bad. Been a while since I've crossed the border." At least into Mexico.

Vail lifted his chin. "How long has it been? Three years now?"

Hayden gave a nod. "There about. Heard you two have been busy." The scuttlebutt proved interesting, and he wondered how accurate the information could be.

He only picked up bits and pieces from a friend of a friend who had some kind of pull with covert operations. His former colleagues got out of the business and settled with—from the sound of things—two incredible women. When the trio video conferenced about Hayden making the trip down to Mexico, they didn't waste any time on small talk. But both men seemed … less haunted.

Hayden wanted what they had. And he might have the means to make it happen.

Lars kicked his chair back on two legs. "Decide anything on the problem we talked about?" Right to the issue at hand, a very Lars move.

Hayden took a long swallow of the beer the server placed in front of him before answering. "I'm willing to help but … instead of working short-term, why not consider long-term?" He'd given the situation a lot of thought and had what he hoped would be a perfect solution.

Lars arched a brow. "What do you have in mind?"

Hayden rolled a shoulder. "I'll buy her out. If she sells to me, half her headache is gone." And he had the means to make a sizeable offer.

Vail frowned. "What if she doesn't want to sell?"

Hayden snorted. "She'd be stupid not to. I absorb her old man's debts, meaning I deal with any potential fallout or blow back." And maybe take down one last asshole before closing the book on this chapter of his life.

Lars planted his forearms on the table. "Why? I mean, do you have some strange hankering to move your life down here?"

Hayden pondered how to answer. "Move anywhere, actually. I'm tired of chasing the next job." And pushing his luck.

Vail picked up the thread of conversation. "Does this have anything to do with getting shot last year?"

Hayden sighed. "Hell, I don't know. I always figured gunshot wounds and wicked-looking scars from a knife blade were part of the fun." Right up until the injuries started outweighing the positive aspects of the job.

Lars grimaced. "Sure … until they're not." He rubbed at his side, no doubt remembering his last close call.

Hayden grunted. "Exactly. I've been doing this long enough to know I've got a few good years left before age and wear and tear take too much of a toll. I wanna get out before I'm too tired or injured to do so." And starting over with a couple of friends nearby had merit.

Vail huffed out a breath. "Or too dead."

Hayden cocked his head. "That, too. Besides, when you two dropped out, it became a wake-up call." He fixed his gaze on his friends. "Got any regrets?"

Both answered in unison. "No."

Hayden gave a nod. "Didn't think so. I've got a tidy sum saved up and it's kind of nice to think about not living out of a jump bag and crawling in and out hot spots all the time." He spoke several languages, knew his way around boats and bars … why not put his acquired knowledge to work as more than a hired gun?

Lars spread his hands out. "Look, Vail and I have a good reason not to live the life anymore."

Hayden lifted his chin. "Yeah, two super-hot women to keep you in line."

Vail huffed out a breath and finished his beer. "You don't have anyone. You'll be tying yourself to business you may not even like. What are you going to do if you get bored?"

Hayden gazed out the window, soaking in the landscape. "Easy, I'll go surfing, or diving, or hiking somewhere." He drained his mug and set it on the table. "I've got this round." He got up to pay the tab … but overheard his friends' commentary.

Vail rocked back on the chair. "Guess he's got it all figured out."

Lars gave a nod. "Yep. Until something—or someone—throws him a curve."

Hayden didn't blame them for their doubts. But he had a skill set they didn't know about. "I'm damned good at shifting on the fly." He could totally do this.

This is a fun series and I'm enjoying bringing previous characters back to help the new ones.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

 

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: Under the Influence (a South of the Border novella)

Not a bad week overall. The weather has been a little crazypants, but given the state of the world, not exactly surprising.

Had a new work project and set up several more for the near future. Happy about getting some new ink on my calendar. Also started a new goal of reading a bit from my new books. If I make it an almost daily habit, I'll get a lot accomplished.

Decent viewing week for television. I caught a couple of Peanuts specials. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown and It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown. I don't think I've ever seen either.

Watched the penultimate episode of The Madame Blanc Mysteries. So far, I'm really enjoying this new show. Here's hoping there will be more.

Caught two episodes of Classic Who and I'm stuck between thinking it's kind of cool that the Doctor struggles with maintaining the TARDIS and being annoyed by the idea. Did kind of enjoy the various incarnations the ship took when they moved from place to place.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I'm constantly fascinated by how vast the state is and how beautiful the scenery is. Even with weird stuff going on.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. Not quite sure what this one will be about but I have a feeling Wayne's not going to fare well.

Watched four episodes of The Muppet Show. Gladys Knight, Hal Linden, Marty Feldman, and Wally Boag were the guest stars. Almost finished with season five and then it'll be the new-to-me series and movies up next.

Got two more episodes of Peak Practice watched. The icky doctor finally got his comeuppance and Claire's manic depression might have calmed down a little. Still enjoying this one.

Finished up the holiday special of Fantasy Island. I ended up a blubbery mess by the end of it. Kudos to the writing staff for that. Really like where this show is headed. Fingers crossed they don't eff it up like so many other shows.

Enjoyed two more lessons of MasterClass with Bill Nye. I love his mix of humor and excitement. I wish school districts would let teachers instruct the way he does.

Got two episodes of The Witcher watched and I'm so in love with this show. I love everything about the plotlines this season. I'm very excited about the main trio meeting up … if it happens. If it doesn't, I'll deal but I want Geralt, Yennifer, and Ciri in one room at the same time—even if it's the final cut scene of the season. Just saying.

Watched two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were remembered favorites. Someday, I'd love to watch some of these with my oldest kidlet again.

Caught two episodes of Chicago Med and enjoyed both. There's something about a medical drama that makes me very happy. This one walks a nice line of drama and humor.

Finished up season six of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I've got one season left and I'm actually hoping there will be another one in the wings. Haven't really looked to see if that's going to happen but here's hoping.

Started a new season and a new two-parter of Silent Witness. Harry is still around, which is terrific. I love his character. I also don't remember watching this run so I might finally be in new episodes for me.

Caught another episode of Fosse Verdon. This one made me grin because my daughter did the "Who's Got the Pain" number for her senior year pops concert. I'm hoping I can get her to watch at least that scene.

Last but not least, I watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. A lot going on in this one. Ash is back with star fleet. Tilly is going through it. Phillipa made an appearance, which I'm totally down with. And Michael is caught up in major family drama. Looking forward to seeing where everything ends up.

Whew! That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Under the Influence, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When her father dies, Lilith Jans inherits a piece of hotly sought after property in Mexico. She also unknowingly takes on an unpaid debt, which puts her life in danger. Hayden Knoxville makes her an offer she wants to refuse, but can't—sell to him and he'll deal with the men coming to collect payment.

And a snippety peek…

Her demand didn't surprise him, but Hayden tried to get Lilith to see reason. "Would be safer if you left." For both of them.

Lilith's eyes widened. "No, it wouldn't. Do you think I'm stupid?" She flung a hand out. "Play this out with me. I sell to you and leave. What's to stop them from still coming after me to collect what my dad owed? Not like they're going to give up."

Hayden smiled against his better judgment. "Smart women tend to be lethal—to themselves and others—but you get the danger." He folded his arms over his chest. "So … I have a counter offer. I buy the bar. You keep that money in a numbered account as a safety net in case you have to leave in a big hurry."

Lilith frowned. "I'm not walking away."

Hayden lifted his chin. "Not saying you have to or that you're changing your mind. I'm saying if I can't settle this and things go sideways, you need a plan to start over." From what he'd learned, she deserved better than that, but he could only do so much.

She bit her lip for a moment. "Fine. What's your offer?"

He named a figure.

She blinked. "That's more than fair market value, but I'd be insane to turn it down."

Hayden arched his brows. "So, we have deal?"

She nodded. "We have a deal." She thrust her palm forward. "We do."

Hayden took her hand, ignoring the zing that traveled up his arm. "I truly love smart women."

She gave him a firm shake to seal their agreement. "Yeah, well, something tells me smart women know not to get tangled up with you."

Hayden laughed. "You'd be right about that." He nodded toward their peanut gallery. "Looks like we'll have plenty of referees if needed."

For once, she gave him a genuine smile.

And he refused to acknowledge how much he liked the warmth filling him.

I love writing the South of the Border series. It's fun to weave the established characters into the narrative and have fun at the same time.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Under the Influence (a South of the Border novella)

Boo! It's the month of Halloween and creeptastic treasures! I love October. That said, it's also the time I need to start thinking and doing my holiday shopping. I do not want a repeat of last year when I waited way too long to get stuff done.

Had a busy week driving all over the place with my daughter. We had a college visit on Monday. I picked her up from the district tournament for golf on Wednesday. And I picked her up from her band competition because she needs to be up and out early in the morning. I forgot how much windshield time driving gives me. LOL

Not a bad week for television. I haven't started any of the new seasons of my faves yet. But… I did finish up Peter Gunn. I have a few ideas of what to replace that slot with but haven't landed on a specific one yet.

I caught two episodes of Blue Heelers. I'm still at the beginning of season two but I love this show. It has a great cast.

I started season nineteen of Midsomer Murders. I can honestly say I took the death of Sykes really hard. Seriously. Which is actually kind of sad but, man, that was one cool dog. The new one, Paddy, is also fun, but I had years' worth of Sykes antics to enjoy. Anyway… I like the new DS guy but I miss Charlie. I'm watching an episode with Jones in it and it kind of makes me nostalgic.

I got to watch two more arcs of Classic Who. The Claws of Axios and Colony in Space. I'll be starting a new one this week.

I also plan to watch the new Passionflix movie that released this week. I'm looking forward to it.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Under the Influence, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When her father dies, Lilith Jans inherits a piece of hotly sought after property in Mexico. She also unknowingly takes on an unpaid debt, which puts her life in danger. Hayden Knoxville makes her an offer she wants to refuse, but can't—sell to him and he'll deal with the men coming to collect payment.

And a snippety peek…

Kiernan loved how Lars always asked the right question. Never took him long to get up to speed. Working for a covert military unit didn't hurt… made him think fast on his feet.

Kiernan gave him the shortest version of the answer. "According to Maria, the no-good Lester killed Juanita when he crashed their car after leaving another bar he owned in California." She grabbed another cold one and twisted the top off. "Lilith wasn't with them when it happened and Lester never had a controlling interest in Juanita's business so her shares went to Lilith." After taking a nice, long swallow of the icy beverage, she finished up. "Now that Lester's dead, Lilith owns the bar outright."

Lars paused on his next drink, lowering the bottle. "So… what's the problem?"

Kiernan snorted. "Lester didn't own controlling interest in the California club either." She met Lars's gaze. "And he borrowed heavily against his stake." She stopped there, letting Lars fill in the blanks.

His lips twisted. "Which means he died owing money." He straightened, scooping Kiernan into a sitting position.

Kiernan nodded. "Ding. Ding. Ding." As usual, he got it in one.

Lars took another stab. "So… Maria is worried Lester's business partners will come after Lilith to collect." His eyes got dark with anger.

Kiernan dipped her chin, acknowledging his guess. "Yep. And they're not exactly the kind of guys who'll let the court systems in two countries figure everything out." They weren't the type to respect laws anyway.

Lars put his beer down and leaned in close to Kiernan. "Well, then. You'd better plan on getting Maria over for dinner so we can talk about how to keep Lilith safe."

Kiernan grinned. "I love you." She slid her hands up to his biceps.

Lars rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. What's not to love?"

She laughed and pushed him backward in the lounge then landed on top of him to snag his lips in a steamy kiss.

She loved everything about Lars.

I always enjoy going back to Kiernan and Lars from Down in Mexico. Working a few of their friends and colleagues into the mix lets me show the progression of Keir and Lars's relationship, which I love to do.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Under the Influence (South of the Border)

Happy Easter to those who celebrate. I'm always down for baked ham, mashed potatoes, and noodles. Also, the weather couldn't be more beautiful today.

Thoroughly enjoyed Talking with Chris Hardwick last week. I truly enjoy his casual approach to interviewing. He's such a fan of everything and it shows.

Not much on television this week. I'm looking forward to the return of my lineup.

Riverdale had a great episode. Secrets and sins run deep in the small town and it's so cool to see the interesting ways both get exposed. It'll be fun to see how Archie's mom mixes it up with everyone.

Had a busy work week but had some time to look forward to some returning shows. It looks like Syfy on Fridays will be awesome this summer. Killjoys, Dark Matter, and Wynonna Earp all in one block? Doesn't get much better.

And that's it for television. Tonight's post is from Under the Influence, a South of the Border novella. I'm really hoping to dive back in to this world and finish up a couple of related books.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When her father dies, Lilith Jans inherits a piece of hotly sought after property in Mexico. She also unknowingly takes on an unpaid debt, which puts her life in danger. Hayden Knoxville makes her an offer she wants to refuse, but can't—sell to him and he'll deal with the men coming to collect payment.

And a sneaky peek…

Lars Rademacher blinked and shook his head. "Wait, Kier, back everything up a moment." He grabbed her hand and tugged her down beside him. "What does Maria need our help with?" He'd happily give the woman a kidney if necessary.

After all, she took Kiernan in when she had no one else. And she welcomed him with open arms—something he didn't take for granted.

Kier curled up on the lounge chair and got comfortable. "Her niece, Lilith, inherited her father's bar two towns over. Maria is beside herself. She's so happy Lilith is coming down, hopefully to stay, but…" She paused a moment, frowning.

Lars prodded for more. "But… what? Kier, what's going on?" Not like his Kier to keep things bottled up.

Not since they'd reunited and got their lives back.

Kier angled toward him, heaving a sigh. "Maria thinks a big problem will keep Lilith from sticking around." She snagged his beer and took a drink.

There's a story here. "Start at the beginning, Kier. How is Lilith related to Maria? Mom's side? Dad's side?" He retrieved the bottle and emptied the contents.

Kier reached into the cooler and grabbed another. "Her mom, Jauanita, is—was—Maria's sister." A smile twisted her lips. "According to Maria, they were different as night and day. Maria likes the slower pace of her cantina. You know, steady flow of customers, mostly locals who she's known her whole life. Jaunita preferred bigger crowds, a faster pace. She opened a beachside bar and gained quite a reputation for good food, great service, and primo events." She popped the top off the beer and handed it to Lars. "Juanita met Lilith's dad down here when he was on vacation. Two months later, he bought in to the bar and they got married."

Lars tilted the bottle and took a long swallow. "Okay, what happened to Juanita?"

It's so much fun to revisit Lars and Kiernan, the couple who started the South of the Border series.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Under the Influence (A South of the Border Book)

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is getting a great start to the new year. I kind of love this time. It's almost like a period of renewal. I jot down goals or revisit past ones to see my progress. Last year, I got more accomplished than I realized, which makes me excited for 2015.

On the television front, I finally sat down and watched Ascension and I’m sooooo glad I did! If Syfy gives a green light to make it a series, I'll be a happy camper. I also took some time and got started on The Librarians and I'm charmed by the show. It's a little campy and ridiculous, but I don't care. It's fun, lighthearted, and reminds me a lot of Warehouse 13, which I loved.

Looking forward to the return of my regular viewing treats and the start of the new seasons for Banshee and Bitten.

Tonight's post is from Under the Influence, one of the books in the South of the Border series.

Here's the tagline:

When her father dies, Lilith Jans inherits a piece of hotly sought after property in Mexico. She also unknowingly takes on an unpaid debt, which puts her life in danger. Hayden Knoxville makes her an offer she wants to refuse, but can't—sell to him and he'll deal with the men coming to collect payment.

And a snippety peek…

Lilith straightened her shoulders and moved to brush past Hayden. A patron entered the bar area, making her adjust her trajectory and her elbow bumped against his. A shudder tore through her. The contact, minimal and so brief, heated up her spine. Her step faltered and she had to brace a hand on the door jamb to keep moving forward.

Following Lilith to the kitchen, Kiernan shook her head and opened her mouth.

Lilith held up a hand. "Don’t. Just don't even say it."

Kiernan shrugged. "Okay, but you're gonna have to face what you feel sooner or later."

Lilith closed her eyes and exhaled a calming breath. "Later it is. Much, much later." She grabbed a bottle of vodka from an open case, twisted the cap off, and poured a shot's worth into a tumbler. "I don't even like the man. How can he make me so hot I want to strip his clothes off and jump him?" Picking up the glass, she drained the contents.

Kiernan quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe you're fighting too hard, Lilith. Why don't you just get down and dirty with Hayden? You know, have mind-blowing sex, work off the tension, and move on." She splashed a little more alcohol into the glass and handed it back to Lilith.

Why the hell not? She'd never get anything accomplished if she couldn't manage to spend five minutes with the man without wanting to either punch or make out with him.

Lilith set the cup on the counter and picked up the bottle before meeting Kiernan's gaze. "Dammit. You had to plant that idea in my head, didn't you?" She brought the vodka to her lips and took several healthy swigs.

Kiernan chuckled, but took the bottle from Lilith. "No more for you. Trust me, you'll want a clear head so you can remember every detail." She recapped the alcohol and stashed it under the counter.

A vivid image of Hayden, naked, hard, and ready, flashed through Lilith's mind.

She shot Kiernan a sideways glance. "I hate you, Kier. I truly do." Because she did want to have total recall of every sensual, sexy thing Hayden would do to her.

Kiernan's laughter rang out and she headed back toward the bar area. "Then my work here is done." She looked back over her shoulder. "Have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She ducked back into the bar, leaving Lilith alone in the kitchen.

She finally smiled. "Well then, at least I've got plenty of options."

Gotta say, it's been great to touch base with Kiernan and Lars from Down in Mexico. I love working in little pieces with them.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin